Ranma 1/2
A Scary Thought
Chapter 28
It was still early in the day, and Kasumi was walking home from the school after stopping by to inspect the repairs. Unfortunately the damage during the confrontation with the principal was extensive, and a good deal of that was because of Hinako and Kasumi. Kasumi sighed when she thought about that. I'm supposed to be the one keeping these students from doing such things, not damaging the school myself. Oh well, I suppose I had no choice. Kasumi shook her head then look down at a package she had bought earlier and smiled. Well, I guess a week or so of vacation isn't so bad.
The week off was the perfect opportunity to go on that short training trip Genma had been planning for sometime. With Makoto gone back to her home district for the week, and Kasumi and Shampoo heading up to the mountains with Genma, Cologne had decided to go back to China for a short visit. The training trip was scheduled for tomorrow so that left Kasumi one night alone with Shampoo. Less than a week ago, that prospect would have been the cause of some anxiety for Kasumi. Now she merely planned to make use of it.
When she arrived home at the San Cheng Huang, however, her plans were temporarily shelved as she found Herb sitting at one of the tables, apparently waiting for her.
"Hello, Herb," Kasumi said as she entered, placing her package on the nearest table. "Were you not told that we will be closed? Shampoo and I are going on a training trip and will be taking the week off."
"Yes, I was," Herb replied as she stood up and walked over to Kasumi. "However, I have also learned that Ranma will be accompanying you on this training trip."
"Yes... and no. He and his father will be mostly training on their own."
"Still, you will be staying together?"
Kasumi thought for a moment then nodded. "I suppose so."
"Then I demand to come with you!"
Kasumi was surprised by the sudden order, and took a moment to respond. "Why?"
"Why?" Herb repeated, "You promised a fair opportunity for all your suitors. Would you not agree that it is certainly giving Ranma an unfair advantage to have time with you the others cannot?"
"I suppose," Kasumi conceded. "But you work with me-"
"And Ranma attends your class," Herb countered. "I see that as a fair trade-off."
"I guess so," Kasumi replied. "Still, what about Ryoga, Mousse and Tatewaki?"
Herb went silent, caught by her own reasoning. After a moment she looked off at the side and responded, "Fine, they may come as well, if they wish. However, I do not see them about, so I suppose that means they are not interested."
Kasumi sighed then nodded. "Very well. You may come. Just try to get along with Ranma. I don't want any fights."
"I can control myself," Herb replied as she turned away. "Ranma is another matter. I will see you tomorrow. Till then Kasumi Tendo." Herb bowed slightly in respect then turned towards the door.
Kasumi shook her head as Herb left. She would no doubt cause trouble. Still, she had promised no fights, and so far she had proven to at least honor her promises.
Kasumi returned to her package and called out, "Shampoo?"
"Kasumi?" Shampoo called back in response. "Shampoo just taking bath. Want come?" Shampoo asked. The simple question carried a touch of teasing, and more than a touch of longing.
"No, I had one earlier," Kasumi replied absentmindedly, her mind on the situation with Herb. Lost in thought she walked into the kitchen.
XXXXX
Back in the bath, Shampoo blinked in surprise at the response, or more accurately the ease at which Kasumi had responded: No hesitation, no nervousness, just a simple no. Shampoo did not know exactly how to take that, as a good or bad sign. However, together with recent developments, Shampoo concluded quickly it was a good one.
"When you're ready, I have something for you," Kasumi said from behind the closed bathroom door. That was enough to get Shampoo to jump out of the bath, hesitate, throw on a towel, and rush out of the door right into Kasumi.
"Airen!" Shampoo exclaimed as she hugged a slightly surprised Kasumi. Looking up at Kasumi's face as she rested her cheek against Kasumi's shoulder, Shampoo asked, "What have for Shampoo?"
From behind her back, Kasumi pulled out a bundle of flowers and handed them to Shampoo who accepted them happily. "I hope you like them."
"Is wonderful," Shampoo replied with a bright smile.
"And I also have these," Kasumi continued, showing Shampoo two tickets. "It's a dinner theater that Michiru-"
"You take Shampoo?" Shampoo asked eagerly.
"Of course," Kasumi replied with a smile and was treated with another gracious hug from the young Amazon.
"Oh, Shampoo so happy," the Amazon gushed then withdrew suddenly after noticing Kasumi current clothing. "Airen... you... you have new clothes," Shampoo said with a disappointed look, noting Kasumi general appearance.
Kasumi stepped back and turned to show off the attire. The top appeared to be a pleated soft brown blouse that highlighted her feminine figure. The matching pants did much the same, being extra wide in the legs, and giving an almost dress like feel to the outfit, yet at the same time being tight around her waist. "What do you think?"
"Is... nice," Shampoo replied after a second. "Kasumi, Shampoo thought you have dress like... boy?"
"I do, that's the best part. Watch." Kasumi motioned for Shampoo to follow her back into the bathroom where she stopped next to the facet. Turning on the cold water, Kasumi splashed herself with the liquid. In an instant her Jusenkyo curse took effect, but, as if by magic, the clothes Kasumi was wearing seemed to easily adjust. The waist and other points of close fit expanded neatly, as the pleats stretched out, effectively disappearing. The end result was that Kasumi-kun had a fully filled out version of the female outfit that seemed to perfectly suit him.
