Guest Ki: Chapter 13
Hot Soup
Akane stood in the cloakroom of the bar. Her body was covered by a robe to her knees, hiding her form from the mass of humanity accumulating around the stage. Ranma leaned across the rope and gave her a thumbs-up. The cloakroom was roped off from the noisy mass of humanity to avoid having the contestants molested as they waited for the contest. Ryoga had volunteered to act as additional crowd control to protect Akane in particular. He hadn't seen the suit yet but had heard some of the planning and was distinctly unhappy.
Barry was allowed control long enough to murmur, "And so the curtain lifts, the lights illuminate the stage; with regal bearing she strides the boards as a conqueror."
"Are you taking lessons from Kuno, Barry?" Akane growled. They had worked on her role – she was confident she had it down pat – Couldn't Barry just leave it alone?
"Cut it out, Barry-Baka," Ranma muttered, taking over. Akane smiled at his rebuke. "She'll be fine."
One by one, the other contestants joined her in the room. Akane was oblivious, concentrating on the odd strategy session she had undergone earlier, when they returned from buying the suit.
"…So anyway," Ranma concluded the strategy part of Akane's briefing, "don't hesitate to use any advantage that comes up. If Shampoo does what we suspect, she'll hesitate right after she makes her move, ta gloat." Ranma shrugged easily. "If ya can act then, ya just might pull it off. Remember what Kolberg-san said, the rules are like sumo wrestling. Slapping, grabbing or pushing, they're all allowed. If either of ya fall inta the noodles or get thrown outa the pool, ya lose. So watch yer stance."
Akane winced and half-covered herself. "Will you two stop talking about 'pulling things off''? It's not helping!"
Ranma threw up her hands and turned things over to Barry. "Okay, Akane," Barry said, "Time for role-playing. You hate boys, right?"
"Well…" She looked at Ranma and blushed. Barry felt the electric thrill Ranma enjoyed and ignored it with difficulty.
"Come on, Akane. You know what I mean — stupid, disgusting, pervert boys who imagine they have some special God-given right to include you in their sick fantasies, simply because they're male."
"Boys!" Akane suddenly said with loathing.
'Kami, Barry!' Ranma exclaimed as Akane went into battle-set. 'You want bring down the place? Literally! You don't know what she's like when she's in full Tomboy-mode.'
'It's a necessary association, Ranma. Be patient.' To Akane, he now said, "Yes, boys are often perverts, Akane. Especially as teenagers, their hormones are raging and they literally don't think with their brains. Pitiful, isn't it?"
Akane glowered. "When are we getting to the characterization, Barry?" she growled. "Disgusting BOYS…" she added.
"We're developing it right now, sweetheart," Barry replied. "Now, think about how pitiful they are, these boys. Of course, after Ranma's training, they can't hurt you anymore."
"They can't…" Akane seemed doubtful for a moment, considering what Barry said.
"You were worried before. When all those boys used to come at you, all at once, there was a chance someone might get lucky or the sheer mass of them might wear you down. You felt that if someone ever managed to beat you, he could demand far more than 'dating'. But, that can't happen anymore."
"But…"
"You would conquer them. Not defeat, not merely hold off, not fight to a standstill. You. Would. Conquer! You could move through those idiots without even touching them now. They're no longer worth the effort. They certainly couldn't touch you. They wouldn't dare! Because now, you're in control."
"I'm… in control," Akane said hesitently, then with more confidence, "I'm in control."
Ranma sat in his mind's back seat, looking for reasons why Akane was acting almost hypnotized. 'Barry, what are you doing to Akane?'
'I'm helping her set up her character, Ranma. What's wrong?' Barry sounded as if he had no idea that anything was out of the ordinary.
"I'm in control!" Akane murmured, a smirk tugging at her lips.A steely mask dropped over her expressive features.
"That's right, Akane. You and your character are in control. They can't touch you. Trust in your new skills and let them look like the fools they are." Barry smiled with satisfaction as Akane's ki shifted. "It looks like you're getting into it quickly. Shall we give your character a name?"
"No need, Barry-san" she answered, grinning almost savagely but staring into space. "My name is Akane of the House of Tendo. I need no other!"
Internally Ranma gulped. Barry stepped back surprised at the sudden feeling of confidence Akane exuded. "Ri-ight!" Barry frowned and stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Do I need to show you how you should walk to add to the effect?"Their hair rose on end as Ranma's danger sense kicked into gear.
"No need, Barry. I know exactly what to do now." Had Herb met Akane now he would haveducked for cover.
Ranma gibbered inside his shared body. 'Kamisama! It's ALIVE!' Unheard manic babbling echoed in the dark corners of his mind. 'Akane's become Princess…'
'Shut up, Ranma,' Barry winced at the unfinished thought. Just what had he done?
