Send C&C to: oddball22@hotmail.com Find my stories at: www.geocities.com/kaiphantom2000 DISCLAIMER: These characters ain't my characters, these characters ain't your characters, from Akane and Ranma, to Mousse and Shampoo. from Ukyo and Ryoga, to Tatewaki Kuno, These characters don't belong to you or me! --------------------------------------------- We humans tend to do a lot to ourselves in the name of self-improvement. We go to school to learn, we exercise to stay fit and healthy, and we even attend seminars in the hopes they will improve our lifestyle. Some of these contain many hardships that we willingly endure. Why? Because hope they will make us better in some way. There is a saying that embodies this philosophy, "That which does not kill me, will make me stronger." Not all of these "trials" are self-afflicted. Difficult events tend to enter our life without our consent, and because of the harshness we feel we didn't deserve, we tend to ask the heavens "Why me?" We think they may change our life for the worse, but we hope that we do become a better person afterward. Hence, the reason for the above saying. The trials to come for the martial artists of Nerima will not be easy. How they deal with them will hopefully make some of them stronger. Some of them will pass... and some will fail. -------------------------------------------- Ranma 1/2: New Challenges Trials Chapter 1 Akane sat in her bedroom, gazing out her window. It had just begun to get dark outside, but what she was really admiring was the snow. Even now, the frozen water flakes were continuing to drop in larger numbers, and the ground outside had gathered a healthy amount of the white stuff. She found herself wanting to go out and play like a 6- year-old, throwing snowballs and building snowmen. She smiled to herself as she realized there would be plenty of time for that later. She absently fingered the carefully-wrapped package in her hands and tried to imagine the look on her fiance's face when she gave it to him. She hoped he would like it. No, she KNEW he would like it. He had better like it, anyway. She spent enough time on it. She could hear the idle chatter drift up from down below where the rest of the family was putting the finishing touches on the decorations. In just an hour or so, the guests would begin arriving for the Christmas party. Mainly it was going to be the gang at Ucchan's, though Ms. Hinako was coming too after being invited by Soun. She had weepingly told him how she had no family to spend Christmas with, so he had told her she could spend the holidays with them. Akane still didn't know how she felt about that. While she didn't really relish the idea of the chi-draining teacher as a mother, the fact remained that her father seemed to enjoy her company, and indeed, her presence tended to make him less apt to break into tears. She heard a soft knocking at the door and bid the person to enter. The door opened, then closed, and she could hear a soft padding of footsteps approach her her in the darkened room. "Hey Ranma," she greeted without turning around. Ranma came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Howdja know it was me?" he asked quietly. "Don't really know," she replied. "I just know when you're around. Does that sound strange?" She reached up and placed a hand on top of his from where is was laying on her shoulder. He shook his head. "Naw. Truth be told, I've been feelin' the same way. It's kinda how I knew you were in here even though the lights were off. Speaking of which, what are ya doin' in here with the lights off?" "Felt I could use a break from the action downstairs," she answered. "So I came up here to watch the snow fall." She could just see his reflection in the window. "Beautiful..." Ranma looked down at Akane and whispered. "Yeah..." She looked up at him for the first time and smiled. "So you couldn't let me out of your sight for long, hmm?" "Just wanted to make sure you didn't kidnapped or somethin', that's all." "Don't worry, I don't think anybody could kidnap me now," she replied, amused. "I hope those days are far behind us." She leaned back into him and pulled his arms around her waist. "Me, too." Her gaze turned serious. "Has there been any word about Shampoo or Mousse?" Ranma sighed. "Nope. Ever since they took off a coupla months ago. LinLin and RanRan gave up waitin' for them to return and left for China to get help." "And Nabiki's running the Nekohanten, again," Akane finished. "Why is it we get to be happy when so many other's aren't? Not mentioning the whole Shampoo and Mousse thing, but Kuno's sister is an asylum, he and Nabiki have broken up, we haven't heard anything from poor Akari and Ryoga, and Selah has no clue on what happened to her mother." "True, but she seems kinda happy livin' at Ucchan's," Ranma countered. "In fact, the whole gang there seems ta share that attitude. As for everybody else," he shrugged, "there ain't nothin' we can do for `em." She sighed. "I suppose you're right." She twisted in his grip so that she was facing him, then stepped up on her tiptoes to kiss him. "Come on, we should go back down and help out." She grabbed his hand and proceeded to lead him out. Ranma followed without resistance, a happy grin on his face. "Pray tell what glorious thoughts grace thy wonderful wit this night?" Nabiki sighed, not happily, but didn't turn around. "Kuno-baby. I thought you'd be enjoying the party?" The kendoist strode from his position at the door and walked up beside the middle Tendo sister, who was leaning on the railing and watching the night sky. "Nabiki-kun, can we not talk about this?" "What's to talk about?" She turned and smiled at him. Her reaction caught him off-guard. "About us..." She waggled her finger at him. "Let's just get one thing straight, there is no more `us'. I do some work for you and you pay me, and that's it." She turned back to watching the night sky. "It was fun for awhile, let's just leave it at that." "But, Nabiki-kun..." Kuno was flabbergasted. What could he say? The few months that he dated with her, were some of the best of his life. He looked down. Tatewaki Kuno straightened. "Very well, Tendo Nabiki. I will respect our business arrangement. I shall see thee at the party." Then he turned around and left. Nabiki heard his footsteps retreat and sighed again. She smirked. A strange feeling passed through her. She turned around and observed the kendoist nursing a glass of eggnog from the corner of the room. Another feeling threatened to pass through through her, but she forced it down while turning away. She was determined to not let him get to her. "He really did that!?" Ukyo asked, disbelievingly. Yuri fended off her brother's attempts to cover her mouth and flipped him into the wall. "Yep, I was there." She spared a glance at her upside-down, against-the-wall, on-his-head, brother. "Poor `niichan was just trying to protect his little sister from the big, bad bullies." Those gathered around her to hear the story, continued to laugh. "It's not funny!" Kenji protested, not bothering to move from where he sat on his head. "I was just trying to help. I was only 5 and I was outnumbered 8 to 1!" Selah kneeled down next to him and patted his cheek. "Poor Kenji-chan." "And not only did he end up getting beat up," Ukyo managed through the giggles. "They stole his clothes, too!?" "And then he streaked home?" Akane asked, trying to contain her laughter and failing. Yuri nodded, still giggling. "It was a poor village." "I hope the experience wasn't too unsettling, Kenji-sama," Konatsu sympathized. Kenji closed his eyes and half-smiled. "Heh, you may think that's funny, but you haven't heard about the time Yuri tried to belly dance at..." "No you don't!" Yuri screamed as she launched herself at her brother. She collided with him and the siblings grappled as they rolled along on the floor. Occaisonal shrieks indicated a successful tickle attack. Ranma and Akane glanced at each other. Ukyo sighed and stood up. "Allow me." *CLANG!* *CLANG!