"Aiya," Shampoo said quietly in amazement.
Kasumi smiled as he shut off the tap. "Pierre did a wonderful job didn't he? Oh, Pierre's a tailor Michiru introduced me to the other day. He made this for me. He's working on some others like it as well." Kasumi turned to the nearby mirror and looked at himself. "I was skeptical, but he came through."
"Is very nice," Shampoo said finally with a smile of her own, then hugged Kasumi from behind. "But, what if get in fight. New clothes get ruined."
"That's true of any clothes I wear. Now that he has the basic design, Pierre said he should be able to make me replacements if anything happens and it shouldn't cost that much either. He's also supposed to be making me some extra special training clothes, although he didn't tell me much about those." Kasumi gently disengaged himself from Shampoo then returned to the tap to transform back to normal, much to Shampoo's disappointment. After doing so she turned back to Shampoo. "We still have several hours, so why don't you finish up your bath? I have to attend to a few things."
Shampoo nodded. Kasumi took the flowers and left the bathroom to return to the kitchen where she quickly put them into a vase. The ding of the door chime alerted her to another visitor, one she had been expecting since Herb had left. "Hello Tatewaki..."
XXXXX
How is it I get dragged into these situations? Sissithississ thought in irritation as he batted aside a branch in his path as he followed Lemon, who in turn was following Ukyo. This was supposed to be a nice simple escort job. They didn't tell me she attracts trouble like a super-magnet. A branch snapped back into his face as he grumbled about that, causing him to glare up at the heavens for a moment. "Hey, are we almossst there?"
"Nearly," Ukyo replied from ahead. "It should be just ahead."
"Who the hell makessss a sssshrine out in the middle of the woodssss like thissss," Sissithississ thought aloud.
"Let's just say, back then they valued their privacy," Ukyo replied, as she stopped to examine a nearby cliff face. She looked down at the map in her hands to confirm her observation and nodded. "This is it."
"What'ssss it?" the snake warrior asked as the threesome stepped out into a clearing. "I don't ssssee any sssshrine."
"It's supposed to be right by this marker," Ukyo said, rubbing dirt and dust off the side of the rock to reveal a symbol. However, after doing so, Ukyo looked about in confusion. "You're right thought, I don't see any shrine. It is supposed to be right by here."
"Ssssure your father gave you the right map?" Sissithississ asked as he walked up to examine the marker.
Ukyo looked down at the map in her hands in sudden anger. That jerk! That's exactly what he did! He must have given me a phony. Why that... that... she thought with increasing frustration.
Before Ukyo's anger could grow any further, Sissithississ looked over her shoulder at the parchment. "Nope, you were right in the firsssst place. Thisss issss it."
"But... Sissy, where is the shrine then?" Lemon asked as she looked about.
Sissithississ glared over at Lemon for a moment, but she took no notice. Grunting, he let the name go by and pointed over his shoulder, back at the marker. "Behind that boulder I would guesssss."
"Boulder?" Ukyo repeated, looking back at the rock more carefully. She then scanned up and down then left to right, before finally re-examining the map and falling back two paces in shock. "This... this can't be. That rock has to be..."
"About two hundred tonsss," Sissithississ completed Ukyo sentence. Ukyo remained in shock as Lemon gasped at the huge number. "Yep, but there is no doubt about it. I can sssee a tiny gap behind it. I bet that'sss the entrance to this ssshrine of yoursss. They must have moved thissss boulder here to keep out intruderssss."
After a moment, Ukyo finally returned to her senses and pointed at the rock. "How the hell are we supposed to move that thing?"
"I'm more interesssted in how they got it here in the firssst place. Even Lime would have difficulty with ssssomething this heavy."
Ukyo sunk to her knees as she continued to stare at the rock. "This can't be happening. How... why... NO! I've come all this way. I'm not going to be stopped by some stupid rock. There has to be a way to remove it."
"Sssomeone certainly got it here, so that it can be removed isss a given. How isss the problem." Sissithississ took a moment to examine the rock further then nodded. "Definitely a ward. I sssee inssscriptionsss on it. Probably to protect it from sssimple effortsss to move or dessstroy it. I would sssuggessst this may in fact be sssome form of tessst."
"A tesss... Damn it! Now you got me doing it!" Ukyo yelled out in frustration as she returned to her feet. The snake warrior responded with a displeased looked which gained him a quick apology from the chef.
"Yess..." Sissithississ began to respond then stopped. "I am ss... sorry as well. It is a family accent. I ssometimes get annoyed at it mysself. I will endeavor to sspeak correctly. However, ass I wass saying, it could be a tesst, to keep out those who are unworthy. We of the Musk often do this ourselves. The ability to overcome such obstacless iss a sign a warrior iss ready for full training."
"Yeah, okay, fine. I guess that sounds reasonable and I do remember once my grandfather saying something about only the most worthy of warrior would be allowed to know our family's secrets, but that doesn't help me move this thing. You said it yourself: even Lime would have trouble with this rock. I'm strong, but not even half as strong as him. How am I supposed to move it?"