Ranma and Ryoga turned their eyes front to watch for men who might forget themselves in the excitement. After the planning session, during a few moments of privacy, they had worked off steam on one another behind the building. Now they stood like a wall. No one was going to bother Akane before it was time. Fortunately, only a few of the arriving customers did more than try to glance past them. Those few were inspired to go elsewhere.
"Hey, Ranma!" two voices chorused.
Ranma jumped. 'Oh, no,' he thought, 'Not them!' He turned.
Hiroshi and Daisuke stood bright and eager like puppies looking for any spare food or a scratch behind the ears. Ranma groaned, while Ryoga looked questioningly at the pair. He never went to Furinkan long enough to recognize the two.
"We were looking at the tube, yah know? And we saw you and Akane and Ryoga here, working in the background?" rambled Daisuke. "We figured we might take a run out this way and…"
Ranma grabbed one in each hand and lifted them off the floor. "What are you two doing here?" he growled.
"Ack! (Gasp!) Ranma! The babes! We're here to see the babes!"
"Go somewhere else!" He put them down again solidly. They stumbled back, startled by his vehemence. Daisuke glanced past him into the cloakroom. And his jaw dropped.
"Hey! Is that Akane in there?" Hiroshi's head snapped over so fast, he developed a crick, which didn't prevent him from getting a good look.
"Kami! Akane is wrestling tonight! Wow—Urk!" Ranma grabbed them both again.
"I said, go somewhere else!" Ranma shook them firmly, coincidentally fixing Hiroshi's crick.
"But we're paying customers!"
"I said, 'Take a hike'!" Ranma's voice lowered two octaves. A faint red glow sprang out like a cloak on Ranma's shoulders then rose up in a demon-cat head, fangs clashing and dripping. Hiroshi and Daisuke's eyes bugged. They fainted. This startled Ranma and Barry so much, they dropped the pair.
"What do you think you're doing?" hissed Himamashi angrily. He missed the cathead aura and only saw two customers being roughly handled. Ranma blinked and stared down at his friends. Shame washed over him.
"I am sorry, Himamashi-san. There is no excuse." He stood there, eyes to the floor. 'For kami's sake!' he thought. 'It was only Hiroshi and Daisuke! They're even my friends… or were.' He knelt down and shook them lightly. "C'mon, guys, I'm sorry! You know how I get…"
Hiroshi, then Daisuke, showed signs of life. Both cringed away from Ranma as he gripped them by the shoulders and apologized again. Both looked for the aura thing then slowly relaxed. Daisuke eyed Ranma.
"Dammit, I'm sorry, guys, I just…"
"Just got crazy about Akane again, huh?" offered Hiroshi innocently. Ranma blushed and started to deny it, then glanced in at Akane only a few meters away. Hiroshi chuckled thoughtfully. "Why is she competing, Ranma?"
"Shampoo's here, too. Challenged her to fight."
"Shampoo's here?" drooled Daisuke.
"Ranma, we accept your apology," they chorused. Then Daisuke added, "Of course, if you want to sweeten it a little…"
"No, Daisuke. I won't go out with you in girl-type." Ranma's mouth was twisted in a grin however. With Daisuke, you always knew what to expect. "Anyone else here?"
"Well, actually…"
"Tell me Kuno and Kodachi didn't come."
"Kuno and Kodachi didn't come," they chorused. Ranma looked at them suspiciously for long moments. "Really!" Hiroshi emphasized, when he realized what his friend was thinking.
"Lotsa other folks did, though," added Dai. "We dropped over at the Tendo's. They were cleaning up after the freak again. Nabiki thought it would be a great idea…"
"On second thought, tell me Kuno and Kodachi came," moaned Ranma. "They might break this thing up!" He smacked himself in the head. "She brought the entire rumor squad with her, didn't she?"
"You know Nabiki," Hiroshi nodded.
Unconsciously, Himamashi, who was just about back to normal color-wise, nodded also. "She's a character! Your Akane's sister?"
"Yah! We think she's studying to be Yakuza. All information costs money."
"She offered me a flat fee and a generous one, if I'd let her run the booking operations on the fight."
"Didja take her up on it?" Ranma asked with a sinking heart. He didn't want Himamashi ripped off by the middle Tendo.
"Of course not!" the big sumo snorted. "I always go with a percentage of the gross."
Ranma's friends took this opportunity to escape. After bowing to the looming Himamashi, they bellowed into the dressing room, "Good luck, Akane!"
Akane looked up, met their eyes and nodded in recognition without changing expression.
"What's wrong with Hibiki-san?" Himamashi asked, indicating Ryoga with a jerk of his head. The lost-boy apparently had been flattened against the far wall since Ranma lost his temper with Hiroshi and Daisuke.
