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Ranma 1/2: New Challenges
Trials
Chapter 2
"This is all your fault, Saotome," came the growling voice.
Tenma blinked awake. "Ryo? Is that you?"
"Of course it's me! Who did you think it was!?"
The young Saotome rose to sitting position to gauge his
surroundings. Ryo and him were sitting in two iron box cages, sitting on
a pair of horse-draw carts. He almost laughed aloud, knowing both he and
Ryo could break those iron bars. However, he kept the humor to himself
at the sight of approximately a hundred armored men that stood around
the duo. They lounged in various states of alertness, talking, laughing,
drinking and practicing with weapons.
Tenma knew he was good, but the chances of getting away
successfully right now weren't good. Plus, he wanted to know what
happened to Kae and why she turned on them. Maybe he could also find out
some enemy plans, then he and Ryo could escape when a better opportunity
presented itself.
"Oh," Ryo continued. "Don't think about trying to break the
bars. You can't, I tried."
Tenma gave his old training partner a glance of disbelief.
"Maybe you can't, but I know I can." To prove the point, he reached up
and grabbed a pair of parallel bars and pulled.
And pulled.
And pulled.
A confused Tenma released his grip and stared at his hands.
"What...?"
Ryo sneered. "Told ya. Our strength is gone, somehow." He
turned his back to his rival. "I should've known better than to go with
you."
"Oh shut up."
"It's about time," came a new voice. "The vermin have finally
achieved conciousness." The boys turned to see General Genshi approach,
still wearing his midnight black samurai armor and cape. His short,
black hair was slicked back into a short topknot in the same style that
many of the general's men also wore. As he approached, Tenma was struck
and taken aback by the aura of death the man radiated, and he
unconsciously shivered.
"Go stick your head in a fox hole," Ryo growled, baring his
fangs.
Genshi's visage darkened. "Be thankful I don't kill you right
now, vermin."
"Yes, that's a good question," Tenma realized suddenly. "Why
don't you kill us now?"
The general tweaked his short, black moustache. "Because I have
orders to bring you back alive," he replied simply. Then he reached
around behind his back and withdrew a small pair of scythe, scraping the
metal blades against each other. "But I also have the authority to
execute you right now if you become too much trouble. Keep quiet, and
you keep your heads." He replaced the pair of curved blades and walked
away.
"Were's Kae?!" Tenma called. But Genshi didn't bother to
respond.
"Like I said, this all your fault, Saotome."
"Shut up, bacon-breath."
Akara tried to maintain her anger, but it soon turned to
frustration and despair. Around her, various maids moved in silence,
preparing her a marriage ceremony she didn't want. They had already
draped a white kimono around her, and were making the neccessary
adjustments to it so it would fit her properly.
She hadn't been able to talk to her father or sisters yet,
since she was hauled away shortly after her entrance into the throne
room. She wanted to demand an explanation from her father. These people
were supposed to be their allies! Why didn't he do anything to stop this
travesty?
She sighed.
The latter chose that moment to enter the room, resplendid in
his regal blue robes and haughty grin. "How is my beautacious bride-to-
be?"
The fires of her anger, having dimmed to a smolder, flared back
to life at the presence of her unwanted groom. "What do you want,
Kuno!?" The three maids alterating her kimono backed away with the
outburst.
"Ah, methinks I chose well," Tateyama replied, unfazed. "She is
quite the fierce tigress. I shall enjoy our honeymoon, greatly."
Akara blinked in shock. "Like
hell!"
The Kuno family heir crossed the space that seperated them in
three long steps, his face inches from hers. "Never fear, thou shalt
come to love me, as our union was foretold in the heavens."
Akara's return gaze promised something far worse than death.
"You will _never_ have me." A sudden thought struck her. "Besides, I'm
already engaged to someone else!"
However, his smile only grew. "Oh fair Tendo Akara, how can you
say such things when you know, deep in your heart, that we were meant to
be?"
*POW!* Akara's anger found it's release and Tateyama Kuno's body
found the wall.
"Yes," Tateyama chuckled crazily from the wall. "She is quite
the fierce tigress..."
*Thump* Kuno managed to find the floor, but quickly regained his
feet, his wits, and (most important to him anyways) his dignity.
"Nevertheless, thou shall be my wife by sunset tomorrow!" He turned his
back to her. "And I think I should let you know, we've received a
message that your Tenma and his friend were captured by the Dark
Shogun's army, and I am afraid they aren't known for keeping prisoners."
And with that, Tateyama Kuno turned and strode regally from the
room.
Akara's anger dissipated in a large, anguished sigh when the
royal heir left, only to be replaced by shock and fear.
She was unable to to wrap her mind around the concept. That the man who
could be so infuriating one moment, and so caring the next, was gone for
good.
Her legs suddenly feeling weak, she collapsed on the big
cushion behind her and turned her gaze out the window where the sun was
just setting behind the far hills.
"You just can't be dead, Tenma!" she whispered worridly. "You
can't be! Where are you?"
