[Ranma][Fanfic][Lime] Childhood of a Modern Dynasty - Chapter 11: Battle for the Amazon Way ======================================================================= Childhood of a Modern Dynasty Chapter 11: Battle for the Amazon Way Ranma 1/2 characters/situations created and copyright by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan/Kitty/Fuji/Viz - Used without permission Childhood of a Modern Dynasty series created, written, and copyright 1998-1999 by Jim Lazar An ongoing series set after the end of the Ranma 1/2 manga and anime. "Speech text in double quotes is spoken as Japanese unless otherwise specified as Mandarin or English." E-mail comments and/or criticisms to: jim [at] animeprime.com Make sure to check out my Modern Dynasty website for all released CMD stories, graphics files, and other information: http://www.animeprime/ff/md ======================================================================= >From the personal journal of James Davidson: July 21, 2057 After she managed to get our crashed spacejet airborne again, Hanaki had raised someone on the radio and obtained a direct flight path into Las Vegas' airport. As we neared the city, I could see all the tacky casinos in the distance. "Hanaki, want to get married?" I asked, coming to a decision. Remembering our declaration in the desert, I added, "I mean legally?" "Yes, silly... I already said yes to you in San Francisco." She gave me that beautiful smile of hers that just made my legs go numb. "No, I mean in Las Vegas after we land. It may be a bit tacky to get married there, but..." Hanaki interrupted me by leaning over and giving me a deep kiss. I'll take that as a yes, I guess. "My grandmother and aunt will be mad at missing the wedding." "Considering how Akane's weddings went, I'm sure they'll understand if we want to avoid anything else getting in our way." "Then, of course, I'll marry you as soon as we get your leg fixed up," Hanaki said with a big grin on her face. I smiled back. Suddenly, the cabin erupted in a torrent of wind. I looked back and saw that the cabin door had been ripped out of the hull, along with a large section of the hull. "Shit." Hanaki held the control stick tightly and then followed my gaze. In the opening where the door used to be, there stood a figure. It was hard to make out clearly, but what you could see was covered with a black oily substance. Normally you can't see them directly, but when they bled you can see the black blood as it flowed across their bodies. "Buyierfei," both of us said at the same time. Unlike Akane and Hanaki's early descriptions of them as blobs of oily black skin and multiple appendages, this Buyierfei looked vaguely human in shape, having two legs and four... no make that six arms. It might have had a head, but it was hard to tell, since the blood only covered part of the body. The alternating visible and invisible parts made it look very surreal, as if it was a piece of abstract art. Akane had mentioned that they had changed forms over the years, so the differences didn't surprise me. It just being there was surprise enough. I'm not sure how it got on the spacejet, but I know it wasn't the one that was chopped to pieces in the engine earlier, nothing could have survived that. The thought that it had managed to hang on to the plane since we took off and then rip the door out of the hull made me suspect that the Buyierfei were as strong and unyielding as Akane and Hanaki have told me. Things happened very fast after that. Hanaki yelled out, "Autopilot: Co-pilot assist." She jumped into the back of the cabin as the autopilot systems took over. Since the plane was damaged this wasn't the best time to use the autopilot, but Hanaki had to deal with the Buyierfei that had torn out the door. A control stick rose to my side. "If we look like we'll hit anything, use the stick to avoid it!" Hanaki instructed me, while trading blows with the bleeding creature in the back of the cabin. I gulped and looked ahead of the spacejet. Clear so far, but we were getting dangerously close to Las Vegas. I glanced back at Hanaki and saw that the Buyierfei had pinned her down. Even as hurt as it obviously was, it was still stronger than she was. I wanted to help her, but with my leg broken, I couldn't. Of course, this assumes I could actually have helped if my leg wasn't broken. I glanced forward and saw that we had cleared the mountains to the East of the city. So far, so good. "Left bank..." Hanaki gasped. I scanned the scene in front of me, but didn't see any obstruction that would require evasive movement. So I looked back at Hanaki, confused. When I saw her position, I realized that she wanted me to turn the spacejet in a hard left turn to help her throw the Buyierfei off. I nervously took the control stick and yanked it hard to the left. The whole spacejet tilted and I saw Hanaki push the Buyierfei off her body. It was thrown back against the rear bulkhead. I released the control stick and let the autopilot right the spacejet. Her hands started to glow and a chi ball appeared between her cupped hands. Without a sound, she released the ball and it impacted against the bloody creature. It howled in pain and its inhuman squeal sent shivers up my spine. Parts of its body started to fall off and became visible. Amazingly, the creature was still alive and it lurched forward. "James! Watch where we're going!" Hanaki shouted, as she landed a kick to the creature. I snapped my head back around to see us bearing down on the Las Vegas Strip. "Shit." I grabbed the stick and yanked it to the right, but not in time to avoid shearing the head off a ridiculously huge statue of Elvis. Even without any flight training, I managed to get the spacejet level again. Unfortunately, I also managed to smash through a big neon sign in the process. Of course, the autopilot probably did most of the work to level us off, so I'll just blame it for the sign. I risked a glance backwards and saw Hanaki build up a huge chi ball. With a shout of "Moko Takabisha!" she launched the ball at the battered Buyierfei. With an even louder squeal than before, it's flesh started to burn and it was blasted out the hole it had made in the hull. Well, its pieces were blasted out the hole. It was obviously dead by the time it left the spacejet. I looked around and saw that we were headed for a large casino built over the Las Vegas Strip. Not being able to go around the casino, I edged the stick forward and tried to go under it. I didn't like my odds of pulling that off, but I did manage to get up to the fifteenth level in Wing Commander XXXI, so you never know. I guess I'll never know, because Hanaki jumped beside me and grabbed my stick. She gently guided us under the casino and through the tall tunnel. I actually could see the faces on pedestrians as they gaped in amazement at our spacejet as it shot by. Hanaki reached across my body and flicked some controls. The sound of the engines increased and I thought I heard the landing gears go down. "You're landing here?!" I asked in disbelief. "Not much choice, we can't risk trying to get to the airport with a hole in the bulkhead," Hanaki replied quickly. We came out of the long tunnel and gained a few feet in altitude. Hanaki quickly slipped into her chair, buckled her seat belt and went to work. The strip ahead of us was full of people frantically running out of the way. Fortunately, Las Vegas didn't allow private vehicles on the Strip anymore, so it might actually be possible for Hanaki to land the spacejet in one piece. I hope. Hanaki reached out and pulled the throttle back and I felt the spacejet dip, suddenly the wheels touched down and Hanaki put the engines into reverse to slow us down. The front landing gear chose that moment to break and we were slammed hard against the ground. "Hang on!" Hanaki called out. Ahead of us loomed a large, run-down, pyramid-shaped hotel. Hanaki pressed hard on the brakes, trying to stop us. Suddenly, we stopped. Unfortunately, we were also half way into the casino. Coins from a broken slot machine poured down the window in front of me. I pulled my head up and looked over at Hanaki. "Hanaki, are you okay?" She stirred, looked over to me, and gave me a big smile. "Of course I am. Can't get killed before our wedding, can I?" The short-range radio chose that moment to come to life. "Tendo-SJ31, you are cleared for an emergency approach and landing on runway five-right." I exchanged looks with Hanaki and then we both started laughing. We laughed louder when a man poked their head in the hole in the spacejet and asked if we were all right. "Yes, we're fine. Can you find a bell man for our luggage?" I asked the confused man in English. "Book the honeymoon suite!" Hanaki called out. Another man came up behind the first and looked in. "Are they okay?" The first man looked back. "Yes, but I think they escaped from a mental hospital." -C- -M- -D- July 22, 2057 For some reason they insisted I go to the hospital instead of checking into the hotel that we had made a sizable hole in, so I was whisked off to the hospital. They operated on my leg and it looks like I'll be keeping it after all. Hanaki was treated for some cuts and abrasions, but nothing serious. When I awoke in my hospital bed, Hanaki was laying by my side. The nurses had tried to kick her out last night, but they soon learned not to keep a Tendo woman from her man. Hanaki stirred and opened her eyes. "Good morning, James," she said, then gave me a deep kiss. "You look beautiful," I said after the kiss ended. "Thank you. You look pretty darn handsome yourself." "Did you talk to your aunt?" I asked. I had been so out of it yesterday that I never got a chance to ask her about this. "Yup, they were worried after our spacejet was reported missing, she even mobilized the Task Force to search for us," Hanaki said. "Really?" Hanaki nodded. "Good thing too, they'll be able to clean out the Buyierfei nest before