"Got me," Ranma said as he reached over and shook his friend. Ryoga jerked as if he had been in a deep sleep.
"Ranma! What?" He looked at Ranma then looked around wildly. "The cat…" Ranma jumped and swallowed. The last thing he needed was a cat around.
"Where, Ryoga?" he demanded. Ryoga stared at him as if he'd lost his mind. Ranma looked back in the cloakroom but apparently they had seen nothing. He didn't realize that his attempt to move Hiroshi and Daisuke away from the doorway had prevented any of the girls from seeing the aura manifestation. Akane was talking quietly to another girl who had her back to them.
"It's… gone now," Ryoga said shakily. "I'll talk to you about it later." He returned to his place at the door across from Ranma.
Ranma resumed his. His hair prickled from time to time a result of his trained senses registering Ryoga's eyes watching him. He hoped Ryoga would stop that; it would foul his ability to detect trouble coming. If the Nerima betting pool was here who knew what was coming next.
While Ranma was dealing with the perverted pair, a cloaked form came softly up to Akane. "Akane Tendo?" The girl smiled companionably at Akane, but so lost was she in her role creation, for several seconds she had no idea whom she was facing.
"Akari?"
"Shhh!" Akari waved her to silence. "I don't want Ryoga to know I'm here yet."
"What are you doing here, Akari," she whispered back. "Oh! Ryoga, of course. I'm sorry."
Akari sniffed, holding back tears. "I miss him so much, Akane! I don't know why he left." She shook her head in an agony of indecision as to what to say next. "When I saw him on the TV, I had to come; but I couldn't face him!" She blushed. "Then I heard that you were doing the Ramen Noodle Wrestling. When I heard the rules… Why, it was just like wallow wrestling. It was perfect!"
"Perfect? How?"
"That's one way farm girls attract the eye of their boyfriends, Akane," she said as if it should be obvious. "There's no sense in getting good clothes dirty when you're wrestling in mud!"
Akane blushed. This was not the way to prepare for her combat and Akari was such a sweet person. Akane had heard Ryoga's brief explanation, but it wasn't for her to tell. If she did, it wouldn't solve anything. She was very much afraid there was no solution for Akari's dilemma.
Shampoo and Janet were among the last to join the competitors. At the sight of her rival, Akane's persona clicked back into place. Win or lose, she was not going to give Shampoo any satisfaction from it. Shampoo gave Akane a wicked, depreciating smile. It drew no reaction at all. Shampoo frowned as she walked past. Her opponent was acting atypically. She threw up her head and continued past. Whatever it meant, Shampoo would be ready.
Steam rose from the pool of ramen and cheers roared out as Himamashi strode up the sturdy stairs and stood looming in the smoke-filled room.
"Welcome, my friends!" The crowd roared and laughed, eager for the evening to commence. "Tonight is an elimination battle between lovely ladies eager to demonstrate their skills in combat." A roar of approval met this. "Twenty-four young ladies, some with impressive credentials, including TWO of the legendary Amazons of China, will compete tonight! Fortunately, in respect for the laws of our country, they have promised NOT to track down and kill their opponent should they be defeated!" There was nervous laughter among the ladies of the audience. "Be warned! They take combat VERY seriously and wed outsider men only if they prove themselves worthy by defeating them. So watch your hands, gentlemen! You might draw back a bloody stump if your passions lead you astray!"
There was general laughter, some of it nervous.
"As a special treat, we have a real honest-to-kami GRUDGE MATCH between two of our contestants. Both are highly skilled martial artists and will face off regardless of whether either contestant is eliminated during the preliminaries. But first, let's meet our contestants!" He waved toward the cloakroom and the aisle they would traverse. "Let's hear it for Susumu Dokoritsu!"
As he read their names off, each contestant handed her robe to Ranma or Ryoga and proceeded down the runway, circled the stage and returned. Shampoo was called out before Akane or Akari and was adorned predictably in a brief, red string-bikini similar to the one she had worn during the ill-fated sailing trip with Kuno and the gang. She bounced down the aisle and around the stage to the cheers of the crowd. It was obvious she would be a favorite. Akari's name was drawn soon after. Ryoga looked puzzled until she draped her robe over his arm and smiled at him.
Her suit was a modest two-piece in cut, but looked as if it had been crocheted. The result was more like net and threatened to reveal what little it covered. Ryoga stood like stone, a tiny trickle of blood escaping his left nostril. Ranma, and internally Barry, looked up in shock at the calling of her name. They viewed this meeting with a sense of surprise and calculation. Surprise that Ryoga was still standing. Calculating how much longer that would last and what Ryoga's true feelings were for this girl. She progressed, blushing yet proud, down the runway and back again, retrieving her robe as she passed. There were quite a few catcalls and a few coarse remarks. Ranma and Barry were amused to see Ryoga's fist clench, his eyes narrow and his nostrils flare.
