Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of someone who is not myself. The story line plot, as well as any characters not from Ranma 1/2 are my own creations, and are not based on real places, events, or persons living or dead.
Note: It's nice to know people are still reading, now I feel like more of a jerk for not updating for so long, but if you can live with it I guess I'll learn to do the same. These delays dont come from lack of reviews they come from me not having as much spare time as I'd like, trust me it's not the number of reviewers that matters to me, just that someone is still reading. I think I'd finish the story (eventually) whether I had readers or not though P
Charlotte's Sequel!
Chapter XII!
Tit for Tat!
Note: We would like to point out that our use of the phrase "tit for tat" has nothing to do with breasts.
Jun Koruda was a master assassin, capable of great and terrible things.
But he couldnt hold a candle to the cruelty that Nabiki Tendo was capable of.
Even as Jun rushed to slay Maro, Nabiki herself had the situation well in hand.
"You're caught up in science fiction romance. The conditions for life on this planet are so precise that the very idea that there has to be other life forms out there is just one theory, and a poor one." Nabiki shrugged.
"So then, you believe that there is an all powerful, or group of all powerful deities that created life on this one infintismal speck of dirt in the universe?" Maro rolled his eyes.
"Now I will not put my neck so far out as to say that there is one all powerful creator," Nabiki said, "Nor will I dare say there is not. All I'm saying is even if it is just a big waste of space, there's a good chance that we are the only life forms in this universe. If there are other more evolved cultures out there, who's to say they're alive in the same way that we are? Have you ever imagined a sentient virus?"
"No . . . it doesnt seem possible." Maro scoffed.
"And why not? The impossible is constantly being proven possible." Nabiki shrugged. "Sentient life does not have to be confined to humanoid organisms, sentient life could be a virus or a thinking gass, our bodies are mostly water, perhaps a living breathing body of water? Perhaps in the end what we call sentience, some one out there, simply calls stupidity."
"That's just not possible." Maro shook his head.
"For someone who believes in life, you sure dont believe in possible forms of life." Nabiki pointed out, and Maro recoiled as if he'd been lightly slapped . . . with a sledge hammer.
"So true . . ." He whispered. "All this time, I never sat down to consider the various types of life that might exist, might even be self aware, by the powers that be, could a sentient rock exist?"
"Uh . . . sure. Who knows?" Nabiki shrugged. "But just as easily, no life could exist anywhere. This could well be the first, last, and only populated planet in the universe, and even if we have brothers and sisters on distant worlds, what makes you think they could possibly travel the massive distance in any conceivable life time? Unless of course they cant die, in which case be afraid."
"Why so?" Maro asked.
"Because if something cant die, and cant be killed, how would it know that killing is wrong? It simply wouldnt understand the very concept of murder or why it might be against the rules of polite conduct. So it'd kill us all, and you'd never get your wish because you'd know as you die that the thing that killed you cant possibly die. Further, if there were an eternal after life, then your goal would never be accomplished."
Maro fell to the ground, he looked terrified. Nabiki smiled, she felt good.
Tomoko smiled, "Here'd be the locker rooms." She said, pointing to the two doors. "Here, I can change into something less . . . stupid, while at the same time you could change into something . . . period."
Ryoga's eye twitched. "We're supposed to find Mousse, and my cloths!" He said, angrily! Who knew how long Nabiki had?
"Yeah, but we found this." Tomoko said simply. "Which would be faster now? Just swiping an outfit from here and looking for the exit, or heading back out there and finding your friend and your clothes, then finding the exit?"
"Fine, we play by your rules." Ryoga scoffed, "But we've got to hurry!"
"I aint the one who made us stop so he could 'level up'!" Tomoko snapped.
"Uh . . . yeah, sorry about that . . . again." Dr. Tofu said sheepishly.
"How do you figure out how many experienced pointers you've got?" Ukyo wondered.
"Well as young Tomoko is eighteen I simply deduced that she was a challenge rank of eighteen, my own level being thirt--er . . . twenty eight," Tofu said, glancing at Kasumi as he lied about his age, "I deduced that she had granted me very little experienced, however because of her magical suit her challenge rank was boosted by fifty, giving me enough experienced pointers to level up."
"Uh . . . okay." Ukyo seemed sorry she'd asked. Ryoga was certainly sorry she'd asked.
"That sounds very complicated doctor." Kasumi said.
'Yeah, so dont ask him to explain it!' Ryoga thought.
"Oh my yes," Tofu said, wiping the fog off of his glasses, Ryoga quietly scoffed, wondering why this guy, who was probably old enough to be his father, didnt just out and tell Kasumi he wanted to get frisky. Instead he acted like a twelve year old working up the nerve to steal a cookie from a much younger cookie jar. "You see . . . all quite complicated, nothing I cant handle . . . hem-hem, I er . . . well the callenge ranks, and the levels, and the experienced pointers . . . I er . . . I thought it all up, yes indeed, deduced it all with my incredible mind!"
"Brilliant!" Kasumi said sweetly. It was obvious that she knew Tofu had stolen it from a children's game, but recognized he was lying to impress her, and apparently thought highly enough of him not to scold or be annoyed with the dishonesty.
Honestly, what was keeping her from telling him to light her fire and buck her wild? Well, whatever, Ryoga decided it was none of his business, and he'd best ignore it.
"Ya aint changed yet?" Tomoko scolded, throwing Ryoga an outfit, "Ya gave me a hard time and yer not even dressed yet?" She shook her head, and Ryoga took a look at her outfit.
She wore black boots with silver buckles that stopped just an inch below her knees, a black leather skirt, and a shirt that Ryoga tried not to see through, she finished the outfit off by throwing a large heavy looking trench coat over herself, and patted herself down as if checking unseen pockets for house keys, and grinning.
"How'd you get changed so quickly?" Ryoga demanded.
"Oh I can get out of and back into cloths faster than any girl you'll ever meet!" Tomoko giggled to herself, then quickly sobered and added, "I er . . . that's because I was shy during PE! Yeah that's the thing . . . really!"
Ryoga looked at the outfit she'd gotten him and found it was a pair of black pants similar enough to his own, and a shirt more similar to Tomoko's. He raised an eyebrow at her, wondering where she'd found these cloths, but she wasnt looking at him so he simply threw them on.
"There was a spiked choker if you're interested." Tomoko added.
"No, no thanks." Ryoga said sourly. "Now we've got to save Nabiki!" He shouted with determination and zeal!
Ukyo nodded, then turning to Tomoko snapped, "Can you lead us out of here from the locker rooms?"
"Heck yeah!" Tomoko scoffed, she led the way and came almost immediately to a dead end. She scratched the back of her head, and turned to Ukyo and said, "Uh, no. Sorry about that, I always just zone out and follow Anzu."
Ukyo slapped her, which made Ryoga smile despite the situation, Kasumi and Tofu were still flirting with each other in the most indirect way immaginable, and Tomoko was nursing a cheek that was only getting redder and redder every time she annoyed Ukyo.
Finally Ryoga shook his head, he jerked his thumb up at the cameras, "Can they still see us?"
"Ugh!" Tomoko squeaked, probably realising she'd changed in front of a camera, she shook her fist at it and shouted, "You sick old man! You better not have recorded that!"
The camera that watched them didnt seem interested in responding. It just stood there.
Finally Ryoga said, "Hey! Nabiki is in trouble, tell us how to get out of here!"
Ushio's voice came on over a loud speaker, "From where you are take two lefts, a right, go north twice, then south five times, take a left again, twelve rights, after which you go left again, go east now and then go west for the exact distance that you travled east, then go to the right, take twelve lefts, a right, north five times, south twice, a left, and two rights."
"That'll lead us right back here!" Ukyo snapped.
"It will?" Ryoga asked, trying to make heads or tails of those directions.
"Yes er well . . . " Ushio didnt seem to know what to say.
"Just point the darn cameras in the direction of the exit and we'll follow those!" Ukyo snapped.
"Yes . . . okay . . ." Ushio said and the cameras began to turn.
"Hurry! Hurry! For my little girl!" Soun wailed in the background.
Ryoga clenched a fist and prepared for battle, he stoped off down the halls, ready to destroy this bothersome insect who had dared harm his lover, he'd murder him and desecrate the body in every way he could imagine, he'd rip his genitles off and feed them to a dog, rip out his kidneys and bake them in a pie for the elderly, he'd--
"Why's he going off in the wrong direction? I thought he wanted to save that girlfriend of his!" Tomoko scoffed.
"That's uh . . . just Ryoga for you." Ukyo said. "Uh, hey sugar, over here!"
Ryoga closed his eyes, swallowed the shame swelling up inside him and decided it'd just be one more thing he'd make this Marko person pay for.
Or was it Mario?
Kasumi followed Ryoga and the actual martial artists out of concern for her sister, but she had no intention of fighting.
She simply didn't believe she could be of any use once that started, indeed Ukyo and Tomoko might be well advised to simply stay out of Ryoga's way once they found Maro.
She did not say anything however, she simply followed, and felt a strange little grip on her heart as she watched Ryoga follow Ukyo, who was leading the way to Furinkan.
He was as determined as she'd ever seen him, but he was not full of the same sort of eagerness Ranma would have had. He knew this foe was going to be a challenge, and he probably believed he would win, but didnt give in to self praise before the battle was even fought.
The look on his face, further showed that unlike Ranma, challenge or not Ryoga was not looking forward to this, he was too concerned for Nabiki to give in to the pleasures of a rarely found new and real challenge.
