Guest Ki: Chapter 55

Ultimate Challenges

"I heard about the trouble, Barry," Akane said. "What can I do?" She was dressed, rather incongruously, in one of Ranma's fighting outfits. He thought to ask why she was dressed like that, but her query had derailed that question for now.

"Keep everyone away from me,I guess," Barry said wryly. He glanced at her, the pain in his eyes making her wince. "I think someone is putting in a little hint that my stay is over," he added. He heard Nodoka and Ranma's sisters leave, Kurumi sniffling loudly. It was Natsume, though, who turned and looked back at them, even though they were hidden by the peak of the roof.

"If only that were true," Akane said wryly. "You better stop feeling sorry for yourself!" Barry looked hurt. He expected sympathy from Akane, not this! "Tell me what happened," she demanded. He was forced to detail the morning and his dangerous treatment of Ranma's father. She interrogated Genma, who, true to his word, had remained. She gave Barry a look half pity, half disgust.

"Now what?" he grumbled.

"I can't believe you!" she said. "The answer is obvious and not nearly as bad as you seem to think it is."

"What?"

"You had to be pressed, threatened, before you began using dangerous moves, right?"

"Well," Barry thought. "But what difference…"

"You only countered dangerously when your opponent was a threat, if he was serious, right?"

"What the hell difference does that make, tomboy?" he snapped at her. "I'm no martial artist." He trailed off as she was shaking a finger at him.

"You weren't a martial artist, you mean. And, I suppose you aren't a martial artist of Ranma's caliber, but…" She paused for effect. "…You're a good judge now of character and of a person's body language. You injure only when someone can push you, make you afraid." Akane looked gravely at him then started walking toward him. "I'm enough of a threat, if we fight, that I can push you that far, Barry." He backed to the edge of the roof as she followed.

"What do you think you're doing, Akane?"

"Proving my point. You're body knows I can hurt it. Your mind knows that I won't." She moved closer. "You're going to have to decide what it's going to be, Barry."

"Akane! This… you could get hurt."

"But you won't. You promised Ranma." She was almost in range. "And you're my friend. I can't believe that you would ever hurt me, any more than Ranma would."

"Not deliberately," Barry grated. She stepped up to him and placed her hands on his shoulders. He flinched, but didn't lash out. If he moved more than a fraction, he'd have to jump from the roof. "Akane…"

"Most people, even if they attack you, will never provoke those moves," she said quietly. "The only reason you were so dangerous at first was that you were in a new place under strange circumstances. I think you've acquired the ability to judge an opponent's skill. Most of Ranma's enemies are your friends, now. His friends, too, if he controls his mouth." The last was said sadly and with an expectation of failure to come.

"Have some faith in him, will ya?" Barry countered. "But you're right in a way. He's going to need to be handled with kid gloves for a while."

Akane sighed. "Let's go down and take a look at your ki. I've called the Nekohanten and Cologne and Shampoo will be here around after lunch rush." She hopped down, followed by Ranma's father.

Not far away, a shriveled little figure sat up suddenly. His mouth felt like he'd been eating garbage, his head like the inside of an English bell tower after an exceptional ring of bells. His hands shook like the wings of a hummingbird and his temper was about as short. Unfortunately, these were the only things he had in common with those jewel-like natural marvels. Happosai sat up from a Saturday night of drinking, pinching girls and generally making a pest of himself.

"Why does the sun have to rise so early?" he grumbled. He looked around. This seemed a familiar alleyway. He grumbled softly and staggered to his feet, glad for once that his short stature made this a short trip. He looked at his hands, old and wrinkled. "No wonder I feel so bad," he muttered. He had to get a charge then do a quick stint of panty raids to develop his long-range reserves. But, where was he? A feminine voice cut through the morning stillness, carrying clearly to him in the alley.

"Come on! Why do you insist on staying on the roof?" Were those the tones of the angelic Akane?

"If somethin' happens I don't want ta bust up her house! Okay?"

…And Ranma. How convenient. He thought he knew this alley. It was near the Saotome's. He'd just nip in and check things out. He'd heard some hot-looking babes were staying here now, and they weren't Ranma's fiancées. Had Genma talked Nodoka into a harem? Wouldn't that be interesting! He glided in while Ranma and Akane argued on roof and in garden, respectively. No one home, but there should be a bucket over… Ahhh! Fill it about half-full of cold water, sneak along the side of the house… He was only a few meters from the one corner.

"Dammit, tomboy! Look at the way things have gone! If I hide in the house, trouble's only gonna find me there, anyway! Why risk breaking things when it's only just been fixed up a few months ago?"

"What could possibly…"

"Swee-to!" (Sploosh!) Grope, grope…grope? What the hell?

Happosai opened his eyes, which he had shut just before impact with Ranma's girl-type bosom. He could have sworn he could almost feel the weave of the fabric over those two gorgeous globes of delight, yet… He looked around. Ummm… Nice view of Tokyo... Good loft… Ranma was getting too fast. It wasn't fair! Besides he still hadn't gotten that charge he wanted! Ranma was going too far!

Ranma needed a lesson.

