The Last Indignity
Swiftly the two figures jumped from limb to limb rustling through the leaves like the wind, appearing as only blurs to the animals below.
"Come on Ryoga, get your ass in gear, if you get lost I ain't coming back for you." Ranma looked back to see his female companion close in toe.
"Shut up and find Akane you jerk!" Ryoga concentrated on Ranma anticipating each branch he would land on, his thoughts started to drift to the discovery they made only hours ago.
The two boys ran through the temple door panting heavily, securing it behind them.
"I never thought we'd get outta there." Ryoga said huffing.
"No kidding let's get the girls and get as far away from this place as possible."
They looked around and there was no sign of the girls anywhere. About ten feet away from the temple entrance was the remains of a brown paper bag, surrounded by a yellow powder. Ranma walked over bending down to inspect the suspicious substance.
"What is it?" Ryoga asked, looking over Ranma's shoulder.
"Looks like…cornstarch and something like Kodachi's sleeping powder."
"Do you think something happened to Akane?"
"It's a good guess and I bet it was that Sumatra guy."
"That jerk is really getting on my nerves."
"Come on, he couldn't have gotten too far with all three of them." They headed back down the ridge in pursuit of the mad chef and the three girls.
Their prey was careful not to leave a trail to their whereabouts. Running through the forest at top speed, trying to cover as much ground as possible, out of the corner of his eye, Ranma spied a stream of smoke rising up between the trees. Without even a word of warning he veered off to the right.
"Hey, where are you going?!" Ryoga stopped, balancing on the branch of a large oak tree and quickly followed Ranma's lead. "You can't loose me that easily, Ranma."
Once near enough to the smoke to see the camp Ranma took to the ground landing with ease. Ryoga bounced out of the trees next to him. "What's the big idea?"
"Sssh, I found something." Ranma said, hushing the brunette while glancing cautiously around the trees surrounding the barren camp.
"I don't see them anywhere." Ryoga said, standing his back to Ranma's side.
"Hahahaha." The sound of laughter echoed off the trees making it difficult for either of them to determine where the maniacal chef hid. Frustrated, Ranma burst into the middle of the camp growling his words up to the treetops.
"Show yourself, you little jerk."
"Stop hiding like a coward and fight me!" Ryoga shouted, joining Ranma in the middle of the camp. There was still no sign of their female companions, Ranma started to get agitated.
"Where have you taken them!"
"Soon Kounji will finally receive the punishment I have been waiting so patiently for. Its unfortunate that the others have to get hurt as well, but that is what happens when you have poor judgement in your friendships."
"What have you done to Akane?!" Ryoga shouted, still searching the leaves and branches.
"They're amusing themselves at the ravine." A shower of cornstarch bags bombarded them, Ranma and Ryoga dodged behind adjacent trees coughing.
"Ryoga, go get the girls I'll take care of this jerk."
"No way, he's mine. Besides you have a better chance of saving them in your male form then I do in this body." The wind was slowly parting the smokescreen in the small enclosure. Ranma looked Ryoga in the eye and nodded.
"See if you can hold him off till I can get back."
"Like I'd ever need your help!" Ryoga yelled at Ranma's diminishing form. He breathed in deeply, determination filling soul. He emerged from his hiding place, scanning the treetops. 'Only one way to find him.' With a strong leap he started to make his way up the branches of the trees boarding the clearing. A low whistling noise alerted Ryoga to dive to a lower branch, letting the razor sharp paring knives stick harmlessly into the bark of the tree trunk.
"Let's get this over with." Ryoga said, balancing on the thin branch.
"My thoughts exactly." The boy in the white chef's outfit emerged from the shadow of the leaves across from him. He stared at Ryoga coldly, twirling a small knife between his fingers making the blade shine in the sunlight glaring into Ryoga's eyes. The boy had disregarded his hat letting his long light honey-blonde hair blow freely in the wind.
"Hyah!" The two drove off the branches meeting each other in the air above the camp. Legs and fists flying with great speed.
"Damn, where the hell are they?!" Ranma stopped his running to search the trees around him.
