Troubles Come in Three's
Ina was back at home on a wonderful Saturday with a bright sun shining outside. She was laying down in her bed with a bruised ankle with it resting on an ice pack. She sighed in frustration.
"I am so freaking bored," she called out to no one. "There is nothing to do." She slowly closed her eyes and thought back to a few minutes ago.
*Flashback*
Ina faced her father, a pudgy man with short black hair and blue eyes. He wore a sky blue karate gi as did Ina. They both held a long bow and had quivers on their backs; each had five practice arrows with suction cups for tips. They stood at the center of a field that was about fifty yards long and twenty yards wide with each end having an archery target. Both targets had two rings around the yellow center target. The outer ring was blue and the inner ring was red.
Near them was a house that needed some paint for the stale yellow color was not only peeling put old as well. It was a two story building with a front porch with holes that needed repairs. It was about half as wide as the field they were on.
"Are you ready to begin my student?" asked the father with a dutiful tone.
"Yes Instructor Sho," Ina replied seriously. They bowed to each other, and quickly jumped backwards. In mid-air, Ina shot off one arrow towards the the opposite target. Sho easily blocked it with his bow as they landed from their jump.
"A good first attempt but next time don't make it so obvious," Sho instructed. He drew an arrow from his quiver and ran to the left. He drew his bow back and Ina was ready to block. However, right before he shot it, he quickly aimed it to her right. She tried to block it but failed as the arrow hit the red ring on her target.
Damn it! she cursed loudly in thought. She then jumped up into the air and took out another arrow. Sho followed her up into the air. She quickly took aim at the target, but just as quickly back flipped so she was aiming below Sho. She fired and managed to hit the red ring. They both landed with a roll that went into a solid stance.
"Very good," Sho said with a smile.
"I learn from the best," Ina replied while also smiling. Sho took an arrow out from his quiver and set it in his bow. Both stood still and firm, waiting for one of them to make a move. Sho then rushed towards the center of the field with Ina following suit. Sho got ready to jump and Ina saw this. She thought ahead and jumped before him. However, to her surprise Sho didn't jump at all and fired an arrow that landed in the center yellow circle. Ina landed and sighed.
"While thinking ahead is always good," Sho instructed, "you must also know that they can try and fake you out much like how I just did."
"But you looked like you were ready to jump," Ina protested.
"I did make it look like that because I was going to until you jumped first. Reaction time is important in this style of Martial Arts."
"I will learn from this," Ina said while standing tall and proud.
"We shall see." Ina took another arrow from her quiver and set it in her bow. She stood still, seeking a way to get her next arrow past her father. Sho did not flinch, waiting for her to make her move. She then rushed at Sho, and then fired her arrow into the sky. This confused Sho as Ina landed a swift kick to his side. He quickly recovered and spin kicked her in the back. She stumbled forward and with that momentum performed a cartwheel. When on her feet again, Ina sprang towards Sho with a knee thrust. Sho blocked it with his right knee. They heard a thunk sound and he looked over at his target to see that the arrow Ina fired had hit the blue ring.
"How was that?" Ina asked with a confident smirk as they jumped away from each other.
"Not too bad my student," Sho spoke with a proud smile. It was his turn to take out his arrow and aimed behind him. Ina didn't realize that Sho was on her side of the field and she was on his side. He quickly jumped backwards towards his side while holding his aim at Ina's target. She sprints forward to try and block it. When Sho crossed the center line, he released his shot. Ina swung down with her bow to block the arrow but narrowly missed. The arrow struck the target at the yellow center dot.
"Damn it," she cursed.
"Always be aware of where you stand," Sho instructed. "While you can't shoot at the target on your opponents side of the field, it still gives them the advantage."
"Yes Father." She took out her fourth arrow and looked at the target. She needed to hit the yellow this time or it was all over. She rushed at Sho and began a kicking match with him. They traded blows as she held on to her arrow firmly. She set it quickly in her bow and zig-zagged to the right. Sho followed her but she quickly jumped to get a clear shot. She aimed and released her shot. Sho quickly thrust his bow up and nicked the arrow; barely changing the direction of the shot. It flew towards the target and landed just outside the yellow center. Ina landed and sighed in defeat.
"That was a good shot," her father praised her. "If I didn't react fast enough, you would have hit the center dot."
"I know. I still haven't beaten you once though."
"You have improved since yesterday and the day before. This is a good sign and I think you will be ready soon to enter your first Archery Martial Arts tournament." That perked up Ina's mood immediately. Her smile shined brightly with stars in her eyes.