Kasumi gave a slight nod of approval, were Ranma in this position he would seek to rescue Nabiki only to prove that he was the best at everything, Ryoga was going because he wanted Nabiki to be rescued, even if they had just broken up. It was a shame, Kasumi felt, that the two had gone their seperate ways, Ryoga would certainly make a fine brother in law.
'Nothing more than that of course!' She quickly told herself, and then was left to wonder why she had so rebuked her own thoughts.
She glanced again at Ryoga and felt that slight squeeze on her heart. It was admiration, nothing else, marching along besides Ukyo, Ryoga looked like a real man, that was all.
She caught up to him and looked into that intense, handsome face. She put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention, he looked at her and she, finding that she'd utterly forgotten what it was that she wanted to say to him, simply smiled.
This went on for an uncomfortable length of time, and soon enough confusion began to show on Ryoga's face, an expression as if to say 'did you want something?' without being so rude as to speak the words, came about and Kasumi began to fear that her lasting physical contact might start to send the wrong message.
So she quickly took her arm away, which probably did an even better job of sending the wrong message than leaving it on his shoulder. She just smiled and said, "I'm very proud of what you're doing."
"What do you mean?" Ryoga asked, confused.
"Helping Nabiki . . . after what she did to you." Kasumi said.
Ryoga shrugged. "Oh she's always stacking the odds against me, that way she wins double if I come through, and loses less if I fail."
Kasumi blinked a couple of times, and frowned. "What?"
"You're talking about her pooling the bets on the tournament right?"
"No . . ." Kasumi frowned, "I meant the whole breaking up thing."
"You broke up?" Ukyo perked up at the news, which confused Kasumi because she was so certain Ukyo fancied Ranma!
"Yeh-wait no!" Ryoga seemed as confused as Kasumi! "What are you talking about?" He asked Kasumi.
Kasumi frowned and told Ryoga the story Nabiki told Maro. Ryoga scratched his head. "That's not how it happened! I know she got mad, but she didnt even mention breaking up . . . and I know I didnt . . ."
"So . . . maybe she lied to th' guy holdin' her hostage. Oh! And might I add . . . 'duh'." Tomoko said.
Ryoga glared at her for a moment, then said, "Gosh I dislike you." She wiped an imaginary tear away with her middle finger, and Ukyo slapped her again. Ryoga turned back to Kasumi and said, "Look, uh . . . Nabiki and I are still engaged . . . I think . . ."
"So . . . what happened?" Kasumi asked.
"Uh . . . well actually it's pretty close to what she told you, except totally different." Ryoga said.
(Shh! Flashback starting now!)
A Long Time Ago . . . In a Motel Far Far Away . . .
"Ryoga," Nabiki said slowly, "When are you going to marry me?"
"Sometime." Ryoga said, rather pleased with the answer since it was the sort she'd probably have given him.
"Well . . . sometime had better be soon. We really should set a date." Nabiki said in a somewhat scolding tone.
Ryoga frowned at her, "I have to buy you a ring first, dont I?"
"Uh . . . well how long would that take?"
Ryoga scratched his chin, and decided "Sometime after you finish college . . . I think."
Nabiki scoffed, "Kuno-baby would have bought me one by now."
Ryoga shrugged. "Probably. Too bad you're not marrying him." Ryoga said thoughtfully, not meanin it at all by way of accusation.
"I never said I wanted to marry Kuno!" Nabiki exploded, "What the heck are you accusing me of?"
"Uh . . . nothing?" Ryoga asked.
"Well gee, you must be accusing me of something, telling me to marry Kuno!"
"N-no! I was just saying--er I mean if I had that kind of money, and I dont--"
"So get it!" Nabiki snapped, "In fact I demand that you get it!"
Ryoga frowned, "But . . . how'm I going to get the kind of money Kuno has?"
Nabiki scowled at him, "Well if you'd find some way to make money you really wouldnt have a problem would you? Not with me to organize your finaces anyway. You need some sort of income!"
"Well maybe if I--"
"But of course there's nothing you can do huh? You cant even win at martial arts since Ranma enters anything you do, and beats you ten times out of nine!"
"Hey, wait just a minute!" Ryoga protested, but Nabiki was on a roll!
"Heck, the only thing you can do is accuse me of sleeping with Kuno-chan!"
"I didnt--"
"Enough! I dont want to speak to you anymore. Not until you get me a ring, and set a date for our marriage." Nabiki folded her arms and looked away indignantly.
"Uh . . . okay, but I--"
"Be quiet! I said I'm not talking to you!" Nabiki snapped.
"But . . . you just did . . ." Ryoga was almost afraid to point out.
Nabiki blinked a few times, then nodded, "Fine!" She said, "I'll talk to you . . . but until you get me a ring, I'm not going to sleep with you anymore!"
"Well all right then." Ryoga shrugged. "I guess that's proper anyway, since you're not supposed to have sex out of marriage."
"That's a dated belief inspired by men who wanted to be sure their wives would be virgins! Darn it, fine, I'll sleep with you but I wont . . . I wont nibble your ear, how's that? Huh?"
"Uh . . . you dont-" Ryoga was going to point out that Nabiki had never done that anyway, nor would he really care if she stopped, but the glare on her face told him to shut up before she decided to stop doing something really serious.
(Flashback Ends Now, thanks!)
"Oh . . . well . . . thats odd . . . why would Nabiki just fly off the handle like that anyway?" Kasumi asked. Ryoga shrugged, and she said "Well I'm sure it wasnt really your fault, I bet this whole Yoshimi ordeal had her nervous, that's all." At least that was Kasumi's hope . . . sort of. For some reason the idea of Ryoga and Nabiki breaking up didnt hurt her as much as she felt it should.
Ryoga spoke a somewhat confused "Thanks" and continued on. Kasumi wondered briefly, if Maro knew what it was he'd signed himself up for in kidnapping Nabiki. She knew that Ryoga still loved her sister, and knew that Ryoga would spare litte mercy for Maro if he harmed her. But she wondered if any of them knew how far Ryoga could be pushed before he snapped, or how far he'd go once that happened.
A strange, small part of Kasumi thought it would be thrilling to find out.
"It's stupid is what it is!" Maro scoffed, "I mean they arent even alive, so how could they be considered life? They cannot, and therefore how can they name themselves?"
"Well my ballonga has a first name." Nabiki teased.
"And even if I were a weener, and everyone was in love with me, why would I care? I'd be dead little hunk of meat and they'd eat me!" Maro continued.
"It's okay, you'll always be a little weenie to me." Nabiki assured him.
"I mean it's utterly repulsive what people today think of in a mad attempt to sell a product nobody wants anyway, to a people who are indeed fool enough to believe they want the product they dont want!"
"If they think they want what they dont want, dont they in fact want it?" Nabiki raised an eyebrow.
Maro stared at her for a moment, then began to scratch his chin. "You are wise . . . if not for my utter hatred of all life in general, I might just have allowed you to live . . . alas, if Ryoga does not come, I must kill you."
"Well, I'm dead." Nabiki scoffed. "Even if he wanted to save me he'd never get here in time."
"Oh no?" Maro sneered. "I am sure love shall hasten his steps."
"Whatever. It wont matter you nit wit, my Ryoga has the world's second worse sense of direction! His tramp of a mother has the worst . . . because she's a tramp . . . and I hate her." Nabiki scoffed.
"Yes well care to bet your life on that?" Maro sneered.
"What? You mean if I'm right and Ryoga doesnt show up I live, but if I'm wrong and he does show up I die? Isnt that like the opposit of your original terms?"
Maro stared at her for a moment, then shouted "Your reverse psychology wont work on me harlot, I'm too clever for you! Of course I'll kill you if he doesnt show up . . . uh . . . I only meant to uh . . . to trick you, yeah! To trick you into dying whether or not he comes, so there!"
"That would have been clever . . . if I were ten . . . and stupid . . . and I believed at all that that was what you were really trying to do, which I dont because I know you've got more bull in you than a cow in a gang bang."
Maro stared again, which caused Nabiki to wonder if maybe his brain had problems processing information, or if he was simply imagining the world on "pause" while he thought up a witty retort.
"I do not eat beef." He said at last, and Nabiki let it go at that.
Lotion walked with her hands in her pockets. One pocket contained a vial of poison she'd gotten from Sun Set, and in the other was the souvenire Nabiki had gotten her from her vacation.
She followed Jun's obvious trail, knowing that he'd left it just for her to notice and follow. He was leading them into a trap, and Lotion was only making it worse by not pointing that out to Ranma and the others.
But it was vitally important, if her plan were to succeed, that Jun catch Ranma completely by surprise, and so she preteneded to find Jun's trail with great dificulty.
"Hey . . . Lo-Chun." Ranma said suddenly, catching her attention not because he'd called her name, but because he'd called her by her proper name!
"What?" She asked, not bothering to look over her shoulder at him.
"I . . . look, I heard what you said to Jun. I guess he's an old buddy of yers?"
"He was my master, my teacher." Lotion nodded.
"And ya turned on 'im because of us . . ." Ranma said. Lotion just nodded. "Well . . . I'm glad ya chose t'side with us." Ranma told her, "And yer right, we do care about you. No matter what you were, or what you did before we met you, yer like a sister t'me now and that's all that matters. Just . . . thought I'd mention it." He said.
