This last part seemed to take forever. But I think I am finally finished. Here is Chapter 16 (which I've been calling Chapter 91, which is the chapter number from FanFiction.net. I didn't mean to get confused, and I'll try to stick with the chapter number here from now on.
There really wasn't a lot to this last part, but it leads into the big scene next chapter where the Moxibustion Chart almost gets ripped up in the Hiryu Shoten Ha and someone or someones will have to risk their lives to save it. I almost ran out past 9,000 words, which I try to set as my limit, but I decided to end it on a cliffhanger. One thing I am a little unsure of is whether Nodoka will be present in the final draft. She doesn't HAVE to be here, and as you'll see at the end, this gives away that she knows about Ranma's curse, so I lose that potential for further comedy, but the idea of Nodoka being there works for reasons what will be revealed next chapter.
As always, I welcome suggestions, since I do have some concerns about how this will work out. I also may edit the dialog a bit to more closely match the canon. I was working from memory.
Chapter 16
Happosai vs the Hiryu Shoten Ha
+++
Ukyo slowly made her way back to consciousness, and moaned in pain as she almost immediately regretted it. Her entire body ached, and for a moment, she considered letting herself sink back into the darkness. Was it possible to survive being put through a meat grinder? Because that's what it felt like had happened to her. Her arms and legs complained as she tried to stir, and she hissed in pain. There was a blanket lying over her, and it felt remarkably abrasive to her sensitive skin.
She relaxed for a moment, and to her relief, the throbbing began to subside. She searched her memory, and for a moment all she could recall was the red haze of the Neko-Ken. Then, in a rush, her challenge to Ranma came back to her, and how she had admitted her deepest, most intimate feelings to him. She flushed in embarrassment, both at her confession to Ranma, and how she had lost control of her emotions, threatening Akane and even trying to kill her brother.
Ukyo groaned again as she put a hand to her forehead. Someone had stopped her attack. Was that Ryoga? Yes, apparently the big goof had stepped into the fight and she had shifted her anger to him. They had both made complete fools of themselves. She opened her eyes and looked around, finding that she was in Akane's tent. She must have been brought back after Ranchan set off the Hiryu Shoten Ha.
That thought made Ukyo's eyes widen. Ranchan did it! He learned the Hiryu Shoten Ha! She remembered leaping at Ranma, with Ryoga at her side, while Ranma lay prone on the rocks. And then there was a flash of light, and a wave of such power that it felt like a wall of ice hitting her in the face. She shivered at the memory. Everything after that was a blur. She remembered being pulled up into the air, and tossed about in the winds, but it was like being in a waking nightmare. She barely remembered someone grabbing her, strong arms that held her. She didn't think it was Ranma, it didn't feel familiar. Was it Ryoga that saved her? She couldn't be sure.
Ukyo sat up, holding the blanket up to cover her chest. Her top was completely shredded, although she could feel bandages across her chest, so someone had tended to her wounds. As she looked around, she spotted Ranma sitting a few feet away. He was watching her; he had obviously noticed her waking up, but he seemed wary somehow. He gave her a tentative smile.
"You okay, Sis? You back to normal now?" He laughed, uneasily. "Yer not still out ta kill me?"
Ukyo blushed and looked away. "No, Ranchan. I'm back to normal."
There was a long, awkward silence. Finally, Ukyo got up the nerve to speak. "I'm sorry, Ranchan. I guess you're pretty shocked, about the things I said. And I did mean them, in a way. I mean, I do love you, Bro." She met his eyes for a moment, with a sheepish grin. "But all that other stuff... I know how gross that sounds. I've been arguin' with myself about that since all of this started."
Ranma looked uncomfortable as well. "Geez, Sis, you know I... I love you too. But as my sister, not like that."
"I know, Ranchan, I know." She could feel her cheeks burning.
Ranma was silent for a moment, while Ukyo adjusted the blanket so it would cover her better. "So Sis..." Ranma began. "Has this really been goin' on for all this time? Why didn't ya tell me?"
"I didn't really know until a few months ago, myself. I guess if you wanna know when it started, Ranchan, I'd have to go back to when we were kids. I guess you don't remember it that way, but do you remember when we used to play house?"
Ranma never got a chance to answer, because Akane poked her head in through the tent flap. "Ranma? Is Ukyo awake? Is she okay?"
"Yeah, Akane," Ukyo said, smiling at her friend. "I'm fine. I got a bit banged up, but..."
Before Ukyo could finish, Akane crossed the tent and slapped her across the face. "Don't you ever do that again!" she shouted.
"What the-" Ukyo put a hand to her cheek, shocked.
"Don't you know how jealous I am of what you and Ranma have!" Akane yelled at her, not letting her get a word in edgewise. "How dare you use that against me! How dare you use that against Ranma, just to teach him a stupid technique!"
"Hey," Ranma commented, but Akane ignored him.
"I understand how you feel, Ukyo, probably more than you think! I know how it feels to believe that you're not good enough, that you can't compete, that someone's going to take someone you love away from you! I know that loneliness, that anger, that hatred! Sometimes I hate you so much, Ucchan, for getting so close to him, and then I hate myself for feeling that way! If I wanted to, if I wanted to hate you for making me feel like that... it would be so easy to hate you!"