"Hmmm," Sissithississ looked back at the boulder in thought then shook his head. "Sssorry, don't know."
Ukyo growled in anger then rushed the boulder, her fist ready to strike. "Hell with it! Take this!"
Sissithississ shook his head then winced in sympathy as a red glowed filled the air, and Ukyo was sent hurtling backwards.
"Oooh, its magic," Lemon said in awe as Ukyo lay on the ground seeing stars.
"I told you it was warded," the snake warrior commented, and then looked off into the woods. "Lemon, look after her. I'll go fetch some firewood. Whether she gets it open or not, we'll probably be here a while. And for heaven's sake, keep your cloak on, and that includes the hood!"
"Alright, alright!" Lemon moaned in annoyance. Sissithississ gave her a brief look before heading off. "Ukyo? You alright."
"Blasted... damned... idiotic... rock," Ukyo grumbled as she sat up and rubbed her head and face. After recovering, she continued to glare at the stone in thought. Save for the faded wards and the marker, the stone was very unremarkable. There was no clue as to any trick to moving it. It stood there defiantly, mocking Ukyo.
There has to be a way to move this thing! Ukyo thought in anger. There has to be! They got it here that means it can be moved. But how? It is not fair! I'm so bloody close. Maybe I can get that Lime kid to move it. Even if he can't by himself, with all of us together then... Damn it, that means spending a day to get back, and another to return here. AHHH! In frustration Ukyo ruffled her hair and diverted her stare to the ground.
"You okay?" Lemon asked in concern.
"I'm fine," Ukyo said after taking a moment to calm herself. "I guess I'll have to go back and see if I can get Lime's help."
"That may not do any good," Lemon replied, causing Ukyo to look at her in surprise and confusion.
"How do you know that?"
"Well... I have a bit of familiarity with magic. I can feel it, especially when you attacked it. I think it is attuned to you, or at least your family."
"Oh hell!" Ukyo moaned. "That's just great! How am I supposed to get by this blasted thing by myself? There's no... way... hmmm..." Ukyo said with a sudden thought. Eyeing the rock a moment longer, she stood up and approached it as Lemon watched. Ukyo stopped, touched the ruins, and then looked to either side of the stone at the cliff face. After finishing her examination Ukyo began to laugh. "That's it! Oh, that's tricky."
"What's tricky?" Lemon asked anxiously.
Ukyo did not respond, instead leaving the rock and focusing her attention on the cliff. She paused a moment to gather her strength then cried and punched the cliff. The cliff did not react, at least not magically. Instead a large chunk of it collapsed under the force of Ukyo's attack. Ukyo repeated the assault several more times until she had smashed away a large chunk just behind the stone, giving her a clear path inside.
"You did it!" Lemon said enthusiastically.
"Yeah," Ukyo agreed as she stood back to rest. "It was simple enough. I may not be able to move the rock, but there's no protection on the cliff. The rock was just a distraction. You're not meant to move it."
"Good show kid," Sissithississ said as he approached with a load of branches.
"You knew, didn't you?"
"Yess, but you figured it out quick enough. I would have helped out if you had needed it, but you didn't. Well, let'ss not jusst sstand around. Let'ss get in there and have a look at thesse techniquess."
"Right," Ukyo said, and pulled out of a flashlight and proceeded inside. Lemon followed after her, while Sissithississ took a moment to drop his load.
After doing so, he looked up at the rock curiously. Still, that doesn't explain how they got this thing here in the first place. Hmmm...
XXXXX
Back in Nerima, Nodoka and Nabiki were busy in the kitchen preparing dinner. Nodoka was overseeing the cooking while Nabiki was once again relegated to chopping vegetables. Nodoka cast a look back at Nabiki, noting the unusual amount of attention Nabiki was paying to her work. "They need not be perfect, dear."
Nabiki looked up in surprise then quickly returned to her work. "Oh, I'm not trying to make them perfect."
Nodoka smiled and said, "You just seem very involved with that cutting. Is there something on your mind?"
"Nope, not a thing," Nabiki replied stiffly, mumbling something to herself afterward.
"Did you say something Nabiki?"
"No, Aunty," Nabiki replied quickly.
Nodoka continued to give Nabiki a long visual examination before hearing the door chime. "I'll get it."
As Nodoka left the room, Nabiki looked up briefly to ensure she was alone. "At least nothing I want on my mind," Nabiki said quietly then returned to her cutting.
XXXXX
Mr. Kuonji waited patiently at the door. This was the one place where he might find out where Kasumi was and he urgently needed to speak to her. As the sound of footstep came up the hall, he composed himself and stood up straight to make a good impression. He had no idea if these people knew of him, and even less an idea how they'd respond if they found out his daughter was out to cause Kasumi grievous harm.
"Hello?" Nodoka said as she opened the door.
"Ah, hello? Um... ah, this is the Tendo residence, is it not?"
"It is. Can I help you?"