"Here."
The worn leather bag made several clinking sounds as it hit the
table. Kae glanced once at the bag, then turned a venomous gaze to the
man who had dropped it so casually.
"Do not insult me." Almost too fast for the eye to see, the
ninja woman flung a single shuriken that pierced the bag, splitting it,
and spilling the gold coins over the table.
General Genshi eyed the shuriken embedded in the table. "I had
no intention of doing so."
Kae's eyes narrowed. "You know my price."
"Indeed I do." He gestured to the other chair on the opposite
side of the table. "Have a seat." The ninja woman eyed the chair with
caution, but did sit down simultaneously with the general. "In fact,
the Shogun personally told me of the bargain you struck. Very
interesting." Genshi leaned forward in his chair. "I should tell you, I
advised the Shogun against it."
The general's probing gaze was met by a cold look, shielding
Kae's internal thoughts from Genshi's study. "It appears you were
overruled."
Genshi nodded once, slowly, and abandoned his intense scrying
to lean back in his chair. "But I figured you could use a little extra
spending money. After all, you aren't making any on this deal."
"What I do, is none of your business," she told him tersly. "So,
what do you plan to do with the two boys?"
The General shrugged. "I'll kill them, of course. The Shogun
wanted Saotome alive, but I have permission to do whatever it takes to
prevent him from escaping." He stood, turning his back on Kae and taking
a few steps to the window. "And when I find the Tendo's resistance, I
shall kill them all as well."
"Is that all you want to do?" Kae asked, her gaze turning into
disapproval. "To kill everyone and everything?"
Genshi turned and favored her with a rare smile that sent
shivers down her spine, though she managed to hide it. "Everyone needs a
hobby."
"Ryo, wake up!"
However, the command fell on deaf ears as the lost boy
continued to slumber in the cubical cage next to his own, completely
oblivious to Tenma's whispered call.
"Ryo!" A snore was his only answer. "Stupid."
He dared not call any louder, for fear of waking up the guard
that was sleeping nearby. The caravan had stopped for the night, and by
Tenma's reckoning, they were headed due northwest.
Sighing in frustration, he cast about, looking for an solution.
Grinning as an idea came to him, he reached down and picked up a handful
of stones, then proceeded to pelt his companion prisoner with them.
The first couple of stones only mildly disturbed Ryo, but as
the barrage continued, he slowly stirred, then jerked upright. "What--?"
"Good mornin', sunshine," offered a pleased Tenma.
"Saotome..!" Ryo growled. "Why I oughta--"
"Shut up, pig-boy!" hushed Tenma. "Or you'll wake the guard!"
Ryo merely `hmphed'. "So why'd you wake me? I was having a
pleasant dream where Akara was about to kiss me..." His star-crossed
look made Tenma gag.
"Cut it out, man! You're makin' me sick!" Tenma shook his head.
"Anyways, I was figurin' on makin' a break for it and thought you'd
wanna come along." Tenma sat back and put his hands behind his head.
"But, maybe you'd be happier stayin' in a cage and dreamin' of that
tomboy."
"Tenma!" Ryo exhaled. "Fine. What'd you have in mind? Without
our strength, we can't break the bars."
Tenma pointed to the sleeping guard, and to the key ring
sitting beside him on the table. "There's more than one way to get out
of a cage. We just need those keys."
"And how do you propose we get those keys?" Ryo asked.
"Considering they're over there and we're over here?"
Tenma grinned and held up a string. "Don't you remember the
times Satsu-sensei took us fishing? Took almost all day to get a long
enough string out of my shirt." He glanced in despair at the ruined
bottom of his shirt. "And I fashioned this hook from a loose piece of
metal."
"Well aren't you mister smarty-pants," Ryo said sarcastically.
Tenma merely grinned and started twirling the mock fishing
line, concentrating on the set of keys ten feet away. Sensing the
moment, he let the hook fly.
"Bingo!" Tenma elated. "First try!"
"Must you succeed at everything you do," Ryo mumbled, not loud
enough for his old training partner to hear.
Tenma was too elated to pay attention to Ryo anyway as he
slowly reeled in his catch. Halfway to the cage however, the ring of
keys snagged on something and the hook lost it's grip. He tried casting
the line again, but it took four more attempts before the ring unsnagged
and completed it's trip into Tenma's waiting hand.
Two quick clicks later, and both boys were free.
"Where to now?" Ryo asked, glancing around the camp. Voices
could be heard in various directions, and several campfires cast a quiet
glow into the night sky.
Tenma motioned with his hand, and whispered back, "This way."
The two escapees silently made their way between the tents,
sticking to the darkness and taking cover when soldiers passed by. In a
nearby tent, they managed to find their packs, but the escape alarm was
sounded before they could put them back on.
Realizing that his pack was now too heavy for him, Tenma gave
up, but Ryo insisted on taking his umbrella at the very least.
"Got any more bright ideas, Saotome?" Ryo challenged. "We can't
fight our way out without our strength."
