On the outskirts of Nerima a figure arrives to take part in the chaos
of Ranma Saotome's life. Dressed in traveling cloths with a pack strapped
across her back she dejectedly makes her way towards the Tendo Dojo.
'Why my lord? Why did you have to choose me for this?'
Questions that had been going through her mind ever since she took the first step out of her home to start her new role in life. She stops a block away from the Tendo home and cranes an ear to listen to the sounds of what will now be her new home.
"RANMA NO BAKA!" A voice. One that is all too familiar to this traveler. Walking to the Tendo home she bites back the anger that she feels rising in her and instead raises one hand up to the door. One knock. Not very loud and no more then one rap. A silent plea to the other side not to open the door. It is not to be. The door opens and a lovely young woman of no more then twenty years stands there with a smile on her face.
"Hello, may I help you?" Her smile fades when she looks at the young woman standing at the door. "Oh my."
The hand she had used to knock comes up and pushes a stray black hair out of her face.
"I am here to see Ranma Saotome."
Chapter 1: Two Akanes?
Ranma was not having a good week, or a good month for that matter. Three weeks ago he had come very close to being married to Akane Tendo. A week before that- Ranma shuddered. Best not to think about Saffron. After the wedding things had begun to go back to normal. There were some changes that Ranma had noticed, Ryoga didn't try to kill him at the drop of a hat nor did Mousse mostly they yelled a lot no real fights, but aside from that the normal things he had come to expect from his life were the same.
He took his present state as an example. Right now Ranma looked down over the city of Nerima from LEO, complements of Akane's Mallet Express. There was, Ranma thought, a certain comfort to this. Shampoo and Ukyo making plays at him for his attention, Mousse and Ryoga fighting with him for real or imagined offense, and of course Akane's mallet. As he landed, his final thought was, Maybe life isn't so bad.
Meanwhile-Ranma's Point of Origin
Akane stomped around Nerima in the direction she had malleted her fiancée.
'That jerk. He didn't even try my lunch and I worked so hard on it too.'
"Akane Tendo!"
'Not now.' Akane turned and received a face full of roses.
"Oh how I have longed for this moment, that I The Rising Star of Furikan High School, The Blue Thunder Tatewaki Kuno could see Akane Tendo freed from both her shy demure nature and from the vile clutches of the accursed sorcerer. Come my lov---," Akane used the only surefire way to shut Kuno up. She filled his mouth with her fist.
"What do you want sempai?"
"Oree fho harhake en our fomised date." At the word date Akane removed her fist.
"Date?"
"Verily, twas this morning as I stood outside the gates of mine abode. Then did the beauteous form of yours approach garbed most queerly in road attire," Akane stepped back at this. "After a brief exchange you stated that we could speak on it later at your home. But truly your devotion to me shines through as you have come out to meet me. Come then let me embrace you!"
Kuno went flying after that.
'Kuno-sempai must be getting worse. I didn't even see him today.'
Tendo Dojo
Ranma came in the front gate of Tendo dojo. His head was still ringing from his rather violent flight.
"Kawaiikune..," he opened the door to the house. "Tadaima!"
"Oh Ranma-kun, there is someone here to see you." Had Ranma been on his proverbial game, he would have noticed that Kasumi wore a slightly concerned expression.
"Thank you Kasumi." Ranma walked into the Tendo common room eyes still unfocused from his headache. As he passed through the doorway and looked up his face bunched up in surprise and confusion.
"Ranma Saotome," Akane's body and her voice, even her aura was the same, but her voice held an icy tone that Akane only used when she was truly angry with him. She was also dressed oddly, traveling clothes that had more then a few days of wear to them with part of the back missing near the shoulder blades.
"Akane? Why you dressed like that?" Ranma's danger sense wasn't going full but Akane was creeping him out a little."
Akane stood up and walked over in front of Ranma. Her cold eyes locked with his and Ranma saw a simmering rage behind them. His self- preservation kicked in as he saw her arms come up swiftly. Turning his head he awaited the blow.. that never came. Peeking around he couldn't see Akane anywhere.
"I live to serve," Ranma looked down. Akane was kneeling in front of him on the ground. "You are my new lord."
"A..Akane?" Ranma's mind preformed a move that it had perfected since arriving in Nerima. It locked down.
"Tadaima!" Akane's voice drifted in from the front door causing his mind to lock up even more. He was vaguely aware of the door behind him opening.
"Ranma?" Akane looked into the room and her mind immediately went into evaluation mode.
Fact 1: Ranma is in the room
Fact 2: Girl kneeling in front of Ranma
Conclusion 1: Ranma is cheating on me with another woman
Conclusion 2: Must be Ranma's fault
Solution: Physical violence
Deploy in five.
"Akane"
Four
"Its not"
Three
"what you"
Two
Think."
One
"RRRRRAAAAAnnnnnmaaaaa!"
Deploy.
Ranma found himself getting a very nice view of the wood used to support such an old building as the Tendo home. His ears picked up the sounds of his body hitting the wall, and then the echo.. wait echo? The Tendo home didn't have such a loud echo. He pulled himself off the wall and looked back at Akane.
The Akane wearing the Furinkan school uniform was now on the ground with what looked to be a sword held a few inches from her neck. On the other end of the sword, the Akane wearing the traveling clothes had a very cold gaze focused on her target.
"Apologize."
It was one word. But the voice came with such authority that anyone listening would pause for a moment to consider whether or not to follow it. Akane looked ready to comply with her mysterious double when a sudden rage came over her form.
"Kiima." The name was all but spat out of Akane's mouth. "Why are you here?"
Ranma was on his feet in an instant.
"I am not here by choice, but you assaulted my. new lord," The words caused a visible strain on Kiima's face. "Now apologize for striking him." Kiima moved the sword a bit closer to Akane's throat.
"Let her go Kiima." Ranma submerged himself in the soul of ice. "Now."
"Yes Saotome-sama." Ranma blanched. Kiima removed her sword and resumed her prostrated stance in front of Ranma.
A few minutes later Kasumi joined the three of them in the common room and joined Akane and Ranma as they studied their Jusenkyo cursed guest.
"Banished?" Kasumi put a hand in front of her mouth. "What a shame."
"Yes," Kiima states in her ice laded voice. "After you battle with Lord Saffron, it was deemed that as punishment for my failure, I not be permitted to care for him during his infantsy. That was two weeks prior to today. When he regained his ability to speak he insisted on meeting with a foreign ruler. Still I was forbidden to see him. Then I was summoned before him in the throne room."
Flashback-
A child sits on a rather large throne. Behind him is a large statue of a phoenix emerging from a blaze. Clutched in his small hand is a large pole with a circular ornament on top of it. To his right is a withered old man who bears a worried expression on his face.
"Kiima," the small child's voice is filled with power and it echoes off the chamber's walls. Kiima shudders from her prostrated position before the fire god.
"Yes my lord Saffron?" There was no trace of fear in Kiima's voice. Years of military training and discipline were all that were keeping Kiima from cowering in fear where she sat. A failure such as hers was not taken lightly in her lord's eyes, she knew. She was to be punished. She could only hope it was a quick blow, in memory of her years of loyal service.
"I have a new mission for you." A mission?! She was not to be punished! Kiima felt tears of relief beginning to form and struggled to maintain her calm face.
"Command me and I shall obey my lord." Saffron stood up on his throne. His small frame seemed to meld with the phoenix statue as he held the Kinjakan above his head.
"Then let it be known," even his small voice seemed to Kiima as if it were laced with fire. "That Kiima of the Phoenix shall swear fealty to the outsider known as Ranma Saotome! To serve at his side from this moment on!"
Kiima's breath caught in her throat. She was being banished. Her failure was not forgotten. Her Lord had chosen a punishment that suited her crime. Serve the one who had defeated the Lord of the Mountain? Her tears came again, though not spouted from joy.