But first, he hunted around, wincing and pulled on his flying squirrel suit. He noticed then that he had four parallel slashes through his clothes from shoulder to just above his groin. Those slashes were matched by four parallel gashes in his hide freely bleeding and two of them damn deep! He'd need a real charge to overcome this. Ranma had gone wa-a-a-ay over the bounds of master/student, this time! He oriented again and noticed a particular building. Ahhh! He swerved. He'd been unable to find this place recently, which was just too bad. What a convenient time to relocate it! First a nice recharge! Then Ranma would pay! He quickly located the vent from the bath and grinned to see the hot steam rising in the cool morning air. Lovely! He angled for the window, zipped in and…

"Swee-to!"

"Aaugh!" Urd's morning had been going so well, too!

"What's the occasion?" asked Ukyo as she came in, followed by Nabiki. She indicated Akane's chosen style of dress as they passed the startled girl in the doorway.

"It… felt right," Akane answered. "Why did you guys come over?" Ukyo lifted several boxes and dangled them. The rich smell of hot okonomiyaki tickled Akane's nose. Akane glowered. "I've been getting better!" she growled. "I could have cooked lunch."

"Of course you have," countered her sister. "And I can't tell you how nice it is not to have to hide when you're using the kitchen. But let's make Barry's final moments in our world memorable, rather than merely endurable and spare Auntie the mess you usually leave, even when you are cooking well."

"Hey! You'll get there, honey," Ukyo reassured her, as Akane sputtered. "You started out way in the minuses cooking-wise. You worked your way past zero and are into the pluses now. Well, mostly anyway!"

"Ranma will be positively shocked when he gets home, Akane," her sister added cheerfully.

Akane gave up and stomped back to Nodoka's kitchen. Once there, Barry's outraged tones were heard. "Hey! Hey! What are you doing? Don't you dare use that cleaver to cut the carrots! That's Mom's best cutting board! Don't you start!"

"Mom's?" Nabiki asked turning to Ukyo.

"Habit," the other answered simply. "Nodoka doesn't seem to mind."

"I can see your face! You'll never cook well in this mood! Go spar with Ucchan or somethin'! Work on her mid-level ki techniques or her shield. Anything but this, right now!"

Akane banged out of the kitchen and dragged the chef out the door and into the garden. At this point Ukyo had her Okonomiyaki Sogu, and a version of the ki-ribbons she called Yakasoba Yori, but she had no middle range technique to use as a softener. The Sogu technique was not only deadly, it was draining. Ukyo was lucky to be coherent for minutes after letting one loose.

"Ummm… Akane, I have to get back to Ucchan's, ya know! Lunch rush?" Akane glared at her sweat-dropping friend. "What's got your shorts in a bind?" Ukyo added sagging at her look.

"Happosai."

"Oh, boy!" Ukyo was quiet for a while, digesting this and earlier news. "Let me guess. You're debating whether to bury the little troll out in the garden under the tulips or to see if the police will show up and offer you two a reward?"

"No!" Akane exclaimed. "Barry sent him over the horizon." She huffed. "I've never seen Barry move that fast. Happosai threw water on him and tried to grope him." She made a sound halfway between a growl and a sigh. "The only good thing was that it seemed to calm Barry a bit, and I convinced him to come inside."

"How badly did he hurt Happosai?"

"I don't know. But he didn't kill him. I'm sure of that!"

"That's too bad," Ukyo grumbled. "And the lines?"

"A few kinks and crimps - nothing much."

Cologne and Shampoo came promptly at 1:00.

"Hmmm." Cologne listened to Barry and Akane and considered what this might mean for Ranma. "I had suspected that the ki training was what had actually caused the problem myself, but this certainly fits the circumstances hypothesized." She prodded Barry's center carefully.

"Aren't you worried I'll try to hit you?" Barry asked.

"Sonny, if I can't dodge a few attacks before I get out of your range…" She poked at him some more. "Besides, I doubt you'd actually pursue me."

"You didn't see what he did to Happosai this morning," commented Akane.

"Kill him?" Cologne asked, looking up.

"No."

"Too bad." She returned to her examination. "Still, I suppose erasing that little scum-puppy would cause you more harm than good."

Soun ventured in a little while later to check on Akane and Nabiki. He glanced nervously at Barry then went to find Genma. "Tendo. What brings you here?"

"Just checking on my girls. I see the old ghoul is here. Are they going to try again, Saotome?"

"Not sure. I did see a little action, earlier," Genma said softly.

"So what happened?"

"The master tried to jump him." He shuddered.

Soun looked around. "Is Barry-san out of control, then?"

Genma pushed his glasses up and leaned forward. "Don't threaten him!"

"Where did you hide the body?" whispered Soun.

"The boy sent him toward the north Tokyo suburbs. He nailed him pretty good." Genma shifted and brought the sleeve of his gi under Soun's eyes. Blood spattered the sleeve. "And that was from 10 meters away!"

"Free at last!" Soun exulted quietly.

"Let's not celebrate too soon, old friend," Genma warned him, "Let's wait for the evening news."

"Why the hell are those two so intent on the news?" Barry asked. Soun and Genma usually watched sports if they weren't in one of their endless Shogi or Go matches. "That's the Tokyo Stock exchange, fer kami's sake! It's not even live! It's a rebroadcast!"