"Remember what sensei said," replied Tenma, then went into a
wise man stance. "When strength avails you naught, one must rely on
speed and cunning."
"And just what does that mean!?"
Tenma grinned. "Simple. We make a run for the horses! If I
remember correctly, they're on the north side of camp."
Ryo nodded, knowing it was their only chance. "Alright, but you
better not die on me before we escape. I want that pleasure."
"Sure thing, pig-boy."
"Stop calling me that!"
But Tenma wasn't listening. "Ready? Go!"
"Tenma!"
Ryo charged after the sprinting Saotome as they left the
confines of the tent and across the camp. Soldiers were running in all
directions around them, but it was only a few seconds until someone
caught on to them and shouted.
"Hey! There they are!"
"Get them!"
"They're over here!"
The two boys were soon fending off various attackers that
sought to stop them. Tenma resisted the urge to counterattack, knowing
his punches wouldn't even faze his enemies. Instead, he dodged and
flipped and sent his attackers into each other. Ryo opted for the more
direct approach by bulldozing his way through, his tough hide absorbing
most blows easily. The more lethal stuff, like swords and arrows, he
fended off with his umbrella.
Despairingly, Tenma realized that if things continued the way
they were, they would be enveloped by soldiers before they could reach
the horses. He just wasn't able to disable enough of his would-be
captors and he was beginning to take too many hits.
Suddenly, he was next to Ryo, and they were both standing still
in the middle of a clearing, the Dark Shogun's army surrounding them.
With another burst of despair, Tenma realized the horses were just on
the other side of the line of soldiers, ten meters away. They had almost
made it.
"Are you ready to die, vermin?" Genshi's voice rang out in the
sudden silence. The circle of soldiers parted to allow the General
forward. This time though, the General was holding a single larger
scythe. "The shogun may want you alive, but I do not. As long as you
live, you may be a threat. I'm sure my master will understand if I
explain that I had no choice but to kill you while you escaped."
Tenma's eyes narrowed. "You let us escape on purpose."
"Did you really think you could escape otherwise?" Genshi asked.
His question was met with only more stony silence, though Ryo
did lean over a bit to whisper to Tenma. "Now what?"
"How am I supposed to know!?" Tenma hissed back. "I'm not
perfect! Why can't you think of anything?"
The question caught Ryo off-guard. "May... maybe I can think of
something."
Tenma blinked once, the tone of Ryo's almost shaky voice
disturbing him. "What are you doing?" he demanded as Ryo stepped
foreward.
But Ryo Hibiki ignored him. "So that's it then?" he said out
loud. "We're going to die?"
The General nodded. "You vermin understand."
Ryo's voice became a bit more shaky. "And I'll never see
Akara's lovely face again? After all I've been through, it's come down
to this? So much I wanted to do, and I never had a chance..."
"Ryo!?" Tenma exlaimed. "What in the world are you doing?" But
then he noticed his friend/rival starting to glow a pale yellowish-
green.
General Genshi frowned. "Yes, what are you doing?"
Ryo ignored them all. "I'll never be happy! I'll never win!" He
suddenly brought his hands up. "SHISHI HOUKODAN!"
And he exploded.
Tenma's instincts cut in a spilt second before the attack,
dropping him to the ground. The soldiers weren't so lucky. Ryo's pale
yellowish-greenish beam of ki energy burst outward from his cupped
hands, enveloping the spot where the General stood, and passing on to
the group of soldiers behind him.
When it was over, Tenma slowly picked himself up and looked
around. I don't believe it! He got the general! He spared a glance at
the bandanna boy, but Ryo didn't look too good. He seemed to be lapsing
into a depression, as all he could do was stand there in his post-firing
position and mumble.
"Impressive for a mere vermin, but ultimately futile," Genshi's
hated voice returned.
Tenma inhaled sharply as he spotted the General several feet
away from his previous postion. "How..?"
"I'm not a mere mortal like yourself, that's how."
Tenma gritted his teeth. As soon as he
finished that thought, however, the ground began to rumble. "What
the...?"
The soldiers, who were acting uneasy and a bit fearful at Ryo's
display of power, began chattering nervously to themselves. Even the
General was looking a bit baffled. The ground shaking increased with
every second, and something could be heard pounding its way through the
forest.
"A stampede of some sort?" Tenma wondered out loud.
That's when the huge boulder burst through the last of the
trees and began to roll through both the camp and the soldiers within.
Men panicked and broke ranks, as each soldier sought to get out of the
way of the big-as-a-house rock. Tenma used the opportunity to grab the
still-mumbling Ryo and run.
"Hey guys!" A voice called. "Over here!"
Tenma glanced up to see a red-headed girl astride one of the
horses he had been going for all along. Two more were unhitched and
waiting for both him and his companion. Tenma didn't bother to question
it, but instead leapt to the closest horse, throwing Ryo onto the other
one. He took a minute to slap Ryo, which brough him out of it enough for
the bandanna boy to grab his reins and follow after the rapidly
departing Tenma and red-headed girl.
