[Ranma/TMNT] Second Bet: Teenage Mutant Martial Artists
A large black raven swooped quietly into the
room surrounding Mimir's well, flapping black furred
wings as it started to settle into a landing. Before
it touched the ground it began to grow. First into a
wolf wearing a pelt of black feathers, and then into a
man with a thick black cloak, like wings and feathers
mixed in his thick black hair. The being's mouth
curled into an amused smirk under wolf-yellow eyes.
"Gabriel," one spirit muttered, resulting in a
more pronounced smirk from the man.
"That is one title," he admitted in a quiet
voice that growled but was neither rough, nor hostile.
"How long I remain in that office, however."
Most shrugged that off. Lycanus's opinions
concerning divine office were fairly well known, at
least the ones he wanted people to know. The
archangel smirked at the faces trying to determine
what he was there for. What move in his cosmic chess
game he was making now.
He brushed lightly at the horn that was the
mark of his office and strode to the well. He reached
down and scooped up a handful of water, carried over a
few feet to another part of the well, and dropped it
back in. The water was turbulent and rough for a few
moments and then it accepted the mix and settled
calmly into a smooth surface again. Sometimes all it
took was a small, meaningless appearance, and people,
even great and powerful demons and "gods" started
leaping to conclusions.
Besides, now that the matter with the Lord of
Nightmares was cleared up, he had some freetime before
the next of his plots started developing.
******
"Much more than just a series of small,
isolated incidents," the newswoman announced to the
city streets. She was a woman of Japanese descent,
somewhere between twenty five and thirty five. Her
brown hair pulled back in a thin ponytail, that could
only occasionally be seen from behind her back. Her
bangs curled into a helmet like frame around her face.
Few people were paying attention to the street
TV as they walked along on their business. "It is now
apparent that there is an organized criminal element
in the streets, and for the moment, business is good.
So good in fact that
there are no eyewitnesses to any
of these crimes."
As the television continued a man stood reading
a paper emblazoned with the headline "City Crime
Escalates." As he read he unknowingly had his pocket
picked. It was immediately passed off to another
teenager, and then another. Until it reached a girl
with short auburn hair who leaned against a wall
holding the wallet. A gauntleted hand reached out and
took the stolen item.
"With complaints ranging from purse snatching
to breaking and entering, the police switchboards have
been swamped with the angry voices of more and more
citizens that have fallen prey to the surge of crimes
that continues to plague this city. Instead of
getting better, things have actually gotten worse."
Elsewhere a delivery man took a box off of his
truck and walked the twenty feet to the door to hand
it off to the recipient.
"Even more alarming, is baffling and often
bizarre nature of these crimes," the reporter
continued. "Merchandise ranging from skateboards to
stereo systems have been disappearing from store
shelves and storage areas at an alarming rate."
When the delivery man returned to the truck a
few moments later, it had been completely emptied.
"Even the victims themselves," an old woman
waved dismissively at her television and reached to
grab some more yarn. While she was bent over the TV
was grabbed. "Rarely catch a glimpse of the thieves,
in fact the police have been unable to come up with a
single eyewitness. Only a few vague reports of young
boys or teenagers at the scenes have been filed."
"But whoever is behind these crimes," the
reporter continued. Meanwhile a van occupied by men
in black jumpsuits with bug-eyed goggles was filled
with various boxes by a virtual stream of teenagers.
"One thing is certain,
these are much more than just a
series of random isolated incidents."
"Crimes without criminals?" the reporter
continued. At a warehouse on the edge of the city a
man in an ornate karate style gi watched over a horde
of teenagers sorting through a collection of boxes.
"An invisible gang
at work? Who we gonna call?"
The short-haired girl that had finally ended up
with the wallet tore open a box and pulled out a set
of head phones.
"Unfortunately the police are the only ones
available to combat what some are already calling the
silent crime wave. But perhaps the most disturbing
silence is the one coming from city hall. Nabiki
Tendo, signing off."
******
"Don't you think you're pushing a little hard,
Nabs?" a tech asked as Nabiki packed up her things.
"You're kidding right?" Nabiki asked. "This is
the story of the decade."
"You bought stock in some security firms,
didn't you," the other asked.
"Of course," Nabiki said. "But I can always
get money, now recognition, that's another matter."
She glanced around
and frowned.
"Oh, your neice said she'd meet you at your
apartment," the tech said.
"She's twelve years old," Nabiki said
irritably. "When this cultural education thing ends
I'd like to return her to her parents in one piece."
"Come on," the tech said. "She's been a city
rat since she first got off the plane a year ago,
she'll be fine."
"She better be," Nabiki said seriously pointing
at him. She hmphed and started walking out of the
building. The parking lot was darkened as she headed
for her BMW, and took out her keys. Suddenly New York
was seeming a lot like her home town. That put her in
famliar territory, with the exception that she didn't
know the players.
She was considering this as she turned the
corner toward the driver side door. The sound of
someone dropping a tire iron alerted her to the fact
that she wasn't alone. She frowned and turned around
her car with a straight kick sending the would be
thief sprawling back to the blacktop of the parking
lot.
"Find somebody else's..." Nabiki stopped
berating the thief and noticed the small crowd of
thugs that was waiting in the darkness.
"Nice legs, lady," one of the young toughs
said, flicking out a switchblade. Nabiki didn't waste
time talking or trying to convince herself that she
could take them with some barely remembered childhood
training. She turned and ran down the streets.
"Get her!"
"Great," Nabiki muttered as she found herself
cut off from the news building. "I'm going to get
killed by gang of punk kids."
She caught sight of a possible escape
in the
form of a pile of junk next to a fence in an alley.
If it held she could
knock it down on her way up and
block the path off to her. As Nabiki made her attempt
she began to seriously regret her decision to stop
studying the family art. Especially when the junk
caved in under her weight and sent her tumbling hard
to the ground amidst a lot of trash.
"Now we got you," one of thugs said, smiling
and playing with a rod he had picked up from
somewhere.
Nabiki stumbled painfully to her feet and
struggled to remember a stance, kata or anything that
might get her out of this. A flash of metal caught
her eye and she smirked as something struck the light
illuminating the alley. As darkness covered
everything Nabiki heard the familiar sound of flesh
and wood striking flesh and stayed very still. She
was crossing her arms and smiling superiorly at the
thugs sitting there tied up when the cops approached
and headlights replaced the broken street lamp.
While the cops were collecting the thugs she
quietly slipped what appeared to be a handmade dagger
into her bag. She tapped her fingers against her
elbow and took in her surroundings, noting a slightly
raised man-hole cover lowering shut. Yes, things were
beginning to get more and more like old times.
******
"That was great," a feminine voice declared
happily.
"Null sweat," a guy answered. The two speakers
were rather unusual, very unusual in fact. Not
because they dressed in matching dark red outfits.
Nor because they were
blond with the occasional black
or white stripe or spot. Nope, they were unusual in
that they had fur rather than hair, and that it pretty
much covered their body. Then there were those
pointed ears, and the long tails swishing excitedly
behind them.
"They didn't stand a chance," another girl
added coming up behind the two cat people. She had a
very bright red color to her fur with white
highlights, and was showing off a very foxy smile.
Her long bushy tail
was revealing just as much
excitement as the cats' were.
"I could have finished it quicker," another guy
said coming up behind them. He stood taller than the
others, with thick grey fur. His arms were crossed
and he was frowning. A long tail swished behind him.
"Yeah, and caved..." the cat guy started. The
cats both started circling the very wolfish fellow,
moving quickly.
"...the alley in..." the girl continued.
"...on us! Come on..."
"...you just don't want..."
"... to admit you..."
"...actually had fun."
"Could you quit that!" an irritated voice
demanded behind them. The second wolf had her arms
crossed and her tail flicked angrily as she stalked
past everybrody growling.
"We followed her plan right?" the fox asked.