"Shut up, Barry-baka," said Nabiki, watching over their shoulders. "You have no idea how hard it is to get updates with these two around." She turned back, making notes. She snapped her notebook closed and stood up. "Akane, I'm going to have to head for the station now. I have a test Monday I can't afford to miss." She came and gave her sister a hug, then turned to Barry. She stopped and looked at the cassette he held in his hands. "What's this?"

"I taped last night's proceedings. Just thought you might like a laugh or two," he mumbled, embarrassed.

She took it, blinked and looked at him and let a rare, honest smile light her face. "That was sweet of you, Barry," she said. She looked at her father and his friend and grinned wickedly. "How thoughtful. If they ever get out of line, I may play this for them." Across the room, two little pots with big ears sweated nervously.

"That was sorta the idea," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "If I don't see you again, be well, Nabiki Tendo."

"Akane," Cologne interrupted after Nabiki left, "he seems to have aquired a few new knots from the latest control attempts. We won't need to raise wards for this. Why don't you simply un-kink them and see if anything else has changed."

"Huh?" Akane muttered. "I would have sworn I got them, earlier."

Barry reclined on the table and Akane knelt at one side, hands slightly above his body. Shampoo quickly knelt on the other side and matched her, watching what she did closely on the ki-level. Barry flinched a few times but soon Akane sat back on her heels and simply looked.

"Seem like same!" Shampoo said.

"No. Something is different." Akane reached out again and touched the lines as they zoomed off into elsewhere. "Are they… tighter? Under more tension than before?" As she watched the lines shifted in a peculiar way, one thread crimping across the other. She quickly smoothed it out.

"String no get tighter if more string…Oh!" Shampoo thought for a moment. "Can only carry string analogy so far. Something make astral lines tighter even though they in less contact?"

"Perhaps the amount of contact made them more comfortable in the bodies they were in?" suggested Cologne. "Stress is a great motivator. It is possible that, since conract is minimized, they are now uncomfortable. it's only a matter of time."

"That's great!" exclaimed Barry. 'Gwen!' he thought, 'Brendan…'

"Perhaps." Cologne frowned and pursed her lips. "The shock of transition may still be enough to kill either of you. There are no guarantees, Barry. Not in something like this."

Ranma squirmed like a worm on a fishhook. Kamisama! Barry's birthday? There was no way he was gonna get out of this one without telling all. The trouble was, his controls were shut down! Gwen's presence and actions had turned him into a passenger. Her hands were gliding over him, stroking him, making his skin feel like it was on fire. His hands were reciprocating, touching, tickling almost… rubbing… and he couldn't stop it! He literally just couldn't stop! It was like being in his body back before he and Barry had worked out controls and Barry learned to resist locking him out.

"Ohhh… Barry, yes-s-s!"

His mind began to glaze over. He wasn't doing this! He wasn't! He couldn't believe that he was amused when Barry had tried to duck out of the kiss he had almost given Akane. Now his lips nibbled down a neck arched for his inspection, past the collarbone toward… Couldn't the powers that be have the decency to let him pass out? Feminine fingers stroked places he'd avoided touching on himself, in either form! He had taken secret pride in being able to control his reactions around women who were out to bed him, but he hadn't considered that his inexperience had worked in his favor. As much as he had tried to ignore it, Barry's body was quite experienced and it was responding, dammit, with a great deal of enthusiasm! His whine of frustration quickly became a gasp of something else, as more fire seemed to sweep across his consciousness.

He tried to distract himself with the theories he had developed for return. Rubber bands… tension… slowly un-tangling the strands where one strip of elastic pinned another in place, but twisting them to increase tension and the chance to return. The overall contact was reduced, but the resistance to return was greatly increased. What? The lines were twisted? Oh, crap! How would he deal… Whoa! What was that woman doing now?

"So the idea, here, is to avoid conflict and the possibility of getting tangled again, then let the tension build. Eventually, if we don't bind the lines up more, we should snap back to our own bodies, and that will be that?" Barry looked astonished at the little crone. "Isn't that too simple?"

"The best plans usually are, boy," Cologne cackled. "Less chance of idiot underlings misunderstanding what has to be done."

"Excuse me? I'm the only underling here, thank you!" Barry grumbled.

"That's my point, exactly."

"Old bat!" (WACK!) "Ow!"

The phone rang. Genma looked at Akane and Shampoo, who made no move to answer it then did it himself.

"Moshi…! Hello, Kasumi, dear," Genma smiled. "I'll ask." He turned away. "Kasumi wishes to know if Barry is safe enough for dinner at the Tendo's?" Soun jumped and looked nervous, his head shaking back and forth.

"Da-a-ad!" Akane drawled, displeased.

"Perhaps they could all come over and we could eat here, Saotome," Soun suggested. Genma paled and froze as Kasumi said something.

"The Ryu Kumon boy is with them, too," Genma exclaimed. He turned back to Soun. "Do you mean to tell me, Tendo, that you can't show a little hospitality to our poor wanderer?"

"I like my house just the way it is, Saotome. It's been bad enough housing you two these past two years without bringing this trouble in!"

"Da-a-ad!" Akane's eyes were wide with anger now.

"Just what are you trying to say, Tendo?" Genma was scowling now.

They flinched as battle-auras suddenly sprang up, casting the room into shades of blue and red.

