Martial Artists and Mayhem: Third Edition
Part 13:Accidental Pawn
By Thrythlind
"I still don't get it," Ranma-chan said,
shaking herself dry and seriously considered removing
the spell on herself.
"What," Akane asked, irritated at the wanderer.
"What isn't there to get, they're both crazy." They
were on their way home after an irritating session at
court involving Kuno and his sister, the same
priestess that Akane was supposed to fight.
"Yeah, but I expect that of a priestess of
Ayeka," Ranma said. ~Or Ryoko.~ "But I just don't get
why she tolerates her brother." She paused for a
moment and looked around.
"I don't know how anyone tolerates him," Akane
said. "But I know there's no way I'm gonna let that
stuck up Jurain beat me in this match." She turned
back to look at Ranma and noted the other girl's
watchful attitude. "What's up?"
"Somebody was watching me," Ranma said. She
touched her scars. "Something about my face." She
frowned and started walking along, checking back over
her shoulder.
Akane blinked, feeling a slight chill. She
knew Ranma understood the trick of reading minds, but
sometimes the martial artist's powers seemed to be
pulled up to naturally to be just a spell. It was
somewhat disturbing actually.
~Musta caught me watching,~ Ranma thought.
~Too much background.~ She glanced back at Akane.
"Come on, I'm sure the jerk's missing you right now."
********
"Are you certain?" one of the men asked.
"I saw it," the man said. "A pair of scars
forming an 'x' on her face."
"Anybody can have that," someone said. "Half
his worshippers do."
"She had red hair," the witness said,
continuing. "She looked like
she stepped out a picture of the Bandit Killer, and
with those scars." He shook his head. "I don't
believe in coincidence when it comes to someone that
looks like the gods. Especially a resemblance to more
than one."
"'Her'," the third of the group noted
questioningly. "Are you certain. There is no reason
for any of them to even know of her existence, much
less be looking for her."
"Even if it was known," the first said again.
"We are well shielded from magic and unfriendly Gods."
"It was an Outsider," the one who had seen the
woman said. "I'm sure of it." In truth he had
nothing to go on but the appearance the woman had
given him. Somehow she had noticed when he started
watching her. "And she was with a priestess of
Ryoko."
"Both of them," said a feminine voice. There
was a snort. The three men turned to a woman in the
shadows. "My my, they want this kid badly, don't
they?"
"M...mistress," one of the men stammered.
"Just keep an eye on the girl," the woman said.
"I don't want to lose another weapon."
"What about the berserker and this 'demon'
Barth 'saw?'" one of the men asked. "You really can't
expect us to act normal with them hanging arou-" The
man was cut off as he suddenly turned into solid
stone.
"Anyone else want to question me?" the woman
asked. There was no response.
"Good," she smiled. ~Time to test the playing
field.~ The shadows deepened around her, swallowing
the woman's already indistinct form. When they pulled
back she was gone.
********
"Are you going to keep that crazy woman away
from my priestess?" Ryoko demanded.
"What about that pet demon you have distracting
my priestess?" Ayeka demanded. Ryoko blinked.
"You have to be joking," Ryoko said. "Didn't
you notice who that demon was?"
"Well, he did seem familiar," Ayeka noted.
"Ranma," Ryoko said. Ayeka looked at her in
disbelief.
"That is not possible," Ayeka said. "Ranma is
just a little bit of a thing." She held her hand to
about waist level.
"Ayeka, how long has it been since you last saw
Ranma?" Tenchi asked wearily.
"It was just a little bit ago," Ayeka said.
"Around when we last saw Nodoka. That was...eight
years ago. Oh! They grow up so quickly."
"So you see..." Ryoko started.
"How dare you use that sweet little child in
your schemes," Ayeka accused.
"ARRGGG!" Ryoko shouted.
********
"This must be one of the pair she wants us to
test," a masculine voice said. A smaller figure next
to him nodded.
"The young man is an Outsider," she said.
"Like you, not the Mistress."
"Yeah, I feel it too," the taller figure
smiled. "I shouldn't worry about him, but maybe we
should take the priestess out of action for a time."
"Oh, you plan to approach her?" the young woman
asked.
"Not with him there," he said. "I leave this
to you. Something accidental."
"Perhaps, I'll send one of my pretties after
her," the woman smiled.
********
"Where is he?" Akane wondered angrily. "I
should have known he'd get lost."