"All she said was what we were going to do
anyway," the bear said.
"So there's no reason..."
"...for her to be mad right?" Everybody
shrugged and followed after the wolf.
"She left her dagger behind," somebody said
coming up behind them.
This speaker was another fox, wearing a pair of
glasses that had probably been scavanged and didn't
much help his eyesight. He was folding a bit of robe
into his clothes, and watching the she-wolf worriedly.
******
Nabiki walked into her apartment and stretched
out. She checked the time and frowned. Just what she
needed, to get bogged down with the police for the
night. She walked into her kitchen and set her bag
down on the counter and opened the fridge.
"Freeze, kiddo," she said, frostily. She
turned around and looked at her niece's hands in her
bag. She arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms.
"Have you been taking
lessons from your grandfather,
Midori?"
"Ah come on, Auntie Biki," the girl whined. A
girl with short auburn hair. "You have lots of
mon...what's this?"
"I figured the daughter of two great martial
artists would recognize a dagger when she saw one,"
Nabiki said, grabbing the weapon out of her hand.
"Now where did you go
today?"
"Where were you for the last few hours?" Midori
snapped.
"I was at the police department," Nabiki said
distastefully. "You weren't here or else you would
have known that from the answering machine."
"Like you care," the girl hmphed, crossing her
arms. "You just dump me off like Mom and Dad did."
"I work," Nabiki said. "I can't watch you ever
moment of every day. And your parents didn't dump
you. The version I got was that you virtually pleaded
to come live over here for a couple of years."
"They didn't tell me that you were a
manipulative, tight wad, old maid," Midori complained.
"Why were you at the cops? Chasing your story?"
"Some people tried to mug me," Nabiki said. "I
was giving a report. And some of the cops aren't
exactly friendly with me right now." Midori stared at
her in surprise.
"Are you all right?" her niece asked.
"What do you think?" Nabiki asked. "Do I look
hurt?"
"Umm," Midori looked suddenly nervous.
"And then I come home to find my niece lying in
wait to pick my pocket," Nabiki said. "Its been a
lovely day, Midori, please let me relax before I
decide whether or not to call your parents."
"Sorry, Auntie Biki,"
Midori said, wincing.
She drifted off to Nabiki's guest room. Nabiki looked
at the dagger in her hand and thought over her
encounter in the alley.
"What do we have here?" she whispered, smiling.
She traced the kanji on the blade and chuckled.
"Yamasen, Umisen." A
dagger marked with the symbols
of a thieving martial art in the midst of a city-wide
crime spree. She frowned at the next few Kanji.
"Tendo Anything Goes."
The frown vanished in the face of an amused
laugh.
"It's good to be back in the game."
In the guest room, Midori's eyes were wide as
her aunt listed off the Yamasen and Umisen.
******
"The police collected them," the speaker was a
dark skinned girl, with a prematurly gray hair.
"There was something familiar
about that woman,
Mistress Kurumi."
"Is that so?" the speaker was a red-haired
woman leaning on a cane. Her eyes glowed bright red,
bright enough that she wouldn't even be able to hide
it behind shades.
A loud clattering sound announced the opening
of the trap door to the rest of the sewers, and soon
two blonde blurs were circling the woman, who laughed
and sat down in her chair.
"Kurumi!" they shouted in one voice. "We had
a battle, a real battle! It was cool!"
"Calm down!" the wolf shouted coming up from
the sewers. "Show the Mistress some respect." The
wolf travelled irritably to a corner of the basement
and picked up a sword and a sharpening stone.
"Is something wrong, Shampoo?" Kurumi asked.
"She lost her dagger in the fight," the fox
explained, joining them. "That reporter lady picked
it up."
"Reporter lady?" Kurumi repeated, curious.
"She's been making a lot of reports about all
the thieves recently," the fox-boy said as he entered
the room ahead of the wolf-boy. "But you don't watch
TV much so."
"Yeah, she has the same family name as you,"
the cat-guy said.
"Weird, huh?" the cat-girl added.
"Do any of you know this reporter's given
name?" Kurumi asked. "Ukyou? Ryouga?"
"Becky?" the cat girl suggested.
"Beaky?" the male cheetah added.
"Ranma, Ranko. You never listen," the male
wolf grumbled sitting down. "It was Nabiki."
Kurumi's eyes widened.
"Something wrong, Mistress?" the gray-haired
girl asked.
"Nabiki Tendo is my sister," the woman said.
******
"Moshi moshi," Akane answered the phone. "Oh,
hello Nabiki. Is there something wrong with Midori?"
She said the last
worriedly. Nabiki's rather dry
answer did not reassure her.
"She's healthy," Nabiki assured her. "She
thinks I have enough money that she can borrow from
me, without saying anything."
"What?" Akane snapped. "Let me talk to her."
"Yeah, and then I need to talk to Ranma,"
Nabiki said. Akane waited irritably for Nabiki to put
on her daughter and then proceeded to lecture. Ranma
picked up another line to add his own say so for a few
minutes.
Nabiki watched satisfactorily as the girl
winced and cringed at her parents lecturing, and
waited patiently to be given the phone again. Midori
wandered off to bed feeling like she had just done ten
rounds with one of the Hibiki's. She kept her ear
open to listen to her aunt's conversation with her
father though.
"Sorry 'bout that, Nabs," Ranma said as Nabiki
came back to the phone. "Sometimes she can drive you
crazy. You wanted to talk to me."
"Yeah, that letter Kurumi sent us," she
started. "About sixteen years ago?"
"The one about Ryuu and Natsume getting killed
by a renegade student?" Ranma asked cautiously.
"It was posted marked New York, right?" Nabiki
said.
"There was no return address," Ranma said.
"But that's what the
stamp said. You think you found
out more about that?"
"I got rescued from a mugging today," Nabiki
said. "Didn't see by who, but one of them was
carrying a handmade dagger, nice one too, and its
marked with the kanji for Tendo Anything Goes,
Yamasen, and Umisen." There was silence for a moment.
"Those arts are sealed," he said angrily. "No
one besides me and my Pop should know them now that
Ryuu's dead."
"There's also a crime wave in the city, Ranma,"
Nabiki said. "Pickpockets, break ins, lots of
thievery."
"You're saying somebody's using the Yamasen and
Umisen," Ranma said. "The way it was supposed to be
used?"
"That's what it looks like," Nabiki said. "Of
course, I could be wrong. I got this dagger from
people that may have saved my life."
"Do you want us to come help?" Ranma asked.
"No, no," Nabiki said. "I think I can handle
this. Who knows what craziness will happen if you
come over."
"Thanks for the confidence," Ranma muttered.
"Don't do anything
stupid, Nabiki."
"I don't plan to," Nabiki promised, smirking.
She turned toward
the guest room and saw the door
close shut. Nabiki shook her head amused. "Don't
worry, kiddo. We weren't talking about you." Nabiki
sighed and shook her head, chuckling. "I'm never
having kids."
"You don't have to worry about it old maid!"
Midori's voice called out.
