Ke Lun threw down a golden goblet in disgust. “They’re not here!” The long black ears she had acquired as a bunny girl twitched in annoyance. “Neither of them!”
Lo Shen looked up from another pile, giving the young looking elder a nod and making her own bunny ears wave. “I fear you are correct. There are numerous items of a magical nature, but not the two we seek.”
They both looked out over the enormous piles of treasure brought back by the horde of girls freed from the Musk Fortress. The village had rejoiced when the small war party had returned victorious with the freed slaves and the captured wealth, cheering their triumphant entry. The girls had been quickly settled into a hastily opened barracks, the old building having been unused in a generation due to the slow dwindling of the Amazon’s numbers. The Elders had viewed the addition of a potential population boost with favor, and the addition to the treasury even more so. Even as Lo Shen and Ke Lun had scoured the recovered loot, they had been sorting and categorizing the various items for storage.
Ke Lun scowled, looking out over the various piles with an expression of distaste. “Much as I hate to contemplate talking to that thing that once was a Musk, perhaps he knows where they have gone and why the prince was nowhere to be found in the fortress.”
Lo Shen tossed back her long lavender hair, giving Ke Lun a raised eyebrow. “He can no longer help what he is, Ke Lun. The spell cast upon him has turned him into little more than an animal unable to control his base instincts. Lust and violence are about all he can express.”
“And you expect me to show him compassion for this?” Ke Lun gave the Loremaster a hard look.
“I would never expect that from you for any enemy of the Amazon’s, Warleader. I merely am explaining why he is how he is. Whatever has been done to him, he is still a rabid dog and will need to be put down.” Lo Shen stated with a small frown.
Ke Lun nodded. “Shan Pu remembers him from her encounter with the prince. He was part of the royal guard. Hopefully, he will have the answers we need. Even if we have to twist it out of him.”
She led the way out of the treasury attached to the elder’s hall, and across the square to the prison, passing by the hut they had given to the visitors from Nerima as they went to interrogate Mint.
* * * * *
Inside the hut, Zhu Shu watched the elders walk past as she helped Kasumi make dinner. She had helped settle in the returning fighters, doing her best to be cheerful despite her tiredness and the bleak faces those who had been captured wore. She had avoided prying as to exactly what had happened in the fortress to put such looks of despondency on the faces of her friends and loved ones, but she had watched them worriedly all the way back to the village.
Akane currently was sitting and looking out a window distractedly, not noticing she was stroking Shan Pu’s hair, the Amazon’s head resting on Akane’s thigh as she slept.
Zhu Shu smiled softly at the evidence of unconscious feelings, but the look on everyone’s faces still worried her. She was hoping that sooner or later, someone would want to talk.
Finally, unable to stand waiting any longer, she went and set down near Akane. Akane started as she realized Zhu Shu was there, and for just a second, fear filled her eyes. Zhu Shu blinked in confusion.
“Akane. What’s wrong?” she asked in Chinese, too impatient to try and formulate the question in Japanese.
Akane took a deep shuddering breath. “I know what I saw there wasn’t real, that it was just something that thing showed us to torture us, but it was so real.” Akane replied, also in Mandarin.
Shan Pu opened an eye and gave Zhu Shu an equally forlorn look as she curled up tighter against Akane. The Japanese girl just continued to absently stroke her hair.
“It was just a phantom, Akane. Shadows thrown by that evil thing.” Zhu Shu said softly, saddened that the shadow creature had chosen visions of her to torture Akane with.
“I know Zhu Shu. But I - I can’t get what it showed me out of my head.”
Shan Pu put her hand on Akane’s knee. “It’s okay Ai Ren. It showed me evil things as well. It showed everyone I love turned against me.” Shan Pu’s voice trembled slightly with her emotion.
Akane finally noticed what she was doing and stopped stroking Shan Pu’s hair, but she didn’t move the Amazon’s head from her leg. “That’s sort of what I saw too, but it was more gruesome than just rejection.” She turned haunted eyes to Zhu Shu. “I saw you killing Ami and saw how you had slaughtered the other girls, and I couldn’t raise my sword against you, knowing that somehow, what you were doing was all my fault. I had made you become the Black Dragon.” She shuddered.
Zhu Shu reached out to caress her face. “It was a nightmare, Akane. Shadows meant to cause you as much pain as they could.” She felt Shan Pu’s hand find hers and squeeze. “I’m still me, right? Still Zhu Shu? Not a cold blooded murderer?”
Akane nodded. “Yes.”
“And that horrible place has been destroyed?”
“Yes.”
“And we have returned as triumphant heroes?”
“I suppose.” Her long pink ears twitched as she smiled. “Except for the fact that we’re still bunny girls.”
Zhu Shu smiled, and hearing a faint sound above her, switched back to Japanese. “Is okay. Zhu Shu think ears are cute.”
Akane gave her a weak grin. “Why’d you switch back to Japanese?” She asked in Mandarin.
“Is not polite have conversation with friends if not all understand.” Zhu Shu replied.
“Is why Shan Pu talk Japanese when talk to Ai Ren. No hide what say from Ai Ren who not know Shan Pu language. Would not be right.”
Ranma appeared from the top of the window, hanging down to look in, having finally come down from where he’d been sitting on the roof peak since they had gotten back. “You talking about me?”
Shan Pu looked up from Akane’s lap and smiled. “Ni hao, other Ai Ren. Shan Pu misses you.”
Ranma shrugged, a move which cost him his perch on the roof. With a startled “whups” he vanished below the window, almost immediately standing and brushing himself off. “Damn thatch.” He muttered before looking back in the window. “I had some things to think about.”
Akane gave him a sad smile. “Bad time at the fortress too?”
Ranma shrugged again. “I guess. I don’t think I killed anyone, but things were way to fast for me to be sure, and what happened to me when we got separated, well…”
Akane nodded. “I understand. What I saw was horrible too. That’s what we were talking about.”
Ranma nodded and scratched his head. “I just wish I knew what was behind all that. Why go to such trouble just to capture Zhu Shu? I don’t get it.”
Akane’s eyes looked over at the Chinese girl for a long moment, her expression unreadable. “Perhaps there’s more to Zhu Shu than we know.”
Zhu Shu shook her head. “Zhu Shu is Zhu Shu. Heir of Clan Dragon. Servant to Imperial Court. Not care what others say. Zhu Shu is Zhu Shu.”
“Oh come on, Zhu-chan. It’s the only thing that makes sense. Why else would anyone want to capture you?” Akane protested, drawing curious stares from Shan Pu and Ranma at the obvious fact that Akane knew something she hadn’t told them.
“Zhu Shu not know. Plan to stop at home village before go Hong Kong. Maybe find answers there.”
Akane grimaced. “You still plan to go to Hong Kong? After all this?” Her tone let everyone know she was not happy with the plan. “You said those three were from the same group that attacked us here. What if it’s a trap?
“Zhu Shu still must go. Need to find answers. Cannot find them in Japan.”
“So what are we going to be looking for in Hong Kong?” Ranma asked, eager for something to take his mind off the fortress.
“You not. Zhu Shu needs go alone, Ranma.” Zhu Shu said firmly. At the visible disagreement in his face, she continued. “Zhu Shu simply seek to find out more information. Should not be any danger. Zhu Shu only plan to scout.” She smiled at his raised eyebrow. “Ranma and Akane must go home, spend time together. Zhu Shu will join as soon as can. Not think take more than week.”
“And why no take blood sister?”
Zhu Shu looked back to where Shan Pu had sat up and was giving her a hard look, her own displeasure at not being included obvious.
“Because is matter for Zhu Shu. Shan Pu need prepare to move Japan.” Zhu Shu stated.
“Great grandmother will not like.” Shan Pu warned, giving the impression that if Zhu Shu didn’t include her, she’d make sure Ke Lun knew. Luckily, Zhu Shu had already dealt with that.
Zhu Shu shook her head. “No, but Ke Lun give permission. Please Shan Pu. Not want argue. Must be done.”
Shan Pu gave her a look that told her she wasn’t happy, but she conceded she’d been out maneuvered.
An explosion outside brought them all back to the window to see the makeshift jail collapsing and Ke Lun cussing up a storm as she lifted herself up off the ground. Before her in the square a blur sought vainly to escape from Lo Shen, the rabbit eared girl flickering from spot to spot around the square to block the blur’s escape. Both of the elders turned bunny girl were naked.
“Great Grandmother?” Shan Pu asked, taking in the figure hauling herself to her feet. With a last curse, Ke Lun lashed out with the cane she was still clutching and pinned the blur to the ground. There was a howl of agony as the blur resolved into Mint, now writhing around the cane that had pierced his shoulder.
“Enough of this! Where is the Kettle!?” Ke Lun shouted.
Mint’s eyes focused on Ke Lun. “Service me and maybe I’ll tell you, bitch!”