Two contestants later, Akane's name was called. She handed her robe to Ranma and strode easily down the aisle. Ryoga was still frozen from his meeting with Akari.
The fabric of her suit was a sheer, soft, shimmering violet. Three almost equal-sized triangles covered breasts and groin. Each triangle would easily have fit on Akane's open hand and were edged by black silk ribbons about a centimeter wide. The ribbons also provided the only means of support for the fabric. Akane had less on, before more people, than she ever had in her life. Under normal circumstances, she would have been looking for some place to hide.
"I am Akane, of the House of Tendo. I neither bow nor blush for any man not my equal or better," she murmured as she passed Ranma, assuming her character he had privately labeled, 'Princess Tomboy'.
Ranma felt his breathing quicken as she passed. Her training had taken place under the trees of the Northern woods. Now that the berry stains had finally washed out, her skin was an even, creamy color no lines from sunbathing. He found he was aware of everything about her. The smooth muscularity, the swing of arm and sway of her hips as she paced forward; from behind she might as well have been naked. Only tiny silk strands of black crossed her at mid-back and hip, and appeared and divided at the top of those hard mounds of muscle. Ranma stared at her back and had to use every bit of his will to prevent himself from following down the aisle after her and toward the unruly crowd. He started heating up the special weaponry, the new ki techniques. If anyone outside of the match tried to mess with his Akane… well…!
Barry was silent for a change. He knew Ranma had always been aware of Akane's femininity. But between the flagrant seduction attempts by Shampoo and Kodachi among others, and their insane aggression, he had pushed such dangerous awareness into the background. Ranma's physical and mental reactions were like echoes in time to him; familiar, sharp, pure, like a new vintage of a well-known wine.
The crowd, which had been cheering the sight of the prior scantily clad girl, quieted as Akane moved forward. She looked neither left nor right, and it was her proud elegance and grace that slowly silenced the house. Where many of the other girls blushed and dodged away from the occasional grabbing hand or even provoked such invasions of personal space, she seemed oblivious to them. A hand would reach out, then seem almost to whither and pull back abashed.
'I am Akane, of the House of Tendo. I neither bow nor blush for any man not my equal or better,' she chanted silently to herself over and over again. The anger of her revulsion was subsumed by the icy certainty of her confidence. In her own way, she achieved a spiritual state similar to Ranma's Soul of Ice in its purity.
The crowd started up again but instead of catcalls, they were chanting her name. Hiroshi and Daisuke, along with some of the dates of Nabiki's crew had, as Ranma expected, been standing there with their tongues scrubbing the floor in reaction to the various girls. Shampoo in particular, had inspired their libidos.
Akane had won their respect.
She was inviolate, untouchable, and she moved with a grace that Ranma had not really noticed before. As she returned to the cloakroom, he drank in the clean lines and asked himself several times why he had ever called her un-cute. He, too, almost reached out, but hesitated, feeling that his hand might burn from mere proximity. As she passed him, reaching for her robe, Akane glanced at him with a look from the corner of her eyes that curled his toes. Then she winked and passed on. Ranma found himself checking for a nosebleed and Ryoga was frankly turned away, not daring to see more than he already had.
It was only as she passed that Ranma thought to look at Shampoo to gauge her reaction. The Amazon was livid. Even Janet Kolberg's practiced entrance at the end of the pre-show did not gain the same accord as the youngest Tendo. Akane had won round one.
Overhead, in the shadowy spaces a drooling form huddled. A small withered hand reached up with a handkerchief to dab at sweat rolling from his balding head.
"Whoever invented this kind of competition," he muttered, "should be awarded the Nobel Prize!" He shivered in anticipation. "Wrestling? In those suits? How… convenient. And Akane… hotcha! She's changed, and all for the better! That suit is dynamite!" His self-control had been bolstered only by the fact that, if he were just a little more patient, he would get to see a lot more than girls in suits and many of those suits would be damaged and charged with the ki of the combatants. Perfect for an old man like him to get a super-charge. He shivered. He needed to distract himself before the fights started. Of course! Those girls didn't arrive in those bikinis. There was a dressing room around somewhere with lots of used underwear. He might even try to match up the silky darlings with their owners as a game.
Silently he hopped from beam to beam, not even disturbing the dust. He had to be careful not to alert Ranma. Fortunately, there was so much noise and Ranma was so distracted, it was not a great risk. Using his techniques of hiding and distraction, he exited the bar to search for the entrance the girls must have used on the way in. Periodically he sniffed the air, searching for a hint of perfume to help him home in. Fortune presented itself in the presence of a huge, soft mound of dirt right under a window.