=====
"Your sister, Kurumi?" the fox girl asked,BR
pausing in the trip to the "kitchen."BR
"Not by blood," she said. "Someone pretendingBR
to be her father claimed to be mine."BR
"We saved the Mistress's sister," the cheetahBR
girl said.BR
"Cool," was her partner's add on.BR
"She's got my dagger!" the wolf-girl shouted.BR
"It's too late to do anything about it," KurumiBR
said.BR
"But I bet I can get it back!" she insisted.BR
"Leave it," Kurumi instructed.BR
"I made that dagger," she insisted. "It's..."BR
"Shampoo!" Kurumi interrupted. 'It's an item,BR
it's not important."BR
"She'll never know I was there," ShampooBR
insisted.BR
"Most likely not," Kurumi agreed. Trying toBR
ignore it as the cheetahs quietly started a tickleBR
duel. "But it isn't worth the risk for just aBR
replaceable tool. I can understand how you feel aboutBR
being stuck down here. I spent most of my childhoodBR
wandering Japan with just my sister. But we need toBR
be cautious when..." She picked up a glass of waterBR
and tossed it at the increasingly louder cheetahs. BR
"Ranko, Ranma. There is a time and place for games,BR
but its not while I'm lecturing."BR
"Sorry, Mistress," they said in one embarrassedBR
voice.BR
"Cats," the wolves muttered. Kurumi justBR
rolled her eyes and turned to the fox-girl.BR
"Ukyou, what's for dinner?" Kurumi asked. BR
"Yuck!" the fox-girl closed the fridge door,BR
gagging. "Food's all spoiled."BR
"I think I may have spoiled you all," KurumiBR
said. "There's no such thing as food that can't beBR
eaten."BR
"The milk is purple," Ukyou said. The otherBR
fox walked over to look over the fridge.BR
"On second thought," Kurumi said.BR
"No milk?" Ranko whined. Ukyou glanced up fromBR
the fridge and traded a look with the other fox.BR
"What do you think, Mousse?" she asked. HeBR
stood up and shook his head.BR
"Busted," he said. "Freon's all leaked out. BR
And it short circuited to set the thaw function onBR
overdrive. That's why it all spoiled so fast." AllBR
eyes turned to the dark skinned, human-looking girl. BR
She sighed resignedly.BR
"I'll order the pizzas," she said.BR
"Good, now that that's settled," Kurumi said,BR
the thought of coming food easing her mind somewhat. BR
"While we wait for the food, I think that we shouldBR
meditate on the events of the..." Kurumi wasBR
interrupted by the sound of music, and leaned her headBR
on her hand and arched an eyebrow at her students.BR
"It's sorta the same," Ukyou said.BR
"Uh huh," Kurumi said, doubtfully tapping herBR
fingers against her temple. Not that there was muchBR
she could say about it, remember Natsume's own effortsBR
to get her to sit still long enough to meditate.BR
"I'm going for a walk," Shampoo declared,BR
snatching a heavy, hooded coat and walking out of theBR
sewer-apartment. Kurumi shook her head as she watchedBR
the girl leave. The wolf-boy glanced at Kurumi for aBR
moment and then after Shampoo. BR
"Don't worry about her, Ryouga. She needs someBR
time alone," she told him. BR
"I think I'll just follow her to be sure," heBR
said anyway, and got up to follow Shampoo.BR
Kurumi shrugged and said, under her breath,BR
"Kids."BR
BR
*******BR
BR
"What are you doing out here, Mousse?" the darkBR
skinned girl asked. "If someone sees you there'll beBR
trouble."BR
"What's it like, Kodachi?" he asked quietly. BR
"You know, walking around with the humans? EvenBR
Mistress Kurumi can't do that and she is human."BR
"What do you think it's like?" Kodachi asked. BR
"I'm always afraid I'll be caught in a lie and someoneBR
will want to do a blood test or something."BR
"You don't feel like you fit in?" Mousse asked.BR
"Of coure not," Kodachi huffed. "They'reBR
human, I only appear to be."BR
"One other question," Mousse said.BR
"What is it?" Kodachi asked, tapping herBR
fingers irritably.BR
"Why do you always have the pizza delivered toBR
this place?" Mousse asked, gesturing around at theBR
abandoned storefront. "Its not like you can't go downBR
to that convenience store and wait there."BR
"Because there has yet to be a pizza deliveryBR
person who can find it in less than thirty minutes,"BR
Kodachi answered honestly.BR
"Oh," Mousse said.BR
BR
*******BR
BR
"Mommy! Look at the werewolves!" a boy said,BR
shouting excitedly. After hours of actors speaking inBR
Shakespearian dialect he had finally found somethingBR
that interested him.BR
"Those are just some statues, Eric," his motherBR
said. "You'd think they'd put them somewhere easierBR
to see, you could walk into them before you saw them."BR
In fact she would have walked about three feet toBR
left of them if her son hadn't pointed them out.BR
"They look so real!" he said.BR
"Don't be silly," the mother said. "There's noBR
such thing as werewolves." She looked over the twoBR
"statues" that were placed just out of the lightBR
beyond the park theater. "Besides, real werewolvesBR
would be bigger, and wouldn't be dressed in those cuteBR
matching outfits." She looked over Shampoo'sBR
cheongsam, noting the definite humanoid figure fromBR
the neck down. "Must have been a post-adolescentBR
sculptor." She muttered before herding her son awayBR
from the suggestive "sculpture."BR
"Why do the kids always find us?" ShampooBR
asked.BR
"I don't know whether to feel insulted orBR
what," Ryouga said as the two humans moved off.BR
"Is there a reason that Kurumi gave us matchingBR
outfits?" Shampoo asked.BR
"Well you know how she gets," Ryouga muttered. BR
"At least the cheetahs enjoy them."BR
"Somebody might think we're a couple," ShampooBR
agreed. They looked at each other.BR
"Ewwww," they said unison.BR
"I just had a disturbing thought," Ryouga said.BR
"Do I want to know?" Shampoo asked.BR
"What if Ranko and Ranma DID get together?"BR
Ryouga asked.BR
"Lots of cats," Shampoo said.BR
"All saying parts of one sentence," RyougaBR
added.BR
"Bouncing all over the place," Shampoo saidBR
"Cats," they said in unison with a touch ofBR
frustration.BR
BR
*******BR
BR
Ranko and Ranma sneezed.BR
"Some one..."BR
"...must be..."BR
"...talking..."BR
"...about us."BR
"Just for one moment," Ukyou said irritably. BR
"Can you two talk as if you're two different people."BR
"Of course we can," Ranko said.BR
"It's just that that's more fun!" Ranma added. BR
Both smiled.BR
BR
*******BR
BR
"So that would be twenty-five pizzas," theBR
delivery man said to a surprised Kodachi. He was aBR
college-aged boy with dark brown hair, and nearlyBR
black eyes that glittered in the dark.BR
"Just how did you find me so quickly?" KodachiBR
asked.BR
"I almost didn't," the man said. "And that'sBR
impressive. So anyway, you owe me about two hundredBR
sixty dollars." Kodachi looked mournfully at herBR
wallet, she was expected free pizza. "But, I'll payBR
for it if you promise to tell me how you learned toBR
hide your mind like that."BR
"I do not know what you're talking about," sheBR
said, eyes narrowed.BR
"Fine," he said, smiling. "I'll do it anyway,BR
don't worry, I can afford it. I just do this job forBR
the chance to meet interesting people."BR
"I see. Thank you," Kodachi said. "Mister..."BR
"Lamont Cranston," he said. "I was named afterBR
my grandfather."BR
"Fine," she said. "I'll see about repayingBR
you."BR
"I'm in the phone book," he said. "I'll lookBR
forward to hearing from you, Foxy." He walked off.BR
"Good guess," Kodachi muttered as soon as heBR
was gone. "Mousse are you still out there?"BR
"He was coming on to you," Mousse said.BR
"Really?" Kodachi asked dryly. "Can weBR
concentrate on getting the pizzas home?"BR
BR
*******BR
BR
"Ready?" Ukyou whispered to Mousse and Kodachi.BR
Both nodded and tensed, staring ahead. She glancedBR
at Ranko and Ranma, who also nodded and indicatedBR
their readiness. All eyes turned to Kurumi and waitedBR
for the signal to do battle.BR
"Itekadimas," Kurumi said cheerfully. And theBR
battle over the food began. BR
All of them blurred into motion. When it wasBR
over a happily sated Kurumi sighed pleasantly andBR
looked to her suddenly haggard looking students. BR
"You know, one of these days, you'll be able toBR
keep up with me one on one." She stood up stiffly andBR
stretched out as much as she could, leaning heavily onBR