the survivors can get away and setup shop elsewhere. I'm just glad that it wasn't a monolith or we'd both be dead by now, possibly along with most of the people in Utah." "Well, you can detect the monoliths when they appear now, right?" I asked Hanaki. Hanaki nodded. "Most of the time." "Ever resourceful, you Tendos." "We have to be to survive." -C- -M- -D- Hanaki was sitting, reluctantly, in a chair by my hospital bed. We both ate the questionable breakfast the hospital had provided. By all accounts this was what Akane's cooking must have tasted like before she had learned to follow recipes to the letter. Or even use recipes, for that matter. "So since I'm stuck here until tomorrow, why don't you tell me why the Amazons were so mad and broke up Ranma and Akane's wedding?" I asked. "Well okay, but no work for at least two weeks after we're married. Okay?" "Of course not. If the door had a lock, I wouldn't even think of working now," I replied, winking. "Naughty boy. Well... it was a shock to my aunt to find out that Sanma and Ranko were still alive. She didn't have anytime to celebrate because they had to deal with the attacking Amazons first," Hanaki began. I turned on my palmcard and began taking notes. *********************************************************************** March 1999 - Nerima, Japan After getting a good look at the two people whom had crashed into them, Ranma and Akane said in unison, "Ranko? Sanma?" "Hi, Akane! Miss me?" the red headed girl under Akane said. "Hi, big brother! Could you do us a favor and blast the horde of Amazons who are after us? Ranko and me are kind of out of juice right now," the red headed girl under Ranma said. Ranma and Akane looked behind them and saw about twenty angry Amazon women standing in the remains of the doorway. At their center was Shampoo's father, Aftershave. He was not bearing a gift for the wedding. Unless he was planning to give the large sword that he was carrying as a gift, that is. "Shit." Ms. Hinako stood behind Soun in her adult form and bought some time by stretching her arms out, forming a triangle. "Happo Tsurisen Gaeshi!!" she yelled and blasted the advancing Amazons. Little Hinako giggled and yelled, "Yaaaaayyyyy! I blasted the delinquents!" Soun looked around at hearing the voice and wondered where Akane's little friend had suddenly come from. Most of the other guests had either taken shelter in the corners, or fled the dojo through a newly created hole made by Daisuke and Hiroshi. Ranma's two friends had bolted at the first sign of trouble, not even bothering to see if their dates were with them. Yuka and Sayuri were not pleased to be ditched like that, but followed the two fleeing boys through the hole. Watching one of Ranma's fights from a safe distance was one thing, watching from the middle of the battlefield was another. Ranma and Akane got up off Ranko and Sanma then quickly built up their respective chi energies again. The Amazons recovered from Ms. Hinako's blast then started to advance on the front of the dojo again, Ranma yelled out, "Moko Takabisha Rapid Fire!!" A series of red-hot chi balls flashed from his cupped hands and hit several of the Amazons in their chests. They were sent tumbling in all directions. At the same time, Akane held her hands in front of her in an upside down heart shape. She yelled out, "Aikizuna Mokoutsu!!!" A wide, oscillating beam of red chi energy shot from her fingers and hit Aftershave and several other Amazons. They all withstood the attack and lurched forward against the intense beam of energy. Akane concentrated hard, calling on the changes that Ranma had suggested that morning after this attack didn't even faze Kuno the day before. She focused more energy into her hands and the beam brightened. About half of the Amazon's were basted backwards into the yard outside. Soun, Genma, Dr. Tofu, and Ukyo went into action and started to subdue the other Amazons. Ukyo was a blur as she used her spatula to attack an Amazon woman wearing a short mini skirt. Ukyo thought to herself. Then she remembered the fancy kimono she was wearing and smirked at the thought of what she must look like. Soun was wrestling with a tall, buxom Amazon. The Amazon's squirming to get out of Soun's grip had caused her dress to open, exposing herself to Soun. Soun thought. Distracted by the heaving bosom, he was kicked in the stomach and sent crashing across the room. Genma had simply splashed himself with water, jumped on top of three small women, and pinned them beneath his massive furry body. Dr. Tofu was trading blows with a tall Amazon. So far, she had deflected all his attempts to apply a finger to one of her pressure points. He suddenly saw an opening, but before his fingers could reach it Kasumi calmly walked by and applied her fingers to the same pressure point that he had been aiming for. The paralyzed Amazon collapsed to the ground. "Kasumi?" he gasped in surprise. "I'm sorry, Tofu, but I can't let you defeat a Amazon woman and become engaged to her," Kasumi said, then smiled sweetly. Dr. Tofu smiled back at her. Ranma ran by the Amazon that Ukyo was fighting, landed a heavy punch to her head, and then ran outside with Akane. Ukyo watched her opponent crumple to the ground, unconscious. "Damn, why did he take my opponent out?!" Ukyo cursed. Dr. Tofu came over to her, after paralyzing all the defeated Amazons with a quick press of his fingers. "The Tendos and Saotomes are honorary members of the Amazon tribe, so they don't have to worry about the kiss of death law," Dr. Tofu explained. "Oh, right." "I'm more concerned about why the Amazons are even attacking them..." On the other side of the dojo, Nodoka was using her katana to attack a small Amazon woman who was easily deflecting each blow with her bon-bori. Since Nodoka was not a trained warrior, the Amazon managed to twist her arm out of the way quickly and sent the katana flying across the dojo. It landed right in between the panda's legs, slicing a few hairs of his tail and just barely missing other important items in that area. The panda sweated nervously at the narrow escape. Just as the Amazon woman was going to deliver a killing blow to Nodoka, Ranko and Sanma raced by and punched the bon-bori away from their mother's head. They ended up sandwiching the Amazon between the two heavy balls, knocking her unconscious. A stunned Nodoka watched her two daughters race outside right behind Ranma and Akane. Outside, the remaining Amazons and Aftershave were battling with Ranma and Akane when Ranko and Sanma joined the battle, evening the odds up a bit. Unable to use their special attacks at such close quarters for fear of hitting each other it was mostly hand to hand at this point. Ranma had taken on Aftershave who, despite his age and the fact that he wasn't a trained warrior as far as Ranma knew, was giving him a fight for his money. This of course, pissed Ranma off. Akane was concentrating on a large woman. While the Amazon had breasts, the five o'clock shadow made Akane wonder if she was really a woman. She traded kicks and punches with the Amazon and then winced in pain as a savage kick raked across her body. The pain wasn't physical, it was the pain of seeing her wedding gown ripped from her body. Dressed only in her slip and panties, Akane continued attacking the Amazon. Akane was really mad now; first, the Amazons had interrupted her wedding and then they had destroyed her gown. Within a few seconds, she had rendered the big woman unconscious. She looked around for her next target. Ranko was fighting a pair of Amazons, but since she had been fighting with the Amazons all day, she was understandably exhausted. She swept one attacker off her feet, but the other swung a pike at her. Ranko barely avoided the sharp tip of the weapon, but in the process, she fell backwards onto her butt. Just as Ranko was about to be gutted by the weapon, Akane came out of nowhere and tackled the Amazon. After few well-placed punches by Akane, she was out of the fight. Ranko took this opportunity to do the same to her other attacker. Sanma had been chased out into the street and was dodging her opponent's sword by running between parked cars and pedestrians. Like Ranko, she had been fighting and evading the Amazons all day, not to mention the last three weeks. In her weakened state, she couldn't use her special attacks, but she did have one trick up her sleeves. "Oh, Kuno! Your pigtailed goddess is about to be killed by an evil Amazon!" she yelled out. Out of nowhere, Kuno appeared in a torn and dirty dress. He engaged the redheaded Amazon in a sword fight. Sanma grinned, but then looked confused when she noticed the dress. Kuno finished dispatching the Amazon by whacking her on the head with his bokken. Kuno then looked at Sanma and puffed out his chest. "Ah, my fair flower of passion! I knew that the evil sorcerer known as Ranma Saotome deceived me in claiming your ample bosom was gone from this world forever! Now I shall make you my wife!" Kuno recited, causing several pedestrians passing by to vomit. He pulled Sanma into an embrace and hugged her closely. "That's no way to talk about me or my brother!" Sanma yelled, then sent Kuno into orbit. She didn't even care where he landed, although the alligators at the zoo were glad for the second chance to snack on Kuno. Sanma turned around and raced back to the Tendo house. While all these other battles were going on, Ranma and Aftershave were trading blows. The first thing Ranma did was to trap Aftershave's sword between his hands. With a quick twist and a savage series of kicks to his opponent's stomach, he pulled the sword away and flung it into the distant sky. Then Ranma tried to get him into a spiral and use the Hiryu Shoten Ha, but Aftershave saw through Ranma's attempts and avoided the spiral. "For killing my daughter and Cologne your whole family shall die!" Aftershave exclaimed. Ranma just tucked the fact that Cologne was