The staff twisted as Akane and Ranma winced. Mint screamed again.
“Be glad I haven’t just killed you for trying to rape me, beast! Now where is the Kettle!?” Ke Lun hissed. Amazons around the square focused eyes filled with anger on the boy as Ke Lun twisted the cane again.
Lo Shen stepped up and placed her hands on either side of the screaming boy’s head, muttering a cryptic phrase. Glimmers of light sparkled around her fingers as Mint suddenly calmed. His eyes glowed with a soft light.
“The Kettle has been lost for generations, gone since the days of the Amazon’s crimes against the Musk Dynasty. It was stolen by your spy, the one called Happosai. The prince is no more, but the princess has taken the ladle and the bucket to find the lost Kettle. She has been gone for days. You are too late! Herb shall find the Kettle and return and when she does, I will make her my playtoy and I will rule the Musk! You will bow before me, woman! All will tremble beneath the heel of King Mint!” Mad laughter came from the still form. “Herb will learn her place at my feet and I will be the true Dragon Emperor!”
A sudden wave of blackness seemed to hurl both Lo Shen and Ke Lun back as Mint rose into the air, still laughing madly. He hung in the air, frozen, as his eyes darkened to pools of black ink and his laughter cut off abruptly. A voice chill as the grave came from his lips as his eyes fixed on the Loremaster. “So, the Amazons are a thorn in my side still.” The voice chuckled darkly. “Be warned, woman. Next time your tribe meddles in my plans, I will do more than make you rabbits.”
With a sickening crunch, Mint’s head twisted around and stared at Zhu Shu. A smile graced his lips for a last moment before whatever force held him aloft vanished and the limp body fell to the ground, blood gushing from his mouth.
“Damn.” Lo Shen said. “The sorcerer must have felt my probes. Effective way to ensure we ask no more questions.”
“We had what we seek. The Kettle is not in Scorpion’s hands.” Ke Lun spat on the dead boy.
“It is almost worse. We cannot ask the demon master where he misplaced it! Indeed, we have been celebrating that he was sealed away for all time.” Lo Shen pointed out
“Is there no way to contact him through the seal?” another elder asked, distinguished from the other amazons only by her cane. Like Ke Lun and Lo Shen, she had been returned to youth as a rabbit girl due to the combined curses of the rabbit water brought by the invaders, and the water from the Spring of Drowned Young Girl Zhu Shu had retrieved to allow them to revert to semi-human.
“We might conjure his spirit to speak with had we a sister with the ability to perform a séance, but there has not been an Amazon witch since the loss of Pe Kabu.” Lo Shen answered.
Zhu Shu looked up from where she was staring at the dead wolf-boy, as stunned by the event as the other Nerimans. With a swallow, she spoke.
“Revered Elders? I may know of a witch. She is a Shinto Priestess who has abilities with spirits.” she said in Chinese
“A Shinto? She may indeed be able to help if she can summon the spirits.” Lo Shen nodded approvingly.
Akane whispered, “You don’t mean Rei, do you?”
Zhu Shu shook her head. To the elders she added, “In my travels, I met a priestess who takes care of the ill at a school. Sakura-san appeared to me to be surrounded by spirits. She said she is a spirit magnet.”
Lo Shen nodded. “That would do nicely. I have met several Japanese witches who are quite skilled. We shall see about getting Tao-Ching to take you to Japan post haste.”
Zhu Shu held up a small, tiger striped device she had retrieved from behind her back. “No need, Revered Elder. I have a friend who can get me there much faster.”
* * * * *
Night was falling by the time Lum arrived a half hour later, and the appearance of the tiger-striped saucer above the village caused quite a stir. The Oni herself was almost instantly besieged with Amazon girls begging her to teach them to fly, and almost universal disappointment when they found out it wasn’t a martial arts technique. Still, the alien girl amused the Amazons enormously by spending the time while Zhu Shu prepared shocking Kuno whenever he tried to embrace his newly found “demon goddess.”
The trip back to Japan was quick, Lum chattering aimlessly as she filled Zhu Shu in on everything that had happened recently, detailing a strange dream she had apparently shared with Ataru and her friends, courtesy of a dream demon. Zhu Shu was too distracted to do more than listen and nod every so often; worried about dealing with the ghost of someone everyone seemed to fear so, but Lum more than made up for her silence.
Nurse Sakura was willing to help once Zhu Shu explained her dilemma, and a short hop in the saucer later found them on the slopes of a non-descript mountain by the rock sealing Happosai’s cave. Zhu Shu waited by nervously as Sakura prepared her ritual. She had never spoken to a spirit before and her memory called up all kinds of tales she had heard that one had to be careful speaking to one. She almost wished that Ke Lun had insisted on coming along to make sure she didn’t screw up.
Finally, Sakura had finished her ritual, and Zhu Shu found herself standing before the small spirit of the man so many people seemed to dread. She blinked. How could such a small man be so terrible?
Then... she learned why so many women hated Happosai. With a cry of “Sweeto!” the ghost latched onto her chest, his face burrowing through her dress to press between her breasts.
With a cry of disgust, Zhu Shu heaved the lecherous spirit away. “Pervert!”
Happosai hovered in front of her, wringing his hands in anticipation. “Don’t be like that sweetie! Let a poor old man have his comforts in his old age!”
She hit the ghost on the head with her sword and drove it face first into the ground as it dove for her again. “You answer Zhu Shu question!”
Happosai popped up from the ground. “Sure sugar! Just let me have a hug!” He started to float towards her.
Zhu Shu’s blade ignited in gold fire as she pinned the ghost to the ground once more. “You will answer, or Zhu Shu will make hurt very bad. You steal item Zhu Shu need. You tell where is now.”
“Stole? I’m just a poor old man just trying to get by!” Happosai gave her big puppy dog eyes. “So put upon by my wayward apprentices.”
“Kaisufuu! You take from Musk. Where is now!” Zhu Shu demanded.
Happosai got cagy. “What’s in it for me?”
“Nothing! You no tell, Zhu Shu cut to ribbons!”
Happosai floated up through the swords. “You can only touch my spirit form if I let you. Nothing for nothing.”
The spirit pulled out a ghostly pipe as it lounged back on nothing. He puffed on it while Zhu Shu deliberated.
At last reaching the inescapable conclusion that she wouldn’t be able to beat it out of him, no matter how appealing the idea was, Zhu Shu glared. “Fine. What pervert want.”
“Well, I can very well guess that freeing me is out.” He gave her a leer. “So I want your panties!”
“What?” Zhu Shu blinked in amazement.
“You heard me sweetie. If I can’t get out, I want something to comfort me in my prison.”
Sakura raised her eyebrow. “That is one perverted ghost.”
Lum nodded. “I wonder if my zaks would put any sense into him?”
Sakura shook her head. “If he’s like my uncle, nothing would faze him.”
Lum made a sour face at the mention of Cherry, the wondering monk who was a regular bane of her existence.
Zhu Shu meanwhile had bludgeoned Happosai into the dirt again, but the ghost just floated up and laughed. “I’m not going to tell you until you give me your panties!”
Zhu Shu cursed at how ineffectual her blows were and growled. “Fine! You tell Zhu Shu where Kaisufuu and she give panties!”
“No. You give me my silky darlings and then I’ll tell you.”
Zhu Shu huffed, then reached up under her dress and slipped out of her underwear, throwing it at the perverted ghost. “There! Now tell!”
Happosai clutched the panties and seemed to almost shiver in pleasure. “I lost it gaming.” He said as he laughed maniacally. “I have no idea where to find it, but the Ladle will show the way!” He continued laughing as he faded away, taking Zhu Shu’s panties with him.
“Damn!” Sakura said. “I lost him.”
Zhu Shu stared at where the ghost had been in fury. Finally, she tilted back her head and screamed “HENTAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
With a huff, she turned and stalked back to the saucer, followed by Lum and Sakura. As the saucer hummed once more into the air, a sound like faint laughter could be heard.
The symbol and charm laden boulder shuddered, then cracks slowly began to form on its surface, glowing with a ruddy inner light. Almost imperceptibly, they began to grow wider as a faint sound could faintly be heard.
“Myyyyyyyssssilllllkkkkiiiiieeeeddddddaaaarrllinngsssssssssssssssssssss...”