"You actually expected him to be reliable?"
Ranma asked tartly, dropping into view. "I told you
the jerk is never around when you neeed him."
"So how am I supposed to train then?" Akane
asked. "I have to be ready for tomorrow."
"Yeah, I wouldn't want you to lose tomorrow,"
Ranma said. "That's for sure."
"Listen you, I'm not fighting for you," Akane
snapped.
"I didn't say you were," Ranma retorted. "But
I wouldn't want to disa..." He stopped and looked
around the dojo.
"What is it now?" Akane asked. She thought
about calling on her own magic to see what the cursed
sorcerer-martial artist felt.
"Mew," the quiet sound seemed thunderous in the
quiet of the dojo. Akane turned to see a small cat
sitting just outside the dojo. It seemed very
uncomfortable in the cold of the night.
"C..c.ccattt!!" Ranma yelled next to her, and
by the time Akane turned around he was plastered
against the wall.
"What's wrong with you?" Akane asked, she shook
her head, confused. She forgot about casting a spell
as the situation turned more confusing. Ranma was
cowering against the wall. The young man didn't seem
like he had heard her, focus wide-eyed on the cat,
which had for some reason not crossed into the dojo
from outside. "Look, I'll get rid of the cat, okay,"
She walked towards the mewling cat and felt a
small sense of reluctance as she moved to pick it up.
"A..A...Akane," Ranma stuttered. "G..get away
from it."
"It's just a cat," Akane said, hesitantly. She
stepped out of the dojo and the mewling, sad looking
cat instantly seemed to become a rabid beast, leaping
up at her. "What the..!?"
Akane lifted her arm up in front of the little
attacker and it tore at her arm rather than her
throat. She tossed it away from her into the
courtyard and watched as it landed and started to
bound back towards her. Her torn hand and arm made it
difficult to cast an appropriate spell in defense.
She growled and got ready to crush the little thing as
it jumped at her. Something slammed her out of the
cat's path.
"Get it offa me!!" Ranma yelled.
Akane whirled to see him shielding his face and
curled up as the little monster clawed at his back.
Akane snapped out with her uninjured arm and grabbed
the cat, snapping its neck. The small animal turned
briefly limp in her grasp before its body faded into
mist.
"A summoning," she said irritably. "That's why
it wouldn't come in the house." Akane knelt down next
to the still shivering Ranma. "It's gone Ranma, it's
gone."
"Akane, what happened?" Kasumi demanded as she
rushed in from the house.
"Somebody sent something to attack me," Akane
said angrily. She showed her arm to Kasumi.
"A devil," Ranma muttered. "Just like be...a
devil."
********
"Well, so much for your 'pretty'," the 'man'
said dryly.
"That little bitch killed my Jean-Pierre!" the
woman huffed angrily. "I won't be able to call him
back for a day or more!"
"I might have to do something about the little
demon after all," her partner responded. "Or
half-demon, I should say." ~If this is who I think it
is...~ He smiled evilly.
********
"The spell is not working," Kasumi said. "I'm
afraid this won't be healed before tomorrow."
"But I can't fight like this!" Akane protested.
"That Kodachi is behind this, she wants me to forfeit
the match!"
"Not Ayeka's style and you know it," Nabiki
said. "This was something else."
"I don't believe you, boy," Genma's voice
carried from the courtyard. "After all my training
you become a quivering useless mass over something so
trivial."
"Shut up, old man!" Ranma snapped. A moment
later Genma was seen landing in the pool as a cloaked
form that had to be Ranma leaped over the wall.
"Where do you think you're going!" Akane
demanded loudly, moving past the pond and panda.
"Hunting!" Ranma's angry voice carried back,
already a fair distance away.
"What's wrong with him?" Akane wondered.
"First that cat scaring him spineless now this."
"He was saying it was a devil like before,"
Kasumi said. "And that no one would heal the scars
this time." The elder sister moved to stand next to
Akane, Nabiki moved behind her and turned to look at
Genma in the pool.
"Why do I get the feeling you know something
about this?" she asked.
*I don't know what you're talking about.*
Genma's sign read. Nabiki arched an eyebrow as Akane
and Kasumi turned around.
"Genma," Soun said grimmly, appearing out of no
where. "What have you done?"
"I'm sorry, I'm having a little trouble reading
that," Nabiki said. "Maybe a little light would..."