* "What'd you do that for!?" the Soyokaze's protested in unison, nursing twin bumps. "You were making jackasses of yourselves," Ukyo explained as she reholstered her battle spatula. Kenji and Yuri shot a double rasberry the chef's way. "I, for one, am truly thankful for your hospitality," Natsume said after a quiet moment. "Yeah," Kurumi added. "I really like Christmas. I've never had one before." "Really?" Akane asked. The two newest Tendos nodded, while the older one spoke up. "Kurumi speaks the truth. We've been traveling and training most of our life." "That's too bad, but I guess I can kinda understand," Ranma said. "It was the same way with me and pops." Kasumi chose that moment to enter with more glasses of eggnog. Soun, Hinako, Genma, and Nodoka joined the teenagers near the Christmas tree. Nabiki came back in and Kuno moved over as well as everyone picked up a glass of eggnog. "I propose a toast," Soun said, lifting his glass. "May we all find happiness in this holiday season, and in the new year." The sentiment was echoed around the room, then fifteen glasses of eggnog were consumed. Feral Shampoo woke up, alert, but she could sense nothing hostile around her. She yawned and slowly stretched her furry limbs. A look of sadness passed her face, as she beheld her furred and clawed hands. she thought sadly. It was still hard to think in this form, but she was getting better at it. In fact, it was this increased intelligence that helped her when she snuck aboard a freighter headed for China, her instincts telling her to head west. She stood up and sniffed the air, searching for breakfast. That was one thing that had changed slightly when the bake-neko had left her, she had developed a taste for raw meat. Being an Amazon, she had always been a keen hunter and she had frequently eaten the animals she had killed in a hunt. But never usually raw. Detecting some sort of bird nearby, she dropped to all fours and began to stalk. Her senses told her it was sleeping in a nearby ticket of bushes, but she was confident she would be able to take it before it could get away. Batting aside the bushes, she pounced on her prey. The white duck in the bushes woke up just in time to see Shampoo attack. "The world is a dark and lonely place..." Ryoga trudged down the dirt road, not caring where he was going. As far as he was concerned, life was just not worth living. He had been traveling for a month now, looking for her, but with no luck. By pure chance, he had managed to find Akari's farmhouse a week after her fight, but her grandfather said he hadn't seen her. And so, he departed from there, more depressed then ever. "My life must be some cosmic joke," he muttered to himself as he trudged along. "Everytime it looks like happiness is within my grasp, the cruel hande of fate snatches it away. Akane hates me. Akari's gone. Can't beat Ranma..." Just then, his dragging feet caught on a tree root sticking partially out of the dirt road, tripping him up and sending face first into the ground. "What else can go wrong?" he mumbled The storm clouds chose that moment to gather as a light rain began to fall. Bob shrugged. "Well, you asked..." P-chan didn't even bother to get up as the rain fell all around him, turning the dirt road into mud. Ten minutes later, the rain stopped and the sun came back out. Ryoga sighed, long past caring what happened to him anymore. That's why he didn't move when the nose sniffed him. "Woof!" "What'd you find, boy?" came an old voice. Ryoga's ears detected a shuffling of feet, then a hand grasped his bandanna and lifted him up, while another hand felt him over. "Why, it feels like a little piggy! And he was just lying in the road, how about that?" "Woof!" "What's that? There's some clothing and a backpack on the road, too?" "Woof!" "Well, this is our lucky day, boy! Just let me gather all this stuff up and then we can get back to the cabin!" "Woof!" "Has the new user been located?" A voice from the other side of the table spoke up. "Yes." The darkened room obscured the faces from view, but all seven members seated around the table knew who was speaking. "The ki trail radiates from Nerima, Japan. Following this, I have determined who our target is." He reached under the table and brought out several manilla folders which he passed around. For the next minute, the six other members studied the profile. "Wait a minute, `Level 10 threat'?" another voice spoke up. "Are you sure about this, Daimonji?" The man known as Daimonji nodded. "Read it for yourself. Ki projection is five times stronger than normal, and she isn't even at full power yet. We still have a chance to contain it if we act now." "She hardly looks dangerous to me," yet another voice commented. "And she's so young and cute, too." "Need I remind you, Takao, of the oath we all took?" Daimonji countered. "You know why we do what we do. You know the price, should we fail." A bigger man put his folder down. "I know all I need to. I can take her myself." "So you think girls are easy prey, Kujo?" another member asked with a female voice. "Don't get cocky." From the head of the table, a new voice spoke, though his seemed older than the others. "It is agreed then. We shall set course for Nerima." The last member continued to study the profile, her thoughts deeply troubled. The Ucchan gang dragged their tired but happy selves through the restaurant doors. It was nearing 10pm, and their only concern was getting to bed. Passing the answering machine, Ukyo noted the light was on, signaling that someone had left a message. She hit the replay button while everyone else trudged upstairs. As it played, Ukyo's eyes grew wider in disbelief. The tape the message was on clicked as it finished it's recording, but Ukyo hadn't bothered to move. It was a short message, but it's intent was clear and she knew what she had to do. But how exactly was she supposed to respond to it? "Ukyo-chan?" Yuri's voice brought the melancholy chef back to the present. The female ninja trainee was standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking at her friend. "What's wrong?" The okonomiyaki chef looked up and smiled wanely. "Who said something was wrong?" Yuri spanned the distance between the two and crossed her arms over her chest, shrugging her blond ponytail off her shoulder. "In the short time I've come to know you, I've learned to tell when something is bothering you." Ukyo sighed as her gaze dropped. "I... just received a message from my uncle Yoshiro. I have to leave tomorrow." "Where?" Yuri asked, taking a seat next to her. "Why?" "Kansai," Ukyo replied. "Isn't that...?" "Where I'm from?" Ukyo finished, nodding. "I have to go home. My father is... not well. As the Kuonji clan head, he's requested my presence." Yuri gasped and put her hand on Ukyo's shoulder to comfort her. "Oh, Ukyo-chan, I'm so sorry! Is there anything I can do?" The troubled chef shook her head. "No." "We could go with you," came Kenji's voice from the doorway, startling the two women. Konatsu was with him. Kenji then blushed mildly and scratched the back of his head. "That is, uh, if you want..." "I'm afraid that's not possible." "Sensei!" Yuri exclaimed, as Satsu materialized out of a nearby shadow. "Why not?" Satsu gave his students a nod, then continued. "You two have been summoned; the clan requires your presence. In two nights, you shall accompany me as we travel north to the clan grounds." "What's this all about?" Kenji asked. The old ninja merely shook his head. "I cannot tell you, though you will find out once we get there." His gaze turned to Konatsu. "The elder has also requested your presence, young man." Konatsu looked surprised and pointed to himself. "Me?" "Yes. It is our understanding you do not belong to any clan, and Garou recognizes your abilities. Will you come with us?" The kunoichi blinked as the realization of what the old man was saying sunk in. He was actually offering Konatsu a chance to be included in a clan. When he had left his three step-sisters, he had effectively left that clan to be with Ukyo. It hadn't been an easy decision, but he was glad he made it. After all, his three step-sisters had been his family and had taken care of him. He glanced towards the chef he had originally become infatuated with. "It's your decision, sugar," she told him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You have to do what you decide is right for you." He then directed his gaze over at the new woman in his life, Yuri, who gave him a warm smile, causing him to blush in a feminine manner. What was he to do? He looked down at his hands. His face came up and he