* * * * *
The return to the village was a quiet affair, Lum realizing Zhu Shu was in no mood to talk. The Oni girl could almost see the steam rising from Zhu Shu following the meeting with Happosai, and even offering Zhu Shu a pair of her tiger striped bikini bottoms had been met with silence. Finally as they were coming in towards the village, Zhu Shu sighed heavily and apologized for being in such a bad mood, asking if Lum could stay long enough for her to visit her home village for a short while before dropping her off in Hong Kong. Lum was certainly happy enough to do so, in hopes it would cheer Zhu Shu up. Besides, she hadn’t had any other plans tonight. Ataru was currently in bed recovering from the shocking she had given him following the dream demon affair, and she didn’t expect him to wake up until tomorrow, when she had a date planned. She spent the night at the village as Zhu Shu met with the elders
The tone of the elders when Zhu Shu informed them of Happosai’s words was grim, and they asked to be allowed to discuss it while Zhu Shu slept. Zhu Shu had nodded, uncertain as to why the elders were being so respectful, and had mulled it over as she fell asleep, not liking the possible conclusions she was drawing. She didn’t want to believe the possibilities Artemis had raised, but too many little things screamed that others around her knew things about her that she didn’t.
Next morning, Lo Shen came to apprise them of what the elders had discussed.
“At the very least, we know the Kaisufuu is in Japan, so Herb will have to go there.” Lo Shen said as the Nerima crew finished breakfast. “So we must ask you for aid once again. We have too few trained warriors to spare to send after Herb. The attack has left us somewhat vulnerable, and Ke Lun and Shan Pu are moving to Japan for now, which will leave us without our Warleader and Champion.” Lo Shen tilted her head as she emphasized the point. “There likely will be other attacks once the bandit lords of the lower lands hear of our reduction of the Musk fortress and the freeing of their slaves. So many defenseless women in one place will make them forget the lessons we taught them ten years ago.” She shook her head. “While a gun is only useful if it can hit a target, we’re pretty short of the kind of armor needed if they bring rockets, like last time. It was just too expensive to haul in the materials to build an armored wall, though your victory has changed that. Until we have the time to get the defenses built, we’re going to need every warrior we have. We must find Herb and retrieve the Chisuitton. Only with it may we recover the Kaisufuu and restore ourselves to relatively normal.”
“If you can call being a bunny girl when you get wet, normal.” Nabiki said dryly.
“Yes. Curses do not cancel each other out.” Lo Shen looked at Ranma. “I fear there is no cure for you, child. We have had unfortunates before who have fallen into the spring of drowned man. The attempt to cure was worse than the curse. Had someone apprised us that you did not know this, we could have told you earlier.”
Ranma met her gaze and shrugged. “If I find one, I find one.” He glanced over at Akane for a second before he looked back down. “I’m kinda getting used to it.”
Lo Shen nodded. “If we can recover the Chisuitton, we can at least unlock the curses and be ourselves sometimes.”
Tao-Ching cracked his knuckles. “I’ll find Herb, Loremaster. I… owe him for many things. I have means for finding which ship he may travel on. I will also see about having those supplies you want airlifted in.”
“Very well. I apologize for the troubles you have had here this visit. We will hope to have a much better reception for you when we host Shan Pu’s weddings. Ke Lun and Shan Pu will join you in Japan once they have their house packed up. Tao-Ching, you have my email address. Let us know at once when you have found the Chisuitton.”
“Yes elder.” he answered distractedly.
Akane blinked. “You have email?”
Lo Shen smiled. “A notebook with a satellite phone. A small indulgence of mine that keeps me abreast of the world. I traded a few old bracelets to an anthropologist for it… How do you think we sent Zhu Shu’s paperwork to Japan so quickly? We control the only way in or out of this region, so when her request came in by courier, I made arrangements to speed it along.”
“Oh.”
“What’s your email address?” Nabiki asked.
“Amazonwiseass at Joketsuzoku dot net. I bought a domain too.”
Nabiki rolled her eyes.
* * * * *
After the meeting, Akane watched the tiger stripped saucer vanish into the south and sighed. She still wished Zhu Shu were coming back to Tokyo with them instead of heading off to Hong Kong and who knows what, but the little Chinese girl had been adamant. She looked back over the Amazon village and sighed again. Before leaving Zhu Shu had told her that Ke Lun and Shan Pu wanted to see her. She was nervous about meeting Shan Pu alone in her home. She hoped eventually she’d get used to the fact that she was betrothed to the kawaii Amazon. Still… she certainly was curvaceous, and very appealing when naked…
Chalking the stray thought up to the desires that had woken up when she had vamped Ranma after her match with Kodachi, she looked over at him. When they got back to Japan and she had some privacy…
“I’m going to go see Shan Pu.” she said, wrenching her mind off the developing fantasy.
He nodded. “Okay. I’m gonna help get the plane packed. I wonder why Zhu Shu was so insistent you see Shan Pu alone.”
Akane shrugged. “I don’t know, but she seemed a little worried. I guess I’ll find out when I see Shan Pu.”
She trudged into the village and to the large hut off the central square where Ke Lun and her great-granddaughter lived and noted the signs of packing going on. She knocked politely on the door and waited till Ke Lun invited her in.
“Thank you for coming, Akane.” Ke Lun said as she closed the door behind her. As she crossed to the table and noted Akane’s curious looks around for her absent grand-daughter, Ke Lun smiled.
“I’m afraid Shan Pu is off running an errand for me at the moment. A bit of kindness on my part, I suppose you could say.” She sat down at the table and steepled her fingers. “I’m afraid we have to ask you to make a very hard decision for us, and Shan Pu is dreading your response. Your shared fiancé has left us with a bit of a mess.” Pointing over to a basket on the hearth, she sighed. “In there, you’ll find the reason Shan Pu is so upset over Ranma’s condition.”
Akane raised an eyebrow and stepped over to the basket. As she did, the lid popped up slightly and a pair of luminous eyes blinked at her. Then the basket started to tip over, and with a surprised “Meow” a small pink and lavender kitten rolled out to land at Akane’s feet. She immediately stood with an air of “I intended to do that,” and looked up at Akane. Akane couldn’t overcome her immediate impulse to pick the kitten up and coo “Oh, she’s adorable!”
Ke Lun smiled. “She’s Shan Pu’s betrothal gift to you and Ranma. Therefore, we have a bit of a quandary. Ranma is terrified of cats, and Shan Pu is rather attached to this one, which is why we have to ask you for help.”
Akane looked down at the kitten, smiling at the small bells that mimicked Shan Pu’s hair ornaments. “Oh, I can see why Shan Pu loves her. She’s so cute!”
The kitten purred and bumped her head against Akane’s hand. She submitted gracefully and started petting.
Unseen by Akane, Ke Lun nodded approvingly.
“So daughter-in-law, what shall we do with this hideous beast? Shall I dispose of her?” she asked lightly, as if it was of no import to her.
The kitten turned wide eyes on Akane, and poured on the purrs. She stood up on Akane’s hand and supported herself on Akane’s nose as she looked Akane in the eyes. Submit!
Akane shook her head as she hugged the kitten. “No, you can’t kill her! She’s just a kitten!”
“Yet Ranma is scared of cats.”
“She’s just a kitten! Surely he can’t be scared of kittens?”
Ke Lun shook her head. “I had to explain this to Shan Pu as well. The Neko-ken leaves it’s victims with a phobia of any feline. No Amazon magic can cure a phobia, and the only other ways to cure one require a lot of time, patience, and love, or an especially strong will.”
Akane nodded. “I read about that in one of the magazines at Doctor Tofu’s. Something about repeated exposure.”
“Yes. Small doses of the item that evokes the phobia over time can cure it, or a single traumatic event can force it to be broken. But Ranma’s phobia is severe. A traumatic enough event to break the phobia may well be beyond what we can engineer.” Ke Lun came over and stood before Akane. “Daughter-in-law. You must understand that it is my sincerest desire to cure Ranma of this fear. I do not like seeing my son-in-law crippled in this way, but I cannot do it alone, and as yet, Shan Pu is not able to help. I know my grand-daughter is direct, and that you both are uncertain as to your feelings for her as of yet. Sadly, though, that means that however good her intentions, any attempts to help cure Ranma’s phobia on her part would be… ill received.”
Akane nodded, “You want me to decide to keep the kitten in the hopes that her presence will eventually make Ranma less afraid.”
“That is my intention, yes. I cannot take the rabbit’s path as I do not know what would be needed to break the phobia, so I must try the slow and steady path of the turtle.” She laughed, her rabbit ears shaking at the irony. “Shan Pu cannot do this because she has not yet won Ranma’s heart as he has won hers. You have both of their hearts, Akane. She is hoping your love for Ranma will help where hers will not.”
The kitten looked at her with big pleading eyes, blinking hopefully, and mewed as if to ask, “Please?”
Akane had to smile. The kitten was just so cute and seemed to be trying so hard to be likeable. “Shan Pu was going to give her to us as a betrothal gift?” she finally asked, looking up from the kitten with shining eyes. Her ears were perked straight up.
Ke Lun nodded. “She had hoped to give her to you after the ceremony, but…” she held out her hands in a what can you do gesture. “And now, she cannot bear the thought you might not wish her.”