*NO!NO!NO!* Genma's sign declared loudly. Of
course everytime Nabiki had so much tried to cast a
cantrip with her wizardly magic there was a loud bang.
"Then you might want to explain what's wrong
with Ranma," Nabiki said.
********
Ranma sat in the tavern and tried to ignore the
feeling of the blood dripping down her back. No one
had come near her yet. All the thoughts she was
picking up seemed to just pass her over. Before she
came to Nerima she could turn the eyes of any man that
saw her, and make women swoon in her male form. Now
she was hiding in a cloak and the only attention she
got was a cautious appraisal.
She was a threat now, not an object of beauty.
Of course, she had always been a threat to some. Now
they just seemed to know it.
~Such a pity,~ someone thought. ~Such a flower
sitting all by herself.~ Normally Ranma would have
been suspicious of such attention to a girl that was
hiding in a cloak hard to see. Desperation made her
somewhat reckless though.
Ranma glanced in the direction of the thought
and saw a tall man striding toward her purposefully.
She scanned his surface thoughts enough to realize
that he was the type of pervert she was used to
preying on. She smiled in anticipation as the man
approached her.
"Hey kid," somebody said, plopping down next to
her. The tall man frowned and backed away. Ranma
growled and turned to see Lina in the chair next to
her. "You know, you won't get anybody to come talk to
you mope about like that."
"GAH!!" Ranma shouted in frustration. The
tavern momentarily turned toward her and then looked
away. Ranma continued, quietly angry. "You just
ruined another meal!"
"Oh, that guy?" Lina asked she looked around a
moment and frowned, there was something about the man
that she didn't like. "Sorry about that. I just
wanted to cheer you up."
"Why?" Ranma asked. "What's my life to you?"
Lina snorted
"You DO realize that you're like one of the
most active Bandit Killers right now," Lina said.
"I don't kill anyone," Ranma protested.
"That's not the point," Lina shrugged. "I need
an example for my priests and priestesses, and so far
this generation your it. I can't have you falling
into depression and ruining that, can I? Why are you
banging your head on the table?"
********
The pigeon listened to the discussion at the
table. Ranma had allowed Akane to be hurt by some
summoned monster. All because the evil creature was
to cowardly to stand up to a cat.
"You'll have to postpone the match," Kasumi
said.
"I can't," Akane said. "The only choice she'll
give me is forfeit, I just know it."
"Well, you'll have to find someone to take your
place," Nabiki said.
"And where are we going to find another girl
that can represent Ryoko," Akane asked. "Fight in
that style, AND look good in an acrobats outfit?" All
three stared blankly for a moment.
"Think he'll do it?" Akane asked. "How are we
going to convince a guy to wear that outfit?"
"That shouldn't be a problem," Nabiki muttered
under her breath.
~Yes!~ Ryouga thought. ~If Ranma loses this
match, Akane will never forgive him, and then she'll
be safe from his influence!~ He flapped past the
three girls, and Akane glanced up at the pigeon
irritably.
"Ranma's right," Akane said. "He does show up
at the worst times."
"What?" Nabiki asked supiciously.
"Nothing."
********
"Have a good hunt Ranma?" Nabiki asked as Ranma
walked back into the house.
"Lina decided to cheer me up," Ranma muttered.
"Oh?" Nabiki said, arching her eyes. She
seemed to consider something and then smiled.
"Ranma," Kasumi said as she came into the room.
"How's your back?"
"I'm fine," Ranma said.
"Come over here and let me see," Kasumi said.
"I probably won't be able to do anything but I should
at least try."
"Maybe later," Ranma said hesitantly. "What
about Akane?"
"She probably won't be able to fight tomorrow,"
Kasumi said quietly. "She'll either have to forfeit
or postpone."
"Or find a replacement," Nabiki said as Akane
walked into the living room.
"Ranma," Akane said nervously. "Are you okay?"
She moved next to him and started to fuss over him a
little.
"What's with you?" Ranma asked nervously.
"Your father told us about your accident with
those cats," Kasumi said. Ranma growled and shook off
Akane.
"Hey, I'm just worried about you," Akane said
angrily.
"Did he happen to say how I ended up in a pit
of cats?" Ranma asked.
"No, he didn't," Nabiki said. ~Nor how normal
cats in any number would be a problem for you.~
"Didn't think so," Ranma grumbled, then changed
the subject. "What about the duel tomorrow. Somebody
said something about a replacement."