"Well," he said to himself, softly. "You never can tell when opportunity knocks. Let's check it out." He leaped lightly atop the mass and peered in the window. "Hmmm. No lights." He reached into his gi and pulled out a slim penlight. Its narrow beam played across the inside of the room.
"Ahhh!" His exhalation spoke volumes. The room was a storeroom and supplies were neatly packed on shelves and in bins. But close to the door were paper and cloth bags with neatly folded clothes peeping out the top. Jackpot!
Then the mound of dirt stirred and rumbled. Happosai, startled, lost his footing and bounced down the side of the mound. Frozen with horror, he watched what he assumed was a mound of dirt, twist and bounce like some huge unearthly slug. Ponderously one end of the mound heaved itself up and turned toward him. Happosai fumbled with his penlight and focused the beam wide.
"Waugh!"
An enormous pig was blinking sleepily in the flashlight's beam. It clashed toothy jaws that could have swallowed Happi in a bite and snorted at the gaping form before it. Convulsively, it twisted away and the whole body seemed to tower over the master of perversion like a wave. Katsunishiki rolled to bring more of the cooling earth in contact with his huge form. Happosai moved a little too late. (CRUNCH!) The pig grunted contentedly. It found some small protrusion in the ground that exactly matched its itchy spot. It rolled and twisted in pleasure before subsiding on its side, asleep once more.
After several minutes, a bulge appeared in the pig's fat near the ground. Then a fold of flesh heaved up and a dirty, bruised and battered Happosai squirmed free of the pig's bulk. "Pigs! Why am I having so much trouble with pigs, lately," he grated. He kicked Katsunishiki in its side, eliciting a tiny grunt for his efforts. "I don't know how, but this must be Ranma's fault!" He staggered away and looked at the window, then back at the pig, its ears twitching in the dark. He wove away drunkenly, foiled for the moment. Maybe he could sneak in and cop a few good feels to recharge. He chuckled weakly. A few girls would think their dates were being a little more amorous than usual and he'd be back to full power, ready for the rest of the evening.
As the girls dispersed in their robes to their respective dates, protectors, husbands or friends, calls for drinks and food went around. It was important for the bar to take care of its customers before the action started and between the series of combats. Himamashi's servers hurried around taking orders and running the kitchen crazy. Cologne was there helping. The extra ramen she brought was going for five times the usual rate, labeled as 'Wrestling Ramen'.
Ryoga and Ranma watched all this with a sense of disgust and dread. The former turned to Ranma. "Remember how I used to say that 'because of you, I'd seen hell'?"
"What about it, Ryoga?" Ranma scanned the room. He was in the nervous position of having Shampoo leaning on him from one side and Akane from the other, each coolly ignoring her rival across him. He felt that, had boiling water been poured on him at that moment, it would freeze so fast the ice cubes wouldn't be damp enough to curse him.
"I had no ideawhat I was talking about." Akari, leaning possessively against him, looked hurt. His face became a twisted mass of conflicting emotions. "I don't mean you, Akari!" It twisted again and he tried to elucidate. "Well, your being here doesn't help…" The corner of her mouth twitched and tears welled up. "I mean…"
"He means he's afraid for you, Akari. This is a strange place and you're going to be fighting someone in front of a group of strange men he doesn't trust and he worries about whether he can protect you."
Ryoga looked shocked and not sure whether to be grateful or not. Then Akari's arms met behind his back and he was the recipient of a warm, grateful hug, which after a second, he returned gently. He looked over her head and mouthed 'Barry?' at Ranma. Ranma nodded briefly and rolled his eyes. Barry chose the damnedest times to stick his nose in.
Shampoo looked from Ryoga to Ranma. Who or what was 'Berry'? It sounded like the English word for a small fruit that grew on bushes or was it 'bury' as in dig a hole and cover something? Actually, it meant something in several of the languages she was familiar with, but none of them pertained to Ramen Noodle Wrestling, girls in bikinis, crowded bars or annoying rivals. Also, Ranma was the pits when it came to saying the right thing. Maybe this was what grandmother called a random incident.
"The only thing that could make this worse," groaned Ryoga, "would be Happosai."
"Shut up, pig-boy!" Shampoo released Ranma long enough, to snarl in Ryoga's face. "Pervert-master, big pain since Ranma go running off to woods with pervert-girl!"
"I agree with the bimbo for once, Ryoga! Don't mention that name again." Akane shuddered, her concentration broken for a moment.
"Shampoo glomped three times one day, only yesterday! Have bruises!" She glanced slyly, under her lashes at Ranma. "Want see bruises, airen?" She reached up and began undoing her top. Ranma froze.
