Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and its characters and settings belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Kitty, and Viz Video.

Words in ~tildes~ indicate English song lyrics.

Chapter 14: Summer Days

Ryoga paused at the top of the gorge. The clanging and crashing sounds that he'd been following for the past several minutes were still ringing forth. He sat down and waited a bit longer, until one last gigantic explosion of sound rent the air.

In the silence that followed, he got back to his feet and looked over the lip of the chasm. Ukyo was standing ankle-deep in a pile of rubble, gasping and panting for breath. Said rubble was all that remained of the huge boulder she'd been attacking with her combat spatula when he'd first arrived. Although the chef was obviously quite tired from her exertions, Ryoga noticed her eyes were already beginning to rove around, evaluating other boulders scattered along the floor of the gorge.

Rather than letting her push herself to the point of exhaustion, Ryoga opted at this point to begin climbing down the slope.  Ukyo whirled at the sound of falling pebbles, her eyes widening as she saw who was approaching. She slung her combat spatula back into place at her back, then waited uneasily for him to finish his descent.

Once he'd done so, and started walking over toward her, Ryoga began to feel an all-too-familiar sensation of being out of his depth.  Okay, that Ukyo might have been angry at Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung's good fortune he could understand, even if smashing boulders seemed a little extreme of a reaction. But that didn't come close to explaining the pain and desperation he thought he could see in her eyes. Ryoga nearly began to panic. What was wrong now? He'd thought all his problems on this front had been solved!

And then the obvious answer hit him. He exhaled a long, relieved breath, and picked up the pace a little, walking quickly over to her and putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Ukyo, it's not like that."

This did remove most of the aforementioned pain and desperation from Ukyo's expression. They were displaced by confusion. "H-huh?  What do you mean, Ryoga-kun?"

"Um, you know…" Ryoga suddenly realized just what he was going to have to put into words. He gulped, wishing for Ranma's cool savoir-faire in talking about feelings and commitment and stuff.  "I mean… why Li Na pushed me into the spring and all… it wasn't… you know… so her daughters could each have their own… I mean… we don't have to wait a year now, anyway!"

While Ryoga might have thought he was being perfectly clear, it still took several seconds of puzzlement before Ukyo grasped the gist of what he was saying. "Wait a minute, Sugar. You thought I thought the reason she shoved you into the Spring of Drowned Twins was so there'd be two of you for her two daughters?"

"Well, yeah, that is what I thought when I saw you looking so upset," Ryoga said bewilderedly. Then he blushed. "I mean, not like I'm trying to say that would be a good reason to get upset, just because we weren't going to be able to… which isn't what happened anyway… but if it had, I'm not some kind of great prize that anybody should get all worked up over not winning…"

"Ryoga, stop babbling," the chef said flatly.  He'd taken his hand off her shoulder a while back, to nervously push his index fingers together. Ukyo countered this by placing her hand on his arm. "That isn't what I was thinking, Sugar," she said, pain beginning to creep back into her voice. "It was… I mean… I'm sorry!"

It was Ryoga's turn for puzzlement. If the measure of how good a couple two people make is how much they share, he and Ukyo were certainly off to a good start. "Sorry for what?"

"I… I tried…" She gulped. "When that witch threw you toward the spring, I tried to run forward and keep you from landing in it. I could have done it. I could have kept this from happening. But all I could think about was what was happening to you, and I forgot to watch my back, and Rouge tripped me before I could do anything. I'm sorry, Ryoga honey."

"Ukyo." She looked up from the ground at which she'd been staring for her last few sentences. Meeting Ryoga's gaze, she found only confusion. "I still don't understand why you're apologizing," he confessed, honest bewilderment clear on his face.

Ukyo hadn't expected this. But then again, it had been less than a day since Jusenkyo, she reminded herself. Maybe he was still in shock or something. "Doesn't it bother you, Sugar?" she asked, her tone indicating the question was more rhetorical than not. "I mean, if suddenly there were two of me running around, I know I'd be having a tough time, wondering whether I was real or not. But those damn Amazons didn't even worry about that for a minute. Just dunked you in the spring without even asking what you wanted.  Not that they ever do."

"Oh, so that's what the problem is," Ryoga said, smiling in relief. "Don't worry about it, Ukyo. I'm not gonna have an identity crisis or anything like that."