Akane paused a moment, as her voice broke. Despite her tone, Ukyo could tell Akane wasn't angry, she was desperate. "You - intentionally - made yourself feel that. That... anguish, that loneliness. I can't stand it! There's never a reason to put yourself through such pain! We'll find another way to protect Ranma, and keep him safe. I'd rather die that have you give in to that despair, and I'm sure Ranma feels the same way."
She wrapped her arms around Ukyo and hugged her, tightly. "I love you, Ucchan," Akane said, sobbing. "I can't stand the thought that I'm the one causing you so much pain. Don't do that to yourself."
Ukyo put her hand on Akane's head. She glanced over at Ranma, who was watching the two of them with a mixture of amusement and dumbfounded confusion. "I won't, Akane, I promise. I didn't like that dark place either. I don't know that I'll ever get over being jealous, but I won't use it to drive myself into the Neko-Ken again. I promise, on my honor as a martial artist."
"Well, that's good, Sis, because it turns out you didn't have to do that in the first place." Ranma regarded her seriously, while Akane sat up and wiped at her eyes. "Your battle aura was more than hot enough. It was the Soul of Ice, which I couldn't figure out until I was in a life-and-death situation, and had no choice to come up with the secret. Which was pretty brilliant, I'd say, even if the Old Ghoul did give me the clue."
"'The icy chill of death'?" Akane quoted, recalling Ranma's last words before he ran into the battle. "What does that mean?"
"Like the Old Ghoul said, it's not enough to just be emotionless. You have to suppress your fears, your feelings. And the most primal fear, the fear that all mortals have, is the fear of death. I realized that by accepting that fear, surrendering to it, my battle aura would become frigidly cold, like Cologne's did."
"Of course." Ukyo nodded her head in agreement. "That's why I couldn't master it."
"What do you mean, Sis?"
"Ranchan, I haven't feared my death since I fought the Old Man to get you out of the pit." Ukyo sighed. "I surrendered to that fear long ago. I no longer feel it."
"What, are you kidding?" Ranma asked. "Surely you don't have some kinda death wish!"
Akane bit her lip. "Her Neko-Ken is a berserker technique," she said. "She couldn't fight to the death if she wasn't willing to give her life for someone she loves."
Cologne poked her head through the tent flap, and bopped Ranma on the head with her staff. "Miss Tendo is correct. I was worried that this would be the case, Shield Sister. Still, I would advise against giving up hope. As I said before, now that you know the secret behind the Soul of Ice, you may have formed preconceptions about it."
"Do you think I can learn the technique?" Ukyo asked her.
"You may still find you have reason to live, Shield Sister," the ancient Amazon cackled. "I'd say you have two people who want you to live."
Ukyo glanced at Ranma, then looked down at Akane, who began to tear up again. She nodded.
"Hey, can you give it a rest in here?" Ryoga's voice came from outside, but then he, too, ducked inside the tent. "There are badly injured people trying to get some sleep out here."
"Ryoga!" Ukyo said, suddenly feeling self-conscious for some reason. She held the blanket a bit tighter against her chest. "Were you the one who protected me from that Hiryu Shoten Ha?" His clothing was ripped and torn as badly as hers, and for a moment she remembered seeing his face, and that orange bandanna, as they were falling from the sky.
Ryoga immediately turned red, and looked away from her. "Well... I couldn't very well let you die or anything. Why did you make me think you were trying to kill Akane anyway? We're lucky we didn't both get killed."
Ukyo looked away as well. "Sorry. I was just trying to find a way to fight Ranchan seriously, without holding back. It sounds stupid now, but I was just using the Neko-Ken to make it a fight to the death."
"As if I care about Ranma," Ryoga said petulantly. Then he looked down at his pig-tailed rival. "But you can't die until I defeat you. I won't let you cheat me of my inevitable victory." He grinned.
"You mean 'implausible' victory," Ranma replied, also grinning.
Nodoka appeared at the tent flap. "Is Ukyo-chan awake and ready to go?" she asked. "My husband has finished packing up our supplies and is taking down the tents. If Ukyo and Hibiki are both ready to go, we should get started before it gets too late in the morning."
"That's right Sis!" Ranma added. "I gotta get back and defeat that old pervert. Get yer clothes on and let's go!"
"Don't rush her, Ranma," Akane chastised him. "She's injured, remember?"
"I think I'm okay, Akane," Ukyo said. "Could you help me get dressed?"
"Sure." Akane grabbed Ranma and Ryoga and pushed them out of the tent. "You two give us some privacy."
As Ryoga was stepping out of the tent, Nodoka pulled him aside. "You are Ryoga Hibiki, are you not? I'd like to thank you for being such a challenge to my manly son and helping him improve his skills. If my son is to be the best martial artist of his generation, he must have rivals such as you to test himself against. Akane has told me how strong and powerful you are."
Ryoga looked embarrassed, looking away from the matronly woman. "Thanks, Mrs. Saotome, but I didn't really think of myself as Ranma's rival when we first met. I, um... kinda wanted to kill him. I may have taken things a bit too far..."