directed it at Satsu, before bending at the waist to bow low before him. "I would be honored if you would accept this lowly student, honorable sensei." Satsu chuckled. "Well, first of all, stand up. While my ego appreciates the gesture, there's no need to bow." He turned slightly to address all of them. "Then I shall leave you now and return in two days. Be ready." There was a bright flash and a puff of smoke, then he was gone. Kenji collapsed into a chair. "Well that was interesting." "I guess we won't be able to go with you after all, Ukyo-chan," Yuri said apologetically. "Will you be alright?" Ukyo nodded, then smiled wanely. "I-yes. I need to go home. In fact, it's something I should have done a long time ago." She looked away at something only she could see. "There's a lot I need to discuss with my father." --------------------------------- Send C&C to: oddball22@hotmail.com Find my stories at: www.geocities.com/kaiphantom2000 Ranma 1/2: New Challenges Trials Chapter 2 "This is all your fault, Saotome," came the growling voice. Tenma blinked awake. "Ryo? Is that you?" "Of course it's me! Who did you think it was!?" The young Saotome rose to sitting position to gauge his surroundings. Ryo and him were sitting in two iron box cages, sitting on a pair of horse-draw carts. He almost laughed aloud, knowing both he and Ryo could break those iron bars. However, he kept the humor to himself at the sight of approximately a hundred armored men that stood around the duo. They lounged in various states of alertness, talking, laughing, drinking and practicing with weapons. Tenma knew he was good, but the chances of getting away successfully right now weren't good. Plus, he wanted to know what happened to Kae and why she turned on them. Maybe he could also find out some enemy plans, then he and Ryo could escape when a better opportunity presented itself. "Oh," Ryo continued. "Don't think about trying to break the bars. You can't, I tried." Tenma gave his old training partner a glance of disbelief. "Maybe you can't, but I know I can." To prove the point, he reached up and grabbed a pair of parallel bars and pulled. And pulled. And pulled. A confused Tenma released his grip and stared at his hands. "What...?" Ryo sneered. "Told ya. Our strength is gone, somehow." He turned his back to his rival. "I should've known better than to go with you." "Oh shut up." "It's about time," came a new voice. "The vermin have finally achieved conciousness." The boys turned to see General Genshi approach, still wearing his midnight black samurai armor and cape. His short, black hair was slicked back into a short topknot in the same style that many of the general's men also wore. As he approached, Tenma was struck and taken aback by the aura of death the man radiated, and he unconsciously shivered. "Go stick your head in a fox hole," Ryo growled, baring his fangs. Genshi's visage darkened. "Be thankful I don't kill you right now, vermin." "Yes, that's a good question," Tenma realized suddenly. "Why don't you kill us now?" The general tweaked his short, black moustache. "Because I have orders to bring you back alive," he replied simply. Then he reached around behind his back and withdrew a small pair of scythe, scraping the metal blades against each other. "But I also have the authority to execute you right now if you become too much trouble. Keep quiet, and you keep your heads." He replaced the pair of curved blades and walked away. "Were's Kae?!" Tenma called. But Genshi didn't bother to respond. "Like I said, this all your fault, Saotome." "Shut up, bacon-breath." Akara tried to maintain her anger, but it soon turned to frustration and despair. Around her, various maids moved in silence, preparing her a marriage ceremony she didn't want. They had already draped a white kimono around her, and were making the neccessary adjustments to it so it would fit her properly. She hadn't been able to talk to her father or sisters yet, since she was hauled away shortly after her entrance into the throne room. She wanted to demand an explanation from her father. These people were supposed to be their allies! Why didn't he do anything to stop this travesty? She sighed. The latter chose that moment to enter the room, resplendid in his regal blue robes and haughty grin. "How is my beautacious bride-to- be?" The fires of her anger, having dimmed to a smolder, flared back to life at the presence of her unwanted groom. "What do you want, Kuno!?" The three maids alterating her kimono backed away with the outburst. "Ah, methinks I chose well," Tateyama replied, unfazed. "She is quite the fierce tigress. I shall enjoy our honeymoon, greatly." Akara blinked in shock. "Like hell!" The Kuno family heir crossed the space that seperated them in three long steps, his face inches from hers. "Never fear, thou shalt come to love me, as our union was foretold in the heavens." Akara's return gaze promised something far worse than death. "You will _never_ have me." A sudden thought struck her. "Besides, I'm already engaged to someone else!" However, his smile only grew. "Oh fair Tendo Akara, how can you say such things when you know, deep in your heart, that we were meant to be?" *POW!* Akara's anger found it's release and Tateyama Kuno's body found the wall. "Yes," Tateyama chuckled crazily from the wall. "She is quite the fierce tigress..." *Thump* Kuno managed to find the floor, but quickly regained his feet, his wits, and (most important to him anyways) his dignity. "Nevertheless, thou shall be my wife by sunset tomorrow!" He turned his back to her. "And I think I should let you know, we've received a message that your Tenma and his friend were captured by the Dark Shogun's army, and I am afraid they aren't known for keeping prisoners." And with that, Tateyama Kuno turned and strode regally from the room. Akara's anger dissipated in a large, anguished sigh when the royal heir left, only to be replaced by shock and fear. She was unable to to wrap her mind around the concept. That the man who could be so infuriating one moment, and so caring the next, was gone for good. Her legs suddenly feeling weak, she collapsed on the big cushion behind her and turned her gaze out the window where the sun was just setting behind the far hills. "You just can't be dead, Tenma!" she whispered worridly. "You can't be! Where are you?" "Here." The worn leather bag made several clinking sounds as it hit the table. Kae glanced once at the bag, then turned a venomous gaze to the man who had dropped it so casually. "Do not insult me." Almost too fast for the eye to see, the ninja woman flung a single shuriken that pierced the bag, splitting it, and spilling the gold coins over the table. General Genshi eyed the shuriken embedded in the table. "I had no intention of doing so." Kae's eyes narrowed. "You know my price." "Indeed I do." He gestured to the other chair on the opposite side of the table. "Have a seat." The ninja woman eyed the chair with caution, but did sit down simultaneously with the general. "In fact, the Shogun personally told me of the bargain you struck. Very interesting." Genshi leaned forward in his chair. "I should tell you, I advised the Shogun against it." The general's probing gaze was met by a cold look, shielding Kae's internal thoughts from Genshi's study. "It appears you were overruled." Genshi nodded once, slowly, and abandoned his intense scrying to lean back in his chair. "But I figured you could use a little extra spending money. After all, you aren't making any on this deal." "What I do, is none of your business," she told him tersly. "So, what do you plan to do with the two boys?" The General shrugged. "I'll kill them, of course. The Shogun wanted Saotome alive, but I have permission to do whatever it takes to prevent him from escaping." He stood, turning his back on Kae and taking a few steps to the window. "And when I find the Tendo's resistance, I shall kill them all as well." "Is that all you want to do?" Kae asked, her gaze turning into disapproval. "To kill everyone and everything?" Genshi turned and favored her with a rare smile that sent shivers down her spine, though she managed to hide it. "Everyone needs a hobby." "Ryo, wake up!" However, the command fell on deaf ears as the lost boy continued to slumber in the cubical cage next to his