Okay, this is where the disclaimer stuff goes. You people know how
the drill goes: Ranma doesn't belong to me, characters I added do belong to
me, yadda yadda. That's done with, so on with the fic!

" " is when someone is speaking in Japanese
"[ ]" is when someone is speaking in Chinese
* * is sound effects
/ / is thought

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Wolf In The Snow
A Ranma 1/2 fanfic
Written by Nathan Huss
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Oh, yeah. This takes place a little after the stuff with Happosai using
the moxibustion on Ranma, Ranma leaning the Hiryu Shoten Ha, and getting
his strength back.

^^^^^^^^^^

Ukyo yawned and stretched as she walked to school. She had been up
late the night before cleaning up the grill in her restaurant and taking
stock of all the ingredients she had, so she was still a bit sleepy.

"Excuse me," a voice said behind her.

"Mm? Yeah, what?" Ukyo asked sleepily as she turned around. Her
eyes widened and a burst of adrenaline woke her up completely.

The person who had spoken to her was a girl, about her age, but that
wasn't very remarkable. Neither was that she was wearing the same style
of clothing as Shampoo did. In fact, other that she was possibly an amazon
was that amazing. However, the large wolf that the girl was sitting on top
of, was.

Ukyo stared at the wolf for several seconds, until she realized the
girl had just asked her something. "Um... I'm sorry, what did you say?"
Ukyo said, still looking at the wolf.

The girl frowned. "Where is Tendo Dojo?" she repeated.

"Oh, uh... about five blocks that way, and then another four to the
left." Ukyo blinked. "Wait, why do you want to know?"

The girl (/Definitely an amazon,/ Ukyo thought.) smiled. "Oh, Perfume
not need to know."

"Then why-"

The girl patted the wolf's head. "He does."

"Aaaah..." Ukyo trailed off.

The wolf yawned, causing Ukyo to back up nervously as she saw its
fangs. It nodded at her, and then turned down the road she had indicated.

"Thank you for direction," the amazon called to Ukyo as the wolf
walked off. She turned and lay down on the wolf's back.

"Why does a wolf..." Ukyo began to ask herself, and then blinked.
"Aah! I'm gonna be late!"

Deciding to think about the encounter later, she dashed off.

^^^^^^^^^^

During lunch later at school, Ukyo went over to where Ranma was eating.

"Hiya, Ukyo," he said as he took a bite out of his meal. "What's up?"

"I saw something really strange this morning," she said. "It was
an amazon on a... well..."

"An amazon?" Akane asked, walking over. "You mean Shampoo?"

Ukyo shook her head. "No, another one. I think she said her name
was 'Perfume.' She stopped me on my way to school, and asked me how to get
to the Tendo Dojo, but that's not-"

"Ranma!" Akane growled, lifting said martial artist up by his shirt
collar. "Is this another fiancée of yours?"

"A-Akane! I don't-"

"Why else would an amazon be looking for the Dojo?" she demanded,
shaking him.

Ukyo grabbed Akane to try to get her to let go of Ranma. "She wasn't
the one looking for it."

Akane paused. "She wasn't?"

"That's what I was trying to tell you. She had been riding a... well,
a giant wolf. She said _it_ was the one looking for the Dojo."

"But why would a wolf...?" Akane asked.

"Glurk! Akane! Can't... breathe!" Ranma gasped.

"Oops. Sorry, Ranma." Akane dropped Ranma, who took a few deep
breaths while rubbing his throat.

"Ran-chan, did you ever do anything to a large wolf?" Ukyo asked.

"I never did nothin' to any wolf!" Ranma protested. "How should I
know... say, why are you talking like it's after me?"

"Ranma, when is it _not_ because of you that something like this
happens?" asked Akane. "Of course it's here because of you."

"Why you uncute...! I already said I didn't do anything to a wolf!
Just because you blame me for every stupid little problem-"

"Oh, so I'm stupid, am I?" Akane said, and cracked a knuckle.

"Yeah! An uncute, tomboy, violent, and... oh no..." Ranma got
very quiet. "No, I... uh..."

"Ranma you jerk!" Akane punted Ranma out through the window, and
stomped back to her desk. Several students walked back to where they had
been standing near the window, while a few others went to get a broom for
the broken glass.

^^^^^^^^^^

In the streets of Nerima, Perfume and Kage looked up at the sky, hearing
a voice shouting, "Uncuuuuuuuute...!" They shrugged, and continued on.

^^^^^^^^^^

"You didn't have to hit me that hard," Ranma said from where he
was walking on the fence.

"I should have hit you harder!" Akane shouted at him.

"Aw, c'mon! I didn't mean it like that when I said it was stupid. 'S
just I don't like being blamed for stuff that ain't my fault, and this ain't
my fault!"

"How can you be sure? It's not like you even know why they're here."

"Exactly!" Ranma said. "Maybe the girl's a relative of Shampoo
or something, and is just going to visit her, and the wolf is her pet. Heck,
it might be the other way around and she has a grudge against Shampoo, the
old ghoul, or Mousse."

Akane frowned. "Maybe, but Ukyo said that the girl... Perfume?
Whatever, she said the wolf was looking for the Dojo, and why would it?"