"I hope so," he replied. "I'm looking-"
Mr. Kuonji was cut off as Ranma came flying down the stairs, pursued closely by an angry Akane. "Get back here you jerk!" Akane yelled as she rushed by. Ranma responded by making a face at her while ducking under an attempt to hit him. "Why you..!"
Nodoka's pleasant facade faded, and she turned sharply towards the two teenagers. "Ranma, stop teasing Akane! Akane, stop encouraging Ranma!"
"He started it!" Akane said.
"No, she did!" Ranma protested in turn.
"I don't care who started it. I'm ending it. We have a guest, so stop being rude."
Both mumbled out apologies, gave each other a departing glare and went their separate ways. Nodoka sighed and turned back to Mr. Kuonji. "I'm sorry."
Ukyo's father waved off the apology. "Nonsense. I know all too well what having an unruly teenager is like. That wouldn't happen to have been Ranma Saotome, would it?"
"Why yes, he's my son."
"Ah, so you must be Nodoka. Genma spoke of you both."
"He did?" Nodoka said in surprise.
"Yes. I'm Hidenori Kuonji. You probably don't-"
"Ukyo's father, am I right?"
Now it was his turn to be surprised. "Yes, you've met her?"
"Oh, she's been around a few times. Are you looking for her?"
"No, I'm actually looking for Kasumi. Is she in?"
"Oh no. She doesn't live here. She moved in with her... ah friends. They are running a small restaurant just a short ways from here. It is called the San Cheng Huang. Although, I think she was planning on going out tonight, and she's heading out early in the morning for a training trip with us."
"I really have to speak with her. Hmmm... do you think she would still be there?"
"I could call and find out, but I doubt it. I think it was around dinner time they were to leave."
"Darn," Mr. Kuonji exclaimed. "Sorry. I don't wish to impose, but it is vital I speak with her. Would you mind if I stayed the night and caught her in the morning?"
"I don't see why not. We haven't got much space, however, I'm afraid."
"I'll make do. Thank you very much."
Nodoka smiled and nodded, stepping aside to show him in. "Actually, I wouldn't mind talking to you about a few things as well."
XXXXX
Sissithississ stood at the entrance to a large chamber within the Kuonji Shrine. A fire, freshly started in a central fireplace, cast a flickering light against the cavern walls. He looked around in a measure of awe and confusion. "Thesse can't all be forbidden techniquess?" he exclaimed, noting each wall contained at least 100 scrolls, each neatly pocketed in small cubbyholes just slightly larger than their contents.
"No," Ukyo replied as she returned the scroll she was studying to its original spot. "Most of these are stuff I already know. This is probably the complete record of our style up to the time this cave was sealed."
Nodding in acceptance of the explanation, the snake warrior moved to the nearest wall and began looking through the scrolls himself. They were indeed quite old, he noted as he picked one out. Despite the scroll's age, it held up well, probably due to the faint odor of chemical preservative he could sense on the paper.
"I wouldn't bother. They're in code."
"Code huh," Sissithississ repeated, and nodded, as the writing seemed to be nothing more than gibberish to him. "I asssume you can decode thesse thingss?"
Ukyo responded with a nod then growled in frustration. "They didn't make it obvious did they? Hmm, don't know this one. Seven Lucky Gods?"
"I've heard of them. They're a ssmall group of martial artistss from the Nekonron region of China. Their leader iss claimed to be fairly good. Ssomething there about them?"
"Some technique to do with chopsticks... but not the ones I'm looking for."
"Well, keep it handy. That may just be ssomething good," Sissithississ suggested as he returned the scroll he was looking at to the wall. "Sseemss to me this is probably the normal sstuff. They probably had a sspecial place for thesse techniquess you're looking for." Ukyo nodded, returning her scroll as well, but leaving it partially outside the cubbyhole to mark it. "Where is Lemon anyway?"
"Looking around. This is a pretty big place. It was a complete training facility at one time. Sleeping chambers, dojo, kitchen... the works. It even has running water. None of which helps me. I need those darn techniques. Now, where did they hide them?"
"What are you assking me for? How would I know? It iss your family sshrine. You tell me."
Ukyo looked around in irritation, first at the walls, then up at the roof and finally down at the floor. She then looked up at her companion with a questioning look. In response he nodded and looked up. "I'm taller. I'll check the roof. You handle the floor."
By the time Lemon returned from her brief tour about the Kuonji Shrine, Ukyo was helping Sissithississ with a large stone in the roof. "Find it yet?"
"Yep," Sissithississ replied as he probed his hand inside the secret compartment in the roof. A second later he yelled out in pain to the two girls' shock, and came back with two scrolls and a large needle stuck in the back of his hand. "Trapped too! Just great!"
"You alright?" Ukyo asked anxiously.
"It's just a poisson needle. Nothing to worry about."
"Nothing to worry about!" Ukyo exclaimed then noticed how relieved Lemon also was. "Am I missing something here?"