dead, despite Sanma and Ranko being alive, into his memory for later. Right now, he had to get Aftershave under control. He had never seen Aftershave fight, but he could see that he was strong and probably had some tricks up his sleeves like Cologne always did. In fact, Ranma suspected that Aftershave was using some kind of magic to make him stronger. But above all, Aftershave was very angry and Ranma suddenly realized he would have to use that to his advantage. "Aftershave, I'm sorry, but Shampoo was just not as good in bed as Akane so we had to kill her!" This caused Aftershave to stop dead in his tracks. Burning with rage, he started advancing at Ranma, a deep crimson battle aura surrounding him. "You dirty rotten bastard! Not only will I kill you, but I will kill everyone you have ever cared for!" "Right, you Amazons are just a bunch of old fools, living your lives by some ancient Amazon laws that are worthless!" Ranma taunted Aftershave, slowly backing away from his attacker. "Now you die!" Aftershave screamed. In a rage, he threw his whole body at Ranma. From the center of the spiral he had backed into, Ranma shouted, "Hiryu Shoten Ha!!!" He thrust an arm into the angry hot chi that surrounded Aftershave. A whirlwind rose from the ground and blasted Aftershave over the horizon. The small twister churned up the lawn, but quickly dissipated. Ranma sighed and looked around. Everyone else seemed to have handled his or her respective Amazons. Akane was on the ground hugging Sanma or Ranko, Ranma couldn't tell which. The other Amazons in the yard were all unconscious. "How are things in the dojo?" Ranma called out. Soun and Genma came out of the dojo. Genma discarded an empty kettle and said, "They are all taken care of. Gagged and bound till we decide what to do with them." With Soun's help, he started to tie up the Amazons outside. Ranma took his chance to wrap his arms around Akane and one of his lost 'sisters'. "I'm sorry, Akane. I wanted our wedding to be perfect," he said softly. "That's okay. I have my other two lovers back. Um... where is Sanma?" Akane asked, looking up. Ranma snapped upright and looked around concerned. "Sanma!" he yelled out. Sanma leapt over the wall that surrounded the yard and landed in front of Ranma. "Right here, big brother. Had to get that sword wielding bimbo away from you all." Surprising himself and Sanma, Ranma pulled her into a close hug. Soon, Akane and Ranko joined in the hug and the four of them clung to each other and rejoiced in the reunion. -C- -M- -D- Sanma and Ranko were exhausted after the battle, but Kasumi insisted they have something to eat and clean up before getting some much-needed rest. When they finally lay down in Ranma's room, they were fast asleep within moments. Akane stood in the doorway wearing a robe and looked down at the two young women. Her face was a mixture of happiness, loving, pain, and confusion. she thought. After the battle ended, the wedding was pretty much forgotten. Akane was just so overjoyed that Sanma and Ranko were still alive all other thoughts were driven from her mind. The fact that the dojo was half destroyed and Akane's wedding dress was in pieces, also meant that a new wedding wasn't possible for at least another couple of days. Coming to a decision, but unfortunately not about the wedding, Akane slipped her robe off, crawled in between the two sleeping women, and wrapped her arms around each. It was actually the first chance she had to cuddle with both of them since the split. Things had been too hectic after Sanma split from Ranko for her to get close to them both. Akane fell asleep in the arms of her two returned lovers. A nagging part of her mind insisted there was one more that should be here. A bit later, Ranma stood in the doorway and looked at the three sleeping women. "What do I do now?" he said, unconsciously mimicking Akane's earlier thought. He was shaken out of his thoughts by the touch of a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and quietly said, "Kasumi?" "Don't worry, Ranma. She'll marry all three of you. I can't think of any reason she'd risk losing any of you after all that's happened," Kasumi said, pulling him away from the door. "I wish I was as confident as you are. She said she couldn't do that when we were in Australia. I missed them too, but I have the bad feeling that this was my last chance to marry Akane," Ranma said as he was led upstairs by Kasumi. He saw Nabiki at the top of the stairs. Nabiki grinned, knowingly. "After the first split she told me that she loved you both. I'm sure she loves all three of you equally. It'll just take her a bit to get used to it. Right now, just let her be alone with them. Tomorrow we'll find out how they survived and why the Amazons were chasing them." "What happened to the Amazons, anyway?" Ranma asked, as he sat down on Akane's old bed. "I called immigration. The Amazons didn't come into the country legally, so they'll be shipped them back to China. I won't even charge you for my services," Nabiki said and smirked. "Aftershave is still out there somewhere, but without his Amazon warriors he's hardly likely to cause us too much trouble." "Thanks... um... why am I up here?" Ranma asked, suddenly realizing where he was. "Just get some sleep and let them enjoy being reunited," Kasumi said, then she kissed Ranma on his forehead. "Take it easy, Ranma," Nabiki said, then kissed him on the forehead as well. Ranma lay in the bed and just stared at the ceiling. He had expected to be married at this point and looking at Akane's beautiful eyes, not some dumb ceiling. What sleep he did get that night was filled with nightmares of being alone for the rest of his life. -C- -M- -D- Breakfast came and everyone was cheerfully eating. Even Ukyo and Dr. Tofu had come over to hear Ranko and Sanma's story. Ranma was there, but was just picking at his food. He tried not to look at Sanma, Ranko, and Akane. Akane eventually asked, "So how did you two escape the monolith? We searched the canyon for days hoping to find you." Sanma spoke up first. "Well, it's a long story. We didn't end up in the canyon after we destroyed the monolith's heart..." *********************************************************************** Inside the Buyierfei monolith's heart Ranko, Sanma, and Cologne entered the radiant sphere of the monolith's heart. The ambient light kept shifting through all the colors of the rainbow as they walked towards the center. Somehow, the center was easy to make out, despite the fluctuating light. It appeared to be made out of crystal. Ranko snapped her head to the side after catching a glimpse of... something out of the corner of her eye. "Huh?" "What is it, child?" Cologne asked. "I think there are Buyierfei in here." "Wouldn't be surprised. They might have fled from our salt attack on that Buyierfei outside the heart, but once they know what we're up to in here they'll likely attack with all their force. Be ready," Cologne instructed, looking cautiously around. "Okay, how do we destroy the heart with the Hiryu Shoten Ha?" Sanma asked. "Look closely at the center." Sanma and Ranko both looked closely at the crystalline center they had been approaching. "Ah! It's moving around in a little spiral pattern," Ranko noticed. "Yeah! It's hard to tell with the shifting light patterns, but it is!" Sanma added. "So all we have to do is thrust our cool energy into the hot air around the center and it'll be destroyed?" "Yes, but catching it will be the hard part since it is in motion continuously. We'd best move in at it from three sides. The ancient Amazon gods used to hit it from opposite sides, but with three of us in here we'd best form a triangle around it," Cologne explained. "Okay! Um... Cologne?" Ranko asked. "Yes, child?" "Don't give up hope. We'll get out of this somehow," Ranko said. "Yeah. No way these stupid shadows are going to keep me from Akane!" Sanma declared. Cologne thought, then decided it's best to let them have hope. "Let's go, you two take the far sides of the triangle, I'll head straight in!" Cologne commanded. "We won't be able to see each other, so first one in position fire off a Hiryu Shoten Ha at the crystal, the rest of us will follow when we feel the blast. We have to hit it with at least two blasts simultaneously." "Right!" Sanma and Ranko said. Then they started running. "What ever you do... DO NOT TOUCH THE CRYSTAL CENTER ITSELF! Understand?" Cologne yelled at the other two women. Ranko and Sanma nodded their agreement then started their attack runs. "And kill any Buyierfei that get in your way!" Ranko angled off to the right and was quickly struck down from behind. she thought as she tumbled to cushion the impact. She looked behind her, but saw nothing. "Damn, how can you fight something you can't see?" She got to her feet and started running again. She built up a small chi ball and tossed it in front of her. She grinned as she saw several black shapes flicker in mid air and then pieces of dead Buyierfei crumple to the ground. She dodged several more attacks by the invisible enemy, even managing to clobber a few with some well-timed kicks and punches. A few more Moko Takabisha blasts added to the dead Buyierfei on the spongy floor. Ranko finally reached the position she was heading for. She hadn't felt any wind yet, so she waited a few seconds then built up a high level of cool energy and focused it into her arms. She ran towards the crystal center and yelled, "Hiryu Shoten Ha!!!" Sanma had angled off to the left and was tackled by a group of Buyierfei in short order. Since she was in physical contact with them, she was able to see their glossy black skin as it oozed around her. Remembering the first memory she had inside the monolith and of the Buyierfei oozing over her naked body, she let out a scream of rage. Soon she had thrown off and knocked unconscious all of her initial attackers. She had discovered after hitting several of them