Lotion felt a mix of emotions, happiness at his words, and shame because she knew she was going to betray that trust, had already in fact betrayed that trust. For an instant she nearly told Ranma everything, nearly warned him that she was leading them all into what was probably a trap laid by Jun.
But she didnt.
Ranma had said she was like a sister to him. Since she was a little older than him, she supposed that made her his big sister, and she had to do the big sisterly thing now, whether Ranma understood or not.
She forced herself to wear a smile that she thought would fool anyone, and said honestly "Your words make it all worth it."
"Such a shame we couldnt 'round up the gang." Kasumi noted.
Ryoga nodded, Akane, or Mousse might have been a great help. He didnt doubt that he could take Maro, especially if he knew that the illusions were illusions, but since Nabiki's life was too important to take any chances with, and while Ukyo and even Tofu and Tomoko were welcome company Ryoga couldnt help but feel, much to the outrage of his inner monsters, that he'd give his left arm to have Ranma with him just then.
Because you're weak. His inner voice scoffed at him.
'No I am not!' He mentally scolded himself.
Weak in heart, body and mind, weak! I need Ranma's help to save Nabiki, if I were any kind of man I'd be able to save her by myself. But I cant even arrive at the highschool on my own!
'It isn't weakness to know my limitations.' Ryoga thought to himself.
But it is a weakness to have limitations at all. If I were stronger, and more confident like Ranma, Nabiki would be rescued already!
'Ranma isnt all that!' Ryoga scoffed in his head.
Just everything I wish I were. That inner demon sulked.
Ryoga clenched his fists at his side, 'I will rescue Nabiki! Me, not Ranma! I'll make Maro sorry he ever laid eyes on Nabiki, hell beg me to kill him!'
And of course I'll be gracious enough to do just that . . . the inner Ryoga sneered.
'Once I'm done, letting him live would be inhumane, why it'd be down right cruel.' Ryoga smiled darkly.
As he ran through the park, Jun knew that Ranma and his brain dead crew would follow him right to Maro's hide out, and there he'd easily enough set Maro on them, assuring Maro's death (if he had anything to say about it) and giving him time to escape Ranma and the others until he could think of a better plan.
He would wake Ranma, he had to! His guild, and more importatnly his life could depend on it!
He ran on, leaving an obvious trail for Lo-Chun to follow when he suddenly heard a familiar voice, and, leaping behind a tree, came upon another group of young adults!
Actually they were mostly teenagers, with someone in his late twenties or early thirties acting perhaps as a chapperone, but that information was completely unimportant to Jun, what he recognized was that Ryoga was with them!
There was a dark and sinister reslove about him, and for a moment Jun found himself feeling inspired by it! "How much further is the gym?" Hibiki asked, "I want to show Maro what happens when he kidnaps Nabiki!"
"What gym?" Jun wondered.
"We'll get to the high school in no time, sugar!" A girl . . . or boy, or something, with a big weird looking club said.
Jun leapt back behind the tree, lucky not to have been seen as Ryoga, the giant club girl or boy, an older man in glasses, a rather attractive young woman with a long pony tail draped over her shoulder, and Ushio's favorite disciple marched down the road.
"I'll hold 'im, and you punch, 'eh?" Ushio's disciple chuckled.
"I'll do more than punch him." Ryoga scoffed.
'Delicious!' Jun thought, 'Wonderful! So it seems Maro has aroused Hibiki's ire? Oh I do hope he isnt all talk!' Jun rubbed his hands together. This did change the situation, obviously Maro was not at his hide out, but at the school gym, so that was where Jun would lead Ranma and his troop.
It ocured to Jun just then that Ranma and Ryoga's combined martial artist coalitions would certainly outnumber Maro, and even he would be hard pressed to turn the tide as Ranma had already proven superior to him.
But if Han truly was still loyal to him . . . then even out numbered, the martial artists would all too soon find themselves outgunned, Saotome, and even Hibiki who seemed so much more passionate than Jun had believed, would be forced to obey Jun's desires!
There was yet hope for the situation!
Tatewaki Kuno had decided that morning to rescue Nabiki . . .
That morning of course he'd meant to rescue her from the lie of a love that was not him, to seduce her away from her finacee and have her as his own. Now of course he meant to save her from some strange assassin with fans, funny, life's little curve balls.
Never one to sit and wait, or draw out a plan, Kuno instead charged forward, kicking down the locked door to the school gymnasium, and bursting in, waving his sword around wildly in a calculated manuver to make his opponent believe he was not as skilled as he truly was.
To anyone observing Tatewaki it would seem that he was flailing about at the dust upraised by the destruction of the door, but a seasoned eye would reveal that Kuno was in fact observing the entire room, searching for his prey, or his prize.
He found not the former, but the latter, Nabiki Tendo tied up in the very center of the gym!
Her mouth had been gagged, her hands were tied behind her back, and her legs tied together as well. Tatewaki rushed over to her and began to untie the ropes.
As soon as her hands were free Nabiki tore the gag away from her mouth and snapped, "Behind you, idiot!"
Tatewaki didnt have time to take offense at being called an idiot, instead he leapt up, and turned around just in time to be kicked in the face! He felt himself losing his balance, and threw his weight to the right so he wouldnt fall on Nabiki, but his assailant came up again, kicking him again!
Kuno landed on his face, stunned but not terribly damaged. He shook his head to clear it, and got to his feet, sword ready!
His opponent scoffed, "You are not Hibiki!"
"No! I am Tatewaki "Blue Thunder" Kuno, and I have come for the woman I love!" He announced with every bit of his usual drama. He would not suffer Nabiki Tendo be taken away from him, not when he had only begun to explore the possibilities of their relationship!
"I am the newly appointed, but no less fearsome assassin Maro, your title is impressive, but can your skills back up your boasts?" The assailant scoffed, and came on, a paper fan in each hand!
Kuno leapt into the air, and Maro skidded to a stop and kneld down where Kuno had been just a milisecond before, he waved his fan in Kuno's direction, and for an instant Kuno was cursed with an immage of a terrible, giant snake's head coming for him from the ceiling, ruining his jump completely!
He came down at a bad angle, and twisted himself enough to look down and see Maro kick up out of his kneelding position, his leg fast approaching Kuno's falling body!
Or rather, Kuno's falling body fast approaching Maro's leg, Kuno supposed it was all based on point of view.
But he also supposed that if he had time to be supposing, he should be countering, and so he positioned himself so that his sword would come down on the assassin just as Kuno himself fell.
The assassin took another wave of his fan, and Kuno saw himself hitting the ground, saw himself explode like a wet but attractive paper bag full of very sexy steaks, saw Nabiki Tendo mourning and being forced to marry that other guy!
But his training would not allow him to give in, and so as he came down he continued to come down sword first.
In truth the fact that this all happened in about two seconds was what kept his sword from straying, but later, while recounting events Kuno chalked it all up to training and personal courage.
Kuno came down like a missile, sword first! Maro's second fan swept out thought and with lightning speed that anyone, save Ranma Saotome would have been hard pressed to duplicate, flipped Kuno away without even damaging the fan!
Kuno landed on his feet not far from Nabiki, he turned to her and wanted to tell her to run!
But his folley was that he instead said "Watch me Nabiki Tendo! Watch your champion deliver justice!"
Nabiki, either content to watch, or simply unable to undo the cords that bound her ankles, stayed put and watched the battle.
Maro came towards Kuno, his hands disappeared into his coat for a moment, then emerged full of what appeared to be sewing needles, he threw them at Kuno and they landed in the floor in front of him!
Kuno raised an eyebrow, as if to say "was that it?" but then the needles exploded in puffs of white smoke, blinding Tatewaki!
Kuno didnt need his eyes to fight though, he closed them all together to protect them from the smoke, rather than making any attempt to see through it. He listened carefully for Maro, and as he heard the sound of light, fast, but definately audible footsteps, he swept his sword out in that direction!
He heard a grunt, then the sound of two feet coming down behind him and guessed that Maro had leapt over him. Without a second's hesitation, trusting fully in his hearing, Tatewaki spun around and brought the sword down on Maro in a quick fluid motion!
He opened his eyes and saw the smoke was disappearing, Maro lay on the floor, unconcious and lucky that Kuno had done no worse to him! Tatewaki spat at the prone form, something he would not normally do to a fallen foe, then turned to Nabiki.
He had nearly covered half the distance between them when he heard Maro laugh, he turnd to where the body should have been but saw nothing!
He turned instead to where Maro had been when he first threw the needles, and saw that he was holding that blasted fan again!
Kuno didnt consider how what had just happened could have happened, instead he rushed at Maro, who drew his arm back and took a mighty swing with his fan!
A giant fist errupted from the ground and struck Kuno so hard that he felt it knock the wind out of his chest, felt his ribs crack, even felt the incredible pain in his back when he fell backwards.
To his horror his legs would not budge . . .
Maro stalked over to him, waving his fan tauntingly, he kicked Kuno in the chest and snarled, "You were a good warm up, but you havent got what it takes to beat my illusions. If only you were Ryoga Hibiki, half my job would be done already . . . well since you're not a target I suppose it would be wrong for me to kill you . . . and yet . . . who cares about right and wrong?"
Maro reached into his coat and drew forth a dagger, he took Kuno's hair by the scalp, utterly ruining his perfect hair style and jerked his head back so hard that Tatewaki feared his neck might have broken! Maro brought the knife to his neck, ready to slice his throat open . . .