"Well, we haven't talked to..." Akane started.
"Hey guys, what's up?" Ryoko looked around at
the group she had just materialized into. She took a
moment to look over the memories of the group to save
on conversation. "It wasn't Kodachi. Neither of us
allow devil or demon summoning. You should have
considered asking me to heal you though."
"Oh, well, I sort of thought that would be
rude," Akane said.
"You're right," Ryoko said. "But you could of
asked."
"So can you..." Akane started after a moment.
"Nope," Ryoko said. "Made a deal with Ayeka,
no intervention at all. So no magic. No divine
healing. I have no trouble with Ranma fighting
though, I'll need to talk to Akane though. Be right
back." Ryoko vanished again.
"Wait...me?" Ranma asked trying to catch Ryoko
before she disappeared.
"You're the only one with the skills who can
represent Ryoko," Akane said.
"But I'm..." He touched his scars briefly. "I
haven't trained for this." There was a splash of
water and Ranma found herself changed into a woman,
she glared up at the culprit and saw Ryouga standing
there gripping her cloak.
"I guess this will be an all nighter," Ryouga
said smirking triumphantly. Ranma shook out of her
cloak and stomped toward the dojo.
"Let's get this over with then," Ranma said.
"Before I pound your face in, jerk."
"I should make sure they don't kill each
other," Akane said, following them.
"Ayeka ranted a lot, but..." Ryoko glanced
around. "Where'd they all go?"
"Practice," Nabiki said.
"Ah, in that case," Ryoko rubbed her hands
together. "I guess I can sample the local
establishments." She walked out of the door in
anticipation of sampling mortal liquor.
********
"Ranma," Ryouga pointed to the redhead.
"You're bleeding."
"I know!" Ranma snapped. "It's nothing. I'll
just have to wear read or something dark tomorrow."
"Whatever," Ryouga said smirking. "It's not my
problem."
"Yeah," Ranma said, then continued reluctantly.
"You don't have to do this you know."
"Of course I do," Ryouga said, smiling.
"You do?" Ranma asked, glancing at Ryouga.
First Akane's worried about him and now...
"I have to make sure you lose tomorrow," Ryouga
said, making sure no one was in the dojo yet. Ranma's
face fell and she stared down at the ground for a
little bit.
"I should have known," she muttered. "You
JERK!!" She charged forward wielding the gymnastics
club in her hand. Suddenly, Akane was in the way, and
Ranma stopped.
"Finish your fight AFTER tomorrow's match,"
Akane snapped. "Really, what is the problem with you
two!?"
"I told you already," Ranma muttered angrily.
She returned to a starting position and entered stance
sullenly. "Let's get this over with."
"Don't you dare mess this up just to get at
he...him," Akane whispered to Ryouga. Then she walked
to the edge of the dojo to watch. The celestial
sweatdropped nervously. Ranma watched the display and
growled quietly, clenching her fists around her club.
********
"Someone tried to assassinate Lord Ranma and
Akane Tendo today," Kodachi gasped as she came out of
meditation.
She was not found of Akane at all, but the
woman was one of Ryoko's priestesses. Whether she
liked it or not, the temples were pledged to protect
each other in times of real trouble. And of course
any attempt on the life of her demonic love could not
be forgiven.
"Well," she said. "After I humilate this
replacement of hers tomorrow, I shall have to see
about investigating this."
********
"You didn't accomplish much," the speaker was a
'woman' with pale blonde hair. "I wanted you too
watch them, nothing else. If you felt you had to try
something, you should have succeeded in killing at
least one of them."
"They were more than little too much for
Azusa's 'pretty'," the man said. "Maybe more than
one, but I think they'll be ready for it now."
"And the redhead?" their mistress asked.
"A half-demon, afraid of cats," the man said,
smiling. The blonde turned to look at him and arched
an eyebrow.
"You think its that one?" she asked.
"What are you talking about?" Azusa asked.
"Azusa want to know about beast that kill her
Jean-Pierre."
"I'm suddenly more interested in her friend,"
the other woman asked. "Do you think you can collect
the half-breed, Sanzenin?" The man smiled.
"Their may be difficulty," Sanzenin said. "The
creature is desperate for attention, but Little Girl
Lina seems to be taking an interest in it."
"Do so. Alive and willing if possible."