Akane hugged the kitten to a pleased purr. “Of course I want her! She’s wonderful!”
Ke Lun smiled. “Then you accept this task? To aid in helping Ranma at least not fear this cat?”
Akane missed the emphasis; too busy laughing as the kitten batted at one of her pink bunny ears. “Yes. I will try to get Ranma to overcome his fear of cats. I don’t like having a fiancé who goes psychotic feline. Shan Pu acts enough like a cat as it is, I don’t need Ranma doing it too.”
The kitten nipped her lightly. Akane looked down. “Hey, I’m not bad mouthing cats. Or Shan Pu.” She looked at Ke Lun. “Intelligent little thing isn’t she?”
Ke Lun nodded. “Quite. Shan Pu was heartbroken after learning of Ranma’s phobia. She’s grown quite attached.”
“What’s her name?”
“Shan Pu hasn’t named her. That was for you.”
Akane smiled. “Then I’ll call her China. Because she’s my gift from my Chinese fiancée.”
Ke Lun smiled. “China sounds like a fine name. Shan Pu and I will be arranging our affairs here for a week or so before moving to Tokyo. Until then, just take care of China and try to get Ranma used to the idea of her being around.”
Akane nodded. She looked up at Ke Lun and smiled warmly. “You know, when I first met you, you seemed like a mean old woman.”
“I am a mean old woman, Akane. Just ask anyone who opposes me. But I care for Shan Pu’s happiness, and through her, yours and Ranma’s. My son-in-law may be the finest warrior I’ve seen for his age, perhaps even as good a Wong Fei Hong, but he’s still got much to learn, as do you and Shan Pu.” Ke Lun shook her head. “I plan to insure that such learning takes place. This is just a first step towards undoing the harm Genma Saotome and his Master’s teachings have done to Ranma. Happosai was a master of the Anything Goes School, but he was an irresponsible, dissolute wretch, and he trained both of your fathers to be the same.” Ke Lun smiled. “You are fortunate indeed that Soun did not take you on a training trip such as Ranma’s.”
Akane smiled back. “I don’t think Mom would have let him. She wasn’t from a rich family like the Saotomes. I gather Genma was allowed to go to save the family from the scandals. Mom would never allow dad to commit a scandal.”
Ke Lun chuckled. “I have to admire her then.” She gave Akane a sympathetic look. “It is very hard to lose your mother when you are young. Shan Pu has done well, but I there are times I know she still feels Par Fume’s loss intensely.”
“Shan Pu’s mom is dead too?” Akane asked quietly.
“Yes. She died when Shan Pu was just six years old. Bandits raided our village and while we beat them off, Par Fume was among the casualties.”
The kitten meowed sadly. Akane nodded. “Mom died of an illness. I was only seven. Most of my memories of her are smiles.” She petted the kitten as it nuzzled her arm, comforting. “I guess we have a little more in common than I suspected.”
“Yes. In part, we are taking some time to move to give you both a chance to reflect on the changes in your life.” Ke Lun reached out to touch Akane’s hand. “I hope you understand what you have done. You have accepted Shan Pu as a wife, Akane. By Amazon law, that is binding.” she made sure Akane was looking at her. “By Amazon custom, you are already married, and we don’t have divorces. We are honoring your customs of the betrothal period because we are showing good faith in the alliances made, but that does not mean it is something that can be tossed aside.” She paused as Akane nodded. “Shan Pu must be your mate as much as Ranma’s.” Ke Lun said earnestly. “She forfeited her life for your love, Akane. Ranma’s kiss of death was given before knowing his true status, and that has been dealt with, but you are an outland woman, Akane. I meant it when I said you saved her life. Had you not accepted her declaration of love, I would have had to watch Shan Pu be executed for breaking the law.”
Akane looked away from the young seeming elder. “I- I know. I meant what I said at the ceremony. I will try to learn to love her.” She sighed. “I know from Zhu Shu she is worthy of loving in many ways… and frustrating in others.” Smiling, she shook her head ruefully. “Much like Ranma, I guess.” She looked back at Ke Lun. “I know she loves me, and I accept that, at least. Loving her back is going to take some time.
“Good. That is all I ask.”
Akane nodded. “I owe Zhu Shu too much to do anything else, elder. She’s shown me what happiness can be, and that duty doesn’t always preclude it.”
“A lesson she should learn herself, I think.” Ke Lun smiled. “And call me Great-grandmother, Akane.”
Akane smiled back. “Yes, Great Grandmother.”
* * * * *
It was, of course, disastrous. China was instantly loved by Akane’s sisters, and Ranma ran screaming.
It took Akane the better part of an hour to find the boy sitting in a tree outside the village following her showing off of China. She had tried most every place she could think of, the pink kitten trailing at her heels and helping her look.
“I’m sorry,” he said as she approached, very carefully looking straight ahead and away from her and China. “I did hear you tell Nabiki and Kasumi that Shan Pu had gotten her for us as a betrothal gift. I won’t ask you not to keep her.”
“Ranma, I know you don’t like cats-“
“It’s not that I dislike them, Akane.” Ranma shook his head. “I used to love cats. It’s that every time I see one now, I remember the yowls and the claws and the teeth in the dark. I’m six years old and back in that pit with them smothering me and clawing me and biting and chewing-“ He shuddered. “I just can’t help it.”
Akane nodded sadly. “I know. But Ke Lun said constant mild exposure to a cat may eventually cure you of that fear. And China is as cute and harmless a kitten as you could hope to find. She’s about as un-scary as you can get.”
China mewed in agreement. Ranma shuddered.
“So the old woman thinks it may cure me? If I can learn to stand being around a cat?” he said finally.
“Yes. She said it’s the only sure way. If you’re strong enough and have the will power, then you can beat the fear, instead of it beating you.” Akane replied, hoping the phrasing that Ke Lun suggested would have the desired effect.
It did. Ranma stood. “Beat the fear. Yeah. Nothing can beat me.”
Akane raised her eyebrow. She should have thought of that herself. It was basically a challenge to his ego. “Yes. Of course if you’re such a weakling that a little bitty kitty scares you…” she added airily.
“I ain’t afraid of nuthin!” He jumped down from the tree and froze as China immediately pounced on his ankle to rub and purr. “C-c-c-c-cat!”
Akane let China nuzzle for a few seconds before calling “China, here kitty.” The kitten gave Ranma a forlorn look, then bounced back over to Akane.
Ranma somehow managed to form a grimace he probably thought was a smile. “S-s-s-s-s-see! N-n-n-n-no p-p-p-problem!”
Akane smiled. “That’s wonderful.” She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “We’re leaving in a half hour. I’m going to go get China’s basket ready.”
Ranma blinked and sighed as she turned to walk away. “I can do this!” he muttered to himself. “It’s only a c-c-cc-c-c-cat!” He turned and punched the tree. “I can do this!”
The tree trunk shattered and Ranma looked up in horror as the tree started to fall towards him. He narrowly dodged out of the way as Akane looked back. She smiled.
“I know you can, Ranma. Nobody can beat you!”
Ranma looked after her as she disappeared into the gate, then shrugged and chalked it up to the rest of the weird things that had happened here in China.
* * * * *
Zhu Shu stood on a cliff face overlooking the valley she had called home most of her life, reflecting on how alien it felt now. The valley was as unchanged as it ever had been, the narrow path from the village cave still leading to the high pass out of the encircling mountains, the Buddhist shrine still setting on the cliff top like an old monk, the same sounds of sheep from the fields above, the lulling splash of the waterfall… yet it was no longer home. She found herself straining for the faint sound of a horn, or the calls of people passing in the street. The familiarity was still there, but she had become a visitor... a stranger here for a single purpose.
Behind her was a small cave, secluded from the elements and the prying eyes of villagers, and accessible only by the nimble feet of two small girls… or a highly trained martial artist. The blankets on the floor were dusty, but still dry, and various small treasures of the sort valued by young girls still adorned the bare rock. Of the entire valley, only this place still felt like hers, this place where she and Ying-Ying had spent so much time, and so much love.
It had been here they had explored their feelings, and here as well she had sought to end her life with Ying-Ying’s, and here she had erected a small shrine in Ying-Ying’s memory, where every anniversary she had come in remembrance.
She knelt next to the small shrine and smiled at the wild flowers already decorating it. It looked like her Grandfather had visited in anticipation of her absence.
She placed the flowers she had brought on the shrine as well and knelt to light the small brazier. Every year since Ying-Ying had died, she had done the same, yet this year, it was different. The overwhelming melancholy of Ying-Ying’s absence had been replaced with a happier feeling.
She felt the faint traces of the link that still remained, and that sense of Ying-Ying’s presence that still faintly clung to it as she began to burn the flowers one by one. She watched the smoke carry the spirits away to Ying-Ying and smiled.
“It is rare to see you smile, Little Mouse.” her grandfather’s voice said from behind her. “Particularly on this day.”