Not yet . . . there was still so much for him to accomplish! He could die yet!
"Stop!" Nabiki shouted, "Let him go!" Kuno and Maro looked at Nabiki, who had finished untying herself, she stood not far away, shaking her head. "You could kill him--"
"I agree!" Maro said gleefully, plunigng the sword towards Tatewaki's neck, only to prompt Nabiki to again interrupt.
"Stop!" She screamed, "I mean you could just kill him, or you could have two hostages! With both our lives, maybe you can even convince Ryoga-kun to give up without a fight!"
Maro frowned, "Is this one important to Hibiki?"
"Ryoga idolizes him!" Nabiki said, "He'd be cushed if he knew you'd defeated Kuno-baby, he'd know he's got no chance against you if he saw you'd captured Kuno! Killing him would mean nothing, killing someone is easy, but bringing them in alive? Ryoga would fear that!"
Maro grinned, "I said before that you were wise, and you do not now disappoint me. You're right! I'll spare him, and let Hibiki find his broken body lying here on the gymnasium floor!" He kicked Kuno in the stomach, laying him flat on the floor, "You'll come with me, we'll wait for Hibiki on the roof."
"Fine." Nabiki said cooly, and Kuno couldnt help but feel even more in love with her. Her courage in such a dire situation was an inspiration, for if indeed her lover Ryoga did idolize Tatewaki "Blue Thunder" Kuno (and why wouldnt he?) then this was indeed a dire situation, for if Kuno had been, as he of course knew, the first, last and best hope for defeating the assassin, and had now failed beyond measure, then surely Nabiki was doomed!
But even with that knowledge, Kuno could not stop trying to move his legs! Somehow he knew the fist had been an illusion, his body was not broken, he only believed that it was, he should be able to move his legs! Should be able to save Nabiki!
But he still couldnt . . .
"Tell Hibiki to meet us on the roof, if you can move your mouth." Maro sneered at Kuno, spitting on his face, "he better come quick too, or the harlot dies."
Kuno glared and wanted to kill Maro then and there!
He lay there instead, meditating quietly, determined to convince himself that his spine was not broken, so that he could take his vengeance.
Jun arrived at the high school ten minutes or so before Ryoga would have, he wanted to prepare Maro, to tell him all that needed to be told, to warn him that disobedience now, failure now, could only result in his slow and painful torture, followed by a slow and painful death.
But what he found, lying in the middle of the gym's floor, was a young man dressed in an old samurai's kimono, holding tightly to the hilt of a wooden sword.
Jun took only a moment to try to recognize the person, then simply decided he didnt care. He stood over the stranger and casually asked, "Seen a pale little dweeb and this girl he had tied up?"
"Up . . . stairs . . ." The swordman said, looking at Jun as if he were trying to recognize him. "Save her . . ."
"Ch'yea." Jun chuckled, "I'll get right on that." He kicked the young man to thank him for the information, then quickly climbed to the gym's rooftop.
He was greeted by a sharp command, "Stay back or she dies!"
"By all means kill the trollop." Jun shrugged.
"Master Jun!" Maro sounded much calmer. "What are you doing here?"
"The time is now!" Jun announced, "Hibiki and Saotome must die tonight! They are on their way, you will fight them, and you will kill them."
"Of course!" Maro said.
"Make no mistakes!" Jun warned, "Or you will suffer fates worse than death! They come with a group of fighters, it seems they've rounded up a little gang."
"Ryoga and Ranma? You're going to get it now." Nabiki Tendo sneered.
Jun laughed in her face. "Silly girl. You dont understand . . ." Jun smiled wickedly at Maro and added, "Han Lo-Chun is with them."
"What?" Maro raored, shoving his hostage asside and drawing his battle fans! Jun drew a gun and pointed it at Maro's head.
"Calm down, my young apprentice." Jun said in a voice that was a little less calm than he would have liked. "Han is our ally whether she knows it or not. You will use her to help you acheive your goal, and then when Hibiki and Saotome are dead, you may kill her."
"Master!" Maro complained, "I have waited for years!"
"And you can wait twenty more minutes!" Jun snapped, "I will take the prisoner, you will destroy Hibiki and Saotome, with the assisstance of Lo-Chun, the other martial artists are of no consequence, slay or spare them according to your own whim."
"You are too kind, master." Maro growled, not sounding at all sincere.
This annoyed Jun. Hadnt he offered this kid his life long dream if he was but man enough to take it? And hadnt he tolerated one failure too many all ready? Yet now with the mention of Lo-Chun's name, Maro was all but ready to defy him! Ungreatful whelp, sure everything Jun had told him about making him a real assassin was a lie, still he expected the fool to show some measure of graditude!
"Do as I say and be rewarded, fail me . . . and I'll handle your torture myself." Jun warned. He then turned to Nabiki and said, "If you would my dear, let us take a more comfortable position, where we can enjoy front row seats as we witness the death of your fiancee, brother in law, and . . . heck, let's just shoot for 'everything you know and love' shall we?"
Nabiki scoffed that Jun should go someplace that was, by reputation not terribly pleasant, he ignored her and she walked slowly towards him.
He collected her and quickly led her away to another school building one a safe distance away from the gym. After negotiating some stairs, he forced her into a class room where they would have a nice, and relatively safe view of events, and then reaching into the holsters about his body, drew out his three remaining guns, and his only knife. He examined each weapon carefully, checked on the amount of amunition he had left, then holstered them. again.
"Why are you doing this?" Nabiki dared to ask.
Jun looked out the window. The show had not yet started.
He turned and smiled darkly at her, "Dare you hear my tale?" He asked, "Once you've heard it, the world you know will cease to exist."
"Yeah, yeah, that's what my dad told me when he said there was no easter bunny. I've learned to live with it." Nabiki said sarcastically.
Jun grinned. "All right, I'll tell you exactly why I am doing this to you and the people you love . . ."
Ranma ran full out, determined to catch Jun before it was too late!
For Ranma, who so obviously outmatched Jun, it was becoming dificult to see why this needed to be his problem, but the others seemed fairly certain that it was, and since Jun had tried to kill him he figurred it just wasnt right to let him go on wandering the streets.
He had no weapons, he was not that kind of fighter, he didnt need them and even if he had them he wouldnt want to actually kill Jun.
On the other hand his hands and feet could be lethal if there was no other way.
Lo-Chun was leading the way, and Ranma felt just a little uneasy about that. There was a saying, "once a traitor" and Lo-Chun was, essentially, betraying her former master. Ranma just couldnt trust her!
But he wouldnt let that show, and so the four of them continued on, determined to catch the assassin before something terrible happened.
Determined not to let the local athorities get slaughtered trying to deal with him.
Determined to waste a perfectly good night for a perfectly fun tournament, because some moron wanted to put a bullet in Ranma's head.
Ranma scowled, realizing that that numbskull Ryoga had probably won the tourney! That jerk! He'd probably brag about it too and . . .
Oh wait, that was Ryoga right there!
Ryoga, dressed in a very different outfit looked as surprised to see Ranma as Ranma was to see him.
And Ukyo, and Tofu, and Kasumi. Ranma noted, but didnt really care about Anzu's friend whose name he'd forgotten.
Lotion didnt seem surprised, but she did look concerned. Concered for what, Ranma was not sure.
"Ryoga!" Ranma shouted, "What're ya doin' here?"
Ryoga seemed visibly torn between the idea of stopping to answer Ranma, and continuing on, the end result was him trying to do both at once, turning to answer Ranma while still running.
Ukyo almost stopped him in time to keep him from running into a wall . . . almost.
But Ryoga, being Ryoga shook it off and stood up as if he'd run into a pillow or something! Ranma shook his head in awe, and Shampoo giggled.
Ukyo gave Ranma a 'he's hopeless' look, and Ranma nodded discreetly.
"Oh thank heaven Ranma!" Kasumi gasped, "Nabiki has been kidnapped!"
"What? Where? How? Who?" Ranma demanded, pretending to care much more than he really did.
"It was Maro," Ukyo said, "We're not really sure what he'll do to her, but Ryoga here sure doesnt seem to want to wait and see."
"I'll pulverize him!" Ryoga snapped.
"That you will." Anzu's friend said neutrally, "If we ever find him."
"Furinkan High Gym." Kasumi said, "That is the place."
"Then that is where master Jun will be going." Lotion nodded, Ranma noted that she still called Jun "master" and didnt like the implication.
"Then let's go, and rid this town of those no good assassins!" Ukyo said.
"Ahem?" Lotion raised an eyebrow at Ukyo.
"What?"
"Present company excluded I presume?" Lotion said, annoyed.
"Not really, no." Ukyo said with a smirk, "real assassins kill people sugar, and while I dont doubt you've talked a few people into comas, you just dont have the eyes of a killer."
Lotion smiled, "You've never seen my eyes."
"Good gravy, cant you people ever just leave things unsaid?" Anzu's friend cried, "I appreciate the chance t'rest an' all, but we were running t'save some girl a minute ago, now we're all catching up on old times or some stupid junk like that? What is with you people?"
Ranma decided he really didnt like Anzu's friend, but couldnt deny her logic, they were in fact wasting time by just standing there talking and so the chase began anew, now with everyone haeded straight for the high school.
Ryoga kicked the door to the gym down, and burst in! "There's nobody here!" He scowled.
"There's someone . . ." Tomoko pointed to a hunched over form in the middle of the gym.
It was . . . Kuno?