own, completely oblivious to Tenma's whispered call. "Ryo!" A snore was his only answer. "Stupid." He dared not call any louder, for fear of waking up the guard that was sleeping nearby. The caravan had stopped for the night, and by Tenma's reckoning, they were headed due northwest. Sighing in frustration, he cast about, looking for an solution. Grinning as an idea came to him, he reached down and picked up a handful of stones, then proceeded to pelt his companion prisoner with them. The first couple of stones only mildly disturbed Ryo, but as the barrage continued, he slowly stirred, then jerked upright. "What--?" "Good mornin', sunshine," offered a pleased Tenma. "Saotome..!" Ryo growled. "Why I oughta--" "Shut up, pig-boy!" hushed Tenma. "Or you'll wake the guard!" Ryo merely `hmphed'. "So why'd you wake me? I was having a pleasant dream where Akara was about to kiss me..." His star-crossed look made Tenma gag. "Cut it out, man! You're makin' me sick!" Tenma shook his head. "Anyways, I was figurin' on makin' a break for it and thought you'd wanna come along." Tenma sat back and put his hands behind his head. "But, maybe you'd be happier stayin' in a cage and dreamin' of that tomboy." "Tenma!" Ryo exhaled. "Fine. What'd you have in mind? Without our strength, we can't break the bars." Tenma pointed to the sleeping guard, and to the key ring sitting beside him on the table. "There's more than one way to get out of a cage. We just need those keys." "And how do you propose we get those keys?" Ryo asked. "Considering they're over there and we're over here?" Tenma grinned and held up a string. "Don't you remember the times Satsu-sensei took us fishing? Took almost all day to get a long enough string out of my shirt." He glanced in despair at the ruined bottom of his shirt. "And I fashioned this hook from a loose piece of metal." "Well aren't you mister smarty-pants," Ryo said sarcastically. Tenma merely grinned and started twirling the mock fishing line, concentrating on the set of keys ten feet away. Sensing the moment, he let the hook fly. "Bingo!" Tenma elated. "First try!" "Must you succeed at everything you do," Ryo mumbled, not loud enough for his old training partner to hear. Tenma was too elated to pay attention to Ryo anyway as he slowly reeled in his catch. Halfway to the cage however, the ring of keys snagged on something and the hook lost it's grip. He tried casting the line again, but it took four more attempts before the ring unsnagged and completed it's trip into Tenma's waiting hand. Two quick clicks later, and both boys were free. "Where to now?" Ryo asked, glancing around the camp. Voices could be heard in various directions, and several campfires cast a quiet glow into the night sky. Tenma motioned with his hand, and whispered back, "This way." The two escapees silently made their way between the tents, sticking to the darkness and taking cover when soldiers passed by. In a nearby tent, they managed to find their packs, but the escape alarm was sounded before they could put them back on. Realizing that his pack was now too heavy for him, Tenma gave up, but Ryo insisted on taking his umbrella at the very least. "Got any more bright ideas, Saotome?" Ryo challenged. "We can't fight our way out without our strength." "Remember what sensei said," replied Tenma, then went into a wise man stance. "When strength avails you naught, one must rely on speed and cunning." "And just what does that mean!?" Tenma grinned. "Simple. We make a run for the horses! If I remember correctly, they're on the north side of camp." Ryo nodded, knowing it was their only chance. "Alright, but you better not die on me before we escape. I want that pleasure." "Sure thing, pig-boy." "Stop calling me that!" But Tenma wasn't listening. "Ready? Go!" "Tenma!" Ryo charged after the sprinting Saotome as they left the confines of the tent and across the camp. Soldiers were running in all directions around them, but it was only a few seconds until someone caught on to them and shouted. "Hey! There they are!" "Get them!" "They're over here!" The two boys were soon fending off various attackers that sought to stop them. Tenma resisted the urge to counterattack, knowing his punches wouldn't even faze his enemies. Instead, he dodged and flipped and sent his attackers into each other. Ryo opted for the more direct approach by bulldozing his way through, his tough hide absorbing most blows easily. The more lethal stuff, like swords and arrows, he fended off with his umbrella. Despairingly, Tenma realized that if things continued the way they were, they would be enveloped by soldiers before they could reach the horses. He just wasn't able to disable enough of his would-be captors and he was beginning to take too many hits. Suddenly, he was next to Ryo, and they were both standing still in the middle of a clearing, the Dark Shogun's army surrounding them. With another burst of despair, Tenma realized the horses were just on the other side of the line of soldiers, ten meters away. They had almost made it. "Are you ready to die, vermin?" Genshi's voice rang out in the sudden silence. The circle of soldiers parted to allow the General forward. This time though, the General was holding a single larger scythe. "The shogun may want you alive, but I do not. As long as you live, you may be a threat. I'm sure my master will understand if I explain that I had no choice but to kill you while you escaped." Tenma's eyes narrowed. "You let us escape on purpose." "Did you really think you could escape otherwise?" Genshi asked. His question was met with only more stony silence, though Ryo did lean over a bit to whisper to Tenma. "Now what?" "How am I supposed to know!?" Tenma hissed back. "I'm not perfect! Why can't you think of anything?" The question caught Ryo off-guard. "May... maybe I can think of something." Tenma blinked once, the tone of Ryo's almost shaky voice disturbing him. "What are you doing?" he demanded as Ryo stepped foreward. But Ryo Hibiki ignored him. "So that's it then?" he said out loud. "We're going to die?" The General nodded. "You vermin understand." Ryo's voice became a bit more shaky. "And I'll never see Akara's lovely face again? After all I've been through, it's come down to this? So much I wanted to do, and I never had a chance..." "Ryo!?" Tenma exlaimed. "What in the world are you doing?" But then he noticed his friend/rival starting to glow a pale yellowish- green. General Genshi frowned. "Yes, what are you doing?" Ryo ignored them all. "I'll never be happy! I'll never win!" He suddenly brought his hands up. "SHISHI HOUKODAN!" And he exploded. Tenma's instincts cut in a spilt second before the attack, dropping him to the ground. The soldiers weren't so lucky. Ryo's pale yellowish-greenish beam of ki energy burst outward from his cupped hands, enveloping the spot where the General stood, and passing on to the group of soldiers behind him. When it was over, Tenma slowly picked himself up and looked around. He spared a glance at the bandanna boy, but Ryo didn't look too good. He seemed to be lapsing into a depression, as all he could do was stand there in his post-firing position and mumble. "Impressive for a mere vermin, but ultimately futile," Genshi's hated voice returned. Tenma inhaled sharply as he spotted the General several feet away from his previous postion. "How..?" "I'm not a mere mortal like yourself, that's how." Tenma gritted his teeth. As soon as he finished that thought, however, the ground began to rumble. "What the...?" The soldiers, who were acting uneasy and a bit fearful at Ryo's display of power, began chattering nervously to themselves. Even the General was looking a bit baffled. The ground shaking increased with every second, and something could be heard pounding its way through the forest. "A stampede of some sort?" Tenma wondered out loud. That's when the huge boulder burst through the last of the trees and began to roll through both the camp and the soldiers within. Men panicked and broke ranks, as each soldier sought to get out of the way of the big-as-a-house rock. Tenma used the opportunity to grab the still-mumbling Ryo and run. "Hey guys!" A voice called. "Over here!" Tenma glanced up to see a red-headed girl astride one of the horses he had been going for all along. Two more were unhitched