Zhu Shu nodded. “Yes, Grandfather. I have found a sort of peace at last with her loss.” She had known he would feel her presence and return.
Shi smiled. “I had hoped your quest would finally help such an event to occur. I am glad to see that it is happening.”
Zhu Shu nodded again. “I have learned much since I left the village, Grandfather. More than I would have ever thought possible.” She turned to look at him. “And much it seems I should have known.”
Shi raised one eyebrow. “Indeed?”
“Why do the Amazons treat Clan Dragon so reverently? I have just come from there, and I have had elders treat my words as if they are royal commands. I am the daughter of servants, yet they do not treat me as such.”
Shi shook his head. “No, I expect they would not.” He paused for a long moment before he seemed to reach a decision and continued. “We are servants to the Emperor, Little Mouse, but we also carry the last of the true blood within us. You are the last pureblooded Heir to the Song Dynasty, the last true Empress of China. We are all descendants of Song Lin Tzu, the Dragon Empress, and those of her entourage that survived The Silencing.” He sighed. “History has forgotten the past, but we have not, nor have the Joketsuzoku.”
Zhu Shu closed her eyes and sighed. “I had hoped Artemis was incorrect. I do not wish to be the heir to a throne. I am content to be who I am.”
Shi shook his head sadly. “You never had a choice, Little Mouse. You have always been the Heir. I fear that is why your Aunt resents you so. You are pure blood, and a Daughter of the Dragon, where she is not. I fear I did not see how much she resented you until too late, and for that I am sorry.” Shi sighed. “Still, she has taught you well, though more harshly than I realized. I have been too secluded in my pagoda it seems.” He smiled sadly. “Ke Lun had much to say on the topic when she visited, including that you are Blood-Sister to her great-granddaughter.”
Zhu Shu nodded. “Great Grandmother said you approve.”
Shi nodded. “I do. Though it delays your own quest, helping your Blood-Sister is the honorable thing to do. She says that you have taken students as well?”
“I have. They are warriors in need of instruction in the art of war. I have been teaching them to aid them in their fight against those who would enslave the world.” She gave her grandfather a hard look. “As it seems our ancestors once did.”
Shi raised an eyebrow in surprise. “The Moon Princess? She has been reborn?” He stepped closer. “And her Guardians?”
Zhu Shu nodded, surprised for a second before realizing that if Shi knew the true history of Lin Tzu, he would have had to have known about the Senshi. “They are my students, grandfather.” She looked away. “And one seeks to see if she can be more.”
Shi nodded, unsurprised. “Mars was ever drawn to the Empress. Yet never were they wed. Her ties to the Moon Kingdom were stronger than the ties of her heart.”
Zhu Shu gave her grandfather a cool look. “You know that Lin Tzu was as I am?”
Shi nodded. “Lin Tzu had more than ten wives. Yet she also fulfilled her duties and bore an heir from her own womb. You are the last of Lin Tzu’s daughters. Nor are you the only daughter of Lin Tzu to feel so for other women. Your own mother did as well, yet she bore you from your father’s seed.” Shi sighed. “You cannot bear a child with a woman, Little Mouse. Not even with Mars”
Zhu Shu sighed. “I do not care grandfather. She has sought my attentions, and for so long as she desires, she will share them.”
Shi sighed as well. “Very well, Little Mouse. I will not say I approve, but I will not stand against this, so long as you do not abandon your quest for a husband.” He laid a hand on Zhu Shu’s shoulder. “I do not object to your having a lover, Little Mouse, so long as your husband is agreeable. Ke Lun has said your Blood-Sister has offered you her hand as a Sister-Wife, and that her Betrothed has your interest as well. As Blood-Sister, her children would be yours, and your children, hers. Clan Dragon has always been strengthened by Amazon blood. Had Ke Lun accepted my attentions when we were both young, she would have been my wife. Is this not a solution you will accept?”
Zhu Shu looked down at her feet. “I-I cannot, Grandfather. Shan Pu is betrothed to another female as well. Though I love Shan Pu, it is her other Betrothed, Akane, who I love more. And though I love Ranma as well, I cannot in good conscience marry with them. My heart is not divided equally between them, and that will lead to tensions I do not desire to inflict.” She raised her eyes and met Shi’s “And I have been told the Dragon has other plans for me.”
Shi raised an eyebrow, but made no other comment.
Zhu Shu turned and undid her dress, dropping it off her shoulders to show the tattoo. “Ying-Ying showed me in dreams what the Dragon intends, Grandfather. She was the flower, Akane is the tiger, yet it is with the other symbols that my ribbons are entwined. My quest will not be finished until those symbols are revealed as the people they represent.” She turned to look at Shi more directly. “You are the one who told me the Dragon had marked me, Grandfather, and you have always taught me that the Dragon will guide and protect us. I will go where the Dragon wills, and hope that it is not the bleak and loveless future I have seen for so long.”
“Put your dress back on, Little Mouse. I know the patterns of your tattoo all too well.” Shi turned to look back out over the cliff behind the small shrine as Zhu Shu refastened her dress. “Very well.” he continued. “I will not push you in your quest for now.” He looked down the high cliff, his eyes focusing on a spot at its bottom as he sighed. “But it is hard, child. I fear there may be much heartbreak in the path the Dragon has chosen for you.”
Zhu Shu nodded. “I thank you for caring, Grandfather.” She sighed. “There is more I must tell you, Grandfather.” she said, dreading his response to her current news.
His eyes rose from the cliff’s foot as her turned to face her once more. “Yes, child?”
“I-I have killed, Grandfather. In Japan, I was beset by three warriors of Clan Scorpion and was forced to slay them.” Zhu Shu said, looking down in shame. Shi had always taught her that killing was a last resort. She had had no other choice, but feared what her Grandfather would say to that.
Shi’s reaction was unexpected. She blinked as his swords appeared in his hands, blazing with blue chi as he sliced the top off a large boulder. “Damn him! Must he still hound our footsteps! Was not the destruction of our home enough?” He followed with a stroke to the center of the boulder that shattered it. He turned to Zhu Shu, his eyes blazing. “Where did they find you?”
Zhu Shu blinked in surprise. “In Beijing. But they bore documents that claimed they were from Hong Kong. And Scorpion attacked the Joketsuzoku. Not two days ago they invaded the Amazon village and slew many warriors, aided by the Musk. The Musk are no more, and I must go to Hong Kong to see what occurs there. The Senshi have detected a huge magical surge there that I suspect is Clan Scorpion. I am going-“
“No, you are not! You will go back to Japan!”
“No, Grandfather, I will not! The Scorpion have slain my Blood-Sisters kin, cursed them to be half animal along with Akane and her sisters and Ranma’s mother, and have attempted to kidnap me! A sorcerous being of shadows sought to deliver me like a prize to someone named Xi’an Chi, and I must find out why!”
Shi’s eyes blazed. “Because you are the Heir! Because he has always sought the power of the Dragon! You cannot fight him, Zhu Shu! He is beyond you! He is the reason I have never left this valley, why your parents died rather than betray your existence! He wants every last child of Lin Tzu dead and the power of the Dragon for his own! You cannot go to Hong Kong if he is there!”
“I must. I will not live my life in fear of him, or see my friends suffer because of him!”
“You will not go!”
“She must.” a quiet voice broke in.
They both turned to see a ghostly figure standing by the shrine. Shi turned pale as Zhu Shu smiled. “Ying-Ying!”
“Hello, beloved.” She held up a bouquet of wild flowers, as pale and transparent as she was. “Thank you for the flowers.” Turning towards Shi she added. “And to you as well, Weapons Master. Please forgive me, but I was requested to deliver a message. The Dragon’s Child must face the Lord of Shadows and free the Banshee. This is her destiny. Do not stand against it.”
“No! He is too strong!”
“She will not face him alone. She may not need to face him directly at all. You know what must be Shi.”
Shi turned to face away from the ghost. “Yes.”
Zhu Shu looked at him curiously, but decided now was not the time to pry. She turned to Ying-Ying. “What is going on, beloved?”
Ying-Ying turned look at her. “What must, beloved. More than that I cannot say.”
Zhu Shu grimaced. “Why must everyone speak in riddles!”
Ying-Ying gave her a sad look. “I am sorry, my love. I am not permitted to say more.”
Zhu Shu sighed. “Very well.” She smiled at the spirit. “I am glad to see you again, outside of dreams.”
Ying-Ying smiled. “Your love and prayers opened the door for me here, but I cannot stay long. Already my strength is failing. The mortal world is not for spirits.”
Zhu Shu stepped close. “Yet I know now you are real, not a figment of my dreams.”
Ying-Ying smiled again as she faded. <<Always and forever… I am here>>
With a whisper of wind she was gone, the last smoke from the fading brazier taken by the breeze. Zhu Shu closed her eyes for a long second as the faint scent of flowers faded, then asked. “What is your answer, Grandfather?”