"She shall remain with him until such time as I recall her to the Mountain. Do you understand this Kiima?"
"My Lord," Kiima's voice wavered as her despair threatened to overwhelm her. "Have mercy. Send me not to that barbarian."
"My command stands. Go prepare, you leave in a day." With that said he stepped down from the throne and looked to the elderly man beside him. "Now Xande, lets go prepare for my bath."
"Yes Lord Saffron, the pools have been heated and I placed your preferred bath floats inside."
The two exited leaving Kiima alone still kneeling before the empty throne. As their voice trailed off Kiima's tears broke the surface and she wept.
-End Flashback
"So you see, I am now bound to serve Saotome-sama as if he were my Lord Saffron." The room's three other occupants sat silently as Kiima's tale finished. Kasumi was the first to break the silence.
"Oh my, it seems I shall have to set an extra place at the table from now on." With that she got up to continue making dinner.
"Wait," Akane nearly screamed. Her rage was visible in the red tinge of her aura. "She is not staying here!?"
"I must remain close to serve as I am needed." Kiima's voice came off as smooth as glass. The look on her face enraged Akane even more as it seemed to say 'What did you think was going to happen?'
"Ranma! Say something!" Up until now Ranma was trying to figure out exactly what was going on, and had, for once, the sense to stay silent. Now he was thrust in the center of attention and he had a feeling the next words he said would be a promise of pain if he got them wrong.
In Ranma's mind, there were admittedly very few wheels turning. Kiima seemed stuck in a situation completely out of her control and she obviously didn't want to be there but couldn't leave. Her being in this situation was partially his fault so he was honor bound to help her, right? Well then, his next words made sense.
"Where is she gonna sleep?" Silence reigned in the room as his words sunk in.
In Akane's mind, there were many more wheels turning then in Ranma's, however, not all of them should have been in many cases. Kiima had come to Japan a little over a month ago, kidnapped her and the drowned her in Jusenkyo to create a Spring of Drowned Akane. Because of this she had nearly died at the hands of Saffron when all the moisture had been sucked from her body. And here was Ranma all but putting out the red carpet for her.
Ranma froze as tears came to Akane's eyes. She slowly stood up and moved to the doorway.
"Fine then." She turned back and the tears were now streaming down her face. "Ranma you jerk, I HATE you!" With that final declaration, Akane ran to her room and the whole house shook as she slammed the door.
"Oh my." Kasumi turned from the kitchen and began to remove her apron. "I had better go and talk to her. Ranma-kun, dinner will be a little late." With that Kasumi hung her apron on its hook by the door and went up after her younger sister.
For a few moments Kiima and Ranma stared at the path the youngest Tendo had taken up to her room. Then Ranma stood up.
"I am going out to the dojo.I need to think." He stood up and began to head for the back door. When he reached the doorway he stopped. "You can use the bath if you want to, I don't think Kasumi will mind." So saying he went outside leaving Kiima alone in the Tendo common room.
When Kiima had been first given her new 'mission' she had expected many things from her new lord, least of these was acceptance. Yet here she was in the middle of Japan and he had already accepted her with little argument. The Phoenix woman decided to make use of his offer to use the bath before she realized that she did not know where the furo was.
'Landlings. Why can't they keep their bathing pools outside?' Rather then searching the house and risk the anger of any of the other members of the Tendo family she decided to sit where she was. As she sat, however, her nose was assaulted by the smell of something burning.
Following the smell to its source in the kitchen she found a pot that, in her haste, Kasumi had forgotten to turn off and was now boiling over its contents. Kiima turned off the stove and on a whim looked over at Kasumi's ingredients for her menu. Some of the ingredients and recipes were ones that Kiima recognized when she had been required to assume her previous human form and venture outside the mountain. Having nothing else to do Kiima began to prepare the dinner for her new lord, as a .loyal servant should.
--Outside
"Ha! Ha! HIIIAA!" An innocent post took the brunt of Ranma's frustrations. As his last punch was pulled back Ranma relaxed the muscles in his body and took a deep breath. The post, a little worse for wear, held no real answers for him. Sighing, Ranma entered the dojo. Bowing to the shrine the Anything Goes practitioner allowed his mind to drift as he began his kata.
Among artisans and craftsmen, there is often talk about a frame of mind called a 'perfect moment'. This moment is a brief period where time seems to stop and the mind, body, heart, and soul are combined in such a way that every brush stroke or note played is absolutely perfect. Those who practice their art for years strive to attain that perfect moment whenever they begin a new piece. Masters are said to be able to hone this moment so it can last for a few minutes while they work.
Martial artists are a type of artisan as well. Their art is one of the body rather then the canvas. Every arm movement and each position of a foot is a brush stroke. Each snap of a kick and drawing of breath is a note amidst a grand symphony. And of martial artists, Ranma Saotome was the best.
In his mind Ranma pictured his opponents closing on him. His breath entered and left his body setting a tempo in a great-unseen orchestra. He placed his foot into the first position and time stopped for him. Arms and legs moved as water with no motion wasted. Each attack came and was deflected and countered as he lost himself in his private concert. Ranma finished and time caught up to him. Bowing he returned to a ready position. Releasing his final breath he moved to a lotus position and put his newly relaxed mind to work on his newest problem.
Kiima.
The phoenix woman obviously did not want to be there. That was a given. She couldn't go home though since Saffron had ordered her to be there. That was partially his fault he supposed. If he did tell her to leave, Saffron would not be happy and might hurt her, or worse. Saffron was defiantly far, far down on Ranma's list of people he wanted to upset. A rampaging god at the door was not an attractive option, especially if the door wasn't his.
So Kiima had to stay to keep her safe and Saffron happy. Now where could she stay? She would want to stay by him since Saffron had ordered her to stay close to him. Maybe he could move back in with his parents? The Saotome house had been rebuilt and they had room. His father had insisted he stay with the Tendo's to allow him and Akane to grow closer. Ranma secretly believed that his parents wanted to avoid a repeat of what occurred the last time he had been home. Home was out.
Ucchan's? He would probably have to work as a waiter or waitress and her place would be cramped with four people living there. Then there was the problem of Shampoo. When she found out that he was living with Kiima AND Ukyo.
He knew from first hand experience how long Shampoo could hold a grudge and Kiima was very high up on Shampoo's revenge list. He couldn't do that to Ucchan. It looked like if he was going to get kicked out of the Tendo home he would have to camp out on the road again.
'Why me?' Thought Ranma, as the being called fate laughed at her favorite plaything.
Ranma's thoughts were stopped from going any further when he heard a voice coming from the entrance.
"Ranma, how could you?" Soun Tendo stood in the doorway a worried expression on his face.
"Yo Tendo-san, when did you an' Nabiki get back?"
"Never mind that son," Soun continued. "How could you let Akane into the kitchen and not warn us before hand?"
"She must be really mad if she is cooking dinner." Ranma followed Soun back into the house to see just how bad things would be for them. As they entered the hallway another unexpected sight awaited them. Nabiki was slumped next to the kitchen door staring at the blank wall in front ok her.
"Nabiki," Soun wailed as he shook her out of her daze. "What's wrong with daddy's little girl?"
"It smells.good!" Nabiki's voice was teaming with disbelief.
Cautiously Soun looked into the kitchen and indeed saw what to his eyes was nothing short of a miracle. There was Akane calmly preparing dinner. She neatly sliced the ingredients (all of which Soun could identify) and slowly placed them into the pot, stirred and then sampled her work. When she did not convulse in pain Soun began to weep openly.
"My little girl is cured!" With tears running down his face he ran in and embraced Kiima into a tight hug. Unfortunately, this was just as Kiima was taking the teakettle off the stove. Even more unfortunate was when the water spilled out soaking both of them. Soun felt the pressure on his arms increase and puzzled over the soft feathery wall that appeared between his arms and his 'daughter's' back.
