"Um, Ryoga?" Akane's voice reached across the courtyard to where her "champion" was pacing. "You've been out there for nearly an hour. Would you like to sit down and have a cup of tea?"
The short-haired boy paused, glancing skyward to gauge the sun's position in its path across the heavens. "It's almost two o'clock; Shampoo will be here at any moment."
Ranma's laughter tore across Ryoga's senses. "Well, he couldn't find his way out of a paper bag with both hands and a map, but at least he's got a good sense of time!" Ryoga glared at his rival, who was seated on a cushion beside Akane at the table.
"Ranma, if you weren't already injured, I'd—"
"Ryoga, save it for Shampoo," Akane gently chided him. "As you said, she'll be here soon."
He nodded once, lowering his gaze to the ground. Akane, for your sake I can endure any insult.
As he stared at the grass before him, a shadow passed across his field of vision. He looked up sharply to see Shampoo land neatly in the yard not ten feet away.
"It two o'clock. We fight now, for life of Akane Tendo." Her amethyst eyes were stern, and her voice carried a grim edge.
Without looking down, Ryoga slid a foot under the umbrella lying on the ground and kicked it up, catching it in his right hand. His eyes met Shampoo's as he slipped into a fighting stance. "I'm ready."
Shampoo jumped high into the air, arcing over Ryoga's head to get behind him. Following the trajectory of her leap with his eyes, Ryoga stepped aside, bringing his umbrella up as he moved. Just as Shampoo's feet alighted upon the ground, Ryoga's blow hit home, catching her hard in the back.
She staggered from the impact, but shook it off quickly. A small smile crept onto her face. He's good. She lashed out with a foot to knock him off balance, but he jumped back, out of range. I cannot hold back; as great-grandmother said, I must find out if he is worthy.
o o o o o
From their seats inside, Akane and Ranma watched the opening moves of the fight. The short-haired girl turned to Ranma and asked, "What do you think Ryoga's chances are?"
Ranma leaned back, hands supporting his head. "I'd give him pretty good odds. One of Ryoga's biggest weaknesses was his lack of stamina, but I drilled him fairly hard over the past couple of days. I think he'll be able to hold out."
Akane nodded. "How did that thing with the melons turn out?"
"Oh, my 'Attack of the Hundred Melons?' Ryoga finally managed to beat it late yesterday afternoon."
"I'm glad." She peered at him, arching a suspicious eyebrow. "Say, where did you get that attack, anyway? I've never heard of it before."
"That's because I made it up." Ranma grinned. "I couldn't pass up the chance to get Ryoga to let me throw fruit at his head."
Akane socked her fiancé in the face with a cushion. "Ranma! That's horrible!"
He held up his arms to protect his face. "Hey, it worked, didn't it?" He pointed out at the fight going on in front of them.
o o o o o
Shampoo and Ryoga stood at opposite ends of the courtyard, eyeing each other warily. Slowly, Ryoga slid open his umbrella. She's fast. But let's see her dodge this!
He hurled the umbrella, which spun toward its target with deadly accuracy – and with equally deadly accuracy, Shampoo smashed it out of the air with one of her bon-bori.
The corner of her mouth uplifted in a predatory smile. You don't need weapons, Ryoga. Show me the strength of your bare hands!
Ryoga's eyes narrowed. He reached up and withdrew a spare bandana from the ones he kept twined around that signature accessory. He pulled it taut and sent it spinning through the air, the cloth now a lethal blade. Shampoo raised one of her bon-bori to deflect it. The bandana cleaved through the handle of her weapon, and the heavy ball-end fell to the ground at her feet.
Shampoo stared at the sundered weapon in her hand. A moment later, the handle clattered to the ground beside its other half. The Amazon switched to a two-handed grip on her remaining weapon, letting out a battle cry as she leapt at her opponent.
Ryoga found himself facing down a tempest of blows that seemed to come from all directions at once. Determination painted itself across his features. It's time. "Attack of the Hundred Melons Defense!"
The rest of the world dissolved as Ryoga's consciousness narrowed to the challenge before him. Sensing the arc of his adversary's weapon, he blocked each strike before it came within range. At the center of it all stood his enemy. This can't go on forever. I have to find an opening— There!
Ryoga struck. Shampoo, not anticipating an attack in the midst of her own assault, was completely unprepared for the punch. With all of Ryoga's strength behind it, the blow sent Shampoo flying backwards into a tree at the far end of the courtyard. The Chinese girl lay still, and her remaining weapon fell from her limp hand.