and waiting for both him and his companion. Tenma didn't bother to question it, but instead leapt to the closest horse, throwing Ryo onto the other one. He took a minute to slap Ryo, which brough him out of it enough for the bandanna boy to grab his reins and follow after the rapidly departing Tenma and red-headed girl. It didn't take long for the general to organize his men, however, and send them after the fugitives. Soon, six more horses were rapidly saddled and mounted, and the three escapees had twice their number on their tail. Not knowing what else to do, Tenma and Ryo followed their mysterious helper as she led them through the forest. They had a good lead, but there seemed to be no escaping their ardent pursuers. Tenma pulled his horse up beside the girl. "I don't suppose you have some sort of plan to get us out of this?" he yelled over the galloping hooves of the horses. "As a matter of fact, I do!" she yelled back, a big smile on her face. "Hold on and follow me!" Tenma blinked. She almost seemed... too giddy. Still, he and Ryo followed her as she sprinted her horse out of the forest and to a deep gorge, bridged by a narrow wood and rope structure. They copied her actions, dismounting, and then leading their horses across. Down below, a river raged past sharp rocks. As soon as she was across, she immediately began working on the ropes with a knife. She tossed a second knife to Tenma as he left the bridge, and he took her cue, working on cutting the second rope. When Ryo arrived, six horsemen emerged on the other side and prepared to duplicate the trio's maneuver. They were stopped, however, as the last threads to the ropes were snapped, and the bridge dropped into the gorge. "We made it?" a confused, but somewhat hopefully optimistic Ryo asked. A big grin slowly worked it's way across his face. "We made it!" "Yatta!" Tenma mimicked. Both boys, in their fit of joy, stopped leaping about to grasp each other in a firm bear hug. As soon as they realized what they were doing, however, they were apart in a flash. The red-headed girl giggled. "Well, now that that's settled, we should be moving off. They'll find another way around this gorge soon." "Ah, yeah, thanks for helping us out back there, by the way," Tenma said. "My name's Saotome Tenma and this big idiot is Hibiki Ryo." Now that he had the opportunity, Tenma took a closer look at their savior. She was several inches shorter than he was, with red hair tied into a pig-tail. She had green eyes and appeared to be around 16 or 17 years old. Worn, black trousers and a red blouse with three button up clasps on the front hung from her short frame, though it was mostly covered in the full brown cloak draped about her body. The girl executed a short bow. "My name's Ranko and I'm 18 years old! Pleased to meet ya!" "No family name?" Ryo asked. The girl shook her head. "Nuh uh. I'm an orphan. My adopted family was killed when I was young by the dark shogun's army when it destroyed my town. I've sworn to avenge them!" Tenma blanched. "Just you!?" A scowl crossed her face. "No, now I've got you two as well! I know I can't do it on my own, so I needed to get help. When I happened across General Genshi's army traveling, and saw you two in cages, I decided to break you guys out. You know, `the enemy of my enemy is my friend,' that sort of thing." "Well, we'd like to help little girl, but we've got to be somewhere," Ryo said. "See ya." He began to mount up on his horse. "Little girl!" Ranko shrieked, indignant. "Hey this `little girl' saved your life! You owe me!" Tenma chuckled. "She's got you there, Ryo. Plus, we don't know the way to the Kuno's estate from here. We got all mixed up during the chase." He looked up. "But we should get moving. We'll talk as we ride." He mounted up, and Ranko followed suit. "Great!" Ranko said when they were on their way. "Now I was thinking of heading south and..." Tenma interjected. "Hold it, Ranko-san, That's not a good idea. That leads into the Dark Shogun's territory." She scowled at him. "I know that! That's the whole point. We go down there and kick some butt! When everyone else sees us stand up to them, they'll join us." "But there already are a lot of people opposing the Dark Shogun," Tenma countered. "Tendo-san's army is working towards that end, too. As a matter of fact, that's where we were heading. Why don't you come with us?" Ranko gave Tenma a skeptical look. "Tendo-san's army really exists? I don't know..." "What choice do you have?" Ryo asked. "A little girl like you is not gonna have any kind of chance against the Dark Shogun." "LITTLE GIRL!" Ranko planted both hands on her pommel, then quickly lifted herself out of the saddle to swing her feet around, clocking Ryo in the chin from where he rode beside her. The impact sent him into the muddy ground, while Ranko gracefully settled back into the saddle. Tenma couldn't help it. "BWA HAHAHA!" "This is all your fault, Saotome!" Ryo growled as he climbed back onto his horse. Ranko turned back to Tenma. "Okay, so if we link up with Tendo- san's army, we can go kick some shogun butt?" Tenma grinned and nodded. "Yep, that's about the size of it." "Okay, then I know the way to the Kuno estate," Ranko declared. "There's a little place at the bottom of those hills up ahead were we can camp. If we ride all day tomorrow, we can get there by tomorrow night." "Sounds like a plan," Tenma agreed. Ryo sighed. "I just know I'm going to hate this." ------------------------------------------ Send C&C to: oddball22@hotmail.com Find my stories at: www.geocities.com/kaiphantom2000 Ranma 1/2: New Challenges Trials Chapter 3 It was late in the afternoon when the elderly man heard his front door slowly swing open, it's hinges creaking ominously. His brow wrinkled in thought, as he tried to figure out who would be coming to visit him. "Who's there?" he called out. The young, exhausted, female voice that answered him, was almost musical to his ears. "It's just me, grandfather." The old man quickly grabbed his cane and hobbled into the foyer. As he beheld the young girl standing there, his eyes lit up, joy flooding his heart. "Akari-chan! You've come home!" Akari's eyes began to glisten, even as her lower lip began to tremble. "Oh, grandfather!" she cried, flying into his arms and sobbing into his chest. She came home because she thought she had cried out all her tears, but seeing her grandfather again had reminded her of how she failed. "There, there child," he soothed, rubbing her back with his hands. "What has happened to you?" But Akari gave him no reply as she continued to suffocate her tears into his robes. Instead, he gently guided her into the dining room and guided her to kneel on a cushion by the table. "Just sit down and rest awhile while I go make some tea," he told her soothingly. "Then you can tell your grandfather all about it." Akari sniffed, but reluctantly let go of the last of her family while he hobbled into the kitchen. She wondered exactly what to tell him. She sniffed again and wiped her eyes and nose on her sleeve. That's when she found a kleenex in front of her face. "Here child, use this." "Th-thank you, grandfather," was all Akari could manage while she blew her nose. Afterward, she accepted the cup of tea and took a slow sip, savoring the warmth, aroma, and taste. As she put the cup down, she found herself considerably calmer. "Now, take a deep breath and tell me how you feel," her grandfather instructed. Akari did as he asked, long accustomed to listening to his wisdom and following his advice. "I... I do feel better. Arigato nasai, grandfather." The elderly Unryuu patriarch sat back on his shins and smiled, knowing his granddaughter would soon tell him everything. And she did. Mousse sensed movement, woke up, and managed to replace his glasses just in time to see Shampoo lunge at him. He immediately recoiled and quacked in fear, but the human-cat hybrid pounced and grabbed him anyway, his glasses falling off in the process. She opened her mouth and rested her teeth on the duck's neck, preparing to break it and end the duck's struggling. Shampoo paused, sensing something familiar. She slowly stood up and took her trembling would-be meal out of her mouth. Holding it up, she gazed into it's face and, for a second, another face superimposed itself onto the