Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and its characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi. This story is for the free use and enjoyment of those who read it.
Schools United
Chapter Six
By Michael Fetter
The door chime rang and Ukyou looked up from where she was helping Konatsu drying the dishes. The lunch crowd had trickled out almost half an hour ago leaving only a few stragglers to enjoy their meals in quiet while she and Konatsu got ready for the evening crowd.
Checking with Konatsu, Ukyou dried her hands and to make herself presentable for the next customer. A day ago she had two other waitresses and had gotten used to the help. Tendou-chan had called it training for her son and thus remained in the kitchen to do some of the cooking and cleaning while Konatsu, Akane, and Hiro took care of the customers. She'd gotten such a feeling of family that their parting had left her with a new pain. It was alleviated some with the knowledge that they would see each other again.
Another pain, one that ran parallel to the first, but held a deeper accounting was also flaring anew with Tendou-chan's absence. Was she satisfied with just being good friends and godmother? Even Tendou-chan seemed to long for something more, but then why would Ukyou have been pushed away when next she and Tendou-chan were alone.
Ukyou passed through the swinging door distracted by the past that she did not react as quickly as she would've liked. She was swept up into another's arms, a smell of flowers was clouding the natural male scent.
"I know now why you have resisted me for so long, Ukyou." Tsubasa purred into her ear as she attempted vainly to extricate herself. He was strong for a cross-dressing, sexually confused asshole, Ukyou thought.
"Tsubasa?" Her tone was jovial, but only because she didn't want the jackass to throw a fit like last time and snap her back while in his grasp. "I wasn't expecting you to return at all this time."
Unhearing, Tsubasa squeezed her again, burying his head in her chest, a nauseating form of affection from the pervert as far as Ukyou was concerned. "Ranma Saotome is upon us once again, but not for long. Soon he will be gone forever and you will be mine." His voice was strange, not quite the feminine hit he had while younger, nor was it grave. He spoke like he was recalling a pleasant song.
"Fat chance. Now get out of here before I turn you into the lunch special." Ukyou pushed against his chest, finding the strength to break free and gain some distance between them.
The kitchen door swung open and Konatsu stepped out, wiping his hands on the apron tied about his waist. "Is everything alright, Lady Ukyou."
"We've got garbage to take care of today Konatsu." Ukyou growled, the knuckles of her fists turning white with anger.
"Do not fight me, Ukyou. We were meant to be together. Saotome will be out of our way soon enough." Tsubasa implored her, stepping closer with his arms open for an embrace.
"You leave Tendou-chan alone, you jackass!" Ukyou charged before she knew what she was doing. Tsubasa nimbly jumped out of her way and kicked as she passed, sending Ukyou clattering into an empty table. The few customers left saw the coming fight and left quickly, the Ucchan already having a reputation when it came to these small battles.
Growling, Ukyou stood back up and grabbed the broken leg of a chair and started swinging it around like a bat. Again, Tsubasa dodged, capering about the area like a squirrel, landing the occasional blow against Ukyou just to taunt her.
Screaming a battle cry Ukyou charged one last time. She came to a stop and smiled, staring into Tsubasa's surprised eyes. He slumped to the ground like a sack of jackass that he was.
Konatsu stood behind Tsubasa, frying pan still in place where he had struck the cross-dresser.
Looking to the ground where Tsubasa lay limply, Konatsu frowned with displeasure. "Do you think he has something planned for Lady Ranma?"
Pensively, Ukyou pulled down the combat spatula hanging on the wall and threaded the bandoleer over her shoulder and around her waist. "I'm not sure, but I'd better warn her. Konatsu-" She was cut off by Konatsu as he ducked under the counter for a moment.
Nodding, the kunoichi passed Ukyou her little traveling pack of money, passport, and other little bits she'd put together some time ago should she decide to leave the country. It was still stashed under the counter for quick departure. "The restaurant will be taken care of in your absence, Lady Ukyou." He nodded with a reassuring smile.
"Thanks sugar. I'll try not to be gone for too long." Ukyou hurried out the door and took to the rooftops on her way to the train station that would lead her to a port for China.