Shi’s hands clenched around the hilts of his swords, and his words were strained. “It is not my place to say, apparently, Little Mouse. The Dragon bids you go. I must obey.” He sighed as his swords disappeared. “Am I to be forever confined to this valley?” he asked the air.
The faint breeze stirred the dust before the shrine and for a few seconds, the Dragon Mandala formed. A faint whisper echoed around the cliff, a vibration in the air that might have been a trick of the ear.
<<TELL HER>>
As the Mandala faded, Shi sighed. “I will not stop you, Little Mouse, but I beg you. Be careful. If you can avoid him, do. Alone, you stand no chance against him. For all my skill at arms, I was as a babe before his wizardry. In the end, it was only by the actions of a woman I had hated, that I had seen as a betrayer, that allowed me to escape with my wife and daughter.” He motioned for Zhu Shu to sit.
“There is much I have kept from you, child, in hopes that it would keep you safe. I see now that it was a vain hope. The stories I have told you about your great-great grandfather are my tales, Little Mouse. Three hundred years ago, I was the Weapons Master of our clan, and we were strong. I was proud of our might, and arrogant. The Princess of the Musk, Clove, sought my hand, but I desired another, and she was vain, and petty, and I scorned her.” Shi sighed. “I could have avoided what befell had I accepted her desires and taken her as a second wife. She would have had her wish and the security of being wife to the War Master would have calmed her. She was always fearful of being married away on some political alliance, and becoming in everything but name a slave. My refusal angered her, and Xi’an Chi used that anger and her despair to inflame a war between Musk and Dragon. We believed ourselves strong enough to stand alone.” Shi shook his head sadly. “We were wrong. Xi’an Chi strengthened her troops with magic, and as I sought to escape, the sole surviving heir, he tracked me to a place called Jusenkyo and captured me, with Clove at his side.” Shi closed his eyes, and Zhu Shu could tell he was pained by the memory. “She learned then that Xi’an Chi’s promises were lies, that he had never intended to deliver me to her as he had claimed, and that he planned my death. Her last words to me were ‘I have always loved you.’ as she turned on Xi’an Chi.” A single tear ran down Shi’s cheek and Zhu Shu could hear a faint tremble in his voice, but he refused to release the tight control that had marked him her entire life. Shi took a deep breath before finishing. “She gave her life that I might escape with Mu and our daughter, Su Yi. My last sight of her was from the cliffs above the springs. In my fear, I fled, and offered her no aid as she struggled, not even when I saw her fall to his sorcery. Even now I can hear her screams as Xi’an Chi toyed with her. It is a shame I cannot ever expunge.”
Zhu Shu was quiet for a long moment before asking, “Grandfather, you know of Jusenkyo?”
Shi nodded. “The Cursed Springs have been around for as long as history records, child. Heed the warnings and do not venture there.”
Zhu Shu bit her lip. “Grandfather, I have been to Jusenkyo. I met Ranma there.”
Shi buried his face in his hands. “Please, Little Mouse. Tell me you touched no water from the springs.”
“I-I cannot, Grandfather. Ranma knocked me into one as he himself fell into another.”
Shi shook his head. “Little Mouse, Little Mouse. What do you become?”
Zhu Shu took out her small water pouch and poured it over her head. Shi stared a long moment before burying his face in his hands again. “So, she became a victim of the springs. At least I know that she died cleanly for defying Xi’an Chi, instead of becoming his slave.”
“Grandfather?” Zhu Shu asked puzzled.
“Clove, Little Mouse. The Musk Dynasty mixed its blood with that of beasts for strength. The Royal family bore the blood of a black dragon. Clove was the daughter of their Lord and the dragon, and he was a son of a marriage between Musk and Clan Dragon. The war twixt us was over who was to be the rightful Child of the Dragon.” He laughed bitterly. “Oh, Little Mouse. You have always resembled my wife Mu, and now, you bear the likeness of Clove as well. Is my past intended to forever haunt me?”
Zhu Shu bowed her head. “I am sorry, Grandfather. It was not my intention to bring you pain.”
“I know, Little Mouse.” He sighed. “And yet, you are even more so touched by the Dragon. I shall not question it further.” He gently lifted Zhu Shu’s head to look into her eyes. “Be warned though. Black dragons have strong emotions, and are quick to anger. Their rage burns like a fire. Clove was ever ruled by her anger, and while it made her strong, it also made her careless. Do not let the rage rule you, Little Mouse, or it may consume you as it did her.”
Zhu Shu nodded. “I have struggled against it already Grandfather. I will do my best.”
Shi nodded. “There were many mistakes I made in my dealings with Clove, Zhu Shu. Many misjudgments I made of her. She is my greatest regret. It was not until much later that I realized we had both been fools played by Xi’an Chi. I should have married her when I had the chance, even Mu told me so once.” He sighed. “But I cannot change what was, Little Mouse, nor shape the future. I wish you would not go to Hong Kong, but I cannot stop you, merely pray for your safe return. But will you at least share dinner with us?”
Zhu Shu shook her head. “I am sorry, Grandfather. A friend waits above to take me to Hong Kong.”
“Yes, I noticed the strange craft, and your curious friend.”
“Lum has been generous in granting me transport today, and I do not wish to make her late for her date tonight with her own betrothed.”
“No. Very well, Little Mouse. I will give your greetings to your aunt and tell her you are well. Do not make me a liar.”
“I will be careful, Grandfather.”
“Be far more than that, Zhu Shu. Be far more than that.”
* * * * *
Akane looked out the tilt rotor’s window as they lifted off and waved to the crowd of Amazons who had come to see them on the way. She was surprised Shan Pu and Ke Lun weren’t among them, but figured that packing up their hut took precedence.
A questioning meow came from a small crack in the lid of the basket, and Akane smiled.
“No, China. You have to stay in there. We can’t have Ranma freaking out in the plane.”
The kitten gave an acquiescing purr and the lid fell back down as she settled to the bottom of the basket. Akane smiled and looked up to the front of the cabin, where Ranma was sitting between his mother and father. It looked like Nodoka was saying something to him, but she figured it was impolite to try and listen in, and taking out the ribbon she had used to tie her ears back would be rather obvious anyway, so she settled back in the bucket seat and closed her eyes.
The immediate effect of closing her eyes was a sudden noting of the lack of the feeling she’d gotten used to, of the air feeling slightly charged with electricity. She remembered Zhu Shu saying something on the flight over about how the plane seemed to close out the energy flows outside the craft, and realized that was probably what the static feeling was. She’d become sensitive to energy flows when she’d merged chi with Zhu Shu. She sighed in relief, remembering the night before leaving for China, and the strange tugging sensations she’d been curious about.
One mystery explained, but so many more to have answered. Shan Pu being the most prominent one.
How did she really feel? It was too late to have any hope of escaping the betrothal. She was engaged to be married to a real, full time, girl. Unlike Ranma, there was no passing it off as accepting a curse, and playing it safe so she wouldn’t get pregnant. Shan Pu was a girl, would stay a girl, and expected to be loved and made love to as a girl.
And she had no question whatsoever of Shan Pu’s feelings for her. However hard it was to understand how the Amazon could have fallen in love with her so fast, Shan Pu had worn her heart on her sleeve for the whole world to see. She had been so proud to show off her fiancée’s to everyone in her village, and had been free with displaying her affections for both of them.
And it had been easy to see how badly she wanted her fiancée’s to love her back.
Zhu Shu’s memories of her time spent with Shan Pu floated to the surface of her mind, and she had to smile. For all that they were hunting Ranma, Shan Pu had flirted with Zhu Shu the entire time, and on more than one occasion had playfully tried seducing her. It had been obvious that Shan Pu had deduced Zhu Shu’s preferences, and was more than happy to be the object of Zhu Shu’s desire. Zhu Shu had never taken her up on the offers, and Shan Pu had never pushed it, but it was clear Shan Pu had no hesitations about being with another girl.
She remembered, then, the moment outside the dojo, the unbridled fire of passion that had burned in Shan Pu’s eyes. Shan Pu had tried hard to keep it from showing so strongly at the village, but Akane had felt it all the same. Shan Pu’s passions were like a force of nature in their strength, and they were all directed at her and Ranma.
She looked back to the front, at the back of Ranma’s head, and reflected on how different it was between them nowadays. She had no doubts of Ranma’s love for her. The very fact he had forgiven her for her folly was proof of that, and she had started to learn the depths of that love as they had spent time together. Ranma’s love was like a mountain… it was enormous, and rooted unshakably, and it would endure till the end of time, but like any mountain, when you were standing on the slopes among the trees, it was a little hard to see. As nice as it was when he remembered to do something romantic, she didn’t need those little touches to know his love was there.
