Guest Ki: Chapter 7

Discovery

"Tell me again why we're doing this?"

Ranma was busy stringing potato chips from Ryoga's shirt and arms. He wanted positive proof that Barry could control the force of his strikes. Akane had grumpily complained that she wasn't made of eggshells and Ranma, in sheer bloody-mindedness, decided potato chips were the next best thing. Ryoga, of course, with his toughness, was the guinea pig again and complaining about it.

"Hey, man! It's just more training; besides eggs are too expensive."

"Maybe to you, Ranma, but… dammit! These things make me itch."

'He itches, huh? Let's hint that this is really a subtle plan to invite him to dinner in his own crumb-coating.' After reawakening that morning, Ranma had quickly determined that, whatever was between Ryoga and Akane, it didn't involve the girl knowing about the fanged boy's curse. Ranma snickered at this otherwise unheard comment.

"What's so funny, Ranma?" asked the uncomfortable one. Ranma was less than subtle and told him, without bothering to identify the source.

"Maybe we'll just pick up where we left off this morning." Fangs flashed briefly in a grin that was not quite amused.

"Quick as I can, P-chan," he commented slyly. "We don't want to hold lunch, after all."

"R-r-r-ran-MA!" Ryoga snarled as the pigtailed martial artist dodged a swipe and carefully positioned the last chip. He jumped back and surveyed his work.

Ryoga appeared to be wearing a suit of golden scale mail. It covered him from his neck to his knees and rustled when he moved. Akane viewed all this with a mixture of sympathy for Ryoga and curiosity about its application.

Akane was wearing one of her yellow gi. Ranma had retrieved her belongings as soon as he recovered from the violence of her greeting — He didn't think the bruises and lumps would take too long to heal — and had even managed to find the clothes she lost the previous evening. Her store of prepared food was a happy surprise. It meant less time needed for foraging. Ranma had expected to lose significant amounts of time foraging, even with Ryoga as an unexpected guest. If anyone knew more about the fine art of foraging than Ranma, it was Ryoga. The potato chips came from sealed tubes in Akane's cache.

"What kind of training is this, Ranma?" asked the girl. "A 'try to steal the chip before Ryoga pounds you' training?"

Ranma got a peculiar, distant look on his face before replying.

"Actually, no, Akane, but hold that thought; we just might try it some time." He turned back to where Ryoga stood. The latter had a dark look on his face. He was obviously feeling self-conscious, if not downright silly.

"This is Barry's trainin'. I want him ta spar with Ryoga usin' my skills, but not hit him hard. Ryoga's more than tough enough if there are mistakes, but the object is not ta break the chips."

"But Barry-san can't swing into overdrive unless he's really threatened, can he, Ranma?" Akane spoke aloud what Barry had been silently and sarcastically voicing.

"No problem there, tomboy," Ranma smirked. "Barry doesn't entirely trust pig-boy here. That's why I had ta knock us out earlier. Since Barry-baka was acting instinctual, sort-of, Ryoga'd been extra-crispy if I hadn't, and I don't like my bacon that way."

"Ranma!" Ryoga's growing anger was beginning to get to Barry, as Ranma no doubt intended it should. He focused nervously on the lost-boy as Akane and Ranma continued their discussion.

"Is Barry that dangerous, Ranma? I mean you beat Saffron and if… Well, maybe we should ask someone."

"Like Cologne? Nah!" Ranma waved her off. "Let's keep the old mummy outa this, if we can. Even if she doesn't know how ta help us, she'll pretend she does and try ta hitch me up with Shampoo." He shrugged. "Barry ain't that bad; he's just upset, missin' his wife and kid. He's as old as our dads are; and besides, he never trained in martial arts, much less the responsibility of the Art itself." Ranma sighed and shook his head. "No…discretion. Yeah, that's the word. All he could do was stop Ryoga, not try ta figure out if he could stop him with less or do it without hurtin' him." He canted a look toward Ryoga. "This'll change that, I hope."

"Right, Ranma," Ryoga had calmed down a bit during Ranma's uncharacteristically long speech. He had not really considered Barry as anything except a second, annoying aspect of Ranma and the idiocies he got everyone involved in and profited from. "It seems unfair to pound on a guy who's a total amateur, though."

"Look at it this way, bristle butt," Ranma returned slyly. "It's another chance for ya ta pound on yours truly, and I'm even lettin' you have a fair chance. Biida!"

Ryoga's eyes narrowed and Akane sighed. It was so-o predictable.

"Ranma, I'm going to enjoy kicking your butt from one end of the island to the other." He cracked his knuckles and attacked.

"All yours, Barry!"