~
Around the clinic, Kasumi was moving about the downstairs brushing the dust that had collected since yesterday and putting magazines back into neat piles. Kei and Yuri were off to school so she had little to keep herself occupied until Toufuu needed her help or the kids returned.
It was a slow day. Only a few people would be stopping by according to the schedule. No other time in her life had Kasumi wanted people to get sick if it would distract her thoughts as they had plagued her since Ryouga's visit.
The phone rang then, clattering bells breaking the steady hum Kasumi had been working into symphony for too long.
She raised the phone to her ear, smiling pleasantly though the caller would never know it. "Moshi moshi."
"Hey, sis." Came the reply. The line held a bit of static, but it didn't hide the voice's owner from Kasumi.
"Hello, Nabiki. How are you?" She asked, the smile slipping only a bit. They were good sisters to one another and had on occasion gotten together in a friendlier manner, but the past was still wedged between them. Much of the pleasantries were put on for Okaasan's benefit where they would likely have spied glances at one another in secret, sharing a familiar guilt that couldn't be revealed to anyone else.
"Good." The line crackled again. "I worked out some travel arrangements, but we'll still have to hike part of the way if you still want to go through with it." Nabiki noted, leaving the last part open for escape should either of them choose to take it.
"I do. I think you do too." Kasumi spoke softly
"Yeah." Nabiki finally agreed, though hesitantly.
Years of raising families, Kasumi had become attuned to the pain of others and the times when they had something painful weighing down their conscience. "Nabiki, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I was just . . ." she began, but Kasumi had already guessed what it was.
"Okaasan has already forgiven you, Nabiki. You know that."
"I know, but she doesn't know what she's forgiven me for. Okaasan never asked, but . . ."
"But you still feel guilty having not told her." Kasumi finished for her sister.
"Don't you?" Nabiki asked
" . . . yes." Kasumi whispered back at length. In truth these thoughts had been running through her mind more urgently since Okaasan's departure with Hiro. Kasumi had never done so much in her life to warrant any sort of lasting guilt until she betrayed her sister and Ranma in one moment of unforgivable selfishness. "It's too late to say anything now."
There was a short pause while Kasumi imagined Nabiki was looking for some merit to her claim. It was in every guilty person's dream that their crime never be known. "You know what they say, oneechan. Better late than never."
Pursing her lips, Kasumi thought over the phrase. How could she really ask for forgiveness knowing the pain Okaasan had endured, what she never would. "I'll think on it."
"See you tomorrow?" Nabiki asked.
"Tomorrow." Kasumi agreed, putting the phone back into its cradle.
~
Qinghai province, on the border of the Joketsuzoku valley. Okaasan had found a suitable walking stick on their travels across China two weeks ago. After crossing the ocean by boat, they had set out with a full run of steam. Okaasan was beginning to wind down now as they neared the end of this stretch of their journey.
Her children were having something of a better time of the uphill trek. Akane carried her extremely large pack, fit with Ryouga's and some of Okaasan's supplies. Okaasan felt a bit jealous that Akane had become stronger while she had been weakened.
Things had been fairly easy-going since departing Kyoto. Okaasan still had to berate Akane, and Hiro on rarer occasions.
They stopped every day a few hours after lunch to set up camp and get in a few hours of training. Okaasan had become dependent upon Akane to continue Hiro's training. She was losing her breath quickly, the pain in her side throbbing on and off. Akane began to notice and insisted to take a few of the supplies off of Okaasan's shoulders.
Okaasan had resisted at first, not yet understanding how strong Akane was now. It was different seeing Akane so happy and supportive as they traveled through China. She didn't complain when Okaasan didn't allow her to cook as often. Maybe Akane understood that they all needed a healthy meal to keep up the pace they were moving at.
They were approaching the crest to the latest mountain, only a few kilometers from the Amazon village now if the smoke ahead was anything to judge by. Hiro had become accustomed to the strain of his smaller pack and was chasing Akane about the area in a game of tag.
Okaasan smiled to herself as she watched Akane bounce about as Ranma had once done when sparring his fiancée. Hiro lashed out and missed by some distance as Akane dodged.