that they were susceptible to heavy blows to a fold of what might be skin on their central mass and had quickly used it to her advantage. She let off a few Moko Takabisha chi blasts as she ran toward her corner of the triangle. Just as she reached her attack point, she felt a blast of wind around her. she thought. She ran right at the center and focused cool chi into her arms. As soon as she felt the hot aura of energy surrounding the heart, she thrust her hands out and shouted, "Hiryu Shoten Ha!!!" Cologne had run straight forward, adjusting her speed to give Ranko and Sanma time to get into their positions on the far side of the crystal center. She used her cane to club scores of Buyierfei out of her way, even managing to impale several of the blacker-than-night creatures. She reached her position as the wind from one or both of the other's attacks started to blow her white hair around. "Oh dear, I'll have to go to the beauty salon to fix my hair now," Cologne commented, then ran forward and thrust both arms into the hot aura surrounding the crystal. "For the honor of the Amazon tribe I will banish you from the face of the Earth like my ancestors did! Die you foul demons!" Almost simultaneously, the three whirlwinds jumped out of the three attacker's outstretched arms and impacted against the crystal center's massive surface. Ten. Twenty. Thirty seconds went by without any effect. Ranko and Sanma collapsed to their knees, exhausted. Cologne was also exhausted, but she was too stunned to collapse. "Impossible. Even if we aren't the ancient gods... three blasts should have shattered the crystal," Cologne muttered to herself. Soon, Ranko and Sanma rejoined the noticeably depressed Cologne. "Now what?" Ranko asked. "Nothing. We are all dead. I'm a fool. I thought I knew enough about the ancient Amazon legends to combat the Buyierfei," Cologne chastised herself. Ranko and Sanma looked at each other. "Cologne, stop it! I know you think you've made some mistakes in your life, but now is not the time to give up!" Ranko snapped at Cologne. "We won't let you! Akane and the others are counting on us!" Cologne looked up at the two women. "Fine Amazons you would have made. Pity that..." Cologne stopped suddenly and her eyes grew wide with fear. "Look out!!!!" A bright flash of light behind Ranko and Sanma attracted their attention. They turned just in time to see the crystal center burning a deep red crimson behind them. It was also making a beeline for their position. Ranko and Sanma screamed in terror. Cologne acted by instinct. She raced forward and pushed Ranko and Sanma out of the path of the crystal and then tried to use her staff to keep from hitting it herself. Instead of bouncing off the surface, the staff was sucked into it. Unable to let go in time, Cologne was sucked in as well. Ranko and Sanma looked on horrified as Cologne was drawn in. Cologne could be seen writhing in pain inside the crystal center. Her staff started to change from wood into a crystal substance. Shortly, Cologne's skin began to crystallize as well. "Damn! Cologne!" "How can we get her out of there?" Ranko asked, desperately trying to figure out a way to help Cologne. "I have no idea!" Sanma replied, then suddenly pointed. "Look!!!" Inside the crystal center, Cologne appeared to be a translucent mass of crystal, but still thrashed around and was obviously in extreme pain. "HUO BING!" she yelled out in Mandarin, then realized her mistake and yelled out in Japanese, "FIRE AND ICE! DAAYRAAAA..." Cologne screamed in agony. Suddenly Cologne turned black, as if an internal light was turned off within her crystallized form. Then she shattered and the interior of the crystal center exploded with every color possible... including colors invisible to the human eye. Ranko and Sanma shielded their eyes from the blinding aurora that erupted. "Cologne!" Suddenly, the center dimmed and it resumed its slow spiral movement and started pulsing through all the colors of the rainbow again. Of Cologne, there was no sign. "What happened?" Ranko asked, looking around desperately for Cologne. Along with Sanma, she started backing away. "I don't know, but I think Cologne is dead," Sanma sadly suggested. Ranko nodded her head in agreement. "What did she mean by 'fire and ice'?" Ranko pondered aloud. "Maybe she was telling us how to free her?" "Or how to destroy the heart... since she was in contact with it she may have realized something." "Fire and ice... ice and fire..." Sanma muttered, trying to figure out what Cologne meant. Ranko slapped the palm of her hand excitedly. "Maybe instead of relying on the center for the hot energy we should use our fire and ice flying dragon attack on it!" "It's worth a try! Cologne did say it took two vortexes to destroy it... let's do it!!" "I'm fire!" Ranko shouted, as she ran towards the left. "In ten seconds!" Sanma yelled back, as she ran towards the opposite side. She fired off a quick Moko Takabisha blast to clear the way of any Buyierfei that might have been in her path. She saw some black shapes flicker and fall to the ground in front of her. Ranko finished counting to ten, thrust her arms in front of her, and turned towards the crystal center. "Hiryu Hibashira Ha!!!" she yelled and projected a long hot beam of chi from her arms. Sanma had done the same, except generating cold energy. "Hiryu Hyouchuu Ha!!!" she shouted and pushed her ice pillar into the heart. As the two pillars, one hot-one cold, touched the crystal surface the two energies mixed with the neutral energy of the heart. Ranko and Sanma's pillars of chi turned into whirlwinds and impacted against the surface of the crystalline center. Before their eyes, the crystal started to crack. Then it shattered and exploded outward, engulfing them in a black void. Everything went dark. They felt their flesh ripped from their bones and their minds torn into tiny fragments... *********************************************************************** February 1999 - Jusenkyo, China; Joketsuzoku, China And then they blinked. Ranko looked around and saw Sanma standing a few meters away from her. "Sanma?" "Ranko?" Sanma said, as she looked around confused. Both of them scanned the area they found themselves in. "Huh? This isn't the canyon we were in!" Ranko remarked, looking around. Sanma and Ranko both recognized the place they hated most in the world. "Jusenkyo," they cursed at the same time. Technically, Jusenkyo wasn't a curse word, but to the Ranmas, it was. "How the hell did we get here?" Ranko asked. Sanma just shrugged. "Could the others be back in Australia?" "Probably. We destroyed the center of the heart and Cologne said that should allow those outside of it to escape." "Yeah, but she also said we should be dead." "Are you complaining?" Sanma looked around the ruins of Jusenkyo. "No, I'm not. Any sign of Cologne?" "No. Maybe she's somewhere else?" Ranko suggested. Sanma shrugged. "I can't believe she'd survive being turned to crystal. She gave her life for us... I think." "Just like Shampoo," Ranko muttered and bowed her head. "It's not fair." "Life rarely is." "I hope Akane and the others are alright." "We'll call as soon as we get back to civilization." -C- -M- -D- After spending a night in the ruins of Jusenkyo and looking for Cologne, Sanma and Ranko walked towards the Amazon village. Unbeknownst to them, several shadows with no apparent source flowed across the ground behind them. "She was an outcast from the Amazons, you know," Ranko mentioned as they neared the Amazon village. "Yes, but she died an Amazon. She deserves the honor of all the Amazons," Sanma suggested. "It's the least we can do for her." "I hope we don't end up regretting this," Ranko mentioned. "What could go wrong? We're members of the tribe and all." "Okay. We'll need some supplies to get back to Japan anyway." A female voice called out in Mandarin to them. Ranko and Sanma looked up and saw the tall, green haired woman who was challenging them. Hoping that the sentry knew Japanese, Sanma declared, "We are Sanma and Ranko Saotome, members of the Amazon tribe." "What is your business here?" the sentry asked in Japanese. "We bear news of Elder Cologne. She died honorably for the Amazon Way," Ranko replied, hoping that she was explaining correctly. "Elder Cologne died many weeks ago." "Yeah, we know that you kicked her out... but she helped us defeat the Buyierfei," Ranko explained, hoping the mention of the Amazon's ancient enemy might get some reaction. It did. The sentry quickly kissed her fingers of her right hand and touched them to her temple. "Follow me, but do not speak that name again." Ranko and Sanma exchanged glances and then followed the sentry. -C- -M- -D- The Circle of Elders was where all matters of great importance to the Amazons were discussed and decided. Months earlier, the Circle had banished Cologne from the tribe, but now Ranko and Sanma sat in the middle of the circle and were finishing the tale of their battle with the Buyierfei. The Matriarch of the Amazon tribe considered the story for several moments. She scratched her wrinkled chin thoughtfully. "What did you say Cologne's last words were?" she asked, from her raised dais. "Something like 'how bing'," Ranko said. "Then in Japanese she said 'fire and ice' to tell us how to destroy the center," Sanma added. "'Hou bing' means fire and ice... but what was the last thing you said she gasped?" the Matriarch asked. "'Daayraa', I think." "Daira... the name of our ancient gods," the Matriarch explained. All the assembled Amazons, including the Matriarch, kissed the fingers of their right hands and touched their temples. "Hmmm..." the Matriarch pondered, then raised her golden staff above her head to indicate she was going to render judgement. "Cologne would not have used their name without cause. The Ancient Enemy must have been in Australia after all. Elder Cologne deserves an honorable funeral. Thank you for your