"I'm Ssnake clan, young lady. We are expertss in poisson, and damned near immune to even the deadliesst of them." He removed the needle and licked the end then nodded. "Yeah, jusst some cheap junk. Be glad I did thiss and not you. You'd probably be unconssciouss by now." Ukyo looked at the warrior, her skin somewhat pale. Sissithississ waved off her concern as he examined the scrolls. "Oh, don't look sso worried. It wassn't meant to kill, just make you violently ill. Yeah, thesse are clean. Thiss better be good. My hand hurtsss."
"It will be. Trust me. I'll need time to translate these."
"Come on, Lemon. Let's set up in here for the night. Let her get on with her work."
Ukyo looked behind her briefly to see Sissithississ lead Lemon out of the room then returned to the scrolls. Reading though the first few symbols, warnings of dire consequences and the like, was enough to confirm these were what this whole trip had been for. The warning did nothing to deter her, however. She read on intently. These techniques would be hers. "Just you wait, Kasumi," Ukyo mumbled out as she sat on the floor to delve into her family's dark secrets.
XXXXX
"Achoo!" Kasumi-kun sneezed out suddenly then rubbed his nose. "I hope I'm not coming down with a cold."
"Airen?" Shampoo asked from his side.
"It's nothing. Did you like the play?" Shampoo nodded then leaned over onto to her husband's arm. Kasumi looked over at her for a moment, a little tense then diverted his gaze up at the night sky. "Shampoo, I was thinking, about our marriage. Not to say... well, that is... Ummm, how to phrase this?" Shampoo looked up at Kasumi in puzzlement as Kasumi fumbled for the words. "It's just that here in Japan I don't think our marriage in the village really... ummm... is legal."
"Airen?" Shampoo questioned, further confused.
"I was just thinking that we should, maybe, get married here. Of course, I don't legally exist here, as a man anyway," Kasumi said in afterthought, "which does make that a bit difficult, doesn't it. Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea."
"Shampoo would love get married here!" Shampoo responded suddenly in an attempt to ease Kasumi. "Shampoo really wanted full marriage ceremony anyway."
"We didn't have a full ceremony? Forgive me. You know I remember very little of that night."
Shampoo shrugged. "It one type of ceremony. It quick version. Not... what is word?"
"Formal?"
"Yes, formal. It not very formal."
"Would you want a formal Amazon ceremony?"
"No," Shampoo replied to Kasumi's surprise. "It too long. It take two days."
"Two days?" Kasumi repeated with a measure of disbelief. Shampoo, however, did not appear to be joking so he ended up nodding. He doubted he was up to a two-day marriage ceremony. "Perhaps a Japanese ceremony, or maybe a western one? Those are quite popular too, and not very long, at least in comparison."
Shampoo shrugged, and pulled herself in tightly to Kasumi's side. "Shampoo no care. Shampoo just want be with Kasumi."
Kasumi blushed and again turned his eyes skyward. "Yes, well, about that... You're just 16 years old... you are 16 right?"
"Yes," Shampoo said, giving Kasumi a frown.
"16, yes," he repeated quickly. "Anyway, I mean, you don't want to be having children now do you?"
Shampoo withdrew to arms length in some shock. "No. Shampoo no want child now. Kasumi no want child now?"
"No, no," Kasumi replied with a vigorous shake of his head, his attention returned to Shampoo. "I just mean that being the case, we have to be careful, about... being together I mean."
Shampoo blinked several times as she considered this then looked down at the ground. "Shampoo no think about it that way."
Kasumi visibly relaxed, and after a moment looked over at Shampoo sympathetically. "It's not that we... can't. We just have to be careful. I'm sure Dr. Tofu can recommend something, or maybe your great grandmother. Anyway, it's not something we have to worry about now," Kasumi said with increasing speed then quickly changed topics. "We should get home. We have a full day tomorrow."
Shampoo nodded, and returned to Kasumi's side, cheering up slightly at the proximity. However, her mind was still pouring over the topic. This whole relationship had taken a wonderful turn for the better. Kasumi appeared to have accepted it fully, even talking of marriage. Then again, there was this matter of sex. Kasumi's point was sound, but Shampoo had to wonder if that was the real reason Kasumi had brought it up. Perhaps he was still unwilling to go this far. Either way, cementing their marriage would have to wait. It was disappointing, but the young Amazon had waited this long, she could wait a little while longer. Things were looking up, but they were not yet fully resolved.
XXXXX
Ranma set down his pack in the clearing and stretched out his shoulder muscles. "Don't tell me you're so out of shape that little hike has you stiff, boy," Genma commented as he dropped his load next to his son's.
"Little? We've been hiking for three hours with a full pack."
Genma laughed. "Ah son, maybe I should have taken you on our journeys then you'd know the true meaning of work. Why, Kasumi and me swam all the way from Japan to China. Now that was a workout."
Ranma's eyes went wide, but he quickly regained his composure and looked away in disbelief. "Yeah right, Dad. Tell me another one. I bet you bested a dozen giants single handedly while you were there too."
Genma laughed again. "Soon you'll learn, son. You've been coddled here in Japan. Oh sure, you know a few moves, but you're far from testing the true limits of your body. That's what this whole trip is for. It time to see what you can really do."