"Stop the argument right there!" Barry growled, as flame seemed to rise from his shoulders and head.

"Enough is enough!" Akane snapped. Blue light flickered in her eyes as she drew her gaze back and forth between the men. "I'm making the decision on whether Barry can come to dinner, and he's invited!" She glared at her father in particular. "Afterwards, we'll come back here and I'll monitor him to make certain everything remains all right and will take on anyone stupid enough to try to challenge him."

"But…" Barry frowned. Ranma didn't refuse challenges.

"Shut up!" she said turning on him. "A dojo may present a student champion if they don't feel a challenge is worthy of its master." She raised an eyebrow. "If they can get past me, well… then you can go all out."

Barry had to restrain himself to keep from sticking his foot in it. Akane had a point, after all. Akane was competent enough that she could now handle Ranma's body going nearly all out. After Ranma, she was probably the most competent martial artist he knew. He suddenly began to laugh.

"Are you laughing at me?" Akane growled as the others cleared out of the line of fire and Soun began to sniff and whimper at the damage to come.

"No! At me. Do you have any idea how close I came to jumping in with both feet because I didn't want to see you hurt? And we don't even have an opponent, yet!"

"What is it with you and Ranma that you can't believe I can take care of myself?" she complained.

"Any male, Akane," Barry finished chuckling. "If Gos were here and heard you about to put yourself in harm's way, he'd try to stop it"

The image of poor Hikaru slinking into place to defend her was too much. She laughed, much to Soun and Genma's relief.

They continued to wrangle after they left the Saotome's and walked over to the Tendo's, where Barry excused himself and disappeared for a while. He had to update his journal.

"I don't know, Saotome," grumbled Soun. "I'm certain your son will return, but, I don't like what's going on among the children." He pointed to where Ukyo and Shampoo crowded almost protectively about Akane then jerked his finger toward the dojo, which was where they had last seen Barry. "This Barry may be an honorable sort for an American, but I don't understand why my daughter is suddenly best friends with her rivals. I mean, Ukyo, I understand a little, but Shampoo?"

"It's partly the result of admiration between fine warriors," Cologne interjected. She had, as she often did, come upon them unawares. "And partly it's due to the fact that with Ranma gone, there's no bone of contention between them." She sighed. "No telling what will happen when he's back, but expect Akane and Shampoo in particular to start having a series of very nasty contests over him."

Soun stared at her. "Why are you telling me this?" he finally got out.

"Because you are Akane's only parent. Even though you are male, it is your responsibility to know." Cologne watched the three girls whisper and comment over something in a magazine they read in common. "Shampoo and Akane have done something unusual. Though rivals, they have declared a bond between themselves."

"By the gods! My daughter is a les—! (THWACK!) Owww!" Soun winced and held his aching head.

"This is a special kind of friendship that is based on respect, admiration and a feeling of kinship, you male!" Cologne growled. "Moron! Women do not think with their hormones. We leave that to you men, which is why the world is like it is. Now listen!" She controlled herself. "Shampoo has declared Akane her 'Sister of Heart'. Shampoo's lineage often has twins like her sisters. Shampoo's twin did not survive childbirth, and it is sometimes the case that such a twin will find another person to act as a surrogate for her sense of loss."

She face faulted as Genma and Soun began to dance excitedly about one another. With a look of disgust she booted them outdoors and called in to the kitchen, "Nodoka-san! Could you come out here please?"

Once she had the fathers safely outside she repeated herself for Nodoka's sake, then continued. "Shampoo considers Akane her sister, but Joketsuzoku law does not permit Akane to become an Amazon with the contention of Ranma between them. She is still an obstacle to be removed. Akane recognizes Shampoo's need to pursue, but cannot release Ranma because she feels she and Ranma honestly love each other. Also, as a warrior challenged, she cannot refuse this fight." Cologne scowled. "From Shampoo's side, the fight must be to the death, or until Akane gives up her claim to Ranma. If I understand it correctly, Akane plans to train and defend. Simply that."

"I'm not certain I understand," Nodoka said slowly. "You sound as if you wish us to take steps to separate them."

"As a Matriarch of the Council of Elders, I can make no such suggestion," Cologne answered primly. "As Shampoo's great-grandmother…" She sighed, looking very old. "In a combat at the level to which this must go, both may die. They cannot in honor, hold back anything except the deathblow and Shampoo cannot refuse to deliver that without betraying everything she is. For Akane to maintain her recent advantage in skill is possible, but if the gap narrows, death could come to either by simple bad luck."

"We…could make a complaint to the government," suggested Genma. "If you Amazons were deported…"

"Genma!" snapped Nodoka. He cringed. "Akane is a martial artist. I would imagine that if we took such a step, she might follow Shampoo to China simply to continue what they've already decided was their course of action." She shifted her weight slightly, tucking the material of her kimono across her legs more securely. "For Akane at least, it is better the fighting proceed here where Ranma can help with her training and Akane will have her family to support her if she is hurt." Soun began to blubber silently.

"How often will they fight? Under what guidelines?" Genma asked, eyeing his wife in case she took exception to his query.

Cologne nodded. "No limits, at least twice per month. Shampoo has demanded formal challenge. Don't be surprised if you get visitors in from Nicheiru to watch."