Soun's cries of joy were loud enough to attract the attention of the rest of the house's occupants. Akane and Kasumi arrived at the kitchen entrance to find a wet Soun clutching an equally wet Kiima.
In her ultimate wisdom Kasumi managed to sum up the entire room's feelings in two simple words.
"Oh my."
For the first time that day Kiima spoke in her natural, bird like soprano voice. Looking up to Soun she said very simply in a very steady tone:
"You are crushing my wings."
Soun fainted.
Sometime later, the Tendo family and their two guests sat around the dinner table. Kiima, in her true form, once more told her tale for Soun and Nabiki who listened intently. Kasumi began to serve everyone at the table the meal prepared by Kiima, her smile set in its usual phase. Ranma sat slouched over and occasionally glanced over to his left at Akane. Akane glared back at him and fumed when not scowling at Kiima who sat beside Ranma in Genma's old seat.
As Kiima finished her story Nabiki ran over the facts in her mind.
"So basically you are Ranma-kun's slave then?"
"Hey wait a minute! I don't want no slave!"
"I serve Saotome-sama willingly, I am not a slave." Nabiki's keen ears caught the strain in Kiima's voice.
'Not as willingly as you would have us believe hmmm?' Nabiki ran this new bit though her mind she bared her fangs in the form of a sly smile as she went for a killing blow.
"So why does your cursed for look like Akane?" Ranma and Akane froze. The had kept the details of the final battle a secret from Akane's father because they feared it would give him a hart attack. Not to mention Kasumi and Nabiki's reaction if they found out that Akane had nearly died. Kiima's answer was quick and well thought out
"It is known that occasionally a spring in Jusenkyo will imprint the form of a person or animal whose reflection is cast in the spring. That is why every person who falls into Spring of Drowned Girl for example, does not look exactly the same. Akane-san must have caught the spring's eye before I fell in." Kiima kept her face straight and Nabiki was unable to read her.
"I see." Nabiki began to pick at the food on her plate with her chopsticks. The sweet aroma coming from in front of her was making her very hungry.
"Everyone should start eating before it gets cold." Kasumi smiled and picked up her own plate.
As one, the members of the table took a portion of the food before them and place it in their mouths. For a second the only sound is Akane's chopsticks clacking off the table.
"IT'S SO GOOD!" Soun's tearful declaration is seconded by everyone at the table, if a little less enthusiastically.
"Oh my, you must give me the recipe you used Kiima-san," said Kasumi as she served Ranma his third helping and took a second.
"Well," Nabiki coyly prodded her younger sibling. "Looks like birdie has won over Dad and Kasumi."
*SNAP*
Akane's chopsticks broke in her fingers. Standing up she gave Kiima and Ranma a scowl and left the table.
--Dojo
Akane sat in what she liked to call her angry place in the dojo. Each of them had one in the house. Her and Ranma's fathers sat on the shoji playing Go. Nabiki worked on her books in her room. Kasumi, if she ever did get angry (Akane didn't know), would most likely sit in the kitchen. She and Ranma came outside and worked in the dojo. Though Ranma did not get angry often, Akane could remember the few times she had seen him work off his anger by performing his katas. The rough, sharp blows would slowly smooth out and his movements would become fluid not so much moving as flowing from one stance to the next as he found his focus. It always reminded her of a cross between a fish, bird, and deer the way he moved. In those moments he was not a fighter so much as a dancer. In those moves he could do no wrong.
"HAAA!"
*SMASH*
She brushed her forehead with the back of her yellow gi's sleeve. Outside the dojo though.
That was why she often found herself here. In her corner smashing through concrete slabs, imagining they were Ranma's thick head. The baka. How could he even think of allowing that woman to live here? She stacked the bricks again.
"I see now why I have those calluses on the sides of my hands."
Akane dropped the stone she was setting and looked up at the one responsible for her current turmoil. She silently watched as Kiima walked over and pulled her wings back as she sat. Akane ignored her and returned to her task. This went on for two more breaks as Kiima sat there simply staring at her.
"What do you want?!" Akane's temper snapped. This woman's presence was only serving to make her angrier.
"What makes you think I want anything?" Kiima's bird song voice carried a hint of amusement.
"How dare you! You think after what you did you can walk into MY home and not take any responsibility for it?" Akane's knuckles turned white and her nails dug into her palms. Kiima raised one blond eyebrow.
"So that is what has upset you then? That I tossed you into a spring?" Akane wanted to attack the bird woman. What little was left of her reason though told her how dishonorable it would be to attack Kiima as she sat on the floor undefended.
"YOU. DROWNED. ME." Reason held on by a thread. Honor tried to reinforce the bond but was quickly failing.
"Yet you sit before me," Kiima simply replied. "So you are not, as you said, drowned are you? Why is that?"
That was the pin that burst Akane's anger. Unclenching her fists a bit she puzzled over Kiima's logic. To create a spring in Jusenkyo, something had to drown there. Kiima had her form, yet she was still alive. She couldn't of drowned so how?
As if hearing her question Kiima answered.
"The Phoenix do not, as a rule, take prisoners. Landlings that enter the mountain, unless under special circumstances, are killed before they reach the lower halls. We do this to preserve our way of life from those who would seek to do us harm."
"So why?"
"Honestly? I pitied you." Kiima played it off as if the answer was obvious. Akane clenched her fists again.
"You had little to do with the conflict at the time. After placing you to drown in the spring, I leapt in and retrieved your body and had my men revive you. Then had them bury the spring, though with the destruction of Jusenkyo that seems to be a moot point." Akane slumped down. Kiima had saved her.
"I must attend my new lord now." Kiima stood up and laid her wings about her shoulders. "I hope this will lessen the animosity between us Akane Tendo." She walked towards the door shoulders back and head high.
Just before she exited she heard Akane mumble something. Spinning on her heel she turned to face the Tendo girl.
"What was that?"
"I challenge you." Kiima's face betrayed her shock. A formal challenge.for what? She quickly adjusted her expression to her normal stoic look.
"Challenge for what?" Akane stood up and stared at Kiima. Brown eyes met blue and someone standing in the room could have almost felt the energy in those gazes.
"If I win, you leave. Go anywhere you like as long as it isn't here. Away from me and my family, that includes Ranma." Akane didn't know why she had included Ranma in her list of family but now that it was out she had no intention of showing the smallest weakness by retracting it.
"And if I win?" Kiima's voice still held the icy clam that Akane likened to Nabiki collecting debts. Her face was still a mask of calm aloofness.
"You can stay with no argument from me." Akane almost stumbled over the words. She was not as confident as she hoped she came off.
Kiima looked pensive for a moment before nodding.
"I accept. Tomorrow afternoon then." With that she turned and left Akane alone in the dojo.
--Inside
Ranma sat in his room thinking once again. This had been the room that he and his father had shared when they had both lived here and so he had seen no reason to move his few things out. With his father gone he now had for the first time in his life a room to himself. His place. Which was why he was surprised when he heard a knock on the door.
"Come in." The door slid open and Kiima stepped inside and closed behind her. To look at her one would say she was a very demure young Chinese woman.with wings. But Ranma's eyes caught the proud strides and even the slight movement of her wings as she bowed with her head to the floor and pressed her wings down as well. She looked like a prisoner of war who refused to submit.
"I have accepted a challenge from Akane Tendo tomorrow Saotome-sama," she stated. "She has challenged my place as your servant and I must request to turn in early tonight to be prepared. By your leave."
"Uhhh." as in the past, words seemed to fail Ranma, unused to such formalities directed his way. Kiima seemed to take his silence as consent and left the room, only to return a few minutes later with a bedroll. "What are you doing?" Ranma all but screamed as Kiima laid down and arranged her bed.
"I am setting up my bed for the night my lord." Kiima looked up from her setup. "Does this disturb you?"
"Yes!" Ranma relaxed, as she seemed to resign herself to his objections.