'What!' "Whoa!"

It was a replay of the prior evening, except Ranma was not tweaking ki supplies. Barry took two glancing blows before the seriousness of the situation allowed him full control. Instinctively, he sought the ki attacks with which he was most familiar, but Ranma blocked him.

'Uh, uh, uh! Straight sparring, Barry. Try not ta break the chips. Or my body.'

Barry had previously discovered the futility of simply blocking Ryoga's kicks or punches. Though Ranma possessed sufficient strength to do so, he lacked the toughness Ryoga developed. Receiving blows of that magnitude was too much punishment to be a winning proposition.

He counterattacked, remembering only at last second, he was supposed to try to controlthe force of the blows.

Deflect — Spin — Back-fist — (rats! cracked chips!) — Evade low — Sweep-kick — Rising open-hand strike — (oops, more cracked chips!) — Block high — Block middle — Knee strike — (good!) — Fist in face/missed block — (ouch!) — Spin-kick...

Within five minutes, every chip on Ryoga was broken. He stood there, lips pulled back in such a horrendous snarl that both Ranma and Akane backed away with concern.

"Is…this...training...done?" Ryoga's voice held the hint of madness. Ranma backed up another step. Had his friend lost it completely?

"Ummm… Yes?"

"Thank kami-i-i!" Ryoga's voice trailed off as he vanished from sight. "Crumbs! Damn you, Ranma! Oh, the crumbs!"

"Poor Ryoga!" commented Akane shuddering. "Potato chip crumbs all through his clothes. It must be hell." She covered her eyes as Ryoga charged through, clad only in boxers.

"Where's the water! Where's the damn water!"

"Lost as usual! I'll get him." Ranma grabbed a thermos and charged after the suffering young man. "Wait here," he called back over his shoulder.

Akane gaped after the two, then got up and trailed along after them.

"Wonderful!" she commented in disgust. "This is supposed to be for my training and I sit around while they act like idiots! Honestly!" She grumbled to herself as she kicked an inoffensive stone out of the way. "All that trouble and I don't even get any time alone with him!" She blushed. "Well, almost none..." Fanning herself, she picked up a canteen from her pile of supplies then trudged into the woods. "Might as well find that life jacket."

Nabiki silently considered the statement Nodoka made. 'So she thinks Ryoga and P-chan are one and the same, hmmm?'

"Ryoga's a little shy about his curse, Auntie," she replied easily. That was certainly true. "Could you sort of keep it under a basket?"

"Keep it quiet?" Nodoka was shocked. "Why... What do you mean?"

"When Ryoga first came here after Jusenkyo, he got lost as he usually does and Akane found him. She was going to keep him as a pet." All the truth, of course, and the point of this discussion. "Of course, she'd never do that if it was a boy! Especially back then." Also true. "I thought it was a good joke to get her a pig that looked a lot like Ryoga." It will be, anyway. "That's P-chan. Ryoga's a good friend to both my sister and your son. Sometimes, I think we keep P-chan around just to tease the poor jerk."

"A pig, like Ryoga's cursed form?"

"If you're ever around when Ryoga is, you'll hear Ranma call him all sorts of names, especially when they're sparring, 'P-chan', 'bacon bits', even 'pork roast'. Poor Ryoga's nearly been made into one a few times. His curse isn't any dark secret, Auntie. I guess someone just got the wrong idea."

Nodoka stared at the two for the longest moment, but saw only a cool, calculating Nabiki and a blankly smiling Kasumi. She finally smiled herself. "I'm sorry. I must be getting old." She looked at her feet embarrassed. "Please, forgive me. I received an anonymous letter and immediately thought evil. I..."

"There is really nothing to forgive, Aunt Nodoka," Kasumi said a little shakily. "You only want what is best for Ranma."

After Nodoka left that evening, Nabiki knocked on Kasumi's door. After a moment her sister appeared, eyes red with tears.

"Don't be so upset, oneechan. You didn't lie, not really."

"How can you say that, Nabiki? We've lied to her every day since Aunt Nodoka first came. Ranko. Imaginary training trips. Now this! Why?"

"Because our dear auntie is a bit of a fruitcake, oneechan."

"You don't think she would try to keep Ranma and Akane apart, do you? Not after all they've been through?" Kasumi was aghast at the very idea. Hadn't her sister been through enough?

"Who knows what lurks in her medieval mind? You're asking me to judge a woman who walked around for ten years with a sword on her shoulder, on the off chance that her son is 'unmanly'."

"But what about Akane's 'P-chan'? What if Ryoga does come back? Akane must be told now. She should have been told before this! And Aunt Nodoka will expect to see Akane's pet. Are you going to buy a little black pig to replace him?"