her cane. She then walked to the big recliner theyBR
had recovered for her and sat down with a sigh ofBR
relief.BR
"Just how fast is she?" Ukyou asked, catchingBR
her breath.BR
"Too..." Ranma started.BR
"...fast." Ranko finished.BR
BR
*******BR
BR
A woman screamed as the man stepped out of theBR
shadows and produced a switchblade. He waved at herBR
with his other hand, gesturing for the purse andBR
glancing around. He was moving to open his mouth andBR
say something when something moved out of the cornerBR
of his eye.BR
"What the-?" he asked. His prey took theBR
opportunity to run headlong away from him. screaming. BR
"Hey, you come ba-!" Something brushed past behindBR
him in the darkness. He turned around to see what itBR
was, and as soon as he turned around, somethingBR
grabbed the back of his shirt and tossed him away.BR
The thug hit the ground and groaned as he stoodBR
stiffly back up, noticing that, somehow, he had beenBR
stripped to his boxersBR
"What the hell was that!" he asked.BR
"It appeared to me that you were in the processBR
of assaulting that woman," a voice said.coolly. A manBR
stepped into the shadows tapping a cane against hisBR
shoulder. "It seems that I cannot even attend aBR
viewing of one of The Bard's more triumphantBR
productions without encountering some form of humanBR
filth such as yourself."BR
"Are you the asshole that did this?" the thugBR
demanded. "Because if you are..."BR
"Do not be foolish," the man said. "I have aBR
much more painful lesson to teach you."BR
"Just try it pops..." The man rushed forward inBR
a blink and slammed his cane into the thugs get. HeBR
then reversed the grip and used the hook to toss theBR
thug across the clearing.BR
"Stop that!" a girl's voice demanded from theBR
shadows.BR
"Yeah, it ain't like a he's out to killBR
people," a boy's voice added.BR
"Perhaps you would like to voice your concernsBR
in the open," the man asked. "Or do you wish toBR
continue skulking in the shadows."BR
"You don't give us commands," the girl's voiceBR
shouted, from a different space. The thug was lookingBR
around, every motion of the leaves seeming to beBR
someone just barely held back in the shadows. "WeBR
punished him enough as it is. There is absolutely noBR
reason to beat him to within an inch of his life."BR
"Such embarrassments are for children," was theBR
answer. "They are not effective for such as him." BR
The criminal took the example of the woman he hadBR
tried to mug earlier and turned to run. The man withBR
the cane turned to follow, leading with his cane andBR
found his strike blocked by a thick staff weilded byBR
someone in a heavy coat and a deep hood.BR
"Enough already," the boy said.BR
"Good work, Ryouga," another figure said,BR
dropping down out of the trees and weilding a bokken. BR
The man with the cane arched an eyebrow, both at theBR
weapon and the name. A gloved hand extended outwardBR
to point at the man. "Now you get out of here, weBR
don't want to hurt you."BR
"Shampoo," Ryouga said, frustrated. The otherBR
wolf had a tendency to give commands to her fellowsBR
rather than requesting anything. BR
"Perhaps something else is in order then," theBR
man said, pulling back and tapping his shoulder withBR
the cane again. "It has been far too long since theBR
Blue Thunder has been tested against a worthy foe."BR
"The Blue Thunder?" Shampoo repeated.BR
"Is that like a sad fart?" Ryouga asked.BR
"Well, this is not a bokken," the Blue ThunderBR
said, glancing at his cane. "But it has someBR
advantages. It'll do to punish your impertinence toBR
Kuno Tatewaki." BR
He slashed out at the figure with the maleBR
voice and the boy predictably blocked him. KunoBR
reversed his grip and grabbed the boys staff pullingBR
back. He was surprised when the smaller figure didn'tBR
even budge. The staff swung down and narrowly missedBR
a side-stepping Kuno. The hook of the cane came freeBR
of the staff and Kuno was about to strike again whenBR
the legs were swept out from under his feet.BR
"You shouldn't ignore me," Shampoo said. "I amBR
the chief student of the Shinkiro Style, not someBR
useless female." BR
Ryouga fought the urge to ask the usualBR
question one of them would ask in response to that:BR
"When did Kurumi name a 'chief student'?" It was wellBR
known that Shampoo's bossiness had earned her herBR
name. A fact which made some of them wonder what theBR
original Shampoo was like.BR
Kuno kippuped to his feet and smiled, dustingBR
himself off.BR
"Perhaps I should cease playing," he said,BR
stepping back into stance. "Care to test your skill,BR
Miss...?"BR
"Shampoo," Shampoo said readying her bokken. BR
Kuno laughed and tapped his shoulders.BR
"Of course," he said. "But are you certain youBR
can take me without help?"BR
"Easily," Shampoo said. Then the wolf wasBR
launching forward in a strike. Kuno's cane flashedBR
out and hooked the bokken out of her hand. And intoBR
Kuno's.BR
"You show promise," Kuno admitted, quirking anBR
eye as the girl produced a Manriki-Gusari she hadBR
apparently been wearing as a necklace. That wasn'tBR
what surprised him though. Her hood had fallen back,BR
revealing the very canine head. "What manner of demonBR
are you?"BR
"You don't need to know!" Shampoo shouted. BR
"Do you need help, Shampoo?" Ryouga asked,BR
hefting his staff.BR
"Ryouga, stay out of this!" Shampoo ordered. BR
She moved forward swiftly, and kicked out. The cane,BR
now in Kuno's left hand, came down, and Shampoo caughtBR
it with the chain. Her kick, unfortunately, movedBR
smoothly past the other fighter though, and the bokkenBR
slammed squarely into her back sending her into aBR
tree.BR
"Shampoo!" Ryouga shouted, moving in andBR
starting a series of attacks with the staff, assistedBR
by occasional unarmed strikes. Kuno's cane and bokkenBR
combination seemed to present a formidable defense,BR
however.BR
"Impressive," Kuno said. He hooked the staffBR
again and saw the wolfish grin under the head.BR
"That doesn't work, remember?!" Ryouga shouted,BR
ripping back on the cane. And rolling completely outBR
of balance when Kuno merely released the cane. FromBR
there it was an easy two-handed strike for Kuno toBR
slam him into another tree.BR
"Whatever sort of demon or spirit you may be,"BR
Kuno said to the dazed wolves. "You are obviouslyBR
children, and I have no time to waste with such cubs."BR
Saying that he impaled the bokken into the ground andBR
snatched up his cane on his way away from the scene.BR
"Cubs!?" Shampoo shouted angrily, gettingBR
dazedly to her feet. And starting to chase after theBR
man. "Cubs!?BR
"Shampoo! Stop!" Ryouga shouted, grabbing her. BR
"He's on the street! We can't go out there!"BR
"Great! Great!" Shampoo snapped angrily,BR
grabbing her bokken. "First I lose the dagger andBR
then we get humiliated by an old man with a cane."BR
"What is it with the dagger?" Ryouga asked. BR
"You have tons of throwing daggers."BR
"Well, I made THAT one," Shampoo said.BR
"So, make another one," Ryouga said. "You actBR
like you marked that thing with the symbols of theBR
foundation schools."BR
"Uh, heh," Shampoo said, scratching the back ofBR
her head. "Well, this was relaxing, better go homeBR
before they start getting worried." Ryouga stared atBR
her.BR
"You didn't," he said.BR
"There should be a record of the style'sBR
history," Shampoo said, embarrassed.BR
"Yeah, right," Ryouga said. "Except thatBR
Kurumi said NEVER mark ANYTHING with those symbols!"BR
"Don't you shout at me!" Shampoo protested. BR
"I'll get it back!"BR
"How!?" he asked.BR
"She's not a martial artist," Shampoo said. BR
"You just can't stand to be optimistic about anything,BR
can you?" Ryouga covered his eyes with his hand andBR
shook his head.BR
"Don't worry, it'll be easy," Shampoo ended.BR
A large black raven swooped quietly into the
room surrounding Mimir's well, flapping black furred
wings as it started to settle into a landing. Before
it touched the ground it began to grow. First into a
wolf wearing a pelt of black feathers, and then into a
man with a thick black cloak, like wings and feathers
mixed in his thick black hair. The being's mouth
curled into an amused smirk under wolf-yellow eyes.
