The rising Sun, a constant wherever you were in the world, was absent from its traditional greeting to an awakening Ranma. This was no great disaster - merely that for reasons unknown the teenager had arisen early today (for him). Groggily shaking off the stiffness borne of the previous day's hard travelling, the ninja trainee tossed the feather blankets aside and stepped barefooted onto the cold wood. In such high altitudes, the mornings were frequently below freezing point - though here in the sheltered valley, fuelled by the same underground natural heat that generated the springs, snow and frost was a rarity.

Quickly pacing to his backpack in the cupboard, Ranma hastily slipped on his customary jet silken shirt, covering it with the red. That, combined with the generic Shinkasa thermal undershirt would prove sufficient to keep its wearer warm. Tightening the shoulder sheath of his bokkens, the ninja trainee was thus finished with the daily dressing, and quietly exited his bedroom. In the light of pre-dawn, the abode of Elder Cologne was definitively more homely - the natural laminated wood facing warming its welcoming appearance - a stark contrast to the heightened shadows of night. Or maybe that was just because of the 'welcoming' that had accompanied his first impression. Best not to think of that.

It was apparent from the silence pervading the house that Ranma was the only member currently awake within the premises - which was hardly surprising considering the time. With that in mind, he silently floated downstairs, and out towards the open field standing behind the matriarch's home. The half-hour before the mass populace arose could be well spent in private training. Withdrawing both wooden blades in one smooth pull, the trainee took one deep breath of sharply fresh mountain air, and began.

*********

With a ragged jerk, the ancient Cologne shot up from her bed, only barely catching herself from making a most undignified landing upon the hard floor. Without so much as a glance for her sleep dishevelled state, the elder hurriedly slipped on a heavy woollen overrobe, and dashed towards the source of the flow disturbance - almost skipping in her haste. It must have occurred very close to awaken her - the other matriarchs may have felt it as well, though probably not. In any case, she had a fair idea about who would perform such a technique, and was anxious to arrive before it was completed.

Stepping out into the cold morning, Cologne was presented with the spectacle of her soon to be student sparring with an invisible enemy in her own 'backyard'. Rhythmically, the dancing ninja twisted in curious arcs - the wood of his bokkens occasionally cutting clean grooves into the soil.

"A rare treat for us to see - it is uncommon indeed when one catches Ranma in this sort of trance." Kagora commented mildly from beside the matriarch.

Shrewdly, the old crone regarded her long time friend. "Still haven't loss the knack for sneaking up on people I see."

"Maybe you are just getting old."

"Hah! And you were ever the insolent pupil." Turning once more to the teenager she added casually, "He cannot hear us can he?"

"No - Saotome will not be receptive to anything until his reverie is finished." Pointing clinically, he continued. "See the way the leading edges of his bokkens glint at the off angle?" At her nod he stated simply, "Chi. In conscious state he has only barely harnessed the ability to focus chi outside of his body - and here we have a fully cohesive energy focus onto a foreign object - the Catfist manifested onto pure wood."

"Most interesting. I'll have much to work with here Kagora. Plenty to keep an old woman occupied in her declining years."

The ninja master's reply was dry with years of experience. "Why does my skin get a distinctly poxy feeling when you say that?"

She was almost cackling. "Because you know as well as I that the boy's a prize - and one that would be valued by all - if not me then by another elder. Would you rather a matriarch other than myself succeed in her designs? I have kept my full knowledge of Ranma's abilities hidden mostly so far from the council - but that state of ignorance cannot last forever. Sooner or later - and probably sooner mind you, his skill will become common knowledge, and then you will have much to contend with. For the present I am content to let things run as they are - my heir has taken a liking to yours already - and that is sufficient for my aims."

"You know the Shinkasa will never hold Ranma back should he choose to leave the Clan - but I will have it only by free choice, and not some potion or magic induced state."

If the old crone had been two hundred years younger, her expression might have been called a pout. "You spoil all the fun in life Kagora." 

Their friendly bickering was interrupted as a rather surprised Ranma landed before them - his bokkens held blades downwards like a praying mantis. "Sensei…s?" He left the question hanging at the unexpected sight of both tutors. The ability to sense other beings at close proximity had become so regular in its constancy that any deviation was almost disorientating.

"You needn't worry kohai - your abilities are not waning - merely another trance." The Ninja Master supplied patiently.

"Yeah….uhh thanks I guess." Despite his past experiences with this curious shift in lower mental state, the teenager was still unsure upon how to react to it. On the one hand it seemed almost marvellously enticing to be able to perform such techniques and forms which spectators had occasionally related to him on recovery; but that loss of coherence to the outer world, and more critically the loss of control on his own body's machinations - both anathema to any Shinkasa ninja - gave the entire affair a certain brand of distrust. In entirety the pigtailed boy found it easier to circumvent the matter entirely - at least for the moment. "May I go now?"

It was Cologne who answered him. "Yes, go and have breakfast. Shampoo's father will have awoken by now - he'll see to your needs."

Hastily, Ranma bowed and took off towards the rear entrance of the house.

********

Arching her back theatrically, Shampoo adroitly pulled both arms high in her traditional awakening stretch. Never really a morning person as a general rule, this was the sleepy girl's way of suppressing the irritation of rising early - to the demands of an Amazon warrior. Stepping groggily over to the dresser she pulled it open to select the apparel for today - and was suddenly reminded again of the recent changes in her life.

Smiling deviously, the purple haired teenager revised the normal attire, keeping a certain pigtailed boy in mind - although in such cold weather it was difficult to express one's more……..sensuous side, without running the risk of freezing to death. Not to mention that she would look decidedly bizarre surrounded by the village populace attired in their usual heavy overrobes.

Deciding at last for a more modest affair (though not that modest), Shampoo rapidly doffed her sleepwear, replacing it with a tight fitting shirt, contrasted by loose warrior's trousers. There. A nice compromise between aesthetics and functionality - and not so obvious as to totally reveal her motives. Slipping a light jacket on top for warmth, she enthusiastically bounced down the stairwell to meet their guest.

********

After doffing his hiking shoes, Ranma slid easily through the corridors - the basic outlay of the house already well versed in his memory. Stepping into the relative warmth of the kitchen revealed the as of yet unseen third member of Cologne's household - presumably Shampoo's father.

"Good morning," he greeted warmly. "I'm sorry we never met last night. My name is Kwai Lien."

Ranma bowed formally, in deference to a senior. "Saotome Ranma. I'm honoured to meet you sir." Raising his eyes, the boy made a quick assessment of the man standing casually by the cooking stove. Kwai Lien was a shortish figure with thinning black hair - fairly unremarkable save for the almost startling red cast eyes - a trait shared with his daughter.

As with all trained fighters, Ranma was well versed in the tell tale signs of a fellow martial artist (or ninja for that matter). From the moment a combatant moved, one could innately detect the fluidity and power of tone that radiated 'danger' to his hyper alertive senses - and in regards to those that did not move - well, Master Kagora had always taught a nearly failsafe area to investigate.

The hands. Patterns of calluses, or the lack of them, their strength, their dexterity - to a trained eye one could judge the craft of the person, and perhaps even his or her social status.

Now Ranma was no expert in this, but it was clear that the man standing before him was no fighter. There were calluses to be sure - but all wrong for a sword or weapon grip; or even the thickened pads to be expected on the knuckles.

So surprised was the pigtailed ninja that he missed the next comment. Slightly embarrassed, he mumbled, "Sorry could you say that again?"

Shampoo's father smiled kindly. "I was just asking if you were hungry now - I've prepared a hearty breakfast for us all, and my Shampoo was always a healthy eater."

And once again Ranma was thrown off kilter by the reminder of that other recent issue in his life. He was unsure as to how much Kwai Lien knew of the events that had transpired the previous night, but in any case it was poor diplomacy to mention, "I had my very first kiss with your lovely daughter last night - and she even tried to use tongue."

The Amazon male seemed to accept the teenager's outward discomfort at face value and sought to relieve the pressure by tactfully returning to the more immediate distraction of his bubbling pots and pans.

"Nihao Ranma! Good morning yes?" Shampoo announced brightly as she bobbed down the stairwell.

"H-hey Shampoo….good morning." He stumbled uncomfortably. "Did you…uhh sleep well?"

"Yes. Sleep good."

"That's….good." Great. Ten seconds into the conversation and he was already stumped for words. Fortunately, Ranma was saved by the unobtrusive clatter as breakfast was laid upon the dining table. As if on cue, Cologne also chose that moment to enter - hopping to her traditional seat at the head of the table, and thus completing the eating party.

Breakfast was a quiet affair, which suited the ninja trainee just fine. To his credit, Kwai Lien's cooking was superb - a wide array of packaged dumplings, stir fried vegetables, with herb soup and rice on the side. Throughout the meal however, Shampoo took every opportunity to steal not so very well concealed glances at the boy in jet - who by sheer coincidence (of course) happened to be seated next to her. Whilst this technically had no effect on the quality of the food - somehow Ranma couldn't fight off the pangs in his stomach.

Without bothering to ask for the rice to be passed over, Shampoo reached over her companion, artfully angling her body towards a certain pigtailed teenager. "What Ranma planning to do this morning?" she inquired as rice was scooped into the plate.

"Yah….hee…..heh." His mumblings were almost incoherent as concentration was rapidly dismantled by a certain scandalously snug fitting shirt. "Morning? I……..dunno. Whatever Elder Cologne wants." How can she possibly breathe without ripping that top? No! He really didn't want to think of tearing tops now.

And from her seat at the head of the table, the said matriarch smiled inwardly. Despite a virtually null education in the finer arts of attracting the opposite sex - Shampoo was doing well - if the boy's reactions were any credible measure. Returning to the more present subject, she coughed authoritatively. "We will start your training immediately Ranma, as will be done with all your fellow ninja companions."

Looking up from his close examination of the intricately random patterns of grains in the rice bowl, the Anything Goes practitioner hesitantly asked, "Will Lano - Iyarasora that is, be training with me? I'm kinda used to him as a sparring partner."

"No, Lano will be taking instruction from Siu Wei - that is the woman you met last night." The little lady regarded the boy intently. "And the fact that you are so used to the Korean boy for fighting is all the more reason not to have him as training partner. No student of mine will be knocked off his feet just because he was too ingrained with one particular opponent to fight anyone else. Now, I will want to see your progress with chi manipulation before we work on techniques and forms. Is that clear?"

"Hai Elder Cologne." And with that the room returned to silence - Kwai Lien observing the proceedings without a word.

*********

Tendo Nabiki winced sympathetically as the unpleasantly harsh sound of exposed skin skidding across cold concrete echoed through the silence of the morning bystanding crowd.

"Face it Kuno. You aren't good enough by miles to be more than a bother to me." Akane stood with arms crossed confidently as she watched the downed kendoist struggling with limbs akimbo. "It was fun for a while and good for my training - but now it's just interfering with school time."

"My goddess...please!" Kuno desperately called, his hands held forth beseechingly. "Thou canst……."

"Can it Kuno!" the Anything Goes heir interrupted fiercely. "If you can't offer a better challenge then stop pestering me. I'm SICK of it you here me? Sick of the poetry, sick of the flowers, sick of your wannabe tryhard samurai skills!" Without waiting for a reply Akane stomped off towards the main school building, the observing crowd of students reflexively clearing a wide berth passage as she passed.