"Very well." Kiima, rather then pick up her bedding and leave as Ranma hoped, looked at the space between where she had her bed set now and where Ranma had laid his. "You wish to share one then?" Ranma nearly leapt up the wall.
"No! Its just that I am a guy and you're a girl and it.it just isn't done!"
"Very well Saotome-sama." Once more Ranma noted the strain she put on the words.
"And stop with the Saotome-sama." Ranma subconsciously scratched his head. "Just call me Ranma, kay?"
"If that is you're wish, Sa.Ranma." Kiima returned to her bedding and began to smooth out the sheets. Turning back to Ranma she bowed low once more. "I shall need my rest to battle at my best tomorrow. Goodnight."
"Right, goodnight." Ranma watched as Kiima slowly wrapped her wings around her body in a makeshift cloak and gently lowered herself into her bedding. She was asleep soon after. 'I can understand that, it is always important to rest up before a big fight. And if she is gonna be fighting Akane.'
"WOAH! WHAT?!"
--Dojo Next Day-
The Tendo family and Ranma sit off to the side of the dojo as both Kiima and Akane limber up. Akane is dressed in her traditional gi and Kiima wears what seems to be light battle armor with space for her wings to extend on her back.
"Akane," Ranma timidly speaks up from his place on the sidelines, "you don't have to fight."
"Hmp! I expected you to take her side."
"I am not taking ANYone's side you uncute tomboy! But there is no point to this."
"Beeee," Akane sticks out her tongue and pulls down her eyelid. 'Just watch Ranma, I'm a martial artist too.'
Across from Akane, Kiima finishes her stretching with a strong bat of her wings. Turning, she bows to Nabiki who has stood up to begin the match.
Raising her arm Nabiki signals for both combatants to come together.
"You know the rules, you know the stakes. Anything goes.Begin!" And with the drop of her hand Akane leaps on the offensive with a running punch to Kiima's face. It was mostly a feint meant to draw Kiima into an awkward block or a dodge that would bring her close for a kicking combination. What the move was no prepared for was for the target to suddenly jump and fly out of your range. Halting her forward charge Akane watched as Kima descended back to the dojo floor a few meters away from where she started. Akane tried again to get Kiima off balance by launching a few rapid kicks at the bird woman's form, and while two connected the follow up sweep only served to propel Kiima into the air again.
Switching modes Kiima dove at Akane, using her talon like nails to scrape across Akane's forearm as she rose to block. As she landed she noted the red stain spreading on the gi's arm. Sharp avian eyes also noted the tense form of her lord as he struggled to stay seated. Placing this observation in he back of her mind Kiima continued her air assault. Dive after dive had the same results as Akane could not move out of Kiima's range, nor get close enough to attack.
'As long as she is in the air she has me,' Akane thought. 'How can I get her grounded?' A quick look around spotted the open door to the back yard. Looking at Kiima, Akane smiled and stood once more. Kiima dove again, but this time instead of blocking, Akane took the hit to her chest and grabbed tight to Kiima's clothing. Using Kiima's momentum Akane preformed a judo throw that aimed Kiima right for the doorway. Caught unawares by the throw, Kiima could not right herself and found herself on course with the Koi pond.
A small Ranma like smirk crept on to Akane's face as her Jusenkyo double rose out of the Koi pond. Kiima brushed her black damp hair back from her eyes and leveled a glare in Akane's direction.
"Let's see how you do with out your wings." Akane lowered her stance and readied her next attack. Kiima remained silent and tried to mimic Akane's stance. Ranma grimaced and lowered his gaze to the ground.
"Something wrong Ranma?" Nabiki whispered to the young man next to her. Without looking up Ranma merely stated.
"Fight's over." Seeing she wasn't going to get much more information out of him Nabiki turned her attention back to the fight, which was now moved to the yard, to see if she could see what he saw. While not a top rank martial artist, Nabiki had grown up in a dojo and had spent enough time around the Nerima Wrecking crew to spot certain traits in fighters. As Akane moved Nabiki saw what Ranma had seen.
Akane moved in quickly and lashed out with a straight punch, which caught Kiima in the chin. As she reeled back Akane followed with a hard roundhouse to her ribs and Kiima went down hard.
"Yield?" Akane backed away from Kiima as she rose to one knee. Kiima's answer came in the form of a leap that was easily sidestepped and countered. Kiima found her eyes caked in dirt as she landed face down on the hard ground. This continued for a few more rounds with Akane moving out of Kiima's range and slamming her into the ground with increasingly harder blows.
Ranma winced as Kiima took a rather nasty spill and remained on the ground lying still. Akane, breathing heavily, eyed the still form critically as she dropped to one knee. Slowly Kiima's body shifted and Kiima began to crawl toward Akane.
"I.am Kiima of.Phoenix Moun.tain. I am.the leader of .its army.and serve.Lord Saffron. I.will.not be.beaten." All present gasped as Kiima manifested a yellow battle aura that glowed weakly around her.
"Thousand Wings of the Seabird Attack!" Akane barely saw the attack as it raced towards her. Around Kiima's body the aura had expanded into two thin wings that had lashed out and arched like a ki-blast. As tired as she was Akane could only sit there as the attack knocked her back into the compound wall knocking her unconscious.
When she awoke she found herself with her head in Kasumi's lap and a dam cloth on her forehead. She mumbled and Kasumi leaned closer to make out what she said.
"I lost." Here was her first real chance of proving herself as a martial artist and she lost. Akane could hear Ranma's comments already. 'Tomboy.' 'Stupid.' Weak.'
"Actually Akane," Ranma's voice came from to her left and she tried to turn to see him. He looked a little concerned but there seemed to be something in his eyes that if he had been looking at anyone else but her she would of called it pride. "It was a double knockout. A draw was called."
"A draw?" But Kiima had finished her with her ki blast hadn't she?
"Whatever move Kiima did caused her to pass out right as you did." Ranma shrugged his shoulders and looked over to where Kiima was being tended to by Soun and Nabiki. "I guess with the shots she took beforehand, combined with the drain that comes with ki attacks her body just couldn't take it. Didn't think she could do that move without her wings though."
Ranma turned his eyes back to his fiancé. "That was a smart move by the way, dipping her in the pond. Since she can't really fight without her wings it gave you the edge you needed."
"Thanks, Ranma." Akane gave him a small smile and then closed her eyes and passed out again.
"So what do we do now?" Nabiki got everyone's attention and Ranma dropped his head.
-- Next day--
Akane woke up in her bed as the sunlight streamed into her room through the lone window. They had let her sleep a lot since the fight and Kasumi brought her a small meal so she could rest a bit more. She stretched and thought back to just after the fight.
'That was a smart move by the way, dipping her in the pond. Since she can't really fight without her wings it gave you the edge you needed.'
Ranma had complemented her fighting. She began to dress. Maybe she had been a bit hard on him. Yes. Yes she had. Maybe Kasumi would let her cook tonight? That would be just the thing. Finished getting ready she walked out into the hall and turned toward Ranma's room.
"Ranma! Wake up." Akane stared into the room. Ranma was spread out on his futon as usual but there was a new addition to the room. Kiima lay a few feet from Ranma wrapped in her wings. As Akane's rage began to compound Kiima turned onto her stomach and stretched out her wings creating a makeshift blanket for Ranma.
Ranma was having a great dream. Every martial art was his to master and he had tons of good food around him. He began to focus on one of his chi techniques and warmth spread over him. He nuzzled against it. Suddenly he could swear he heard thunder.
"RANMA YOU PERVERT!" Akane lashed out with two swift kicks that launched both sleeping forms out into the yard.the hard way.
Downstairs, the rest of the Tendo family sat around the table enjoying breakfast.
"Daddy, are you sure it was a good idea to let her stay?" Nabiki stared at her father as he busied himself with his paper. Things would work out he was sure.he hoped.
"Oh my, the both of them will want hot water I guess."