"Of course not, oneechan! Moi… spend money on a pig?" She smirked. "A certain Masuranoya owes me. I think I can convince him to trade merchandise instead of money." When Kasumi looked blank, she added, "He's a pet store owner, Kasumi. I know for a fact he sells pot-bellied pigs, because I saw a couple there once that looked just like P-chan." She grinned reflectively. "I bet I can even match the hairs on his cute little head!"

On the way back from the pet store, Nabiki Tendo stopped at Ucchan's. She thought to have a dry run with Ukyo to see if she noticed anything different in 'Akane's pet'.

Ucchan's was closed and locked and the neighbors had not seen the okonomiyaki chef for some time. Nabiki frowned and considered the news, ignoring the quiet squealing coming from the pet carrier. Ukyo had her faults, but reneging on debts wasn't usually among them...

…Unless, perhaps, something happened to make her give up on Ranma. It might be possible that she would equate running out on these matters with revenge for Genma running off with her father's yatai.

Nabiki hated situations like this. Ukyo was Ranma's friend and Ranma would want to know she was missing, but she had no idea how to contact him or when he'd return. And she hated to throw good money after bad. Still, the colder the trail, the longer the hunt! Maybe this would alleviate some of Ranma's anger toward her. She had pegged him as a 'nobler-than-thou' superman who, while perfect for her sister, was also her perfect mark. Oh, well! Apparently, he simply had a frightfully long fuse and people like that tended to hold grudges. She would call the police to list Ukyo Kuonji of Nerima District, Tokyo, missing. Then she'd check with Kasumi to see if she had Konatsu's number. She probably would.

After a call to the ninja, she would contact some of her associates to track down where Ukyo had last been seen and in which direction she was headed. She considered another idea, discarded it, reconsidered and decided that payback was in order. The Nekohanten would be perfect for lunch.

"Welcome to the Nekohanten. How may I help you?" Mousse's almost perfect Japanese was delivered to the coat-rack beside the door. She reached over and flipped his glasses down.

"Mousse, hel-LO! Over here?"

"Oh! Can I be of service, Tendo-san?"

Ah, blessed formality! Not 'Hello, Nabiki!' or 'What do you want, you money-grubbing witch!' just 'Can I be of service, Tendo-san!' If she had had any doubts about guilty consciences here, that sank them.

"Hello, Mousse," she smiled openly, innocently, which immediately put him on guard. "Could I have the special, please?" She sat the carrier on the floor beside her chair and added, "Oh, and whatever seems appropriate for my sister's pig here." She patted the case.

Mousse glanced at the case, then at her and called the order back. "One special, one small fish ramen!"

While she waited for her order, Shampoo came in from a delivery. She skipped in merrily, then stopped dead as she saw Nabiki. In a glide altogether different from Akane's stiff-legged stomp, she moved into range.

"What pervert-girl sister doing in Nekohanten?"

"Oh, my! Are you saying you don't want my business?"

"Granddaughter," snapped a gravely voice out of the back, "mind your manners!"

One large and one small bowl sailed out of the kitchen to be caught absently by Shampoo and Mousse. As the latter reached to open the carrier, Nabiki stopped him. He looked up through his coke-bottle glasses questioningly.

"Let me, Mousse. He's been acting really nervous of late." She fielded the small bowl from him and gingerly placed it in the cage. Then she set to on her own bowl with a contented smile. There was at least an even chance that, before this was over, she'd have a free meal. She ignored Shampoo's looming glower and Mousse's nervous twitch (because of Shampoo's looming glower) and Cologne's curious glance at her two charges.

"Where pervert-girl?" Shampoo made the first move.

"Hmmm… You know, Shampoo, I don't believe I know anyone named 'pervert-girl'. Is she new in town?"

"Grrr! Nabiki know Shampoo mean Akane," Shampoo snapped. "Akane in big trouble if she with airen!"

"'Oh, my!' to borrow a phrase from my sister." Nabiki slurped on, watching a potentially lethal Shampoo with apparent unconcern.

"Where is Son-in-law?" Cologne held up a hand to forestall a repeat of Nabiki's earlier digression. "Ranma. We heard he and your sister had another argument."

Nabiki held out her hand in the time-honored gesture. Cologne gestured at Mousse, who sighed and pulled several hundred-yen bills from somewhere. He handed one to Nabiki. "You are going to repay me, aren't you?" he inquired testily of Cologne.

"Actually, the only harsh words that passed," Nabiki interrupted, "aside from the usual regarding Akane's cooking — were with me and perhaps, our fathers. He chose to go on a training trip after that and hasn't returned yet." She folded the bill and tucked it away. After her answer, she ate some more while Shampoo again became offensive.