The moment broke as Ranma came across a silent portion of this jungle. Her senses instantly flared to warn her. She looked quickly about, scanning the power signatures closest. Something mottled and fluctuating was nearby.
Akane and Hiro continued to walk as Okaasan paused to look about the area, feeling with her senses for the origin of the confused aura. It was difficult to make out whom it belonged to, but it was dangerous. Nothing so chaotic could belong to a stable person.
Branches above Hiro shook slightly
"Watch out!" Ranma screamed, dropping her pack and running quickly to her son's side.
Ranma quickly grabbed Hiro by the collar and pulled him out of the way of a couple of falling stones. "Who's there?"
"Kuno." Akane growled as she spotted the kendoist dropping to the ground behind Okaasan.
"Fear not, my pigtailed goddess. You have been set free of the evil Tendou Soun's clutches to find comfort in my arms. But first I shall dispatch his dark progeny for thee." Kuno declared, holding the point of his steel katana level with Hiro's throat.
Okaasan moved on instinct, swinging Hiro through the air and avoiding the first of Kuno's attacks. He didn't stop, but followed, looking to skewer her son and anyone in his way.
"Akane, quickly!" Ranma called out as she dodged about the area. She was becoming tired and wouldn't be able to keep her defenses like this as she used to.
Hiro was tossed through the air, barely avoiding the next strike. Ranma yelped and tumbled onto her back.
There was pain.
Ranma was finding it hard to breathe with the pain shooting through her side. She'd tripped over the rubble Kuno had dropped to the ground upon finding them. How he had tracked them down in these mountains thick with vegetation she would never know. She cursed and looked down at the stones.
"What the?" There was writing; it was pieces to an epitaph, Soun's epitaph. Ranma couldn't explain it, Soun had been terrible to her, but defiling his grave seemed like an unforgivable sin. Gritting her teeth, Ranma attempted to stand back up despite the pain, and face down the crazed kendoist.
She got no further than a sitting position before Ranma began to feel light-headed and dizzy. Somewhere, Ranma could feel the dark aura had returned. It still bared a familiar signature, but it was masked through layers of hate, bitterness, and jealousy.
Ranma dropped onto her back. The last thing she saw was a purple blur passing overhead.
~
"Come on up, Tendou-chan."
Ranma ascended the stairs, feeling a cool and gentle breeze run through her hair. The sky was clear and filled with stars. A full moon hung silently in the air, a soft, strange purple glow on its edges. Though it was dark, Ukyou shone as if she emitted a glow all her own. Her chef's outfit was loosened about the collar to cool her down after the long day at work.
"Thank you, Ukyou." Sparing a smile for Ukyou, Ranma glanced about the area, too dark to make out any great detail. "It's nice up here."
"I think so. Drink?" Ukyou held a small bottle with a brownish liquid Ranma knew too well.
A repulsed shake of the head, Ranma turned before she watched Ukyou drink again. "No thank you."
Taking a hint, Ukyou corked the bottle and set it down, licking the bit off her lips. "Yeah, I'm thinking of stopping all together. It's not healthy."
She wasn't against drinking or any of the vices people enjoy, but Ranma had an idea of moderation for those who did indulge. An image of Soun came to mind making Ranma cringe with some regret. "No, it's not."
"It's been a week now and you still haven't loosened up one bit, you know that?" The wind picked up briefly, trailing through Ukyou's long brown hair. She closed her eyes and faced the breeze, enjoying its course over her body. After a moment, she realized Ranma had not commented and even seemed slightly upset. Whether it was with herself or not, Ukyou didn't know. "Sorry, I've just been thinking too much."
Nodding, Ranma had been doing much the same ever since this journey had begun. At first she had felt there were options open to her without Soun to hold her back, but then as she came across old friends and fiancées, things took on a new light. "About?"
"Tendou-chan, do you love Hiro?" Ukyou asked rather suddenly, a bit concerned.
Ranma studied the chef; Ukyou's eyes became shrouded within the shadows, and answered as if it should be obvious to anyone. "Of course I do. He is my son."
"Is that why you are a woman?"