"Hah! You cannot keep Tatewaki "Blue Thunder" Kuno down!" Kuno cried, standing up, then falling down again. "I will triumph!" He cried, shaking his fist at the sky.
Ryoga tried hard not to roll his eyes, Kuno was obviously role playing because he didnt look hurt badly enough to lose control of his legs. "What are you doing?" He demanded.
Kuno glared at him. "Fanged wanderer--"
"Ryoga!" Ryoga corrected angrily.
"Ryoga," Kuno agreed, "Fair Nabiki Tendo is being held captive atop the roof by a fan weilding monster! He has defeated me, but perhaps there is still hope for you . . ." Kuno trailed off dramatically.
"For the love of--are all the cute guys in this town drama queens?" Tomok demanded, "Do I need to move to a different city?"
"Stop thinking those sick thoughts!" Anzu snapped, "We're here to stop my evil uncle, we are not here to get laid!"
"I can have two goals!" Tomoko stuck her tongue out at Anzu.
Ryoga felt his eye twitch. "Where did you say Nabiki was?" He asked Kuno, too annoyed now to be able to even raise his voice in urgency.
Kuno however seemed to understand that the situation was serious and, leaning against his sword he said, "The roof, go quickly or she'll die! Someone else up there too . . . I did not recognize . . . could be dangerous."
"Then I'll do it myself!" Ryoga cried.
Ranma tripped him, and sat on him. "Right. Well here's my plan, and I guarantee it's one hundred percent better than yours."
"Get off me." Ryoga growled.
"Right, right, in'a minute." Ranma said. The others gathered around him . . . except for the moose, who started eating the flowers outside. "Here's the plan; Tofu stayes here 'n fixes . . . whatever's wrong with Kuno boy."
"Might need a brain surgeon for that." Ukyo whispered, and everyone nodded, except for Kuno who hadnt heard her.
"Meanwhile, Lotion is going to keep Kasumi safe." Ranma said.
"I will what?" Lotion demanded.
"You guard Kasumi, make sure she doesnt get hurt!" Ranma explained.
"Are you concerned for Kasumi's safety, or do you mean to keep me--"
"I would really appreciate your protection." Kasumi interrupted an outraged Lotion.
The young assassin calmed only a bit, and nodded curtly to Kasumi, but refused to look at Ranma, who ignored her indignation, and just continued outlining his plan, "Then Ukyo, you'll . . . Anzu and Tomoko . . . while Shampoo . . . and Ryoga and I charge right in, we'll trap Maro and make him give up Nabiki."
Ryoga hadnt actually heard much of the plan, he was too busy resisting the urge to throw Ranma into the wall and run up the stairs to rescue Nabiki, but once the words 'charge right in' and 'make him give up Nabiki' caught in his brain he calmed down immediately.
Ranma got off of him, and said "Ready?"
"I was born ready!" Ryoga cried.
"That and stupid." Ranma chuckled, Ryoga glared at him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt! "What? Oh . . . I said that out loud?"
"Save it for Maro." Ukyo suggested, and Ryoga released Ranma. Ukyo was right, there'd be time to deal with Ranma latter!
Maro paced back and forth, he was ready, he felt, to kill them all. He'd wanted to kill Nabiki just as Ryoga arrived, so as to taunt him and break his spirit, but Jun seemed to want her for something. He scoffed, what nonsense!
It was important that all witnesses die, no one could be left to testify against the Nekekami agents, and of course Maro considered himself an agent even if he hadnt killed Hibiki and Saotome quite yet.
Oh he'd get to them soon enough. Gripping his fan of illusions he grinned wickedly, knowing that this time he'd defeat them both and finish them off.
If he failed . . . well, there was a reason he'd wanted to fight Hibiki at the Furinkan High School's gymnasium. He had already prepared the battle field, Hibiki and Saotome would die whether or not Maro defeated them.
It was all too genius.
He was a genius! He was the very paragon of humanity, whatever the heck that meant. He was incredible and brave! Strong, and so much smarter than the rest of them, he understood, he knew what life was, life was a vile disease on the face of beautiful, peacful death! Only he knew, only he understood, all others were fools who had to be made to understand through death!
Maro paced back and forth, he whispered to himself as he waited, then spoted movement out of the corner of his eye, an attractive woman who didnt look a day over sixteen stood on the roof observing him.
She was Tosa, another of the Nekekami's three greatest master assassins, as Jun was in charge of assassinating assassins from other guilds, Tosa was incharge of internal security, it was her duty, and extreme pleasure to eliminate rouges and malcontents.
What she was doing here was beyond Maro's figuring! For a moment he felt an icy grip of fear completely overriding the sense of narcecism he'd just been feeling, but the woman just glanced at him, smiled sweetly and said, "Dont worry weakling, if it were you, you'd be dead already."
Maro relaxed a bit, and gave her a slight bow. She was nearly a head shorter than him, but still she seemed to tower over him like a giantess, she was holding no weapons that Maro could see but he didnt doubt that a master . . . er, well mistress assassin didnt really need them.
She skipped along the roof towards him, and, still smiling said, "I suppose you are in league with Koruda?"
Maro felt a little more at ease, and nodded, "Yes, I-I was just about to eliminate some rogues for the master."
Tosa nodded slightly. "I see. And Koruda is . . ." Tosa asked, trailing off expecting an answer.
"Observing from a safe location."
"So like Jun." Tosa giggled. "Well, never mind that. If your rogues are a group of nine people and a moose, they shall be upon you in . . . hmm . . . right about now." Tosa said brightly, and Maro heard a sound that he guessed was probably a door being kicked in, "Good luck with that!"
"Nine?" Maro gasped, "Mistress, could you not . . . even the odds?"
Tosa glared at him for a moment, and Maro felt a sudden overwhelming sense of dread, though why the idea of his own death should frighten him so was a mystery to him.
"Do you, a rogue, dare to make a request of me?" Tosa asked sharply, Maro heard foot steps approaching up the stairs . . .
"N-No!" He gasped.
"I didn't think so." Tosa said venemously. "Now, off I go!" She said, bright and cheerful again.
Maro shuddered, and the door exploded behind him just as Tosa leapt off of the roof and disappeared into the darkness.
Maro turned around and saw Ranma and Ryoga standing shoulder to shoulder, glaring at him.
He prepared himself for battle . . .
"Where's Nabiki?" Ryoga demanded.
"And where's Jun?" Ranma added.
"You will find them both, only after I am dead!" Maro sneered.
"Easily arranged sugar." A boy . . . or girl, with a huge bat said.
"You surrounded." An attractive chinese girl sneered.
Maro was indeed surrounded, for though Ryoga and Ranma had come in through the door, their comrades had leapt up onto the roof, Maro scowled at them. "Cowards." He scoffed, on the off chance that they might suffer a pride attack and fight him one at a time.
It wouldnt matter of course, he was an assassin, not a martial artist, not a brawler, he'd hoped to defeat Saotome and Hibiki through illusions, and those illusions could work on nine people just as easily as they worked on two . . .
Maybe . . .
"I'll take him on first." Ranma said cockily.
"Let me!" Ryoga snapped, "I'll make him tell me where Nabiki is, then I'll bash his skull in!"
"Dont you mean 'or' you'll bash his skull in?" Spatula girl/boy asked.
"Yes, fine, or I'll bash his skull in!" Ryoga said, Maro rolled his eyes, Hibiki after all had been easily fooled by his illusions before.
"We could all just rush right in an' slaughter 'im together, this doesnt have t'be showy or flashy y'know." One of the Koruda girls said.
"Tell us where Nabiki is, and we wont rip your guts out." The second Koruda girl said, "Further, tell us where Jun is, and we'll even let you keep one of your five limbs, you can even choose which one."
"It sounds like a fair deal to me." Spatula boy/girl nodded.
Maro scoffed. "Can it be that you are too afraid to face me then?" He sneered.
"Tomoko's right," Ranma grinned, "Let's make this a group thing!"
"Fine!" Ryoga snarled, lunging forward!
Ryoga lunged for Maro, his right fist came to Maro's stomach as if it were magnettically pulled, as the other boy doubled over Ryoga's knee came up and met with his face, knocking him upright again only for Ryoga's left fist to come in like a missile, striking Maro in the face and knocking him five feet back!
Maro rolled as he hit the ground and came up in a crouch, he waved his fan at Shampoo who came charging in with her two giant melon smasher thingummies, (this line has nothing to do with Shampoo's breasts) and she stumbled, and fell over as if she were dead.
Maro twisted to the side, ready to wave his fan at Ukyo who was charging with her battle spatula ready to deal a painful blow! The problem was that Maro's swipe would come first!
Before he could wave the fan though, Ryoga was on him again, about to kick a feild goal, with Maro's head as the foot ball!
But Maro grinned wickedly at him, and swiped his fan towards Ryoga, rather than Ukyo!
Ryoga gasped in surprise, and suddenly saw a great serpent errupt from the ground beneath him! It was as thick as Ryoga, and as long as a school bus! It wrapped itself around Ryoga and began to squeeze the life out of him!
His eyes began to blink rapidly, trying to deny the illusion! He knew it was an illusion, like Ranma had said! But he could feel it! He could feel it crushing him! He gasped for air, and felt his bones begin to crack and break! He struggled with all of his imense strength to free himself! He looked at the battle before him and to his horror saw Maro had already ended it!
Snakes were writhing and slithering about all over the place, strangling all of Ryoga's allies, there was no point in counting them, there were simply too many to number!