It didn't take long for the general to organize his men,
however, and send them after the fugitives. Soon, six more horses were
rapidly saddled and mounted, and the three escapees had twice their
number on their tail.
Not knowing what else to do, Tenma and Ryo followed their
mysterious helper as she led them through the forest. They had a good
lead, but there seemed to be no escaping their ardent pursuers.
Tenma pulled his horse up beside the girl. "I don't suppose you
have some sort of plan to get us out of this?" he yelled over the
galloping hooves of the horses.
"As a matter of fact, I do!" she yelled back, a big smile on her
face. "Hold on and follow me!"
Tenma blinked. She almost seemed... too giddy. Still, he and
Ryo followed her as she sprinted her horse out of the forest and to a
deep gorge, bridged by a narrow wood and rope structure. They copied her
actions, dismounting, and then leading their horses across. Down below,
a river raged past sharp rocks.
As soon as she was across, she immediately began working on the
ropes with a knife. She tossed a second knife to Tenma as he left the
bridge, and he took her cue, working on cutting the second rope. When
Ryo arrived, six horsemen emerged on the other side and prepared to
duplicate the trio's maneuver. They were stopped, however, as the last
threads to the ropes were snapped, and the bridge dropped into the
gorge.
"We made it?" a confused, but somewhat hopefully optimistic Ryo
asked. A big grin slowly worked it's way across his face. "We made it!"
"Yatta!" Tenma mimicked.
Both boys, in their fit of joy, stopped leaping about to grasp
each other in a firm bear hug. As soon as they realized what they were
doing, however, they were apart in a flash.
The red-headed girl giggled. "Well, now that that's settled, we
should be moving off. They'll find another way around this gorge soon."
"Ah, yeah, thanks for helping us out back there, by the way,"
Tenma said. "My name's Saotome Tenma and this big idiot is Hibiki Ryo."
Now that he had the opportunity, Tenma took a closer look at
their savior. She was several inches shorter than he was, with red hair
tied into a pig-tail. She had green eyes and appeared to be around 16 or
17 years old. Worn, black trousers and a red blouse with three button up
clasps on the front hung from her short frame, though it was mostly
covered in the full brown cloak draped about her body.
The girl executed a short bow. "My name's Ranko and I'm 18
years old! Pleased to meet ya!"
"No family name?" Ryo asked.
The girl shook her head. "Nuh uh. I'm an orphan. My adopted
family was killed when I was young by the dark shogun's army when it
destroyed my town. I've sworn to avenge them!"
Tenma blanched. "Just you!?"
A scowl crossed her face. "No, now I've got you two as well! I
know I can't do it on my own, so I needed to get help. When I happened
across General Genshi's army traveling, and saw you two in cages, I
decided to break you guys out. You know, `the enemy of my enemy is my
friend,' that sort of thing."
"Well, we'd like to help little girl, but we've got to be
somewhere," Ryo said. "See ya." He began to mount up on his horse.
"Little girl!" Ranko shrieked, indignant. "Hey this `little
girl' saved your life! You owe me!"
Tenma chuckled. "She's got you there, Ryo. Plus, we don't know
the way to the Kuno's estate from here. We got all mixed up during the
chase." He looked up. "But we should get moving. We'll talk as we ride."
He mounted up, and Ranko followed suit.
"Great!" Ranko said when they were on their way. "Now I was
thinking of heading south and..."
Tenma interjected. "Hold it, Ranko-san, That's not a good idea.
That leads into the Dark Shogun's territory."
She scowled at him. "I know that! That's the whole point. We go
down there and kick some butt! When everyone else sees us stand up to
them, they'll join us."
"But there already are a lot of people opposing the Dark
Shogun," Tenma countered. "Tendo-san's army is working towards that end,
too. As a matter of fact, that's where we were heading. Why don't you
come with us?"
Ranko gave Tenma a skeptical look. "Tendo-san's army really
exists? I don't know..."
"What choice do you have?" Ryo asked. "A little girl like you is
not gonna have any kind of chance against the Dark Shogun."
"LITTLE GIRL!"
Ranko planted both hands on her pommel, then quickly lifted
herself out of the saddle to swing her feet around, clocking Ryo in the
chin from where he rode beside her. The impact sent him into the muddy
ground, while Ranko gracefully settled back into the saddle.
Tenma couldn't help it. "BWA HAHAHA!"
"This is all your fault, Saotome!" Ryo growled as he climbed
back onto his horse.
Ranko turned back to Tenma. "Okay, so if we link up with Tendo-
san's army, we can go kick some shogun butt?"
Tenma grinned and nodded. "Yep, that's about the size of it."
"Okay, then I know the way to the Kuno estate," Ranko declared.
"There's a little place at the bottom of those hills up ahead were we
can camp. If we ride all day tomorrow, we can get there by tomorrow
night."
"Sounds like a plan," Tenma agreed.
Ryo sighed. "I just know I'm going to hate this."