"Perhaps," Ranma confessed, looking to where she suspected Hiro to be sleeping right now. "but there are other reasons."
Wringing her hands, Ukyou found a spot on the floor to concentrate on. "I've enjoyed having you and your family here this past week."
Ranma smiled, a coy look playing across her eyes. "Ukyou, don't tell me you've become shy after all those years of proclaiming your love for me when we were younger."
"Not shy, cautious." Admitted Ukyou.
"Did you really love me back then, Ukyou?"
Looking up with a burning in her gaze, Ukyou looked wantonly at the redhead. Ranma had the sense of being touched without anyone holding her. "You know I did, but I don't think I understood what being married to you would've meant. I was in love with the dream."
Smiling sadly, Ranma nodded. "I'm sure most of my fiancées had no idea what being married to me would mean." Placing her hands on the roof railings, Ranma leaned a bit over the edge to look over the city she could see. There was only a faint neon glow that could be seen out of the corner of her eye, strobing intensity of red. "We'll be leaving tomorrow morning, but I would like to ask something."
"Please."
Ranma felt Ukyou taking a step forward, stopping just before they would touch. "Why didn't you?"
There was some silence as the question was finally asked. It couldn't be held off anymore and Ukyou seemed to have almost forgotten once their friendship had been slightly rekindled. "You mean the knife." Ranma nodded and heard Ukyou step back. "I was distraught. I really wanted to believe you were some impersonator. You were . . are very special to me Tendou-chan. With you the body has never mattered so long as the person inside was the one I fell in love with."
"I'm a completely different person now." Okaasan stated flatly, holding back the emotion she felt in her bones.
"I don't know." Ukyou seemed chipper, looking over the stately figure in a kimono on her roof. "Certainly you are more serious and motherly, but that's just maturity. I don't know what your life has been like since I left, but your spirit hasn't been crushed completely. The basic aspects I loved are still there."
"You think so?"
"Now who's dodging?" Ukyou teased, reaching for the bottle she'd set down.
"We can never be together as we were in your dreams."
"No." Ukyou stopped again before she could drink. A pensive look overcame her and she washed it away with a quick shot of the bottle. "Will you be heading to Jusenkyou?"
Smiling sarcastically, Ranma looked over her shoulder to see Ukyou with her hands behind her back. "A trip to China wouldn't be complete otherwise." In the pregnant pause, Ranma found herself at the stairs again, on her way down.
"I'll see you again?" Ukyou asked hopefully.
"Agreed." Ranma nodded and closed the roof access door behind her.
Light was pouring into the living room in the Tendou home. Ranma hopped off the last two steps, flicking his pigtail over his shoulder and looking around the empty room. Nabiki came in through the front door though he hadn't heard the door open or close. She carried with her a large wad of money, and leafed through it with a lick of her thumb.
Ranma blinked as he watched her toss a bill to the ground. It caught fire instantly and began to spread over the wood paneling. "Nabiki? What are you-?"
"I told you before Ranma, it's just business." Nabiki stated.
The flames began to scream, sending a chill through Ranma's spine as he sought its source. Within the fire he could see Shampoo, Kodachi, and Akane struggling against the heat ineffectually.
"W-What have you done?!" he screamed and ran over to the fire quickly, setting himself up for his amaguriken technique.
Smirking, Nabiki passed him on the way upstairs. "Well, you are a hot commodity on the fiancée market."
His hands blurred, smoking slightly as he plunged them into the fire, catching the hairs on his forearm. When he finished, Ranma looked at the girls he held in his hands. They were small and singed black on the edges. "Toys?"
A wave rolled over his knees where Ranma sat on the beach. The water pulled the fiancée dolls from his hands and pulled them out to sea. He stared in shock, wanting to jump in after them, but the wet sand had risen over his feet, planting him on the spot.
"So good to see you, Ranma, my boy. How about a hug?" Ranma turned to see Happousai standing a little ways off, his pipe hanging from his grinning mouth. Another cold wind pushed at his clothing and Ranma found himself female once again, her chest standing out prominently.
The old pervert sprung at her. Ranma could only cross her arms over her chest and cringe at what was to come.