'Yep, definitely still in shock,' Ukyo thought sadly.  "Okay, Sugar, but if you ever feel like talking, promise you'll come to me, okay?"

He nodded. "Sure thing. But remember, I've already been through learning I originally had an Oni soul, and then FIGHTING that part of myself. Compared to that, this is nothing."

Ukyo frowned slightly. This did open up new avenues of thought "You really mean it? I mean, this doesn't bother you at all?"

"No, not really. What's to bother me?  When you get right down to it, there's only two questions that this could bring up. 'Am I real?' and 'Who am I?'. Well, the first one's gotta be 'yes', cause 'I think, therefore I am', and the answer to the other one is the same as it was day before yesterday. I've still got the same hopes and needs and thoughts and dreams as I did before."

The chef realized her jaw was hanging wide open.  With an effort, she closed it.  "When did you get so philosophical, Ryoga-kun?"

He shrugged. "A little after that time I rescued your cousin from those street punks, I ran into this guy who fought with Martial Arts Philosophy. It was the lamest fighting style I've ever seen, but I still learned some stuff. This is the first time I've really had a use for it."

"You're putting me on," Ukyo accused.

"No, I'm serious," he protested. "He was this really scrawny little guy, which was why the style worked for him.  He made sure to only challenge people who didn't have the heart to beat up a wimp like that, then he would drone on and on about philosophical questions and the ways different people have tried to answer them, and eventually his opponent would either give up in disgust or fall asleep. If that happened, he'd roll them out of wherever the 'fight' was happening, and win by ring out."

"Riiiiight," Ukyo chuckled, caught halfway between full-blown amusement and uncertainty as to whether Ryoga was making this up.

"I lasted longer than his usual opponents, which is how I know so much philosophy, but he got me in the end," Ryoga admitted.  "But I won the rematch. Brought a pair of earplugs, picked him up by the back of his shirt, and dropped him outside the ring without hurting him."

"Earplugs… something no martial artist should be without," Ukyo joked, thinking about Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung. Which of course ruined the good humor Ryoga had managed to evoke with his story.

She sighed, then continued speaking. "I guess I'm glad you're not having trouble adjusting, Sugar. But that doesn't make everything all right, does it? There's another Ryoga who's now stuck for good and all with Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung. The price of your freedom was him getting tied down forever.

"That's the other thing that has me down. One more time, we see Amazons deciding what they want to happen, and doing what they want without even asking. This last trick… I mean, it's basically as good as saying, 'Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung are going to get what they want, if we have to break the actual laws of REALITY to make it happen!' Because I wasn't fast enough to stop it, you have a brother who's never gonna get free of Amazon snares. There's nothing I can do about it now. And it hurts."

Ryoga was quiet for a while, trying to decide what needed to be said in response. Eventually, he said, "Ukyo, I don't know if you're gonna want to hear this. But I need to say it anyway.

"You remember a while back, when I said there was only one thing I really wanted to change in my life? The way I never got to see my parents? Well, that was true then, and it's true now, but over the last month it wasn't. My biggest wish, up until yesterday anyway, was to get out of this trap I was in without hurting anybody I cared about."

He looked into her eyes. "Without hurting anybody I cared about," he repeated. "That means you, AND Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung. I know how you feel about them. I know how they feel about you. But do any of you know how I feel? Did you expect me to be happy about this, that there's a way out without having to turn anyone down? Because I am. And so is the other Ryoga."

"Happy?!" Ukyo demanded. "Happy that he’s gonna be forced into marrying those two now?!"

"He won't be," Ryoga answered soberly.  "Remember Cologne's deal? If he doesn't learn to love them, there's a way out." He hesitated, then continued, "But it isn't going to come to that. This has been tearing me up inside for too long now. I've wanted what you want, Ukyo, to… get closer to you… but being with the twins and seeing how much they cared for me, it made me care right back. If you and I had never met, I… I actually would have been in love with them by now."

Ukyo flinched, which he hadn't expected.  "Ryoga…" she said after an uncomfortable period of silence, "…if this hadn't happened… would you have chosen…" another long pause, then with a gulp she forced out the last word, "…them?"

Ryoga spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness.  "If this hadn't happened… I wouldn't have been able to choose. Couldn't bear to hurt you, couldn't bear to hurt them. I don't know what would've happened. But it wouldn't have been pretty."