service to the Amazon tribe." The other Elders all tapped their canes twice in agreement to the pronouncement of the Matriarch. "Well, we didn't have much choice," Ranko mentioned. "If we could get some supplies we'd like to get going after the wake," Sanma asked. "Of course, you are honored members of the Amazon tribe. What is ours, is yours." "Thank you, Matriarch." "But Amazon wakes take weeks to prepare, you have paid Elder Cologne her due honor by coming here." "Okay, if you're sure. Um, do you know how we ended up in Jusenkyo?" Sanma asked. The Matriarch cupped her hands. "The Ancient Enemies' monoliths are all connected and the last one was destroyed at Jusenkyo. After that final battle, the Amazons settled here in Joketsuzoku. The ancient stories speak of warriors that would disappear from monoliths and be magically transported to previous battlefields or even between multiple monoliths." Ranko and Sanma looked at each other, confirming their mutual thought that Akane and the others were probably safe back in Australia. As they left the Circle of Elders, they failed to notice the shadows that followed them or the ones that stayed within the round hut that the Circle met in. -C- -M- -D- In a hot humid tropical jungle, a man that looked like Ranma, but wasn't, stood in the middle of a large clearing. Well, it was clear because the palm trees and other vegetation that used to be there had just been reduced to a fine black powder. The man's eyes turned entirely black and the black powder came together and grew into about a hundred small, pointed spires. After they had all reached about a meter in height, they stopped growing and his eyes returned to their normal human appearance. He surveyed his work and smiled devilishly. "The nest is ready," he spoke using Ranma's voice, but at the same time, it had a quality to it that made it sound inhuman. He straightened his simple black shirt and then noticed a shadow approach from his left and turned towards it. "Report." The shadow flowed across the ground and touched his feet, causing the man to go stiff. After several seconds, he scowled. "The bitches still exist in this era?! Impossible!" His mind, as it was, recoiled in shock and anger. He started to pace around the 'nest' that he had just formed, and then he stopped as a plan came to his evil mind. "Perfect. To use the bitches to gather the collectors, what great irony." He started laughing in a deep throaty voice that was definitely not Ranma's. -C- -M- -D- The next day, Ranko and Sanma walked casually down an old dirt road wearing large packs on their backs. "That went well," Sanma mentioned. "Yes, looks like our luck is finally working in our favor," Ranko remarked. Almost immediately, a bon-bori impacted the back of her head and she crashed to the ground. Seeing Ranko crash to the ground, Sanma spun around quickly and deflected the blow meant for her. She began trading blows with the large woman who had attacked her. Ranko kicked the shin of her attacker and sprung to her feet. "What the hell are you doing!" "For killing my daughter," Aftershave declared, then quickly added as if an afterthought, "...and Elder Cologne, you and your families shall die! That is now the Amazon Way!" He finished by swinging the bon-bori he held at Ranko again. Had Ranko or Sanma been closer to him, they might have noticed the faint shadows that drifted in Aftershave's pupils, but they didn't. "Damn, Shampoo's father..." Ranko muttered, blocking the swings. Still trading blows with her opponent, Sanma said, "Aftershave, the Circle of Elders gave us free passage!" "The old Amazon fools are no longer our leaders! From this point on *I* lead the Amazons!" Aftershave declared. Although there was no way to tell if he was telling the truth, the horde of Amazon warriors standing behind him seemed to confirm this. All two hundred of them were armed to the teeth. "Oh... crap... this is going to hurt." Ranko muttered. -C- -M- -D- In the tropical jungle, the evil Ranma looked at the battle through Aftershave's eyes and chuckled. "The bitches under a man's control. A fitting punishment for the ones who had imprisoned us for so long." He strolled among the black, pointed spires, which had grown an additional meter or two since they were first formed. *********************************************************************** March 1999 - Nerima, Japan "And boy did it hurt," Ranko told the assembled people in the Tendo's family room. "Yeah, we barely made it out of that first fight alive. We spent the next three weeks fighting them and trying to avoid them," Sanma said. "How did Aftershave get control of the Amazons?" Ranma asked. "We don't know. The Amazons being a matriarchal tribe, it surprised us too," Sanma replied. Ranko added, "Yeah. It's not like Aftershave was willing to talk things over with us. Personally, I think he used Cologne's death to carry out his revenge for Shampoo's." Ranma agreed. "Yeah, I doubt he was really that upset by her death. He never seemed close to her." "It's too bad about Cologne, but she lived a long life," Ukyo mentioned. "Well, I can't say I ever really liked her, but I'm sorry she died," Ranma said. "I'm just glad we managed to ditch most of the Amazons by the time we made it to Japan," Ranko remarked. "You could have called," Akane mentioned, miffed. "We're sorry, Akane. We tried several times, but the Amazons were on our heels the whole time. It was not an easy trip," Ranko explained. "You're forgiven. I'm just glad you're back with us," Akane said, drawing them both into a hug. "I missed you both." "Well, you sure didn't wait to get married," Ranko commented, not being able to hide the bitterness in her voice. "Well, the twentieth came and I didn't want to put it off any longer with everything that had already happened," Akane explained. "I didn't forget about you, but..." Sanma interrupted. "But the wedding was supposed to be in March! Not February!" "Ummm.... it's March twenty-first, guys. We were inside that monolith for over three weeks... somehow," Ranma informed them. "Three..." Ranko muttered. "... weeks," Sanma finished. Ukyo smirked. "We had the same reaction." Akane reached over and took one of Ranko and Sanma's hands in each of hers. "I thought you knew or I'd have mentioned it sooner." "Well, we didn't have much time to worry about looking at a calendar." "Then as soon as the dojo is repaired we can all get married!" Sanma declared, hoping that it was true. Akane's happy expression turned into a frown. -C- -M- -D- "How did we miss three weeks in the monolith?" Sanma asked as she soaked in the tub. Ranko shrugged and climbed in. "Beats me. Let's just enjoy being home," she declared. "Yeah. What do you think about Akane's red hair?" Sanma asked. "It's kind of cute on her, but she needs a pigtail," Ranko remarked. "That could get REALLY confusing. I just wonder what she's going to do about..." Sanma tailed off, leaving her worse fears about Akane not marrying her unspoken. "Don't worry, she loves us all," Ranko insisted. "Yes, she does," a male voice said. "Pervert!" Sanma and Ranko yelled in unison, covering their breasts. Ranma was standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe. "Chill out, ladies. You have nothing that excites me," he insisted. "Tell that to someone who doesn't know what you thought when you saw Akane naked that first time," Ranko said, forgetting to correct Ranma over the 'ladies' remark. "Yeah, we know you were turned on by seeing her," Sanma added. Ranma said the first thing that came to his mind. "So were you two!" "Gee, Ranko, that was sort of a lame comeback. Are we sure he's one of us?" "Well, I think we got the brains in the split." "That's obvious. Did you see the score Ranma got on his finals?" "Pitiful." "Will you both shut up!" Ranma yelled, then continued in a normal voice, "Listen you two, I'm marrying Akane. If she can bring it to marry you both as well, I'll accept it. But there is no way I'll let her marry just one of you," Ranma declared. "That sounds like a challenge, big brother," Sanma said. "Just a statement of fact. She went through hell over the last three weeks after losing you two. I've been there for her. I can't, and won't, let her go." "We know, but if it comes down to a fight, you can't beat us. We're too evenly matched," Ranko insisted. "There will be no fighting!" a voice bellowed from behind Ranma. Ranma spun around. "Akane?" "Just as I said in Australia after Sanma made this a foursome: let me get to used to all three of you and then I'll decide what to do," Akane said, slipping out of her clothes. "Okay, Akane. I'm just afraid I lost my last chance at marrying you," Ranma muttered. "If there is anything you should have realized by now, is that I love you all AND there's always the next wedding to look forward to," Akane said, grinning. She gave Ranma a deep kiss, then started to wash herself on a stool. Ranma thought and turned to leave. "Hey! Don't you dare leave. Scrub my back and then hop in with us," Akane insisted. "It's too crowded in the tub," Ranma mentioned, but started to scrub her back anyway. "We'll find a way to fit," Akane insisted. She finished rising off and got in. she thought, looking at all of her lovers. Ranma removed his clothes and washed up, then slipped into the tub. After the four people squirmed and exchanged positions, they all managed to fit into the tub. "Hey, don't touch me there!" Sanma called out. "I'm not doing it because I like you!" Ranko replied. "Not you! Him!" Sanma explained. "Sorry, I thought it was Akane's," Ranma insisted. "We need a bigger tub," Akane suggested. Everyone agreed. -C- -M- -D- "Okay, now what do I do?" "You left your mallet at home, right?" "Yes." "Good. Akane, I can't tell you what to do." "What the heck am I paying you for then?!" Doctor Higawa smiled. "I can help you sort through your feelings, but in the end it's your decision." "Well, my feelings... I love all