"Too bad about Ranma, ne?" Diasuke asked.
Blinking, Ranma looked down. She was on the grass in Furinkan's courtyard. Happousai was gone and she felt some relief for that.
"Yeah, but we still got Ranko." Hiroshi commented, leering and Ranma's still wet, body-hugging clothing.
Kuno jumped from the bushes, his bokken raised to the blue sky above him. "Pig-tailed goddess, at last you are free of the vile sorcerer. Be not afraid of my love for it is yours." Lightning struck the ground and sent her tumbling backwards. Ranma kept her feet for a moment then hit something and fell to her butt.
Soun stood over her, smiling wickedly as he took in her form. She felt repulsed to be at his feet once again. Her stomach churned as he stirred and moved closer, taking a hold of his pants. "You know how it is Ranma, Anything Goes."
Ranma struggled to stand up and run, but she was held fast to the ground. Another breeze rolled passed and Ranma's nudity became all too apparent. Hiro sat on her stomach, pinning her arms to her sides.
"H-Hiro, get off of me!" Ranma screamed as she watched Soun drop between her legs and out of sight behind Hiro.
Smiling, Hiro looked over his shoulder then back to Ranma. "It's just Otoosan, mom."
Struggling more fiercely now, Ranma pulled an arm free, sweeping Hiro aside as she came up with a knife in her hand. It was stuck in the floor as she yanked it free, gleaming in the moonlight. Snarling, Ranma pressed forward until she felt a satisfying give of flesh.
Soun dropped to the ground with a look of shock on his face. He clutched his side and moaned terribly before his skin sank into the hollow crevices of his body. The moon above glowing upon his pale flesh.
Ranma jolted again as an arm grabbed her by the shoulders. Ukyou held her and the knife dropped from Ranma's hands, embedded once again within the floor.
Ranma stared a moment at the woman before her, then dropped her head onto Ukyou's shoulder. The chef's arms enfolded Ranma's smaller form, pressing Ranma's head against her chest while rocking back and forth.
"It's okay now, Ranma. I'm back just like I promised." Ukyou whispered, stroking the red hair beneath her hand. The other hand moved lower, passing over Ranma's narrow waist and coming to rest on her butt. "Your safe now. Back where you belong."
Ranma struggled again, but the grip was too strong. She could feel the breath being squeezed from her lungs as Ukyou's hands continued to roam and touch . . .
. . . She is coming around.
Ranma is a very strong worrier.
"Great-grandmother?" Ranma rubbed her arm over her eyes and propped herself on her other elbow. One voice at least sounded familiar though she couldn't be certain. Her side still hurt, a constant grating and shooting pains if she moved wrong.
Someone must have come and beaten Kuno. She was grateful for that, but the purple aura she saw and felt was also the danger she'd recognized following them through Japan.
It didn't make sense. If the angry individual was here to hurt them why would it save them now? Perhaps they were biding their time. Who was their target? Hiro? Her daughters? Herself? Okaasan frowned and almost missed the ancient woman walking slowly up to her side.
Cologne smiled at Ranma, leaning heavily on her cane and with some labored breathing. "You don't know what it does to me to hear you say that, child." She wore the same Matriarch robes Okaasan remembered with long white hair that touched the ground. There was a visible difference in her condition, however. At the time, in Nerima, Ranma had believed the old ghoul would live to the end of time.
Polite society did not discuss other's illnesses. Okaasan smiled down at the old Amazon, nodding a greeting as she still lay upon the table.
"Kuno?" Okaasan asked, a little concerned for her son. She had confidence in Akane's ability to protect Hiro, but something may have happened all the same.
"They brought him in and dumped the fool into a pit." Cologne offered. She watched Ranma check her side and the state of her dress. "Ryouga and your son claimed you preferred to remain female these days."
Okaasan nodded and looked disdainfully on her traveling clothes. There were a few large rips in her shirt and pants. Blood had spilled down her side, dying one half her clothes a dark red. "These are ruined." Sighing, she examined the wrap the other Amazon must have placed on her.
"You should be more concerned with that rib, Ranma." The other woman remonstrated her, shooing Ranma's hands from the bandage to keep it from being disturbed.