"That is all right," Nodoka said with a kindly smile. "My son can protect himself, and he needs to face deadly challenges in order to become the best. I am glad that you are close friends now, though."
"Yeah... friends..." Ryoga looked even more embarrassed, rubbing the back of his head.
"Akane tells me you that have a curse, like my son and Ukyo-chan. If you don't mind, I would like to see the little pig that you turn into. I wouldn't want you to be left behind because you accidently got splashed with water."
"Oh, ah, sure." Ryoga nervously followed as Nodoka led him over to the campsite. She had set up a kettle which was placed over the fire, and another which sat on the rocky ground nearby. A set of Ryoga's clothes lay on a rock next to them, neatly folded. Nodoka had apparently been thoughtful enough to set them aside for him.
Ryoga walked over to the kettle on the ground, which he assumed was filled with cold water. Sure enough, when he poured it over his head, he felt himself shrink down, until he was sitting in a pile of his shredded and torn clothing. Nodoka's smile grew wide, and she exclaimed in delight.
"Oh! Akane was right, you turn into the cutest little pig." Ryoga looked away, unable to do anything but grunt in embarrassment. "Do you need help to change back?"
Ryoga shook his head. The other kettle was balanced on a stand, and he was well used to knocking sources of hot water over onto himself, even in pig form. And if the Saotome matriarch changed him back, she might see him in the nude, which would be mortifying.
Nodoka seemed to guess his thoughts. "Well, I will turn around then, and let you put on fresh clothes." She turned her back, and Ryoga hurried over and kicked the kettle onto himself. Once he returned to human form, he quickly dressed, still blushing slightly.
"Okay, I'm ready," he said, as he finished putting on his clothes. They were warm and pressed, which was an unusual feeling, since Ryoga hadn't had a mother to take care of his clothing since he was a baby. Ryoga felt both grateful and somewhat ashamed, although he felt that Nodoka had probably done the same for Ranma, Akane and Ukyo.
Nodoka turned around. Her expression was suddenly harsh, and Ryoga gulped. "Akane also tells me that you misled her about your curse and pretended to be her pet. She tells me that you slept in her bed, and fondled her body under the pretense of being held. I also understand that although Ukyo knew about your identity, you used that against her, forcing her to take you into her own bed in order to keep you out of Akane's."
Ryoga looked away, unable to meet her eyes. Part of him wanted to protest that it wasn't his fault, it was all Ranma's fault, but he couldn't. It had been too long since he had seen his own mother, and he just couldn't bring himself to make excuses to this woman. Besides, he no longer blamed Ranma for anything anyway. He wrapped his arms around himself, uncomfortably.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am. I have no excuse. I behaved dishonorably, and I realize that now." He snuck a glance at her. "I didn't realize it at the time, I was too caught up in anger over my curse, and I convinced myself that since Ukyo was allowing it, that meant it was okay." He looked down again. "But it wasn't."
"You realize that if anyone had ever learned of this, if word had gotten out that Akane or Ukyo were sleeping with a man, their reputations would be ruined. The gossip would never stop."
Ryoga looked up, his eyes widening. He hadn't thought of that. "But I was a pig at the time! I wasn't a..." his voice trailed off. After a moment, he muttered, more quietly, "I wasn't sleeping with them as a man."
"Even if people believed that, which they're not likely to unless they see the curse for themselves, does that really matter?"
Ryoga swallowed, his mouth dry. "I guess not..."
"Akane and Ukyo have forgiven you for your actions, Mister Hibiki, and for their sake I will accept that. But I am not so forgiving, particularly when it comes to my daughters."
"Daughters?!"
"Yes. Akane soon enough will be my daughter-in-law, and Ukyo has come to be like a daughter to me as well. To dishonor them is to dishonor the Saotome family." She unslung the Saotome blade from her back, unrolling the protective cloth before setting it on a rock in front of her. "Do I make myself clear?"
Ryoga stared at the blade, his eyes wide. He glanced up at Nodoka and shivered at the look in her eyes.
"I know that you are a man of honor and would do what honor demands if necessary. However, you are young and foolish, and my daughters speak well of you. I will give you a second chance. However, I would very much like to speak to your parents about this."
Ryoga swallowed even harder, if that were possible. He looked away again. "I... I don't get to see my family very often. They are afflicted with the same horrible sense of direction as me. We communicate by messages left at our house, but it's been years since I've seen any of them."
Nodoka's eyes softened. "I am very sorry to hear that, Mister Hibiki. I would still like to talk to them, but we will have to arrange a meeting somehow. For now, I will allow you to continue to be friends with my son and daughters. But be warned, I will be watching you."
"Yes, Ma'am."
+++
"Stop! Underwear thief!"
Happosai bounded along ahead of the mob of enraged women, all pursuing him with mops, brooms and other implements of destruction at the ready. He chuckled as he stayed just ahead of them, his bag of ill-gotten gains slung over his shoulder. He led them along a merry chase for a while, but soon grew bored, and took to the rooftops. The women cried out in indignation as he left them behind. It was all too easy...
It's far too easy, the old pervert said to himself. It's just no fun any more. After so long imprisoned in that cave, I've finally gotten everything I ever wanted, but I still feel empty inside. Why do I feel this way?