"I dunno! Maybe she was just trying to be funny or something.
Another thing, maybe they're after the old freak for something he did to
their village, and the wolf is supposed to beat him up." Ranma smiled.
"Actually, I'd help 'em out if that were why they're here. But you see
what I mean? There are a bunch of reasons why they might be around."

Akane thought about that for a bit. "Well, Ukyo didn't say the
Perfume, or the wolf, was looking for anyone in particular. But are
you sure...?"

"I never did anything to a wolf, or some amazon named Perfume," Ranma
stated firmly.

"Well... okay."

Ranma sighed, happy that she had agreed it wasn't his fault. He
thought back to one of his scenarios. "It'll serve the old freak right
if the wolf is supposed to beat him up." He chuckled.

Akane shook her head, smiling lightly. "Let's just get home.
Kasumi's letting me help with dinner today, and I want to get the
ingredients ready."

Ranma gulped, and turned a bit pale.

"What was that, Ranma?"

"Haven't I had enough done to me today? None of us have done anything
to deserve that."

"WHAT? I'm getting better at cooking!"

"Not enough..." Ranma muttered.

*PUNT!*

"Ranma you jerk!"

^^^^^^^^^^

Oddly enough, Ranma happened to crash down right in the Tendo's
front yard.

*CRASH!*

"Ooomph!"

"Oh, you're home a bit early, Ranma," Kasumi said. "Are you late
for something?"

"Hi Kasumi," he said, shakily picking himself up. "No, Akane
drop-kicked me here. Are you really going to let her help with dinner?"

Kasumi nodded. "Yes. She's been practicing quite hard, and I
just couldn't have said 'no' with how determined she was."

Ranma sighed. "Do the others know?"

"Yes. Father and Mr. Saotome said they had to go on a short journey
for an important reason, and Nabiki was going to be studying at a friend's
house for an upcoming test."

"Great, trust pop and Mr. Tendo to run out because of this." Ranma
trudged into the house.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Kasumi called. "We had some visitors earlier."

Ranma ran back out. "We did? Who?"

"A young man and woman. She looked like she might have been a friend
of Shampoo's. The other one had asked about you. They looked like they
had been traveling a long time, so I offered them some tea."

"Who were they, and did they happen to have a giant wolf?"

"I don't know," Kasumi said. "I forgot to ask their names. Silly of
me, considering that they were here for nearly half an hour. I don't
believe they had a wolf, though. Were you expecting them?"

"No. It's nothing, I hope. I'd better go think of a way to get out
of dinner."

^^^^^^^^^^

As it turned out, Ranma didn't need to make an excuse.

"Oh, my. How did that happen?" Kasumi said, looking at the oven.
Whatever the substance had been when Akane put it in, it could now only
be described as 'blast radius.' It had shorted out the power in the
kitchen, too.

"Whoa," said Ranma. /Glad it never made it onto the table./

"I didn't think it would do that," Akane said. "I was sure I had it
right this time."

"I suppose we'll just have to order out," Kasumi sighed. "I'll call
the repairman after we eat."

"And I had worked so hard on it," Akane said dejectedly.

"Nihao!"

"Oh, Is that Shampoo?" Kasumi said.

The purple-haired amazon walked into the kitchen.

"Aiyaa! What happen here?"

"Shampoo," Akane grimaced, "don't you know not to enter a home
uninvited?"

Shampoo just shrugged and turned to Ranma. "Ranma, you take Shampoo
on date, yes? We can eat at Nekohaten. Food not blow up there."

"Hmm, we do need to get dinner out anyway," Ranma said.

"Ranma!" Akane growled warningly. The martial artist cringed.

"What a good idea," Kasumi said. "We can all go there to eat."

Akane deflated slightly. /Well, I'll be able to keep an eye on
him there./

^^^^^^^^^^

Happosai came into the house after his afternoon raids.

"Hello! Is dinner ready yet? Kasumi?"

He went into the kitchen, found no one, and glanced at the oven.
Woulda liked to see what did that," he said to himself. He searched the rest
of the house.

"Kasumi? Ranma? Akane? Soun? Genma? Nabiki? Where is everyone?"
He pouted. "I'm hungry!"

^^^^^^^^^^

"Say, Shampoo. Do you have any relatives or anything visiting?"
Ranma asked as the four of them walked to the Nekohaten.

"No," she replied. "Why you ask?"

"At school, Ukyo said she had seen an amazon on a huge wolf, asking
for the Tendo's address, and Kasumi said that an amazon and some guy came
by earlier."

"Shampoo not know who they are. Sorry."

They continued walking until they reached the Nekohaten. Almost
immediately, a bespectacled figure burst out of the entrance. Or, to be
more precise, he flew out and crashed into a wall.

"That was not Shampoo," Mousse said decisively as he picked himself
up shakily. "She always uses a right hook."

"Stupid Mousse. What you do now?" Shampoo asked.

"Shampoo!" He rushed up and glomped Akane. Akane then planted her
elbow in the top of his head.

*WHAM!*

"I'm not Shampoo!"

Mousse just lay down on the pavement and watched the pretty stars.