"Gabriel," one spirit muttered, resulting in a
more pronounced smirk from the man.
"That is one title," he admitted in a quiet
voice that growled but was neither rough, nor hostile.
"How long I remain in that office, however."
Most shrugged that off. Lycanus's opinions
concerning divine office were fairly well known, at
least the ones he wanted people to know. The
archangel smirked at the faces trying to determine
what he was there for. What move in his cosmic chess
game he was making now.
He brushed lightly at the horn that was the
mark of his office and strode to the well. He reached
down and scooped up a handful of water, carried over a
few feet to another part of the well, and dropped it
back in. The water was turbulent and rough for a few
moments and then it accepted the mix and settled
calmly into a smooth surface again. Sometimes all it
took was a small, meaningless appearance, and people,
even great and powerful demons and "gods" started
leaping to conclusions.
Besides, now that the matter with the Lord of
Nightmares was cleared up, he had some freetime before
the next of his plots started developing.
******
"Much more than just a series of small,
isolated incidents," the newswoman announced to the
city streets. She was a woman of Japanese descent,
somewhere between twenty five and thirty five. Her
brown hair pulled back in a thin ponytail, that could
only occasionally be seen from behind her back. Her
bangs curled into a helmet like frame around her face.
Few people were paying attention to the street
TV as they walked along on their business. "It is now
apparent that there is an organized criminal element
in the streets, and for the moment, business is good.
So good in fact that
there are no eyewitnesses to any
of these crimes."
As the television continued a man stood reading
a paper emblazoned with the headline "City Crime
Escalates." As he read he unknowingly had his pocket
picked. It was immediately passed off to another
teenager, and then another. Until it reached a girl
with short auburn hair who leaned against a wall
holding the wallet. A gauntleted hand reached out and
took the stolen item.
"With complaints ranging from purse snatching
to breaking and entering, the police switchboards have
been swamped with the angry voices of more and more
citizens that have fallen prey to the surge of crimes
that continues to plague this city. Instead of
getting better, things have actually gotten worse."
Elsewhere a delivery man took a box off of his
truck and walked the twenty feet to the door to hand
it off to the recipient.
"Even more alarming, is baffling and often
bizarre nature of these crimes," the reporter
continued. "Merchandise ranging from skateboards to
stereo systems have been disappearing from store
shelves and storage areas at an alarming rate."
When the delivery man returned to the truck a
few moments later, it had been completely emptied.
"Even the victims themselves," an old woman
waved dismissively at her television and reached to
grab some more yarn. While she was bent over the TV
was grabbed. "Rarely catch a glimpse of the thieves,
in fact the police have been unable to come up with a
single eyewitness. Only a few vague reports of young
boys or teenagers at the scenes have been filed."
"But whoever is behind these crimes," the
reporter continued. Meanwhile a van occupied by men
in black jumpsuits with bug-eyed goggles was filled
with various boxes by a virtual stream of teenagers.
"One thing is certain,
these are much more than just a
series of random isolated incidents."
"Crimes without criminals?" the reporter
continued. At a warehouse on the edge of the city a
man in an ornate karate style gi watched over a horde
of teenagers sorting through a collection of boxes.
"An invisible gang
at work? Who we gonna call?"
The short-haired girl that had finally ended up
with the wallet tore open a box and pulled out a set
of head phones.
"Unfortunately the police are the only ones
available to combat what some are already calling the
silent crime wave. But perhaps the most disturbing
silence is the one coming from city hall. Nabiki
Tendo, signing off."
******
"Don't you think you're pushing a little hard,
Nabs?" a tech asked as Nabiki packed up her things.
"You're kidding right?" Nabiki asked. "This is
the story of the decade."
"You bought stock in some security firms,
didn't you," the other asked.
"Of course," Nabiki said. "But I can always
get money, now recognition, that's another matter."
She glanced around
and frowned.
"Oh, your neice said she'd meet you at your
apartment," the tech said.
"She's twelve years old," Nabiki said
irritably. "When this cultural education thing ends
I'd like to return her to her parents in one piece."
"Come on," the tech said. "She's been a city
rat since she first got off the plane a year ago,
she'll be fine."
"She better be," Nabiki said seriously pointing
at him. She hmphed and started walking out of the
building. The parking lot was darkened as she headed
for her BMW, and took out her keys. Suddenly New York
was seeming a lot like her home town. That put her in
famliar territory, with the exception that she didn't
know the players.
She was considering this as she turned the
corner toward the driver side door. The sound of
someone dropping a tire iron alerted her to the fact
that she wasn't alone. She frowned and turned around
her car with a straight kick sending the would be
thief sprawling back to the blacktop of the parking
lot.
"Find somebody else's..." Nabiki stopped
berating the thief and noticed the small crowd of
thugs that was waiting in the darkness.
"Nice legs, lady," one of the young toughs
said, flicking out a switchblade. Nabiki didn't waste
time talking or trying to convince herself that she
could take them with some barely remembered childhood
training. She turned and ran down the streets.
"Get her!"
"Great," Nabiki muttered as she found herself
cut off from the news building. "I'm going to get
killed by gang of punk kids."
She caught sight of a possible escape
in the
form of a pile of junk next to a fence in an alley.
If it held she could
knock it down on her way up and
block the path off to her. As Nabiki made her attempt
she began to seriously regret her decision to stop
studying the family art. Especially when the junk
caved in under her weight and sent her tumbling hard
to the ground amidst a lot of trash.
"Now we got you," one of thugs said, smiling
and playing with a rod he had picked up from
somewhere.
Nabiki stumbled painfully to her feet and
struggled to remember a stance, kata or anything that
might get her out of this. A flash of metal caught
her eye and she smirked as something struck the light
illuminating the alley. As darkness covered
everything Nabiki heard the familiar sound of flesh
and wood striking flesh and stayed very still. She
was crossing her arms and smiling superiorly at the
thugs sitting there tied up when the cops approached
and headlights replaced the broken street lamp.
While the cops were collecting the thugs she
quietly slipped what appeared to be a handmade dagger
into her bag. She tapped her fingers against her
elbow and took in her surroundings, noting a slightly
raised man-hole cover lowering shut. Yes, things were
beginning to get more and more like old times.
******
"That was great," a feminine voice declared
happily.
"Null sweat," a guy answered. The two speakers
were rather unusual, very unusual in fact. Not
because they dressed in matching dark red outfits.
Nor because they were
blond with the occasional black
or white stripe or spot. Nope, they were unusual in
that they had fur rather than hair, and that it pretty
much covered their body. Then there were those
pointed ears, and the long tails swishing excitedly
behind them.
"They didn't stand a chance," another girl
added coming up behind the two cat people. She had a
very bright red color to her fur with white
highlights, and was showing off a very foxy smile.
Her long bushy tail
was revealing just as much
excitement as the cats' were.
"I could have finished it quicker," another guy
said coming up behind them. He stood taller than the
others, with thick grey fur. His arms were crossed
and he was frowning. A long tail swished behind him.
"Yeah, and caved..." the cat guy started. The
cats both started circling the very wolfish fellow,
moving quickly.
"...the alley in..." the girl continued.
"...on us! Come on..."
"...you just don't want..."
"... to admit you..."
"...actually had fun."
"Could you quit that!" an irritated voice
demanded behind them. The second wolf had her arms
crossed and her tail flicked angrily as she stalked
past everybrody growling.
"We followed her plan right?" the fox asked.
"All she said was what we were going to do
anyway," the bear said.