Akane didn't. "We'll take your word for it, Shampoo. Unless, of course, you want me to show Ranma my bruises, the ones I got while we were together in the woods? I don't think I made a fuss about them, but…"
Round two to Akane.
Ranma sputtered. "Bu-bu-but, I didn't… We didn't… Akane!" His face was as red as his favorite shirt.
Shampoo glowered and pouted. She couldn't wait to get Akane in that pool of ramen. She just might slip a bit and do some damage as well as expose this prude in front of all these strange men. Despite being next to Ranma, she felt very alone here. She wished Cologne had not made Mousse work in the kitchen.
"All right, ladies and gentlemen," Himamashi's voice rang out by the stage. "We're ready for the preliminary matches to start!" Cheering drowned him out for several minutes.
"Rules are similar to sumo. Pushing, shoving, open hand slaps and body throws are all allowed. No punching gouging or striking with the edge of hands. Positively no kicking! Tripping is permitted. Contestants will move to the center of the pool, bow, bring their hands up to shoulder height in front of them and meet palm to palm." He demonstrated. "As soon as both hands meet, the match begins! I am the final judge. If it's too close to call, the match will be rerun." He brought out a clean plastic bucket and showed the audience the folded scraps of paper that were within.
"Opponents will be selected by lottery. Final four girls have drinks on the house. Winner will take the entire pot. As we have twenty-four contestants, that will be a prize of one hundred ninety-two thousand yen. That's over fifteen hundred U.S. dollars!"
The crowd roared again. Dramatically, Himamashi covered the bucket, shook it and offered the selection to one of the audience. He received the piece of paper, and offered the bucket to someone else for the second name.
"The first contestants are: Noiko Sensatsu and Eriko Yamada!"
Loud cheers greeted the girls' movement to the stage. Noiko kept her robe on until she gained the stage then threw it back to the tall slender man who was apparently her date, revealing her green two-piece. Eriko discarded her robe at her seat and had a little trouble making it to the steps while retaining her more modest black bikini. Ranma and Ryoga had to intervene, glared at the offenders — some of whom had seen Ranma's cat-aura earlier — and acted as escorts.
"Both girls come to the center of the pool," commanded Himamashi. "Please observe all courtesies. Fight with honor!"
The girls gingerly lowered themselves into the thigh-deep broth and noodles. One of them squealed briefly at the feel of them against her skin, causing a ripple of laughter in the murmuring audience. They met about an arm length apart and gave one another a good long look. Then they bowed and brought up their hands, slowly moving into contact. The hands met.
Ramen flew up as both girls moved suddenly, shifting and twisting as they sought for a good grip. Many in the front row of the audience brought up their plastic sheets to shield themselves from the splashes. Neither girl showed any timidity, both quickly becoming drenched with the salty broth. This made gaining a grip more difficult to acquire and exploit. Finally, Eriko reached a little too powerfully and slipped. Noiko immediately exploited the advantage using leverage and an extended leg to trip her opponent into the broth.
As the spectators lowered their shields after the splash, Noiko was already helping her opponent up, making sure she was all right. They bowed to each other, giggled and climbed out of the pool.
"Noiko will move on to the second round!" the old sumo wrestler announced, placing a card on the leader board at the bar. "Next we have Kiyoshi Matasama challenging Umiiko Batsutara!"
Shampoo frowned at the previous two contestants. They had fought furiously, if unskillfully, then acted as if they were two friends helping one another out of a puddle. Amazons fought seriously; a loss was shameful and lowered one's status and a win, cause for self-congratulation and boasting. She was missing something again and she hated it. Choosing her words carefully, she asked the only person she could — Ranma.
"Why girls no-not angry when lose? They laugh," she watched one of the next pair suddenly flail as she lost balance. The crowd roared; it wasn't all she'd lost! The winner, pumped the air once in victory, then retrieved her opponent's top. She also stuck her tongue out at some of the men, who hissed in disappointment when she acted as a screen, while the other got things rearranged.
"That one… She act like… like… Shampoo not know word for way she act. But not act like Amazon warrior!" whispered Shampoo in an upset tone. Ranma looked down at her but remained silent.
Would Jan-Jan act like this? She looked around for her 'aunt', but she was across the room behind the bar acting as bartender while awaiting her turn and was busy as well. Cologne was in the kitchen, as was Mousse and he probably wouldn't know. She turned back to Ranma and glared up at him. He was her airen. It was his dutyto help her in something like this.
The look in his eyes was alien somehow and made her move away slightly. He wet his lips and spoke in a quiet, respectful tone quite unlike him. "It is a matter of courtesy and an acknowledgment of courage, Shampoo. Each girl risks something trying to win — dignity, modesty, some pain and embarrassment. It's only proper that one should be as careful of one's opponent's honor as one's own."