"Oh dear, are you all right?" Kasumi asked Mousse. He shook his head
to clear it and nodded. He stood up and stumbled back into the restaurant.
The others followed.

Inside there were only a few people. Most noticeable was a boy and
girl sitting at a table near the center of the room, talking with Cologne.
Shampoo froze as she saw the girl.

"Aiyaa!"

The girl at the table looked up and saw Shampoo. "[Aaah!]" She
jumped out of her chair and rushed up. The two hugged each other and
started conversing in rapid Chinese.

"Oh, that's the girl who came to our house earlier," Kasumi said.

"This is Perfume, a warrior from our home village," Cologne said,
hopping over on her staff. "She used to train with Shampoo. She just
arrived in town earlier today."

The two amazon girls turned to the group, both of them smiling.

"So, you are a friend of Shampoo's," Kasumi said. "Very nice to
meet you."

Perfume nodded. "Thank you for tea you offer earlier. Was very
good."

"Thank you."

"Why were you looking for our house, anyway?" asked Akane.

"Kage is looking for someone named Ranma."

"He's looking for Ranma?" Akane said, and glared at Ranma with an 'I
told you so' look. Then, she blinked. "Wait, who's Kage?"

"Hi," said a voice.

Ranma and Akane turned, and saw the young man sitting at the table
wave.

"Oh."

Perfume bounced over to stand behind Kage's chair, and put her arms
round his neck affectionately. "He Perfume's airen. He defeat me in combat."

After hearing this, Shampoo hugged Perfume again, congratulating her.
This started another session of talking with Shampoo.

"Tough luck, man," Ranma said sympathetically.

Kage frowned. "What do you mean? I think it's pretty good luck, if it
is that."

"What? But... didn't...?"

"I got tricked into it originally," Kage admitted, "but after I got
some of the back story to the instance... It's really not that bad at all."

"Yeah?" Ranma said disbelievingly. "At least you only got one girl
after you," he muttered. Then he remembered what had been asked originally.
"Wait a sec, why are... were... what d'you want with me?"

"For a rematch."

"A rematch?" Ranma sat down and thought for a second. "Wouldn't I
have had to fight you in the first place to have a rematch?"

Kage facefaulted, nearly taking Perfume down with him. "You don't
even remember?"

"Give me a bit," Ranma said, and crossed his arms in thought. "Kage...
Kage..."

Kage had pulled himself back into the chair, and prompted, "Back
at school, with Ryoga Hibiki? You kept on landing on me?"

"Ah! Tsuyosa! Kage Tsuyosa! How've ya been?"

"Pretty good, actually. Now that you actually remember, do you accept
my challenge?"

"Sure, sure! It's been a bit boring around here lately. I could use
a good challenge."

"Hold on," Akane said, sitting down at the table with them. "You want
a rematch against Ranma?"

Kage nodded.

"You don't want revenge for something he did to you?"

Kage shook his head. "Na, that was what the first one was for.
If anything, I just want to shown Ranma here he isn't so much better as he
said back then when we first fought."

"What'd'ya mean?" Ranma asked. "All I had said back then was that
I trained more, had more real experience, was faster..."

"Akane shook her head knowingly. "I can see what you mean, Kage."

"Hey!" Ranma exclaimed. Akane stuck her tongue out at him.

"Perfume and Kage will be staying here with us tonight," Cologne said.
"You can fight Kage tomorrow, son-in-law."

"I ain't your son-in-law, old ghoul! But yeah, it's too late today for
a match."

"Is Kage related to Ryoga?" asked Akane.

"Huh? No," Ranma said. "Why would you think that?"

"Because he has fangs just like Ryoga."

Ranma looked carefully at Kage's teeth. "You didn't have those before.
How'd you get them?" he asked.

"Well-"

*Splash!*

Mousse had just tripped over a plant, carrying a pitcher of water to
a table. The water soaked Ranma, Mousse, and Kage.

"Jeez, Mousse!" Ranma-chan said to the duck. "Why don't you- yikes!"

"Oh my," Kasumi gasped.

Ranma, Akane, Shampoo, and Mousse scrambled away from a giant wolf that
had just appeared. It was about five feet high at the shoulder, with dark
brown fur, and was growling lowly in an exasperated tone.

"Wha- what!?" Ranma stuttered.

Perfume surprised the teenaged martial artists by bopping the wolf on
the nose. "Stop that! You scare them."

The wolf made a half-hearted attempt to nip her hand.

"Is... is that Kage?" Akane asked.

"Yes," Perfume said, and scratched the wolf behind one ear.

"He's been to Jusenkyo? Wow."

"Quack," Mousse agreed.

Cologne headed into the kitchen to heat up some water.

"So you're the wolf Ukyo saw this morning," Ranma said. "Man, married
to an amazon _and_ a curse. How'd he get it?"

"Perfume not know whole story, so he have to tell you." Kage-wolf
leaned against perfume as she continued to scratch behind his ear, and let
out a rumble of contentment. "Do know is how he got fangs."

"Perfume's airen have big cursed form, though," Shampoo said. "He
could no get out door if tried."

"Yeah, that's gotta be inconvenient," Ranma added.