"So there's no reason..."
"...for her to be mad right?" Everybody
shrugged and followed after the wolf.
"She left her dagger behind," somebody said
coming up behind them.
This speaker was another fox, wearing a pair of
glasses that had probably been scavanged and didn't
much help his eyesight. He was folding a bit of robe
into his clothes, and watching the she-wolf worriedly.
******
Nabiki walked into her apartment and stretched
out. She checked the time and frowned. Just what she
needed, to get bogged down with the police for the
night. She walked into her kitchen and set her bag
down on the counter and opened the fridge.
"Freeze, kiddo," she said, frostily. She
turned around and looked at her niece's hands in her
bag. She arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms.
"Have you been taking
lessons from your grandfather,
Midori?"
"Ah come on, Auntie Biki," the girl whined. A
girl with short auburn hair. "You have lots of
mon...what's this?"
"I figured the daughter of two great martial
artists would recognize a dagger when she saw one,"
Nabiki said, grabbing the weapon out of her hand.
"Now where did you go
today?"
"Where were you for the last few hours?" Midori
snapped.
"I was at the police department," Nabiki said
distastefully. "You weren't here or else you would
have known that from the answering machine."
"Like you care," the girl hmphed, crossing her
arms. "You just dump me off like Mom and Dad did."
"I work," Nabiki said. "I can't watch you ever
moment of every day. And your parents didn't dump
you. The version I got was that you virtually pleaded
to come live over here for a couple of years."
"They didn't tell me that you were a
manipulative, tight wad, old maid," Midori complained.
"Why were you at the cops? Chasing your story?"
"Some people tried to mug me," Nabiki said. "I
was giving a report. And some of the cops aren't
exactly friendly with me right now." Midori stared at
her in surprise.
"Are you all right?" her niece asked.
"What do you think?" Nabiki asked. "Do I look
hurt?"
"Umm," Midori looked suddenly nervous.
"And then I come home to find my niece lying in
wait to pick my pocket," Nabiki said. "Its been a
lovely day, Midori, please let me relax before I
decide whether or not to call your parents."
"Sorry, Auntie Biki,"
Midori said, wincing.
She drifted off to Nabiki's guest room. Nabiki looked
at the dagger in her hand and thought over her
encounter in the alley.
"What do we have here?" she whispered, smiling.
She traced the kanji on the blade and chuckled.
"Yamasen, Umisen." A
dagger marked with the symbols
of a thieving martial art in the midst of a city-wide
crime spree. She frowned at the next few Kanji.
"Tendo Anything Goes."
The frown vanished in the face of an amused
laugh.
"It's good to be back in the game."
In the guest room, Midori's eyes were wide as
her aunt listed off the Yamasen and Umisen.
******
"The police collected them," the speaker was a
dark skinned girl, with a prematurly gray hair.
"There was something familiar
about that woman,
Mistress Kurumi."
"Is that so?" the speaker was a red-haired
woman leaning on a cane. Her eyes glowed bright red,
bright enough that she wouldn't even be able to hide
it behind shades.
A loud clattering sound announced the opening
of the trap door to the rest of the sewers, and soon
two blonde blurs were circling the woman, who laughed
and sat down in her chair.
"Kurumi!" they shouted in one voice. "We had
a battle, a real battle! It was cool!"
"Calm down!" the wolf shouted coming up from
the sewers. "Show the Mistress some respect." The
wolf travelled irritably to a corner of the basement
and picked up a sword and a sharpening stone.
"Is something wrong, Shampoo?" Kurumi asked.
"She lost her dagger in the fight," the fox
explained, joining them. "That reporter lady picked
it up."
"Reporter lady?" Kurumi repeated, curious.
"She's been making a lot of reports about all
the thieves recently," the fox-boy said as he entered
the room ahead of the wolf-boy. "But you don't watch
TV much so."
"Yeah, she has the same family name as you,"
the cat-guy said.
"Weird, huh?" the cat-girl added.
"Do any of you know this reporter's given
name?" Kurumi asked. "Ukyou? Ryouga?"
"Becky?" the cat girl suggested.
"Beaky?" the male cheetah added.
"Ranma, Ranko. You never listen," the male
wolf grumbled sitting down. "It was Nabiki."
Kurumi's eyes widened.
"Something wrong, Mistress?" the gray-haired
girl asked.
"Nabiki Tendo is my sister," the woman said.
******
"Moshi moshi," Akane answered the phone. "Oh,
hello Nabiki. Is there something wrong with Midori?"
She said the last
worriedly. Nabiki's rather dry
answer did not reassure her.
"She's healthy," Nabiki assured her. "She
thinks I have enough money that she can borrow from
me, without saying anything."
"What?" Akane snapped. "Let me talk to her."
"Yeah, and then I need to talk to Ranma,"
Nabiki said. Akane waited irritably for Nabiki to put
on her daughter and then proceeded to lecture. Ranma
picked up another line to add his own say so for a few
minutes.
Nabiki watched satisfactorily as the girl
winced and cringed at her parents lecturing, and
waited patiently to be given the phone again. Midori
wandered off to bed feeling like she had just done ten
rounds with one of the Hibiki's. She kept her ear
open to listen to her aunt's conversation with her
father though.
"Sorry 'bout that, Nabs," Ranma said as Nabiki
came back to the phone. "Sometimes she can drive you
crazy. You wanted to talk to me."
"Yeah, that letter Kurumi sent us," she
started. "About sixteen years ago?"
"The one about Ryuu and Natsume getting killed
by a renegade student?" Ranma asked cautiously.
"It was posted marked New York, right?" Nabiki
said.
"There was no return address," Ranma said.
"But that's what the
stamp said. You think you found
out more about that?"
"I got rescued from a mugging today," Nabiki
said. "Didn't see by who, but one of them was
carrying a handmade dagger, nice one too, and its
marked with the kanji for Tendo Anything Goes,
Yamasen, and Umisen." There was silence for a moment.
"Those arts are sealed," he said angrily. "No
one besides me and my Pop should know them now that
Ryuu's dead."
"There's also a crime wave in the city, Ranma,"
Nabiki said. "Pickpockets, break ins, lots of
thievery."
"You're saying somebody's using the Yamasen and
Umisen," Ranma said. "The way it was supposed to be
used?"
"That's what it looks like," Nabiki said. "Of
course, I could be wrong. I got this dagger from
people that may have saved my life."
"Do you want us to come help?" Ranma asked.
"No, no," Nabiki said. "I think I can handle
this. Who knows what craziness will happen if you
come over."
"Thanks for the confidence," Ranma muttered.
"Don't do anything
stupid, Nabiki."
"I don't plan to," Nabiki promised, smirking.
She turned toward
the guest room and saw the door
close shut. Nabiki shook her head amused. "Don't
worry, kiddo. We weren't talking about you." Nabiki
sighed and shook her head, chuckling. "I'm never
having kids."
"You don't have to worry about it old maid!"
Midori's voice called out.