"Man, is it just me or is she glowing?" a stunned Hiroshi queried in awe to his companion. Daisuke remained mute as the Tendo girl disappeared around the dim corridor, lighting it briefly in an unearthly red haze with her passage.

And still kneeling frozen in his plea for credence Kuno sat stunned in shock - his livelihood and world demolished in an instant. After all these months of tireless challenging - efforts unequalling to the endless love that fuelled them, not once had the sweet Tendo Akane voiced any objection - as was to be expected.

Well, that wasn't quite true. She had frequently expounded variations on the 'leave me alone' theme - but the Kendo protégé had always taken it as some form of incentive - a negative reinforcement per se. But never once had his love ever condemned his vaunted skills.

Actually that wasn't really true either - but more exactly - she had never damned them so……explicitly. Silently Kuno Tatewaki pondered over the raven haired beauty's torturous words. Good enough by miles. Better challenge. What could she possibly mean?

And whilst the upperclassman mused, the remainder of the student body filed systematically through the large double doors as the first bell echoed piercingly across the now deserted school front. Thus it was to a noticeable empty lot that his astounding revelation was most proudly vocalised. "Zounds to the mighty Gods. The skills of the vaunted Tatewaki are as nothing when faced unto forth the invincibility of the warrior goddess herself." Clutching hands mournfully to his face, he continued - unmindful of the partly curious/partly disinterested stares from the facing classroom windows. "O me miserum - I must conquer my damnable weakness……..I MUST!"

But how? Akane was superb - nay she was the icon of perfection. Kuno was not so deluded (surprisingly) as to believe himself capable of conquering one of her calibre - but to even equal her would be an honour unto itself.

And of course the only answer to this was to train. For the greater portion of his childhood, the swordsman had trained under the tutelage of a wide variety of grandmasters and sword masters. But clearly that was not nearly enough. What the great Kuno heir required for his needs was a true swordsman - not one who had earned credentials in some meaningless dan rating or petty tournament. Nay it would be only a real warrior for Tatewaki - one that lived by the sword just as he did so himself.

Now, on to the more immediate concern - his lovely red cloud had proclaimed bitterly that there was no one to even test her skills upon. Well, whilst Kuno was secluded in his own training to fulfil that role - it was a matter of relative simplicity to recruit followers to supplement the task until he could assume his rightful place.

**********

Reaching into the closet, Ranma pulled out his trusty weapons case, laying the contents out upon the bed. Following breakfast, Cologne had sent her new pupil upstairs to prepare for his first Amazon training session - the only directive being to 'arm himself as he saw fit.'

And thus the pigtailed boy was left to decide on the choice - eventually deciding on adding both the true katanas and sai to his usual bokken armament. As an afterthought he pocketed a couple of shuriken in their leather holsters - who knew? Maybe they might come in useful. Once the appropriate holsters, bridge clips, and straps were properly snapped together the ninja trainee leapt out into the open, exiting through his second storey bedroom window - after all it was quicker.

Downstairs, another teenager was quietly pacing back and forth between dining and cooking rooms, dutifully passing on the used dishes to be washed. And in the corner, by the fireplace sat the family matriarch closely observing her heir.

"Shampoo."

At once the girl turned and said, "Yes great grandmother?"

"You like Ranma, don't you?" It wasn't really a question.

And of course Shampoo knew better than to try to hide anything from her ruling elder - although there was no particular reason to anyway. Ranma was a fine strong boy - certainly it would have been a surprise if Cologne did bear an objection. "Hai great grandmother. Ranma is…..he would have made good husband."

The old crone smiled thinly at that. "Remember child, you are not allowed to challenge the boy for marriage….however he is under no such restriction……" She left the statement hanging - a clear implication.

If she wasn't before an elder, the purple haired Amazon might have jumped in glee. "Obasan no mind if Shampoo get Ranma to be airen?"

"On the contrary, to 'get' Saotome Ranma will surely boost our family to even higher levels - I am sure that the other elders are establishing similar plans with their own unmarried girls. You have my full approval Shampoo - do as you see fit to ensnare your prospective airen."

The Amazon smiled contentedly - that was all she could have asked for and more - now she was working for issues of honour and political standing, and not just for her previous more…….physical motivation.

As an after thought, Cologne added hastily, "Oh and by the way - no potions allowed either." Damn treaties.

"Hmpf. Is no fair." She knew however that crossing her arms and huffing in disapproval would do little good. Anyhow - there were many other ways to attract a man.

"I know my child….I know. But go now. I have arranged for you to sit in on some of Ranma's lessons, including his first. So prepare yourself and be outside in fifteen minutes."

"Hai great grandmother." And with that the violet haired teenager was off up the stairs.

**********

Briskly slipping on the multi-layered robes which constituted his daily wear, Mu Tzu very nearly flew across the landing - pulling a pair of spectacles from one of the voluminous sleeves midway through trajectory. This proved to be a somewhat unfortunate attempt, as he was soon to discover that the oncoming blur which up till now had been hidden in the haze of blindness proved to be unusually hard.

Gingerly, the Hidden weapons master picked himself up and returned the granite stone quern to upright position. Without so much as a further glance he was off once more - heading for the village house just three doors down - the abode of course, of his beloved……

"Xian Pu my love!!!!!! Wait for me!" Had he the vision to notice, Mu Tzu might have been daunted by the purple haired girl's returning glance - usually reserved for unidentified objects occasionally found stuck to one's shoe heels.

Deliberately refraining from following the boy's usage of their native dialect, Shampoo responded curtly in Japanese. "Go away…..Mousse. Shampoo no need to bother with you today." Or any other day for that matter. Without a further comment she imperiously turned her back and marched down towards the training field.

Expectant as he was for the usual bout of more eloquent Chinese expletives, habitually accompanied with several choice bludgeonings - the sudden silence was - eerily gnawing. Well, he could have done without the latter part - but still……..no something was wrong. Apprehensively, Mousse dashed after the retreating teenager.

**********

Patiently a figure dressed from head to toe in an ominous black leaned casually against a withering tree trunk. On a last minute whim, Ranma had reordered his clothing, putting the black silk shirt to the fore. It was after all a training session, and as a ninja he could never feel at ease fighting whilst clothed in bright red.

It was to such a sight that greeted Elder Cologne as she stepped out into the winter Bayankala morning, carrying her ever present, ever useful wooden cane. "Ah - I see that Kagora and his traditionalist faction have finally accepted the newer technology." Her reference was to the distinctly modernistic fibre-glass 'over the shoulder' holsters which were clicked into a belt of similar design - all dyed black of course.

Reaching to rub at the back of his head. the boy merely said, "Actually Kuranami Sempai lent this to me for the training trip - just to try out the design." Shrugging non-committedly he continued. "Seems okay - certainly lighter and more flexible than my old straps of leather."

"And certainly very fierce looking - you look like one of those Western commando soldiers." Cologne's tone was only slightly mocking - he did cut a fine appearance in the jet getup. "Now back to the training - you will not need those katanas for the moment. I understand that Kagora has already begun your chi training?"

"Yes, I have been practicing it in the off hours as well."

Taking a more commandeering tone she directed her new kohai for his first task. "Well then, form a ball of chi."

Taking a deep breath, Ranma closed his eyes and initiated the focus. Although he had been practicing the task, both in and out of official training time - even this relatively simple chi manipulation took some effort of concentration. After several tenuous seconds, the awaited blue glow began to crystallise before his outstretched palms, swirling randomly before gently coalescing into a warm pulsating ball of energy.

"Aiyaaahhh," came a soft murmur from behind. Abruptly the ball wavered followed quickly by a dissipation of the chi, and a gasp as control was lost.

"Shampoo I said you could watch but be silent." Returning her intent gaze back to the student, Cologne gestured for the boy to relax. It was obvious to even untrained eyes that the focus had been taxing. "You have been training for a while now to be generating energy like that?"

Shrugging again he queried nonchalantly, "Is a month a long time? I dunno…don't know that is - everything took a long time to achieve - just being able to concentrate properly took a week in itself."

A cryptically mysterious smile formed upon the old woman's lips at the pigtailed trainee's offhand remark that would have shocked any practicing martial artist. "A month to form chi balls? Impressive…...exceptionally so. No sonny boy - four weeks to reach your level is more than satisfactory." Musing half to herself, she added, "Though when viewed with your mastery of the Nekoken, it is perhaps not so very surprising."

Startled by the revelation, Ranma's voice quavered. "You know about my…..Catfist?"

"But of course - you could not imagine that I would be ignorant of such a momentous issue?"

"Catfist?" Shampoo cut in, curious at the foreign term.

"A powerful chi technique - if you are nice to Ranma he might demonstrate it for you." It became apparent then to the ninja that the Amazon elder, like Master Kagora appeared fond of the semi-serious/semi-mocking tonalities. He was brought back to reality by the not very light rapping of her cane upon his still extended hands.

"Don't fall asleep on me sonny boy - since you are sufficiently versed enough in the chi arts I will begin immediately with your first technique - a technique so devastating it has been feared by generations of Chinese Emperors for over three thousand years." Without further comment she pogoed away, leaving both teenagers to follow at a brisk half-run.

***********

"Who is that?" The young fighter needed not to point out the item of her curiosity - an obvious foreigner clad in black who had just floated past the idling pair.

"One of the outsider trainees from Japan. I heard from Bo Yan that they arrived yesterday night." Eyeing the newcomer speculatively, the speaker added, "Not bad you know - I wouldn't mind losing a fight or two to someone like him."

It was then that the mystery boy's companion was revealed - a certain violet haired Amazon well known to both. And from the way that she almost skipped in her eagerness, it was just as clear to the pair that she had already staked out her territory.

"Damn her! What gives her the right to lay claim on the outsider?"

Mixed between agreement and bemusement the other mildly remarked, "Five seconds of assessment and you already want the foreigner? My my, you do move fast, Jia Su Min."

Angrily the Amazon fighter rounded on her friend. "That is NOT the point! We should all be given fair chance to 'check out' the newcomers - instead of that purple haired bimbo moving in on fair game." Seeing the girl about to open her mouth in a rejoinder she added venomously, "And no Ka Mien - I am NOT still seething over Xian Pu's last…..last……victory in the duel." Actually she was - but that was totally unrelated and of course unbiasing over her current opinion (of course).

"Stay your anger," Ka Mien soothed, "your little rival cannot stake any official possession of the outsider. My mother told me last night - Amazons both male and female may not use either the kiss of marriage or death in the event of a defeat."

"It's just as well for the boy in black - or Xian Pu would have been all over him like a vulture."

Unknowst to the bickering pair, there was a third temporary member to their conversation. Seething in a rage very much more palpable than the griping Amazon girl before him, Mu Tzu forced clenching fists to relax - lest the nails bite into his own palms. The myopic teenager may have lacked the visual clarity to receive firsthand enlightenment on the scenario being portrayed in the discussion - but the words 'claim', and 'fair game' were enough to supplement the imagination. In his rapidly overboiling rage, the Hidden Weapons Master even failed to notice Jia Su Min's open insults to his beloved - where in any usual situation she would probably have already been beaten to incoherence.

Whoever the mystery boy in black was, he was already marked for an enemy. To any Amazon the mentality was simplicity unto itself - Mu Tzu had set himself a goal in life - Xian Pu's heart - and anything that delayed his inevitable possession of it could be considered an obstacle.

