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| Part Ten: Anything Goes Martial Arts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In the temple - Kuno, Mousse, Genma, Soun, Ryoga, Ukyo renewed their attacks on the evil known as Talon. As they fought - Ranma began to slowly stir from the darkness she had been reluctantly swimming in. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't think I've ever been hit that hard before," she muttered as she forced herself up to her hands and knees. Everything was still spinning. As her eyes drifted back into focus she looked over and saw Talon keeping his friends - family and allies at bay. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| It was then that a wild blow sent Ukyo arching up. Ranma scurried over and managed to catch her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Ran-chan? You okay?" Ukyo asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This guy is good - I don't think I've faced anyone like him," Ranma muttered. Ukyo slowly hopped down to her feet and looked at the doubt that was in her fiancee's eyes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You've faced tougher odds than this," she reassured. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Have I? This guy isn't like the others I locked up with. Tricks and technicalities won't cut it here," Ranma stated. Ukyo grabbed Ranma by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Ranma - listen - none of us are going to be able to stop this guy. The only one that remotely stands a chance here is you. And if you give up - none of us will stand a chance - including Akane," she stated seriously. Ranma's eyes lit up as he looked over his shoulder to where Akane was still resting. Ukyo could feel her heart sink a bit. If there was doubt before - there could be none now. Even free of the engagement - his thoughts were still of her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Look out!" Ryoga exclaimed as he was flung into the two ladies. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Owe," Ukyo muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That hurt," Ranma added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Ranma? You planning on letting us do all your work for you?" Ryoga asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You call being flung aside like some flying pig work?" Ranma retorted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Listen you," Ryoga began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Enough!" Ukyo shouted. The two looked over at her. "There is too much at stake here to allow petty things to divide us. You want to fight each other - do so after this matter is finished," she stated seriously. Ranma lowered her eyes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm sorry Ryoga - she's right," Ranma muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You are?' Ryoga replied in disbelief. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Listen - I need to ask a serious favor of you," Ranma began as he looked over at Ukyo. "Both of you," she added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Name it," Ukyo replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You people gave it your best shot against that thing - but this is my fight," Ranma began as she closed her eyes. "Whatever Talon did to Akane - she hasn't snapped out of it yet. I need you to make sure that nothing happens to her," she requested. Ryoga blinked as he remembered all of the times he and Ranma had been at odds. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He remembered all of the times Ranma did what he could to keep Ryoga as far away from Akane as possible - and all of the times he ruined the few times that the two managed to get together. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Now - in perhaps what was his rival's darkest hour - he was trusting him of all people to watch over Akane as he went to face a foe that could very well kill him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Promise me - that no matter what happens that she will be safe," Ranma repeated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You know how I feel about her Ranma - nothing will get to her unless it goes through me first. Good luck," Ryoga replied politely. Ryoga and Ukyo watched as Ranma turned her back to them and slowly made her way back towards the battle. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He - really does love her," Ryoga muttered quietly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know," Ukyo added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "All this time," he added as he looked over to where Akane was still laying motionless. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do - do you think Ran-chan has a chance?" Ukyo hesitantly asked. Ryoga blinked as he watched Talon repelling nearly every attack that came his way. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If anyone can do it - it would be him," he replied. Ukyo looked at him and could see that his eyes betrayed him. Even Ryoga - his best friend and rival had his doubts about Ranma being able to pull this one off. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| * * * | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A short distance from the battle - Ranma was doing her best to shake off the effects of the hits she had taken earlier. In her mind she could hear what Ukyo had said to her. She remembered how everyone was counting on her. She kicked up the two pieces of broken staff up into her hands and held them defensively. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Talon! We aren't finished yet!" Ranma called out. Talon smiled as he looked over and saw that Ranma was ready for more. He knocked aside all of his current attackers by expanding his battle aura. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I was worried that you would be out for the night. The fact that you rose so quickly is a testament to your mastery of my student's teachings. The offer still stands - Ranma - is it?" he offered seriously. Ranma glared at the man that seemingly still wanted to marry her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If I were you - I would worry more about the beating you are going to get," Ranma retorted as she leaped at her enemy. Talon didn't fight back - merely staying one step ahead of every move that Ranma did. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Just tell me when you want me to try," Talon mocked. Ranma spun around. Talon dodged where he thought for sure Ranma would strike - and was rewarded for his efforts with a whack across the face. Before he could recover - Ranma used his speed training that Cologne had given him to relentlessly strike her foe. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He's - winning," Soun stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Something isn't right," Genma muttered. It was then that Talon did a high kick that sent Ranma up in an arching motion. "He was lulling him in," he added shaking his head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Pretty good. I didn't honestly think you had that kind of determination and stamina. Especially in light of the beating I gave you before. Ranma forced herself to sit up. "But - that beating will be mild compared to what you receive now," he stated smugly. It was then that Kuno of all people raced over and stood between Ranma and Talon. "What - now?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If you think Kuno will stand by and let you harm one hair on the head of the pigtailed goddess - you are quite mistaken," he stated poetically. Ranma shook her head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Kuno - don't do this," she pleaded. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh so? You have feelings for this one? Interesting. Maybe you will be able to think more clearly with him removed," Talon said as he took on an offensive stance. "One of the mandates of the Anything Goes technique - is that - friends - allies - lovers and enemies - all can be used as weapons. Observe," he continued as a ribbon shot out from his robs and coiled around Kuno's neck. The kendo club captain screamed out as electricity flowed through the ribbon and into his body. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Kuno?" Ranma muttered. Just then - Kuno growled as he spun around and severed the ribbon. His body and weapon smoked as he then turned and faced Ranma. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "To master the art of my mandate - my school - you have to be willing to - sacrifice lesser things for the greater knowledge. Ergo - if you wish to face me - you will have to kill him. Remember this - because this is important - if you just try to knock him down or out - my power will raise him to fight on. One of you will die - one of you will live. So tell me - Ranma - how badly do you desire this vengeance you seek? What price are you willing to truly pay?" Talon asked mockingly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ranma hesitantly got up and looked at the face of a man that had up until this point just been a thorn in his side. A man that constantly attacked him in one form and professed his love to him in the other. Only now - instead of a poet and a pervert - he saw the eyes of a man possessed by the soul of a godless killer. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm sorry it has to be this way Kuno - but I won't let you stand in my way," Ranma remarked as she took on a defensive stance and prepared to take Kuno down - hard! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To Be Continued... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||