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| Part Four: Crisis at the Cat Cafe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Early the next day at the Cat Cafe, the restaurant was closed. Shampoo and Mousse were mildly concerned with how distracted Cologne was. Never in their lives had either of them seen her like that. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Aye ya great grandmother - what trouble you so?" Shampoo asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Something is terribly wrong Shampoo. I fear we may have to return to China," she replied seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "For how long?" Mousse hesitantly asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't know - I feel as though some - tragedy has befallen the village," she replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Maybe Shampoo get Ranma? He good at helping Shampoo," Shampoo suggested. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why do you need Ranma when you have me?" Mousse asked - staring at a small statue that was at eye level. Cologne whacked him with her stick. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Put your glasses on boy," Cologne remarked. Mousse took out his glasses and put them on. He looked around and saw a cross-looking Shampoo throwing him hateful looks. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You wonder why Shampoo no need Mousse?" she remarked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This is no time for fool pride boy. We will need all the help we can get," Cologne stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Aye ya - trouble that at village bigger that Ranma can deal with?" Shampoo asked in modest disbelief. Even Mousse was mildly concerned at that prospect. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I won't know for certain until I get there," Cologne began as she made her way towards the door. But - she stopped as she saw a silhouette standing behind the door. "Back children!" she shouted as the wall before her exploded. When the smoke cleared - all of them saw a calm looking man standing there with a finger extended. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Knock-knock," Talon remarked as he entered. Shampoo and Mousse both noticed how as he advanced - Cologne backed away. "I couldn't help but overhear. You planning on taking a little trip?" he asked curiously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It won't be necessary now," Cologne replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Great grandmother knows this one?" Shampoo asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh - she knows me well enough," Talon remarked. "All of the elders do - don't you?" Talon asked with hiss. Cologne glared at him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How you escaped is a mystery that evades me," she began. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It boggles my mind too - why dwell on it? There are more - interesting things to talk of. Tell me - what - do you think I want to talk about?" he asked curiously. Shampoo and Mousse could feel the powerful aura that surrounded the stranger. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It doesn't matter why you are here. All that you had is gone to you now," she retorted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Unfair as that may sound - for the most part - that is true. But with the right mix of - my power and of course - my temple - all can be as it was," Talon stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Three thousand years of Chinese Amazon history," Cologne began. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Is a drop in the pan - compared to the ten thousand years of my dark dynasty," he interrupted with a smirk. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Your dynasty ended long before that," she corrected. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "In a manner of speaking. I lost interest dealing with the hoarding of human cattle," he stated with a smirk. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Lost interest? As I recall - the human cattle revolted against you - destroying your vast dynasty and forcing you into hiding," Cologne corrected. Talon growled as he glared at the woman that dared correct him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The past - is just that. They have forgotten me and what I can do. I have looked and seen a world that has - squandered what potential it once had. It - needs rule and guidance," he began dramatically as he returned his attention to the last of the Amazon elders. "And who better for that job - than me?" he asked with a smile. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Aye ya - man sounds like he have big head. Great grandmother want Shampoo deal with this one?" she offered. Cologne hopped over and held her stick between Shampoo and the intruder. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You both should leave this one to me," she warned. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You plan on being difficult? Very well, I suppose I can afford to play around a bit before you tell me everything I wish to know," Talon remarked - motioning for the old ghoul to do her worst. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shampoo and Mousse watched as Cologne attacked the intruder with everything she had - her speed - her knowledge - three thousand years of Chinese Amazon history. Yet in spite of this - few to none of her attacks came close to hitting their mark. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This one fight not like human," Shampoo remarked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't think I've seen anyone give the old mummy such trouble," Mousse added. It was then that the unthinkable happened. Talon spun around. He kicked the stick Cologne was balanced on out from under her. His left hand lashed out shattering the stick with the breaking point technique. His right hand lashed out and caught Cologne by the throat. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Did you really think you stood a chance against me old woman? Your arrogant pride is like that of those fools back at the village," Talon began. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What have you done?" Cologne demanded. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "They sought to oppose me - how do your people say it? Obstacles is for killing?" he suggested. The statement sent a shiver down all of their spines. "Oh - I see it in your eyes. Anger - hatred - where is your arrogance and control now?" he mocked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You let go of great grandmother now!" Shampoo ordered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Shampoo - run!" Cologne strained. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes Shampoo - run - and leave her to my mercy. Which is in surprisingly short supply. Come little girl - show me the fury of Amazon peoples," he mocked. Shampoo took on a fighting stance. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Shampoo - you will not fight this alone!" Mousse reassured. Chains and wire based weapons shot out from his robes. All of them entwined around Talon and his captive. Shampoo and Mousse then leaped at the bound captive. It was then - that they learned - by the smile on his face - that they had done - just what he wanted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He roared out as he effortlessly powered his way from the restraints. With Cologne still held within an unforgiving grip he landed a powerful kick to Mousse sending him hard into the far wall. Talon then spun around and backhanded Shampoo across the face knocking her out cold. Before Mousse could get up to save her - Talon leaped over and smashed his face into the stony floor. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Kids have been put to sleep old crone. I think it is time we had a little chat about where my temple was?" Talon suggested. Cologne scowled at him defiantly. "I am still getting attitude," he muttered in disbelief. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That is all you deserve you vile beast," Cologne rebutted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You have the same high standard that your friends back at your village had," he began as her scowl intensified. "Oh - sparked some interest did I? You might have felt something odd happening a short while ago. Know what it was - the flicker of resistance that was there - was snuffed out," he said as all color drained from her face. "Oh ho - I see something new in that old face of yours - understanding. You see - of all the Amazons in your village and - probably in all of China - you - your daughter and her foolish friend - are all that is left," he said as he walked over and knelt down by the unconscious Shampoo. "I have often heard you proud Amazons go on about history - legacy - and so on. Tell me - what will happen to that history - should the last female warrior's puny life be snuffed out?" he asked curiously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You are nothing but a rabid dog Talon," Cologne hissed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "First the girl will die - leaving you only with the boy. Then - I will take him - a piece at a time. Then - your legacy - your history - will end - with you," he hissed into her ear. "So what will it be old woman? Will you sacrifice the last of your tribe in the fool hope of deterring me? Even one as old as you must know - that sooner or later - I will find the spot. Be a sport - save your great granddaughter and her nearsighted friend. You must know - through what you have learned that I can not be stopped," he pointed out. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Forgive me son-in-law but I have no choice. Cologne thought to herself as she closed her eyes. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Your answer hag!" Talon demanded. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "A short distance from here - stands a training hall. The temple you speak of stood there before it fell," she replied - her voice subdued. Talon smiled as he released his hold on Shampoo. The young Amazon stirred from the darkness and looked up at Talon. He was focusing on Cologne and was unaware that she was awake. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Was that so hard? I know that - surrendering this knowledge wasn't an easy choice," he began as he began to chant. As he did - a powerful aura began to build around him. "Allow me to show you - a small token of my appreciation for you latent cooperation," he said as a ball of ki surrounded Cologne. "Poison Arrow Thrust!" he shouted as Cologne was flung away with the force of a cannonball being shot. Shampoo looked and watched and listened as she heard her great grandmother crashing through dozens of walls. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| It was then that Talon became aware - that Shampoo was awake. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You no get away with this," she muttered. Talon quietly laughed at the bravado as he walked away. As if to say that she wasn't worth his immediate attention. Shampoo growled as she leaped at him. But like a ghost he vanished into thin air. "Mousse! Wake up!" she ordered. He twitched as he began to emerge from the darkness. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What happened?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Big trouble heading to Tendo Dojo. If we no warn," she began but stopped. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "They will end up like - everyone from our village," he muttered. The two shook off the effects of their beatings and hurried out of the cafe to warn the Tendos and company about the impending danger. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be Continued... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||