"Akane with Ranma? If not say, Shampoo give 'kiss of…' Ite!"

Cologne lowered her staff. "That's enough of that, granddaughter. The 'kiss of death' is between trained warriors only! Don't misuse it. Nabiki, dear, could you please tell us where Akane went and where she is now?" Nabiki held out her hand. Mousse groaned and handed her another bill.

"Thank you, Granny," she chirped, tucking the money away. "Akane went to visit an aunt of ours who knew my father and Ranma's when they were children. After that, Akane was going on a training trip of her own."

"Is Akane with Ranma?" Shampoo's tone was absolute zero. Nabiki held out a hand with a smirk.

Shampoo smashed the table and took a single step toward Nabiki who merely tapped her lips with her napkin.

"I guess lunch is over. My associates, of course, will notify the police if I don't come back out happy and in one piece." She stood up, placed the carrier on her chair and handed the nonplused Shampoo the small bowl. "Come on, P-chan," she cooed. "We won't let nasty Amazons disturb your recovery."

"Recovery?" inquired Cologne. "Was he hurt?"

"Oh, no," Nabiki answered with relish. "Our vet mentioned that P-chan might be getting lost all the time because he was out hunting little girl-pigs. We did the only responsible thing and had him neutered." The Chinese contingent's eyes became like saucers and everyone froze, shocked at the implications. "I just picked him up from the vet." Mousse chose that moment to keel over in a faint. She looked down at the unconscious Master of Hidden-Weapons-and-Other-Household-Objects, and up at the two women. "Something wrong? Anyway," she said, changing the subject, "have you people seen or heard from Ukyo the past week?"

They shook their heads staring at the carrier.

"Oh, well. Thanks for the food. Ta-ta!"

She felt her control was well worth the effort of making it home before going into hysterics. Then she began to call about Ukyo.

Back at the Nekohanten, Cologne was interrogating Shampoo and Mousse. The two stood, essentially at attention, as she pogo-ed before them.

"You two have been acting strange all week. Now, this happens." She glared at them. "What have you been up to?"

In unison, they convulsively swallowed.

Ranma, in girl-form, scrubbed at the stained clothes in the water by her feet. Beside her, a small form 'bwee-ed' and shifted in the cold water, occasionally shaking itself and throwing dark looks at the girl who was stripped down to boxers and undershirt for the task.

"Okay, all right, already!" she grumped. "It was a stupid idea! But you weren't the only one who lost out, ya know!"

"Skweeee! Bark! Buk-weee! BweeEEE!" (Translation: 'Sure, Ranma! You are in such pain!') P-chan shook himself all over. Those damn crumbs had gotten everywhere.

"Hey, man! Washing is your cure. But I ain't never gonna get the stains outa these things. I thought this brand of chip was supposed ta be greaseless!"

"Bu-WEEEeee! Bwee! Weree! Beewee! Bleee-urh, bark!" (I don't think wearing them was planned for, Ranma!)

Ranma held up the sopping clothing Ryoga had been wearing. There was an obvious difference in the coloring, even when wet. They were faintly yellow over the entire front of the shirt and legs.

"Eeuw!" She grimaced and glanced to where P-chan now struggled in agitation with the thermos cap. "I don't think these are wearable, anymore." Seconds later, Ryoga was restored through the vehicle of hot water.

"Ranma!" Ryoga grabbed the cringing redhead by the shoulders and shook her. He brought her close and glared into her blue eyes to better impress upon her just how ticked off he was.

"Ranma! Ryoga!" The two flinched as Akane's voice rang against the waters of the lake. With guilty, trembling smiles, their heads turned to regard the girl with the bluish aura who stood, lifejacket forgotten in her hand, only ten meters away at the edge of the woods. Ryoga quickly twisted and yanked Ranma in front of him in an attempt to hide his nakedness from the dark-haired fury.

"Uhhh... Hi, Akane! Uh… how long have you been there?" Ranma's feminine voice shook. She saw pain in Akane's eyes — hers! 'Gulp!'

"Long enough!" Akane glared at the sight before her.

'Double Gulp!' "I... I'm sorry, Akane," Ryoga stammered, "I should have told you..."

"That you two are perverts? Why would I want to know!"

(BAM! SMASH! CRUNCH! CRASH! (Maim) WHACK! POW!)

Akane put her mallet away and stomped off, convinced that Ranma and Ryoga had developed a 'thing' for one another. Why else would the two be nearly naked and hugging one another after running away from her? Or just possibly, they wanted to make it a three-some with her. Why else get her out here alone? Back on the beach, the mangled forms of the two in question began to stir.