But Shan Pu’s love was just as strong, and as deep as the ocean, and when you were in the middle of an ocean, no matter which way you turned, there was water. And like water, the Amazon girl had started to seep into Akane’s heart.
“I think I actually miss her.” she mused to herself softly.
A questioning mew came from the basket, equally soft. Akane smiled.
“Shan Pu, silly. Not you. I kinda miss her… a little. I wish she’d been there to see us off.
The mew was almost apologetic, which made Akane laugh softly.
“You don’t have to apologize for Shan Pu, China. I’m sure she had a good reason.” she giggled.
The kitten quieted down again leaving Akane to her thoughts. It really was a revelation that in the last two days, she’d gotten used to Shan Pu’s presence… and had even been slightly disappointed she hadn’t tried crawling into Akane’s bed in the middle of the night again.
Of course, they had all been in a hut, with very limited space and no privacy.
But when she came to Japan again, would she start doing it again? And if she did…
Memories of the feel of Shan Pu’s warm body against hers, and visions of the Amazon’s shapely nude figure swam across her brain and she shifted her hips.
No, she didn’t think she’d be throwing Shan Pu out of the bed again.
The brief fantasy of a daisy chain made up of her, Shan Pu and Ranma brought her thoughts around to her other fiancé, and the subtle shifts in her feelings for him that had occurred since the fight with Kodachi. She’d warned him that she was probably not going to repeat the spontaneous seduction she’d engaged in… but truth be told, she’d kept thinking about it over and over, and with an actual experience to draw on, she’d started realizing she’d had way too many preconceived notions about the entire subject of sex.
She giggled softly to herself remembering how dead on the money Ranma had been when he’d accused her of taking a long look at him that first time. Nor had she really made that much of an effort to cover herself, then, or anytime since. For all she had been accusing him of being a pervert, she had liked the reaction her naked body had had on him. For all the shock they had both felt at that moment, Ranma’s body had still reacted… as had hers. It had been her anger at herself for being excited and so eager to stare at his fine male figure that had prompted her to such extreme outrage. Ranma had compounded it, but she’d just hated the fact that she had felt like her body had betrayed her.
She shook her head at her foolishness. Just because the boys at Furinkan were infuriating, and she’d been foolish enough to listen to the half truths and gossip of her girlfriends, she’d convinced herself that sex was evil, and boys were beasts.
Her mind drifted back to the way Ranma’s back had arched the first time she’d made her fiancé climax with her tongue. The shudders the red head’s body had made had made her own body shiver in pleasure, and teaching Ranma how to return the favor had been far more fun than she’d ever dreamed. As much as she had been turned on by Ranma’s male body, she had no doubt that playing with his male half would be equally as fun.
But, she had promised Kasumi she wouldn’t play with him as a male.
And to be fair, there were very good reasons for that. She didn’t want to get pregnant before they were married… indeed, she didn’t even want kids all that soon. She wanted a chance to try and make something of herself other than just being a housewife. She wanted to restore the Dojo to its former glory… make it a real school again, with real students. Having the Juuban girls training there had shown her how much she enjoyed teaching martial arts. As much as she had enjoyed practicing, and even learning, nothing compared to sharing her knowledge with someone. Having a baby as soon as possible would make that difficult.
No… she was going to spend quite some time being a happy lesbian. While she was certainly going to screw Ranma’s brains out as a guy on their wedding night, it was going to be with every precaution against pregnancy. Other than that, Ranma was going to have to get used to being a lesbian too.
At least with her. But what about Shan Pu? She had no doubt Shan Pu wanted to play with Ranma just as eagerly as she desired his love. Did Shan Pu have any qualms about early pregnancy? Or was she as eager to bear a child as she was to invade her fiancée’s beds?
“So why do you look so deep in thought?” Kasumi’s voice interrupted her musing. Akane looked up as her sister settled into the seat opposite her. She noticed Kasumi had acquired a short cheongsam from somewhere, and noted with amusement that it showed off more than Kasumi was probably aware, including the fact she wasn’t wearing anything under it. Kasumi noted the look and crossed her legs with an amused smile of her own.
“I wasn’t planning on being away from home so long.” Kasumi said to the unasked question. “And you shouldn’t have worn those same clothes again. Lo Shen gave me several dresses, and you could have worn one.”
Akane shrugged. “Didn’t think of it. And my shorts at least keep my tail from getting jammed in the seat.”
“Well, just make sure those clothes make it into the dirty laundry as soon as we get home.”
“Yes, Kasumi.” Akane smiled.
“So why do you look so deep in thought?” Kasumi asked again.
Akane sighed. “Just thinking about Shan Pu.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. I’m realizing that I kinda miss her, and well… I guess that means I do care about her somewhat.”
“Of course you do, Akane.”
“I mean, like, really caring.”
“She’s your fiancée, that’s to be expected.” Kasumi nodded. “She’s really a nice girl, after all. And she really cares for you. She was heartbroken when you got upset over her sneaking into your bed, and she was even worse when you ran off after knocking down the dojo.”
Akane lowered her head. “I know… and I feel bad about that, I do. I know she just wants my love in return. She’s just so… forceful. I just don’t know if I can match the love she feels for me and Ranma.”
“Love isn’t a contest, Akane. It’s not about who loves who the most.”
“I know.” Akane shifted to brace her arm on the arm rest as she looked out the window. “I was just thinking about how I don’t want to have children immediately, and was wondering if she does.”
The lid of the basket poked up a small fraction as Kasumi nodded.
“I’m glad to see you actually thinking about this.”
Akane gave her a sidelong look before resuming her stare out the window. “I’m trying to come to grips with all of it Kasumi. And what I’m going to do. I thought that one time with Ranma would be a fluke, something that would only happen once, but I don’t think I can resist doing it again. I want to drag him off right now and strip him naked, and I can’t. I think I might have enough self control to only play with him when he’s a girl, but not enough to not play at all.”
Kasumi laughed. “That’s understandable, Akane. Sex can be addictive for some people. It is enjoyable for a reason.”
Akane nodded. “And if I’m this into it, I can only imagine what she’s going to be like, with her constant desires for affection. I already know from Zhu Shu’s memories that she’s had far more experience with it, and no inhibitions. I won’t play with Ranma as a male until we’re married, but will she understand why I won’t? Will she understand I want to be more than a housewife?”
“Maybe you should tell her, try explaining that to her.”
“Easier said than done. She’s rather distracting, if you haven’t noticed.”
“Well, what do you want to do?”
Akane smiled. “I want to get the Dojo started again, make it a real school once more. Dad hasn’t taught any students since mom died, and he’s barely taught me in years, just sparred occasionally. I like teaching the girls, and I think I want to keep teaching. I don’t want to have kids until I’m maybe twenty five or so, maybe later.”
The basket lid rose a little higher as China gave Akane a tilted head look that went unnoticed by the two girls.
Kasumi gave Akane a smile. “I think that’s very wise of you Akane. Children are not something to rush into. Mom was always a little regretful that I came so soon after her marriage to father. I never doubt her love for me, but I could tell she sort of wished she had waited. She had so little time to really enjoy life.”
Akane nodded. “I want to have children eventually, but I guess Zhu Shu’s situation has kinda forced me to think about it. She’s being forced to look for a guy because she has to have a kid. I understand the whole thing about being the last member of her clan, but I don’t like the thought that all she is to her family is a baby machine.”
China blinked, looking thoughtful.
“I don’t think they feel that way about her, Akane” Kasumi said soothingly.
“Probably, but it doesn’t change the fact that they treat her that way. Even Ke Lun insists she has to have a baby as soon as possible. It’s like all they care about is her having a kid, but Zhu Shu herself is expendable once she’s had one.” Akane sighed. “It sucks. No one should be forced to have a kid when they’re barely an adult.” She shook her head. “And that’s why I’m only going to play with Ranma as a female. I want a chance to try and be a family before we become parents.”
China looked thoughtful as Kasumi reached out a hand to touch Akane’s. “Then that’s what you should do, Akane. Find some way for you and Shan Pu and Ranma to become a family.”
China nodded vigorously, still unnoticed.
Akane smiled. “I want to, I do, more than anything. I love Ranma, and I want to love Shan Pu. But I just am not sure how to do it.”
“You can’t force love, Akane. Give it time… and one morning, you’ll just wake up. and it’ll be there, and you’ll wonder why you were ever worried.”
Akane nodded. “Probably. I just hope Shan Pu isn’t dead set on having children as soon as possible. I can’t tell her not to just because I don’t want them yet.”
“Don’t worry about it Akane. Give it time. You’re nowhere near that stage yet, and when you get there, maybe you’ll find it’s not a worry at all.”
Akane nodded, looking over at the basket to find China giving her a contemplative look. She giggled. “You look so serious, China. Are you listening to me and Kasumi?”