"We travel on road for while," Perfume said dismissively. "We outside
most of time, and sleep in tent. It not matter much since we no go indoors
a lot." She ruffled Kage's fur. "Is good for keeping us warm at night, too."

Shampoo looked back and forth between Perfume and Kage, and began to giggle slightly. Kage just growled at her and turned away, which caused her
to laugh even louder. In an attempt to ignore her, Kage made a show of
examining Ranma and Mousse's cursed forms. He blinked, and started staring
at Ranma.

"What is it?" Ranma said, sweating a bit. Kage circled around her,
sniffing lightly. He sat down on his haunches and looked Ranma in the face.

"What matter, Kage?" Perfume asked.

Cologne hopped back into the room with a kettle. She poured the hot
water over Ranma, Kage, and Mousse.

After changing back, Kage continued to examine Ranma.

"Stop that," Ranma said. "You're freaking me out."

"Hmm... nah," Kage said, and shrugged. "Sorry, it's just that I had
been knocked off a cliff at Jusenkyo by a red-haired girl like your own
cursed form."

"Oh, ah... really?" Ranma asked nervously.

"Yeah," said Kage, sitting down. "She was chasing this big Panda,
and knocked me off this ridge I had been climbing."

Ranma sweatdropped. "You... you don't say..." He could feel Akane
glaring at him. "Uh... say, look at the time, we'd better start heading
home, right?"

"Mm... It is fairly late now," Kasumi said.

"Right, so let's go," Ranma said, and practically dragged the two
Tendo sisters out of the restaurant.

"See you tomorrow for the fight, Ranma," Kage called, smirking.

"My, my, how quickly he runs," Cologne said. "That was rather
uncalled for, Kage."

"What you mean? Is Ranma really one who knock you into spring?"
Perfume asked.

Kage nodded. "His escape should have proven that. That and the amount
of fear I was smelling from him. I was just seeing how he would react."

Perfume shook her head. "And Perfume thought you scare him more in
cursed form. You play mean trick."

Kage looked at her questioningly. "You mean like _you_ did, about a
week ago?"

"Oh, look at time," Perfume said hurriedly. "Is almost time to go
to sleep." She ran upstairs, then slowly walked back down. "Elder
Cologne, where Kage and I sleep?"

"Shampoo can show you to a guest room. I have to close up here.
Mousse! Just what do you think you're supposed to be doing? Start
cleaning up!"

Perfume and Kage followed Shampoo up the stairway. "[What happened a
week ago?]" Shampoo asked after leading them to their room.

"[It's not important,]" Perfume said, and ducked into the room,
pulling Kage in after her.

A couple seconds later, Kage opened the door and glared at Shampoo.
"Stop giggling like that!"

^^^^^^^^^^

"They make a nice couple," Kasumi said as they walked home.

Akane nodded, but continued to glare at Ranma.

Ranma just tried to avoid meeting eyes with Akane.

"Wasn't the ramen there very good?" Kasumi asked. "Maybe Cologne
is trying out some new spices."

"Oh, no!" Ranma groaned.

"What's wrong, Ranma?" Akane asked, startled out of her glaring.

"I was busy talkin' with Kage, and forgot to get something to eat!"

Akane snickered. "Are you coming down with something? There's
nothing that should be able to distract you from food."

"Aaah, be quiet."

When the three of them reached home, they found a very angry Happosai.

"Where have you been? I'm hungry!"

^^^^^^^^^^

The next day, Nabiki walked to school with Ranma and Akane as they
related what had happened the night before.

"So, this Kage," she said, "he's going to fight you later today?"

"Yeah," Ranma said. "I'm actually looking forward to it a bit. It's
been a while since I saw him, so I wonder how he's improved."

Nabiki nodded thoughtfully, with a calculating look in her eye. "Where
is the match going to be?"

Ranma shrugged. "Probably in the training hall or something like that."

They turned the corner and headed into the school gate.

"Ranma Saotome, I shall smite thee!"

"Morning, Kuno," Ranma said as he dodged a swing from the kendoist's
bokken. He jumped over a following thrust with the wooden blade and kicked
Kuno in the face. The upperclassman went down.

"This is another reason I'm looking forward to fighting Kage," Ranma
said. "No real challenges around here. I mean, I beat Kuno easily every
day, Mousse usually runs into a wall or something, and I pretty much can
avoid pop's or the old freak's tricks. Only Ryoga is a real challenge for
me."

"Humble you are not," Nabiki said, and walked into the building.

After most of the other students had gone in, Kuno sat up in
contemplation. "Hm... so Saotome is to fight a new warrior. I must
determine if this Kage is a threat to my fair Akane and the pig-tailed girl.
If so, he must be dealt with! Beware, Kage!"

^^^^^^^^^^

Across town, Kage sneezed.

^^^^^^^^^^

That afternoon, a fairly large group gathered in the Tendo's training
hall. It was comprised of Akane, Ukyo, Shampoo, Perfume, Kasumi, Nabiki,
Soun, and Genma. Ranma and Kage stood in the middle of the floor, facing
each other.

"You ready, Kage?"

"Hold on," Kage said as he pulled on a pair of open-fingered gloves.
"Okay, ready."

