Martial Arts Mix!
Chapter 25
"So, how was the date?" Akane asked eagerly the next morning, sitting at the kitchen table watching her sister cook.
Kasumi blushed, "It was nice."
"Aaaaaaaaand?" Akane demanded.
"None of your business," the still blushing Kasumi said firmly.
Akane pouted. "At least tell me if she is a good kisser," she pressed.
Kasumi got a slightly dreamy look on her face as she remembered last night. "Oooh, yeah," she agreed happily.
"Good," Akane smiled.
Seeing how happy Kasumi looked, Akane felt a faint twinge of jealousy, weirdly enough. She had felt a certain... connection with Sumika when she first arrived. Who knows, SOMETHING could have happened?
"Akane?" Kasumi asked, and Akane realized she'd zoned out a bit.
"I'm glad it went well, other than the brawl," Akane noted.
"I really should have expected it," Kasumi sighed wryly.
(Several local martial artists had been shadowing the pair. Not unexpectedly, a fight ended up breaking out...)
"Where's Ranma?" Akane asked curiously.
"Out training with Genma. And Sumika's out there doing katas," Kasumi told her.
"Okay, I might go out and join them," Akane decided.
Ranma and Genma were sparring, leaping and bounding around, fists a blur. They were astonishingly fast, and every now and then they would break out a special move.
Nearby, Sumika was running through more normal karate moves.
"Want a sparring partner?" Akane called.
"Sure," Sumika agreed.
Akane felt she and Sumika were pretty evenly matched, really. And, if she was completely honest, Akane felt herself improving, fighting against someone on her own level...
"Ooof!" Sumika grunted as Akane landed a blow.
'YES!' Akane thought, satisfied.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"So, she indeed uses Chinese Amazon techniques?" one elder noted as the group received her latest report.
"She is," Cologne agreed. "I checked our records, her several times Great Grandmother interacted with the tribe," she noted. In this case 'interacted' meant survived assassination attempts because she had crossed the tribes.
"Hmm. Should we take steps?" another old crone asked. Everyone there knew that she meant sending someone to kill the girl.
"She's not adept with any of the REAL secrets," Cologne noted. "I do suggest keeping an eye on her. It's possible we might even recruit her."
"We could marry her off to one of our men," a third noted.
Cologne coughed, "She prefers women, actually."
"Then we can send one of our Amazons, since we have some of similar tastes," the first old one just shrugged.
(It wasn't brought up much, but there were many Amazons unimpressed with the weak males of the tribes. Some turned to each other for various reasons, and some even settled into long term, happy relationships.)
"Keep a watch on her," the eldest ordered, "and report back."
"Yes, understood," Cologne agreed.
"Grandmother?" Shampoo asked as she entered the kitchen where Shampoo was readying things for the lunch rush.
"We'll keep a eye on Sumika for now," Colonge told her. "The leaders do not feel she's a danger to us, yet."
"Poo. I'd like to fight her again," Shampoo pouted.
"Be patient," Cologne ordered.
At (nearly) the same time back in the Amazon village, an elder left the meeting room, making her way to the home of her favorite grand-neice. She was a fierce fighter, but frankly bored with her life in the village.
"Honored Grand-Aunt," the gorgeous blond bowed.
"Con-Ditonah," the old woman said, "how would you like to take a Japanese bride?"
Con-Ditionah looked intrigued, "Tell me more..."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Wait a minute, you've thinking of moving up here permanently?" Ukyo asked as they sat in class together.
Despite their lives as dedicated martial artists, most of them did go to school. Well, other than Ryouga, who spent a huge amount of his time getting lost and wandering Japan and occassionally parts of China and the East.
"Once I graduate, and I'll need to clear it with my father," Sumika admitted.
"Opening up a Dojo here for the Murasame School of Fist of the North Pole?" Ukyo teased her.
"Nothing as grand as that," Sumika waved it off.
"Well, you ARE developing a reputation," Ukyo pointed out.
"I'm really not too happy about THAT," Sumika sighed.
Ukyo just laughed.
After being put in charge of the school's Karate Club, she had started trying whipping them into shape. Then she and a few friends ended up taking on the various sports clubs that had been targeting Akane, The result was her name was all over the school, but she was also widely regarded as a battle maniac...
"And there's you winning the fight with Kodachi Kuno," Ukyo added. "Everyone knows she's a bit of a loon, but she's a formidable loon."
"I guess," Sumika sighed.
"Any more people bugging you for matches?" Ukyo asked.
"Two more this afternoon," Sumika sighed.
"Ha!" Ukyo chuckled.
"I'm glad someone is enjoying this," Sumika grumbled.
Ukyo added, "I bet Ranma is enjoying not having this craziness circling around him."
"Probably," Sumika agreed.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Nabiki Tendo nodded to her two minions, "How did the betting go on Sumika's match?"
"It's getting harder to find people to bet against her," Chiaki noted.
Akari nodded gravely.
"There's always at least SOME suckers," Nabiki pointed out.
"Yes ma'am," both girls chorused.
"Chiaki, I'm pretty sure Kodachi will want more Sumika photos at this point," Nabiki said. "Meet her as usual."
"Right," Chiaki agreed, the blond haired woman adding, "We got photos of the two duels, as well as swimming practice shots."
"Good," Nabiki turned to the other girl, "Akari, get together the usual Ranma and Akane shots for Mr Kuno."
Akari nodded, "You can count on me."
"And I'll pass on the latest report to Tomoe-sama," Nabiki noted, knowing the heiress was a higher priority customer.
Akari hesitantly asked, "Is it true that when her family company was in trouble, she took over, fixed the problem, then went back to highschool to be with her girlfriend?"
"Yes, she's very formidable," Nabiki agreed.
"That's so cool!" Chiaki blurted.
"That's so romantic," Akari echoed.
Both girls then kind of looked at each other.
Nabiki got up as she said, "Okay, I have to go meet with her. Keep an eye on things the rest of the day, please."
"Okay!" both chorused.
Nabiki met with Tomoe in a cafe about half between their various towns. She exchanged the photos, then gave the woman a verbal report.
"Thank you," Tomoe said. She studied Nabiki with an oddly intent look.
"Yes?" Nabiki asked a bit nervously.
"I assume you know about my family's company?" Tomoe asked. As Nabiki nodded she added, "I'm going back to work for them once I graduate."
"I see," Nabiki said, wondering where this was going.
"How would you like a job?" Tomoe offered.
"What."
To be continued...
Notes: It always bugged me that Akane is just kinda bad at fighting in Ranma 1/2. Admittedly, her dad quit training them seriously, but still...
Yes, she's Conditioner. Sorry, couldn't resist. As this is a Ranma fic, she PROBABLY has a grudge against either Ranma or Shampoo, for some reason.