'The pain... oh, the pain!' silently moaned Barry Barlowe.

"That went rather well, all things considered," mumbled Ryoga.

"Speak for yerself, pork-butt," groaned Ranma.

Later, Ranma trudged through the woods, knuckles practically dragging on the ground. Behind her came Ryoga, holding one end of a ruined silk shirt in his hand. Ranma gripped the other end, as a precaution to avoid losing him in the woods.

Her first impulse, after recovering from Akane's pounding, was to run after the girl and try to explain. Barry had scotched that. He reminded Ranma that Ryoga would get lost and they'd spend valuable time searching for him. Once they had a base where Ryoga was settled, they could track Akane if necessary.

Ryoga was unusually quiet. He was certain his secret identity as P-chan had been discovered. He hardly cared anymore. With the threat of castration ever present at the Tendo's, he no longer had the driving need to hide his curse. He was tired of living the lie. What he had said, while looking at the enraged Akane, was the absolute truth. If he had any honor, he should tell her and accept whatever punishment she felt he deserved. He left Akari. Now he'd never see Akane again and, what was worse, she'd despise him. He ground his teeth and tears filled his eyes.

Barry felt something strange happening. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it felt like a great weight of power building up somewhere close.

'Ranma, Japan is volcanic, right? Is this lake a dormant cone?'

'Not that I heard. Why?'

'Can't you feel it?'

Ranma glanced behind. "Ryoga, don't!"

"Shishi HOUKUDAN!"

(KA-­­BOOOOOOOM!)

Back at the camp, Akane was in the process of cooling down. With Ranma not immediately following her and exacerbating the situation, she had time to review what she saw and consider that maybe — just maybe — she was jumping to conclusions. She still remembered that horrifyingly embarrassing incident with the 'magic koi rod', where Ranma had fallen passionately in love with Ryoga. To tell the truth, she never had gotten a satisfactory explanation of what had been going on that time.

Just then, Ryoga's ki-blast lit up the tree line. Chunks of rock and debris darkened the sky, and moments later she was dodging gravel-sized debris thrown from the blast. She hesitated only seconds before heading back to investigate. Not far from the blast center, she heard a strangled yell.

'So that's a Shishi Houkudan.'

Ranma ignored her guest, groaned and tried to figure out where she had been thrown. Barry had done something strange (Hopefully, he could do it again.) that had saved her/their lives. A plane of energy had sprung into existence to shield them a mere instant before Ryoga's Shishi Houkudan had been released. They rode out the blast like a surfer rode a wave, but ended up in a tree fifteen meters off the ground. Now, she was painfully suspended by her undershirt with a rather difficult proposition for getting down. Finally, Ranma saw Akane coming back and tried to get her attention.

"What are you doing up there." Akane shook her head in disbelief.

Ranma ignored the pain in her chest and crossed her arms under her bosom. "I'm hangin' by my tits, dammit!" she replied crudely. "What does it look like I'm doin'?"

Akane flung her arms wide in disgust. "How should I know? Are you all right?"

"Oh sure! The maniac that was beating me with a… Ite! Ite! Stop that! WhooOOOPS!" Ranma seemed to be pummeled about the head by an unseen assailant. As she tried to protect herself, she slipped free of her undershirt and barely snagged the tail. Now she was hanging exposed for all to see.

"Excuse Ranma, please, Akane," Barry called down. "He's a bit put out that he didn't realize Ryoga might react this way."

Akane looked puzzled for an instant before realizing that Barry was in the fore. "Why did he do that?"

"Oh, I don't know," answered Barry dryly. "Maybe someone rather thoughtlessly accused him and a friend of something really nasty, then pummeled them both into unconsciousness." The redhead swung silently for a second. "No, I really can't imagine why, can you?"

Akane gulped. She'd had enough time to think and Barry's words had fallen right in line with her own thoughts. Even as she stared up at her fiancé, Ranma rather abruptly took over and scrambled for purchase.

"Barry! Leave Akane alone, dammit!" The entangled shoulder chose that moment to snap through and Ranma plummeted. She scrabbled sideways, trying to get a push off the trunk, but it was too far away.

(CRUNCH!)

"Ranma!" They could hear Akane hurrying over.

'You know, Ranma, we do have that new ki move — the 'Ribbon of Light'? You could have grabbed the trunk with that.'

"Why didn't you do it?"

'Hmmm!' came the non-committal sigh.

They soon arrived at a crater three meters deep and nine across. All the smaller trees around the crater were broken or knocked over. One large tree partly in the crater had lost all its branches on the near side and all its leaves except for those protected by the main trunk. In the bottom, in a pool of steaming water, was Ryoga.