Martial Artists and Mayhem: Third Edition
Part 14: Duels and Curses
By Thrythlind
~This should be harder,~ Ranma thought briefly.
She leaped over Ryouga's rope and dropped a club to tangle it as she did. An attempt to pull away the tool resulted in Ryouga jerking back. If it were a real fight Ranma would let Ryouga pull him in for a kick, but he couldn't attack without the tools according to the rules.
Ranma let herself be pulled along anyway, gliding just over the ground. Ryouga smirked, letting the rope go in favor of another club, kicking it up. Ranma took the opportunity to pull Ryouga's rope up and dropped his legs to the ground, with a burst of strength sending herself just over the celestial's head. Ryouga felt the breeze as she passed an inch above, too quickly for him to take advantage of the pass.
"What the-~?" Ryouga gasped, looking up as Ranma executed the aerial technique. ~So accurate without wings? How?!~ He didn't have time to figure it out, the rope circled around his arm and he was flying, bouncing off the wooden floor just short of the wall.
~I dominated that exchange,~ Ranma took in a deep breath. ~Completely.~
~Fighting in a style I've mastered and he first saw a week ago.~ Ryouga kippuped to his feet and stared at Ranma a little more cautiously. Ranma was staring after him with something similar to shock.
~I can...~ Ranma took a step back from Ryouga.
~...beat me.~ Ryouga frowned and stepped forward.
Akane watched as the practice ground to a halt and watched the shifting stances. It was turning serious, and not the same sort of enraged battle Ranma and Ryouga normally entered into whenever they were around each other. They were measuring each other.
~Have to be ready to break them up,~ Akane thought, standing up and running through a list of what she could call up with one hand.
Then Ryouga moved.
He was fast, stabbing forward with his clubs. She expected Ranma to rush head on as well, and take on Ryouga directly as she usually did. When the redhead merely started dodging away from the attack Akane crinkled her eyes in confusion.
Ryouga frowned and started interspersing his stabs with wide sweeps. Ranma let them past her, an uncertain look on her face, finally rolling under and past Ryouga. Akane watched Ranma stand up and look at Ryouga's back, the redhead had a clear opening as the other fighter was still turning around. She was leaping away before Ryouga completed his turn. It was the blink of an eye, not inhumanly fast, but damn close.
"Are you done playing with me?" Ryouga demanded. He tossed his clubs at the red head, and Ranma spun out of their path and continued staring at Ryouga. "After this match we'll fight for real."
Ranma shook her head and vanished from sight.
"He teleported," Akane said. ~No spell, either. Some technique?~ "What happened there?"
"Coward's playing games with me," Ryouga said. "Just because he got lucky in that practice."
"What is it with you two anyway?" Akane asked. "Isn't it a little silly to be fighting this much over a girl that's probably gone on to her own life?"
"Feh. I don't know what you're talking about." Ryouga crossed his arms. "But if you knew about Ranma you'd be right along with me." Ryouga started walking out of the dojo.
"Where are you going?" Akane wondered.
"I have to be at the match," Ryouga said. "I'll need to find it you know."
"I don't care what's between you and Ranma," Akane said firmly. "The pride of my temple is behind this. If you want to protect me, stay out of Ranma's way."
********
Akane looked into the guest room and noted angrily that Ranma wasn't there. He should have been sleeping, getting ready for the match. After thinking about everything yesterday she softened her expression and sighed.
She walked down the stairs and considered what was going to happen today. She felt confident, assuming Ranma didn't mess up somehow. Or the unknown party behind last night's attack got involved. She glanced in toward the living room and saw Ranma-chan lying on her chest.
"She was sleeping on the roof," Kasumi said, passing by Akane. "I decided to take the chance to treat her wounds."
"Were they bad?" Akane asked. Kasumi shook her head and Akane sighed in relief.
"They should not affect her fighting at all," Kasumi said. "They'll scar though, badly considering the light wounds. Probably yours as well."
"I can handle a few scars," Akane said. She flexed her hand. "And there's no real damage. I don't understand how he can be so vain."
"Perhaps he'll tell you sometime," Kasumi said. "Why was she on the roof?"
"He seemed upset about something," Akane said.
"Well," Kasumi said. "Maybe it was the cat."
"I guess," Akane said. Ranma groaned and rolled to sitting up. "You're awake."
"When did I get here?" Ranma asked wearily.