"Huh? Ranma!" Akane raised her head, struggling against her restraints.
"Akane?" Ranma ran toward the voice and found himself at the edge of a great ravine. A few rocks crumbled to the ground below and ricocheted along the cliff's edge on their decent.
"Ranma!" Akane squirmed against the rope holding her arms to her waist. Ranma finally caught sight of her swinging by a rope on the cliff opposite him. He felt relief wash through him, the other two girls were hanging in the same position on either side of her their limp bodies swinging in the breeze. She smiled up at him, their eyes met, and a smile rose from the corners of Ranma's face. The glint of metal reflected into his eyes and with a frown he followed the rope up to the cliff's edge.
One of Sumatra's knives was wedged between the rock and the rope making it frayed to a few mere strands. Ranma's frown deepened as he watched Akane struggle to free herself from the binding. Her rope was the most frayed most likely do to all her thrashing.
"Akane, stay still I'm coming!" Ranma jumped over the edge bouncing from rock to rock. "Just don't move!"
"I think I'm almost free." She said flexing the muscles in her arms feeling the coarse rope cut into the skin of her arms and rip the delicate fabric of her white gown.
"Stop moving stupid, you are going to split your head open!" Ranma reached bottom as Akane swung from the final thin strand of rope. 'I gotta make it.' Akane stopped dead, her face turning a light pink as she watched him rapidly transverse the rocks below her.
"What did you say?!"
SNAP
"Ugh!" Ryoga came crashing down into the base of a large oak tree wincing in pain.
"Haha! I knew you would be weaker as a girl." Ryoga growled at the mention of weakness and lunged at the boy. He blocked Ryoga's punches and threw another smoke bomb into his eyes. Ryoga coughed his eyes watering from the stinging powder.
"Granted you took me by surprise with your unbelievable strength last time, but I don't think that'll be a problem now."
"No one like you will ever be good enough to defeat me." The two stood staring at each other, waiting. Ryoga ran toward him, fury wrenching a yell from his petite throat.
"Ahhh!" Akane screamed plummeting to the rocks below. 'No, too far away!' Ranma leapt in the air trying to close the distance between them. He managed to catch her in mid air, toppling down with her, rolling off the rocks and dirt, Ranma taking the brunt of the fall. He held her tight in his arms protecting her from the rocks' pointed edge. They finally met the dirt at the bottom of the ravine and tumbled to a stop against the opposite cliff, smashing Ranma's back and head on the rock face.
Unmoving, Akane sat in his lap, her legs slung over one side. His arms still held her possessively, her head buried in his chest eyes sealed shut as the dust in the air settled around them. Akane coughed clearing her throat, slowly raising her head feeling the rope around her go limp as Ranma untied her meeting her gaze with a sigh of relief. She came alive quickly cupping his head in her hands.
"Are you ok?" She asked, excitedly looking for a possible bruise on his head.
"After the number of mallets hits I've taken that didn't feel like nothin'." She crossed her arms over her chest giving him an angry look, still looking cute in her priestess garb ripped in various places.
"Hmph."
"What? Sorry Loverboy couldn't make it, you'll have to make do with me saving you." Ranma looked away and Akane stood up frustrated staring down at him.
"Ooh…Having you is fine with me!" She twirled around and walked away exasperated. Ranma turned and watched her with a softened look. She looked up at Ukyo and started to climb the rocks. Ranma rose to his feet and started toward Shampoo.
With a clash of blows both combatants were thrown against the trees. The boy was panting Ryoga grinned at him, breathing heavily himself.
"Didn't think a little girl could give you so much trouble, eh?"
"I'll give you trouble!" Reaching into his white shirt he pulled out two more sacks and threw them at Ryoga's feet. Instinctively, Ryoga crossed his arms in front of his face trying to protect himself. The smoke was minimal, but when he lowered his arms he found his feet frozen in a light yellow cement like substance. "Hmph. A quick drying cornstarch concoction I invented."