He came across a neighborhood playground, and heard a little girl's voice from below. "Hey! Give that back!" He looked down to see a small boy and girl in a sandbox on the playground. The boy held a shovel triumphantly in his hand, and the little girl reached for it.
"Nyah, nyah, Sis! You'll never catch me!" With that, he turned and ran from the sandbox, as his sister jumped to her feet.
"You jerk! Give me my shovel back!" She charged after her brother, while he laughed and dodged as she chased him around the playground.
"Ranma... Ukyo..." Happosai muttered. He could almost picture the two of them, superimposed over the young siblings playing down below him. "It was so much more fun when they were around. So much more of a challenge." His mental picture clarified, and then shifted, as Happosai substituted the busty redhead he loved so much for Ukyo. He struggled for a moment with indecision, and then finally settled on picturing all three of them, drawn into a familial embrace.
"Ranma! Ukyo! Why did you have to run away!"
The flat side of a giant spatula smashed him over the head. "Who ran away?" Ukyo snarled. "We were trainin', you old coot!"
Happosai grinned as he turned to face his ponytailed opponent, but then instinctively dodged at another attack coming at him from the side. Ryoga sailed past him, while the old master studied him, eagerly. "Little Ukyo! And the boy who turns into a pig, too! I remember you from when we visited the bathhouse!"
"Shut up, you old fool, and hold still," Ryoga yelled at him, throwing another punch. "There's no water around here, so you're not turning me into a pig!"
"Cologne!" Ukyo called out, as she backed off slightly from the fight. "Go get Ranchan."
"Right, Shield Sister," the old Amazon answered. She was standing on a rooftop nearby. "I will fetch both Son-In-Law and Miss Tendo. Try to hold him here as long as you can. But be careful."
"I know, he's a wily old goat," Ukyo said. "But I think Ryoga and I can keep him busy until you get back."
Cologne bounded off over the rooftops on her staff, while Ukyo turned back to the fight. Ryoga hadn't laid a hand on the old master yet, but they had dropped down into the playground, and Happosai was getting the lost boy tangled up in the swingset. Shaking her head, Ukyo jumped down to join them.
The children had gathered around to watch, and Ukyo warned them to get back as she raised her spatula. "Go back to your mamas, kids, out of range so you'll be safe." There were a few adult women at the park, and they gathered up the few children who didn't back off on their own. Ukyo leaped at Happosai, and using Ryoga as a distraction, managed to nail him with a blow from her spatula. He was thrown backwards, but landed on his feet.
He then fell forwards onto his hands. "You youngsters are too much for me at my age," he said sadly, his eyes big and mournful. "Ganging up on an old man... it just isn't fair."
"You old pervert," Ryoga said, disgusted. "You're not even as tough as you were last time. Did you have to make Ranma weak because you couldn't keep up any more? I expected more of a fight."
"Ryoga, don't drop your guard!" Ukyo warned him. "He's gonna..." Her warning came too late, as Happosai suddenly vanished, and appeared behind Ryoga's head. He raised his pipe, and Ryoga hit the ground, with a number of large lumps on his head.
"Jackass," Ukyo muttered, as she readied her spatula. Happosai came at her, and she swung to drive him back, but he ducked around the arc of her spatula and got inside its reach. He then caught her under her chin with his pipe. Ukyo went flying straight up into the air.
"Ukyo!" Ryoga had regained consciousness, and glared at Happosai from his position on the ground. "You'll pay for that," he growled, struggling to stand. Before he could even push into his hands and knees, though, Ukyo came down on top of him, and their heads collided painfully. They both collapsed, unconscious.
Happosai chuckled. "All right, Ranma. Let's see if you'll be more cooperative if both your sister and your friend have been affected by the Moxibustion of Weakness. You'll have to beg me for the cure then." He raised his pipe and stepped forward, menacingly.
A flying figure in a yellow gi shot past him, kicking the pipe out of his hand. She then took a stance in front of Ukyo and Ryoga. "Don't you dare, Grandfather! Ranma's here, and he challenges you for the scroll!"
"That's right, you old freak!" Ranma called from the rooftop. "Thanks Akane."
Akane smiled back at him, then slung Ukyo over her shoulder, dragging Ryoga by the arm as she got them out of the way. Ranma picked up the bag of panties and bras, which Happosai had left behind on the rooftop, and then jumped down to join the diminutive old master.
"Hey, those are mine!" Happosai called out, pointing at the bag. "Give them to me."
"No way, goat face!" Ranma shot back. He then dumped the bag in the sandbox. As expected, Happosai became enraged at the mistreatment of his "pretties", and charged at Ranma. His after image grew in size, as he began to emit a smoky, vaporous aura.
Cologne helped Akane get Ryoga and Ukyo to the edge of the playground, where the other bystanders were watching. "You should probably stand further back," Cologne advised them. "This fight is about to get very dangerous."
"Is Ranma going to be able to use the Hiryu Shoten Ha?" Akane asked her.
"Easily, child. The old master's battle aura is as strong as ever, and getting stronger. Son-In-Law is already leading him into the spiral." She watched as the old man chased Ranma in circles around the playground. "It won't be long now until he reaches the center."