"I carried you," Kasumi said. Then she smiled. "You should be more careful about where you fall asleep. You could catch cold." Ranma arched an eyebrow and snorted at that possibility. "Breakfast will be ready soon. Then I assume it is off to the match."
"Yeah," Ranma said. "Where's the pig?"
~Right letter, wrong animal,~ Akane thought. "Ryouga? He left for the match after you...vanished."
"Should be a while before we see him I guess," Ranma said. "He's off getting 'lost' like usual, jerk."
"He really does get lost you know," Akane said. Ranma snorted.
********
Ryouga looked up at Hebereke temple in awe.
"I actually got here," he said. "It...must be fate. Now all I have to do is find the gymnasium and I can make sure Ranma..." He frowned, Akane had expressly forbidden him to interfere in this. And there was something else as well.
Ryouga thought over his last few fights with Ranma. He had known that Ranma had improved the first time they had collided over Furinkan Hall. He just hadn't realized how much Ranma had improved until last night.
"I'll have to train myself then," Ryouga said. "Now where is this stupid..." There was a splash of water from above.
********
Ranma looked at the bird in her hand, and the chain that connected it to her wrist. There was to be no spells in the match, but there had already been plenty of magic and other tricks. Now this.
"Hey, Mr P," Ranma said wearily as the bird pecked at his hand. "When did you get back."
"You are too careless," Kodachi laughed. "But then all of Ryoko's followers tend to rush headlong into things."
"These are the rules for this duel," the refree declared. "No unarmed attacks, no spells, no time limit. The match ends with a surrender, one opponent falls from the ring, or one opponent is unable to continue the fight."
********
"Is it a good idea to be here?" Tenchi asked from the seat clearly marked as "prize."
"Oh what's the worse that could happen?" Ayeka asked. "Perhaps this drunk here will cause a scene, but not me."
"What drunk?" Ryoko asked, blearily. Ayeka rolled her eyes.
"Were you drunk before or after you accepted Little Ranma as your priestesses substitute?" Ayeka demanded. "Succubi are not known for their skill in battle."
"Neither are dryadsh," Ryoko said, smirking. "And you should know Ranma better than that."
"Ranma's good," Tenchi agreed. "But this isn't his style."
********
"What's that idiot doing up there?" Akane wondered. "I thought I told him not to get in the way."
"It doesn't look like he has much choice, Akane," Nabiki said.
********
"Listen, lady," Ranma said, holding the bird still. "I'm gonna see you out of the ring in a moment so I can get this over with. I don't like beating on people." Ranma transfered the irritable bird to one hand and lashed out with a ribbon to attempt and snatch Kodachi.
"You are a sentimental sort," Kodachi sneered. "I remember that from before." She swung out with her rope, easily deflecting the twirling ribbon.
~Huh?~ Ranma blinked. ~Her technique is better than Ryouga's?~ The bird started to struggle in her hand. "Hey calm down! You want get your wings broken?" Ranma barely avoided the down swing of Kodachi's 'rope' and saw it contact the ground, and dent it.
"You should be concerned with yourself," Kodachi smiled. "Not the bird."
"What are you trying to do," Ranma yelled. "Kill me?!"
"Of course not," Kodachi huffed. "I would never kill one of Ryoko's followers. Humiliate, cripple, embarrass, but never kill." Ranma gave her a deadpan look.
"Great," she said.
Kodachi dropped her 'rope' and grabbed a pair of clubs tossed by her second. She stabbed forward with her clubs, face calm as Ranma dodged. Thorns suddenly grew out of the club and scraped along Ranma's cheek. Ranma growled.
"No spells!" Akane shouted. "The rules say no spells!"
"No spells in the ring," the officiator corrected. "She cast that before the match started."
"You...you..." Ranma let go of the bird, which moved to her head and started pecking. The redheads hands clenched tightly.
********
"She just cut Ranma!" Ryoko growled angrily, standing up.
"No interference, Ryoko," Ayeka snapped. "It is mortal magic, she should not be concerned. Not like what ever fool marked her other cheek." Ryoko relucantly sat down.
"A celestial," Ryoko said. "She doesn't want it healed."
"What?" Tenchi asked. Ryoko smirked.
"Akane said it looked cute," she explained.
"I don't understand your neice," Ayeka said shaking her head. "Why does she care what that brute of yours think."
"Better a brute than a psycho," Ryoko retorted.
"Then why choose someone who is both?" Ayeka wondered. Ryoko frowned.