"Has anything like this ever happened before," inquired Nodoka.

It had to have happened at least once before, or they wouldn't have rules for it," observed Genma, shrewdly.

"I've heard of similar combats," came a new voice. Barry dropped off the roof to land beside them. "The most famous I recall is the battle between Feridad and Cuchulain in Ireland. They had been friends and trained together in their youth but forced by honor to fight one another over what was, at the core of it, a dispute over the ownership of a prize bull." He stared at them. "Are you sure it's really worth it?"

They looked at him grimly, sadly, or in Soun's case, hysterically. Barry swept with ki-vision back through the house to see the girls leaning into one another, laughing and pointing to something in their magazine as he had often seen normal girls do in his own world and place. Yet now he knew what was behind the recent affection and half discussed relationships. He turned to Cologne.

"Are you worried Shampoo may deliberately let her guard down to make Akane kill her?"

"That would be terribly dishonorable."

"It would be terribly hard to prove!" he snapped. "Not the way they can fight now!"

"As a Matriarch and as an Elder of the Ama Clan, I must stress that such an abuse, if discovered would be grounds for banishment or death." Cologne's eyes were nearly closed and she stood there like a little statue, spouting rules and regulations.

"You're hoping for a miracle!" he accused.

"Yes!" She opened her eyes and looked at him. "I wish I could tell you what was needed, but I am bound there, as well. With all my heart, I pray for a miracle, because with the path they have chosen, there is nothing else left."

Barry saw the dark sadness in her eyes, dropped to one knee and hugged the old woman, feeling briefly the awful weight of her burden to tribe and family. He felt her tension relax and a soft chuckle find its way out of her worry. "Sorry if I broke any rules, Granny," he said, drawing away. Genma and Soun eyed him as if he'd done something really frightening. Nodoka smiled faintly. "I figured ya didn't have many chances for a good hug, so I didn't ask in case ya might say no."

"Scamp!" she exclaimed. "First time I've had a hunk squeeze me in decades!" she cackled suddenly. "Wonder what Ranma will think if he remembers this?"

Dinner was eaten in peace, and praise was offered to Kasumi's cooking. The three fiancées offered to clean up, leaving Barry to amuse people with stories of his home and a series of portraits and caricatures. He also drew cartoons of Ranma dealing with some of his adversaries. He included a sly one of Ranma facing off against Ryu with Natsume and Kurumi sneakily loading Ranma down with leg-irons, ropes and weights from behind as he did so. He did another he titled 'Ryoga herding Sumo pigs' with Ryoga as P-chan balancing precariously on Katsunishiki's nose. Ryoga's namesake, P-chan II was curled up in Kasumi's lap getting scritched behind the ears.

"Where is Ryoga anyway?" Barry asked.

"Akari had to go back to the farm again," Akane told him, shrugging slightly. She was intent on watching the action of the paired Astral strands. Frowning she flicked at them making him shudder.

"Damn! Her grandfather must be getting awfully pushy," Barry commented. "I guess its wedding bells or freedom for the lost-boy soon."

"Freedom?" asked Ukyo from the kitchen doorway.

"Well, if he takes too long asking, or objects to the match, old grandpa Unryu could throw him off the farm," Barry proposed. "Unlikely, though. Not many people can simply beat a monster like Katsunishiki." Ukyo nodded and started to come to the table. Behind her, Shampoo and Akane were whispering and Akane reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Let's leave them relax," she said. "I had an idea for a ki-move for Shampoo I want your opinion on."

Shampoo huffed. She had worked up to Akane's version of the Mouko Takabisha and could do the ki-radio. Ribbon of Light was so easy almost anyone could do it. But she longed for something that could be her own. Her ki-shields were only partial as yet, too permeable to be useful. The Amazon had taken to playing with various techniques, searching for her path.

"Okay, Akane! What you want Shampoo to do?" She smiled at her 'sister'. It was easy to love Akane once the competition for Ranma was put on hold. When Akane stopped punting Ranma over the horizon every time Shampoo hugged him, and Shampoo stopped acting like a cat in heat, they had gained time to see each other with understanding. She let the other girl putter around, positioning her body for the technique.

"Okay! Do that thing you did the other day! When you were trying to make a sort of ki-staff?" Obediently Shampoo manifested her ki, sending out a wand of energy above and below her extended left arm. About a meter and a half in total length, energy gathered at the ends, sizzling softly in the quiet. "Now make sure the energy at both ends is the same. Let the yang side of it gather in your other hand."

After a moment, Shampoo managed this trick, scowling with concentration. Letting her other hand hold the yang made the balance easy, but created other problems as the ends tipped over toward the ball of opposite energy in her right hand, which Akane had positioned at her ear. Gossamer streamers began to reach from the tips to the ball and from the ball to the tips.

"All right!" Akane clapped her hands. "I knew you could do that!"

"Can… Akane tell Shampoo… what good this do?" she asked, struggling with the unfamiliar and complex action. It was not normal or natural to call up ki this way.

"Now think about resisting the pull of yin to yang. Make them stronger, but don't let them resolve and cancel each other out."

Despite her attempts, streamers continued to swirl from the tips of her energy staff. "I hope Akane know where this going!" Shampoo groaned. "Is not easy!"