Outside Ranma and Kiima sat in the koi pond after their impromptu flight. Dropping their heads they both had the same thought:
'Why me?'
End episode 1
^_^
'Why my lord? Why did you have to choose me for this?'
Questions that had been going through her mind ever since she took the first step out of her home to start her new role in life. She stops a block away from the Tendo home and cranes an ear to listen to the sounds of what will now be her new home.
"RANMA NO BAKA!" A voice. One that is all too familiar to this traveler. Walking to the Tendo home she bites back the anger that she feels rising in her and instead raises one hand up to the door. One knock. Not very loud and no more then one rap. A silent plea to the other side not to open the door. It is not to be. The door opens and a lovely young woman of no more then twenty years stands there with a smile on her face.
"Hello, may I help you?" Her smile fades when she looks at the young woman standing at the door. "Oh my."
The hand she had used to knock comes up and pushes a stray black hair out of her face.
"I am here to see Ranma Saotome."
Chapter 1: Two Akanes?
Ranma was not having a good week, or a good month for that matter. Three weeks ago he had come very close to being married to Akane Tendo. A week before that- Ranma shuddered. Best not to think about Saffron. After the wedding things had begun to go back to normal. There were some changes that Ranma had noticed, Ryoga didn't try to kill him at the drop of a hat nor did Mousse mostly they yelled a lot no real fights, but aside from that the normal things he had come to expect from his life were the same.
He took his present state as an example. Right now Ranma looked down over the city of Nerima from LEO, complements of Akane's Mallet Express. There was, Ranma thought, a certain comfort to this. Shampoo and Ukyo making plays at him for his attention, Mousse and Ryoga fighting with him for real or imagined offense, and of course Akane's mallet. As he landed, his final thought was, Maybe life isn't so bad.
Meanwhile-Ranma's Point of Origin
Akane stomped around Nerima in the direction she had malleted her fiancée.
'That jerk. He didn't even try my lunch and I worked so hard on it too.'
"Akane Tendo!"
'Not now.' Akane turned and received a face full of roses.
"Oh how I have longed for this moment, that I The Rising Star of Furikan High School, The Blue Thunder Tatewaki Kuno could see Akane Tendo freed from both her shy demure nature and from the vile clutches of the accursed sorcerer. Come my lov---," Akane used the only surefire way to shut Kuno up. She filled his mouth with her fist.
"What do you want sempai?"
"Oree fho harhake en our fomised date." At the word date Akane removed her fist.
"Date?"
"Verily, twas this morning as I stood outside the gates of mine abode. Then did the beauteous form of yours approach garbed most queerly in road attire," Akane stepped back at this. "After a brief exchange you stated that we could speak on it later at your home. But truly your devotion to me shines through as you have come out to meet me. Come then let me embrace you!"
Kuno went flying after that.
'Kuno-sempai must be getting worse. I didn't even see him today.'
Tendo Dojo
Ranma came in the front gate of Tendo dojo. His head was still ringing from his rather violent flight.
"Kawaiikune..," he opened the door to the house. "Tadaima!"
"Oh Ranma-kun, there is someone here to see you." Had Ranma been on his proverbial game, he would have noticed that Kasumi wore a slightly concerned expression.
"Thank you Kasumi." Ranma walked into the Tendo common room eyes still unfocused from his headache. As he passed through the doorway and looked up his face bunched up in surprise and confusion.
"Ranma Saotome," Akane's body and her voice, even her aura was the same, but her voice held an icy tone that Akane only used when she was truly angry with him. She was also dressed oddly, traveling clothes that had more then a few days of wear to them with part of the back missing near the shoulder blades.
"Akane? Why you dressed like that?" Ranma's danger sense wasn't going full but Akane was creeping him out a little."
Akane stood up and walked over in front of Ranma. Her cold eyes locked with his and Ranma saw a simmering rage behind them. His self- preservation kicked in as he saw her arms come up swiftly. Turning his head he awaited the blow.. that never came. Peeking around he couldn't see Akane anywhere.
"I live to serve," Ranma looked down. Akane was kneeling in front of him on the ground. "You are my new lord."
"A..Akane?" Ranma's mind preformed a move that it had perfected since arriving in Nerima. It locked down.
"Tadaima!" Akane's voice drifted in from the front door causing his mind to lock up even more. He was vaguely aware of the door behind him opening.
"Ranma?" Akane looked into the room and her mind immediately went into evaluation mode.
Fact 1: Ranma is in the room
Fact 2: Girl kneeling in front of Ranma
Conclusion 1: Ranma is cheating on me with another woman
Conclusion 2: Must be Ranma's fault
Solution: Physical violence
Deploy in five.
"Akane"
Four
"Its not"
Three
"what you"
Two
Think."
One
"RRRRRAAAAAnnnnnmaaaaa!"
Deploy.
Ranma found himself getting a very nice view of the wood used to support such an old building as the Tendo home. His ears picked up the sounds of his body hitting the wall, and then the echo.. wait echo? The Tendo home didn't have such a loud echo. He pulled himself off the wall and looked back at Akane.
The Akane wearing the Furinkan school uniform was now on the ground with what looked to be a sword held a few inches from her neck. On the other end of the sword, the Akane wearing the traveling clothes had a very cold gaze focused on her target.
"Apologize."
It was one word. But the voice came with such authority that anyone listening would pause for a moment to consider whether or not to follow it. Akane looked ready to comply with her mysterious double when a sudden rage came over her form.
"Kiima." The name was all but spat out of Akane's mouth. "Why are you here?"
Ranma was on his feet in an instant.
"I am not here by choice, but you assaulted my. new lord," The words caused a visible strain on Kiima's face. "Now apologize for striking him." Kiima moved the sword a bit closer to Akane's throat.
"Let her go Kiima." Ranma submerged himself in the soul of ice. "Now."
"Yes Saotome-sama." Ranma blanched. Kiima removed her sword and resumed her prostrated stance in front of Ranma.
A few minutes later Kasumi joined the three of them in the common room and joined Akane and Ranma as they studied their Jusenkyo cursed guest.
"Banished?" Kasumi put a hand in front of her mouth. "What a shame."
"Yes," Kiima states in her ice laded voice. "After you battle with Lord Saffron, it was deemed that as punishment for my failure, I not be permitted to care for him during his infantsy. That was two weeks prior to today. When he regained his ability to speak he insisted on meeting with a foreign ruler. Still I was forbidden to see him. Then I was summoned before him in the throne room."
Flashback-
A child sits on a rather large throne. Behind him is a large statue of a phoenix emerging from a blaze. Clutched in his small hand is a large pole with a circular ornament on top of it. To his right is a withered old man who bears a worried expression on his face.
"Kiima," the small child's voice is filled with power and it echoes off the chamber's walls. Kiima shudders from her prostrated position before the fire god.
"Yes my lord Saffron?" There was no trace of fear in Kiima's voice. Years of military training and discipline were all that were keeping Kiima from cowering in fear where she sat. A failure such as hers was not taken lightly in her lord's eyes, she knew. She was to be punished. She could only hope it was a quick blow, in memory of her years of loyal service.
"I have a new mission for you." A mission?! She was not to be punished! Kiima felt tears of relief beginning to form and struggled to maintain her calm face.
"Command me and I shall obey my lord." Saffron stood up on his throne. His small frame seemed to meld with the phoenix statue as he held the Kinjakan above his head.
"Then let it be known," even his small voice seemed to Kiima as if it were laced with fire. "That Kiima of the Phoenix shall swear fealty to the outsider known as Ranma Saotome! To serve at his side from this moment on!"
Kiima's breath caught in her throat. She was being banished. Her failure was not forgotten. Her Lord had chosen a punishment that suited her crime. Serve the one who had defeated the Lord of the Mountain? Her tears came again, though not spouted from joy.
"She shall remain with him until such time as I recall her to the Mountain. Do you understand this Kiima?"