Ranma frowned skeptically at his father, but the disturbing thing was, he was actually beginning to believe him. If half of what the old man says is true, it's no wonder I'm so far short of Kasumi. It's time to get serious. If I ever plan to get Kasumi that cure Happosai promised, I have to build myself up till I'm better than her. Ranma nodded to himself then noted his mother walking up with Mr. Kuonji. Herb and Tatewaki were only a few paces behind the adults, verbally dueling with each other as they approached.
Ranma helped his mother with her load, while Genma looked over the area. Hidenori walked over to join him. "So, Saotome, I see being with Kasumi has not resulted in her better qualities rubbing off on you."
"Kuonji, if it weren't for me, that girl would have been eaten alive out there in the world. I gave her a healthy dose of reality and turned her into a world-class martial artist along the way."
"And I hear tell she saved your sorry behind more than a few times," Mr. Kuonji replied slyly, causing some of Genma's boastful posture to melt away. He let the point slide, and looked back down the trail. "I hope she gets here soon. It has been ages since I've seen her, and there are important matters to talk about."
"You know, Kuonji, I've seen that look in your eyes before."
"What look?" Kuonji asked tensely.
"Hah, don't try and deny it. You had it practically from the first moment you said Kasumi. That 'I wish she was my daughter' look."
"Pah, that's not true," Hidenori retorted, crossing his arms and looking off into the woods. However, after a moment his shoulders sagged. "It is true, isn't it? Damn! I thought I was over that whole thing. I had almost convinced myself it was all in Ukyo's imagination, that she was overreacting."
"So, it is true then. You've been ignoring her."
"Not ignoring her, just not giving her proper due. I told myself I was just using this rivalry as a tool to motivate her, but it went well beyond that. I didn't realize just how far I had driven her until she took off." He returned to looking down the path, but this time with a sad look on his face. "Since she left I've been trying to work it out of my system, but it's like a bad habit. I thought I was making progress though."
"Couldn't tell you, Kuonji. I haven't been around to see what you've been up to. Maybe you have, but you aren't cured. Ah well, I can understand. Sometimes Kasumi just seems to get under your skin. I've seen her bring more than one opponent down with a simple look. Sometimes it's just plain scary."
Kuonji nodded in agreement then looked over at the two boys arguing with the girl as they set up camp. "Yes, Kasumi sure seems to have gained a fair number of suitors."
"That's not all of them," Nodoka said as she approached. "There are two other boys, Mousse and Ryoga, as well. Plus there is... well..."
"A number of women as well," Genma said for his wife.
"Women?" Kuonji asked in surprise. "Does this have to do with that curse you told me about?"
"Yes. Fortunately, it seems most of that is over with. Of course, she's still married to Shampoo, and it looks like that one is going to stay."
"Married?" Kuonji repeated in shock. "How... why..."
Nodoka glared over at Genma. "Ask him. It's mostly his fault."
Genma shrunk away from the accusation, but found a reprieve. "Ah, here they come now."
Mr. Kuonji turned to see Kasumi coming up the path, carrying a heavy pack as if it weighed nothing. Following her closely was a younger girl with purple hair, which he could only conclude was Shampoo. The pair was making good time, jogging up the trail and they reached the camp in less than a minute.
"Sorry we're late," Kasumi said as she dropped her pack down by the boys, who all promptly stopped their quarrel to help her. "We slept in a bit."
"Really?" Nodoka asked, causing Kasumi to smile nervously. "Well, never mind that. Kasumi, Mr. Kuonji is here to see you. He hasn't told us much, but I gather it has something to do with Ukyo."
"Indeed it does," he replied, "but that can wait a moment. It's good to see you again Kasumi. You've grown into quite the young lady."
"Thank you, Mr. Kuonji," Kasumi replied with a respectful bow. "It is good to see you in good health as well. Ah... you should meet my... wife," Kasumi managed to get out, gesturing over to Shampoo who just smiled.
"Yes, well, it is good to meet you too. I suppose we should get down to the matter at hand. There may be little time to prepare."
"Prepare for what exactly?" Nodoka asked.
"To face the most powerful and dangerous techniques my family ever devised," Hidenori replied seriously. "Let's set up some place to sit. This may take a while to explain."
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A short time later, the group was gathered around a fire, all attention focused on Mr. Kuonji. His attention, in turn, was focused on the flames in front of him as he pondered how to begin. Silence reigned supreme for several minutes, broken only by the crackle of the fire, and the breathing of those around it as they waited.
However, finally Kuno's patience ended and he decided to break the silence himself. "Peace does not serve us at this time. You would do well to explain what foolishness your spawn is attempting."
Herb took the initiative next. "Yes. Tell us what threat this woman poses. I hardly feel cooking could be a true threat."
"And that is where you are wrong," Kuonji at last responded. "My family has only in recent history been limiting ourselves to the martial arts surrounding our art of cooking okonomiyaki. Before that we were more general, and before that... to be blunt, we were assassins."
"Assassins?" several of the group repeated in some surprise.