********
"You cut me!" Ranma shouted.
"Why should you care," Kodachi wondered. "With a face already marred like yours." She smiled evily. "Of course, on my Lord Ranma such marks seeming dashing."
"I am not your Lord Ranma!!" Ranma shouted angrily.
The redhead swung around kicked one of the poles marking the borders. Spun around again and launched the neatly severed piece of wood into Kodachi's face. The pigeon cooed angrily as it was jerked around by the motion. Ranma landed lightly glaring at the gymnast and then looking at the angry pigeon apologetically.
"Sorry 'bout that," she shrugged. The bird, as usual, responded by ineffectually pecking at her head. "Hey it's not my fault she chained you to me."
"Insolent girl," Kodachi snapped. "Of course you are not Lord Ranma! You are the wrong gender for one thing."
********
"She's seen Ranma in both genders, right?" Tenchi asked.
"No comment," Ayeka muttered. Ryoko snickered.
"Oh what heavenly beauty is before me?" a voice said from behind the deities.
"Pardon?" Ayeka asked, turning around.
********
"Well, he's not yours anyway!" Ranma snapped. Kodachi frowned and moved forward to look at Ranma cautiously.
"I see," Kodachi said grimmly. "That is why you have marred your face in imitation of him! You want my Lord Ranma as well!" Kodachi shrieked and struck downward with her club, and Ranma countered the club, suddenly thorny again, with a length of chian.
"Sorry," Ranma said to the pigeon that she had jerked away. Then she glared at Kodachi again. "All right! That does it!" Ranma vanished as Kodachi struck downward with her club, pushing the suddenly empty chain down to the ground.
"There are to be no spells!" Kodachi protested loudly. She twisted around to face behind, where she expected the other girl to reappear. She caught the barest glimpse of a silohette before something landed lightly behind her, and a rope circled around her wrist.
"This is over!" Ranma shouted. The redhead noted Kodachi pulling a piece of metal to her mouth and frowned, opening up her mind to see what the Jurain was thinking. Her eyes opened wide as she glanced down at the raised arena beneath her. Ranma rolled to grab a ribbon and leaped into the air as Kodachi blew her whistle.
The arena moved to the sound of the whistle holding almost exactly underneath the leaping Ranma. Kodachi gasped in surprise as the ribbon wrapped around her and she was jerked away, across to the other side of the fighting ground. The redhead watched the silvery tint of the noble's whistle strike the ground as Kodachi landed roughly on the ground.
Ranma glared at the platform beneath her and moved to check on the bird. It was angry, somewhat dizzy, and of course it started to peck at her as soon as she picked it up.
"Hold still, Mr. P," Ranma said before whispering quietly in the harsh abyssal language and destroying the chain. "Sorry about all that, should have thought of that a while ago."
The bird kept pecking at her, following her as she jumped off of the arena. Ranma turned angrily toward the arena and in a fit of pique smashed her fist into the wood. The arena exploded upward scattering startled servants everywhere. Ranma frowned and looked up at the sky.
~I don't need any help, Lina,~ she thought angrily.
"The match is forfeit," Kodachi shouted as she stood up. "She used spells!"
"That wasn't a spell," Akane said, watching Ranma. The redhead was sweating as she walked over to them. ~And it looks like it takes a lot of him.~
"Then how pray tell did the harlot..." Kodachi was interrupted by a shriek.
All attention turned to the "prize" seat. Most people apparently were seeing the trio that sat in that vincinity for the first time. Ayeka stood behind Tenchi looking deeply offended and infuriated. Tenchi had a grim expression as he recognized the source of the affront. Of course Ryoko was the most obvious.
"Oh brother-dear," Kodachi whispered in shock. "What have you done?" Ranma vanished and appeared next to the angry gods as the others moved in more traditional manners.
"You touch her again and I'll rip every fucking organ out of your body one at a time," Ryoko shouted lifting Kuno off the ground. "And I CAN keep you alive while I do it."
"Hey, Auntie Ayeka," Ranma gasped as she reappeared next to Ayeka, glancing nervously toward the mortals to make sure they hadn�t heard her. "You okay?" ~Three teleports in twenty four hours, with everything else.~ She was obviously sweating and breathing heavily now. Ayeka nodded at her and frowned angrily at the mortal Ryoko held.
"I was merely showing my appreciation for the..." Kuno started to protest. Ryoko snarled and tossed the idiot away.