The boy reached behind him and pulled out his oversized pair of thongs. He opened and closed them making a menacing clanging noise as the metal smashed together. "Let's see you get out of this pinch."
Ryoga struggled to free himself dreading the thought of being enclosed in his current form. Then an idea sparked in his brain making him stand calmly in front of his opponent.
"So you like smokescreens? Well I've got something you'll love." He bent down extending his finger then striking the cement making it explode up into Sumatra's face. He coughed, trying to cover his mouth. Ryoga sneaked in and jabbed him in the side, the boy reeled back then quickly dropped his thongs and assumed a defensive stance. The girl flew around him shattering the rock and earth alternating between striking him and the ground. The air around them was consumed with dust, nothing could be seen even the trees that surround the camp. Sumatra tried to defend himself, but his attacker remained invisible behind the explosions and flying debris.
"Bakesitenketsu!"
"Wha?" Akane said. The group stopped listening to the commotion.
"I'll be damned, he's still alive." Ranma chuckled, a hand behind his head.
"You mean you left Ryoga alone to handle Sumatra!" Both Akane and Shampoo hit Ranma over the head and ran off toward the sound of explosions.
"Come on Ranma-honey, it'll all be over soon."
"Not soon enough."
"Ryoga?!" The wind was slowly dissipating the smoke that engulfed the campsite. The silhouette of a short brunette standing above a hunched over boy slowly came into focus. The boy collapsed to the ground and Ryoga slumped forward bracing himself on his legs.
"Oh thank goodness."
"Ryoga no hurt?" The two girls crushed him in an embrace completely ignoring the others presence.
"Hey, aren't you going to stop them?" Ranma said to Ukyo, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Nah, let 'em have their fun. They'll be back to normal soon." She smiled watching the girls cuddle Ryoga as he laughed uncomfortably.
"Hmph." Ranma turned away pretending not to care.
The body sprawled out on the ground before the three girls started to stir, Ryoga shifted his position to in front of Akane and Shampoo protectively. They each laid a hand on his shoulder peering out at the injured boy.
"Ahhh, I-I lost again."
"I'm ready to go again if you are." Ryoga watched him carefully as he picked himself off the ground and sat back on his legs.
"I know when I am beat. I just wish I had gotten my revenge for the injustice of the world."
"What do you mean wish you got your revenge, look at me I'm a girl!"
"I used instant seal a curse, it should wear off after a few washings." The boy looked away wiping a tear from his eye. Ryoga softened and brought himself down to Sumatra's level and Ukyo joined him.
"What are you mad at me for, sugar? I mean we barely knew each other in junior high."
"You stole the only thing that was precious to me."
"I thought Ranma was the only thief around here." Ryoga said.
"Hey!" Ranma and Ukyo said in unison bearing down on the brunette while he smiled brightly.
"Do not make light of my loss."
"Listen sweetie, I don't know what you're talking about I never stole anything in my life."
"Oh yeah, well right after you left my love followed you. Now look me in the eye and tell me you didn't steal my Tsubasa away." The entire group fell over their faces contorting with surprise.
"You mean you thought, Tsubasa…and you still think that I…"
"Ukyo is a girl you know." Ranma said putting a hand on Sumatra's shoulder.
"Ha! You expect me to believe something so preposterous!" Sumatra removed Ranma's hand with a slap.
"Hey you, how many times are you going to insult me in one day!"
"Just look at her she is obviously a girl." Ryoga said motioning to her chest giving Ranma an idea, but he soon remembered the beating he received last time and left it alone.
"Hmm," The boy examined Ukyo closely taking in all her measurements. "How do I know those aren't fake."
"Well you are just going to have to take my word for it!" Angrily she placed her hands on her hips.
"Being a girl is even worse! How could you deceive the angelic Tsubasa into thinking you are a man? You pervert you disgust me!"
"Ok, that's it now I am going to give you a beating." Ryoga held her back while Ranma tried to reason with him, explaining that Tsubasa knew Ukyo was a girl and that was the reason HE liked her. He furthered explained that Tsubasa was indeed all male. Sumatra's face went pale his eyebrow twitching beads of sweat running down his face..