In a silence that spoke volumes, the raven haired teenager stalked forward to investigate.

**********

Less than twenty miles away, another teenager was wearily trudging along the annoyingly steep collection of broken rubble, loose dirt and potholes which constituted a pathway in this godforsaken place. Ukyou winced bitterly as his ankle was jarred for the umpteenth time in yet another rut. Impatience had resulted in his journeying throughout most of the previous night, despite the sometimes near-absolute darkness - a decision reflected in the boy's decidedly ragged appearance this morning. A mere two days in China and already the Kuonji heir had grown to hate China and all that it represented. It would be a very welcoming day when he could be done with this blasted business of honour and for once experience the 'normal' life of high school, friends, and okonomiyaki. And as for Saotome Ranma - well, Ukyou could have cared less how he fared, damn that boy for choosing to live in another country just when he was so very close.

Pausing for breath, the martial artist reached behind to retie his slipping ponytail, taking stock of the surroundings as he did so. All things considered, the wild landscape might have been appreciable under more….favourable conditions. As his eyes wandered, Ukyou's gaze fell upon a relatively clear, and more importantly, flat patch of terrain - as good as any place for breakfast. The teenager had been walking since dawn, and was more than ready for a hearty meal. Drawing forth a mini-spatula from the bandolier the chef settled down to pound his travel preserved and hardened batter into submission.

**********

Ranma silently observed as his sensei knelt and began methodically gathering firewood, neatly arranging the fragments into a reasonable pile. And all the while, Shampoo was almost hopping in glee - she recognised very easily this technique. Consequently, the pigtailed ninja was the only surprised participant as Cologne reached once more into her sack, and withdrew a handful of…….

"Chestnuts?"

"Why yes," the matriarch replied - her voice deceptively mild. "They are delicious for eating - provided they are roasted just right." So saying she casually scattered the nuts into the open flames. "We will have to wait for a while - they take some time to heat. You can tell when the kernels are ready as the shells will start to crack open.'

Shampoo stifled a giggle at her friend's poorly hidden bewilderment. A training session he was prepared for - but a cooking lesson? Hmmm.

And after a minute or so, the chestnuts did indeed begin to crackle invitingly. As if acting on the signal, the old crone reached into the flames and nonchalantly gathered the freshly roasted chestnuts up……all of them…with her bare hands.

"Wha-hey? How….."

Seemingly ignorant of her kohai's somewhat startled appraisal, she said, "Because of the unique teaching method, the Amazons have come to name this speed technique, Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken."

And immediately, Ranma was transported back to a dimly remembered day - near to his arrival at Shinkasa House, where a ninja trainee had uttered those very words. So finally, his first true directly aggressive application of chi - well it would be once he mastered it. Wordlessly, Elder Cologne delved into her canvas bag and passed a light handful of raw nuts - absently gesturing to her student to mimic her previous actions.

Following this, the ninja trainee evenly scattered his portion, pointedly ignoring a watching Shampoo - soundless save for the crunching as she munched upon the roasted chestnuts.

"Remember sonny boy, speed is absolutely everything - you need little strength here to gather a handful of nuts."

Speed, speed, speed, speed…… And at the moment the signatory crackling became audible to his sensitive hearing, Ranma dove in, open palms flailing as he attempted to scoop up the target multitudes where they lay half imbedded in ash.

The rather sickly wet hissing of vaporising skin moisture and sweat was most unpleasant to hear, earning a sympathetic wince from one lavender haired Amazon. The pigtailed ninja on the other hand merely examined his rapidly reddening palms, stoically enduring the burns in wordless silence - and half-noting that he had failed to retrieve any of the chestnuts. Trying to maintain his clinically detached air, Ranma delicately extracted a splinter wedged in the meat of the right hand - biting back an almost instinctive yelp as the wood scraped freshly cooked flesh. "Silence always", as Master Kagora occasionally admonished. Calling to mind one of Meyah's cantrips to soothe the mind of distraction helped considerably here.

Seeing her student's reaction, or rather lack of reaction, the Amazon elder leaned towards the crouching teenager. "That does hurt, doesn't it?" At his nod of yes, she continued bemusedly, "I'll have none of your 'quiet ninja quiet' nonsense here sonny, no matter Kagora's obstinacy on the subject. If it helps to express the pain vocally - and by the way that means yell - then feel free to do so."

Blandly, Ranma returned the old crone a blank gaze. "Ouch - it hurts. And Shampoo," he added, turning to the girl, "you can stop that any time."

The addressed Amazon had the decency to look contrite as she refrained from curiously prodding her friend's scorched hands any further. "So sorry, Shampoo just want to see if Ranma's hands totally dead."

"Trust me Shampoo - this really does hurt."

***********

"Now let me get this straight sensei. You want me to stick my bare, unprotected, and totally vulnerable hands into that fire." Lano skilfully embellished his statement with a convincingly sceptical frown.

Exasperatedly, Siu Wei replied, "Yes of course that's what I want you to do - I didn’t start this fire in the middle of nowhere for my own amusement."

The Korean fighter paused to consider this. "Can we just wait a moment sensei? I have to get something." At her dismissive wave he dashed off - thankfully for her patience the absence being of short duration. When the trainee did return, he carried with him a small wooden pail of well water.

"Okay sensei - I'm ready now." And without waiting further, Lano lanced into the flickering flames, where the chestnuts already lay cooking. As with his friend the admittedly staunch efforts yielded much pain and little gain. Gasping silently, Lano jabbed his hands into the nearby pail, sighing in relief as temperatures were brought to normalcy.

"You realise that the point of this exercise is to use the pain to fuel the speed necessary to avoid it. To that end….." Here Siu Wei casually tipped the bucket with the end of her staff. "We will not be needing this any further – although I applaud your ingenuity at trying to sidestep the Amaguriken." Almost to herself she added, "strange that nobody ever thought of doing that before."

Grunting in disapproval, the Korean ninja rolled the sleeves of his blue workman’s shirt a little higher, and reached into the bag for another handful.

**********

"No no Ranma, you are approaching this all wrong." Cologne was appreciative enough of her kohai’s resilience, but it was for the sake of his blistering palms that she finally intervened. "The Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken is a chi technique. You’re trying to seize those nuts on physical speed alone – and that is no where near fast enough. Use the words of the technique to focus the energy into your arms – concentrate on what the chi must do to hasten the speed and then………take the chestnuts."

Resisting the urge to peel away the loose skin on the inside of his hands, Ranma sat back on his heels to muse upon this. Speed – speed is of the essence here. His Mutsabeto Kakuto Ryu was a study on speed, amongst other factors – so theoretically (Ranma wasn’t much of a theorist) he needed only the mentality, fuelled with inner chi energy to make this work.

"Kachuu…….kachu Tenshin AMAGURIKEN!!" And lo, the pigtailed teenager held forth in his hand a lone chestnut – which he promptly discarded. "Kami….that’s HOT."

Cologne’s subliminally thin-lipped smile was her only evidence of approval. "In time calluses will develop which will help you to bear the heat. For the present – suffer."

Ranma took the advice without comment, though he did shoot a nasty look at Shampoo as she brightly reached for the dropped chestnut and delicately opened it. "Hmm, cook for too long." She gave the boy a friendly pat. "Next time take chestnut out a little faster, okay?"

"Thanks a lot for the tip, Shampoo." Ranma responded dryly.

Observing in partial silence, Cologne cut in. "If there is nothing else we shall leave you to practice – you have the form and needs be to only repeat it. I will be with Kagora in our house should you have any queries. When the violet haired girl failed to follow her example – instead remaining by her friend’s side, the elder commanded firmly, "Come with me as well Shampoo. Staying with your new love there is no excuse to shirk your own training."

Reluctantly the girl rose, leaving a perplexed Ranma, somewhat rattled by being referred to as 'love'. As the pair retreated, he could still catch Shampoo’s baby doll voice politely inquiring as to the meaning of ‘shirk’.

Now back on to the task at hand. Ranma turned once more to the fire, adding a few extra logs, and gently rearranging the burning ashes into a more convenient bed. At least now I know why Elder Cologne gave me a whole bag full of chestnuts.

Taking a deep breath, Ranma reached for the darkening kernels.

"KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!!……….KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!!!………KACHU………

And in the village proper several heads turned at the abrupt termination of the faintly ambient shouting. After several minutes when no screaming or unidentified explosions were forthcoming, work was resumed as normal – in Joketsuzoku it was too much trouble to investigate such petty issues.

Next to the gradually diminishing practice fire, one Shinkasa ninja trainee lay prone, peacefully comatose despite his awkwardly random collapsed position.

*********

Elsewhere, another dark haired teenaged boy was making his way down the winding trail that led to the village of Joketsuzoku. With the ease born of practice, Ukyou’s eyes scanned the local perimeter for unwanted assailants – rigorously assessing the multitude of cover spots offered by the dense foliage. Satisfied at last that there was no immediate danger, he proceeded along the widening trail. That was a good sign – an improvement in the road was a general indication that people were about.

In less than a minute, the forest opened up into an open plain, almost startling in its immediacy. And there before the boy stood a tensely alert woman – an Amazon if Shinkasa Maya’s verbal description of the Amazon battle garb proved accurate. Since there seemed little alternative than to be open, Ukyou stepped into clear view – flat hands held forth in parley.

Perfume studied the foreigner who had materialised out of the brush, with narrowed eyes. Acting on a guess she barked out in Japanese, "Who are you and what you want?"

The okonomiyaki chef was truthful in her reply. "My name is Kuonji Ukyou. I’m looking for a Saotome Ranma – I was told he might be found here – if this is the village Joketsuzoku." Left hanging was the query if he was right in naming the location.

The village border guardian either failed to comprehend the hint or was totally ignoring of it. "What you want here?"

Disliking the way the warrior seemed to eye the shorter figure down the bridge of her nose, Ukyou nonetheless reined in her temper – for the moment at least. "I’m here to see Ranma on a matter of family honour."

Now those kind of words Perfume understood very well – a matter of honour was either a challenge or some due unfulfilled obligation – either way it was bound to cause trouble for the outsiders. And since that is what Elder Tze Liang had commanded for, well………

"You may go through. But leave…." and here the guard pointed to the oversize spatula, glaringly obvious as it protruded from Ukyou’s shoulder holster, "....that weapon thing here. We do not allow no invited outsiders to bear arms within the premises."

As to be expected the brown haired teenager disliked the requirement to part with her beloved spatula – but it was admittedly not an unreasonable demand. "I will be able to get it back, right?"

"Of course. Ask anyone inside for directions, and most will be able to lead you to the right place."

Nodding once in understanding, the Japanese boy briskly jogged down the main road, thankful that the border guard had not noticed the bandolier of throwing spatulas he stored behind his outer shirt.

And from without, Perfume respectfully placed the giant spatula in a nearby storage shed. Scum of outsiders the boy may have been – but a weapon was a weapon – even if it was one of the weirder ones in her experience.

************

Across the sea in another nation – and more particularly, a certain Furinkan High School, the magnificent Kuno Tatewaki was mounting a table – it was hardly the gold guilded podium which would have been much more suitable for one of his station to be making such an announcement – but in this environ of peasants, it would suffice - if only barely.