"This is Perfume, Shampoo's mother. She is also the tribes master healer." Cologne pointed at the woman. Perfume was taller than Ranma and her daughters, dressed in form fitting robes of brown and white with a stripe of yellow. Her hair was a color tone off of Shampoo's lavender and extended to her lower back without being tied in any way. Okaasan nodded to Perfume in thanks.
Frowning a bit, Perfume looked sternly at Ranma. "From the looks of it your-"
"Hiro." Ranma cut Perfume off quickly. Cologne and Perfume were surprised to see the boy peeking through the door, neither of them having felt his presence. "What are you doing sneaking around here?"
"I just wanted to see if you were alright." Hiro spoke faintly, embarrassed about being caught spying on the three women. Okaasan didn't approve of it back in the dojo and he had yet to learn that lesson.
"Come here." Okaasan beckoned Hiro after a moment. He walked over sheepishly and was caught up in a quick hug. Okaasan tussled the boy's hair playfully. "I am fine. Simply feinted from the long day of hiking." Kissing Hiro on the forehead, she turned him around and patted him on the back in the direction of the door. "Now go back to your sister."
There was a brief silence as the three watched Hiro leave the room and heard the door at the front close. Frowning, Ranma swung her feet over the edge of the table and gritted her teeth when she was hit by a stab of pain.
"This is not a good idea." Perfume was in her face again, looking disapprovingly at Ranma's actions. A doctor knew what was best in these situations, but it hardly seemed to matter to some of the women of this village. Warriors, Perfume scoffed at them for their foolishness, never openly because one such Amazon was in the room with her.
"My children will not be told of the injury." Ranma commanded, keeping her voice soft to not insult the healer or Matriarch.
"You've changed much, Ranma." Said Cologne.
"And you." Ranma noted that Cologne no longer balanced upon her cane, but rather used it as it was intended. "How are Shampoo and Mousse?" She asked to keep her mind away from the more energetic Amazon she remembered and had grown a grudging respect for even back then.
"Married."
"You seem displeased." Okaasan smiled at the old woman, letting her know she was only teasing.
"Only that it could not have been you." Cologne responded in all seriousness.
Looking away, Ranma grit her teeth again and attempted to stand. The pain was not so terrible, and could be ignored, but she was still stiff from the time spent on the table and it worked into the muscle around her rib. It was broken, she knew. Perfume was likely going to tell her it was an old injury that was never given the proper time to heal and had become weakened because of it. From the feel of it, and seeing her aura move about the rib, Okaasan could see the break was compound. There was no danger of having the bone puncture an organ, yet.
"What are you doing?" Perfume stood before Ranma and tried to press her back down upon the bed. "Don't aggravate that break anymore than you have to."
Sitting in the bed, Ranma put her hands over her side and let the soft, warm glow become concentrated over the injury. "Satisfied?"
"It will still take weeks to heal over no matter how powerful you are." Perfume stated firmly. That was very true. Okaasan understood that with her ki it would be healed much more quickly than a normal person, but it would take at least some months to be somewhat normal again. Even still, one good hit could be very bad with the type of break she knew she had.
"Let it be, Perfume. Ranma does as she must." Cologne cast Ranma a meaningful glance, obviously unsure of her own words.
"Thank you for tending to me, but I should speak with my children." Okaasan looked at her clothing and found it good enough to be seen in. The rips were bad but they overlapped and kept her conservative idiom intact.
"Children?" Perfume asked. "I thought you had only the one, Hiro."
"One by birth." Ranma began.
"And three by marriage." Cologne finished. "That would explain why Ryouga referred to you as Tendou-san." Ranma nodded and slid off of the bed carefully. "I'm sorry we did not stay long enough to see you through your pregnancy."
"There was no reason for any of you to be there any longer."
Hobbling to Ranma's side, Cologne touched the redhead's hand to draw her to the door. "Would you like to see Shampoo? The council should be getting out of their meeting soon."
"She is Matriarch then?" Okaasan asked.
"No, she is in training." Cologne corrected.
Ryouga looked up, startled to see Okaasan up at all. "Tendou-san!"