Find my stories at: www.geocities.com/kaiphantom2000
Ranma 1/2: New Challenges
Trials
Chapter 2
"This is all your fault, Saotome," came the growling voice.
Tenma blinked awake. "Ryo? Is that you?"
"Of course it's me! Who did you think it was!?"
The young Saotome rose to sitting position to gauge his
surroundings. Ryo and him were sitting in two iron box cages, sitting on
a pair of horse-draw carts. He almost laughed aloud, knowing both he and
Ryo could break those iron bars. However, he kept the humor to himself
at the sight of approximately a hundred armored men that stood around
the duo. They lounged in various states of alertness, talking, laughing,
drinking and practicing with weapons.
Tenma knew he was good, but the chances of getting away
successfully right now weren't good. Plus, he wanted to know what
happened to Kae and why she turned on them. Maybe he could also find out
some enemy plans, then he and Ryo could escape when a better opportunity
presented itself.
"Oh," Ryo continued. "Don't think about trying to break the
bars. You can't, I tried."
Tenma gave his old training partner a glance of disbelief.
"Maybe you can't, but I know I can." To prove the point, he reached up
and grabbed a pair of parallel bars and pulled.
And pulled.
And pulled.
A confused Tenma released his grip and stared at his hands.
"What...?"
Ryo sneered. "Told ya. Our strength is gone, somehow." He
turned his back to his rival. "I should've known better than to go with
you."
"Oh shut up."
"It's about time," came a new voice. "The vermin have finally
achieved conciousness." The boys turned to see General Genshi approach,
still wearing his midnight black samurai armor and cape. His short,
black hair was slicked back into a short topknot in the same style that
many of the general's men also wore. As he approached, Tenma was struck
and taken aback by the aura of death the man radiated, and he
unconsciously shivered.
"Go stick your head in a fox hole," Ryo growled, baring his
fangs.
Genshi's visage darkened. "Be thankful I don't kill you right
now, vermin."
"Yes, that's a good question," Tenma realized suddenly. "Why
don't you kill us now?"
The general tweaked his short, black moustache. "Because I have
orders to bring you back alive," he replied simply. Then he reached
around behind his back and withdrew a small pair of scythe, scraping the
metal blades against each other. "But I also have the authority to
execute you right now if you become too much trouble. Keep quiet, and
you keep your heads." He replaced the pair of curved blades and walked
away.
"Were's Kae?!" Tenma called. But Genshi didn't bother to
respond.
"Like I said, this all your fault, Saotome."
"Shut up, bacon-breath."
Akara tried to maintain her anger, but it soon turned to
frustration and despair. Around her, various maids moved in silence,
preparing her a marriage ceremony she didn't want. They had already
draped a white kimono around her, and were making the neccessary
adjustments to it so it would fit her properly.
She hadn't been able to talk to her father or sisters yet,
since she was hauled away shortly after her entrance into the throne
room. She wanted to demand an explanation from her father. These people
were supposed to be their allies! Why didn't he do anything to stop this
travesty?
She sighed.
The latter chose that moment to enter the room, resplendid in
his regal blue robes and haughty grin. "How is my beautacious bride-to-
be?"
The fires of her anger, having dimmed to a smolder, flared back
to life at the presence of her unwanted groom. "What do you want,
Kuno!?" The three maids alterating her kimono backed away with the
outburst.
"Ah, methinks I chose well," Tateyama replied, unfazed. "She is
quite the fierce tigress. I shall enjoy our honeymoon, greatly."
Akara blinked in shock. "Like
hell!"
The Kuno family heir crossed the space that seperated them in
three long steps, his face inches from hers. "Never fear, thou shalt
come to love me, as our union was foretold in the heavens."
Akara's return gaze promised something far worse than death.
"You will _never_ have me." A sudden thought struck her. "Besides, I'm
already engaged to someone else!"
However, his smile only grew. "Oh fair Tendo Akara, how can you
say such things when you know, deep in your heart, that we were meant to
be?"
*POW!* Akara's anger found it's release and Tateyama Kuno's body
found the wall.
"Yes," Tateyama chuckled crazily from the wall. "She is quite
the fierce tigress..."
*Thump* Kuno managed to find the floor, but quickly regained his
feet, his wits, and (most important to him anyways) his dignity.
"Nevertheless, thou shall be my wife by sunset tomorrow!" He turned his
back to her. "And I think I should let you know, we've received a
message that your Tenma and his friend were captured by the Dark
Shogun's army, and I am afraid they aren't known for keeping prisoners."
And with that, Tateyama Kuno turned and strode regally from the
room.
Akara's anger dissipated in a large, anguished sigh when the
royal heir left, only to be replaced by shock and fear.
She was unable to to wrap her mind around the concept. That the man who
could be so infuriating one moment, and so caring the next, was gone for
good.
Her legs suddenly feeling weak, she collapsed on the big
cushion behind her and turned her gaze out the window where the sun was
just setting behind the far hills.
"You just can't be dead, Tenma!" she whispered worridly. "You
can't be! Where are you?"