"I hope it doesn't destroy this playground," Akane noted. "It would be a shame if the kids didn't have somewhere to play." The women watching the fight stared at her for a moment, and then muttered amongst themselves, worriedly. Several of them moved their children ever further back.
"Yes, but the equipment caught up in the blast will make it quite hard on Happosai," Cologne said with a scheming grin. Her grin faded as she grew thoughtful. "I still can't remember where I have seen him before..."
"Ranma's reached the center!" Akane called out excitedly. Ranma came to a stop as Happosai leaped at him, raised his fist in an uppercut, twisting his wrist slightly in a corkscrew fashion and... nothing happened.
Happosai just stood there, watching him. Ranma stared back at him, his arm still raised. Akane and Cologne looked at each other, then at Happosai again.
"He... he pulled back his fighting spirit?" Akane asked, and Cologne nodded. There was no sign of Happosai's battle aura. "Just like that? How?"
The old man's eyes got big and teary. "Oh, Ranma, my student. Would you really make this feeble old man suffer the Heaven's Blast of the Dragon? How cruel of you."
"What!" Ranma shot back. "How could you know about it?"
"Yes, how could Grandfather Happosai know about it?" Akane asked. "There's no way he could have known about the Hiryu Shoten Ha unless... unless he had been to your village, Cologne."
She turned to look at the Amazon Elder, who was staring at Happosai, wide eyed. Suddenly, her eyes narrowed, and she gritted her teeth. "Happi... Happi!" She pointed her staff at him. "It's you!"
Happosai looked at her, smirking. "So you remember me now, Little Cologne?"
"Yes, I remember you now!" She spat. "Happi, you thieving bastard!"
"You know each other?" Ranma asked, stunned. Akane was considering the coincidence of her comparing herself and Ranma to Cologne and Happosai, when she was talking about them growing old together. She had just meant it as a joke, but could Cologne and Happosai really have known each other so long ago in the Joketsuzoku?
"It was many, many years ago," Happosai said, apparently confirming Akane's suspicions. "Oh, I was such a young and handsome man, then. Tall and strong, with long, flowing blonde hair. And Little Cologne was so beautiful as a young girl. As beautiful as her great-granddaughter Shampoo, but her long hair was just a shade lighter than Shampoo's, I think."
"Funny, I seem to remember you as the same height you are now," Cologne said with a scowl. "And you did not have blonde hair."
"I remember like it was only yesterday," Happosai continued, ignoring Cologne. He struck a pose, imagining himself as a heroic warrior, standing on a mountain top. "Little Cologne was the love of my life... but I was too shy to approach her." He now shifted his stance, acting shy and embarrassed and giving his audience a big-eyed sympathetic look. Ranma just rolled his eyes. "I argued with myself for weeks and months, trying to get up the nerve to approach the object of my affection. And when I finally did, she stood me up!"
He stomped his foot, angrily. "I was furious! I ran to Cologne, and in my state, my battle aura was at full power! But Cologne just turned to me, raised her fist, and shouted, 'Heaven's Blast of the Dragon!' I was caught up in the twister, and flung far, far away." He hung his head, drawing his tale to a close with a tear in his eye. "That was the last time I saw my beautiful Little Cologne."
"Funny, that's not the way I remember it at all," Cologne snarled. She crossed her arms, regarding the old man for a moment. "Here's what really happened. You stole all of our Amazon treasures. The treasures that I showed you. And then, with all of the warriors of the Amazon village in hot pursuit of you, you came running at me. 'These treasures are nothing but gaudy trinkets!' I think you said. It's not my fault that you couldn't figure out how to use them. They were never meant for men to use anyway.
"Anyway, you came charging at me, and as you said, I used the Hiryu Shoten Ha, and sent you sailing away. Much to the consternation of my fellow Amazon warriors, because I attacked on instinct, and the Amazon treasures you stole went sailing away with you. We never saw you or our treasures again."
"Is this true, you old goat?" Ranma asked. Akane was still considering the coincidence of Happosai and Cologne meeting so many years ago, and despite their stories, she suspected they had been involved in a secret relationship. One that Happosai betrayed by stealing the Amazon's treasures. Could that happen with her and Ranma? Would they split up over some argument or misunderstanding, and be separated until they both grow old and grey?
She shook her head. No, I refuse to let it happen! she told herself. I'll fight for Ranma and I'll never let him be taken away from me. And if he gives in to the temptation of greed like his father, I'll take him back, even if I have to punish him first. I won't let him become like that. I trust him, and I'll show him that he can trust me.
Meanwhile, Happosai seemed unfazed. "Is that what happened? Memories tend to fade at our age, eh Little Cologne? The main thing is, you'll never catch me off guard with the Hiryu Shoten Ha, Ranma." The old man grinned wickedly. "I can be as calm as a saint if I have to be."
"Calm as a saint, huh? Can you be calm after I do this?" Ranma walked over to the sandbox, and ground the pile of panties and bras into the sand.
Happosai clenched his fists for a moment, but then relaxed and gave a wide smile. "It's okay, they're a bit dirty, but they can be washed. My pretties will be just fine."