"Now listen carefully," Akane demanded. "You're going to keep the energy in your right hand condensed like a Mouko Takabisha. You won't push it away... yet. You'll let the ki ball move freely toward the chakra of your other hand. The chakra is neutral so it won't negate or stop the ki-ball. As it passes by, you'll change the yin to yang like in Barry's ping-pong practice. That should launch your technique on its way." Akane was pleased with herself.

"What kind of silly thing this? Look like bow! Bow only use for hunting small game!" Shampoo grumbled almost releasing what she had accomplished. "It not even as strong as Mouko Takabisha! Cannot make energy big enough to do more than pinch in pants!"

"Will you try it?" grumbled Akane.

"Akane just doing this because Kyudo master at contest say Akane good with bow, yes?" Shampoo was disappointed. Akane had made the buildup so great, too!

"Will. You. Please. Just. Try it!" Akane bellowed.

"Okay, okay! Ancestors! Look like stupid bow! Maybe Valentine Day make Shampoo look like cupid for Airen and Akane, yes?" She concentrated, intent on doing her best despite the disappointing appearances. With a smirk she turned and looked at Akane, going up on one toe and kicking the other leg back and up, posing as she released the 'arrow'.

(BAM!) The entire dojo shook as a hole appeared cleanly in the wall. It left smoking edges as testimony to the passage of considerable energy. Shampoo staggered and sat down from the recoil.

"Eeep!" Shampoo uttered a shocked sound as Akane and Ukyo stared with her at the hole in the wall. Staggering to her feet, she ran with them outside and around the dojo.

"What was that noise, Akane?" demanded her father from the house.

"We're just sparring, Dad! Be right back!" Akane yelled back.

They found the hole, found another hole slightly lower in the perimeter wall, as neat and clean as the first, and ran out of the compound into the street. The ki-bolt had notched a tree and finally entered the ground forty meters further on, producing a crater a meter across.

"My! That was a silly technique, wasn't it, sugar?" breathed Ukyo. "I wonder how that compares to my 'Yaki Sogu!"

"How long it take Akane to master this?" Shampoo asked, wide eyed.

"Uh, I can't do it yet," Akane muttered.

"What?" How you show Shampoo how do, if Akane can't do?"

"Hey, I just thought it up! Gimme a break! I can't multitask like you do yet, and you need to balance the ki and condense the one, while dispersing the other and shift the signs just right… I tried but can't get past 'nocking the arrow'. When I try to shoot it, it can go anywhere!" Akane said shamefaced. "You didn't see the new patch in the ceiling of the dojo, did you?"

"Akane," Shampoo looked like she couldn't decide whether to hug or kill her friend, "what can stop this?"

"I don't know," Akane admitted. "I haven't tried to…"

"Akane!" Shampoo was obviously distressed. "You try to hand head on platter? Why give Shampoo weapon she can kill you with?"

"We don't know it can't be stopped!" snapped Akane. She had not thought of the contest so soon to come between them. "And it's not like it doesn't take some time to set up."

"Empty lot there! We see now!" Shampoo ordered and marched off to the level field. Soon lightning was flickering over the clear skies of Nerima.

In a park not far away, a strong, dour looking young man sat in contemplation of a miserable life. His clothes were tattered and much repaired. The only quality item he wore was a vest of a purple scaly material and matching bracers. Around his waist was wrapped a long skein of flesh colored silk. As sparks and streamers of energy flickered overhead he frowned and turned his thoughts outward. Picking up a gleeming staff of odd design, he leaped lightly to a nearby roof and sped off to investigate.
"Okay," gasped Akane, panting, "we now know your ki-arrows can't penetrate a good ki-shield."

"Yes. But ki-arrows do twice the damage of Mouko Takabisha with less effort. Very powerful technique! Shampoo think maybe more versatile than we know yet. Maybe like kyudo concept — can guide arrow with mind, even after it is fired. Shoot around corners… Maybe use for long-range bomb technique. Akane in big trouble if not think of ways to counter," Shampoo warned.

"I really wish I knew where all this was going," complained Ukyo. "No matter what you two do, Ranchan's gonna get hurt big time!"

"It's no worse than what he and Ryoga used to do," Akane temporized

"Of course it is, Akane! You used to think Ranma started the fights and that they weren't really serious. What would you have thought if you had known Rychan was deadly serious about putting Ranchan in a cemetery?"

"There she go again," commented Shampoo. "Rychan!" she gushed. "If you like pig-boy so much, why not go after him?"

"But he's Akari's!" Ukyo looked scandalized.

"What difference is there between Shampoo 'kiss of marriage' and Akari 'you beat my pig, so you mine'?" the Amazon countered. "Really same thing."

"But I wasn't affianced to Ryoga before Akari made her claim."

"You two make much talk of choice of man and woman, then sit back and whine, 'I no can do! Is not right! Is not honor!' Feh!" Shampoo spat to one side. "You act like your honor one thing and my honor different. Your honor selfish. My honor to tribe and people, where it belong."

"Excuse me?" Akane broke in. "We have honor to our country and people as well, thank you!"

"Sorry, Akane," Shampoo said almost mournfully. "Shampoo just worried. Ranma back soon…"

"We hope," Ukyo muttered, making a good luck gesture.