China purred as Akane reached out to scratch her ears, and acquiesced when Akane shooed her back into the basket.
Akane gave Kasumi a smile. “I swear, sometimes it’s like she actually understands what we’re saying.”
A contented purr came from the basket as Kasumi returned the smile and they both looked out the window at the passing landscape.
* * * * *
The rest of the flight back to Nerima was uneventful, and Tao-Ching had called ahead to have limos waiting. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the Tendo house came into sight, complete with a brand new, reinforced dojo. As the limos pulled to a stop in front of the house, the voodoo priest waved to them from where he was finishing the trim around the dojo door, then blinked at the bunny ears. Nabiki waved him over.
Sandal gave her a huge smile. “You bein’ a bunny girl now. You get hit with curse water too?” he said in his usual English.
Nabiki nodded. “Find answer. No cure for curse.”
Sandal looked crestfallen. “Damn. Shuda know me voodoun not give me sumtin’ that can be fixed.” He shrugged. “Guess I’m outa luck.”
Nabiki nodded. “Still need carpenter. Stay?”
Sandal shrugged. “Got nowhere ta go. A ‘coons a ‘coon anywhere in tha world.” He switched to Japanese. “Domo airy go toe.”
Nabiki smiled at the lousy Japanese. “You’re welcome.” she replied in English.
China, for her part, had immediately commandeered Akane for some petting before letting her unpack her clothes. She finally relented after ten minutes and watched from the bed as Akane hung up the dress she had been betrothed in. Akane smiled at China as she noticed her watching.
“Your mistress gave me this pretty dress. Do you like it?”
China meowed approvingly. Akane twirled it around her like a dance partner. “I do have to admit, Shan Pu has nice taste in clothing.” She gave the kitten a mock severe glance, “but don’t you tell her, or I’ll have to cut off your milk supply.”
China did her best to look innocently angelic. Akane laughed and hung the dress in her closet. “I swear, you are the most intelligent kitty I’ve ever seen. I wonder what breed you are.”
China blinked at her. Akane laughed and stripped out of her clothes, not noticing the kitten’s admiring gaze as she tossed the clothes in a ball by the door and donned her bath robe. She looked up from tying her belt to see China studiously washing her paw.
“Meow?” the kitten blinked hopefully.
Akane laughed and started petting her again. “And affectionate too.” She picked the cat up and hugged her, China purring happily. “Oh, I’m so happy Shan Pu gave you to me.”
China closed her eyes and purred louder.
* * * * *
Ranma was checking out the dojo with Genma and Soun, noting the heavily reinforced framework with approval. The construction company had done a good job of rebuilding it as it had been while incorporating the improvements with a minimum of disruption to the traditional decor. Soun was crying tears of happiness.
Ranma tested the floor, approving of the solidness. He checked around the rest of the main room and smiled. Now he’d really be able to cut loose without worrying about the building falling down. He was doing a few kata to loosen up when Soun left and Genma called to him.
“Yeah, Pops. What is it?”
“Son, I wanted to say that you handled yourself well in China.”
Ranma raised his eyebrow. “Um- Okay.”
Genma glared. “Your mother insisted I tell you that, so make sure she knows I did.” He huffed. “Still, you did quite well in defending your brides and upholding the honor of the Saotome name. However, you allowed yourself to be captured by that shadow creature. I expect better of the heir to the Anything Goes School.”
“Like you did any better, you bamboo munching idiot!”
“We will begin your training from the beginning! Prepare yourself!”
Several minutes later, Kasumi looked out the kitchen window at the noise coming from the Dojo and smiled. How nice of the Saotomes to test out the new construction. She listened to the impacts for a few seconds and smiled even wider. It sounded like it was quite sturdy. Now Akane and Ranma could spar in the mornings comfortably. Her ears twitched happily as she finished cleaning the counters. So much dust from the building!
* * * * *
The next morning found Ranma and Akane walking to school.
And, predictably enough, arguing.
“I really wish you wouldn’t have China at the breakfast table, Akane. I didn’t get nothin’ to eat!”
“It’s not my fault that you just froze and didn’t eat.” Akane said with air of someone explaining something for the umpteenth time.
“I was trying to. But she kept looking at me and meowing!”
“She was just trying to tell you how much she liked her milk and the fish Kasumi made her.” She gave him a sidelong look. “Besides, you made yourself scarce yesterday. How am I supposed to get you used to her if you’re hiding?”
“I wasn’t hiding! Dad was “teaching” me since I had the misfortune to be captured by that shadow thing.” he groused. “Like he hadn’t been caught too.”
Akane nodded. “I know. It was horrible.” She hung her head as they walked and continued quietly. “I-I found myself facing Zhu Shu, but an evil version of her, like she’d been taken over by one of those things the Senshi fight. She... she’d killed the girls, and all I could think of was how I was the only person in the world who could stop her. But I couldn’t, because she was what she had become because of me.” Akane hugged herself. “I can’t explain it, or what I might have done. I just knew overwhelmingly that it was my fault.”
Ranma gave her a long look and sighed, putting his hands in his pockets as he strolled along the fence. “I didn’t run into anything like that.” He looked down at the canal. “But it was just as horrible for me.”
“What happened to you?”
He looked at her. “You promise you won’t laugh?”
Akane stopped, and looked at him curiously. “I promise I won’t laugh, Ranma. Nothing that thing did was funny.”
Ranma grimaced. “No.” He jumped down from the fence. “I guess it reached inside us and used our secret fears. Mine was losing myself.”
Akane tilted her head. “Losing yourself?”
“Yeah, to my girl side. I-I came into a room, and saw myself, my girl side, in bed with three guys. And she was doin’ all three. And she was enjoyin’ it.” He shuddered. “I know you like my girl side, and it was fun playing with you as a girl, but I don’t ever want to think about doin’ nuthin’ with a guy.” He shrugged. “And then, she got out of the bed and dragged me into it, as a girl, and I couldn’t escape, or fight, or do anything.” He looked out over the canal. “and she kept saying over and over to forget about being a boy, that I really wanted to be a girl, and… and I was starting to believe her. If Kuno hadn’t killed that thing…”
Akane put her arm around his shoulders. “It’s okay, Ranma. It was just an illusion. No matter how real it seemed.”
“I know. But I just can’t stop wondering if those illusions were somehow maybe visions of what might happen. Am I going to forget I’m a guy? This damn curse keeps making me a girl whenever I get near water. And you like girls as much as guys, and Shan Pu likes girls as much as guys. Am I going to get so used to being a girl that I forget I’m not one?”
Akane smiled, looking around and noting that they were at the spot where they’d stopped to look over the canal following Ranma’s first fight with Ryouga. She grabbed her braid and swung it around Ranma, using it as a lasso to pull him closer. “Don’t worry about it, Ranma. I like guys too. I’m not going to settle for you being a girl all the time.” She stepped against him and laid her head on his chest. “Trust me. I think you’re worrying too much. Yes, I’m going to insist you be a girl if we’re playing together, but that’s just to make sure I don’t get pregnant. I can’t wait to marry you and show you why I want you as a guy too.” Releasing the braid, she reached up to pull his head closer and kissed him, trying to throw all the desire she had for him into it.
Ranma stood stunned as Akane’s lips locked onto his and her tongue began doing interesting things with his. A wave of dizziness rolled over him along with a sense of happiness, and a feeling as if all his nerves were on fire in a most excruciatingly pleasurable way. Then the kiss broke and he looked up at her, his breasts heaving against hers as they embraced.
Breasts? He looked down, then up at the truck that had just gone by, spraying water to wash away the dust on the sidewalk. Akane smiled wryly, dripping as much as Ranma…
“Great. Now we’re both water magnets.” She wrung water out of her rabbit ears. “And my curse is still locked. Tao-Ching better find that boat Herb is on quick.”
Ranma nodded, still light headed. “Uh huh.”
Akane smiled. “Dazed and confused. Wow, what a great compliment on my first deliberate kiss.” She whistled happily as she grabbed Ranma by the arm and led him off towards the clinic for hot water before school.
Behind them in the bushes, China nodded to herself, and wondered back towards the house purring.
* * * * *
Tao-Ching put down the phone and smiled. His contacts had come through. He looked over at his laptop and debated letting Lo Shen know, then shook his head. Herb owed him too much personally.
He stood and stripped off the suit coat and tie. Approaching a blank section of wall, he pressed a combination of tiles in the mosaic, and cracked his knuckles as the wall quietly slid aside. Picking up the .50 cal Desert Eagle, he checked its action and safety before tucking it in the shoulder holster and strapping the harness on. A military black jacket went over it along with an armor vest. Following that, he fastened a belt that held numerous clips for his AK-47 and picked up the combat rifle, checking it with a vicious grin.
It was finally time to pay Herb back.
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