"What're those for? To keep your hands clean?" Ranma asked.

"You'll find out soon enough. When do we start?"

"Any time you're ready."

Kage nodded, and dashed forward. He started out with a jab, followed
by a sweep kick. Ranma blocked the punch and jumped over the sweep.

"Pretty good start," Ranma said as he landed. He dodged under
another punch, and then jumped over Kage as he rushed forward. This
continued for a while; Kage attacking while Ranma merely blocked or dodged.

"Trying to wear me down?" Kage asked as he tried to grab Ranma.

"No, just seeing how you fight," Ranma replied, slipping out of Kage's
grasp. Suddenly, he jumped forward and quickly kicked Kage several times
before dropping back.

Shampoo and Ukyo cheered, while Perfume sulked slightly.

"I figure you use a lot of 'up-close' attacks," Ranma said between
bouts of punches and kicks. "I remember how strong you were back when we
first fought. Just have to keep away. Heck, Ryoga's faster than you are."

Genma and Soun were nodding, and Nabiki was taking notes, glancing
between her notebook and the two combatants. Akane just watched the fight,
and out of the corner of her eye saw Perfume doing the same, if not more
intently.

Ranma rushed forward for another hit-and-run. Kage shifted to the
side slightly.

*Wham!*

Kage brought up his knee, planting it in Ranma's gut, and brought down
his elbow at the same time. The elbow hit the back of Ranma's head, and the
combined forces caused Ranma to flip over Kage's knee and fall flat on his
back. Dazed, he barely rolled out of the way of Kage's descending heel.

*Smash!*

Kage's foot broke through the floorboards, but he quickly pulled it out
of the hole. Perfume immediately started cheering while the others became a
bit more subdued. Nabiki started scribbling out notes and writing down new
ones.

"Not as slow as I let on, eh?" Kage said, grinning.

Ranma coughed, and felt the spots Kage's blows had connected. "Okay,
so I was a bit over-confidant there. Ain't gonna happen again."

After this point, the fight began to even out for the two martial
artists. Ranma's injuries had already begun to hamper him, and while he
was still able to keep ahead of Kage in the way of speed, it seemed the Kage
was able to ignore most of Ranma's attacks.

"Jeez! What are those gloves made of?" Ranma asked as he blocked
several punches. He could virtually feel bruises form on his arms as Kage
punched.

"They have metal sewn into the cloth," explained Kage. Lunging forward,
he grabbed Ranma around the waist and squeezed.

"Gyaaaah!!!!" Ranma screamed. He punched Kage several times in the
head until the other martial artist had to let go.

"Forget the gloves! What the hell are you _arms_ made of? You nearly
crushed me!"

"Sorry. I'll hold back next time if you'd like."

"If I'd...!? Why you!"

Perfume was now standing up, and was bouncing from foot to foot
while cheering Kage on.

"C'mon, boy," Genma called from the side. "You can do better than
that! Go against his weakness!"

"Weakness?" Akane said, looking between the two fighters.

"Speed," Nabiki said. "Kage may be strong, but Ranma is much faster.
If he goes all out he'll probably be able to wear Kage down."

Ranma had been thinking the same thing. /Just havta get a lot of
hits in,/ he thought. /Have just the thing, too./

Ranma leapt forward at Kage and shouted, "Tetsu Shina Ameguriken!"
Dozens upon dozens of punches rained down on Kage. Ukyo and Shampoo started
cheering loudly again, while Akane leaned forward to get a better look. As
she looked at Kage retreating under the flurry of blows, she saw the fanged
boy smile. Her eyes widened. "Ranma, look out!"

Just as she shouted, Kage's hands grabbed Ranma's wrists.

"Huh?" Ranma gasped. He tried unsuccessfully to break out of Kage's
iron grip.

Kage turned around, bringing Ranma's arms over his head. Then, he took
a step forward and hauled Ranma over himself.

*SLAM!*

Air rushed out of Ranma's lungs as he was slammed onto the floor. Only
by pure reflex was he able to turn over, causing Kage's fist to go through
the floor instead of hitting him.

Ranma slowly rose to his feet, only to dive to the side.

"Okii Kuma-Tsume!" Kage slashed a clawed hand downward. All the
spectators (except for Perfume) gaped as an ice-blue bear arm formed around
it. A large rip formed in the floor, causing Genma and Soun to dive for
safety themselves, ranging from Kage to about ten feet away, almost reaching
the wall.

"Whoa..." Ranma whispered as he watched the gash form.

"Eyes front, boy!" Genma's shout caused Ranma to instantly move into
a defensive stance. He was too late, as Kage grabbed his arm and threw
him across the hall. Ranma twisted in the air to land on his feet. He
turned to face Kage and saw him running forward.

"Oh, man..."

Kage leapt at him feet first, and hit Ranma in the chest. The
force knocked Ranma back and through the wall.

"Ranma!" Akane, Shampoo, and Ukyo shouted.

/I... I don't believe it,/ Ranma thought as he traveled through the
air. He spun slightly and saw where he was heading. /Great, the pond./

*Splash!*

Ranma-chan slowly crawled out of the water and flopped onto her back.