"My Lord," Kiima's voice wavered as her despair threatened to overwhelm her. "Have mercy. Send me not to that barbarian."
"My command stands. Go prepare, you leave in a day." With that said he stepped down from the throne and looked to the elderly man beside him. "Now Xande, lets go prepare for my bath."
"Yes Lord Saffron, the pools have been heated and I placed your preferred bath floats inside."
The two exited leaving Kiima alone still kneeling before the empty throne. As their voice trailed off Kiima's tears broke the surface and she wept.
-End Flashback
"So you see, I am now bound to serve Saotome-sama as if he were my Lord Saffron." The room's three other occupants sat silently as Kiima's tale finished. Kasumi was the first to break the silence.
"Oh my, it seems I shall have to set an extra place at the table from now on." With that she got up to continue making dinner.
"Wait," Akane nearly screamed. Her rage was visible in the red tinge of her aura. "She is not staying here!?"
"I must remain close to serve as I am needed." Kiima's voice came off as smooth as glass. The look on her face enraged Akane even more as it seemed to say 'What did you think was going to happen?'
"Ranma! Say something!" Up until now Ranma was trying to figure out exactly what was going on, and had, for once, the sense to stay silent. Now he was thrust in the center of attention and he had a feeling the next words he said would be a promise of pain if he got them wrong.
In Ranma's mind, there were admittedly very few wheels turning. Kiima seemed stuck in a situation completely out of her control and she obviously didn't want to be there but couldn't leave. Her being in this situation was partially his fault so he was honor bound to help her, right? Well then, his next words made sense.
"Where is she gonna sleep?" Silence reigned in the room as his words sunk in.
In Akane's mind, there were many more wheels turning then in Ranma's, however, not all of them should have been in many cases. Kiima had come to Japan a little over a month ago, kidnapped her and the drowned her in Jusenkyo to create a Spring of Drowned Akane. Because of this she had nearly died at the hands of Saffron when all the moisture had been sucked from her body. And here was Ranma all but putting out the red carpet for her.
Ranma froze as tears came to Akane's eyes. She slowly stood up and moved to the doorway.
"Fine then." She turned back and the tears were now streaming down her face. "Ranma you jerk, I HATE you!" With that final declaration, Akane ran to her room and the whole house shook as she slammed the door.
"Oh my." Kasumi turned from the kitchen and began to remove her apron. "I had better go and talk to her. Ranma-kun, dinner will be a little late." With that Kasumi hung her apron on its hook by the door and went up after her younger sister.
For a few moments Kiima and Ranma stared at the path the youngest Tendo had taken up to her room. Then Ranma stood up.
"I am going out to the dojo.I need to think." He stood up and began to head for the back door. When he reached the doorway he stopped. "You can use the bath if you want to, I don't think Kasumi will mind." So saying he went outside leaving Kiima alone in the Tendo common room.
When Kiima had been first given her new 'mission' she had expected many things from her new lord, least of these was acceptance. Yet here she was in the middle of Japan and he had already accepted her with little argument. The Phoenix woman decided to make use of his offer to use the bath before she realized that she did not know where the furo was.
'Landlings. Why can't they keep their bathing pools outside?' Rather then searching the house and risk the anger of any of the other members of the Tendo family she decided to sit where she was. As she sat, however, her nose was assaulted by the smell of something burning.
Following the smell to its source in the kitchen she found a pot that, in her haste, Kasumi had forgotten to turn off and was now boiling over its contents. Kiima turned off the stove and on a whim looked over at Kasumi's ingredients for her menu. Some of the ingredients and recipes were ones that Kiima recognized when she had been required to assume her previous human form and venture outside the mountain. Having nothing else to do Kiima began to prepare the dinner for her new lord, as a .loyal servant should.
--Outside
"Ha! Ha! HIIIAA!" An innocent post took the brunt of Ranma's frustrations. As his last punch was pulled back Ranma relaxed the muscles in his body and took a deep breath. The post, a little worse for wear, held no real answers for him. Sighing, Ranma entered the dojo. Bowing to the shrine the Anything Goes practitioner allowed his mind to drift as he began his kata.
Among artisans and craftsmen, there is often talk about a frame of mind called a 'perfect moment'. This moment is a brief period where time seems to stop and the mind, body, heart, and soul are combined in such a way that every brush stroke or note played is absolutely perfect. Those who practice their art for years strive to attain that perfect moment whenever they begin a new piece. Masters are said to be able to hone this moment so it can last for a few minutes while they work.
Martial artists are a type of artisan as well. Their art is one of the body rather then the canvas. Every arm movement and each position of a foot is a brush stroke. Each snap of a kick and drawing of breath is a note amidst a grand symphony. And of martial artists, Ranma Saotome was the best.
In his mind Ranma pictured his opponents closing on him. His breath entered and left his body setting a tempo in a great-unseen orchestra. He placed his foot into the first position and time stopped for him. Arms and legs moved as water with no motion wasted. Each attack came and was deflected and countered as he lost himself in his private concert. Ranma finished and time caught up to him. Bowing he returned to a ready position. Releasing his final breath he moved to a lotus position and put his newly relaxed mind to work on his newest problem.
Kiima.
The phoenix woman obviously did not want to be there. That was a given. She couldn't go home though since Saffron had ordered her to be there. That was partially his fault he supposed. If he did tell her to leave, Saffron would not be happy and might hurt her, or worse. Saffron was defiantly far, far down on Ranma's list of people he wanted to upset. A rampaging god at the door was not an attractive option, especially if the door wasn't his.
So Kiima had to stay to keep her safe and Saffron happy. Now where could she stay? She would want to stay by him since Saffron had ordered her to stay close to him. Maybe he could move back in with his parents? The Saotome house had been rebuilt and they had room. His father had insisted he stay with the Tendo's to allow him and Akane to grow closer. Ranma secretly believed that his parents wanted to avoid a repeat of what occurred the last time he had been home. Home was out.
Ucchan's? He would probably have to work as a waiter or waitress and her place would be cramped with four people living there. Then there was the problem of Shampoo. When she found out that he was living with Kiima AND Ukyo.
He knew from first hand experience how long Shampoo could hold a grudge and Kiima was very high up on Shampoo's revenge list. He couldn't do that to Ucchan. It looked like if he was going to get kicked out of the Tendo home he would have to camp out on the road again.
'Why me?' Thought Ranma, as the being called fate laughed at her favorite plaything.
Ranma's thoughts were stopped from going any further when he heard a voice coming from the entrance.
"Ranma, how could you?" Soun Tendo stood in the doorway a worried expression on his face.
"Yo Tendo-san, when did you an' Nabiki get back?"
"Never mind that son," Soun continued. "How could you let Akane into the kitchen and not warn us before hand?"
"She must be really mad if she is cooking dinner." Ranma followed Soun back into the house to see just how bad things would be for them. As they entered the hallway another unexpected sight awaited them. Nabiki was slumped next to the kitchen door staring at the blank wall in front ok her.
"Nabiki," Soun wailed as he shook her out of her daze. "What's wrong with daddy's little girl?"
"It smells.good!" Nabiki's voice was teaming with disbelief.
Cautiously Soun looked into the kitchen and indeed saw what to his eyes was nothing short of a miracle. There was Akane calmly preparing dinner. She neatly sliced the ingredients (all of which Soun could identify) and slowly placed them into the pot, stirred and then sampled her work. When she did not convulse in pain Soun began to weep openly.
"My little girl is cured!" With tears running down his face he ran in and embraced Kiima into a tight hug. Unfortunately, this was just as Kiima was taking the teakettle off the stove. Even more unfortunate was when the water spilled out soaking both of them. Soun felt the pressure on his arms increase and puzzled over the soft feathery wall that appeared between his arms and his 'daughter's' back.
Soun's cries of joy were loud enough to attract the attention of the rest of the house's occupants. Akane and Kasumi arrived at the kitchen entrance to find a wet Soun clutching an equally wet Kiima.