The roof gave way under the giant serpent that was wrapping itself around Ryoga! He fell to the floor, bits of the roof fell down on him, but the snake continued to squeeze, crushing Ryoga's very life out of him!
He screamed and tried to break free!
Is this how it ends? He wondered.
'I cant get free!' He told himself. 'I'm too . . .'
Weak. He thought bitterly.
'Too weak . . .' Ryoga realized.
He began to give in to the serpent, stopped struggling, allowed it to take his life slowly and painfully . . .
Cant give up! He scolded himself!
Ryoga scowled, it wasnt real! He wasnt really being crushed, he probably wasnt even on the gym's floor, he was probably still on the roof top!
He closed his eyes tightly, and still felt the crushing sensation, he focused hard! Nabiki was in danger, he needed to win! He needed to give it his all!
He shut his eyes tighter and told himself that there was no snake!
'It's all an illusion!' He thought to himself, 'All an illusion!' He struggled, and felt the snake's grip losen! He was still in pain, but he could tell that none of his bones were broken, he struggled still further to convince himself that it simply wasnt real!
He opened one eye . . . there was no snake at all.
He opened both eyes, and found himself lying on the ground.
Ukyo was nearby, unconcious, so was Shampoo.
Ryoga got to his feet and saw Anzu lying not far away, unconcious as well.
He felt strangely giddy, he'd won! Well, he hadnt defeated Maro, but he had defeated the illusions, which only help him do the former!
"Yer illusions aint workin' so give up before I lose my patience!" He heard Tomoko shout.
"Tell us where Nabiki and Jun are!" Ranma added.
Ryoga pulled himself to his feet and looked around, he saw Maro standing on the edge of the roof, both fans in hand.
Ryoga clenched a fist, he saw Ranma and Tomoko were both still standing, and neither seemed terribly injured.
Maro shouted at them, "I've come to far to give up now! I cant let you just win!"
"You know what they say, the higher the climb the greater the fall." Ranma sneered, "Maybe ya can make the climb again, but if we break your arms and legs, it'll be a lot harder, so cooperate."
"There will be no climbing, for any of us!" Maro screamed at the top of his lungs, "I'll kill you, you know? You were dead the moment you set foot on school grounds! I am no martial artist, I'll quickly admit, but I am quite fond of explosives . . ." Maro said, letting the implied threat hang in the air.
Ryoga didnt care, let Maro make whatever threat he liked, he began to run towards him, Maro spotted him and yelped!
"Y-you're not supposed to get back up!" He cried, rushing forward, towards Ranma, to escape Ryoga.
It wasnt the smartest thing in the world, but he probably figured he'd have a better chance for survival with Ranma. He was probably right too, because Ryoga was sick and tired of allowing that freak to draw breath!
Ranma just held out a hand to stop Maro, who grunted and fell to the ground, dropping both his fans.
He reached into his coat and produced a small silver rectangle about the size of a cigarette lighter, he held it up for all too see and screamed, "If I press this button we all die!"
That gave Ranma and Tomoko pause, even Ryoga slowed, though he didnt really stop advancing.
"If I press this button, we all die, including Nabiki, and all your senseless friends on the roof! You all know how great I am with illusions, but this is no illusion, there are very real explosives attatched to this building!"
"Oh bloody brilliant!" Tomoko snapped, "blow up the school while I'm in it eh?"
"Yeah," Ranma frowned, "Ya coulda done this while I was at home or something?"
"Are you two insane?" Ryoga snapped, "He's going to kill Nabiki!"
"Actually, he's going to kill us all." Ranma pointed out dryly.
Ryoga glared at Maro, and Maro sneered, "It looks like I hold all the cards now." Maro said.
"Not so." Ryoga said coldly, "My life doesnt matter to me, and I've been trying to kill Ranma for years."
"Hey!" Ranma protested.
"Nobody here matters to me," He said gesturing towards the unconcious fighters, "I just want Nabiki."
"She'll die too!" Maro cried.
"Perhaps." Ryoga nodded. "You could just be lying."
"I could be lying about a lot of things." Maro grinned, "But I assure you, I'm being wholly honest."
Ryoga shrugged. "Wont matter when I'm dead will it?" He grinned wickedly, "Best of all I'll die knowing that you and Ranma went with me. My greatest rival, and the slime who dared to abduct my fiancee."
"So?" Maro sneered, "I'd die knowing that I killed my two targets, knowing that I became a real assassin in the end!"
"Then what're ya waiting for?" Tomoko scoffed.
Maro seemed unsure, and Ryoga felt fairly certain that now would be the time to spring!
Jun leaned against the window sil, trying to judge whether or not he could shoot the detonator our of Maro's hand without hitting it and perhaps causing it to go off.
That thrice cursed fool needed to know that this sort of behavior was not acceptable, at the same time Jun needed him to know that there was no need to be quite so desperate.
He was considering possible options, but Nabiki, surprisingly, was the one to point out the obvious. "Why dont you just go down there and tell him not to blow us all up?" She asked.
Jun smiled, how brilliant! He should go down there!
He'd put far more faith in Lotion than he should have it seemed. He grabbed Nabiki by the arm lightly, and turned towards the door of the classroom that he and Nabiki were watching the fight from.
It was open.
He knew he'd closed it when he came in! But now it was open.
He raised an eyebrow and glared around the room, he drew out his knife and hurled it towards the room's light switch!
His aim was perfect, and the knife struck the switch handle first! The room lit up, and Nabiki shut her eyes against the sudden light.
Jun scanned the room, and saw a familiar woman sitting in the teacher's chair.
"Tosa!" Jun scowled.
"Koruda." Tosa nodded curtly.
"What are you doing here?" Jun demanded, quite upset that she'd managed to sneak up on him undetected! He reached behind his back for one of his remaining guns.
"I'm here to do my job. There's a rogue in the area causing problems." Tosa said sweetly.
"Maro? He's harmless . . . unless you're in a bar." Jun said, knowing full well that it wasnt Maro she was talking about.
"Not him." Tosa smiled sweetly. Jun scowled, the woman was nearly thirty, but she didnt look a day over sixteen, it was like being mocked by a child!
"So then, you're here for me." Jun scowled, preparing to draw his weapon.
"In a manner of speaking." Tosa smiled. "I am here because of you, I am not here for you."
Jun relaxed a bit, realizing that if she'd wanted him dead he would be, he hated to admit it but this round belonged to Tosa . . .
"Han?" Jun asked, wondering how many assassins were in the bloody city!
"Not at all." Tosa smiled, "Of the three names you've offered so far, hers is lowest of all on my list. Odd that you believe yourself, and your charges to be guild targets . . . the elders did give you permission to induct Maro Huriko into the guild, did they not? Your activities here have indeed been given their blessings, no?"
Jun shifted uneasily, and the look on Tosa's mocking face told him that she knew the truth of the situation with Maro all too well.
"Why am I still alive then?" Jun demanded.
"I told you, I am not here for you." Tosa shrugged. "I am here because of you. I am here to appraise whether or not these boys you're testing are truly worth another late induction into the guild, you know we need them at age eight, not eighteen."
"And so far?" Jun asked, relieved that Tosa, and therefore the guild elders, had guessed wrong.
"I've watched them since their first confrontation with Maro. Neither really impresses me. Lo-Chun was different of course, she was an Unusual after all, we had to take her late. But these ones? The most usual thing about the pigtailed boy is his taste in hair style, and the only special talent I've noticed from the other is a lack of any sort of sense of direction, if he is an Unusual then his talent is obviously not a benificial one."
"We'll see." Jun grinned, but tried to let a measure of false disappointment slip into his voice.
Mere aspirants? Fool woman! He was relieved to know that she hadn't overheard too much of what he told Nabiki!
"If you'll excuse me," Jun said, shoving Nabiki towards the door, "I really should go lend Maro a hand."
"Dont worry about him." Tosa said evenly. "He asked me to help him, so I did."
Jun raised an eyebrow. "You did?"
Tosa smiled wickedly, "I disabled his bombs."
"How does that help him?" Jun couldnt help but grin, she had after all, stopped Maro's mad bombing plan!
Tosa shrugged. "Now he can die like a man." She said.
Jun shook his head, and shoved Nabiki along towards the battle. He knew without having to look back that Tosa was going to watch the battle, going to make sure that Ryoga and Ranma were in no way truly unusual.
He'd show her how wrong she and the guild elders were, he'd wake Ranma and Ryoga's powers!
"I really am greatful for your protection." Kasumi said, patting Lo-Chun on the shoulder.
She scoffed. "I need to be over there." She said.
"It is best if you stay here." Kasumi told her. This seemed a terribly serious battle, someone was obviously going to get hurt and Lo-Chun had proven time and time again that she was a taltentless fighter, even the talents she claimed to have were suspect. She could throw knives . . . but they wouldnt actually hit anything. She could be sneaky if she didnt talk to herself . . . she couldnt keep from talking to herself when she tried to sneak. And though she claimed to be a famous assassin and amazonian warrior, Kasumi had not even heard of any recent assassinations and according to Cologne the only thing Lo-Chun was famous for among the amazons was getting drunk when there was no alcohal for miles, ranting and raving and then being stripped naked by her tribal sisters and tied to a tree until she sobered up.
About the only thing she could do was bake a mean cookie out of practically any odd ingredient and still make it taste perfect.