=====
"Your sister, Kurumi?" the fox girl asked,BR
pausing in the trip to the "kitchen."BR
"Not by blood," she said. "Someone pretendingBR
to be her father claimed to be mine."BR
"We saved the Mistress's sister," the cheetahBR
girl said.BR
"Cool," was her partner's add on.BR
"She's got my dagger!" the wolf-girl shouted.BR
"It's too late to do anything about it," KurumiBR
said.BR
"But I bet I can get it back!" she insisted.BR
"Leave it," Kurumi instructed.BR
"I made that dagger," she insisted. "It's..."BR
"Shampoo!" Kurumi interrupted. 'It's an item,BR
it's not important."BR
"She'll never know I was there," ShampooBR
insisted.BR
"Most likely not," Kurumi agreed. Trying toBR
ignore it as the cheetahs quietly started a tickleBR
duel. "But it isn't worth the risk for just aBR
replaceable tool. I can understand how you feel aboutBR
being stuck down here. I spent most of my childhoodBR
wandering Japan with just my sister. But we need toBR
be cautious when..." She picked up a glass of waterBR
and tossed it at the increasingly louder cheetahs. BR
"Ranko, Ranma. There is a time and place for games,BR
but its not while I'm lecturing."BR
"Sorry, Mistress," they said in one embarrassedBR
voice.BR
"Cats," the wolves muttered. Kurumi justBR
rolled her eyes and turned to the fox-girl.BR
"Ukyou, what's for dinner?" Kurumi asked. BR
"Yuck!" the fox-girl closed the fridge door,BR
gagging. "Food's all spoiled."BR
"I think I may have spoiled you all," KurumiBR
said. "There's no such thing as food that can't beBR
eaten."BR
"The milk is purple," Ukyou said. The otherBR
fox walked over to look over the fridge.BR
"On second thought," Kurumi said.BR
"No milk?" Ranko whined. Ukyou glanced up fromBR
the fridge and traded a look with the other fox.BR
"What do you think, Mousse?" she asked. HeBR
stood up and shook his head.BR
"Busted," he said. "Freon's all leaked out. BR
And it short circuited to set the thaw function onBR
overdrive. That's why it all spoiled so fast." AllBR
eyes turned to the dark skinned, human-looking girl. BR
She sighed resignedly.BR
"I'll order the pizzas," she said.BR
"Good, now that that's settled," Kurumi said,BR
the thought of coming food easing her mind somewhat. BR
"While we wait for the food, I think that we shouldBR
meditate on the events of the..." Kurumi wasBR
interrupted by the sound of music, and leaned her headBR
on her hand and arched an eyebrow at her students.BR
"It's sorta the same," Ukyou said.BR
"Uh huh," Kurumi said, doubtfully tapping herBR
fingers against her temple. Not that there was muchBR
she could say about it, remember Natsume's own effortsBR
to get her to sit still long enough to meditate.BR
"I'm going for a walk," Shampoo declared,BR
snatching a heavy, hooded coat and walking out of theBR
sewer-apartment. Kurumi shook her head as she watchedBR
the girl leave. The wolf-boy glanced at Kurumi for aBR
moment and then after Shampoo. BR
"Don't worry about her, Ryouga. She needs someBR
time alone," she told him. BR
"I think I'll just follow her to be sure," heBR
said anyway, and got up to follow Shampoo.BR
Kurumi shrugged and said, under her breath,BR
"Kids."BR
BR
*******BR
BR
"What are you doing out here, Mousse?" the darkBR
skinned girl asked. "If someone sees you there'll beBR
trouble."BR
"What's it like, Kodachi?" he asked quietly. BR
"You know, walking around with the humans? EvenBR
Mistress Kurumi can't do that and she is human."BR
"What do you think it's like?" Kodachi asked. BR
"I'm always afraid I'll be caught in a lie and someoneBR
will want to do a blood test or something."BR
"You don't feel like you fit in?" Mousse asked.BR
"Of coure not," Kodachi huffed. "They'reBR
human, I only appear to be."BR
"One other question," Mousse said.BR
"What is it?" Kodachi asked, tapping herBR
fingers irritably.BR
"Why do you always have the pizza delivered toBR
this place?" Mousse asked, gesturing around at theBR
abandoned storefront. "Its not like you can't go downBR
to that convenience store and wait there."BR
"Because there has yet to be a pizza deliveryBR
person who can find it in less than thirty minutes,"BR
Kodachi answered honestly.BR
"Oh," Mousse said.BR
BR
*******BR
BR
"Mommy! Look at the werewolves!" a boy said,BR
shouting excitedly. After hours of actors speaking inBR
Shakespearian dialect he had finally found somethingBR
that interested him.BR
"Those are just some statues, Eric," his motherBR
said. "You'd think they'd put them somewhere easierBR
to see, you could walk into them before you saw them."BR
In fact she would have walked about three feet toBR
left of them if her son hadn't pointed them out.BR
"They look so real!" he said.BR
"Don't be silly," the mother said. "There's noBR
such thing as werewolves." She looked over the twoBR
"statues" that were placed just out of the lightBR
beyond the park theater. "Besides, real werewolvesBR
would be bigger, and wouldn't be dressed in those cuteBR
matching outfits." She looked over Shampoo'sBR
cheongsam, noting the definite humanoid figure fromBR
the neck down. "Must have been a post-adolescentBR
sculptor." She muttered before herding her son awayBR
from the suggestive "sculpture."BR
"Why do the kids always find us?" ShampooBR
asked.BR
"I don't know whether to feel insulted orBR
what," Ryouga said as the two humans moved off.BR
"Is there a reason that Kurumi gave us matchingBR
outfits?" Shampoo asked.BR
"Well you know how she gets," Ryouga muttered. BR
"At least the cheetahs enjoy them."BR
"Somebody might think we're a couple," ShampooBR
agreed. They looked at each other.BR
"Ewwww," they said unison.BR
"I just had a disturbing thought," Ryouga said.BR
"Do I want to know?" Shampoo asked.BR
"What if Ranko and Ranma DID get together?"BR
Ryouga asked.BR
"Lots of cats," Shampoo said.BR
"All saying parts of one sentence," RyougaBR
added.BR
"Bouncing all over the place," Shampoo saidBR
"Cats," they said in unison with a touch ofBR
frustration.BR
BR
*******BR
BR
Ranko and Ranma sneezed.BR
"Some one..."BR
"...must be..."BR
"...talking..."BR
"...about us."BR
"Just for one moment," Ukyou said irritably. BR
"Can you two talk as if you're two different people."BR
"Of course we can," Ranko said.BR
"It's just that that's more fun!" Ranma added. BR
Both smiled.BR
BR
*******BR
BR
"So that would be twenty-five pizzas," theBR
delivery man said to a surprised Kodachi. He was aBR
college-aged boy with dark brown hair, and nearlyBR
black eyes that glittered in the dark.BR
"Just how did you find me so quickly?" KodachiBR
asked.BR
"I almost didn't," the man said. "And that'sBR
impressive. So anyway, you owe me about two hundredBR
sixty dollars." Kodachi looked mournfully at herBR
wallet, she was expected free pizza. "But, I'll payBR
for it if you promise to tell me how you learned toBR
hide your mind like that."BR
"I do not know what you're talking about," sheBR
said, eyes narrowed.BR
"Fine," he said, smiling. "I'll do it anyway,BR
don't worry, I can afford it. I just do this job forBR
the chance to meet interesting people."BR
"I see. Thank you," Kodachi said. "Mister..."BR
"Lamont Cranston," he said. "I was named afterBR
my grandfather."BR
"Fine," she said. "I'll see about repayingBR
you."BR
"I'm in the phone book," he said. "I'll lookBR
forward to hearing from you, Foxy." He walked off.BR
"Good guess," Kodachi muttered as soon as heBR
was gone. "Mousse are you still out there?"BR
"He was coming on to you," Mousse said.BR
"Really?" Kodachi asked dryly. "Can weBR
concentrate on getting the pizzas home?"BR
BR
*******BR
BR
"Ready?" Ukyou whispered to Mousse and Kodachi.BR
Both nodded and tensed, staring ahead. She glancedBR
at Ranko and Ranma, who also nodded and indicatedBR
their readiness. All eyes turned to Kurumi and waitedBR
for the signal to do battle.BR
"Itekadimas," Kurumi said cheerfully. And theBR
battle over the food began. BR
All of them blurred into motion. When it wasBR
over a happily sated Kurumi sighed pleasantly andBR