"Yes, and if our legends are to be believed, good ones too. The cooking was merely a cover, a means to an end and nothing more." Kuonji's eyes studied the flame in silence for a moment, letting the others absorb his words before finally continuing. "We were experts in our trade. Oh, a man could have guards and walls to protect him, but he had to eat sooner or later. The beauty of our technique was to look unthreatening. We did not need to resort to poison as food tasters could have caught such things. No, ours was a delicate method of building confidence, a feeling of security and safety then striking in a weak moment.
"Quite often it was done with such precision and subtly as to be accepted as a mere accident. Those times when more direct methods were called for, the household cook could hardly be suspected of the death. After all he had only a few kitchen utensils at his disposal, fit only to prepare food, hardly the weapons needed to defeat trained guards armed with sword and spear. Little did they realize how effectively those tools could be used. An expert could even make the wounds seem like they came from completely different weapons.
"Ah yes, young prince, you made the mistake of so many before you of underestimating us," Hidenori said with small laugh, but quickly returned to a serious air. "The techniques you need fear are those developed at the very end of this period in my family's history, techniques so potent and dangerous that they were sealed away, and caused my family to turn away from there heritage to pursue more... benign lines of work."
"Forgive me," Nodoka said, "but if these techniques are so dangerous, why was all record of them not simply destroyed?"
Hidenori looked up in thought. "I have asked myself that on occasion. There is no definite answer. My own theory was that the old masters believed the techniques might one day be needed. Whatever the case, they were not destroyed and are available to anyone who can enter our old shrine and find them. Although it is fairly well protected, I fear Ukyo will gain entrance, if not now then soon."
"Ukyo really has gone to get these techniques then?" Kasumi asked gaining a silent nod from Mr. Kuonji in answer.
"She came home suddenly just two days ago. She'd been gone so long I was distracted and did not think when she asked about the map to the shrine. By the time I realized-"
"Wait," Ranma interjected. "What do you mean she was gone so long? Wasn't she staying with you?"
Mr. Kuonji looked over at Ranma and shook his head. "No."
"But she told me-"
"Then she lied. This was the first time I have seen her in several months. She just ran off one day saying she was going to find you, Kasumi. I had assumed she meant to challenge you to prove herself." His head drooped as he said this, and he shook his head sadly. "It is my own fault, but I realized it only afterwards. I pushed her too far, giving her too little credit for her hard won achievements, and showing too much interest in Kasumi. Still, I never suspected she would go this far."
"Alright, enough self recrimination, Kuonji," Genma said, "We cannot change what has happened. It is time to hear what exactly we are up against."
"All too true, Saotome. Obviously, I do not know the techniques myself, nor did my own father. However, I know the tales of these techniques. They come from a time shortly after an ancestor of mine set about on a training journey throughout the orient. He picked up many techniques during this time, and developed the two techniques I'm about to describe.
"They are almost like different applications to one central idea, that the human battle aura is not unlike a fire..."
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"...and thus can be manipulated like one," Ukyo explained to her companions in the distant Kuonji shrine. "It's so darn simple, yet utterly amazing at the potential possibilities."
"And I'm ssure you're going to tell uss all about them," Sissithississ replied with a simile, noticing Ukyo's excitement over her new knowledge.
Ukyo nodded to Sissithississ, and sat down around the fire she had built just outside the shrine's entrance. "It's basically like this. Let's take one approach first. Say I want to put the fire out. What can I do?"
"Throw water on it," Lemon replied happily.
"That's one way, but not the one that is the best. Take a grease fire. Water won't do anything but spread it out a bit. No, what's a surer method?"
"Sssmother it," Sissithississ answered.
"Exactly," Ukyo said with an enthusiastic nod, and to demonstrate threw sand on the fire and it quickly went out. "But, if the human battle aura is not unlike a flame it should be possible to do much the same."
Sissithississ leaned back, a skeptical look on his face. "Yeah, so what? It's not like I can't choke someone to death. What's the big deal?"
"Yeah, sure you can, but that requires you to face their own strength directly, tough at the best of times when dealing with a strong opponent. Now imagine if you could instead deal more directly with their battle aura, snuffing it out."
XXXXX
"That's insanity," Kuno protested loudly.
"Truly. It was meant to kill after all. What better way to do so for an assassin? There are no marks on the body, and even your victim is unlikely to realize the danger he is in until it is far too late. It is the perfect method. But its use is not limited to that. You all being very capable martial artists, I am certain you have begun to tap into your own ki. Well, that is merely an extension of your battle aura."
"And can be just as easily put out," Herb said with a surprising level of respect.
Ranma looked down at the ground in shock. "That's... incredible. You could render any ki technique basically useless, simple stamping them out like you would a small flame."
Kuonji nodded grimly. "Yes, indeed. Your only saving grace may be that I doubt this technique is something one can perform casually."
"So a quick attack may get through," Kasumi concluded and once again received a nod from Ukyo's father. "And, what of this other approach?"
"Yes. As devastating as this first one may be, I fear the second more. You see, you need not limit this analogy to your enemy. You too have a battle aura, and this battle aura is what drives us. Now, what happens..."
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"When I do this?" Ukyo asked, and threw several dried twigs leaves onto a fresh fire. The fire surged for a moment as it consumed the extra fuel then returned to normal.