In her ultimate wisdom Kasumi managed to sum up the entire room's feelings in two simple words.
"Oh my."
For the first time that day Kiima spoke in her natural, bird like soprano voice. Looking up to Soun she said very simply in a very steady tone:
"You are crushing my wings."
Soun fainted.
Sometime later, the Tendo family and their two guests sat around the dinner table. Kiima, in her true form, once more told her tale for Soun and Nabiki who listened intently. Kasumi began to serve everyone at the table the meal prepared by Kiima, her smile set in its usual phase. Ranma sat slouched over and occasionally glanced over to his left at Akane. Akane glared back at him and fumed when not scowling at Kiima who sat beside Ranma in Genma's old seat.
As Kiima finished her story Nabiki ran over the facts in her mind.
"So basically you are Ranma-kun's slave then?"
"Hey wait a minute! I don't want no slave!"
"I serve Saotome-sama willingly, I am not a slave." Nabiki's keen ears caught the strain in Kiima's voice.
'Not as willingly as you would have us believe hmmm?' Nabiki ran this new bit though her mind she bared her fangs in the form of a sly smile as she went for a killing blow.
"So why does your cursed for look like Akane?" Ranma and Akane froze. The had kept the details of the final battle a secret from Akane's father because they feared it would give him a hart attack. Not to mention Kasumi and Nabiki's reaction if they found out that Akane had nearly died. Kiima's answer was quick and well thought out
"It is known that occasionally a spring in Jusenkyo will imprint the form of a person or animal whose reflection is cast in the spring. That is why every person who falls into Spring of Drowned Girl for example, does not look exactly the same. Akane-san must have caught the spring's eye before I fell in." Kiima kept her face straight and Nabiki was unable to read her.
"I see." Nabiki began to pick at the food on her plate with her chopsticks. The sweet aroma coming from in front of her was making her very hungry.
"Everyone should start eating before it gets cold." Kasumi smiled and picked up her own plate.
As one, the members of the table took a portion of the food before them and place it in their mouths. For a second the only sound is Akane's chopsticks clacking off the table.
"IT'S SO GOOD!" Soun's tearful declaration is seconded by everyone at the table, if a little less enthusiastically.
"Oh my, you must give me the recipe you used Kiima-san," said Kasumi as she served Ranma his third helping and took a second.
"Well," Nabiki coyly prodded her younger sibling. "Looks like birdie has won over Dad and Kasumi."
*SNAP*
Akane's chopsticks broke in her fingers. Standing up she gave Kiima and Ranma a scowl and left the table.
--Dojo
Akane sat in what she liked to call her angry place in the dojo. Each of them had one in the house. Her and Ranma's fathers sat on the shoji playing Go. Nabiki worked on her books in her room. Kasumi, if she ever did get angry (Akane didn't know), would most likely sit in the kitchen. She and Ranma came outside and worked in the dojo. Though Ranma did not get angry often, Akane could remember the few times she had seen him work off his anger by performing his katas. The rough, sharp blows would slowly smooth out and his movements would become fluid not so much moving as flowing from one stance to the next as he found his focus. It always reminded her of a cross between a fish, bird, and deer the way he moved. In those moments he was not a fighter so much as a dancer. In those moves he could do no wrong.
"HAAA!"
*SMASH*
She brushed her forehead with the back of her yellow gi's sleeve. Outside the dojo though.
That was why she often found herself here. In her corner smashing through concrete slabs, imagining they were Ranma's thick head. The baka. How could he even think of allowing that woman to live here? She stacked the bricks again.
"I see now why I have those calluses on the sides of my hands."
Akane dropped the stone she was setting and looked up at the one responsible for her current turmoil. She silently watched as Kiima walked over and pulled her wings back as she sat. Akane ignored her and returned to her task. This went on for two more breaks as Kiima sat there simply staring at her.
"What do you want?!" Akane's temper snapped. This woman's presence was only serving to make her angrier.
"What makes you think I want anything?" Kiima's bird song voice carried a hint of amusement.
"How dare you! You think after what you did you can walk into MY home and not take any responsibility for it?" Akane's knuckles turned white and her nails dug into her palms. Kiima raised one blond eyebrow.
"So that is what has upset you then? That I tossed you into a spring?" Akane wanted to attack the bird woman. What little was left of her reason though told her how dishonorable it would be to attack Kiima as she sat on the floor undefended.
"YOU. DROWNED. ME." Reason held on by a thread. Honor tried to reinforce the bond but was quickly failing.
"Yet you sit before me," Kiima simply replied. "So you are not, as you said, drowned are you? Why is that?"
That was the pin that burst Akane's anger. Unclenching her fists a bit she puzzled over Kiima's logic. To create a spring in Jusenkyo, something had to drown there. Kiima had her form, yet she was still alive. She couldn't of drowned so how?
As if hearing her question Kiima answered.
"The Phoenix do not, as a rule, take prisoners. Landlings that enter the mountain, unless under special circumstances, are killed before they reach the lower halls. We do this to preserve our way of life from those who would seek to do us harm."
"So why?"
"Honestly? I pitied you." Kiima played it off as if the answer was obvious. Akane clenched her fists again.
"You had little to do with the conflict at the time. After placing you to drown in the spring, I leapt in and retrieved your body and had my men revive you. Then had them bury the spring, though with the destruction of Jusenkyo that seems to be a moot point." Akane slumped down. Kiima had saved her.
"I must attend my new lord now." Kiima stood up and laid her wings about her shoulders. "I hope this will lessen the animosity between us Akane Tendo." She walked towards the door shoulders back and head high.
Just before she exited she heard Akane mumble something. Spinning on her heel she turned to face the Tendo girl.
"What was that?"
"I challenge you." Kiima's face betrayed her shock. A formal challenge.for what? She quickly adjusted her expression to her normal stoic look.
"Challenge for what?" Akane stood up and stared at Kiima. Brown eyes met blue and someone standing in the room could have almost felt the energy in those gazes.
"If I win, you leave. Go anywhere you like as long as it isn't here. Away from me and my family, that includes Ranma." Akane didn't know why she had included Ranma in her list of family but now that it was out she had no intention of showing the smallest weakness by retracting it.
"And if I win?" Kiima's voice still held the icy clam that Akane likened to Nabiki collecting debts. Her face was still a mask of calm aloofness.
"You can stay with no argument from me." Akane almost stumbled over the words. She was not as confident as she hoped she came off.
Kiima looked pensive for a moment before nodding.
"I accept. Tomorrow afternoon then." With that she turned and left Akane alone in the dojo.
--Inside
Ranma sat in his room thinking once again. This had been the room that he and his father had shared when they had both lived here and so he had seen no reason to move his few things out. With his father gone he now had for the first time in his life a room to himself. His place. Which was why he was surprised when he heard a knock on the door.
"Come in." The door slid open and Kiima stepped inside and closed behind her. To look at her one would say she was a very demure young Chinese woman.with wings. But Ranma's eyes caught the proud strides and even the slight movement of her wings as she bowed with her head to the floor and pressed her wings down as well. She looked like a prisoner of war who refused to submit.
"I have accepted a challenge from Akane Tendo tomorrow Saotome-sama," she stated. "She has challenged my place as your servant and I must request to turn in early tonight to be prepared. By your leave."
"Uhhh." as in the past, words seemed to fail Ranma, unused to such formalities directed his way. Kiima seemed to take his silence as consent and left the room, only to return a few minutes later with a bedroll. "What are you doing?" Ranma all but screamed as Kiima laid down and arranged her bed.
"I am setting up my bed for the night my lord." Kiima looked up from her setup. "Does this disturb you?"
"Yes!" Ranma relaxed, as she seemed to resign herself to his objections.
"Very well." Kiima, rather then pick up her bedding and leave as Ranma hoped, looked at the space between where she had her bed set now and where Ranma had laid his. "You wish to share one then?" Ranma nearly leapt up the wall.