"Ran-chan, are you okay?" Ukyo asked, running over. Shampoo, Akane,
Soun, and Genma followed her closely.

"Is airen hurt?" Shampoo asked as she crouched down next to Ranma.
Akane and Ukyo pulled her away from Ranma, causing a verbal fight to begin.
Genma looked down at his child scornfully.

"Ranma! How could you loose so easily to him? Have I taught you
nothing?"

"Shut up, old man," Ranma muttered.

Back in the dojo, Perfume had latched herself onto Kage.

"Perfume just knew you would win!" She hugged him tightly. He cringed
as she inadvertently put pressure on several of his injuries. "Eeg... that's
going to be sore for a while," he said.

Kasumi stood up and headed toward the house. "Would you like some
tea?" she asked the two.

Kage nodded, felt his head throb from when Ranma had punched him there,
and followed Kasumi with Perfume into the house. Nabiki started to go too,
but paused. She went over to the gash in the floor and examined it.

"Ice crystals?" she said as she felt the edge. She headed to the house.

^^^^^^^^^^

There had been two more people watching the fight that those inside
had not known about. Underneath the floor, Sasuke crawled out and jogged
back to the Kuno mansion. He felt the bumps on his head from the times
when Kage had broken through the floor, and decided to get a pack of ice
before reporting to Kuno.

From the roof of the dojo, Happosai had viewed the match. He watched
Kage and Perfume enter the house, then looked back at Ranma, who was still
lying on the ground while the others argued around her.

"Hmm... so someone new. This could make things interesting," he said.
He leered suddenly. "I should... introduce myself to that Perfume." He
chuckled, and jumped over to the house.

Meanwhile, Ranma tried to block out all the people talking to/about her.

^^^^^^^^^^

In the house, Kasumi, Nabiki, Perfume, and Kage were sitting down at
the table.

"That was quite an impressive fight," Nabiki said after taking a sip
from her tea. "Your style is fairly interesting. What is it?"

"Anything Goes Winter-elemental Martial Arts," Kage said. "It has
a couple of variations in it, that focus on a particular user's strong points.
Actually, the name describes the training and special techniques more than
the regular moves."

"How so?" Nabiki asked.

"The training has to be done in below-freezing temperatures, and snow
is preferable. It has something to do with... how did he say it? 'Attuning
your ki to the cold.'"

"Ah. Did it?"

"Actually, yeah."

Nabiki nodded, mentally noting the information. She was surprised that
he wasn't even trying to keep anything a secret. "What about the gloves?"
She gestured to where they were lying on the table.

Kage shrugged. "Just something I picked up traveling. It strengthens
my punches."

Nabiki, satisfied with all the information she had just gotten, didn't
ask anything else. The four of them drank their tea silently as they
listened to the growing sounds of a fight outside.

"So, what will the two of you be doing now?" asked Kasumi.

"We decide stay here, work at Nekohaten," Perfume said. "Elder
Cologne has agreed."

"You're staying?" a voice said. "How sweet!"

Perfume suddenly found herself heavier by one diminutive pervert.
Happosai looked up from where he was clinging to her chest. "Hiya,
toots! Howzabout you dump this guy and have some fun with me?"

"EEEeeeeeeeeeee!!!!" Perfume screamed, and punched him. She then
grabbed Happosai and punted him into a wall. She grabbed Kage's gloves and
put them on. "Is okay I borrow?"

"Go wild," Kage said.

Happosai pried himself out of the wall. "You amazons sure like to
play-"

"[DIE!]"

"-rough?"

*WHAMCRASHCRASHSMASHWHAMWHAMWHAMCRUSHPUNT!*

"I'll be baaaaaack!" Happosai called as he flew off into the horizon.
Perfume stomped back to sit next to Kage, took of the gloves, and downed
the rest of her tea in one gulp. Kasumi politely poured her some more.

"[Feeling better?]" Kage asked.

"[A bit.]"

"[I was expecting you to thrash him a bit more, though.]"

Perfume shrugged, and said, "[I left my trident back at Shampoo's.
Otherwise I would have gutted him.]"

Kage nodded, and left it at that.

^^^^^^^^^^

At the Kuno mansion, Sasuke was relating the fight to Tatewaki.

"So," said Kuno. "Kage defeated the sorcerer Saotome."

"Yes, Master Kuno. He was able to overpower Ranma and gain the
upper hand."

"One wonders how he was able to defeat the vile Saotome's dark
magics, when not even I, the Blue Thunder, have been able to," Kuno said.
Slowly, metaphorical gears started to turn in his head. "Unless he is
even more powerful in the dark arts. That must be so!

"Then, being more powerful, he will be able to wrest Saotome's control
of Akane and the pig-tailed girl, and put them under his own power!"

"Master," Sasuke said cautiously, "I believe Kage already has a lady,
who came with him."

"Simple Sasuke," Kuno admonished him. "She is no doubt a previous
conquest of his. All the more proof of Kage's intentions." He suddenly
stood up. "Fear not, my loves! I, Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder of
Furinkan High, shall protect you from him!" He grabbed his bokken and
charged out.