"So they really did have just as much chance as me," Ukyo said bitterly, looking away. "That doesn't do my ego a whole lot of good, you know, Sugar. To find out I couldn't even beat out a couple of little kids."

"Ukyo… is it some kind of crime, that I thought it was nice to be wanted?" Ryoga asked helplessly. "They showed up right after I met you. I've been alone my whole life. They scared me at first by coming on too strong, but then they toned it down and just showed me caring and consideration. Oh sure, sometimes they teased me and made me uncomfortable, but all those times put together don't even compare to what I felt after they got their granny to try and find my parents!"

"Say what?!" This startled Ukyo out of her blue funk. "They tried to find your parents?!"

"Yeah, with Amazon magic, but so far each time the Matriarch has checked for them they've been way too far away to try and go catch up with either of them." But at least he knew they were still alive and in good health.

"I… I never knew that…" the chef admitted.  Neither of them said anything for a while, as Ukyo turned the new revelation over in her mind.  Reluctantly, she began to consider that there must be more to the Amazon twins than she had given them credit for.  What else had Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung done, that she hadn't seen?

Ryoga took a deep breath. "Ukyo… do you remember that night… at your restaurant… you know, right after they got rid of the Gambling King…"

"Yeah, I remember," she said, blushing at the memory.

"When you… hugged me…" Ryoga was blushing too, more fiercely than Ukyo by a fair measure, "…was it easy? To just let go, and… and show what you were feeling like that?"

Ukyo mutely shook her head.

"Same for me… it's hard…" He wiped some sweat from his brow as if in testimony to this fact. "But not for Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung. They don't hold back or keep a reserve. They show you how they really feel. And what they showed me… how they felt for me… it was enough for part of me to feel the same way back."

Silence again for a while, before Ukyo asked, hesitantly, "Are you gonna be able to let go of them?"

"Yes," Ryoga answered her, no hesitation or uncertainty in his voice. "I wasn't trying to say I was in love with them. I wasn't. But that other me… who doesn't have to worry about hurting anybody else… he can take them up on their offer. He can afford to give them what they want. And since they're not going to get hurt, I can walk away with no regrets."

"No regrets, Sugar? That he's got somebody and you don't?" Even as the words left her mouth, Ukyo had a sense that that wasn't really the best way to lead into what she was trying to say. As a look of sick panic started to rise in Ryoga's eyes, her suspicion was confirmed. She smacked herself on the forehead. "Sorry, Sugar, that didn't come out right. What I meant was… you know… Oh, heck!" Ukyo stamped her foot in sudden exasperation. "You were right, Ryoga honey. It's hard to just let go. Even if I have before.

"But… I'm glad I don't have to fight over you any more… I'm glad that, like you said, we… we don't have to wait 'til the Matriarch's year is up…"

"You know… it really should be my turn now," Ryoga said nervously, as Ukyo seemed to run out of courage. He gathered what there was of his, then awkwardly reached out and pulled her to him in a hug.  Ukyo didn't take nearly as long to respond as he had the first time she'd reached out to him.

Whether either of them would have had the guts to take it further must remain a mystery, for at that point a loud cry, followed by a scrabbling sound, marked the descent of another person into the gorge.  Ryoga and Ukyo ended the embrace, neither particularly happy at the interruption, and turned to see just who had come butting in.

Ryoga was starting to get a little frustrated.  He'd been looking for Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung for the last twenty minutes. The last fifteen of these had been spent wandering around in circles, trying to track down just where that elusive music was coming from.

His search had led him back to where the melody seemed strongest:  just outside the Matriarch's home.  Ryoga had already passed by here six times in the last quarter-hour, and had even gone inside and checked the entire place thoroughly for the twins. Twice. No Ling-Ling or Lung-Lung, or anybody else who could tell him where they might be.

At this point he was beginning to wonder whether it was really the twins he was hearing, though. While the music was as beautiful as he'd only heard from them, it didn't sound particularly cheerful.  More somber and melancholy. Not actually a dirge of mourning, but certainly no anthem of jubilation and celebration. Plus there was the fact that avoiding him was definitely NOT Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung's usual modus operandi.