"We gotta get him outa there fast!" exclaimed Ranma.

"But Ranma, you shouldn't move someone till you're sure they don't have serious injuries." Akane crouched in the water. She neglected to consider that the Shishi Houkudan wasn't responsible for Ryoga's injuries—she was. "Ow! This is hot!"

"Yeah, but water's seeping in here fast, Akane." Ranma relayed in his own words, advice Barry was feeding him. "It'll cool off fast, too, and he'll go inta shock. He was in real bad shape a few days ago. Besides, do you see any ambulances around here?" Ranma hefted the lost-boy up with a grunt.

"Here goes!"

Ki formed and writhed in Ranma's free hand. With a flicking motion, he snapped his hand forward and the blob of light lengthened to a narrow band that seemed to snap around the scarred trunk of a medium large tree.

"Grab hold, Akane!"

"Ranma? Is that…? Uh... Okay. Whoa!" The band suddenly contracted, lifting the trio out in a gentle arc to land beyond the crater's lip. Akane stood pale as she watched the band of ki sublimate away. "Is that a new ki technique?" Her voice was a bit shaky.

"One of 'em." Ranma looked at Ryoga's recumbent form with disgust. "Oh, jeez! At this rate, I'm gonna run out of clothes ta wear. You baka, Ryoga!"

"Baka yourself, Ranma. Weren't you just worried about him catching a cold?" demanded the dark-haired girl.

Ranma made a disgusted noise. "Pneumonia, I worry about; but him just gettin hurt…?" He made the disgusted 't'cch' again. "A cockroach is easier ta kill." He crouched down. "C'mon, Akane. Help me get 'im back ta camp."

Akane slung the lifejacket onto Ryoga's torso and took his legs. It would take several hours to return to camp lugging the unconscious martial artist over fallen trees and rocks along the way. Akane was tired and confused. Nothing had gone the way she had expected since she caught sight of the island. Yet Akane had come a long way from the boy-hater Ranma met at the Tendo dojo. Then, she could not have imagined, or desired, a romantic interlude with a boy, with... Ranma. She had been almost disappointed when he informed her that he only planned to train her.

Ryoga faded in and out of consciousness. Several times, he would look at Akane and begin to speak. Once he muttered, "Who you callin' P-chan?" His ki levels were enough to keep him alive, but not much more. Just out of reach. Of Akane, that was. She had been his lodestar for so long. Yet he knew he would never have a chance of competing with Ranma. Ranma at least remained human through the curse. All Ryoga had ever been was a pet. A stupid pet! He wept at the injustice.

"Ranma, put him down! I think we're hurting him!"

"C'mon, Akane," Ranma groaned. It had been tough going and she was carrying most of Ryoga's weight. "He's tougher than that."

"Put him down. Please?" Akane lowered Ryoga's legs to the ground, and steadied Ranma as she lowered Ryoga to a sitting position. Ranma felt a surge of jealousy, which she barely managed to control, as Akane supported the lost-boy. After standing there feeling stupid for a few moments, Ranma kicked at the dirt and mumbled about scouting a faster way to camp, then bounced off into the trees.

Akane, left alone with Ryoga, felt his forehead and his pulse. He was actually a little warm to the touch. This was puzzling to her as Ranma, if he went all out, usually felt cold as a result of the reduced amount of ki in his body. She carefully considered her options, then tore a relatively clean section of cloth from his shirt and moistened it from the canteen she had with her.

The damp cloth seemed to bring relief at first. It wasn't very damp; she knew all too well how uncomfortable it could be to have a stream of icy water run down your neck. She had wrung it out thoroughly. Ryoga seemed to relax and enjoy the cool sensation. He opened his eyes.

Green eyes met brown eyes that were dark with concern. Again, the cool cloth stroked his head and he sighed.

"Akane."

"Shhh, Ryoga." She placed a finger on his lips. "Ranma's gone to look for a better way through the woods." She used the cloth again and he closed his eyes.

"Akane, I'm so sorry." He opened his eyes again. "I've never been the friend you thought I was. I wanted to be more... but, that doesn't matter now." He watched her moisten the cloth again and flinched as a drip narrowly missed his hand.

"Ryoga, I... know." He blinked at her. "But I just couldn't think of you that way." Ryoga sighed and closed his eyes. "You shouldn't be sad, Ryoga. In a lot of ways, you're way cuter than Ranma is and a lot nicer, even if you do get lost a lot." She patted his head with the dampened cloth, a faint smile on her lips.

"Did I ever have a chance?" he whispered.