"Hold ye all and hear mine words of proclamation!" Across the crowded playground there was a wavering murmur as several hundred members of the Tuesday lunch crowd turned to witness this unusual spectacle – unique even for Furinkan.

"It has come to mine attention that the beauteous Tendo Akane is expressively dissatisfied with the calibre of the studential body herein contained within these four walls." Here Kuno slowly scanned the crowd with a vehemently fierce stare, as if daring anyone to question the number of walls that the high school actually contained. "A pox on ye all….all who would claim the gender of manhood to have failed in such a grievous manner. I, as Kuno Tatewaki, sole male heir to the Kuno name, and Shooting Star of Furinkan High do seek to remedy this calamity - I declare that the privilege that until this day has been held singly by myself - the right to fight for the hand of Tendo Akane is hereby extended to any and all." The upperclassman had little faith in the general male populace to actually succeed in overcoming his warrior goddess - and even if by some sheer element of ill luck that some unworthy sod did defeat the Anything Goes heir - well Kuno had his ways to remedy such situations.

All the while, the subject of the Kuno heir's high praise sat immobile, chopsticks in mid transition to her mouth; transfixed by an overloading surge of emotions - confusion currently the dominant factor.

"For those of ye who have not the intelligence to grasp my concept," (this was his response to the myriad of semi-shocked stares that accompanied the words) "I may put it simply that you have my permission to challenge my goddess for the right to date her."

Now that kind of language was universally comprehended by the boys - and as one their gazes swivelled around to take personal assessment of the most kawaii girl in Furinkan High. Subversively aware of the sudden shift in attention, Akane cautiously lowered her bento box, and levelled deadly serious eyes upon the posturing Kendo Captain. "Kunnnooo……", she growled quietly, menacingly.

"Therein ends my proclamation - you have mine permission to return to your meagre daily affairs." And with that, Tatewaki proudly exited the playground in a flourish of pomp and bravado, leaving his beloved caught between half-bridled anger and perplexity.

"Tell me Yuka, what exactly has happened in the last twenty-five seconds?"

Cautiously taking note of the frequent concealed half glances that were shot their way, or more particular at the girl sitting beside her, Akane's companion whispered conspiratorially, "I think your good friend Upperclassman Kuno has just offered you up on the 'free market' so to speak."

The raven haired girl settled for a long, slow burn. "If those jerks think they can actually beat me for the right of a date - wellll……" Here she audibly cracked her knuckles for emphasis.

"Oh come off it Akane," Sayuri called from her seat. "The guys here aren't that stupid".

No - of course not.

***********

Hopping rapidly along her cane - which served for running to the old crone, Cologne arrived at the training field to discover a somewhat comatose Saotome Ranma. She wasn't particularly surprised by that - Kagora had been found thus when she had first trained him in the Chestnut fist, all those decades ago.

Like Master like pupil. Tenderly, the Amazon leader knelt and placed a gnarled hand upon the prone teenager's forehead - a flaring of chi the only sign of her work. When in short order Ranma returned to consciousness....well, the dried up, weathered visage of the aged crone was perhaps one of the less welcoming sights to open one's eyes to. Especially with the added realisation that he felt totally drained, with a migraine quality headache to boot.

"Well sonny boy, what have we learnt from this particular episode?"

"Huh?" The pigtailed ninja stared blearily up at his sensei. "Next time bring a packet of paracetamol."

"No!" She accompanied the admonishment with a sharp rap to his forehead, earning a muffled groan. "There is a limit to your energy - when you practice with it, time must be allowed to recover. This is not some punching exercise to be done repeatedly - try the Amaguriken once every fifteen minutes or so; and besides," she added, jabbing his open palm for emphasis, "it will save your hands a great deal of pain."

Biting back a grimace of pain, Ranma nodded glumly. "Hai sensei."

"That's better boy. Now, on to business. It seems that a person has arrived at our village who claims an acquaintance with yourself - no don't ask me who it is - I haven't met him or her yet. Kagora and your mother are waiting for you at the house." With that she dismissed her charge with a curt wave.

Mildly curious as to the abrupt interruption to the morning schedule, Ranma floated across the field to the now familiar five windowed abode. Standing patiently by the doorway were his two Shinkasa tutors. As was to be generally expected, Kagora took charge of the briefing. "Ranma, about fifteen minutes ago, a Japanese martial artist arrived at this very village seeking yourself. It seems that he has tracked this party all the way from Japan, with the express intention to settle a 'matter of honour' - or so he says."

Expressionless, the trainee noted the unexpected news without comment.

"He is awaiting you in the west training hall - that way." The ninja master pointed towards the indicated location. "Be cautious - for anyone to follow us all this way speaks of gravely serious intent…"

"And Ranma," Meyah cut in. "Bring steel". Still wordless, the raven haired ninja trainee reached behind and unbuttoned the clasp holding his katanas in place, rattling the blades slightly to guarantee a fluidly unhindered draw. Simultaneously the training bokkens were deposited into the awaiting hands of the swordmaster. The command to carry true weapons was most certainly a declaration of the reality of the situation.

"Well then, go forth - Daikoto has already been assigned to back you up should events fall awry."

"Hai sensei." Bowing once in deference, Ranma took off - not even bothering to circumvent the various buildings barring his way.

Seeing her son disappear from view, Meyah turned to her father and teacher. "That has to be one of the most uninformative of briefings I have ever heard you give."

Staring off into some unseen space, Kagora's reply was curt. "I wished for Ranma to face this first echo of his heritage and Saotome past without the tarnishing of my personal words."

"You said nothing of who this girl was - or even the fact that she is a girl."

The old father smiled bemusedly at that. "I would be most sorely disappointed in my kohai if he failed to notice that Kuonji Ukyou is a girl - and as for the rest, well, I think it best if Ranma discovers for himself the reasons for her upcoming challenge."

"Everything is a training exercise for you, Master Kagora." The barest of frowns marred Meyah's forehead. "I hope neither hurts each other too badly - or at least Ranma avoids injury."

"I think we needn't worry - I would be the most shocked of us all if anyone could injure any kohai of mine."

"Arrogance?" Meyah smirked - her father was not an arrogant man. In a rare show of affection she poked his arm teasingly.

"Hardly false pride, my daughter - only reality."

***********

Before entering the heavily constructed training hall, Ranma took a moment to retie his bandanna, centring the Shinkasa silver emblem on his forehead. Although aesthetics was probably one of the least concerns in his psyche, it wouldn't hurt to look the part of a shadow warrior - after all there was pride to be held in being a Shinkasa ninja - and to that end the tiger's head crest shone forth from the grey.

Taking one final deep breath, as well as a cursory nod towards where Kino Daikoto lay in waiting, the ninja trainee stepped into the brightly lit hall - in such daylight there was little point in attempting a stealthy entry.

***********

Kuonji Ukyou turned at the grating sound of sliding wooden rails to see a ruggedly handsome, broad shouldered boy of about his own age pushing open the main entrance doors. Studying the individual intently, he noted the style and colour of dress, the pigtail, and the barely noticeable line of a weapon's sheath hidden behind. Oh yes, this was definitely the despised Saotome Ranma, still recognisable after their long parting. Now was not the time to question the Anything Goes practitioner carrying of arms - no, he had something of much greater import to settle here and now.

"It's nice to finally meet you once more after all these years, Saotome Ranma - now…….I Challenge You!!" Without waiting for further formality, the Kuonji heir leapt forwards into a crouching battle stance.

A novice of the subtleties involved with socialising he may have been, but Ranma was never one to stutter at a loss for words (he just rarely chose to employ them). "It seems you already know my name - may I perhaps know yours?"

Snarling in fury, the chef promptly set into his enemy, opening with a dangerously fast hip sweep. How dare they! - both father and son to so casually discard the pain and dishonour they had inflicted upon a once thought of friend. To what had been a constant source of torment for the ponytailed boy - and Ranma had just so casually forgotten him.

And as if in expression of that casualness, the Shinkasa trainee effortlessly slid underneath the kick - rolling well out of harm's way. As of yet he had refrained from drawing weapons - opting to wait until after the assailant was identified. "Do we have a name yet?" His tone was half mocking - intent upon riling up the furiously attacking teenager.

Now of all times Ukyou fervently wished he had usage of the battle spatula. At least Saotome was making him mad. And the Kuonji heir was a superb fighter when he was mad. "Damn you Saotome - have you already forgotten your old Pal Ukyou?" As if to punctuate his point the chef let loose a vicious kick to the neck, which was neatly ducked under. "DAMN YOU RANMA!!" Further speech was cut off as in an abrupt reversal of tactics, Ranma surged into the offensive - scoring a neatly placed palm strike to the breastbone.

Frantically, Ukyou leapt backwards, clearing himself for some much needed breathing space, and hopefully preventing a follow up finishing move. He was mildly surprised when the pigtailed boy refrained from pressing his momentary advantage, instead stepping back and widening the already substantial gap between the fighters.

With slow, even deliberation Ranma reached behind, and soundlessly slid the black hilted katanas from their leather sheath. With a voice deadly fatalistic in its calm disquiet, the ninja trainee murmured, "An admirable attempt - your style is convincing enough to resemble my friend's - but there's one problem - in case you didn't notice - Kuonji Ukyou is a boy."

All that the chef could manage was a strangled "Hah?" before she was immediately forced to dodge as a katana blade cut mercilessly close to the space where her shoulder had previously occupied. And before she had time to recover from that, the other blade opened up a light slash across the thigh.

And all the while Ranma's mind was in a whirl. This girl must have met his old friend before to be duplicating the Kuonji martial style - and that led the imagination to decipher what this imposter might have done to good ol' Ucchan in the meantime. "Alright now miss - this isn't funny any more, who are YOU?"

Crikey, who ever said this was funny? Ukyou gasped as the katana point opened up another slash across her arm, realising then that this boy in black was only toying with her. That thought left her dreadfully afraid.

"Your name?" Both words were punctuated with an additional trio of cuts. Prowling catlike, Ranma's unblinking eyes tracked her movements in eerily endless consistency.

"I told you already, I'm Kuonji Ukyou!" Thoughts of revenge were well out of her mind now - she would have been more than grateful to get out of this fix relatively unscathed.

"Name?" Slash. Ranma was almost clinical in his precision - this intruder had something to do with Ukyou - and he was definitely gonna find out.

Dammit dammit dammit dammit….. This definitely was not going well. She had to get past those katanas - but without her battle spatula…..wait….

Wildly throwing a wide arcing punch, the okonomiyaki chef lightly danced across the heavy wooden wall of the training hall, and bouncing into the corner. But the pigtailed boy had already whirled into position and was speeding forward into striking range. Left without the distance she needed, and absolutely no time to prepare, the Kuonji girl violently snatched at the hidden bandolier - very nearly shredding her overshirt as she pulled out a mini spatula for a last ditch chance. The hated Saotome was much too close for throwing - but a token resistance was better than lying helpless……

And like a freeze in a motion picture, the world seemed to halt - teetering on a breath held in anticipation. From half closed eyes Ukyou peered at the razor point which was within a centimetre of slicing her forehead open. But Ranma's gaze was elsewhere, upon the dully glinting tool clasped in her right hand. A spatula. A mini-spatula - just like the ones that belong to…..

"Ucchan?" Tentatively, the Shinkasa trainee pulled his katana away, eyes slowly shifting to take stock of the crouching girl before him. No, wait a moment a girl? That wasn't right. "You're a girl?"