"What about now?" Ranma pulled a match out of his pocket and lit it, and then set the pile on fire. There was a bit of murmuring from the women in the crowd, but they said nothing as the underwear burned.
"Aw. It's too bad, but I'll get new pretties. It just makes me a little sad, is all."
"And what if I do this?" Ranma picked up a pail out of the sandbox and punched the bottom out of it. The little boy came running out of the crowd and kicked Ranma in the knee. Ranma fell over, clutching his leg in pain.
"Leave my Sis's pail alone you meanie!" the boy cried. His sister chimed in with "Yeah!"
"I'll buy you a new one kid, leave me alone," Ranma said through clenched teeth.
Happosai laughed. "Face it, Ranma, I've beaten you! There's nothing you can do. Now, are you going to declare me your master, or will you be weak for the rest of your life?"
Akane stepped forward. "Leave him alone! There's another way to get Ranma's strength back! He's not going to give in, ever!"
She was cut short as Happosai laughed again. "I'll be waiting for you to grovel at my feet. Let me know when you're ready to give up, Ranma!" With that, he bounded away.
Ranma staggered to his feet. Akane approached the sandbox, slowly. She held out a hand. "It'll be okay, Ranma. You can still find a cure, I know you can." He looked up and met her eyes, sadly. Then Ranma, too, bounded off across the rooftops.
+++
Ranma was gone for most of the day, and showed up at the Tendo home around suppertime. After eating, he shut himself up in his room and wouldn't speak to anyone. Ukyo left him alone for a while, sitting and watching TV in the family room with Nabiki and Kasumi. Soun, Genma and Nodoka were also sitting at the table, but they were more concerned with discussing Ranma's plight than watching the show. Ryoga was sitting in Ukyo's lap as P-chan, as it was easier to keep up with him that way.
"All of that training, for nothing!" Soun wailed, tears streaming down his face as usual. "Now the schools will never be joined!"
"We must get the boy to apologize to the Master, and agree to whatever he asks for," Genma said solemnly. "It is our only hope."
"Now, husband," Nodoka said darkly, fingering the hilt of her katana. "Surely you are not suggesting that our manly son debase himself like a coward, rather than pursue a manly and honorable cure for his condition."
Genma began to sweat. "Of course not, wife. I was merely thinking of the worst case scenario. Perhaps we should give the boy a second chance, eh Tendo?"
"The schools will never be joined!" Soun wailed again.
Shaking her head, Ukyo decided that she had let Ranma sulk long enough. She got up from the table, handing off P-chan to Kasumi, so he could continue watching the show. Then she headed upstairs to fetch her spatula. Ranchan isn't going to want to spar when he's in this kind of mood, she thought to herself. But I'll pick a fight with him, and that'll cheer him up.
As she reached the top of the stairs, she saw Akane coming out of their room, with a shinai over her shoulder. Akane spotted Ukyo, and grinned sheepishly. "You had the same idea, huh?" Akane asked, as she joined Ukyo in front of the guest room.
"I guess so." Ukyo laughed lightly. "Are we that transparent? Ranchan is going to see through us for sure."
"Well, we can't let him give up!" Akane answered, and Ukyo nodded, her expression turning serious. "Maybe Daddy and Uncle Saotome think Happosai can't be beaten, but I know Ranma will think of something! I'd fight Grandfather myself if I thought it would do any good!"
"I know, I know," Ukyo said, and bit her lip thoughtfully. "Maybe I should just give the old goat what he wants. I don't mind conceding defeat in the Prank War. Sensei put up a heck of a fight, and it was just to get him off your backs anyway. It was an honor to match wits with him."
"That's not going to be enough for Grandfather and you know it," Akane countered. "He doesn't just want you to declare him the winner of the Prank War, he wants you and Ranma to agree to be his students. You aren't going to want to give up your restaurant, just to get the chart back, and Ranma would never agree to that either!"
Ukyo cut her eyes up at Akane, pensively. Her cheeks turned a bit pink. "What if I sweetened the deal? I could get Nabiki to take some pictures of me, and offer them to him as a way to get him to give up on making Ranchan apologize."
Akane looked undeniably shocked at that suggestion, her eyes widening. For a moment her expression was a mixture of concern and disgust, but then she blinked, and relaxed somewhat. "It's a good thing I know you're comfortable with your body and things like that don't bother you. If Ranma had suggested that, I'd have called him a pervert."
"Nabiki is a good photographer, and I know she wouldn't take anything too revealing," Ukyo said. "Or at least, those pictures she took of you and me were pretty tasteful. She could make them look racy, but not too embarrassing, if you know what I mean."
"Yeah, I do," Akane said, putting a hand to her face. "It's bad enough thinking of Kuno buying pictures of me like that from my sister. The very idea of Grandfather having pictures like that..."
"It's for a good cause. And I guess I don't really mind if the old pervert keeps his addiction at bay by ogling me, as long as he respects me as a martial artist."
Akane looked up at her. "But if you give in to him, isn't he going to want more? You said it yourself, it's an addiction. If he knows you're willing to do that for him, he'll begin demanding even more and more! If you give him a picture, or wear his bra, or let him grope you this time, he's going to want you to do it again. He'll never be satisfied!