"I have to be alone!" He yelled running off into the woods disappearing from their view.
"Poor guy." Akane said. "He looked really upset."
"Maybe he kissed him." Ranma said shivering. Akane refrained from comment.
Steam filled the small bathing room making everything appear to sweat. Only the deafening sound of the water slowly dripping could be heard bouncing off the four walls lined with tile.
'Its now or never.' A bead of sweat ran the length of Ryoga's face and into the porcelain pool shattering his female image as the water rippled in a perfect set of circles. The young girl held her breath making her bare breasts enlarge to their full size, then flung herself into the steaming hot water.
A loud scream filled the halls of the country inn. The female voices echoed off the walls and startled Ukyo as she walked down the hallway toward the girls' room.
"S-sorry." The familiar male voice was getting closer and closer accompanied by the shouts from various women and the sound of objects being shattered against the walls and floor. The man came bounding around the corner smacking into Ukyo. He held her by the arms keeping her from falling on her bottom.
"Ryoga?" She looked into his excited brown eyes. "Back to normal I see."
"Sure am! I AM A MAN!" He jumped around a bit then spread his arms out crashing into the wall making it crumble under the force of his blow. Behind the demolished wall Shampoo glared up at him from her position of lying on her stomach on the bed leafing through magazine.
"Go away stupid boy, Shampoo no like you no more." She bowed her head and continued to read. Ryoga looked over at Ukyo stars in his eyes.
"I am a man again!" He howled picking her up in his strong arms swinging her around. She couldn't help but giggle. "I am tall, strong and everything is back to normal! He he!"
He stopped swinging and smiled down at her. Her hair was pulled up into a loose bun a wrapped in a bow. They smiled happily at each other she let her hands rest on his bare chest. He felt his skin tickled by her gentle touch. Noticing he was loosely wrapped in a white towel and nothing else Ukyo detached herself and they both turned around blushing.
"You know I could have just taken your word for it."
"So you're back to normal?' Ranma threw the apple in his hand, Akane caught it and looked up at Ranma questioningly.
"Oh, yes." She looked down at the apple examining the stem letting it dangle from her fingertips.
"Good." She turned to see him sitting next to her on the steps. He stared up at the night with a distant expression. "Cuz you get all mushy when you like someone it's not a pretty sight."
"Oh really?" She crossed her arms still looking at him.
"Yup." He extended his feet making them point out then relaxed them. "Plus jealousy is never cute."
"And you were never jealous?"
"Ha, of you and wonder pig, no way! Please, I could care less if you are droolin' over a jerk like Ryoga. Doesn't bother me in the slightest."
"Fine Ranma, whatever." Akane said turning away.
"Not at all, doesn't make any difference to me."
"Alright I got it!"
"Heck you could go out with anybody and I wouldn't be phased in the slightest."
"R-RANMA!" Akane stood up to give him a good thrashing when she heard the loud commotion from the ladies bath on the other side of the building. Ryoga streaked by in a towel followed by four women clad in long white terry cloth robes armed with buckets, scrub brushes and soap. They hurtled their weapons at Ryoga missing him completely hitting the floor, wall, and Ranma. A barrage of soap and buckets hit him in the head followed by a scrub brush in the mouth. He reeled back and collapsed onto the ground. Akane kneeled down at his side stifling back a smile.
"Thank you ladies, I couldn't have done it better myself."
"I AM A MAN!" The commotion echoed throughout the small inn and the forest outside the valley, but soon died down and all inhabitants settled themselves in for a well-deserved rest.
Revised 7/15/00
I realize this story didn't revolve around
Akane as much as the last, but I enjoyed writing it and the next two are going to be
centered more around Akane and her new techniques. Stay tuned I'll let you know when
Obedience is about to be posted.
Oh yeah - Any comments, compliments, "you suck" emails to JLee011@sprintmail.com
Lin Lee
Disclaimer - All that legal mumbo-jumbo. This isn't mine it's somebody else's and they get all the money.