three of them." "Okay, that's a good start. Let's explore those feelings first. Are you sure you love them all or are you just saying that so you don't hurt any of their feelings." "No! I may have been reluctant to express my feelings towards Ranma before, but I can honestly say that I love them all the same. When I thought Ranko and Sanma had died, a part of me died as well. If Ranma wasn't there I'd have lost it." "Didn't I help?" Doctor Higawa asked, trying to draw her out. Akane smirked. "Yes, you did. Thank you." "Good. Don't put all your support into one person. You have a large family that loves you and good friends. You can fall back on their support during bad times as well." "Are you trying to tell me I don't need Ranma?" Akane asked, confused. "No. I'm trying to show you that you're not alone no matter what you think. Now you love all three Ranmas, correct?" "Yes." "Why do you feel that you can't marry all three of them?" "Well, it's hard to say. First of all it's not actually something that's normal." "Define 'normal'." "Huh? Well, I guess it's what everyone expects a marriage to be." "Does that really matter to you?" Akane considered this for a few moments. "Um... no, I guess it doesn't." "Good. Keep in mind there will be some people who won't be able to understand or accept that kind of marriage." "I know, but I don't care what other people think." "That's fine, but you will have to deal with other people's reactions, so you should keep that in mind as you make your decision. It's also not exactly legal to be married to more than one person." "Okay. Actually, Nabiki said she has a plan for handling the legal matters." "By the way, from what you've told me about Ranma there isn't too much you could classify as 'normal' about him or his life," Doctor Higawa commented. This made Akane laugh aloud. "Yes... good point." "If you hadn't proved some of the things that happened to Ranma and you when we first started our sessions, I'd have probably classified you as delusional." Akane smiled. "Sometimes I wish I was and could just wake up from this nightmare." "Is it really a nightmare?" Akane pondered this for a few seconds, then said, "No, but I wouldn't mind having a slightly more peaceful life with the man I love. Err... the man and women I love." "Now then, you love all three of them and you've accepted that it might not be socially correct, but you can ignore that for your love. What else is keeping you from making the decision?" "Sometimes when I'm close to Ranko or Sanma I feel like... I'm a... lesbian," Akane awkwardly said. "Akane, we've discussed this after you got out of the hospital and again before your winter training trip." "I know, but it still feels wrong." "Are Ranko and Sanma men or women?" "Well, they're women of course. Just like you and me." Doctor Higawa raised an eyebrow as she wondered if she should be insulted by that remark. "Before Ranko and Sanma split from Ranma you said you considered Ranma a man even if his body was sometimes a woman's, right?" "Well... yeah, but now Ranko and Sanma are separate people and women full time." "Do they think of themselves as women or men?" "Those stubborn fools? They still consider themselves men of course." "Akane, if that's how they feel you should accept it and try to look at them the same way." "But it's kind of hard to think of them as men when I'm making love to them." Doctor Higawa paused briefly to consider this. "Yes, I'd imagine it would be. Does it feel different when you make love to the female Ranmas?" Akane blushed. "Um... yes." "The physical sensations may be different, but what about how you feel inside?" The doctor tapped her chest. "Ummmm... no. My feelings of love and pleasure are the same with any of them." "Any of them... I assume that means you've made love to Ranko and Sanma since they returned?" Akane looked embarrassed and softy said, "Yes, the night after they returned. Separately, of course. I doubt any of us would be able to handle some of the group things you hear about." "Orgies," Doctor Higawa mentioned, causing Akane to blush. "And your feelings of love were the same with each woman when you made love to them?" "Yes." "And before with Ranma?" "Well, later that night it was the same passion that filled my heart." Doctor Higawa gasped. "All three of them in one night?" "Yeah... err... is that wrong?" Akane asked sheepishly. "No, AMAZING is more like it. Maybe I should take up martial arts," Doctor Higawa commented, grinning broadly. "Well, our dojo is always looking for new students, just don't say WHY you want the training or my father might decide to start advertising it as Tendo School of Anything Goes Love Making," Akane said, grinning. Doctor Higawa smiled back. "Well anyway, you don't really think or feel different towards them when you are intimate with each of them?" "No... I guess not." "Okay, then have you ever had any sexual feelings towards other women?" "What?! No, of course not. Or other men really... although there was this one man I liked growing up." "Yes, Doctor Ono I presume. He's a man and un-cursed. Well, there you go then. Some may consider you bi-sexual for having the relationship you have, but since you, Ranko, and Sanma all think of them as men I don't think that definition applies. Trust me... I've had to do a lot of research to help you, standard psychotherapy techniques don't really cover your experiences with Ranma." Akane snickered. "I imagine. Okay, so I'm not gay, Ranko and Sanma are men, and I'm desperately and totally in love with three different men even if two of them have breasts and well... you know. Now what?" she asked, accepting at least some of what the doctor was saying. "Are the three Ranma's really different?" "Yes and no. Since the splits they have changed slightly, but I guess deep down they are all the man I fell in love with." "How have they changed?" "Well, Ranma has gotten a little more romantic and gentle." "Why do you think that is?" "Um, maybe because he's not overcompensating for his perceived loss of masculinity anymore?" "Possibly. I see you were paying attention to our discussions about Ranma during our first sessions. Since he no longer turns into a girl, he can let his true self out now without thinking he has to prove he's a man all the time. I assume you like him like this?" "Yes, he doesn't act like a big jock as much anymore." "What about Ranko?" "Well, she's gotten a bit more emotional and tends overreact to things more." "And this is because?" "I don't really know. I think that I didn't give her enough attention after the split and she might have thought I was going to dump her for Ranma." "Okay, and Sanma?" "Well, I've really only known her as a separate person for a few days altogether. Mostly she's like Ranko, but a little moodier. I don't know why." "That's okay for now. You do realize you used 'she' for both of them?" Doctor Higawa commented. "Err... well... it just seems natural to refer to them like that when speaking about them. I still think of them as men inside." "Good. I just wanted to make sure we weren't going backwards." "No, I think I feel better now." "Excellent. So maybe now is a good time to stop for today. I'll see you in a week," Doctor Higawa said, making a few notes on her notepad. "Um... but I still can't decide what to do.' "Why the rush?" "I don't know, but after all the destroyed or aborted weddings I've had, I'm just scared to put another one off too long." "Well, marrying anyone is a big step and not something to rush into. Marrying three people is going to be even tougher. You don't need to think it's now or never, if they won't wait for you to decide maybe that's the pressure you feel." "I guess. They have asked what I'm going to do, but they haven't said 'decide or I leave' or anything." "There you go. Sleep on it, maybe even get away for a night or two with your sisters to clear your head." "Hmmm, that might be a nice idea. Go to a hot spring or something." "Good! Go out, have some fun, and relax. If you decide... that's great. If not, flip a four sided coin." "Four sides?" "One side for each Ranma and one for all three of them. Relax, I'm only kidding. Remember no need to rush into a decision." Akane smiled and got up. "Thank you again, doctor." "You're welcome. And thanks for not blowing up my roof this time." "Err... yeah... sorry about that." -C- -M- -D- "So, why the day trip to the beach?" Ranko asked, looking down the deserted beach from the bus stop where they stood. "Yeah, it's a bit cold for a beach trip," Sanma mentioned, pulling her coat closed. "I wanted to show you something," Nodoka said. She started walking down the beach. Ranko and Sanma looked quizzically at each other, shrugged, and followed their mother. After walking for several kilometers, Nodoka led them into a cemetery. Recognizing where they were, Sanma asked, "Why are you bringing us here?" "Just wait," Nodoka said, leading them through the gravestones. She stopped and then pointed towards a large gravestone. "What's the big deal?" Ranko asked. "Look closely." Sanma and Ranko looked closer. "Oh..." Sanma gasped and traced HER name on the Saotome family grave. Ranko shuddered as she saw her name and her fingers trembled as she reached for the letters. "Is this some kind of sick joke?" "No. I brought you here to show that we didn't forget you. You were missed and honored as a part of my family," Nodoka said, pulling her two daughters into a hug. "Even me? I mean... no one really knew me," Sanma asked, downcast. "Even you. Ranma and Akane missed you, we all did. Both of you." Ranko nervously rubbed her hair. "It's creepy... seeing your name on a gravestone." "Yeah," Sanma agreed. "But then I'm still getting used to using Sanma anyway. Remember how long it took us to stop answering to Ranma?" "Yeah, good point," Ranko agreed, although she knew that she still sometimes looked when his name was called. "I just wanted to make sure you both