"Stupid mortal," Ryoko spat.
"You claim to be my follower," Tenchi said coolly. "And you do that?!"
"I have been a true follower," Kuno protested, then frowned. "Ah I see it now, you are merely imitations of Lord Tenchi and his wives." Kuno frowned and shifted into stance. "I, the blue thunder of--!" A lightning bolt crackled out of the sky and struck Kuno into the ground.
"No sword shall ever remain in your hands for long," Tenchi declared. "Whether destroyed, stolen or lost, you shall not keep them."
"And no anger directed at you shall be light," Ryoko added, moving behind Tenchi and standing next to Ayeka. "Those you anger shall be enraged beyond reason."
"And any who knowingly help you shall see all the plants of their lands die around them," Ayeka added angrily. "You should know better than to affront anyone so, much less someone with power."
"He tried to grope you?" Akane gasped as she came up to the small crowd.
"I would never," Kuno tried to protest.
"Of course you would," Ranma snapped. "You do it to me all the time." The three dieties flashed a look at Ranma and then angrily glared at Kuno again. "But I didn't think even you would be this stupid."
"Brother," Kodachi said sadly. "You are an idiot."
"Sister, surely you must see..." Kuno tried to explain, stopping when Kodachi turned away from him.
"These curses shall be on your head until you admit and atone for your actions," Tenchi declared. "I have been lenient with your posing until now. Now leave!"
"I shall leave," Kuno said, weakly climbing to his feet. "And you shall see that a true paladin of Tenchi shall persevere." He started to limp away before the silent crowd.
********
"Cursed by your god," a voice said out of the shadows. Kuno turned from his poorly made camp site to look. "What a terrible fate."
"Who are you," Kuno demanded. "And what business of it is yours what transpires between me and those imposters?"
"I am someone that can give you a way around those curses," the figure stepped forward and Kuno caught a hint of bandages. "I merely ask for a favor."
"And what favor is that?" Kuno asked cautiously.
"There is a girl, somewhere in the region," the male voice said. "I wish for you to find and destroy the devil holding her, and bring me the girl."
"And what is so special about this girl?" Kuno asked standing up and facing the apparition.
"Just bring me the girl and you're curses will be lifted," the voice said.
"I think not," Kuno said firmly. "I would not taint myself with your service for my benefit."
"Then enjoy your life," the voice said laughing. "As brief as it will be."
********
"I'm seeking Mistress Azami," the young woman said. She frowned at the startled and sad silence that she received.
"Mistress Azami?" the innkeeper said. "The wu jen?"
"Yes, she has the daughter of someone important in her care," the woman said. The innkeeper noted the blade at the woman's side and the pointy ears, almost elven.
"You mean little Linn?" the man asked.
"Yes, where is she?" the woman asked, she gripped her sheath with her left hand.
"You're asking about that witch?" a loud thug demanded from behind her. "She's dead, and that little brat of hers is gone. And good riddance."
"Azami was not my favorite person," the woman said. "But would you mind explaining what happened before I beat you to within an inch of your life?"
"Guess your employer got tired of you looking for his daughter," the thug said. Three other large men joined him. "Some blonde with a fetish for cute animals came by and hired us to the help her rescue the girl."
"Where did they go?" the woman asked angrily, frowning. She leaned forward.
"Nah, I don't think we'll tell you," the man said. "Unless you give us a little fun first."
"Sure thing, Jackass," the woman said cheerfully. Then she moved, drawing her blade and swiftly moving between the thugs. In her wake she left the four thugs sprawled out senseless, bones broken. Then she sheathed her blade and looked about the unconscious thugs. "Do you know where this 'blonde' went, or do I have to wait for them to wake up."
"Th...th..they're not dead?" the innkeeper stuttered. The woman drew her blade and indicated the blunt outer edge.
"Not with this," she said. The innkeeper relaxed. "But I can still do a lot of damage. Where did they go?"
"Nerima!" the man snapped desperately. The woman dropped him in shock.
"That's where he's supposed to be," she whispered. She looked up at the sky and breathed. "I've given up on vengeance and now I have to go straight to where that Jackass lives." She shook her head and walked out of the inn. "I wonder if I would be forgiven for beating him up a little."
"Who are you anyway?" the innkeeper asked.
"Ukyou," the woman said. "Ukyou of Kamiya Temple."