She stared for long seconds, then shuddered and looked away. "It not Amazon way."
"The people in the audience will think you are a bad person if you don't act like they do, Shampoo."
She sniffed at Ranma's words. "You worry Shampoo make fool of pervert-girl," she said turning, her eyes flashing. Akane, on the other side of Ranma, took notice and set herself to defend Ranma and herself, if Shampoo decided to get physical.
Shampoo was startled when Ranma leaned closer, instead of backing away at her tone. "That's between you and Akane. But you'll probably be fighting other girls, either before or after Akane, and you aren't angry with them." Ranma spoke intently. "If you treat them with contempt, your skill will mean nothing to the audience. You'll be considered a bully and they will despise you."
Shampoo sank back into herself and considered. "Thank you," she said absently. She squeezed Ranma's arm briefly and relaxed.
Ranma and Akane exchanged glances as Shampoo mulled over her latest lesson in outsider social values. 'Barry, do ya hafta keep butting in all the time?' asked an annoyed Ranma silently.
'I was concerned with how the crowd's reaction might affect Shampoo's judgment, Ranma,' came the reply, 'if they started booing her.'
'Booing?'
'Hissing, then, or whatever you folks do to show disapproval. Shampoo strikes me as a very social creature, no matter how much she claims to be self-sufficient.'
Ranma thought a bit then agreed. The Amazon was always trying to be the top of the pile, but needed the pile's approval to really shine.
'She might misunderstand why everyone was angry with her and think it's because of the challenge to Akane. She might really try to hurt her then, despite the rules.'
'Akane could handle her till I got there.'
'That's not the point, Ranma,' Barry warned. 'As soon as you did that, it would be open war with the Amazons. You will have chosen Akane over Shampoo. I know you don't want that… yet.' Ranma nodded then, understanding immediately what his nearness to the problem had obscured.
'Thanks.' Ranma was rarely long on praise, but the internal wrench and set of muscles told Barry that it was sincere.
"Janet Kolberg and Akari Unryu!" bellowed Himamashi.
Ryoga flinched and turned just in time for Akari to doff her robe and hand it to him. He glanced over at Jani-san, coming from behind the bar. He turned back to Akari. He hadn't considered till now, that this girl, who cared enough about him to come nearly a hundred kilometers, might be fighting a woman who, until today, he thought was pursuing him as property. His level of sympathy with Ranma was on the rise. Should he warn her? Would she understand? Would the two decide to attack him in a mistaken belief that he was some perverted womanizer? Suddenly, he was considering the possibility that survival might be a subject in question at this event — his! "Akari, I…"
She stopped him and smiled in a very possessive way. "I heard about her joke, Ryoga," she said. "I know it wasn't your fault. And don't be worried. Just have fun. Win or lose, I'll be back." She exited down the aisle and joined her opponent on the stage. She bowed deeply to Jani-san and spoke briefly, causing the older woman to laugh and shrug. Then they slid into the pool.
Gingerly, they reached out and met palm to palm. For a frozen instant, the tall blond Janet loomed over dark Akari. Janet moved to grip Akari's arm in preparation for a hip-throw. Akari let her braced feet slide across the bottom of the pool as she let Janet's strength pull her in. She twisted as she slid, reaching with her free hand under Janet's shoulder, ducking low to brace her own shoulder against the tight abdomen of the Amazon. With a thrust of Akari's legs and back, the blond was launched vertically. Mouth pursed in an 'O' of astonishment, Janet twisted spectacularly, bringing her feet down with a splash. Throwing her arms back, wind-milling, she caught her balance against the side of the pool. Akari kept her eyes on her opponent and used one foot to push off the side of the pool, skating toward the astonished Amazon. Janet had time to grin in appreciation before they were grappling again.
Ryoga's jaw dropped in amazement. He had never considered that Akari's skills with her sumo pigs could be translated into the thrashing violence exhibited in the pool. His gentle, soft-spoken farm girl was brawling with a calculated abandon that shocked him. He glanced briefly at Akane who watched impassively. Grinding his fangs, the young man turned back and shook his head. He would never understand women. Never!
Akari ducked low again. With the Amazon's advantage in height, reach and weight, it was important to get in close and attack using her lower center of balance and her leg strength. Janet, trying to keep her distance, went for a grip on Akari's shoulder, which tangled in the top of her suit. Akari wrenched, letting her top slide off in favor of the advantage of closing with Janet, reaching low to lock hands around a thigh.
The crowd roared its approval. They had gotten their money's worth this time. This was a battle! Also, Akari's earlier shyness and present pluckiness caught their attention. They roared again as she wrenched and lifted, almost sending Janet over. The taller woman collapsed down and away, keeping her weight over her feet, but also pressing down on the shorter girl. Her longer arms reached over and around, locking just under Akari's breasts.