"Here."
The worn leather bag made several clinking sounds as it hit the
table. Kae glanced once at the bag, then turned a venomous gaze to the
man who had dropped it so casually.
"Do not insult me." Almost too fast for the eye to see, the
ninja woman flung a single shuriken that pierced the bag, splitting it,
and spilling the gold coins over the table.
General Genshi eyed the shuriken embedded in the table. "I had
no intention of doing so."
Kae's eyes narrowed. "You know my price."
"Indeed I do." He gestured to the other chair on the opposite
side of the table. "Have a seat." The ninja woman eyed the chair with
caution, but did sit down simultaneously with the general. "In fact,
the Shogun personally told me of the bargain you struck. Very
interesting." Genshi leaned forward in his chair. "I should tell you, I
advised the Shogun against it."
The general's probing gaze was met by a cold look, shielding
Kae's internal thoughts from Genshi's study. "It appears you were
overruled."
Genshi nodded once, slowly, and abandoned his intense scrying
to lean back in his chair. "But I figured you could use a little extra
spending money. After all, you aren't making any on this deal."
"What I do, is none of your business," she told him tersly. "So,
what do you plan to do with the two boys?"
The General shrugged. "I'll kill them, of course. The Shogun
wanted Saotome alive, but I have permission to do whatever it takes to
prevent him from escaping." He stood, turning his back on Kae and taking
a few steps to the window. "And when I find the Tendo's resistance, I
shall kill them all as well."
"Is that all you want to do?" Kae asked, her gaze turning into
disapproval. "To kill everyone and everything?"
Genshi turned and favored her with a rare smile that sent
shivers down her spine, though she managed to hide it. "Everyone needs a
hobby."
"Ryo, wake up!"
However, the command fell on deaf ears as the lost boy
continued to slumber in the cubical cage next to his own, completely
oblivious to Tenma's whispered call.
"Ryo!" A snore was his only answer. "Stupid."
He dared not call any louder, for fear of waking up the guard
that was sleeping nearby. The caravan had stopped for the night, and by
Tenma's reckoning, they were headed due northwest.
Sighing in frustration, he cast about, looking for an solution.
Grinning as an idea came to him, he reached down and picked up a handful
of stones, then proceeded to pelt his companion prisoner with them.
The first couple of stones only mildly disturbed Ryo, but as
the barrage continued, he slowly stirred, then jerked upright. "What--?"
"Good mornin', sunshine," offered a pleased Tenma.
"Saotome..!" Ryo growled. "Why I oughta--"
"Shut up, pig-boy!" hushed Tenma. "Or you'll wake the guard!"
Ryo merely `hmphed'. "So why'd you wake me? I was having a
pleasant dream where Akara was about to kiss me..." His star-crossed
look made Tenma gag.
"Cut it out, man! You're makin' me sick!" Tenma shook his head.
"Anyways, I was figurin' on makin' a break for it and thought you'd
wanna come along." Tenma sat back and put his hands behind his head.
"But, maybe you'd be happier stayin' in a cage and dreamin' of that
tomboy."
"Tenma!" Ryo exhaled. "Fine. What'd you have in mind? Without
our strength, we can't break the bars."
Tenma pointed to the sleeping guard, and to the key ring
sitting beside him on the table. "There's more than one way to get out
of a cage. We just need those keys."
"And how do you propose we get those keys?" Ryo asked.
"Considering they're over there and we're over here?"
Tenma grinned and held up a string. "Don't you remember the
times Satsu-sensei took us fishing? Took almost all day to get a long
enough string out of my shirt." He glanced in despair at the ruined
bottom of his shirt. "And I fashioned this hook from a loose piece of
metal."
"Well aren't you mister smarty-pants," Ryo said sarcastically.
Tenma merely grinned and started twirling the mock fishing
line, concentrating on the set of keys ten feet away. Sensing the
moment, he let the hook fly.
"Bingo!" Tenma elated. "First try!"
"Must you succeed at everything you do," Ryo mumbled, not loud
enough for his old training partner to hear.
Tenma was too elated to pay attention to Ryo anyway as he
slowly reeled in his catch. Halfway to the cage however, the ring of
keys snagged on something and the hook lost it's grip. He tried casting
the line again, but it took four more attempts before the ring unsnagged
and completed it's trip into Tenma's waiting hand.
Two quick clicks later, and both boys were free.
"Where to now?" Ryo asked, glancing around the camp. Voices
could be heard in various directions, and several campfires cast a quiet
glow into the night sky.
Tenma motioned with his hand, and whispered back, "This way."
The two escapees silently made their way between the tents,
sticking to the darkness and taking cover when soldiers passed by. In a
nearby tent, they managed to find their packs, but the escape alarm was
sounded before they could put them back on.
Realizing that his pack was now too heavy for him, Tenma gave
up, but Ryo insisted on taking his umbrella at the very least.
"Got any more bright ideas, Saotome?" Ryo challenged. "We can't
fight our way out without our strength."