looked to her suddenly haggard looking students. BR
"You know, one of these days, you'll be able toBR
keep up with me one on one." She stood up stiffly andBR
stretched out as much as she could, leaning heavily onBR
her cane. She then walked to the big recliner theyBR
had recovered for her and sat down with a sigh ofBR
relief.BR
"Just how fast is she?" Ukyou asked, catchingBR
her breath.BR
"Too..." Ranma started.BR
"...fast." Ranko finished.BR
BR
*******BR
BR
A woman screamed as the man stepped out of theBR
shadows and produced a switchblade. He waved at herBR
with his other hand, gesturing for the purse andBR
glancing around. He was moving to open his mouth andBR
say something when something moved out of the cornerBR
of his eye.BR
"What the-?" he asked. His prey took theBR
opportunity to run headlong away from him. screaming. BR
"Hey, you come ba-!" Something brushed past behindBR
him in the darkness. He turned around to see what itBR
was, and as soon as he turned around, somethingBR
grabbed the back of his shirt and tossed him away.BR
The thug hit the ground and groaned as he stoodBR
stiffly back up, noticing that, somehow, he had beenBR
stripped to his boxersBR
"What the hell was that!" he asked.BR
"It appeared to me that you were in the processBR
of assaulting that woman," a voice said.coolly. A manBR
stepped into the shadows tapping a cane against hisBR
shoulder. "It seems that I cannot even attend aBR
viewing of one of The Bard's more triumphantBR
productions without encountering some form of humanBR
filth such as yourself."BR
"Are you the asshole that did this?" the thugBR
demanded. "Because if you are..."BR
"Do not be foolish," the man said. "I have aBR
much more painful lesson to teach you."BR
"Just try it pops..." The man rushed forward inBR
a blink and slammed his cane into the thugs get. HeBR
then reversed the grip and used the hook to toss theBR
thug across the clearing.BR
"Stop that!" a girl's voice demanded from theBR
shadows.BR
"Yeah, it ain't like a he's out to killBR
people," a boy's voice added.BR
"Perhaps you would like to voice your concernsBR
in the open," the man asked. "Or do you wish toBR
continue skulking in the shadows."BR
"You don't give us commands," the girl's voiceBR
shouted, from a different space. The thug was lookingBR
around, every motion of the leaves seeming to beBR
someone just barely held back in the shadows. "WeBR
punished him enough as it is. There is absolutely noBR
reason to beat him to within an inch of his life."BR
"Such embarrassments are for children," was theBR
answer. "They are not effective for such as him." BR
The criminal took the example of the woman he hadBR
tried to mug earlier and turned to run. The man withBR
the cane turned to follow, leading with his cane andBR
found his strike blocked by a thick staff weilded byBR
someone in a heavy coat and a deep hood.BR
"Enough already," the boy said.BR
"Good work, Ryouga," another figure said,BR
dropping down out of the trees and weilding a bokken. BR
The man with the cane arched an eyebrow, both at theBR
weapon and the name. A gloved hand extended outwardBR
to point at the man. "Now you get out of here, weBR
don't want to hurt you."BR
"Shampoo," Ryouga said, frustrated. The otherBR
wolf had a tendency to give commands to her fellowsBR
rather than requesting anything. BR
"Perhaps something else is in order then," theBR
man said, pulling back and tapping his shoulder withBR
the cane again. "It has been far too long since theBR
Blue Thunder has been tested against a worthy foe."BR
"The Blue Thunder?" Shampoo repeated.BR
"Is that like a sad fart?" Ryouga asked.BR
"Well, this is not a bokken," the Blue ThunderBR
said, glancing at his cane. "But it has someBR
advantages. It'll do to punish your impertinence toBR
Kuno Tatewaki." BR
He slashed out at the figure with the maleBR
voice and the boy predictably blocked him. KunoBR
reversed his grip and grabbed the boys staff pullingBR
back. He was surprised when the smaller figure didn'tBR
even budge. The staff swung down and narrowly missedBR
a side-stepping Kuno. The hook of the cane came freeBR
of the staff and Kuno was about to strike again whenBR
the legs were swept out from under his feet.BR
"You shouldn't ignore me," Shampoo said. "I amBR
the chief student of the Shinkiro Style, not someBR
useless female." BR
Ryouga fought the urge to ask the usualBR
question one of them would ask in response to that:BR
"When did Kurumi name a 'chief student'?" It was wellBR
known that Shampoo's bossiness had earned her herBR
name. A fact which made some of them wonder what theBR
original Shampoo was like.BR
Kuno kippuped to his feet and smiled, dustingBR
himself off.BR
"Perhaps I should cease playing," he said,BR
stepping back into stance. "Care to test your skill,BR
Miss...?"BR
"Shampoo," Shampoo said readying her bokken. BR
Kuno laughed and tapped his shoulders.BR
"Of course," he said. "But are you certain youBR
can take me without help?"BR
"Easily," Shampoo said. Then the wolf wasBR
launching forward in a strike. Kuno's cane flashedBR
out and hooked the bokken out of her hand. And intoBR
Kuno's.BR
"You show promise," Kuno admitted, quirking anBR
eye as the girl produced a Manriki-Gusari she hadBR
apparently been wearing as a necklace. That wasn'tBR
what surprised him though. Her hood had fallen back,BR
revealing the very canine head. "What manner of demonBR
are you?"BR
"You don't need to know!" Shampoo shouted. BR
"Do you need help, Shampoo?" Ryouga asked,BR
hefting his staff.BR
"Ryouga, stay out of this!" Shampoo ordered. BR
She moved forward swiftly, and kicked out. The cane,BR
now in Kuno's left hand, came down, and Shampoo caughtBR
it with the chain. Her kick, unfortunately, movedBR
smoothly past the other fighter though, and the bokkenBR
slammed squarely into her back sending her into aBR
tree.BR
"Shampoo!" Ryouga shouted, moving in andBR
starting a series of attacks with the staff, assistedBR
by occasional unarmed strikes. Kuno's cane and bokkenBR
combination seemed to present a formidable defense,BR
however.BR
"Impressive," Kuno said. He hooked the staffBR
again and saw the wolfish grin under the head.BR
"That doesn't work, remember?!" Ryouga shouted,BR
ripping back on the cane. And rolling completely outBR
of balance when Kuno merely released the cane. FromBR
there it was an easy two-handed strike for Kuno toBR
slam him into another tree.BR
"Whatever sort of demon or spirit you may be,"BR
Kuno said to the dazed wolves. "You are obviouslyBR
children, and I have no time to waste with such cubs."BR
Saying that he impaled the bokken into the ground andBR
snatched up his cane on his way away from the scene.BR
"Cubs!?" Shampoo shouted angrily, gettingBR
dazedly to her feet. And starting to chase after theBR
man. "Cubs!?BR
"Shampoo! Stop!" Ryouga shouted, grabbing her. BR
"He's on the street! We can't go out there!"BR
"Great! Great!" Shampoo snapped angrily,BR
grabbing her bokken. "First I lose the dagger andBR
then we get humiliated by an old man with a cane."BR
"What is it with the dagger?" Ryouga asked. BR
"You have tons of throwing daggers."BR
"Well, I made THAT one," Shampoo said.BR
"So, make another one," Ryouga said. "You actBR
like you marked that thing with the symbols of theBR
foundation schools."BR
"Uh, heh," Shampoo said, scratching the back ofBR
her head. "Well, this was relaxing, better go homeBR
before they start getting worried." Ryouga stared atBR
her.BR
"You didn't," he said.BR
"There should be a record of the style'sBR
history," Shampoo said, embarrassed.BR
"Yeah, right," Ryouga said. "Except thatBR
Kurumi said NEVER mark ANYTHING with those symbols!"BR
"Don't you shout at me!" Shampoo protested. BR
"I'll get it back!"BR
"How!?" he asked.BR
"She's not a martial artist," Shampoo said. BR
"You just can't stand to be optimistic about anything,BR
can you?" Ryouga covered his eyes with his hand andBR
shook his head.BR
"Don't worry, it'll be easy," Shampoo ended.BR