Still recovering from the shock of bracing for yet another painful slash, the chef was slow to respond to her enemy's mystified query. Quickly though, she stumbled clumsily to her feet, valiantly trying to reattain a semblance of poise. The half-dozen or so dripping cuts threatened to undermine the attempt. "Yeah sugar" she almost spat, "Nice to know your memory isn't totally wasted." But despite her angrily defiant glare, the brown haired girl's lower lip was trembling - she was all too aware that this strange fighter dressed in jet black could have easily disembowelled her (or worse) at any stage - that her life existed only because he had chosen not to take it. Ukyou liked not the thought of this boy, or anyone having that much control over her fate.

Ranma wasn't faring much better - for now that the adrenaline of battle was finally depleted the pigtailed teenager was left with the disconcerting realisation that he may have been cutting up his old friend - not to mention that he was a She. Fancy that - all that time they spent together and he was really a girl.....all that time......all that...."Gyahhh! You mean all that time we spent together you were a girl?"

"Don't you have anything better to talk about you jackass?"

"Ucchan….."

"Don't you DARE call me that!" the furious girl shot back. "After what you did to me you have no right to call me that."

Katanas still clutched in both hands, Ranma raised his arms in protest. "You don't understand, the Ucc..uh Kuonji Ukyou I know was definitely a boy."

Frowning in disbelief, the ponytailed girl gave what would have been her best 'I'm not taking any of this crap' look. "Even you can think of a better excuse than that."

"Excuse? Excuse for what?" her long time enemy's baffled expression was so innocent as to almost have her convinced of its authenticity.

"For not marrying me of course!"

"Huh? Why would I marry a boy…..ohh….ah…." Kami-sama this was turning into a headache. Abruptly aware of the inappropriateness of his stance, Ranma delicately placed his weapons upon the floor. "Okay, can you take it from my perspective that I have no idea why you're here - and for that matter why you were trying to kill me?" This was hardly the atmosphere for the reunion he had imagined.

Still bearing that suspicious stare, the Kuonji heir decided to take this ninja's apparent ignorance at face value. If Ranma was indeed lying - it was certainly a convincing enough act to fool her. "Okay Ranma, I'll believe you for the moment - but if you're having me on…….." Actually she had no idea what she would have done.

"Here wait a moment." Almost unthinkingly, the amateur healer pulled out a cloth handkerchief and, padding closer, delicately daubed away the various lines of blood that still flowed from the fresh sword cuts.

Caught off guard, Ukyou was hit by a momentary instant of panic as her most hated adversary landed well within touching distance. Forcing herself to breathe evenly, she forcibly relaxed - reminding herself that Ranma wouldn't have gone to this much trouble to dispose of her, helped considerably. Actually, his feather light touch was comforting in an odd manner - even despite the sting of the razor thin slices to her flesh. Trying to sound casual she broke the silence with a question. "Anyway, how did you know I was a girl from the start?"

Looking up from his work, Ranma peered at her confusedly. "It was kinda obvious you weren't a boy."

"What, is my disguise so bad? It's fooled everyone before you for years now."

Musing upon that, the ninja trainee was forced to agree. "I guess that without my training you'd really look like a guy."

"Hey now, what's that supposed to mean?" Ukyou wasn't entirely sure whether that was supposed to be derogatory.

"Nuthin. Nuthin. Look here, how about we see my Mom and get these cuts fixed up first? Then we can sort all this out later." Less than five minutes into their first proper conversation and already Ranma was feeling the strains of conversing with a girl.

Shrugging nonchalantly, Ukyou gestured for her rival to lead the way.

***********

"Shampoo thought she already told Mousse to leave her alone."

"Shampoo, who was that, that outsider with you?" The object of the Amazon girl's ire chose to ignore her command for the moment, though in any case it made little difference since Xian Pu had already turned and left the blind martial artist.

Being blind, it took Mousse several long seconds of silence to realise that his love was noticeably absent (and thus unable to answer his query). "Shampoo? Shampuuuu!"

And unfortunately for the addressed individual, the Master of Hidden Weapons possessed an uncanny ability to track down his beloved. "Why won't you answer me Shampoo? What has that outsider done to you?"

Unluckily for me - absolutely nothing - yet. Of course she refrained from antagonising the pesky boy by saying that outright - still….."Handsome boy is Saotome Ranma - he staying nice and cosy rrriiight next to Shampoo when she sleep....."

"WHATTT???" And that was effectively that - as Mousse was instantaneously engaged in the rather pressing business of hunting down this Saotome Ranma and presumably killing him. Sighing forlornly, the Amazon girl flicked back her purple tresses, hoping that her beloved would be alright - although if he was anywhere near as good as previously displayed, there would be little problem.

***********

"My, your 'matter of honour' must have been quite an active affair," Meyah commented mildly as she took stock of her new patient's injuries, before delicately administering cloth binders to dress the milder cuts.

Reeling from the recent ordeal of battle, Ukyou was still somewhat distrustful of the entire idea that the mother of a boy she had recently tried to beat up would be on amiable terms - a fact that she openly admitted to the healer.

Smiling at the girl genially, Meyah merely offered, "Well, you can consider it from the perspective that if we really intended you harm - you’d probably be dead by now."

Ukyou couldn't hide a dark frown as she was reminded of the apparent ineffectiveness of her attack upon this latest Saotome. After all, it was galling in the extreme that after all these years of fierce training she could be rendered so.........ineffective.

"It just goes to show you."

The chef blushed at the thought that this lady might be reading her mind. "How so?"

"You think you know a person so very well - and then one day he goes and does something totally unexpected." Meyah paused to dab some ointment before continuing, earning a wince of pain. "Did you happen to know that Ranma despite all the training we put him through, still has a bit of a problem hitting girls?"

Her frown returning once more, Ukyou huffed at that. "Could have fooled me."

"Yes, well he fooled me too." And with a final dab, the Shinkasa healer was done. "There, well - you can go and talk to Ranma now - presumably he’s still waiting outside."

Shakily dismounting the work bed, the brown haired girl gave her thanks and shambled out of the room, pausing only to retrieve her bandolier - for some reason unknown to her, no one had made any effort to remove the mini-spatulas held within. And true to Meyah’s words, her former object of hate was impatiently pacing back and forth along the walkway outside. Even with his back turned, Ranma noticed her presence. "Ucchan..."

"I told you not to call me that."

Reaching back to rub behind his head, the pigtailed boy hastily apologised, leaving an uncomfortable silence between the pair. Turning to gaze at her, Ranma took a moment to see his long lost friend. As was to be expected, Ukyou had grown and matured considerably from their last meeting. But now in the calm he could clearly see the signs that marked good ol' Ucchan - the seemingly ever present twinkling in her deep brown eyes, the simple ponytail now reaching well down her slender frame, and her fun, easy going nature. Well, there wasn't much of that last feature remaining - but considering whatever must have happened to so drastically alter their friendship..........

"Soo, I guess you’d be wanting an explanation about now, right sugar?" For the first time in nearly four years, the Kuonji heir spoke in her true ‘girl’s’ voice - a change that was not without effect upon her companion.

With an outstretched finger, Ranma pointed towards a semi-enclosed grove of trees. "Elder Cologne told me we can speak there in privacy if you want."

Shrugging indifferently, Ukyou nodded her acceptance, and together the past friends slowly made their way. "I suppose you’d be wondering why I tried to challenge you to a duel of honour."

"Yeah, that would be a good place to start."

Looking towards the taller boy, she took a preparatory deep breath before beginning. "Well......remember back when we were little, just before you left Kyoto?" At his dubious nod she continued. "Well, the morning before that I approached my father and asked him if he could petition for us to get married."

The ninja trainee's reaction was poignant to say the least. "Huh? Are you crazy?"

A little annoyed, Ukyou answered, "Ranma, we were only kids. I had more fun in those few weeks with you that I had ever had in my life - even if it hadn’t been going for very long. And so I read somewhere that when people wanted to stay with each other forever, they got married - I just wanted to be able to play with you every day from then on, is all."

"Sheesh." Despite his disbelief, the ninja trainee had to admit that the idea was plausible - in a weird sort of kiddie sense.

"Anyway, that doesn’t really matter. What counts is that my father agreed to it - I guess he saw you as potentially very good husband material, and he approached your Dad with the offer. According to what father told me, Saotome Genma was rather leery of the proposal - that is, until our family’s yattai was offered as dowry." Ukyou’s jaw tightened ever so slightly at that.

"Oh yeah, I remembered your yattai. Always wondered why we took it.....with.......us........Oh God no."

"Exactly - your father agreed heartily to the marriage, and the next day, took his dowry. Only trouble is he forgot the bride - and that brings me to one of two things I have wanted to ask you all this time. When you and your Dad were running away, I was chasing after yelling at you to stop. If you weren’t in on the whole scam, why didn’t you stop for me?"

Raising his hands in defence, Ranma backed up. "Hey now wait a moment. I wasn’t runnin’ nowhere....yah I mean I was not running anywhere - Dad was the one carrying the yattai with me on top. And besides - I thought you were waving goodbye to us."

"I was crying, Ranma!" The admission came with difficulty - in her male lifestyle, Ukyou wasn’t accustomed to admitting to such - ‘girly’ habits.

"Well you know - it could have been you just feeling a little upset that we were parting. I know I was." At her sceptical glare, he waved his arms frantically. "Oh come on Ucc...kyou! It’s plausible isn’t it?"

She sniffed reluctantly. "I guess so. Although I don’t have to like it. I’ve been through hell because of what happened that day."

"Uhhh, how so?" Ranma wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer.

"Ranma, do you know what it’s like for a girl to be rejected like that? It was goddamned awful having to live with all the residue of what you and your father did. When word got out, I was ostracised for months - people thought there was something wrong with me - that somehow I was mentally unfit to be anyone’s wife. Even the other kids at school....well let’s just say that I’d rather forget that part. It’s what made it so much better to change genders. Life became at least tolerable."

"You....you became a guy because people were teasing you?"

"No I became a boy because everyone was teasing me, or giving strange looks, or whispering too loudly behind my back. Kami above Ranma, even my own father used to make all these snide comments about ‘oh Ukyou, if only you were a boy’, or ‘I’m sure a son would never have so disgraced our Clan’. You’d understand if you ever have the whole world isolating you."

Sombrely, the pigtailed trainee murmured, "You never know Ukyou, that might turn out one day. In my profession we’ve been warned about that happening."

"Yeah - Ranma the ninja. That's the second thing I wanted to ask about - you’ve still to tell me about that one, and also why you keep staring at me funny."

Sheepishly, Ranma snapped his gaze away. "I’m still not used to you being a girl Ukyou - I mean come on - all that time - I shared things with you I’d never have told a girl."

"Oh?" she said, an evilish gleam lighting her eyes as she considered the myriad of topics discussed all those years back. "Like when you told me about the time you caught yourself in your fly?"

Blushing furiously, Ranma's reply was a half mumbled, "If you were a guy you'd understand."

"I'm not a guy, and I did understand honey."

An uncomfortable silence developed between the pair, before Ukyou finally said. "So how did you figure out that I was a girl the first time?"