"Remember what sensei said," replied Tenma, then went into a
wise man stance. "When strength avails you naught, one must rely on
speed and cunning."
"And just what does that mean!?"
Tenma grinned. "Simple. We make a run for the horses! If I
remember correctly, they're on the north side of camp."
Ryo nodded, knowing it was their only chance. "Alright, but you
better not die on me before we escape. I want that pleasure."
"Sure thing, pig-boy."
"Stop calling me that!"
But Tenma wasn't listening. "Ready? Go!"
"Tenma!"
Ryo charged after the sprinting Saotome as they left the
confines of the tent and across the camp. Soldiers were running in all
directions around them, but it was only a few seconds until someone
caught on to them and shouted.
"Hey! There they are!"
"Get them!"
"They're over here!"
The two boys were soon fending off various attackers that
sought to stop them. Tenma resisted the urge to counterattack, knowing
his punches wouldn't even faze his enemies. Instead, he dodged and
flipped and sent his attackers into each other. Ryo opted for the more
direct approach by bulldozing his way through, his tough hide absorbing
most blows easily. The more lethal stuff, like swords and arrows, he
fended off with his umbrella.
Despairingly, Tenma realized that if things continued the way
they were, they would be enveloped by soldiers before they could reach
the horses. He just wasn't able to disable enough of his would-be
captors and he was beginning to take too many hits.
Suddenly, he was next to Ryo, and they were both standing still
in the middle of a clearing, the Dark Shogun's army surrounding them.
With another burst of despair, Tenma realized the horses were just on
the other side of the line of soldiers, ten meters away. They had almost
made it.
"Are you ready to die, vermin?" Genshi's voice rang out in the
sudden silence. The circle of soldiers parted to allow the General
forward. This time though, the General was holding a single larger
scythe. "The shogun may want you alive, but I do not. As long as you
live, you may be a threat. I'm sure my master will understand if I
explain that I had no choice but to kill you while you escaped."
Tenma's eyes narrowed. "You let us escape on purpose."
"Did you really think you could escape otherwise?" Genshi asked.
His question was met with only more stony silence, though Ryo
did lean over a bit to whisper to Tenma. "Now what?"
"How am I supposed to know!?" Tenma hissed back. "I'm not
perfect! Why can't you think of anything?"
The question caught Ryo off-guard. "May... maybe I can think of
something."
Tenma blinked once, the tone of Ryo's almost shaky voice
disturbing him. "What are you doing?" he demanded as Ryo stepped
foreward.
But Ryo Hibiki ignored him. "So that's it then?" he said out
loud. "We're going to die?"
The General nodded. "You vermin understand."
Ryo's voice became a bit more shaky. "And I'll never see
Akara's lovely face again? After all I've been through, it's come down
to this? So much I wanted to do, and I never had a chance..."
"Ryo!?" Tenma exlaimed. "What in the world are you doing?" But
then he noticed his friend/rival starting to glow a pale yellowish-
green.
General Genshi frowned. "Yes, what are you doing?"
Ryo ignored them all. "I'll never be happy! I'll never win!" He
suddenly brought his hands up. "SHISHI HOUKODAN!"
And he exploded.
Tenma's instincts cut in a spilt second before the attack,
dropping him to the ground. The soldiers weren't so lucky. Ryo's pale
yellowish-greenish beam of ki energy burst outward from his cupped
hands, enveloping the spot where the General stood, and passing on to
the group of soldiers behind him.
When it was over, Tenma slowly picked himself up and looked
around. I don't believe it! He got the general! He spared a glance at
the bandanna boy, but Ryo didn't look too good. He seemed to be lapsing
into a depression, as all he could do was stand there in his post-firing
position and mumble.
"Impressive for a mere vermin, but ultimately futile," Genshi's
hated voice returned.
Tenma inhaled sharply as he spotted the General several feet
away from his previous postion. "How..?"
"I'm not a mere mortal like yourself, that's how."
Tenma gritted his teeth. As soon as he
finished that thought, however, the ground began to rumble. "What
the...?"
The soldiers, who were acting uneasy and a bit fearful at Ryo's
display of power, began chattering nervously to themselves. Even the
General was looking a bit baffled. The ground shaking increased with
every second, and something could be heard pounding its way through the
forest.
"A stampede of some sort?" Tenma wondered out loud.
That's when the huge boulder burst through the last of the
trees and began to roll through both the camp and the soldiers within.
Men panicked and broke ranks, as each soldier sought to get out of the
way of the big-as-a-house rock. Tenma used the opportunity to grab the
still-mumbling Ryo and run.
"Hey guys!" A voice called. "Over here!"
Tenma glanced up to see a red-headed girl astride one of the
horses he had been going for all along. Two more were unhitched and
waiting for both him and his companion. Tenma didn't bother to question
it, but instead leapt to the closest horse, throwing Ryo onto the other
one. He took a minute to slap Ryo, which brough him out of it enough for
the bandanna boy to grab his reins and follow after the rapidly
departing Tenma and red-headed girl.