"No one else ever did, really, Ryoga." She smiled sadly. Her hand stroked his forehead in a movement that was oddly familiar to Ryoga. It was the stroke she used to comfort P-chan as she sat on her bed and cried. He wondered if somewhere deep inside she knew the truth. "I used to scream 'I hate boys!' each morning as I ran to school. I still scream that inside when I see some of them looking at me. But I know Ranma would stop them." She stared at the ground. "Even when he's acting perverted himself, sometimes it's almost funny. I don't know why he lets me hit him. I'm sure he could stop me and…and… But he lets me push him away again and again."

Ryoga croaked. "It's my fault..."

Akane snorted. "That's really sweet, Ryoga, but Ranma does do a lot of stupid things, picking on you, for example, but he's really nice in a rough sort of way. We were bound by honor and fought it every inch of the way as they pushed us. Now, it's different. But is it love or is it gratitude? Gratitude bites after a while, Ryoga; but Daddy once told me that, when he understood he loved Mom, he felt like a bird set free from a cage. I wish…"

Ranma bounced into the small clearing smiling. He'd obviously been back at the camp. "I found an easier way, Akane!" Akane's hand on the canteen slipped, and water sloshed generously. Ranma saw this and time seemed to slow. "OOOooooo, NNNnnnooooo! LLLllloookkk OOOuuuttt, RRRrrryyyooogggaaa!"

"Bwee!"

The young woman worked in the kitchen with a natural grace that was breathtaking sometimes.

"Shrimp Tempura, ready!"

"Thank you, Yasashi!" Yoiko took the plate and moved gracefully out to the dining area.

Zadai walked in the back door with bags of laundry from the guesthouses. "How are you this morning, Yasashi?"

"Much better, Zadai-san!" Yasashi, as they called the girl who had stumbled into their lives just the week before, was much changed. They had had to trim her long brown hair to get rid of the worst tangles; now it only came to just below her shoulders, instead of to her hips. She moved a little stiffly, due to the plastering on broken ribs.

The local police had visited, as had a doctor. They asked her questions, chided Yoiko and Zadai about disposing of her wretched clothes before they could be examined for clues. They assured them that the search for her identity should only take a few days.

The doctor had quickly found the broken ribs and, because of her lack of memory and other minor injuries, spent some time trying to convince her to come in for a fuller examination. He then prescribed pain medication and left his card in case she changed her mind.

The old couple had given her the name 'Yasashi', meaning sweetness, because she had been so uncomplaining throughout the ordeal of questioning and the doctor's exam. This was not completely true of course; she did have a temper and had exhibited it just the other day, when a young visitor had made a pass at her. She had turned on him and yelled, "You jackass!" while making a peculiar reaching motion, as if to pull something one-handed over her back. The young man, recognizing when he was not wanted, made a rapid strategic retreat, leaving her looking confused and uncertain.

She had refused their charity and worked hard to earn her keep. She was deceptively strong, and cheerfully carried luggage for arriving guests to their quarters. Zadai had served in the Second World War and recognized Yasashi had all the earmarks of an exceptional martial artist. He didn't recognize her style, but then he'd only experienced the basic hand-to-hand combat training a line soldier had received.

Whatever else she was, she was a superb chef, familiar with most of the tools they had in the kitchen. She could prepare almost anything they asked, including western style meals, to the great relief of one visiting couple who, while enjoying Japanese cuisine, had been hoping for a change. She made them pizza and their tentative sampling (they were well familiar with what most Japanese used as toppings) turned to beatific smiles. A simple thing, that brought a simple joy.

Zadai and Yoiko noticed she seemed preoccupied that evening, but with their inquiries gently rebuffed, went to bed unconcerned. The next day, Yasashi prepared okonomiyaki.

The guests bit into her offerings with expressions of delight. The girl seemed to dance her way through the cooking, even more than usual. Yet tears streamed down her face as she worked, as if what she did brought her as much pain as pleasure.

Yasashi tried to remember.

Tatewaki Kuno stood at the helipad gate to greet his returning sister. Clad in a business suit, he looked more the rising executive than a samurai wannabe. Sasuke jittered nervously to one side, glancing at his watch from time to time and flinching at sudden noises. His nervousness finally broke the silence Kuno had maintained.

"Be at ease, loyal servant! My sister is not due for another twenty minutes."

"Yes, Master Kuno."

"Is everything ready? We must not arouse her suspicions."

Sasuke nodded rapidly.

"Kuno Industries has extensive holdings. I wonder why we did not utilize these particular ones before? Still, better late than never." He looked at his strong hands, callused only from constant work with the sword.