Akane jumped up from her seat and looked Ranma over with a critical eye, looking at the blood drying on the redhead's clothing. "Ran-Okaasan! What are you doing up?"
"I told them what you said, but they didn't believe me." Hiro snorted and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Akane and Ryouga will certainly think twice before doubting your memory the next time, Hiro-kun." Okaasan clucked at the two worried adults behind Hiro. At that moment a young girl with dark purple hair strode up and looked Hiro over, then gestured to the fighting log. Hiro seemed to understand and smiled.
"Uh, mom?" Hiro looked pleadingly at Okaasan.
"Go ahead, Hiro-kun, but don't get into trouble." Hiro ran off with the young girl once he had the permission, heading for the tournament area. "Such a manly son." Okaasan commented, looking after her son.
"S-So, uh, Tendou-san, how are you feeling?" Ryouga blushed and scratched the back of his head.
"Fine Ryo-kun. Nothing serious." Okaasan smiled at the 'Lost Boy' and looked between him and her daughter. "You and Akane are getting along?"
"What? Sure. Akane hasn't said anything stupid yet." Ryouga muttered. He hadn't realized that Akane was actually around since he'd been thinking of 'poor Tendou-san'.
"Ryouga." Akane growled, balling up her hands.
"Akane-chan," Okaasan broke in, silencing her daughter. "You can watch Ryouga while I'm talking with Shampoo, can't you?" She knew very well that the way she asked would affect Akane's pride.
"What? This perverted jerk?!" Akane scowled at Ryouga, pointing at him as she would a tramp mutt. Ryouga stuck out his tongue at her and pulled down one eyelid.
"Thank you." Okaasan said quickly, leaving for the Council hut with Cologne.
Ranma and Cologne left two dejected potential lovers behind to their own musings, or grumbling as the case may be. The village was not as undeveloped as Ranma had thought it would be. The huts were just a stone mason short of the Japanese homes. There was plumbing and even electricity, that much Okaasan had seen inside the healer's hut. The village dress was a very soft and warm material that was durable enough to survive daily martial arts training.
The village itself was bigger than a city block with a perimeter wall to keep out the jungle creatures and defense against other tribes. Though it was made of nature, the area seemed clean with no plant growing where it's not wanted. The festival arena was still up in the center of the village with the stands tucked away in some storage area most likely. Colored streamers were strung almost randomly around the village, depicting the names of stores, professions, and an occasional celebration announcement.
The meeting was ending as Cologne had guessed. Old and middle-aged women were leaving the main hut in silence, going their own way. Some seemed to be close to Cologne's age while others looked to be only a few years older than herself. Shampoo was going to be the youngest Matriarch the tribe had ever seen.
A beautiful, athletic woman with long lavender hair that bounced around her calves made her way over to them. She wore Chinese style dress, embroidered with flowers and birds in sparkling fibers. Her eyes were a sienna that seemed a perfect match for the Amazon jungle. Great-grandmother? Who is this?
"Come child, you don't recognize Ranma anymore?" Cologne prodded Shampoo's memory. They'd been gone for a while but the Amazon warrior couldn't have forgotten her first 'husband' already.
Jumping up and down while clapping, Shampoo squealed like a little girl in a candy store. Okaasan instantly cringed. "Airen? Airen has come to China for Shampoo? Shampoo so happy!"
End Chapter Six
* * *
Alrighty then. After many weeks of too much school work I'm coming out with more chapters of this great little mystery/dark fic. If things go as planned the next chapters should be following soon.
Again, this is all part of a fun little contest I'm hosting. If you feel the inspiration to solve this riddle please submit your entries to me after reading the rules I've set up on my site. These rules aren't very restricting, but this is also my way of advertising the submissions already up. Don't panic, there is still plenty of time to figure things out. A rough count has a total of twelve planned chapters before a hint chapter and then the solution chapter.
I'd like to thank everyone who has written in to me about this story and to everyone else who voted for "Schools United" in the last Best of Ranma ½ Fanfiction Awards.
Send C&C to jehtek@hotmail.com
Or visit my website at: www.geocities.com/jehtek/
Ja ne.