"No! Its just that I am a guy and you're a girl and it.it just isn't done!"
"Very well Saotome-sama." Once more Ranma noted the strain she put on the words.
"And stop with the Saotome-sama." Ranma subconsciously scratched his head. "Just call me Ranma, kay?"
"If that is you're wish, Sa.Ranma." Kiima returned to her bedding and began to smooth out the sheets. Turning back to Ranma she bowed low once more. "I shall need my rest to battle at my best tomorrow. Goodnight."
"Right, goodnight." Ranma watched as Kiima slowly wrapped her wings around her body in a makeshift cloak and gently lowered herself into her bedding. She was asleep soon after. 'I can understand that, it is always important to rest up before a big fight. And if she is gonna be fighting Akane.'
"WOAH! WHAT?!"
--Dojo Next Day-
The Tendo family and Ranma sit off to the side of the dojo as both Kiima and Akane limber up. Akane is dressed in her traditional gi and Kiima wears what seems to be light battle armor with space for her wings to extend on her back.
"Akane," Ranma timidly speaks up from his place on the sidelines, "you don't have to fight."
"Hmp! I expected you to take her side."
"I am not taking ANYone's side you uncute tomboy! But there is no point to this."
"Beeee," Akane sticks out her tongue and pulls down her eyelid. 'Just watch Ranma, I'm a martial artist too.'
Across from Akane, Kiima finishes her stretching with a strong bat of her wings. Turning, she bows to Nabiki who has stood up to begin the match.
Raising her arm Nabiki signals for both combatants to come together.
"You know the rules, you know the stakes. Anything goes.Begin!" And with the drop of her hand Akane leaps on the offensive with a running punch to Kiima's face. It was mostly a feint meant to draw Kiima into an awkward block or a dodge that would bring her close for a kicking combination. What the move was no prepared for was for the target to suddenly jump and fly out of your range. Halting her forward charge Akane watched as Kima descended back to the dojo floor a few meters away from where she started. Akane tried again to get Kiima off balance by launching a few rapid kicks at the bird woman's form, and while two connected the follow up sweep only served to propel Kiima into the air again.
Switching modes Kiima dove at Akane, using her talon like nails to scrape across Akane's forearm as she rose to block. As she landed she noted the red stain spreading on the gi's arm. Sharp avian eyes also noted the tense form of her lord as he struggled to stay seated. Placing this observation in he back of her mind Kiima continued her air assault. Dive after dive had the same results as Akane could not move out of Kiima's range, nor get close enough to attack.
'As long as she is in the air she has me,' Akane thought. 'How can I get her grounded?' A quick look around spotted the open door to the back yard. Looking at Kiima, Akane smiled and stood once more. Kiima dove again, but this time instead of blocking, Akane took the hit to her chest and grabbed tight to Kiima's clothing. Using Kiima's momentum Akane preformed a judo throw that aimed Kiima right for the doorway. Caught unawares by the throw, Kiima could not right herself and found herself on course with the Koi pond.
A small Ranma like smirk crept on to Akane's face as her Jusenkyo double rose out of the Koi pond. Kiima brushed her black damp hair back from her eyes and leveled a glare in Akane's direction.
"Let's see how you do with out your wings." Akane lowered her stance and readied her next attack. Kiima remained silent and tried to mimic Akane's stance. Ranma grimaced and lowered his gaze to the ground.
"Something wrong Ranma?" Nabiki whispered to the young man next to her. Without looking up Ranma merely stated.
"Fight's over." Seeing she wasn't going to get much more information out of him Nabiki turned her attention back to the fight, which was now moved to the yard, to see if she could see what he saw. While not a top rank martial artist, Nabiki had grown up in a dojo and had spent enough time around the Nerima Wrecking crew to spot certain traits in fighters. As Akane moved Nabiki saw what Ranma had seen.
Akane moved in quickly and lashed out with a straight punch, which caught Kiima in the chin. As she reeled back Akane followed with a hard roundhouse to her ribs and Kiima went down hard.
"Yield?" Akane backed away from Kiima as she rose to one knee. Kiima's answer came in the form of a leap that was easily sidestepped and countered. Kiima found her eyes caked in dirt as she landed face down on the hard ground. This continued for a few more rounds with Akane moving out of Kiima's range and slamming her into the ground with increasingly harder blows.
Ranma winced as Kiima took a rather nasty spill and remained on the ground lying still. Akane, breathing heavily, eyed the still form critically as she dropped to one knee. Slowly Kiima's body shifted and Kiima began to crawl toward Akane.
"I.am Kiima of.Phoenix Moun.tain. I am.the leader of .its army.and serve.Lord Saffron. I.will.not be.beaten." All present gasped as Kiima manifested a yellow battle aura that glowed weakly around her.
"Thousand Wings of the Seabird Attack!" Akane barely saw the attack as it raced towards her. Around Kiima's body the aura had expanded into two thin wings that had lashed out and arched like a ki-blast. As tired as she was Akane could only sit there as the attack knocked her back into the compound wall knocking her unconscious.
When she awoke she found herself with her head in Kasumi's lap and a dam cloth on her forehead. She mumbled and Kasumi leaned closer to make out what she said.
"I lost." Here was her first real chance of proving herself as a martial artist and she lost. Akane could hear Ranma's comments already. 'Tomboy.' 'Stupid.' Weak.'
"Actually Akane," Ranma's voice came from to her left and she tried to turn to see him. He looked a little concerned but there seemed to be something in his eyes that if he had been looking at anyone else but her she would of called it pride. "It was a double knockout. A draw was called."
"A draw?" But Kiima had finished her with her ki blast hadn't she?
"Whatever move Kiima did caused her to pass out right as you did." Ranma shrugged his shoulders and looked over to where Kiima was being tended to by Soun and Nabiki. "I guess with the shots she took beforehand, combined with the drain that comes with ki attacks her body just couldn't take it. Didn't think she could do that move without her wings though."
Ranma turned his eyes back to his fiancé. "That was a smart move by the way, dipping her in the pond. Since she can't really fight without her wings it gave you the edge you needed."
"Thanks, Ranma." Akane gave him a small smile and then closed her eyes and passed out again.
"So what do we do now?" Nabiki got everyone's attention and Ranma dropped his head.
-- Next day--
Akane woke up in her bed as the sunlight streamed into her room through the lone window. They had let her sleep a lot since the fight and Kasumi brought her a small meal so she could rest a bit more. She stretched and thought back to just after the fight.
'That was a smart move by the way, dipping her in the pond. Since she can't really fight without her wings it gave you the edge you needed.'
Ranma had complemented her fighting. She began to dress. Maybe she had been a bit hard on him. Yes. Yes she had. Maybe Kasumi would let her cook tonight? That would be just the thing. Finished getting ready she walked out into the hall and turned toward Ranma's room.
"Ranma! Wake up." Akane stared into the room. Ranma was spread out on his futon as usual but there was a new addition to the room. Kiima lay a few feet from Ranma wrapped in her wings. As Akane's rage began to compound Kiima turned onto her stomach and stretched out her wings creating a makeshift blanket for Ranma.
Ranma was having a great dream. Every martial art was his to master and he had tons of good food around him. He began to focus on one of his chi techniques and warmth spread over him. He nuzzled against it. Suddenly he could swear he heard thunder.
"RANMA YOU PERVERT!" Akane lashed out with two swift kicks that launched both sleeping forms out into the yard.the hard way.
Downstairs, the rest of the Tendo family sat around the table enjoying breakfast.
"Daddy, are you sure it was a good idea to let her stay?" Nabiki stared at her father as he busied himself with his paper. Things would work out he was sure.he hoped.
"Oh my, the both of them will want hot water I guess."
Outside Ranma and Kiima sat in the koi pond after their impromptu flight. Dropping their heads they both had the same thought:
'Why me?'
End episode 1
^_^