"Sasuke, did you sign the papers I gave you? Did you take them to be witnessed by Kasagani-san?"

"Yes, Master." Sasuke hesitated a moment. "May I ask why?"

Kuno was silent for a long time.

"You know your instructions, faithful one. It is for the best. Do not ask why." Tatewaki thought, 'I'm not certain I could tell you.' They continued their vigil in silence.

Not long after, a helicopter came into view and settled to the pad. As the blades slowed, a black clad woman stepped from the door assisted by the helpful hand of hired help. She glanced across at her welcoming committee and her eyes narrowed faintly.

"Sasuke, get my bags!"

"At once, Mistress."

Kodachi, the Black Rose, Kuno glided across the tarmac to her brother. She moved about him as if flirting with him, testing him subtly.

"So, brother dear," she sighed dramatically. "Did you miss me?"

"Hardly, sister. It was a refreshing interlude." He glanced over at the limousine that waited beyond the fence. "I would arrange to send you to more international competitions, provided I had some assurance that you would not be a complete embarrassment to our country and our family in your search for the most blatant way to cheat."

"What a long-winded way to be impolite. How typical!" Tatewaki offered her a thin smile and walked toward the helicopter. "Wait! Where are you going?" He turned to her with a look of such emotion that Kodachi stepped back.

"I go to further cleanse myself of your poisons, my sister. I will 'rough it' for a time in a mountain retreat. It might be interesting to experience a day of total unrestricted sanity. I feel we have so few these days. Farewell for now, sister."

Kodachi was temporarily nonplused. She watched her brother board the helicopter. Moments later, Sasuke stumbled to the aircraft with four large bags, which he gratefully turned over to the crew. He quickly ran to Kodachi's side (but not too close) and waved to the departing aircraft. After a decent moment, the family servant turned to Kodachi.

"Please, mistress, the limousine awaits."

Kodachi Kuno raised her nose and waved him on. He hurried to the car and turned to her bowing and scraping as he opened the door for her.

"It will be my extreme pleasure to serve... Huh? Where'd she go?"

"I will make my own way to the family estate, Sasuke." The Black Rose's voice drifted back on the breeze and her form was briefly silhouetted against a building. Sasuke stared for a moment, and snapped his fingers. He'd known it wouldn't be easy to subdue and commit Kodachi, the Black Rose.

"Oh, well! Go to plan 'B'!" He jumped into the car and drove off, punching in a number on the dash-mounted cell phone. A bump jostled him, sending his finger where it should not have gone.

"SSSSSSSSSsssssssss!" "Ack! The sleeping gas!" Sasuke's hand fumbled over the dashboard. "The partition window. Must cl-ooossssssee... gzzzzz..."

As the window slowly moved up to close off the passenger area of the limo, Sasuke slipped into sleep and the limo nosed over into a ditch. Plan 'B' would have to wait.

Akane looked down at the limp suit of tattered clothes. Inside, something made soft 'bwee-ing' sounds and tried to sit very, very still. The girl twitched slightly at each sound and slowly put together a multitude of evidence and especially the latest comments of the lost-boy. She thought she ought to be angry.

'She should be angry,' Ranma thought. 'In fact, she should be going ballistic! Why is she just sitting there?'

'Take a look at her ki, Ranma!'

'Oh, boy!'

Akane was like a banked fire in a metal refinery, contained, but hot as hell! Slowly the banked fires burned through the barriers that contained them. Then the heat of her intense aura began to ripple in the air. Still, she did not search the clothes. She knew what was there, but instead brought her glare up to meet Ranma's eyes. There was an unspoken question, which dared to be answered.

'What are you doing?'

Ranma had moved slowly and carefully within the girl's reach. 'I'm explaining and apologizing,' answered Ranma silently.

'Could you do it from further away?'

'We'll take our lumps. Consider it training.'

"Back when Ryoga first showed up," Ranma spoke to the reddened face only a meter away, "I learned that I caused Ryoga ta get a Jusenkyo curse. I promised I wouldn't reveal his secret ta anyone. That was before I found out ya made him yer pet." Ranma spoke as if his life were not at stake, staring at the ground and reciting plainly and simply. "I couldn't just tell ya, Akane, not without bein' as bad as Pops. Ryoga... I think Ryoga had just been alone too long and couldn't give up bein' loved, even if it was just as a pet. I think he's tried ta tell ya a couple a times, but you know Ryoga!" Ranma scratched the back of his head and glanced at the girl. "I tried ta let ya know, insultin' Ryoga and callin' him pig-names, but ya didn't catch on." He closed his eyes and prepared for the ax to fall. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect ya."

There was silence. It lasted a long time.