Relieved of the tension for the moment, Ranma was quick to settle down in familiar territory. With an offhand gesture, he pointed to the centre of her throat. "Guys have a lump there, called the Adam’s apple. I learnt that in the lessons on anatomy."

Unconsciously, Ukyou reached up to feel for – or rather the absence of the so called lump. All these years of successfully concealing her gender – and this boy hadn’t been fooled for a second. Returning to the subject at hand, she continued, "What were those lessons for? – one thousand and one ways to kill your opponent silently?"

Indifferently, Ranma shrugged. "Yeah something like that. Anyhow all Shinkasa trainees are given a basic grounding on the human body – and that’s one of the first signs we check for on any potential gender bender......ahh no offence." Standing back, the pigtailed teenager eyed his friend speculatively. "You were pretty good at hiding your, ya know - girl stuff."

"I guess so - although these past few years its gotten to be a bloody pain - what with having to tie back my......." and suddenly the okonomiyaki chef remembered who she was talking to and moreover he was a boy. "Uhhhh........." she waved a hand in the very general vicinity of her chest area.

Ranma coughed uncomfortably. "I g-get the idea Ukyou." A strained silence developed between the pair, before he hesitantly added, "Well you know - it’s not like you have to hide anything now." Under her mildly curious stare, his confidence abruptly wilted. "Errm I meant you wouldn't be fooling anybody here with the guy clothes."

"Thanks sugar," her tone was decidedly dubious. "But I’m kinda used to the look these days. It wouldn’t feel.....right otherwise."

Shuffling uneasily, the ninja trainee's mind raced furiously for yet another change of subject. This conversation was turning into a potted minefield. Fortunately (or perhaps otherwise) he was saved any further effort as internal senses suddenly flared warningly in alarm. Ukyou for her part was caught totally off guard as she was encompassed by a sweeping arm, and carried bodily off to one side. And before she could question her companion's motives, or even voice a complaint, a long and wickedly sharp spearhead landed with a resounding *Thunk!* through the tree stump she had been previously using for a seat.

"Saotome Ranma?" Mousse addressed the girl, seemingly unaware that she was a she, and in addition currently held in the arms of another.

Delicately, Ranma lowered his somewhat breathless armload to her feet, answering for them both. "About five centimetres to the left and you'd be talking to him."

"Adjusting his gaze (although in reality it was more for effect than any real vision improvement), the Amazon angled his other spear aggressively. "So you're Saotome Ranma?"

Smirking, the ninja replied. "Last time I checked. And you might be......" The answer was not forthcoming as the pigtailed boy was forced to sidestep a savage spear thrust. Slipping past the long armed weapon's range, Ranma twisted the haft, forcing his opponent to relinquish possession of it. Taking a moment to discard the heavy tool, he was thus nearly caught flat footed when from seemingly out of nowhere, Mousse pulled forth a curved slamanca, slashing for the neck in a narrow arc. Gasping as the massive blade cut air less than an inch from his nose, Ranma tipped over in a reverse somersault, fervently glad that he had neglected to remove his weapons after the recent duel. Cursing his poor reaction to the discovery that this mysterious assailant apparently knew Kagora's hidden weapons technique, the ninja trainee continued to twist gracefully into a full roll. Drawing both katanas during flight, he was thus well armed by the time the world was in correct orientation.

Taking advantage of his heavier weapon, Mousse attacked with a relatively straightforward series of overhead smashes, as if to literally club his opponent's defence into submission. He got no further than the third strike before the slamanca was deftly turned aside and the irritating boy in black stepped into his guard.

Staring the long haired Amazon directly in the eyes, Ranma pressed bodily against the taller boy - his katana sandwiched lengthwise between them. Mousse's eyes widened in abject shock as the razor edge began to bite a clean gash just below his ribs - the stinging pain shortly eclipsed by a far more agonising wrench as Ranma followed through with a vicious knee to the groin. Collapsing in a haze, the Amazon boy was thankfully relieved of consciousness as the ninja jabbed as before for the carotid artery.

Standing transfixed, Ukyou observed as her companion methodically wiped his blade clean on the currently slumbering opponent. Taking a deep calming breath, she murmured, "I can't believe you actually did that."

"Hmm?" Ranma looked up from where he was re-sheathing the precious blades. "Did what?"

Up till half an hour ago, the okonomiyaki chef had been a boy - and well did she know that one golden no-go zone. "Kneed him in the bloody nuts of course. I can't believe you would do something so..so...."

"Dishonourly?" The boy in black gazed at her humourlessly. "Our anonymous friend should have guarded his weak spot.....err spots more carefully. We can see what happens to those who rely on honour to protect their privates."

Ukyou was positive that if she had been similarly equipped (thank God for small mercies) she'd be currently keeping her legs well and truly crossed. "My God that musta hurt."

"Does it really matter? - I'd best report to Elder Cologne and tell her about this."

Walking away together, the pair left the glade - their eyes open for any old humanoid of less that 4 feet stature.

*********

Elsewhere, a certain misguidedly lost boy was crouching furtively - hands protectively cradling a scroll gained several hours earlier. Here it was - his first lesson - a way to harness chi. Maybe then, just maybe Akane would take notice of him, and see him seriously as a proper challenge.

It was sheer pot luck that he had attained the document - a chance encounter with an elderly coal miner, in an abandoned well (he still had no idea how he managed to get there) - and behold. Perhaps it was a divine sign that things would be looking up for now. Looking up, Ryouga noticed for the first time that the various street signs and advertisement boards were universally in English.

Then again maybe not, he considered sourly.

Tossing that thought aside for the moment, the bandanna boy dumped his pack off to the side - it was getting too late to find Nerima, and it would be best to make good use of the fading light before one had to rely upon the public park lighting. Reverently, Ryouga unfurled the tattered paper, silently mouthing the boldly inscribed words proclaiming the title.

**********

On their way back to the house, the Japanese pair were met by a worried and somewhat breathless Shampoo. Blushing slightly, Ranma absently wondered at the curious property of this bouncy girl - her ability to turn everyday acts into a generous helping of sexy 'kawaiiness'. Forcefully taking his eyes off her heaving bosom, he hesitantly inquired, "Errrr, is there something wrong, Shampoo?"

With genuine concern, the lavender haired girl held on to arm of the shuffling boy. "Is Ranma okay? Tried to find you before stupid Mousse get to you."

And in the background, Ukyou blinked in confusion at the odd statement. Stupid mousse?

Attempting to trivialise the matter to soothe her worry (and perhaps stop her from insistently rubbing against him), Ranma shrugged non-committedly. "I take it Mousse is a long haired guy in white robes? We kinda left him in a heap back there." He pointed in the general direction of the glade.

Drawn to his usage of 'we', Shampoo seemed to notice the other girl for the first time. "Who you?" Shampoo needed a few critical seconds to decide how this newcomer girl fit into the grander scheme of things (ie. friend or obstacle).

Hastily interceding, Ranma's tone was decidedly apologetic. "Sorry I should have introduced you. Shampoo, this is an old friend of mine - Kuonji Ukyou. Ukyou, I'm staying in Shampoo's house."

Oh well, the tomboyish girl seemed amiable enough - and more critically there was only the standard issue formal friendship between her and the pigtailed boy. Brightly, the Amazon champion bowed, happy to meet any friend of her beloved. "Would stay to talk, but Great Grandmother grow angry if Shampoo not train." Smiling sweetly at the other, she took off down toward the western training grounds, in a cloud of enthusiasm.

"Soo......" Ukyou began, still reeling in the aura of the universally happy girl's virtually instantaneous departure. "Her name's Shampoo?"

"Don't bother asking - they all tend to go for weird names around here."

His discomfort was not lost upon the Kuonji heir. "Are you two.....like you know......" Here she hooked her little fingers together in a lover's knot.

"Hah?" Caught in the limelight, he reacted surprisingly well. "No, I'd like to say not - though it's hard to tell whether it's the culture thing over here - but the impression that I get is that Shampoo-san wouldn't mind having it that way." He pointedly refrained from depicting their first meeting the previous night.

"That's putting it mildly - she'd need neon lights to make a bigger 'come hither' signal."

"I'm sure my great grand daughter would be positively thrilled to hear that," a voice commented dryly from behind.

Ukyou squeaked in fright as an ear splitting crack resounded less than a foot away. Whirling in the combined shock of finding an Elder in close proximity, and the unexpected sound from Ranma, she turned to see the pigtailed boy crouching on all fours - predatory eyes scanning the area for danger.

"Get off the ground Ranma, it's only little old me - although if I knew that surprising you would get such excellent speed results, it would have been integrated as part of training." Cologne eyed her student curiously. Less than a day's worth of practice and the boy had already utterly smashed the sound barrier.

Huffing breathlessly from the adrenaline surge, Ranma picked himself up from the odd battle crouch and bowed formally. "How did you get so close to me?" Previously that had been a skill associated solely with his two primary sensei's.

"Would you believe me if I said that your Master Kagora taught me the knack?" She waved off the proposal. "In any case you are behind in your training already. Siu Wei will be waiting for you to report for weapons and balance practice." At her kohai's uncertain look towards Ukyou, she added brusquely. "No need to worry - I'll look after your little friend here."

"Hai sensei." With another bow and a farewell glance to his companion, the ninja trainee sped easily off in the indicated direction. He knew better than to consider arguing a point with Elder Cologne.

"So my dear, what are your plans now?" the withered crone inquired in the wake of the boy's departure.

"Huh?" Actually Ukyou had never really considered that far ahead, and said as much.

"Well before you make any far fleeting plans, you ought to know that Ranma has already petitioned to myself and his masters for permission to allow you to stay with us - for which the Shinkasa Clan will take responsibility."

Wonderingly, Ukyou reached up to finger a stray lock of hair. "I didn't think........I didn't think Ranchan......." She trailed off - seemingly unaware of her usage of his pet name.

"Yes well I wouldn’t have thought so either - considering the way you've treated him so far - but let the Gods decide as they will - and teenager minds will continue to mystify me." Pausing, Cologne used her staff to halt their passage. "Consider this a payment of debt to the Shinkasa and not any particular favour towards yourself that I have decided to grant Ranma's request. Frankly as far as I can see your presence will cause nought but disruption to my own plans - but then Kagora and Meyah's wishes mean a great deal to me."

Reigning in her anger at the old lady's openly blasé display of rejection, Ukyou tonelessly answered. "I didn't ask for anyone's pity. When my business here is done I'll return to Japan."

Eyes twinkling, Cologne could nearly have laughed (if it wasn't so un-matriarchly to do so). "IF your business is ever done hah! Young pride - so strong and yet so blindly foolish. I have yet to ask my student how your duel was so abruptly terminated - but count yourself lucky he didn't gut you from head to toe."

Shivering reflexively, Ukyou was reminded of that cold yet so very much alive touch of razor sharp steel. And even then she found it difficult to conceptualise the Ranchan she had known as a little girl being so ruthless. But then again ten years was long enough to change anyone - on some of the worst nights she had dreamed of performing such an act. Filing that cautionary note away, she returned to the matter at hand. "What do you propose I do then?"

"Do?" The pair resumed their regular pacing. "Do as you see fit. But remember three things above all else - firstly that the people you are dealing with are not martial artists, secondly that any crimes you commit within our borders should you stay will be laid upon the heads of the Shinkasa, and finally that Ranma has the good faith to lay the trust of his Clan upon your shoulders. Now be off - I have no more time to waste." And with that Cologne was off, pogoing away to leave the Kuonji heir to her thoughts.