understood that we didn't go ahead with the wedding without mourning for you," Nodoka explained. She pulled some incense from her kimono, lit it, and placed it on the grave. "Thanks, Mom." "Yeah, how did you know we were feeling forgotten?" "A mother knows," Nodoka said, smiling sweetly. They all paid their respects to their ancestors. When they finished, Ranko looked awkwardly at the recently added names. "Um... can we have the names removed?" Nodoka smiled. "They are going to do it tomorrow. That's why I insisted on coming today." "Good." "Yeah, no use tempting fate." "Picture time!" Nodoka said, pulling out a camera. "No way am I going to take a picture with my own gravestone!" Ranko insisted. "Yeah! It's bad enough to see it, don't need no stupid picture to keep reminding us!" Nodoka smirked. -C- -M- -D- After Akane and the others returned home, she stood in the garden with the three Ranmas. "Hey! I want to stand there!" Sanma said, elbowing Ranko. "I was here first!" Ranko replied. "No fair pulling seniority!" Sanma glared at Ranko. "Stop it! Sanma you can stand in front of Ranma and me, since you are shorter than us it'll look fine," Akane instructed, pulling Sanma in front of her. Nabiki looked through the viewfinder of her camera at the posing couple. Nabiki thought to herself, trying to line up the shot. Sanma spun around and glared at Ranma. "Quit pinching my butt, Ranma!" "That was me, Sanma," Akane mentioned. "Oh, then try rubbing it then." "Sure thing, honey," Akane replied and started rubbing the aforementioned spot. "Me next." "Don't forget your MALE fiance!" Akane rolled her eyes. "No funny faces!" Nabiki said. "Everyone smile on the count of three...one...two...three!" Nabiki took the picture. "Okay, now one without bunny ears." "What?" Sanma asked, confused. "Well, Akane gave you ears and Ranma gave Ranko ears...now behave yourselves or else I'll call in your debts. One...two...three!" Nabiki snapped another picture. And finally, Akane had a real picture of herself and ALL three of her lovers. Ranko and Sanma didn't mind getting this picture taken, of course. *********************************************************************** >From the personal journal of James Davidson: July 24, 2057 I'm free! After I was discharged from the hospital, we checked into one of the fancier hotels on the Strip as far from the crashed spacejet as possible. We had called to get a room at that hotel, but for SOME reason, they were closed for repairs. Hanaki pushed my wheelchair through the hotel's casino on the way to our room, the honeymoon suite of course. I had suggested separate rooms, but she had shot that idea down fast. We'd be getting married tomorrow for one thing. For another, we had consummated our relationship in the desert already. "Hey, before turning in lets blow some of the money I made on 'Birth of a Modern Dynasty," I suggested as we passed a Twenty-one table. Hanaki smiled sweetly. "I'd have thought you'd want to get upstairs faster." "Well, I've been in that damn hospital bed for the past three days and really don't need to sit in another bed," I explained. Hanaki raised an eyebrow in response. "Besides... after we get married we won't be spending too much time out of the room." I winked. Hanaki blushed. I smiled back at her. I remember this Hanaki from a year ago. She had always seemed quite shy back then, but over the past three months she seemed to come out of her shell and show me the real her. I loved her more every time I looked at her. "Okay, James, but don't lose too much. You'll have a wife to support after tomorrow," Hanaki remarked. "Don't worry, my first book has given me riches greater than money," I said. "It did that well?" "It gave me you." "Flatterer," Hanaki said, then kissed me. She wheeled me over to a free spot at the table. "It's only the truth," I insisted, laying down my cashcard. "Five thousand, please," I instructed the dealer in English, then addressed Hanaki again, "If I reach for my cashcard again, mallet me." "Deal," Hanaki agreed with a smile. "Here you go sir... five thousand in black," the female dealer said in English, pushing some chips towards me. Suddenly she gasped. "James! What on earth are you doing in Vegas?" I looked over at the dealer and gasped myself. "Jen! Err... goodness, fancy meeting you here, of all places." I looked awkwardly at Hanaki then back at Jen. A voice came from my palmcard, "Command not understood, please rephrase." I gulped. 'Jen' was my access code for my palmcard. I quickly toggled my palmcard off standby mode. Nervously I said, "Um... well... me and my fiancee crash landed in the desert. So I'm sort of mending my injuries." "Fiancee? She's way too cute for you," Jen replied and started dealing the cards. Ignoring her joke, I said, "Yes. We're getting married tomorrow. Um... Hanaki, this is Jen. She was sort of my fiancee for a few years after high school." I cringed at having to tell her like this. I had meant to tell her, but the events in the desert caught up with us before I had the chance. "Fiancee, huh? Well, don't worry, HONEY, if there's one thing my family is used to, it's dealing with fiancees.," Hanaki said, smirking. Then she frowned. "Um... you did call off the engagement, right?" I smile. "Yes, of course." Then I looked at my cards. Ick... say goodbye to a hundred dollars. "Well, I broke it off actually," Jen commented. "Thank you," Hanaki said, smiling. "Take good care of the big lug. Thinking back, I probably made a big mistake," Jen said and then took my money. I placed my bet for the next hand and then said, "We were too young, you know that." "Yes, young and in love." "Well, love has many forms. I hope you find happiness, Jen," I said, looking at my cards. Crap again. "I'll manage, but Hanaki better be careful about your gambling problem," Jen mentioned as she took my money. "Gambling problem?" Hanaki asked. "Oh, I had a little problem back then. I'm fine now. Besides, I have you to keep me from going for my cashcard now," I mentioned, smiling. "Well, if I didn't know your first book sold well, I'd think you were after my families money," Hanaki teased me. "I'd love you even if you were poorer than dirt," I insisted, then received a kiss from my fiancee for my trouble. "Hey, I read that 'Birth of A Modern Dynasty' book, not bad for a two-bit-hack," Jen said. She smiled then took more of my money. These cards I was getting were impossibly bad; could Jen still be angry about our breakup and dealing me bad cards intentionally? "'Two-bit-hack' was her nickname for me," I explained quickly to Hanaki. "Well, that's better than what Ranma and my aunt used to call each other, I guess," Hanaki commented. "You're one of THOSE Tendos?" Jen asked, amazed as she figured out the family connection. I sighed. Mention of the Tendos seemed to get an assortment of responses from people. Amazement, awe, trepidation, fear, jealousy, and even hatred showed up from time to time. The Tendos have done some amazing things in the past sixty years, not the least of which was keeping the Buyierfei from taking over the world, but some people still had negative reactions to them. Marrying into the family isn't likely to make the reactions change either and I'll have to get used to it. "Yes, sort of... I'm actually from the Ono branch of the family," Hanaki shyly answered. "Damn, James. You're not good enough for THAT family!" "I keep telling him that, but I think I'll keep him." Sigh. A guy's worse nightmare... his current fiancee trading notes with his old fiancee. I wonder how Ranma would have handled this? Probably would have blown up the card table as a diversion, I guess. Since I wasn't likely to be able to do that, I just grinned as Hanaki and Jen made small talk. -C- -M- -D- "Um... I'm sorry I never mentioned Jen before. I meant to after I asked you to marry me... but things got a little crazy," I said as I slid from my wheelchair into the heart shaped bed. "That's okay, James. I understand, worse things could happen. Just do me one favor?" Hanaki asked. "Anything, name it." "Change your access code on your palmtop. I don't want to be reminded of her every time you address your palmcard," Hanaki asked as she took her blouse off. "Of course. Any suggestions? I can't really call it Hanaki since it'd react every time I talked to you." "What about naming it after my first boyfriend?" Hanaki suggested. "Ah, sweet Toma." Her eyes glazed over. "I don't think so," I deadpanned. I hoped she was just pulling my leg with the lovelorn look she had on her face. "Well, plenty of time to decide, let's get to sleep," Hanaki said, slipping out of her skirt. She slid into the bed with me and started rubbing my chest. "Err... don't you want to wait for tomorrow?" I asked. "Why? That's only a formality. We already declared ourselves married in the desert and to a Tendo that is the same as being married by a priest or minister," Hanaki explained. She started unbuttoning my shirt. I could never refuse her anything. Thank goodness. -C- -M- -D- I waited at the altar in my wheelchair along with the minister, who looked a lot like Elvis. I had said we should choose a tacky wedding chapel, but this one was actually pretty nice. Only the minister looked out of place with his long sideburns and day-glow tuxedo. The wedding march started and I looked towards the back. I smiled as I saw my bride. Hanaki walked down the aisle, looking more beautiful with every step. My heart pounded. The simple white dress she wore highlighted her natural beauty to its fullest. "Wait!" a voice called out in English. Both Hanaki and me looked to the back of the chapel. "Jen? What are you here for?" I asked. Jen walked down the aisle and passed Hanaki, who actually scowled at Jen as she passed. Jen stood in front of me. "James, after yesterday I did some thinking. I... still love you." My jaw dropped. Hanaki's jaw dropped. Believing the wedding was over with this interruption, Elvis