"You really mean that?" she asked in pure bliss.
"You know I wouldn't tell you this unless I meant it," Sho said with a smile. He gently patted her head. "You have earned this praise."
"Thank you so much Father," Ina happily cheered.
"We will be done for now. I need to do some more work on the front porch." However, Ina didn't seem to hear him as she pranced around the field, day dreaming about her first chance to compete in an Archery Martial Arts tournament. She headed towards the house and Sho just smiled at the sight. He put retrieved his arrows and slung them back in his quiver. He walked over to his target and hung his bow and quiver on it. Just then a loud crack came from inside along with a loud and painful scream. He rushed inside to find Ina on the floor with part of her foot in the floor.
"Ow ow ow ow!" she screamed painfully.
"Are you okay?" Sho asked with a worried tone.
"I might have twisted my ankle or something," Ina said while wincing in pain.
*Present*
Ina sighed sadly in her bed; yet also frustrated that happened.
Our house is in need of dire repairs. We have known this for awhile and yet it just keeps getting worse. Father is a handy man but there is only so much he can do. We don't have the money to hire a professional repair man either. If my father could get some other students we could actually start making money. But how are we suppose to make money without a proper dojo! She let out a sigh and stared up at the ceiling.
"What are we going to do?"
WwwwwwW
Mia was in her room at the run down inn she was at. She was looking over how much funds she had left which were very little. She laid down on the floor and sighed depressingly.
I have enough for maybe a week at best. A little longer if I don't go shopping and yet I have to in order to eat. Damn it this is so hard. I might be able to find a place to stay for a bit at a friends house but none the less. . .I'm going to have to get a job. I thought I could last longer with my funds but I guess I was wrong. She sat up and packed up her funds into her bag, got dressed and headed out into the streets. She made her way through the shady streets of the city while keeping her guard up. It was then that she heard foot steps running up to her. She quickly turned around to see a thug rushing towards her. She quickly dodged the initial attack with ease. The thug then took out a knife.
"Hand over the bag," the thug demanded.
"Look just go away or you'll get hurt," Mia warned him. The thug rushed at her again and with a simple spin kick, she knocked the knife out of his hand and swiftly landed a solid hit the to the thugs face. He fell down like a ton of bricks.
I warned him, Mia thought as she continued on her way. She soon arrives in a safer part of the city and looks for a newspaper stand or bulletin board of job listings.
"Let's see what they have to offer," she said to no one. Two jobs were available as a waitress, but the problem was that one was at the Cat's Cafe, and the other was at Ukyo's restaurant. The second problem being that the pay looks good.
Damn it all, she cursed in thought. I can't take either of those two jobs. I don't want them to find out it's me. But the pay is really good and I need the money. She looks at all the other job listings yet none of them pay as good as the first two.
"And I'm going to need that kind of money," she said with a sigh. "What am I going to do?"
WwwwwwW
Far off in the land of China, sitting on a tall bamboo sprout is a small old man. He wears a purple ninja like suit and only had white hair around on the back and sides of his head. His eyes are shut as he meditates.
I thought for sure that he would come here to break his curse, he thought. I came here to lay a trap for Ranma and he doesn't show up. Happosai, you didn't think this all the way through. He opens his eyes to see a thick fog surrounding the area.
"But you don't know where he went," he said to himself. "Genma and Ryoga were tailing him so you thought this would be the best option."
Or he is taking his time getting here but I don't think that is the case any more, he thought. Maybe I should return back to the house and regroup with everyone there. I have no other leads to go on at the moment. With a nod, he jumps off the sprout and lands skillfully. He sprints off in the direction of Japan and comes across a village. He sees women hanging up their laundry and hearts appear in his eyes as he eyes the underwear, and stops in his tracks.
"Oh those little beauties need to be saved," he said to himself.
No! Happosai screamed in his head. You have to regroup with the others.
"But the underwear needs to be saved."
Yes but you need to get back home first.
"Surely I have time for a rescue mission first."
Oh you do have a point...what should I do? To Happosai, the answer was clear and he jumps at the laundry to 'save' the underwear.
End of Chapter
A/N: Sorry it took a long time to get this chapter out and that it is a short one at that. However, I'm finally passed my writers block and will be able to update this story again. I would make this chapter longer but since it has been a long time since I've updated it, I thought a short chapter would be a good way to get back into it.
Thank you all for your patience and I hope the rest of the story is enjoyable for you all.