"We hope!" agreed Akane. "And Barry's going home to Gwen and Brendan."

"You sound almost sad," Ukyo said quietly.

Akane grimaced. "It's… I'm afraid that Ranma will have… Oh, damn!" Akane growled.

"You think Ranma fool around with Barry's wife on sly." Shampoo said matter-of-factly. "Is what any man do in this situation?" Akane nodded. "Ranma not any man," Shampoo continued. "Even Barry say so, and he live in Ranma's head over month." She smirked. "Besides… Is Barry's wife, is Barry's body. What matter if Ranma do…"

"Will you shut up!" Akane brought her hands over her ears, blushing badly.

"Yeah!" grumbled Ukyo. "I thought you Amazon's were concerned about who was who around White Mountain." She glanced aside at Shampoo. "Of course it wouldn't matter if Mousse were beginning to fall for one of your sisters back at…"

"Grrrrrrr…" (Pop!)

Ukyo jerked a little at Shampoo's reaction to her harmless suggestion. "Hey! It's not like you like him or anything. Do you?" A soft sob answered her.

"Shampoo… must follow law of people. Must do… even if not what Shampoo…" she clenched her lips tight. "Duck-boy must find new life. I can never be his."

Ukyo, who had been walking on the other side of Akane, came around so that she and Akane now bracketed Shampoo. Their arms went around the Amazon as they walked up the street, comforting her.

"Remember the onsen race?" Ukyo reminded them of the first time they had all been chasing Ranma together.

The young man in the purple vest peered from his vantage point at the trio of friendly girls and frowned perplexed. He had never had the luxury of watching TV, but he would have recognized the concept of the old show, 'The Twilight Zone' immediately. That was what it felt like lately in Nerima.

He had managed a sort of running discussion with Happosai near Chiba last time he was around demanding a name change. With his new techniques, he had actually, finally, managed to corner the little bastard. His arms had still been raw from where Ranma had clawed him up using the Nekoken. His back and head were bruised from where Ranma's over-muscled fiancée had pounded him into the pavement. He could have beaten her, of course. After all, he had been Pantyhose Taro then. Now, the young man flexed his hands and glowered. Happosai had agreed to change his name... if… Taro had been eager, anticipating this final release from his years of agony and shame and had eagerly fulfilled the quest Happosai had required as a precondition.

"Arrgh!" The young man once known as Pantyhose Taro, buried his head under his hands and wept with shame. He would kill that freak of nature! Kill him! Even if it meant going around as… He shivered in rage.

His fateful meeting with Happosai had been just hours ago.

"Good morning, Pantyhose!" the freak said, kicking Taro awake.

"Arrgh…Don't call me that!" He rolled to his feet gripping the object of his search and looked around for Happosai. The little gnome was nowhere to be seen. "Oh, godfather! You really ought to see what I picked up in China for you," he cajoled. He scanned the surrounding area. Camping in the park, back from the pathways was usually peaceful. Only gardeners ever bothered you, and them usually not for long. (Ryoga had also found this to be true.)

"So you have." Happosai's voice seemed to come from the left. Taro held out the staff, nearly two meters high and gleaming. "Pretty thing," Happi commented. Wait, did his voice come from the right now? "Are you sure it's what I asked for?"

"It is, old man," Taro said confidently.

"Then just lay it down, boy and I'll come get it."

"My name first," Taro demanded.

"Afterwards…" Happosai's voice shifted position again.

"Now," Taro insisted.

"Later…"

"Now…" This went on for some time.

"Very well then," the old man's voice was angry. "From now on, you shall be known as…"

"Awesome Taro?"

"…Lacy Darlings! Now, give me the staff." 'Lacy's' eyes bugged and his jaw dropped in shock.

A bush moved and he pivoted flame billowing like a lethal fog. It doesn't take much practice to aim a flame-thrower, and the object he held acted very much like one.

"That sparrow will be a bit overdone, don't you think?" came Happosai's voice from behind him. 'Lacy Darling' pivoted and fired again.

"Tch, tch, tch!" Happosai's voice now seemed to come from his weapon. "Haven't you ever heard of ventriloquism, Lacy, m'boy?" cackled the voice. "Of course this isn't classical ventriloquism, but who cares about the classics anymore?"

"You perverted little freak! Come out and get fried!" screamed 'Lacy'.

"Feh! You aren't worth my time." The brand new Lacy Darlings trembled with rage. "I'm much too busy these days to waste my time with amateurs. You might have noticed how much better some of the local martial artists are doing… especially the girls."

Lacy growled.

"I'll take that as an affirmative. I was so happy when they finally saw things my way. I felt I should reward them. Especially, Ranma." Happosai made a lip-smacking sound. "Amazing what some people will do when they're desperate for new techniques."

"I can't believe even fem-boy—!"

"Who cares what you believe!" Happosai rattled on. "You are increasingly irrelevant, Lacy. Don't bother me unless you can prove you can beat my best students. Good luck finding me till you do."

Suddenly, Lacy Darlings was aware of a form retreating through the bushes toward the pathway. There were too many trees for a clear shot, so he pursued, angry, lusting for blood and pain. He leaped! The body he bore to the path's surface was taller and more muscular than Happosai's. He could tell that immediately. The hair on the head was another clue that he had made a mistake.

