Chapter 14

Ukyou headed to the middle of the park. The water plume of the fountain was visible through the trees from most places of the park. She scanned the people already gathered.

First, Ranma and Taro had not shown up yet. Thus the gathered crowd was more or less around the fountain. Once the fight started the crowd would likely unite to one side using the water as a shield. At least Ranma would steer the fight away from crowd and water.

The biggest group was headed by Nabiki. She was hard at work, gathering bets and selling what little information she had. Ukyou noticed four sentries, each one looking in a different direction, to spot Ranma and Taro. They were the usual grunts that owed Nabiki so much they were working it off.

A smaller older group stood away from people and glared at anyone too close. Ukyou wondered if they were related to Taro. It didn't feel like it. He didn't sail with anyone but her on the cruise. They were wearing martial art gigis. It didn't make them artists, but watching Ranma fight wasn't a costume sort of event.

The group Ukyou was looking was Konatsu and Ryoga. They were standing beside Soun and Genma.

Ukyou sighed as she walked over. She might have forgiven Ranma for his part all those years ago but fury still burned in her about Genma. A grown adult would've known what he was doing was stealing. Learning about Genma's other training ideas, did not help either. But, this wasn't the time to rehash that.

Konatsu waved enthusiastically at Ukyou. Ukyou returned the wave and joined them.

"Ohayo, Ukyou!" Konatsu greeted.

"Ohayo. Are they here, yet?" Ukyou asked, while scanning for them again.

"No, it's early yet."

"Hey Ukyou, did you see or hear about Akane?" Ryoga asked, his voice dropping in volume so that only their immediate group would hear.

Ukyou frowned, thinking. "Well, no. She didn't come to school today. Ranma said she was feeling ill."

Konatsu pointed. "She's over there."

Akane was standing near the Nabiki gathering. Akane had her own little group of girls chattering at her. It took a few moments but finally Ukyou saw what the boys were talking about. Akane was sporting an impressive shiner. Her right eye was so swollen! Ukyou bet Akane wasn't seeing out of it.

"Oh My. Excuse me." Ukyou set her bookbag down beside Konatsu and sprinted over to Akane. "Akane, honey! What happened!"

A girl glared at Ukyou for interrupting her; they were talking about how to cover the bruise for the beauty contest. Akane blushed; getting all this attention for a mistake was really embarrassing. "Ukyou! Um, yah. I got this yesterday afternoon."

"But how, and why is it so…"

"I was working out. I was practicing chops. We think a piece of wood hit me." Akane grew more embarrassed with explaining. Her school girl friends thought it was brave of Akane to have the bruise. Ukyou and other artists would know it for the sign of failure it was.

"We?" Ukyou prodded.

"Kasumi." Akane shrugged. "I wasn't out long but I guess I didn't get ice on it fast enough."

"Akane! They are starting!" A classmate called.

It was true. Ukyou had missed their entrance and were already exchanging blows. It was pointless to say goodbye; all the attention was riveted on the fight.

Ukyou moved back to her group, totally missing the first attacks. After a few seconds she squeezed beside Konatsu.

"This is not good, Soun." Genma stated grimly, while watching the two combatants. They were standing next to Ukyou's group. Ukyou felt no remorse at eavesdropping on their conversation.

Tendo paled. "I thought you said Ranma would take care of the problem."

Genma shook his head. "This Taro has the moves to make this a difficult fight. My son will win. Us Santome's win even when we run."

Tendo frowned. "It's early yet in the fight, Genma!"

Genma looked piercingly at his friend. "Yes, Ranma would finished it already, if Taro was unskilled. Yet Taro is fighting and it's quite obvious that he has a plan. See that! Taro isn't making all the hits he could."

Ukyou had to agree. Genma had pointed out a small opening in Ranma's defense. Maybe Taro wasn't skilled enough to hit it, but there were other hits Taro did that were more complicated.

Tendo shrugged. "As Ranma's sensei, you could restore any honor Ranma lost today."

Genma paled. "You're the owner of the dojo, Tendo. Perhaps it should be you facing the opponent that Ranma fails to best."

Ukyou disgustedly sighed to herself. Again, the quote, unquote adults were trying to dodge their responsibility.

"If he bested me, he could claim the dojo. That would leave all of us on the street." Tendo pointed out.

"Don't you worry. I have a foolproof plan that will ensure that we'll get want we want, even if Ranma lets us down."

Ukyou shook her head and tried to concentrate more on the fight.

"Fight, Baka!" Ranma called in frustration. She rarely heard Ranma get frustrated during a fight. Usually it was his weaker opponents' complaint.

"What do you think we're doing?" Taro calmly returned.

They steadily traded blows neither gaining any good hits against each other.

Ukyou wondered out loud, "What's going on?" A feeling of dread grew in Ukyou's stomach. Ranma losing his cool in a fight wasn't good.

"I think, Taro is somehow not escalating the fight. He's been moving fast only to dodge and he's not launching into aerial attacks that Ranma use."

"If Taro is that good to dodge Ranma…"

"But he isn't. Ranma usually still gets a hit in. Taro has been taking it, not going for revenge or getting angry."

Ukyou looked at the combatants. She could see Konatsu's point. Taro was fighting but all his moves were defensive with an edge of offensive. Taro looked worse off than Ranma.

"It's almost like they were training against each other. Taro is trying to take teacher role but Ranma slips inside Taro's guard." Konatsu observed.

Ryoga scoffed, "Taro is just holding back. He's been pausing when he could've gained the upper hand."

Ranma cried out, "Man! Why aren't you fighting to win!"

Suddenly Taro's speed picked up. Ranma grinned. In a couple moves, Taro maneuvered them next to the water fountain. The crowd grew restless and shifted to the other side for protection.

"Because, boy, I've already won." Taro said coldly. Taro charged at Ranma. Ranma powered his chi ready to knock Taro senseless. Taro did the one thing he had yet to do. He leaped, as he used Ranma's chi as a step to jump even higher. Taro's chi burned bright as his arms clapped together. The wind answered, knocking the water plume of the fountain into the crowd.

Everyone shouted in dismay. Several people managed to bring arms and bookbags up, but everyone got soaked anyway. Except Ryoga and Ukyou.

They had been on the fringe of the crowd. They knew the water wasn't a good shield since they were cursed. They trusted their martial ability to duck the fight. They jumped back as the crowd cringed. Ryoga block his share with his umbrella. Ukyou manage most of hers with the flat of the spatula. Konatsu happened to shield Ukyou from what she wouldn't have dodged.

Dry, Ryoga and Ukyou looked at each other and laughed.

"Close call!" Ryoga yelled. Ukyou grinned and nodded.

There was a girl's scream, "Akane!" that centered everyone's attention. Ukyou tried to peer over the shoulder of the crowd to see what they gathered around. Ranma and Taro had ceased fighting.

A dog yipped. It was from inside the crowd. It was a white dog with brown spots. The curse form of the Jusenkyo dog spring, Ukyou identified to herself. It fled into the park. Ukyou was frozen in shock.

Ranma darted into the crowd. Then he sprinted away following the dog with Akane's dress, calling for her.

Soun stepped up to Taro and angrily demanded to Taro, "Uncurse my daughter!"

"Once I have spoken to the Master of the Anything Goes Martial Arts. Leave word at Ucchan's when he's...available. If you delay... well you don't want to see any more cursed forms- do you?"

Taro walked, calmly off.