"It burst," Lemon answered.
"Right. Just for a moment it burned hotter, faster, stronger..."
"You're telling uss you can do that with your own body?" Sissithississ asked in measured disbelief.
"Oh, not just that little burst. I could potentially multiply every one of my abilities several fold, if only for a moment," Ukyo replied then looked over at the boulder blocking the entrance to the shrine. "That may even be how they moved this thing originally."
"That's not possible," Sissithississ responded. "You can't push a human frame that far outside its normal limits."
Ukyo only nodded, a grim look on her face.
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"That is the true terror of this technique. Sure, it can make you ten times the man you are, but it rips you apart and burns you alive," Hidenori said, staring once again into the fire. "This technique was forbidden for that very reason. Two students who had learned it fought with each other, and did not realize just how far they were pushing themselves. They quite literally were burned alive."
"Madness," Kuno said softly as he joined his friend in looking at the ground in thought.
"The other was forbidden for more obvious reasons. It was simply too deadly and far too easy to misuse and indeed was. It was not long after these techniques were discovered that the few students who had learned them had effectively destroyed much of my clan from within. Because of this, the master who created them sealed them away and set about rebuilding our clan. I suppose it was his disgust with what happened that caused him to lead us down the current path that we follow."
Kuonji sighed as he ended his tale. Everyone sat for a long moment, absorbing all they had been told, before Kasumi finally stood up. "Thank you, Mr. Kuonji. I will be on my guard. Come on, Shampoo. We should-"
"That's it?" Kuonji exclaimed in surprise. "Don't you understand the danger you are in? She means to use these techniques on you!"
"I understand completely, but what would you have me do? I have little sway in Ukyo's mind. In fact, I think attempting to negotiate would simply infuriate her even more. I have no intentions of running away, and even if I did, Ukyo has shown she is capable of finding me. I don't feel a life on the run would be much of a life. So, I can only continue what I planned to do here in the first place, train."
Mr. Kuonji looked at Kasumi in shock for a moment then composed himself. "Yes, you are right. What other option do you have?"
"She may not have any, but we might," Nodoka said as she stood up. "I'm not about to let your daughter run wild and try to kill the young lady I was entrusted to raise. You're going to take me to this shrine right now and-"
"Can't."
Nodoka blinked then stared over at Hidenori in anger. "What was that? You don't mean you're going to let her-"
"Nono, I really mean I can't, not that I won't. I don't know where the shrine is. I've never been there and Ukyo took the only map."
Everyone hung their heads at hearing this save Kasumi who simply sighed. "I appreciate the thought auntie, but this has been a long time in coming. Honestly, if circumstances were different, I would simply let Ukyo win. Maybe it would restore her confidence in herself and she would rid herself of this senseless hatred of me. However, circumstances are as they are. If I lose, my options are not very appealing."
"What do you mean?" Mr. Kuonji asked, looking about the assembled group when Kasumi seemed reluctant to answer.
Nodoka spoke up. "She means that because of this situation with Shampoo, Kasumi has effectively become an Amazon. Along with that go the same laws that Shampoo has to follow, in particular laws regarding defeat by outsiders. The end result is Kasumi will be compelled to either marry or hunt down your daughter."
"What?" Hidenori exclaimed.
"Or, renounce my female half," Kasumi corrected then looked off at the trees. "As I said, not very appealing options."
"I see," Hidenori said with a sigh. "I suppose we can only hope my daughter comes to her senses. Still, I don't really understand what has brought her to this point in the first place. When she left, she did not wish you ill, Kasumi. She resented being second best to you, but she did not resent you directly. What could have happened?"
Kasumi sighed, and shook her head. "You'll have to get that answer from her. I made a promise not to tell."
"A promise? I see. Very well. If none of you mind, I would like to see this through. Perhaps we can reason with her if she comes."
"And how long will that take?" Ranma asked.
Mr. Kuonji shook his head. "I don't know. Could be a few days. Could be months. I don't know these technique so I have no idea how long they take to learn."
"Well then, enough wasting time boy," Genma said as he stood up. "We've lost a good portion of the morning with this. Time to get to work."
Ranma looked up at his father in shock. "But Dad, don't you think we should help Kasumi?" he asked, and looked over at Kasumi to see her departing with Shampoo to train.
"No, boy, I don't think so. When it comes to matters this serious, I learned long ago Kasumi and I don't see eye to eye. She has taken a separate path and will deal with it in her own way. If she feels she needs us, she'll ask, but until then that's no excuse for you to waste valuable time. Come on, boy. Let's find a nice spot and your old man can show you what a real martial artist is like."
"Hey!" Ranma complained at the thinly veiled insult and quickly followed his father, leaving Kuno, Herb, Nodoka and Hidenori at the camp.
After a moment of seeing the two nobles glare at each other, Nodoka turned to Hidenori. "Now then, I had some questions for you I didn't get to last night. So, just how did you meet my husband and Kasumi?"
End Chapter 28
Well, that concludes things for this chapter. Special thanks as always go to T. H. Tiger for creative assistance in writing this thing, and all my other pre-readers. Later.