"Hey! Get off me! Now!"

Lacy rolled and sprang to his feet. Before him a disgruntled Jiro Hadoka rolled competently to his feet and dusted himself off.

"You aren't Happosai," Lacy accused.

"Well whoop-de-do!" snapped Jiro. "You noticed! Wadja run me over for?"

"I was chasing Happosai," Lacy snarled. "Damn! He got away!"

"What's yer name, anyway?" Jiro asked.

Lacy froze, white-faced. He swallowed convulsively. "You don't want to know. Trust me!" he growled, after regaining some control. He began to stalk away.

"Where do you think you're going?" Jiro called after him.

The former pantyhose Taro stopped. After a moment, he turned around. "I'm going to go beat the tar out of Ranma Saotome," he replied almost pleasantly.

With a burst of speed, he vanished, leaving Jiro frowning on the path. Assured the other had left, Jiro began to smile wickedly. He turned and walked away, kicking the empty can of cold soda he guzzled just moments ago.

Barry walked back to the Saotome's accompanied by Akane and Ranma's parents and sisters. He had grown more confident as the evening wore on and Ranma's body remained relaxed around the people central to Ranma's life. It was good to know that his former lack of control had merely been a lack of trust. So long as any ridiculously powerful challengers didn't drop by, they should be able to wait out the remainder of the time till Ranma returned.

If some ridiculously powerful challenger did show up, Akane was ready for them, up to and including the Nekoken. It would take quite a challenger to defeat her, one that even Barry, going all out with zero controls and trying to do damage might have trouble with. This made him both nervous and reassured — nervous, because this kind of thing often happened in Ranma's life. Reassured in that Ranma's life with Barry at the helm hadn't been quite that bad… just nearly.

Barry's biggest worry, though, was that after three months, Ranma would feel adrift. The martial artist had left as the undisputed best surrounded by friends and opponents of a particular caliber and style. Because of his meddling, while Ranma should still be the best, the margins were much closer, styles had blurred, some of the relationships had changed and most of the principles were more dangerous by several degrees of power.

There was also the possibility that Ranma might not be able to access the ki techniques Barry developed in his absence, or would have to do so in slightly different ways. Akane would make sure Ranma found his journal, which had everything including the ki-move Akane had taught Shampoo. Barry had included a special note concerning what he had learned about Shampoo and Akane's upcoming duels and their new relationships with each other.

The Saotome household slowly came into view. Ranma had never felt this to be home somehow. Natsume and Kurumi however gazed at it longingly. Since Genma's acknowledgment of the pair, they had been making up for lost time. Kurumi was chattering away as usual as they walked up the street, talking about everything she could think of to Akane.

Natsume was obviously depressed. Ryu was teaching at a dojo south of Tokyo, and had stopped to say good-bye. They had exchanged phone numbers and promised to meet at least once a month. They obviously had it bad. Fortunately, they only had Nodoka to deal with, and while she was concerned about Ryu's ability to support a wife, she was not opposed to the match otherwise. After Ryu left, she began talking about holding an omiai for the pair, much to Natsume's embarrassment.

There was suddenly an odd sense of draining, of drawing in. He saw Akane, out of the corner of his eye start and look around. She had felt it, too.

A fireball rolled across the street like a wave. Barry and Akane just had time to raise shields and protect themselves and the Saotomes. Akane noted in passing that the huge slow-moving fireball was not hot enough to do more than singe them had they been taken unawares. She frowned as Barry stepped slightly in front of them all. Hadn't he agreed to let her take on this sort of thing?

"Where's Happosai, fem-boy?" Taro stood about ten meters away, his right shoulder turned back. While it was obvious that he was holding something long and slender, like a staff, it was not obvious just what this was. His pose was arrogant and negligent as ever.

"How the hell should I know?" Barry growled. "And why the hell should I tell you a damn thing after a 'hello' like that one?"

"Because that was just a warning shot." Taro grinned nastily. "I can do lots better. So unless you want to be crispy-fried transvestite, I suggest you tell me where Happosai is."

Barry started toward him, but Akane grabbed him by the arm. She felt the tremble under her hand and hoped that didn't mean he had thrown a restraint back on his controls. "You promised," she reminded him.

"We weren't talking about Taro," he growled.

She almost threw a punch, but refrained when she felt the bunch and shift of muscles under her hand. With the added tension of Taro, it really wasn't safe to hit him. "We were talking about anyone! Don't you want to—!"

Taro quickly lost patience with being ignored. He brought the object, a staff almost two and a half meters long from behind him. It seemed to be made of metal, and had a hollow disc of metal at one end and a crescent-shaped blade at the other. He pointed the disc-shaped end. "Pay attention, dammit," he shouted. The staff suddenly glowed and a ball of energy ten meters across was launched at the Saotome residence.

(ka-FOOOOOM!) Ignition was abrupt and practically total.

"My house!" Nodoka exclaimed, appalled.

Barry barely took notice. He reached out and grabbed Akane painfully by the arm and pointed, forcing her to focus. "Get them out of here, Akane! For my sake and Ranma's. Taro's got Kinjakan!"