started to leave the building. "Elvis, stay!" I commanded. I turned back to Jen and said, "Jen, I'm sorry. It's too late. Maybe back then we could have been happy, but I love Hanaki now. I'll have a special place for you in my heart, but that was a long time ago. We're both different people now." "I was a fool to let you go," Jen said, tears forming in her eyes. "Yes, you were. Sorry, Jen, but he's mine now," Hanaki said as she came up behind Jen. "Please don't make any more of a scene, it's been almost ten years since we've seen each other. You're just having regrets now that I'm marrying Hanaki." "Damn... why did I think you'd jump back into my arms," Jen said, the tears flowing readily now. "I don't know either... I can't get out of this wheelchair, you know," I said, trying to break the tension. Jen and Hanaki both smiled. "Love does strange things to people. Don't worry, there are worse ways to break up a wedding," I said, winking at Hanaki. "Trust us," Hanaki quipped. "Yeah, like the back wall of the dojo being blown apart by a bunch of crazy Amazons," another voice called out from the back of the chapel. "Or a mad okonomiyaki chef, or a bimbo with a pair of bon-bori, or..." "Damn, who now?" I cursed, then looked to the back of the chapel. "Akane?" Akane stopped reciting her long list and smiled, then walked down the aisle. "Got done cleaning out the Buyierfei nest and thought I'd drop by to see how you two were doing. I was a little surprised to find out you had come here." "Oh, well... we didn't want to wait any longer." "I can understand that. I HAVE had some wild weddings you know," Akane said, running her fingers through her hair. For the first time, I registered that she had a bright red highlight running down her short hair. "Why the red highlight?" I asked Akane, glancing at the similar highlight in Hanaki's hair. Akane raised an eyebrow. "You don't know? Hanaki, you never told James what the red highlight meant?" Hanaki gasped, then said, "Oh my. I assumed he knew." "What does it mean?" I asked, confused. "I'm sorry, James, I really thought you knew. It means I'm an active member of the Task Force," Hanaki explained, awkwardly twisting the red strands of hair. "And I always wear it into battle," Akane mentioned, looking a bit wistful at the end, as if remembering something long ago. I gasped. This was news to me. "I never knew you were a member of the Task Force." "I'm a pilot trainee mostly, but I'm trained for the combat roles like everyone else in the Task Force. I'm really sorry... I can't believe we never talked about that," Hanaki said, looking downcast. I pulled Hanaki close to me and hugged her. "That's okay. I knew marrying into your family might mean some unusual events. It doesn't change my love." Jen looked at us and muttered. "Damn, I can't beat that... " Akane smiled and patted Jen on her shoulder. "Well, you learned your lesson without blowing anything up. That's better than my record." Jen looked at Akane, then gasped, "Oh my... you're the Matriarch." Her amazement at Hanaki being a Tendo was subdued, but this reaction was more of awe with a touch of fear added in. I guess on some level, it was the same way I felt the first time that I met Akane, way back in 2050. Akane rolled her eyes. "Yes, but I prefer being called Akane." Jen said a simple, "I'm sorry, I was stupid," and made an awkward retreat from the chapel. I looked at her retreating back with sadness. Damn, I didn't mean to hurt her, but there really was no choice. My relationship with Jen was a fond memory, but my relationship with Hanaki was my future. "Um... okay, let's finish this wedding!" I declared. "Who was that girl?" Akane asked. Before I could answer, Hanaki did. "His first fiancee." "So your wedding was-" Akane said, snickered, then continued, "-interrupted by a former fiancee?" I grinned. "Yes." "Oh yeah. You definitely belong in this family!" Akane exclaimed, then started laughing. Hanaki and I quickly joined her. Elvis just looked confused. -C- -M- -D- I stood in front of the chapel and looked down the aisle. The Anything Goes Task Force members that Akane had gone into the desert with had arrived shortly after she did. Most of them had the same red streak in their hair that she did. Except for the redheads of course, who had a streak of black. I had seen various people at the Tendo Compound with the red highlight in their hair, but never put two and two together that it meant anything special to the Tendos. I had assumed it was a fashion statement of some kind, since unusual hairstyles are quite common these days. So much for my great reporter instincts that I had honed all those years working for Newstime. I was glad that Hanaki could have some of her family on hand for this. I had offered to wait until we returned to Tokyo, but Akane insisted that putting off a Tendo wedding was not a good idea. Knowing what I did of her history, I had to agree. Akane, acting as the Matron of Honor, started to walk down the aisle. She looked a bit odd in the dress she had dug out of the chapel's rental closet, but it was better than the dirty outfit she had worn into battle. Hanaki appeared, again, at the back of the chapel. I swallowed hard. "Take it easy. You'll make it," Akane's husband, who had taken the best man's role, said while patting my shoulder. "I was nervous for both of my weddings too." I smiled back and then watched my bride make her way down the aisle. She was glowing. Well not literally like Akane would glow with a battle aura, but with a beauty that only a bride could achieve. Hanaki took my arm and we exchanged smiles. Thank god I was in the wheel chair, because I doubt my knees would be able to keep me standing the way I felt. The minister spoke, "We are gathered here today to join this man, and this woman, in holy matrimony. If there is anyone present here today who knows why these two people should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace." Everyone in the chapel looked around nervously, but there were no interruptions. A long release of held breaths was heard. "Who gives this woman for marriage?" Akane spoke up. "I do, on behalf of her grandmother." "Who gives this man for marriage?" Akane's husband spoke up. "I do. I guess it's okay with his mommy." I smiled and nodded. I had called my mom after the crash and talked to her via holo-phone. She had known I was dating Hanaki of course, but the engagement seemed to amuse her no end. I kind of wish she could be here and made a mental note to visit her before heading back to Tokyo. "James Davidson, do you take this woman, Hanaki Ono, to be your lawfully wedded wife; to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" "I do," I said and slipped Hanaki's ring on her finger. "Hanaki Ono, do you take this man, James Davidson, to be your lawfully wedded husband; to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in heath, till death do you part?" "I do," Hanaki said and put my ring on my finger. Elvis smiled, then said, "You may now kiss your bride." I did so. Gladly. Akane smiled as she saw the kiss. "Not bad at all. Only one interruption. Lucky bastards," she commented. I finished my kiss then looked at Akane. "Two interruptions. One by Jen and one by you." Akane stuck her tongue out at me. "Ladies and gentlemen: I present to you Mr. and Mrs. James Davidson!" Elvis declared. Hanaki and me kissed again. "Two hearts beating as one," Akane suddenly recited, raising her right hand above her head. A glowing ball of chi appeared in her upturned hand. The Task Force members all repeated the statement and held their right hands above them. A glowing ball of chi appeared in each upturned hand. "Goodness gracious! Great balls of fire!" Elvis exclaimed, flinching at the sight of the glowing balls of chi. All the Task Force members called out, "Aikizuna Mokoutsu!". After a quick twist of their upturned hands the balls of chi stretched out into wavy red lines of chi and spiraled upward to form a single beam. The beam passed harmlessly through the roof and disappeared into the night to indicate that a Tendo had married successfully. [End - Chapter 11] Coming soon: Chapter 12: Medical School Blues ======================================================================= >The real author's (Jim Lazar) notes/ramblings: Well, there's a real wedding. Unfortunately, not for Akane. Please bear with me, I'll get to one eventually. Promise. I admit it, I got the idea for the crash on the strip from Con Air. I almost didn't have the second Buyierfei or the crash on the strip, but it seemed like a better ending to their spacejet flight than just landing normally in Las Vegas. This concludes the second story arc of the Childhood of a Modern Dynasty series (covering chapters 5-11). What's next? You'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out. Well, even longer than that to find out what happens to the Ranmas and Akane, because it's Kasumi's turn next. Buyierfei is pronounced: Bu-yi-er-fei You can also access a WAV file on my website. Hiryu Hibashira Ha = Flying-Dragon Fire-Pillar Strike Hiryu Hyouchuu Ha = Flying-Dragon Ice-Pillar Strike The 'Aikizuna Mokoutsu' technique is translated as follows: AI=love, KIZUNA=bond (tie between people), MOKO=ferocious tiger, UTSU=strike. Utsu can also mean to touch the heart, so it works for both the attack and the tribute use of the Aikizuna Mokoutsu. I'd like to thank my pre-readers Jonathan Ng, Johan Holmberg, Ryan Erik, and Rex Yu for helping me find and fix problems with this story. FFML members Michael A. Chase and QuestionMark were also helpful in fine tuning this story. Thank you all. Of course in the end, any mistakes and botched characters are my fault. Revision 0.0 - Rough draft (July 28, 1998) Revision 0.3 - Pre-reader draft (January 1, 1999) Revision 0.4 - FFML draft (January 17, 1999) Revision 0.5 - DRC review copy (January 23, 1999) Revision 1.0 - First RAAC posting (February 2, 1999)