She paced back and forth mumbling to herself now as she and Kasumi watched the gym from just outside the school's entrance. Kasumi of course hadnt seen anything but she'd heard some shouting that she couldnt make out.
She was worried about poor doctor Tofu, all alone with that poorer Kuno boy and worse she worried for poorer sitll Nabiki who might be beaten, raped, even dead by now! She could only hope that Ranma and Ryoga would prove an unstopable team now as they usually had in the past.
Of course . . . 'usually' didnt mean always. There was that time . . . oh and that other time . . . and . . . "Oh my . . ." Kasumi whispered to herself, maybe Ranma and Ryoga werent so invincible after all.
But for Nabiki's sake . . . they had to be. She wondered where Akane was . . .
Finally they heard a gunshot! Kasumi gasped and Lo-Chun glared towards the roof. There was a brief pause, and then came two more only moments away from each other, Kasumi felt fear running through her . . . had somebody been shot? She looked to Lo-Chun in case the assassin might know.
But she only turned to Kasumi, and said with a tone of urgency, "I have to go. You must understand. You've become my family, this is what I must do to protect you all."
Kasumi stared at Lo-Chun for a moment, then nodded. She knew a thing or two about loyalty to family members.
Lo-Chun's eyes seemed to flash an unusual yellow, then grinning she turned and bounded off towards the gym.
Tosa watched Han Lo-Chun head for the battle, and nodded. With two real agents and even the false child Maro, the remaining martial artists would pose no threat. She saw no reason to involve herself, but chose to continue watching the battle just in case something really interesting happened.
She did not have to wait long . . .
When Jun arrived Ryoga had Maro's arm twisted behind his back while Maro, screaming about being touched, refused to answer any of the questions that Ryoga was asking.
"Where's Nabiki?" Ryoga roared into Maro's ear.
The response was a shriek of "Germs! Germs! Bacteria!"
Rolling his eyes, Jun fired a shot into the air, it easily got everyone's attention. He sneered and then held the still smoking weapon to Nabiki Tendo's head. "Everyone remain calm," Jun said with a smile, he watched Ryoga carefully.
Such power! Such pashion! He'd make a find aspirant.
But Ranma Saotome was the chosen one, that was easy enough to see.
"You'll all cooperate, or I'll plant a metal seed in her brain." Jun said, then chided himself, that line had been so not cool!
Stupid Tosa had totally thrown him off his game!
"Master, I could have handled this situation." Maro scoffed.
Jun glared at him and had to restrain himself from shooting Maro right then. Who did he think he was? "I saw how you controlled the situation you incompotent failure." Jun said coldly, "Now you pay attention and maybe you'll learn something."
Maro fumed but nodded. He also reached into his coat and produced a little anti bacterial wipe and cleaned the wrist Ryoga had grabbed.
Jun smiled politely and said, "Now that we're all together . . . Nabiki dear, do tell them how important it is that they cooperate. You . . . do like being alive . . . dont you?" Jun asked, jabbing her head with the gun a few times just to emphesize his point.
Nabiki scoffed and said, "Ryoga baby . . . if I die you can marrry Yoshimi. Kill this moron."
Jun feigned outrage, but in truth that was exactly what he'd told Nabiki to say.
Ryoga charged for him, and he fired two more shots, purposely missing the oncoming Hibiki! Jun put his gun away and shoved Nabiki to the side, she knew her role and she knew she'd play it well or her life would end long before Jun's did.
Jun leapt backwards, and drawing out his hunting knife lunged for Ryoga, the younger man kept on coming.
Jun and Ryoga clashed, it was like running head first into a brick wall! Jun swiped at Ryoga with the knife and Ryoga stopped the blade and knocked it out of Jun's hand long before the intended blow could cut him!
Jun dropped to the ground and swept Ryoga's legs out from under him! Ryoga leapt up and Jun's gaze followed him.
Suddenly he felt a terrible explosion of pain in his chest! Ryoga had leapt up, and Ranma had charged right into him and struck him right over his heart!
It felt as if he'd been hit a hundred times instead of just once, but he knew no one was that fast. He gasped for air and fell to the ground! That had not been part of the plan!
Ryoga came down on top of Jun! He landed with his knee in Jun's stomach, the assassin screamed in pain! This was wrong! Terribly wrong!
Ryoga's arm shot out with a speed that nearly rivaled Ranma's, and his strong hand wrapped around Jun's throat! Jun struggled and realized suddenly his terrible mistake!
Ranma wanted to beat him, he was convinced that he could have fought Ranma forever and never been in danger of being killed. Ryoga wanted to kill him, and he was going to do it now, the look in the boy's eyes told him so.
Jun had made a very big mistake.
Ryoga tightened his grip on Jun's neck and whispered, "For all the trouble you've caused us, for threatening Nabiki, for being in league with that freak with the fans . . ." He glared intensely at the assassin, who seemed just a little afraid. "For all those things!" Ryoga yelled, tightening his grip on the killer's throat, so tempted to just keep on tightening and tightening until Jun was dead . . . instead he said cooly, "For all those things, you will spend the rest of your long and miserable life in prison."
He released the assassin's throat, and got up, Jun looked relieved, but also disappointed. Ryoga didnt care. Nabiki was safe, she wasnt seriously hurt and that was all that mattered. While Ryoga wouldnt go so far as to say 'no harm no foul' he certainly couldnt kill Jun when in truth no serious damage had been done. Nabiki got threatened by all sorts of people while they were taveling together . . . usually people who'd lost their life savings to her.
When it came right down to it Ryoga was by far too happy at seeing Nabiki in once piece to really care at all about Jun, besides he felt the lesson had been learned, glancing at Ranma, who nodded in agreement with his decision--like he cared--Ryoga turned to Nabiki.
Nabiki sent an unsure glance towards Jun, which Ryoga guessed must mean she was a little afraid of him attacking her. He didnt see Jun's slight nod.
"Are you all right?" Ryoga asked Nabiki as he held her in his arms. After a rather uncomfortable moment she wrapped her own arms around him tightly and said that she was.
Ryoga closed his eyes, not caring about anything but her for that moment.
A moment that would end all too soon.
Nabiki was surprised by Ryoga's sudden embrace, he really wasnt the sort to display his affection so publicly! Maybe her being kidnapped would help their relationship. She closed her eyes and held him as well, not at all embarassed that so many people, friend and enemy alike were watching them.
Jun had told her a lot if not everything about the Nekekami and about his plans for Ryoga or Ranma, depending on which of them was the chosen one. Nabiki wanted desperately to share this knowledge with the two boys.
Now was not the time.
She had made a deal with Jun, had agreed to follow his plan, and so far nothing was going according to it. She could have told him that Ryoga and Ranma would kick his butt, but it was more fun to see the surprised look on his face, and even she hadnt expected them to do it so quickly.
The plan, oh the plan, what a fool Jun was. He had decided that he would fight Ranma and Ryoga alone and distract them while Nabiki rushed out to the safety of their "other comrades" where she would find Han Lo-Chun and explain to her the dire situation, encouraging her to come to the rescue. Upon seeing Lotion, Maro would apparently fly into a rage, attack her resulting in a necessary distraction at which point Jun would kill Maro, thus reawakening his old apprentice's loyalty. In exchange for all this, Ryoga and her sisters would not be harmed and she herself would never have to worry about being assassinated by a Nekekami agent. Ever.
Phase one never got off the ground, Nabiki assumed that she was off the hook for her part of it, and who cared? Ryoga had won, as she knew he would. Jun was beaten, Maro was a twit, things would go back to normal now . . . right?
Unfortunately that was when Lotion arrived, leaping on to the roof with all the grace of a swan, then tripping and falling on her face with all the clumsiness of . . . well, Ranma or Ryoga on ice wasnt a bad comparison.
"Blasted floor!" The amazon screamed, rubbing some blood away from her nose.
"Yer too late, we've got it under control." Ranma scoffed, but Nabiki noticed he was suddenly on guard.
She glanced at Lotion, the idiot. Could she really be such a great assassin? Nabiki simply couldnt see it, was Jun drunk when he trained her?
Jun got to his feet and held his hands in the air in surrender, obviously seeing that his apprentice was by no means the cavalry. The Koruda girl who wasnt unconcious came over and, reaching into her many pocketted coat, produced a pair of hand cuffs. She winked at Ryoga as she slapped them on Jun's wrists, and Nabiki tightened her grip on her fiance just to be sure there was no confusion.
Maro raised an eyebrow at Lotion, who glared in return, after a few moments a light seemed to go on in his head and he screamed, "It's you!"
"I am Hand Lotion," The assassin hissed, oddly enough referring to herself as Hand Lotion instead of Han Lo-Chun, "Formerly the great Amazonian Assassin."
"Formerly?" Maro scoffed, "Then you admit that I am your better?"
"If it makes you happy." Lotion said simply. "I'll say what ever you like, but saying it shall not make it so. No I am afraid if you want to be called my superior, you must kill me."
Jun grinned, and Nabiki felt suddenly unsure. She didnt technically like Lotion, but she knew her, and that was enough to make her inevitable death an inconvenience.
Jun watched as his student stood unarmed before her most hated foe. He was not ignorant, he knew that Lo-Chun had been running from Maro for some time, and he knew about her unfortuante run in with the training ground of accursed springs.
But still he knew that Han could make short work of Maro simply because she, unlike he, was no martial artist, she was an assassin and when she kept this in mind she was unstopable.