Kodaichi snuck back to her room after her brother had departed.

"So, this Kage has defeated my dearest Ranma? I must go and console
my love in his sorrow." She changed into her leotard and opened her weapons
closet. "Also, it will be amusing to see big brother be trounced by this
Kage." After selecting her ribbon and a few other items, she leapt off
into town.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!"

Sasuke grimaced, and headed for the kitchen to get more ice.

^^^^^^^^^^

Kage stretched as he, Perfume, and Shampoo walked back to the
Nekohaten. He felt a number of his muscles protest, and stopped.

"[Are you okay, Kage?]" Perfume asked.

Kage waved dismissively. "[I'm fine, I'm fine. Let's just say that
I have a number of lumps I won't be forgetting about soon.]"

"[Ranma will fight you again,]" Shampoo said. "[He doesn't take
defeat easily.]"

Kage nodded. "[Still, it'll be a while before either of us are up
to it.]"

"Hold!"

They stopped, and saw Kuno in their path. Shampoo groaned.

"What is your name?" asked Kuno, pointing his bokken at Kage.

"Kage Tsuyosa. Why?"

"Aha! I, Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, in order
to defend the fair Akane Tendo and the pig-tailed girl, shall smite thee!"

Before Kuno could attack, Perfume punched him in the face. She turned
to Shampoo. "Who this?"

"Ranma beat him up all the time. Is no important, just very annoying,"
Shampoo replied.

Kodaichi, on her way to see Ranma, saw the group on the street below.
Smiling, she jumped to the top of a telephone pole to watch.

/Mm... that must be Kage,/ she thought. /Well-muscled, good build.
Hm... a fairly handsome individual./

Kuno recovered from the punch, and looked at Perfume. "Please, bar
me not, fair one, for in doing so you facilitate your own subjugation
under Tsuyosa's power. After I smite him, you Akane Tendo, and the
pig-tailed girl shall be free from all."

Perfume frowned as she tried to translate what he had said. "Is he
for real?" she asked Shampoo. The other amazon nodded wearily.

"Go away, stupid boy," said Perfume. "Let's go, Kage."

They tried to go around Kuno. The kendoist held out his bokken to
stop Kage. "Hold, sorcerer! You shall not escape from my wrath!"

"Look, I have no idea what you're talking about," Kage said,
half-growling. "I haven't gone anything to you, and I am not after Akane
or the 'pig-tailed girl,' whoever she is. Just get out of our way."

"Your lies shall not trick me! I strike!"

Kuno lunged forward with his bokken, intent on defeating Kage. Kage
stepped to the side, allowing the wooden sword to go past him, and
backhanded Kuno. It sent Kuno flying back, knocking him into a wall.

"You dare?" shouted Kuno.

Kage walked over and picked up the bokken. Very deliberately, he broke
it in half, and then in half again. He threw the pieces down in front of Kuno.

"How dare you destroy my blade," Kuno shouted.

"I told you to let us pass," replied Kage, "and I am not in the mood
to fight now."

Kuno reached behind himself, and pulled out another bokken. "Have
at thee!"

Shampoo blinked. "That new one. Where he get second sword?"

Kage growled loudly, grabbed Kuno, and threw him.

*Crack!*

Kuno slammed into a telephone pole, the one Kodaichi had been standing
on. The pole tilted, and then fell over.

"Eeek!" Kodaichi screamed as she fell.

Kage looked up, and saw her falling. He quickly moved over a few
steps, and put his arms out.

*Fwump!*

Kage staggered slightly as he caught her. /Yeah, _really_ don't think
I'll be fighting for a while./ He looked at Kodaichi. "Whew... you okay?"

Kodaichi looked up at him. /He's _very_ handsome, up close,/ she
thought, amending her previous assessment. /Strong, noble.../

"Hey, are you okay, miss?" he asked again.

"What? Oh, yes."

Seeing that she was okay, Kage let her down to her feet. "Sorry
about that," he said. "I didn't know you were up there."

Kuno struggled to his feet, and looked over at them. "Stay away from
my sister, fiend!" A pellet landed at his feet, and exploded, releasing a
large cloud of gas. Kuno breathed it in before he could stop and fell over.

"Brother dearest," Kodaichi said, "stay out of this."

"Ko- Kodaichi..." Kuno mumbled angrily at her.

Kodaichi turned back to Kage, and produced a large bouquet of black
roses. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kodaichi Kuno, the Black Rose.
Thank you ever so much for saving me," she said, and handed him the roses.
Perfume growled, but stopped when Shampoo knocked the flowers out of a
bewildered Kage's hand.

"Why did you do that, peasant?" Kodaichi demanded.

"You try poison him!" Shampoo said, pointing at the bouquet. As
the flowers landed, a large amount of powder erupted from the blossoms.

"It was merely a mind paralyzing agent," Kodaichi said. "It would
not have done any permanent damage."

"You keep away from Kage," Perfume said, clutching his arm. "He
Perfume's airen!"

"Is that a challenge, girl?" asked Kodaichi, twirling her ribbon.

*Splash!*

Kage-wolf let out a growl/sigh and watched the car that had hit a
puddle drive past.