"It isn't enough for Grandfather Happosai to defeat you and Ranma. He's got to totally humiliate you! He's angry with you for giving up his school, and Ranma for not acknowledging that he IS the Master of his school. He's used to bullying Father and Uncle Saotome; it's all he knows how to do."
Ukyo's face fell as she realized Akane was right. There was an uncomfortable silence between the two of them for a moment. Thus, they heard clearly the shout from inside the guest room.
"Humiliation! That's it!" Ranma threw open the door. He grabbed Akane. "You're a genius, Tomboy!" Then he kissed her.
Releasing Akane, he turned back to Ukyo. Akane stepped back, with a dazed look on her face, and supported herself by putting a hand against the wall. "Sis, do you think you can get Nabiki to take those pictures like you said? Except, she'll be takin' pictures of me and not you."
"Sure, I can ask, but I don't know if Nabiki will go along with it," Ukyo said, somewhat confused. "You know she's going to charge you."
"I know, and that's why I want you to ask," Ranma said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "I want to make sure she knows you're okay with this. You're okay with this, right?"
"Yeah, Ranchan, I'm okay with it, but how will the pictures help? Akane's right, if you try to bribe him, he'll just ask for more."
"They're not a bribe." He glanced over at Akane, whose eyes were still glazed over. "It was the tomboy's idea. 'There's more than one way to make a hot battle aura.' Right, Akane?"
Akane's eyes cleared as she realized Ranma was addressing her. She blinked a couple of times, rapidly, and then stood up straight. "A lust aura! You think you can lure Grandfather into the Hiryu Shoten Ha with those pictures?"
"Not quite," Ranma said. "They're the bait. I'll use something else as the hook."
He turned back to Ukyo. "Can you and Nabiki set up a fight on the school grounds for tomorrow? I know there's nobody in school right now, but I need Kuno to be there, as well as Ryoga, Hiroshi and Daisuke, and all of your and Akane's friends. Probably Cologne and Shampoo will want to be there too..."
"You mean Sayuri and Yuka?" Akane asked.
"I mean all of your friends!" Ranma told her. "The girls who stayed with you through that whole locker room thing. That way you know you can trust 'em."
"They're not going to be too happy with you, Ranchan, if you're going around flashing pictures of me," Ukyo said. "They're not going to be as understanding as Akane and I are."
"I'm counting on it." Ranma paused a moment, giving Ukyo a serious look. "You've gotta make sure they don't interfere, though. I don't want 'em gettin' caught in the Hiryu Shoten Ha 'cause they're after me or the old pervert."
Ukyo frowned and nodded. Akane looked pensive as well. "Don't worry, Ranma," the blue-black haired tomboy said. "We'll keep them safe. I just wish I knew what you were thinking, you baka."
"I'm gonna give that old freak exactly what he wants - and then some. Let's see him be Saint Happosai then." He swept Akane into his arms and kissed her again. "I gotta get ready! Tell Nabiki ta meet me in my room in an hour." With that, he ducked back inside the guest room, sliding the divider closed behind him. Akane nearly swooned again, while Ukyo just blinked in confusion.
+++
The next day at school, even though classes were not in session due to the spring break, a small crowd of boys and girls had gathered, all waiting enthusiastically for the fight to begin. Nabiki and her friends had come along, as well as all of Ranma and Akane's friends, just as Ranma had asked. Even Gosunkuji found out about the challenge, and sat watching with his dark, sunken eyes, and Kodachi showed up along with the little ninja Sasuke.
Nabiki was selling bets on the fight, of course, along with information on the Moxibustion of Weakness so everyone would understand the stakes. Ukyo had the Cat Cafe's portable grill set up nearby, making a modest profit selling ramen and okonomiyaki for the excited bystanders, with Shampoo's help. The only one missing from the little crowd was Akane, who had been sent with Genma to ensure Ranma's mother make it to see her son get his strength back. None of them had trusted Genma to fetch her on his own, knowing he would chicken out and disappear, or just show up without her.
Ranma stood watching Happosai, who was idly ironing his panty collection, apparently unconcerned about the upcoming battle. "He's not releasing a drop of his battle aura," Cologne commented. "He isn't going to make it easy for Son-In-Law."
"Ranchan's got a plan," Ukyo said, "He'll be just fine." Privately, though, she was worried. She knew her brother was better at coming up with plans on the fly than planning ahead. She hoped this mysterious "plan" of his wasn't too elaborate.
"Hey, what's taking so long?" Ryoga called out from a position above the girls. "Are you two gonna fight it out or not?" He, Kuno and Mousse were sitting back next to the fence, on a slight hill that gave then a vantage point over the fight. Kuno looked bored, holding his bokken in his lap, but Ryoga and Mousse were anticipating the battle with a strange mixture of hope that their rival could overcome this challenge and get his strength back, and a guilty pleasure at the thought of seeing him thoroughly beaten by the old master.
"I'm waiting for Mom, all right!" Ranma shouted back. "What's takin' her so long, anyways?"
"We're here, Ranma!" Akane called out, as she led Genma and Nodoka to the spot where Cologne waited. Genma was in panda form, but Akane didn't offer an explanation.