She reached into her pocket and produced a small object . . . a box! She held it out to Maro. "For all the wrongs I've done to you my friend . . . take this." She said.
Maro eyed her suspiciously, and she threw the box at him. He caught it, and looked inside.
"A cookie?" He asked.
"Yes. A Masrshion cookie, made from marshamallows and onions, chedder cheese powder and egg shells!"
"It sounds disgusting!" Maro cried.
"two sticks of butter and twelve cups of sugar," Lotion continued.
"Just eat it! It's great!" Ranma offered.
"They are pretty good." Ryoga admitted.
"If you dont want it, I'll eat it." Nabiki offered.
Maro scoffed, "It is my cookie, I'll eat it!" He said, shoving it down his throat. He frowned for a moment and said, "It . . . it tastes pretty good!"
Jun frowned, confused . . . his prized student was handing out cookies?
"A cup of oil," Lotion said with a dark smile as Maro swalled the cookie, "two cups of water and . . . oh my, what was that last ingredient?" She reached into her coat and produced a small vial, she examined it and smiled at Maro, "Oh my yes! I forgot to mention the new ingredient . . . venom ala sea snake."
She tossed the vial of poison to Maro, Nabiki said something to the effect of "glad I didnt eat it" and Maro fell to the ground, gagging!
Lotion skipped merrily over to him, the skip she'd always used in the old days, the spring in her step caused by the impending death of her victim!
Ranma, Ryoga, Tomoko and Nabiki all seemed dumbfounded by Lotion's actions, but Jun couldnt have been happier! She was still his student, his child, his property, his slave, his masterpiece!
Lotion crouched in front of Maro as he grabbed his throat, hacking and coughing, "What's that you say?" She asked, "Need something to wash it down with? Why here! The antivenom should do the trick, if you swear to leave me and my friends alone . . . forever."
Maro nodded furiously, but Jun was just plain furious! Give him the antivenom? Was she crazy?
Though come to think of it he should already have been dead shouldnt he? Jun was no expert on poisons, that was really Tosa's department.
Lotion handed Maro the antivenom and he swallowed it all, then she gasped! "Oh no! Looks like you just drank the wrong one dear! That was the Black Widow Venom I put in my Sourcrout Shortcake!"
Maro's eyes rolled back in his head and he fainted. There was silence for a moment, the Ranma grabbed Lotion by the shoulder, and spun her around! "You killed him!" He roared, "You didnt have to kill him! You are just a murderer!"
Lotion scoffed and shoved Ranma's hand away. "I beg your pardon?"
Ranma clenched a fist and threw it at Lotion, who cringed as if expecting it to knock her head off her shoulders.
But Ranma's eyes were faster than his hand and he saw it before his fist struck Lotion, before Jun even saw it!
Maro was still breathing.
"I gave him some paralyzing potion," Lotion explained, "Then I gave him some cough syrup. I also had some vodka if he didnt give up I was going to tell him it was Coneshell toxin."
Ranma blinked. "You dont have any poison on ya at all?"
"Well actually I do, but do you really think I'd ever soil my delicious baked goods with them? You insult me!" Lotion laughed.
"But you do have poisons?" Ranma demanded.
"Well I am an assassin." Lotion said proudly.
"But I thought you were going to stop being an assassin! You just made this long speech!" Ryoga protested.
"One must always be prepared." Lotion nodded sagely.
"You're an idiot!" Ranma cried.
"Of course you didnt." Lotion chuckled.
"Of course we didnt what?" Ryoga scratched his chin.
"No need for thanks!" Lotion cried, but she sounded confused, she reached into one of her pockets and produced a little peice of paper and examined it.
"You wrote a speech didnt you?" Ranma chuckled.
"There's no need to thank me." Lotion sighed helplessly.
"Did we have lines?" Nabiki raised an eyebrow.
"It's the duty of the strong to protect the--oh screw it, you guys suck!" Lotion cried, ripping her paper up. "This is nothing like the comic books!"
Ranma seemed confused, Ryoga smiled approvingly and Nabiki looked like she'd just seen a bad movie and wanted to ask for her money back.
Jun however was downright pissed.
"What the heck?" He demanded, "Are you a good guy now or something? Worthless Unusual filth!"
"Even more worthless, the normal who doesnt know he is the simple one." Lotion spat, "I long ago came to terms with what I am master. That cant change. But what can change is who I am, and that person who I was is dead, my very last kill. The creature that you made me holds no dominion over me, and the worst tortures and torments the guild can inflict on me are all I deserve for ever following them in the first place!"
Jun scowled, he wanted to kill her right then.
But he told himself that the girl he'd trained, the girl he'd saved from a life of hatred and belittlement by so-called friends and family and introduced to a life of power and prowess where she could thrive, would never turn her back on the utopia that he had given her.
Why would anyone want to stop being an assassin? Stop holding absolute power over other's lives? Why would anyone want to stop killing for the grand order? Why would anyone give up the way of the spirit cat? Lotion knew that once the chosen one was discovered the Nekekami would unite the entire underworld together again! She had to know that she could side with the winners, or die with the losers, who would chose death?
He looked at Nabiki, and knew she certainly wouldnt . . . would she? No, of couse not!
He gave her a subtle nod and she nodded right back. She detatched herself from Ryoga and strolled over to him, she grinned and slapped him across the face.
Jun did not bother to hide the outrage he felt, he knew it would only help him play the part Nabiki was offering him!
"How dare you kidnap me, then insult poor Lotion!" She slapped him again, "How dare you and your silly ninja clan interfere in our sinful but happy lives of lying to one another, having sex with each other, and stealing money from Ranma?"
"Yeh-HEY!" Ranma protested, checking his pockets.
Nabiki slapped him again and said, "How dare you and your little comrade who smells like fish," She gestured towards Maro who was still unconcious, "lay your hands on me, and so terribly beat me?"
"Beat you?" Ryoga raised an eyebrow.
"You look fine." Tomoko yawned.
"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Nabiki demanded.
"Actually, I do." Jun smiled, and freed his hands from their restraints, a trick he'd picked up while dating a girl who'd been rather into domination. He drew a gun in one hand, threw his other arm around Nabiki's neck and began to back away from the fighters.
He sneered at Ryoga and said, "Miss Tendo and I have become rather attatched to one another, I will be taking her now and there is nothing you can do to stop me. I will very likely leave her dead in a ditch somewhere, but one never knows." Jun winked at Nabiki, passing on the telepathic message that he had no intentions of killing her.
An outright lie, since he'd already decided that he'd do just that, and in just a moment, but she didnt need to know that.
"You can have her back Ryoga Hibiki . . . if you kill Ranma Saotome."
"You cant expect 'im t'kill me for her sake!" Ranma cried, "How's he t'know yer tellin' the truth about lettin' her go?"
"I suppose he doesnt. Is it a risk he is willing to take?" Jun sneered and tightened his grip on the trigger.
Ranma scoffed. "Dont listen to 'im. We can take him before he shoots her, Ryoga. And if he does shoot her he's gotta know we'll murder him right here and now, he's out'a options."
"A foe backed into a wall might not see anything to lose." Jun smiled, "And maybe I'm the sort of sick son of a gun who wants to take this promiscuous little girl with me!"
"I'm not promiscuous." Nabiki pointed out.
"Like fun you're not." Jun scoffed, "Anyone who wears shorts as short as yours is obviously a tramp."
"Everyone says that, but really it's the fashion. I cant help it if the trend setters are sultry little brats, if I dont dress like they do I wont be taken seriously. Them's the breaks." Nabiki said and tried to shrug but Jun jabbed the gun into the side of her head to remind her that they were not buddies.
"For a super genious you sure are stupid." Jun decided.
"Sticks and stones." Nabiki scoffed.
"Look, whether she's promiscuous or not," Tomoko said, "I'm tired as a log and just as bored with this whole thing. I suggest you let the girl go, or kill her. Either way, let's end this, I want to eat something."
Jun massaged his forehead. This was annoying. "All right." He admitted. "We'll have tea and cookies, then we resume where we left off."
"Not tea," Tomoko sighed, "Tea is for dweebs!"
"I love tea!" Lotion cried defensively.
"My case." Tomoko shrugged, guesturing towards Lotion who scowled back at her.
"Fine, tea for the cultured, coffee for the rest of--er I mean no breaks!" Jun roared, tightening his grip on Nabiki, "This will end now, when Ryoga Hibiki kills Ranma Saotome! Then, and only then will I release Nabiki! I wont let her go for a thousand dollars, only blood will sate my thirst! So come Ryoga-kun, kill Ranma and prove that you are the chosen one!" Jun said, knowing full well that Ryoga would die trying and that Ranma was the chosen one.
Instead however, Lotion scowled, stepped forward and said, "Master . . . let her go now. Or else."
"Or else what?" Jun demanded.
"Or else I will make you let her go!" Lotion scowled!
Jun scoffed at her, "Nothing in the world can make me let go!"
Lotion glared at him for a moment, then shouted "Touch down!"
Jun's arms involuntarily shot up in victory! Nabiki skipped away, and Ryoga and Ranma came on!
To Be Continued . . .
Next chapter we'll watch Akane's progression through the tournament, then Jun bites off more than he can chew when he finally awakens the chosen one! But will it be Ranma, or Ryoga? When it's all over, Nabiki will tell everyone what Jun told her about the Nekekami, will the newly awakened Chosen One stand up to claim lordship over the neo-ninja assassins? Find out In . . . "Akane the Great!"