duck's. It was a brief image of a boy with long-black hair and glasses, and behind those glasses, lurked a pair of beautiful blue eyes. She gasped and dropped the duck. "Mou... Mousse?" The duck pulled another pair of glasses out his wings and put them on, then looked up and quacked affirmative at her. Anger flitted across the feral girl's face. "Stupid Mousse," she mumbled, then turned around and went in search of some food. "Always get in Shampoo's way. Shampoo should eat stupid duck. Then finally be rid of stupid Mousse." Despite her pre-occupation with Mousse, Shampoo's senses still detected the attack, albeit barely. She leaned out of the way as the sword slashed it's way across her path, then jumped back, scanning for her attacker. An almost silent wind change was her only warning. She ducked and sprang as a sword traveled over her head, missing it by bare centimeters. Her hand swiped out in the location she thought her assailant to be, but caught only empty air. was the only thought she had time for, when a fist impacted her midsection. Shampoo had been trained for battle from a very young age. She had been toughened up and taught how to take pain. It was similiar to the training Ryoga had been through to learn the Bakusai Tenketsu, though not as painful. Instead, it was more mind-focused. In battle, she could distance her mind from the pain she was receiving in order to better deliver her counter attacks. It was a standard martial arts feat, that only some of the best martial artists could accomplish. It had helped her defeat her villages top fighters and become the best of her generation. It was something that she always relied upon, since it never failed her. Until now. Sharp, stabbing pain shot up and down her body as she buckled and folded around the fist. Her air flow was cut off and she lost all contact with her legs. Her mouth gaped open, but no scream could be emitted. As she collapsed to the ground, she heard the voice of her attackers for the first time. "Well, that was disappointing," came a light, male voice in Japanese. "What's so scary about these guys again, Zan?" Despite the agony flowing through her body, Shampoo still detected the second pair of footfalls land beside her. "Don't know, Zin," the male known as `Zan', replied in the same language. "The boss just wants these people taken out. At least we'll get a nifty bonus out of this." Shampoo's eyes finally cleared up enough to glimpse the pair standing above her. They were nearly identical in appearance and dress, though one was slightly taller than the other. Black, raggedy, form- fitting cloaks covered them from neck down to mid-thigh, though Shampoo could catch glimpses of black armor through small holes, and from where it stuck out of their cloaks. "LEAVE HER ALONE!" Several thrown knives, shuriken, and weighted chains accompanied the fiercely shouted command. Shampoo groaned. Thankfully, she could feel her strength returning. In another minute, she would be combat-worthy once more. The twin, youthful-looking individuals jumped clear of the barrage, though Shampoo noticed the shorther one moved a bit faster than his twin. They landed ten feet apart, with twin grins. Mousse, on the other hand, had stepped between them and Shampoo, and was brandishing a pair of tri-pronged claws menacingly. "Well, this should cure your disappointment, brother," Zan offered. "He looks somewhat worthy." His gaze switched to the half-cat girl that was slowly standing up behind Mousse. "But it looks like you didn't finish the freak-girl. Shame on you." Zin shrugged. "I don't leave jobs unfinished." "Then I'll take the boy," Zan said. "Agreed." The twins attacked. "You'll have to get through me first!" Mousse yelled as he swung forward to meet the dual charge. "Mousse, No!" Shampoo commanded, but it was no use. Then she blinked as the shorter one, Zin, seemed to blink momentarily, then head sideways and disappear. The raging Mousse seemed to pay that one no heed, and instead concentrated on the remaining member of the pair. He slashed out with the claws as Zan came into range, but the other boy easily dodged Mousse's strikes. That was all Shampoo was able to observe, as she came under an attack of her own. Zin materialized right in front of her with a cocky grin, startling the Amazon girl. Then she was forced on the defensive as the younger boy launched into a complex pattern of lightening fast punches and kicks. Shampoo backpedaled as fast as she could, while trying to fend off the overwhelming assault. It was all she could do to maintain an effective defense, but she knew it couldn't last. Another part of Shampoo's mind realized she had never been this fast either, and that it was because of this half- cat form. But she also realized the increased agility came at a price, when a punch she didn't see coming broke through her defenses and impacted her jaw. Her head snapped around and dizziness overclouded her mind. She dropped and rolled instinctively, barely avoiding the finishing strike. Apparently, her faster speed speed also meant a decreased toughness and ability to absorb pain. She came to rest face down in the dirt, then shakily tried to rise up on all fours. That was all she could manage while the waves of vertigo assaulted her. "Poor kitty," came the hated voice of her advesary. "Not as tough as she thought she was." The cockiness and arrogance of his tone bit through the pained haze of in her mind. Shampo's disorientation was now almost gone, but she feigned some more and waited until the sound of his footfalls indicated he was within range. Then, when he was almost next to her, her tail whipped out and curled itself around Zin's right leg. She gave a quick tug, then sprang and struck with her right clawed hand. Surprise was clearly evident on the strange boy's face as the cat-girl's claw raked across his chest. The cloak was reduced to rags, but her claws only scratched the black armor underneath. Shampoo continued to turn and brought her left hand up, backhanding her opponent across the face. Zin completed his fall and backflipped away, pulling his leg out of the tail hold. He reached a standing postion several meters away, an angry scowl covering his visage. "That hurt," he said, a tone of deepening anger in his voice. He reached up to brush away the trickle of blood coming from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. "You'll pay for that, freak-girl." Shampoo was already starting to pant heavily and was dismayed her adversary didn't seem to have even broken a sweat yet. She then tried to supress the shiver of fear she felt as he pulled out a pair of katar, twelve inch long blades with horizontal handles. Zin grinned and hoisted the weapons in a cross pattern. "This time, I'm going to finish you pussycat." Mousse was having his own troubles. Shortly after the failed attack with the claws, which his opponent broke somehow, Mousse jumped back and prepared another long range attack. He knew he probably wouldn't be able to hit the one known as Zan with it, but he should be able to maneuver his enemy into a position where a follow-up attack would be successful. With a kiyah, he released another barrage of thrown weapons and chains and charged, but his opponent's reactions were not what he expected. Instead, Zan merely laughed and raised his arms in reply. Something long and green shot out of each of his cloaked arms, and batted all of Mousse's weapons out of the air. The myopic Amazon froze in astonishment as the tentacles continued to wave about in the air. He then shook off his surprise and dashed in to attack, but was forced back as Zan used the tentacles like whips to snap at Mousse. The hidden weapons master growled in frustration at his inablity to close with his opponent, and instead launched another long range weapon attack. The result was the same; none of the weapons got through but were instead swept from the sky by the whip-like appendages. He pulled out a katana and attempted to cut the tentacles, but he found it pulled from his grasp before he could use it. A hand ax was similarily neutrilized. Zan's maddening chuckle increased in volume as a second pair of tentacales emerged from the blackness of his cloaked arms. Mousse was continually forced back, and he was losing weapons as fast as he could pull them out in