For ten long seconds, Akari pushed and wrenched back and forth, striving to get Janet off balance and throw her. Janet struggled to keep her balance, set her feet and lift Akari's feet up enough to drop her into the ramen or roll her out of the pool. They twisted about the pool sending sheets of broth and noodles over the sides. The catch basin was awash. Then Janet's heels struck the side of the pool and she had the instant of leverage she needed.
"Whoop!" Akari had time for a single exclamation before disappearing into the broth with an enormous splash. Immediately, Janet reached down and hauled Akari to her feet. The farm girl shook her head and coughed from a mouthful that had gone down the wrong way. Janet patted her hard on the back then sat her on the edge of the pool as she hunted for Akari's top.
Ryoga was at the poolside the instant Akari had been thrown but she waved him off. "Let me get hosed off first, Ryoga," she said weakly. "I want to wear that, but not if it's soaked in ramen." She coughed hard again and, as Ryoga patted her back, she raised her arms overhead to help clear her esophagus.
"What are you doing?" the young man hissed embarrassed.
"Oh, Ryoga," she said with a hint of a smile, "people see more at onsen, for goodness sake!" Still, she gratefully accepted her top when Janet retrieved it and a helping hand as they exited the pool.
Janet took her applause as victor, but made a point of following the pair out the door to where a hose was hooked up to rinse off between bouts. "By the Powers, you were a surprise!" Janet exclaimed as they exited. "That's the best fight I've had in ages." She laughed madly which caused Ryoga to flinch. "You better hang on to her, piggy-wiggy, or you're a fool! Of course, if she doesn't want to be held, you're going to have your work cut out for you."
"Uhhh… Thanks. I think," Ryoga muttered, then asked Akari, "Are you going to be all right? I, ah, have to go back and be a bouncer."
Akari smiled at him then pulled him down for a quick, surprising kiss. "You go ahead. I'm going to introduce Jani-san to Katsunishiki, if she has a minute." She picked up the hose and turned it on herself.
"You brought him along?"
"Who's Katsunishiki? Your brother? If he is, I'm really taken already," said Janet smiling, taking the hose from Akari. "Unless he's real cute, like Ryoga here!" Ryoga blushed and turned away as Janet was making a very thorough job of washing off the ramen.
"He's my prize sumo pig."
"Sumo PIG? This, I've gotta see!"
The girls left Ryoga to his own devices and walked around the corner of the building.
Inside, Ranma and Barry watched Shampoo out of the corner of their eyes. She had jumped up and down and cheered her aunt in Amazon solidarity, then stood frozen with astonishment as Akari nearly beat the champion. They noticed she paid close attention to how solicitous Janet was of Akari's health and modesty and how she spoke to her defeated opponent, praising her skills as they left. Ranma could feel Barry banging for attention.
'Who ya gonna talk to this time?'
'Shampoo! I want to see if this is radically different from how Amazons usually treat opponents and see if I can point out the advantages…'
'No.'
'But…'
'No! We've talked to her enough. Any more, an' she'll think we're snubbin' Akane and choosin' her! Heck, Akane might decide we're doin' that.' He shook his head slightly over the internal discussion. 'We're between a rock an' a hard place. You let me get us into trouble. I'm used to it!'
"SHAMPOO!" bellowed Himamashi suddenly, bringing cheers from the throng. They turned their attention to the stage. The retired sumo had directed cleanup with a shop-vac and had overseen refilling the pool with ramen. Now, as he introduced the next bout, Shampoo and Akane seemed like charged wires in each hand, sparking across Ranma's body. Vaguely, they noticed Ryoga had returned and was making his way back to them. Then Himamashi read the name of Shampoo's challenger.
"Shampoo will fight Kitty Shikaga!"
Ranma shuddered involuntarily.
"Airen fear for Shampoo?" the girl asked as she handed him the robe.
Ryoga snorted as he heard this. "Fear? For you?" he laughed shortly. "Ranma's just jumpy about 'Kitty' and whether that ramen is going to stay hot enough to keep you human!" Shampoo felt Ranma's jump at Ryoga saying 'Kitty' and understood.
"Is okay," she assured Ranma, patting his arm. "Is good husband confident of wife's skill." She left and Ranma shook his head to Barry's silent laughter.
'She has a distinct and focused world-view, doesn't she?'
'Don't they all,' began Ranma, but was interrupted by Akane. She used her rival's absence to take his arm and guide it around her shoulders. She snuggled very firmly. "Akane!" he whispered blushing. He didn't take his arm back though, and prepared to watch Shampoo's first match.