Ranma turned back to the old man, trying to keep up his confident stance, but on the inside, he was a bit nervous. He'd heard what Ukyo said, and while he was pretty sure his plan would work, it relied on a lot of factors. He was sure he was going to have to improvise at some point. He didn't have any choice, though, he was desperate, and this was his last chance.
I must be pretty desperate if I'm willing to use Sis's body like this, Ranma said to himself. At least the rest of it is all on me. If it all goes wrong, Ucchan can truthfully say she didn't know what I was planning.
"All right, you old freak!" Ranma said, pulling some pictures out of his shirt. "Look what I've got for you! Girlie pictures of Ukyo! Taken by Nabiki herself!"
A collective gasp came from the girls, followed by disgusted grumbling that spread across the field. Ukyo put a hand to her forehead. "Well, that explains why Ranchan wanted the girls to be here - he obviously wanted them to beat both him AND Happosai to death."
Akane hurried to her two friends, however, remembering Ranma's words the night before. "Make sure nobody runs into the fight," she said to the two of them. "We'll try and explain why Ranma's doing this after the battle's over. Make sure everyone knows Ranma's about to use a very dangerous technique, and they shouldn't go anywhere near him."
"All right," Sayuri said, as she and Yuka stood up. "But I'm going to have some words with that pervert myself."
"You and me both, Sayuri," Akane said darkly, and returned to sit with Nodoka and the panda.
Happosai, meanwhile, had looked up at the pictures with a hopeful expression on his face. After a moment, though, a thought seemed to occur to him, and he smiled gently. "Why that's nice, Ranma. But why don't you hold onto them. I'll take a look at them later." His innocent look didn't quite work, though, and his eye began to twitch.
"Oh really? They're very nice, if I do say so myself." Out of the corner of his eye, Ranma noticed that Kuno had perked up, and was leaning forward in his seat. I hooked someone, he said to himself, even if it wasn't the old master pervert himself. Out loud, he said, "Hey, Kuno, you wanna see em?" He waved the pictures in Kuno's direction.
The dangerous grumbling among the women increased. Kuno leaped to his feet, and raced towards the battlefield. "Vile cur that you may be, to toy with the radiant beauty of your poor, subjugated sister, I must say yes! Yes I do want those pictures!"
"Oh, no you don't, Kuno," Ranma countered with a grin. He began leading him around the field in a circle. "I said you could see them, not have them. Here's a peek!" He showed a picture to Kuno, who began to pursue him with increased intensity.
"This isn't going to work," Ryoga said. "He's used this trick on me, in the past, but Happosai's onto him. He isn't falling for Ranma's 'girl act'." Sure enough, the old man was watching Kuno chase Ranma around the field, chuckling to himself. "If he thinks he's going to use Kuno to create a Hiryu Shoten Ha, it's going to be a pretty lame one."
"Is Ryoga right, you old freak?" Ranma called out, still keeping the pictures out of Kuno's reach. "Is my sister not good enough to arouse your lust? But maybe that little red headed girl, 'Ranko' would be better. You seem to like her more. She certainly fills out your 'pretties' better. I bet if I had pictures of her, that would get your attention."
Happosai went back to his ironing. "A nice try, my boy, but I see right through you. You're just not good enough to outsmart me. When you're done with that Kuno boy, let me know."
Ukyo scowled, her anger at being compared to her cursed form in such a way adding to the roiling cloud of fury hanging over the rest of the girls. "If this is Ranchan's plan, it's not working," she said.
No, this wasn't my plan, Ranma said to himself, or not all of it anyway, but I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. I don't have any other choice. Sis, I hope you can forgive me. With that, he turned to the watching crowd. "But some of you don't know who Ranko really is, do you? Some of you know, but most of you don't. Ranko is actually my sister Ukyo. She has a curse, that changes her into that redheaded girl."
Everyone gasped, this time, including Ukyo and Akane. Sayuri and Yuka looked around at their friends, whom they had been trying to hold back from rushing at Ranma, but his words had stunned them into inaction. Several of them were staring at Ukyo. "What are you doing, Ranchan?" she muttered.
Her sense of trepidation increased, as Nabiki walked out to the field with a bucket of water. Kuno had stopped chasing Ranma, and was glaring at him. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Nabiki asked. Ranma nodded.
Kuno spoke up before Nabiki could act. "Must you compound your offenses against the fair Ukyo with lies, scoundrel? I know that the redheaded girl you call 'Ranko' is yourself - except when you use your foul sorcery to force her into that form."
"Close, Kuno, but still wrong. I have a curse, too, which turns me into Ukyo."
Nabiki threw the water over him, and he changed form. Genma let out a bellow, and tried to grab Nodoka and put his hands over her eyes. When she evaded him, the panda took off running, leaping over the fence and disappearing into the distance.
A lot of the clues to Ukyo's true feelings, such as her reaction to Hanachiyo, (the neighbor's cat) came during that arc. Shampoo might have awakened both the romantic attraction AND Ukyo's Neko-Ken. Shampoo was the first one we saw her use it on, although it was a "failed" attempt since Ukyo didn't seem to be focused and in control like she was with Ryoga.