***********

"Taidammmaaaa." Akane groaned wearily as she stepped into the Tendo abode.

"Why hello Akane." Kasumi called brightly from the living room. "I'm just out on my way to extension class - is there anything I can get for you on the way back?"

"Thanks a lot but I'm fine, oneechan." The youngest daughter ambiently wondered how it was possible for anyone to be able to juggle the housework, school and still maintain a faultlessly bright and cheery demeanour. Especially considering that Kasumi was in her final high school year - with the assessments and exams bombarding from all directions. And she gets top marks for everything, AND all the good boys like her. It seemed readily impossible for that much goodness to be placed upon one person.

"Oh well, anyway dinner will be a little later than usual - but Mr Saotome is cooking tonight. I'll be studying after class with a few friends."

"Marvellous - it looks like fish stew tonight." Unfortunately or otherwise her sarcasm was totally lost on the radiant girl.

"Yes, Mr Saotome's cooking has improved a little - if not the variety. Oh My! I have to get going - bye bye then Akane." Hastily Kasumi gathered up her remaining text books.

"Bye oneechan." Hmpf. Why don’t they let me cook dinner for a change? Dropping the idea, lest it worsened her already frayed temper, Akane headed off to the dojo, where presumably her father and his old time friend would be finishing off with the last martial arts class for the afternoon. In the past few days, both Anything Goes teachers had taken to permanently dual training the Mutsabeto Kakuto heir on a daily basis - although for Soun it was more a test of his ability to hold back tears at the oftime rough regimen Akane willingly subjected herself to. On the positive side the teenager could even feel within herself the dramatic improvement which the concerted efforts of both the men would eventually bring forth.

With the strength training more than fulfilled by the routine bouts with Ryouga (and incidentally Akane hadn't seen him around for a week or two), it fell to the official Anything goes sensei to accelerate her speed work up to the same level. And although Genma would rarely if ever admit it to his protege, he was impressed by the youngest Tendo's general aptitude for the adoption of new forms and techniques. Already they were working on harnessing chi to superpower some of the faster moves. And outside of training time she could always be relied upon to train like any proper martial artist.

All this from a mere girl...ohhh Nodoka you would be so proud of my teaching skills. Then the thought returned of their son - hmmm maybe not.

"Akane," Nabiki called from the main house. "I have another letter from the council complaining about the damage you do to the local fencing by continually running atop the wiring every morning."

"Nonsense Akane, a martial artist must take EVERY opportunity to train - such petty costs are as nothing."

"Uh yes Mr Saotome," the teenaged girl replied uncertainly, "Could we start training now?"

"Of course. Now then, assume crane stance - we're going to add some proper accuracy to your iron fist punches."

*********

Bustling merrily about the kitchen, Shampoo applied the finishing touches to the dishes that would serve as tonight's dinner for the family. With the addition of two houseguests, Kwai Lien had required the additional culinary services of his daughter to have the table set punctually.

"Easy with the pepper Shampoo - we don't want our diners to be choking for the remainder of the night."

"Hai father." True to his command the lavender haired girl delicately tossed a pinch upon the chicken dish. There. Perfect. Sighing in abject contentment, she stepped into the lounge room for a breather, and a chance to contemplate.

Things were apparently going well. As were her plans, she had given her beloved a minor, and therefore more enticing feel of what was on offer - now was the time to get personal. She wanted to find out everything Ranma both liked and disliked - his personality, his wishes - everything. And lo if not for better timing than should his best friend turn up out of the blue. This Kuonji girl seemed to be a nice enough character, at least as far as the 30 seconds of conversation revealed. And more importantly Ukyou was in the position to divulge any critical juicy secrets that would help Shampoo draw herself closer to the still mysterious boy in black.

Oh yes, things were definitely going well.

*********

"Ranchan?"  

The addressed boy glanced up curiously at the tentative voice. Inwardly he was smiling at the familiar diminutive to his name. "Yes Ucchan - I take it I can call you that now?"

Blushing in the memory of her past open repulsion to that name, she timidly nodded yes. "I just wanted to ask you something..........why?"

He was innately aware of the meaning of her generic request. Letting out a quiet sigh, he reached into a hidden belt sash and delicately pulled out a smallish metallic object. Ukyou's eyes widened a little in immediate recognition.

"Remember this Ucchan?" Held forth in his outstretched hand was a steel spatula, laboriously etched with a somewhat clumsy set of kanji symbols.

"Ya of course I do." She paused in recollection of the several hours spent hammering out their names. "I didn't think you'd keep it for all this time."

"It was your mini-spatulas that told me that you were really Kuonji Ukyou back in our fight." He smirked in recollection. "Like I said when we were little - nobody else would be dumb enough to raid their kitchen drawer for weapons. Anyway, in answer to your question - this is kinda why."

Silently, the okonomiyaki chef awaited further explanation.

Shrugging nonchalantly Ranma murmured, "I don't have many friends, even within the clan. Oh there's always Lano - you haven’t met him yet - and he's always been a very good buddy and one to be relied on. But ya know, I always wanted more than just one friend."

"I understand the feeling honey. Back in Kyoto I had friends. But with my........problem they always had to be guy friends. It was..........difficult." She smiled sympathetically.

"So, will you stay?"

Turning to face him in the fading afternoon light, she seemed to freeze as if in last minute consideration.

"Yes.....yes I think I will. There's no reason for me to be hurrying back." Left unsaid was the fact that she still had no way to admit to her father about the 'failure' to redeem honour.

With one of his rare genuine smiles, Ranma playfully nudged her. "Well then - we'd better be heading back - dinner ought to be out soon."

"Sounds like you alright - stomach first, brains later."

As one, the pair dashed back to the brightly lit five windowed house.

**********

Within the space of minutes the issue of one Mu Tzu had been established and promptly discarded. Cologne had required only the words 'Hidden weapons' and 'spectacles' to positively ascertain the identity of Ranma's attacker. With the promise to see to the matter further the following day, the family settled down for the affair (and in Ranma's opinion rather more important) of dinner.

"My, Shampoo, Kwai Lien san, you've certainly outdone yourselves. That was a fine meal." Kagora had chosen to dine with his kohai for this night - and based on food alone it proved to be a wise choice.

"My thanks Master Kagora." The purple haired girl echoed her father's words with a gentle nod.

"Now then - it is growing late, and fine young warriors should be heading for bed." Cologne's tone was only mildly mocking. In truth she half-expected a certain 'young warrior' would be up for a few hours more at least. True to her assumptions, Ranma arose, and politely submitted his request for a nightly solo training session.

"Yes yes Ranma, but recall that you retain sufficient energy for chi practice tomorrow."

"Hai sensei," and with the minimum of fuss, the pigtailed boy was out of the house - still suitably attired in raven's black.

"No Shampoo, you may not follow," Cologne firmly stated before her heir could even draw breath to voice the question. "As Master Kagora informs me, these sessions are a somewhat private affair for the boy. You'll only antagonise him if you tag along."

Reluctantly, the Amazon gave in - and mechanically began the process of gathering the array of used crockery and toting them to the kitchen where Kwai Lien had already begun to wash. Left more or less to her own, Ukyou continued to stare inquisitively after the recent departure of her old friend.

"Something ailing you my dear?"

Startled back to the present, Ukyou turned to face the elderly matriarch. "No not really, Elder - just reminded of Rancha.....ah I mean Ranma's fighting style."

"How so?" That offhand statement had drawn the attention of the Shinkasa master.

"I'm not sure - I mean already I've seen him in battle form at least three times - and each time.........." Puzzled at her own words she shook her head as if to clear it. "I remember a little of how he used to fight back when we were kids - now it's......strange. I don’t really know how else to put it." She gazed evenly back at the two adults, as if to gauge their motives. "Like how he always seems to crouch on all fours when startled. It looked...weird." Shrugging she laughed. "I guess I sound kinda weird myself, rambling on like that."

"No, never that. Why don't you head off to bed? I expect it was a long day for you - and those cuts need to heal." The ninja master waved in the general direction of the stairway.

Bowing once to both, Ukyou repeated her thanks and bade them goodnight. Even after her long discussions with Ranma she still had much to dwell upon.

For several minutes silence dominated the room, now devoid of all save for the two masters of the art. "So Kagora up for a spar or three tonight?"

"Hmm?" The old Shinkasa ninja gazed at his mentor in mildly mocking amusement. "Sparring - yes. A savage beating - unfortunately no. I'm getting too old to play practice dummy to overstressed Amazon matriarchs." He neatly avoided the resultant swipe from the gnarled walking cane - rolling expertly under the table to the other side.

"Watch your tongue Kagora - Shinkasa master or otherwise, you are still my student and I'd be more than willing to wallop some manners into you." Her glinting eyes took some of the sting out of the admonishment.

"Come then, let us spar - and I'll offer you ample opportunity." He openly gestured for the doorway.

As one, the pair stepped into the chilled night air - the diminutively stunted crone presenting a play of contrasts with the tall, rangy ninja master.

*********

"Heya Ranma - thought you mightn't show up." Lano was apparently as cheery as ever this night.

"And miss our match? That I would never." Bemusedly, the pigtailed boy raised a burned hand. "I see we all started speed training today." He stared pointedly at the Korean's similarly bandaged palms.

Lano grinned impishly at that. "Wasn't sure if you'd have the time to train - what with all your extra-curricular activities."

Eyes narrowing suspiciously, his friend's reply was curt. "Okay I'll bite. What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh I don't know......" the heavy set fighter tried to look innocent and failed miserably. "But I'm sure it begins with Sham and definitely ends in Pu."

"That's it - we're sparring now."

"Awwww come on, Ranma! What happened? I saw the way she was hanging off you last night. You can't tell me you just slept." Lano was fairly whining in protest.

"I'm not saying anything and we came here to practice so shaddup." As if to emphasise the point, the ninja trainee crouched into a standard attack stance.

"No way are you going to dodge the issue. I swear if you are too scared to do anything - and miss this ultimate-golden opportunity with the ultimate babe of babes I might add - I might just take your personal plight into hand personall.......HEY!" The last was a half protest at a sidelong swipe which stopped about three centimetres short of flooring the Korean.

Before the conflict could develop into one of the choicer Ranma/Lano brawls, the pair were duly interrupted by a polite cough. Whirling in unison, both turned to discover a certain pair of sensei, silently observing the exchange.

"It seems we have chosen the same field in which to spar." Kagora's tone was deceptively mild, but his expression revealed none of what he might have learned a moment ago.

Lano had the decency to blush, and the integrity to wonder how much of their conversation (or rather his speech) had been overheard. "Uhh......sensei's." He bowed in greeting. "Did you want to use this area? We can always find somewhere else."

"No no my boy," Cologne cut in, "Stay awhile - I never minded an audience in a good fight."

"Always the exhibitionist, eh Cologne?"

"That will cost you Kagora." In a warping of physical geometry that almost hurt the eyes to witness, she reached into a robe sleeve, and slowly extracted a mighty six foot staff topped by an evilly gleaming rake head.

"Oh.....my," murmured a rather awe struck Ranma. That was surely going to hurt. He wasn't particularly surprised therefore when his own master unsheathed a pair of kodachi - moulded from real steel as opposed to the wood he habitually used in training.