his attempts to fend off the quartet of sickly green whips. Finally, a single tentacle managed to work it's way inside his guard and spear his left shoulder. It withdrew, but the damage was done, as evident by the growing red stain on his white robe. Mousse grabbed his shoulder in pain, but that just opened him up to a few more spear strikes by the suddenly sharp living whips. Shampoo managed a glance over to Mousse just in time to witness the barrage of strikes. Her throat became tight as she witnessed Mousse being driven to his knees, and she caught sight of the red on his robe. "Mousse!" she cried, but her moment's distraction cost her. Zin charged in, flickering as he seemed to skip several meters of space. Shampoo backpedaled, but the blade of the katar left it's own red wake across her right shoulder. She realized it wasn't a deep cut, but she knew the loss of blood would start to slow her down. Flashes of sliver were her only indications of attacks, but she couldn't avoid them all, and she could barely see her rapidly moving advesary behind them. More cuts appeared across her body, arms, and legs, and the wave of dizziness started to return. A spin kick caught her in the gut, and she went tumbling to the ground. With a sickening realization, Shampoo knew she was going to die. Ryoga-buta had yet to make any sort of movement from where he was tucked into the arm of the apparently blind old man that carried him. On the ground, the black dog that had found him in the mud skipped about, as if he somehow sensed the pork delicacy he would have tonight. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Ryoga got the feeling of familiarity, but was stuck too deep in his depression to care at the moment. It wasn't long before the dirt road led them to a cabin in the forest, and the old man brought Ryoga inside. He was plopped on the table and he could hear the sound of a fire being started in the fireplace. The dog barked and pranced around the room happily. "Won't be long, boy," the old man said cheerfully. "And then we'll have ourselves a real good pork dinner." "Woof!" "What I don't understand, are these clothes and backpack we found," the old man continued. "I feel a strong sense of ki within them, and especially within these bandannas. Who would leave them out in the open like that?" The buzzing sensation in the back of Ryoga's brain increased tenfold. Something was very familiar about this situation. With great reluctance, he finally brough his eyes up to behold the blind man feeling one of his bandannas. A black bandanna was tied around the old man's bald head, and his eyes were closed. The old, faded jeans he was wearing had several holes in them, as did the brown shirt. Suddenly, he remembered he had been here before. His pig ears came up and he squealed in surprise. The man's head came around at Ryoga's squeal. "What's that little piggy? Do you know who this stuff belongs to?" The pig nodded his head furiously, then realized the man wouldn't be able to see his head nodding. He desperately looked around, wondering where some hot water was when he needed it. His eyes eventually fell upon the cooking pot sitting over the fire. he realized. He had lost track long ago of the many times he had been dropped in cooking pot of boiling water, only to enact the change and run away naked. The old man walked over to the table and picked the pig up by it's bandanna. "Well, anyway, time for this little guy to become our dinner." The rest was predictable and, in the end, Ryoga was getting dressed while a confused old man was sitting on the floor and wondering what happened. A spilled pot of hot water was on the floor, and the dog was cowering in the corner. "Sensei!" Ryoga exclaimed when he finished dressing. "I can't believe it's you!" The old man's ears perked up at the familiar voice. "Ryoga-san? Is that you?" The lost boy bowed."Yes, sensei." The old man stood up and walked over to Ryoga, then reached his hands out to feel the boy's face. "So it is you." *BOP!* "Ow!" Ryoga exclaimed while rubbing his head. "What was that for!?" The old man replaced his bandanna after using it to whack Ryoga. "A student never walks out on his sensei until the training is finished!" "But it wasn't my fault!" he protested. "I-I told you I... get lost easily." The old man turned around and walked back to the fire. "It's time you started taking responsiblity for your actions. It's true that you do get lost easily, but you never would have wandered away if you weren't so obssessed with getting your revenge." He turned back around and stared at Ryoga with sightless eyes. "Did you ever get your revenge, hmmm?" Ryoga's face reddened and he dropped his head. After he'd seen what Ranma had done at Jusendo, his desire for revenge had been dampened some. He realized then, that if Ranma had truely gone all out like he had on Saffron, Ryoga wouldn't stand a chance. He still had a desire to fight Ranma, but it wasn't as strong as it used to be. And then he found out Ranma considered him a friend and wanted to help him! How could he truly still consider Ranma an enemy? Someone to be hated? That question begat several others, all unpleasant. The answers to which, would mean he had spent several years on revenge when he had been the one at fault. Ryoga's old sensei took the silence as an answer. "So you didn't, did you?" He chuckled. "Count yourself lucky, then." Ryoga's head snapped up. "Whadda ya mean, lucky!?" "The path of revenge leads only to despair. Those that manage to get the revenge that they desperately seek, find their souls have been overcome by darkness. For them, there is little hope of turning back. But you have yet to fulfill your revenge quest, so there is still hope, but only if you give it up!" Thoughts of the bread feud, the missed fight in the empty lot, his Jusenkyo cursing, and all the humiliation he had received from Ranma, came back to him. "I can't! I can't stop until I'm better than Ranma!" "So, the object of your revenge has a name," the old man said thoughtfully. "Interesting. But I taught you the Iron Cloth technique, hoping the training would temper your spirit. Unfortunately, you disappeared before I could teach you everything." "There's more?" Ryoga asked, disbelievingly. "Of course there's more!" Ryoga's voice became very meek. "Would... you teach me more, sensei?" "Depends." The sensei eyed him. "Have you got someplace else to be?" The lost boy's thoughts turned to home, where only an empty house awaited him since both his parents were most likely lost again. Then he thought of Nerima, where Ranma and Akane were, but he couldn't face either one of them now. He knew Sakura was probably looking for him, but he wanted nothing to do with her. And lastly, he thought of an old farmhouse, where a sweet, young girl lived, that he loved, but who ran from him last time. Ryoga shook his head. "I've got nowhere else to go." Ukyo stared out the window of the train, wondering what she would face when she returned home. Her father, whom she hadn't seen for six years, was dying. How was she supposed to feel? He had never really wanted her around to begin with, since he had wanted a son instead. But when her mother died in giving birth to her, those chances were ruined. He didn't believe in remarrying, but he didn't particularly want a daughter either. So he gave her a boy's name and tried desperately tried to raise her as such, except when he attempted to pawn her off others. But nobody wanted their son to marry a girl who looked like a boy. So when she had become friends with Ranma, the Kuonji patriarch saw his chance. It would cost him the yatai, but he would finally be free of a child he never wanted. Only things didn't work out as well as he hoped. Genma stole the yatai and left Ukyo behind. Her father took up work in another restaurant, but considered Ukyo to no longer be his responsibility. She hung around for awhile, not knowing what else to do, but eventually the cold shoulder treatment of her father and the jeers of her peers forced her to leave. Outside, the scenery blended together, forming a never ending cascade of green grass and grey skies. The gentle vibrations of the train tried their best to soothe her, but it wasn't working. She was just too apprehensive. The same question pounded itself in her brain