It didn't take long for the general to organize his men,
however, and send them after the fugitives. Soon, six more horses were
rapidly saddled and mounted, and the three escapees had twice their
number on their tail.
Not knowing what else to do, Tenma and Ryo followed their
mysterious helper as she led them through the forest. They had a good
lead, but there seemed to be no escaping their ardent pursuers.
Tenma pulled his horse up beside the girl. "I don't suppose you
have some sort of plan to get us out of this?" he yelled over the
galloping hooves of the horses.
"As a matter of fact, I do!" she yelled back, a big smile on her
face. "Hold on and follow me!"
Tenma blinked. She almost seemed... too giddy. Still, he and
Ryo followed her as she sprinted her horse out of the forest and to a
deep gorge, bridged by a narrow wood and rope structure. They copied her
actions, dismounting, and then leading their horses across. Down below,
a river raged past sharp rocks.
As soon as she was across, she immediately began working on the
ropes with a knife. She tossed a second knife to Tenma as he left the
bridge, and he took her cue, working on cutting the second rope. When
Ryo arrived, six horsemen emerged on the other side and prepared to
duplicate the trio's maneuver. They were stopped, however, as the last
threads to the ropes were snapped, and the bridge dropped into the
gorge.
"We made it?" a confused, but somewhat hopefully optimistic Ryo
asked. A big grin slowly worked it's way across his face. "We made it!"
"Yatta!" Tenma mimicked.
Both boys, in their fit of joy, stopped leaping about to grasp
each other in a firm bear hug. As soon as they realized what they were
doing, however, they were apart in a flash.
The red-headed girl giggled. "Well, now that that's settled, we
should be moving off. They'll find another way around this gorge soon."
"Ah, yeah, thanks for helping us out back there, by the way,"
Tenma said. "My name's Saotome Tenma and this big idiot is Hibiki Ryo."
Now that he had the opportunity, Tenma took a closer look at
their savior. She was several inches shorter than he was, with red hair
tied into a pig-tail. She had green eyes and appeared to be around 16 or
17 years old. Worn, black trousers and a red blouse with three button up
clasps on the front hung from her short frame, though it was mostly
covered in the full brown cloak draped about her body.
The girl executed a short bow. "My name's Ranko and I'm 18
years old! Pleased to meet ya!"
"No family name?" Ryo asked.
The girl shook her head. "Nuh uh. I'm an orphan. My adopted
family was killed when I was young by the dark shogun's army when it
destroyed my town. I've sworn to avenge them!"
Tenma blanched. "Just you!?"
A scowl crossed her face. "No, now I've got you two as well! I
know I can't do it on my own, so I needed to get help. When I happened
across General Genshi's army traveling, and saw you two in cages, I
decided to break you guys out. You know, `the enemy of my enemy is my
friend,' that sort of thing."
"Well, we'd like to help little girl, but we've got to be
somewhere," Ryo said. "See ya." He began to mount up on his horse.
"Little girl!" Ranko shrieked, indignant. "Hey this `little
girl' saved your life! You owe me!"
Tenma chuckled. "She's got you there, Ryo. Plus, we don't know
the way to the Kuno's estate from here. We got all mixed up during the
chase." He looked up. "But we should get moving. We'll talk as we ride."
He mounted up, and Ranko followed suit.
"Great!" Ranko said when they were on their way. "Now I was
thinking of heading south and..."
Tenma interjected. "Hold it, Ranko-san, That's not a good idea.
That leads into the Dark Shogun's territory."
She scowled at him. "I know that! That's the whole point. We go
down there and kick some butt! When everyone else sees us stand up to
them, they'll join us."
"But there already are a lot of people opposing the Dark
Shogun," Tenma countered. "Tendo-san's army is working towards that end,
too. As a matter of fact, that's where we were heading. Why don't you
come with us?"
Ranko gave Tenma a skeptical look. "Tendo-san's army really
exists? I don't know..."
"What choice do you have?" Ryo asked. "A little girl like you is
not gonna have any kind of chance against the Dark Shogun."
"LITTLE GIRL!"
Ranko planted both hands on her pommel, then quickly lifted
herself out of the saddle to swing her feet around, clocking Ryo in the
chin from where he rode beside her. The impact sent him into the muddy
ground, while Ranko gracefully settled back into the saddle.
Tenma couldn't help it. "BWA HAHAHA!"
"This is all your fault, Saotome!" Ryo growled as he climbed
back onto his horse.
Ranko turned back to Tenma. "Okay, so if we link up with Tendo-
san's army, we can go kick some shogun butt?"
Tenma grinned and nodded. "Yep, that's about the size of it."
"Okay, then I know the way to the Kuno estate," Ranko declared.
"There's a little place at the bottom of those hills up ahead were we
can camp. If we ride all day tomorrow, we can get there by tomorrow
night."
"Sounds like a plan," Tenma agreed.
Ryo sighed. "I just know I'm going to hate this."