Both Kunos stared at Kage. Tatewaki managed to pull himself up to
a standing position, "So... you reveal your... dark power," he said,
struggling against the effects of the gas. He toppled over again.

"Intriguing," Kodaichi said. She circled around Kage. "This... is
him, isn't it?" She touched his fur.

Perfume grabbed her hand. "You leave him alone."

"Unhand me!" Kodaichi pulled her hand away. She looked back at
Kage-wolf. "Interesting. Farewell, Kage. We shall meet again under
more accommodating circumstances. Oh-hohohohohohoho!" She bounded over a
wall and disappeared. Kage lay down with his paws over his ears until the
sound of her laughter vanished.

"We go home now, yes?" Shampoo said. Perfume and Kage nodded.

A while after they had left, Kuno began to crawl back home.

^^^^^^^^^^

That night, Kage lay down on his futon and sighed. "This has been a
busy day."

Perfume walked into the room, drying off from her bath. "[This is
the first time in while we're going to be sleeping indoors regularly. I'm
going to miss camping a bit.]"

"[Sure,]" said Kage. "[You weren't the one carrying everything.]"

Perfume sat down next to him and tousled his hair. "[You didn't seem
to complain that much. I had offered a couple times to carry some of it
as well. Besides,]" she said, smirking, "[It's only proper. Men in the
village do most of the work.]"

"[We're not _in_ the village, though.]"

Perfume shrugged. "[I know. I wonder why we have to stay here,
though.]"

"[You saw the letter from Comb. What I wonder is how she knew when
to send it so that it would arrive exactly one day before we did.]"

"[It's best not to worry about that type of stuff. I do wonder
why, though.]"

"[I don't know,]" Kage said. "[She's your relative.]"

Perfume sighed. "[You're right, but I still don't see any reason.
We were doing well enough on the road. I wanted to meet your family, too.
They sound very nice from what you've said of them.]"

"[Could be worse,]" he said, sitting up and putting an arm over
her shoulder. "[My family is used to me being away, and at least we're
staying with people you know. Cologne is even letting us work here.]"

"[I really don't know if that's a good thing,]" said Perfume. "[That
strange girl with the roses seems too interested in you. That and she tried
to poison you!]"

Kage frowned. "[Right. Remind me not to accept any gifts from her.]"

Perfume smiled and kissed him. "[You'd better, or else I'll get
_really_ angry." She looked at her futon. "[I'm going to really miss
camping.]"

"[Why?]" he asked, following her gaze. "[Before we had only one...
oh, right.]" He turned slightly red.

Perfume grinned. "[Why are you getting embarrassed? We haven't
actually done anything, yet. You won't let me.]"

"[Yeah, but try getting Shampoo to believe that.]"

"[Just ignore her,]" Perfume stated. "[It's none of her business
anyway. She's just happy for us.]"

Kage nodded, and yawned slightly. "[Sorry,]" he apologized. "[The
match and everything has worn me out.]"

"[I'm getting tired, too,]" Perfume said. She walked over to her
dresser, and got out a pair of pajamas. Kage lay back again and started at
the ceiling while she got changed.

"[You don't have to do that,]" she said.

"[I know.]"

Perfume finished changing, turned off the light, and went over to
her futon. She lay down, but after a few minutes started twisting under
the blanket. She sat up.

"[Kage?]"

"[Yes, Perfume?]"

"[Kage... do you think I could...?]"

"[Of course.]"

Shampoo came by a bit later to check on them before going to bed
herself. Opening the door slightly, she peeked in and saw Perfume and
Kage asleep, curled up together on the same futon. Perfume shifted in
her sleep, and turned over, draping her arm over Kage.

Shampoo closed the door quietly, and, smiling wistfully, walked to
her room.

^^^^^^^^^^

"So, Tsuyosa has revealed his practice of the dark arts," Kuno
said. "Surely, his assuming that bestial form is proof enough. Sasuke!
More ice!"

"Come now, brother," Kodaichi said, pushing a piece of her dessert
around with her fork. "Why is it you always declare anyone who defeats
you, except that Akane Tendo wench and the pig-tailed girl, a practitioner
of dark magic?"

"How else would one such as Saotome or Tsuyosa defeat my noble
self? Besides, you yourself saw Tsuyosa change himself into that...
that creature!"

"Yes? And...?" Kodaichi asked sweetly.

"Is that not enough?" Kuno shouted.

Kodaichi shrugged. Angrily, Kuno attacked his own food.

"Oh, brother?" said Kodaichi. "I almost forgot to tell you-"

Kuno froze, looked at his plate, and then at his sister. Slowly,
he toppled out of his chair and onto the floor.

"I see it's too late now," Kodaichi said as she finished her own
dessert. "Thank you for helping me test one of my new formulas."

"On reflection," Kuno said from where he was paralyzed on the
floor, "perhaps you deserve such evil sorcerers as they."

^^^^^^^^^^

Some notes:
Well, that's the end of part 2. Hoped you people liked it. As always,
send any comments, suggestions, questions, and such to Wakoid2@aol.com. I
will be working on part 3. Bye-bye! Auf Wiedersehen! Sayonara! Ciao! So
long! I stop now.