"Is this a sparring match or a death duel?" Lano seemed unaware that he had openly voiced his thoughts.

"I will be very displeased in either myself or Kagora if either one of us manages to land a proper blow. And now then........." She took a single step back, and before startled spectators, the two erupted into a flurry of combat.

**********

Several hundred metres away, Swordmaster Meyah shifted into awareness from where she had been making herself comfortable in bed. Smiling to herself, she traced the familiar patterns of chi not felt for at least a dozen years. I knew it wouldn't be long before Elder Cologne sought to test her former student once more. Thinking no more of it, the part time healer rolled over once more and attempted to isolate her mind from the distracting flares of living energy.

***********

"Kami........sama." This wasn't ninja fighting - this was.......... Actually Ranma hadn't fully decided what it was.

*Slap!*......*Clang*..........*TwackClackPingSlapClapBang..............

Both ninja trainees were staring somewhat dumbfounded at the admittedly almost supernatural sight of two of the world's greatest combatants 'duking' it out on the moist soil. Blows and parries were traded evenly - and this might have been considered a normal duel, save for the fact that the pace was incredibly accelerated.

Reversing a full armed swing from her combat rake, and seemingly defying the laws of inertia, Cologne sailed overhead - the razor claws of the head snapping repeatedly against the defiant kodachi - and showering the wielder with a haze of sparks. Relinquishing her hold for an instant, the ancient crone pulled both hands back, and in a fierce push - shot forth a brightly glowing stream of......chi?

"My God."

Effortlessly, Kagora danced his way out of the bombardment, releasing a spinning volley of shuriken from a bandolier kept hidden in a voluminous sleeve. Hurling himself about, the ninja master casually gestured lightly. To his credit, Cologne nearly failed to notice the almost invisible ball until it was too late. Nearly.

Literally clawing herself away from the chi's path, the elder ignored the resultant mild explosion at the point of impact. Pressing forward, she moved in for a more straightforward engagement.

"You know Master Kagora once shot me with one of those?" Eyes never leaving the battle scene, Ranma continued. "Trust me - it hurts." Both winced in concert at the machine gunshot cracks as both combatants utterly destroyed the sound barrier. In reality it was a rather tiring scene to observe - even with the pigtailed ninja's enhanced sensory, he found it supremely difficult to track the course of the battle at the speed the moves were executed.

The Shinkasa master was forced to sidestep a massive punch from the rake, which would probably have broken both sword and arm had it connected. Crossing his kodachi into one hand, he seized the staff, earning a bruised hand from the shock, and made use of superior stature to lift Cologne bodily from the ground.

But before Kagora could capitalise on his opponent's instant of immobility, he was promptly blasted by a chi ball. Sent flying nearly twenty metres, the old man was dumped unceremoniously to the thankfully soft earth. Gasping in abject shock, Ranma was in the process of flying to his sensei's aid, before the ninja master picked himself up in time to meet the matriarch's finishing blow.

"How the hell did he survive that?" Lano murmured wonderingly to his companion. "That blow should have caved his lungs in."

"They're not human." As if to agree heartily with that statement, Cologne seemed to shake herself - and cast forth a.....small wizened old woman.

"Huh?" Now there were two of them, duplicated even to the point where both wielded their six foot rakes. That definitely wasn't possible (at least in this world) - and the ninja master seemed doubly hard pressed to avoid the endless barrage, losing first one, then both kodachi to the whizzing teeth of the rake. Twisting acrobatically, he seemed to manoeuvre through the air, glaring in furious concentration.

And Ranma's senses flared in alarm at a very familiar feeling, as Kagora abandoned the useless hilts, and surged into the offensive with bare hands. Even at Cologne's eye blurring speed, the pigtailed boy thought he could detect the faint traces of a smile - even when the metallic head of her rake seemed to disintegrate under a whirling of open palmed swipes.

"I thought the Master instructed you to never employ the Nekoken unless in real combat." That fact did not appear to concern either of the currently duelling fighters.

Mesmerised, Ranma's reply was only half-directed to his friend. "See, he's only used the Catfist to destroy her weapon - to level the playing field - so to speak."

Shaking his head at the wanton usage of such dangerous arts, Lano looked down to check his watch. Nine minutes. Geez how long can they last? Even with his only relatively basic study of weak and pressure points, he could see that if any one of the several hundred blows being traded actually met with something other than air - well, the fight would be over fairly quickly.

Ducking under a poorly aimed (at least from their perspective) dual kick, Kagora unhesitatingly cleared himself to take advantage of his greater reach. Rotating like a fan, he barraged past his teacher's grappling defence. The move lasted less than a second before Cologne abruptly folded up like a closing book - tucking and rolling with the impact.

"What was that? I missed it." Lano knew well enough that his friend's quicker eye would have more chance of tracking the move.

"Master Kagora knocked the side of her head, then clipped the neck. I.........I don't know what happened next - he was too fast." Years of training under the ninja master had instilled within the boy a close familiarisation of the techniques his master commonly employed - and this was unfamiliar.

"He's weakening." Despite the score, it was clear to both teenagers that age as always held its tax upon the old man - a man trained in an art that commonly yielded quick victory - not long, drawn out duels. And in herald to that thought - for no apparent reason, Kagora seemed to bowl over under an invisible kick, keeling straight into a headlong jab to the temple.

And thus it was over.

***********

Kagora awoke to the dimly candle lit view of his own room, somewhat disorientated by the swirl of nausea that accompanied his awakening. It took several seconds for him to detect the warm grip of a friendly hand holding his own.

"Daughter?" He didn't really require a verbal confirmation for that. "I take it I lost?" Neither that either.

"Considering what you two do in those fights - you should count yourself fortunate that the duel was all you lost." Silently, Meyah shook her head at the infrequent situations where she played the chastiser, not the chastised.

"Never you mind daughter - I'm a tough old walnut. It takes more than a sparring with Elder Cologne to crack me."

"You are also seventy three years old. Why could you not have retired gracefully like other men your age?" Her visage twinkled in mild mockery.

"Insolent child - leave me be that I may rest in my defeat."

"Rest in peace you mean? Just a few moments longer else you will arise tomorrow feeling like a migraine has invaded your entire body."

Silently, the ninja master submitted to her careful healer's administrations. Presently, he said, "As always my endurance failed me."

"We train in Ninjitsu - ninjas need not the stamina to endure for duels, and sparring." She didn't really need to say that - Kagora himself had taught her this years ago. Looking up from her work, Meyah's brow furrowed in wonder. "Of course if that is the case, then what is Ranma?"

Smiling despite the ever-present aches, the Shinkasa master replied, "Ranma is neither martial artist nor a ninja. I know not a term to describe one such as he." Pausing in consideration, he added. "Perhaps it is sufficient to name him as simply a warrior - a fighter of all creeds - no rules to hamper his need to win."

"Such would be a dangerous one - if it weren't for his staunch honour." Meyah's visage deepened as she was again reminded of a nagging thought. "I wonder how his sense of honour held up today under the discovery of his father's commitments."

"You are his mother - I expected you to bear the answer to that."

"He does not confide much about his life before Shinkasa. Sometimes I wonder.......what Ranma feels to his original family - those that hold his name and blood. And also I consider the morality in the Clan withholding information of them." It was an unspoken issue - that the Shinkasa in keeping with its records on all members, carried files on the Saotome tree - Ranma's real mother included.

"The spy network does not withhold any information from any members - no exceptions save for the Nekoken. The boy knows well enough of the expansiveness of our knowledge - he has merely chosen not to ask about his bloodline."

Sighing, Meyah finished off with her application of the soothing balm to her father's forehead. "That is what concerns me in reality. That our kohai has never ventured to discover his roots. In all due frankness I was surprised that he would be content with the society and family we provided at Yamakaro."

Sitting up, Kagora murmured grimly, "Perhaps it would be wise to consider the nature of a woman who allows her only son to be torn from his home at such an infantile age. Or the mentality of a father who 'trains' the Catfist into his child. In that light it may not be so inconceivable that a son forgoes his blood ties without question."

"We have not any personal acquaintance of this Saotome Nodoka. You have said so yourself that it is unwise to assert judgement based on speculation."

"Well in any case until Ranma feels the need to broach the subject the point is moot. Concern yourself with the new day - that will pose enough strain for our efforts." Offering a sympathetic hug, Kagora gave his thanks for his daughter's ministrations.

"Goodnight father." Gathering her tools, as well as the remainder of he healing poultice, Meyah headed silently for the door to her adjoining room.

"Sleep thee well my daughter."

Left in solitude, the swordmaster was free to admit to herself a feeling which she would never have admitted to anyone, not even Master Kagora. In such moments of reminiscence when she was reminded of Saotome Nodoka - a woman known by name only - she could not help but feel a jealous possessiveness of her son - a fear that one day her Ranma might choose to leave his surrogate mother to re-trace his true family.

Who is of more import? The mother who gives birth to the boy and cares for him for his first four years, or the mother who raises and teaches him for the next ten? Meyah fervently dreaded the time when her son would make that decision. She could not imagine how she would survive without the love of the boy that had dominated her daily efforts for so long.

Best not to think of that.

************

In another home of the Joketsuzoku, another member of the Shinkasa was quietly dressing himself for bed. Once more Master Kagora had revealed wonders of power and skill which had entirely encapsulated Ranma's vision of the Arts. The goal however remained staunch - to one day live up to the training and sheer amount of time which had been invested solely into himself - to become the greatest of fighters. Letting out a long breath, the pigtailed teenager tried to avoid the daunting consideration of just how he would ever be able to match such feats as seen tonight. Every time he thought himself at some established point of ascension in either Ninjitsu or Mutsabeto - Master Kagora, and now Elder Cologne would smash the conception that he had actually reached anywhere in the grander scheme of things.

Well, there was naught to do but train - and Ranma was very good at training.

************

************

************

Alright, you all have my sincerest apologies for being so tardy with this chapter (although I didn't take that long did I?). Suffice to say that several interfering factors (new computer etc.) were the contributors, and not writer's block. Anyhow, just a reminder that I may change facts about Ranma 1/2 whenever I like - to suit the flow of the story. Right now I'll be taking a short break from Way of the Ninjitsu to try and make a start on one of my other proposed projects (as per request from some readers).

Also I must convey my thanks to an and all of you who voted for my stories at the monthly awards. I never even realised that people were doing this until the "You have reached second place" e-mail arrived. In any case it is very flattering that I would get any mention for my first work.

If you have any problems at all with the pace of this series (ie. I'm going too slow) - my e-mail is always open to helpful criticism. Several people have commented that they are a little impatient for Ranma to 'meet' up with the rest of the Nerima crew in Japan. I just wanted to avoid 'skipping' through the storyline just to get to the parts which every fanfic reader comes to expect from a Ranma 1/2 work.

Comments and criticism are always welcome (flame me if you must), but I won't accept any ethical stuff from people who hate any particular love match ups which may or may not occur in this series. I personally don't really have any objection to any possible girls Ranma could end up with (although Ukyou is my personal favourite) - no don't cringe I also like Akane/Ranma, Shampoo/Ranma etc. ones too, but I've gotta have a favourite. Every new fanfiction I write will have a different match up (assuming that is there is any match up at all). If your particular pairing hasn't come up yet, then tough rocks - I'll get to it.