over and over. What awaited her at home? The campfire had dulled to small blaze, giving just enough light to see in the immediate area. That was fine, since there was only one individual there to absorb the light and heat. She puffed slowly on her pipe and drew the blanket tighter around her frail-looking body in an effort to stave off the cold of the night. she remarked to herself. Being rejected and expelled by her own people had not improved her attitude in the slightest. Instead, it had festered and grown like a cancerous sore. Revenge was all she lived for now. Well, that and power, but revenge was what kept her alive. She would not die, could not die. Not until all her enemies were laid out at her feet. "I will have my revenge," she whispered softly, but with conviction. "How the mighty have fallen," came mocking voice from the surroundings, echoing the old woman's earlier thoughts. Instantly, she went on the defnesive and scanned the vicinity, but detected nothing. "Who are you, who pretends to mock me? Why not come on out and see how far I have fallen for yourself?" A chuckle was her reply. "I think I will take your word for that. You see, I mean no disrespect. As a matter of fact, I am awed by your power." "Flattery will get you nowhere," the old woman stated gruffly. "But I've no time for games. So why don't you either get to the point, or leave." "Short and to the point," the male voice replied. "Very well, I shall show myself." Instanly she detected the arrival of her unseen conversationalist. She watched, unfazed, as he materialized into view, sitting cross-legged and floating several feet off the ground. A black cloak obscured his form and face, and a black aura surrounded him that she could only barely detect. A crystal ball floated in his lap and it swirled with many dark colors. He then removed his hood, baring his bald visage to her surprised gaze. "Who are you?" she asked, her brows knitting together. "Merely someone who would offer you what you want," he replied, his black pupils not reflecting the firelight. "Your chance at revenge." She scoffed. "And what do you want in return?" He smiled. "Why, the same thing as you. You see, you have particular skills we could use. And you can go where we cannot yet." "And where is that?" "The land of Wa," he replied. She blinked. "Japan? Why?" "It's a long story that I don't wish to go into right now." He dismissed the matter with a wave of his hand. "Now, shall we work together for what we both want?" The old woman could feel the darkness eminating from the man, and she knew she'd be making a deal with the devil if she agreed. But her hunger for revenge and power was too strong, and she nodded. The man grinned evilly. "Excellent! Then you, Zhao Len, shall have your revenge against Ranma Saotome. And the Joketsuzoku shall be yours to command!" ------------------------------------ Author's Notes: I've always wondered where Ryoga learned his fighting techniques. Most of it seems to be based on brute strength, but he does have those tricks he does with his bandannas, belt, and umbrella. Where did he learn to do that stuff when it's shown he doesn't know how to do it as a kid? ----------------------------------- Send C&C to: oddball22@hotmail.com Find my stories at: www.geocities.com/kaiphantom2000 Ranma 1/2: New Challenges Trials Chapter 4 "You're just being paranoid, Ranma," Akane said. "I'm tellin' ya, Akane, somethin's gonna happen!" Akane sighed noisily as they both walked home from school on the fence. They had been having this argument all day, ever since Ranma claimed to sense doom and gloom coming. But when she pressed him for details, he was unable, or unwilling, to provide any. "Maybe it's just Ryoga or Pantyhose Taro who's going to show up," she said at last. "You always seemed to get ansy when you know a fight is coming." He shook his head. "Doesn't feel like that. Feels worse." She stopped and turned around, putting her hands on her hips in the process. "Now you stop that right now, or you're not getting your dessert tonight!" Ranma blanched. He voiced that last thought aloud, but the return look he got from her puzzled him. She blushed mildly and smiled coyly at him. "You're hopeless!" "I am not!" he countered weakly. "And what's your problem?" She took a quick glance around and, when she noted no one was in sight, she stepped up and whispered in his ear, than turned around and took off running. "I'm gonna beat ya home!" Ranma was frozen for a half-second afterward, his own cheeks heating up from her whispered comment, but her shouted challenge drove him back into action. "No you won't!" he shouted as he took off after her. He was hoping to take the short route home, via rooftop, but Akane beat him to that idea as she went airborne. With a huff, he leapt up after her. *Thonk* *Thonk* *Thonk* The three distinct sounds managed to focus Shampoo's thoughts out of her dizziness. She hadn't acutally lost too much blood yet, but it was rapidly approaching that point. She was lying on the ground, expecting that final stroke that would end her life, and wondering what was taking it so long. She held no fear of death. She had seen many in the tribe die through combat, and knew that when it was her time to come, she wanted to go down fighting against a superior opponent. At least this way she would get her wish. Unfortunately, that was not to be. The three thrown knives that backed Zin off, exploded into billowy clouds of white smoke. Shampoo turned her head to see a similiar situation over by the fallen Mousse. White smoke continued to engulf the battlefield, obscuring the combatants. Shampoo barely had time to register what was happening, when she was suddenly scooped up from the ground and carried off. "What--?" Her vision was blurry, so she couldn't make out the face of her rescuer. "Shh, don't speak now, child," the female voice replied. "Sleep." Shampoo felt a finger touch the back of her neck, then lapsed into blessed unconciousness. When Mousse awoke, his first thought was of how he had lost Shampoo. The last thing he remembered was how his opponent was stabbing him over and over again. Eventually, weak from blood loss, he dropped face first to the ground. There were three muffled blasts, then nothing. he wondered. (Yeah right, like you showed him in your last encounter?) (You didn't know what Saotome was capable of, either. Now you do. Has that knowledge helped you?) Mousse could form no answer for this last question. He had never really defeated Ranma. Any victories he had were minor, and Saotome always won in the end. And still, Shampoo showed no signs of wanting him, even if he did win. So where did he go from here? (Well, you might just consider getting your lazy butt up and seeing where you are) Groaning from the pain in his body, he slowly opened his eyes and was met by a blur. That was nothing new, since he was greeted by a blur everytime he opened his eyes. But it was the information coming from his other senses that surprised him. The particular pine smell, the rythmic chopping outside, the feel of his current bed, all told him exactly where he was. he wondered. There was only one way to be sure. Though his body was protesting, he carefully pushed back the blanket on top of him and swung his feet off the bed. Taking a short breather to ease the pain, he slowly assumed a sitting position. Then, producing another set of glasses from his pants, which was the only other thing he discovered he was wearing other than the bandages which covered most of his chest, he put on the coke-bottle lenses and had a look around. He was in the spare bedroom of a well-kept log cabin. Light came in through the two windows on adjacent walls, telling him it was day. In the corner, a long-unused wooden desk sat, across from the bed where he was now. A small end table was next to the bed, but other than that, the room was empty. "I am here," he whispered to himself. "Why?" He spied his white robe and laying on the desk chair a short distance away, and his black shoes by his feet. Slipping on the shoes, he tried to stand up once, but sat back down when the dizziness became too much for him. But he would not give up. Steeling himself as if for battle, he rose again and this time managed to stay up, though he had to lean on the nearby wall for support.