Ryoga groaned in frustration, and began to gently hit his head against the side of the house, trying to dislodge some inspiration.  He supposed he could always shout, "LING-LING! LUNG-LUNG! IS THAT YOU? WHERE ARE YOU, ANYWAY?!" at the top of his lungs, but somehow that option didn't seem too appealing at the moment. Perhaps a better one would be to jump to the roof and see if he could see anything from there. The height of the tallest building in the village would give him a better vantage point than just walking through the streets. He tensed, then leaped…

…nearly squashing Ling-Ling flat on his landing.

The cherry-haired girl was caught so much by surprise that she almost didn't manage to get out of the way at all. At the last moment she rolled frantically to one side, lamenting not having been quicker to react. If she'd been faster, there would have been time to 'accidentally' clip his ankle with hers as he landed and send the two of them rolling along together.  The rooftop was flat and she and her sister had been in the center of it, so there was no danger that this maneuver would have sent her or Ryoga over the edge. And it would have worn away just a little bit more of his cute-but-sometimes-frustrating shyness.

"Oh, gosh! I'm sorry, Ling-Ling! Are you okay?!" At least this time he hadn't actually smacked into her, Ryoga thought.

"Am fine," she reassured him. "Is good to see you, Airen."

"Same to you," he said. "Man, I can't believe I didn't think to check the rooftops. If Ranma were here he'd laugh himself sick."

"What you mean?"

"I've been looking for you for a while now. I kept hearing you play, but I couldn't quite figure out where the music was coming from." Ryoga laughed sheepishly. "I came up here to get a better view of the streets below us."

"Well, it still work, yes? From rooftop you able to see where we is," Ling-Ling said with a faint smile.

"Hmmm… when you put it that way…"

"So how you doing?" Lung-Lung asked. "Is you get used to have twin brother now yet?"

"It's still pretty odd, to see another Ryoga walking around and everything. Probably it'll take me a while to really get used to it. But I'm sure glad it happened," Ryoga said with feeling.

Both Amazons blinked. "Really? You is glad?"

"Yeah, I'm glad," he confirmed, puzzled at their reaction.  "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You no think he maybe get hurt?" Ling-Ling said quietly.  "Maybe you not hear yet, Airen.  But Mother, Aunt Rouge, and Great-Grandmother all tell us same thing, we have to stay with you, stay away from him. Can not even be his friend for at least next month."

"We understand why we have to do it, after what Mother do.  So he able to let go of us and move on," Lung-Lung said morosely. Then her eyes seemed to flash fire. "Lung-Lung not know what she thinking! We never want to hurt you. Just want to be happy together with you forever. But now there one Ryoga Hibiki that no can be part of that no more."

"Is it really bothering you that much?" Ryoga asked gently.  "I was kind of surprised when I heard the music. I thought you'd be all happy and excited about what your mother did."

"Happy and excited? What we gain from this? We already going to win sooner or later. Okay, maybe this make things little bit sooner, but price is you now have brother who going to be alone."

"Alone?!" He hadn't expected this. Just why did Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung think their mother had done what she did anyway?!  "Come on, Ling-Ling. I know you and Lung-Lung aren't blind. How do you think he's going to wind up alone?"

"No, we not blind, Airen. We know spatula girl now think she have go-ahead signal to go after other Ryoga, and will leave you alone." Lung-Lung looked him dead in the eye. "We also know Ryoga not want same thing as she want. Want to be friend only."

"How'd you figure that?" Ryoga asked, not realizing that the way he'd phrased the question could be mistaken for agreement with her statement.

Lung-Lung hesitated, trying to decide how much to say.  At last, thinking the Amazon equivalent of 'What the heck', she said, "Airen, you remember times we eat lunch together back in Japan? Especially time we kid you about Passion Spice?" He nodded, unsure what that had to do with anything. She continued, "Why you think we do that joke anyway?"

Ryoga shrugged.   "To tease me?" he hazarded a guess. "I mean, I must've looked pretty funny, with the way you two were giggling then."

"That was just unexpected side bonus," Ling-Ling said, patting him on the arm. "Real reason was subtle. Is strategy Great-Grandmother help us with."

"What strategy?" he prompted, after a few moments of silence.

Lung-Lung reached out and took his hand, twining her fingers through his. She glanced at the sweat suddenly breaking out on Ryoga's forehead, then deliberately removed the bandana she was wearing and used it to wipe her Airen's brow. Given that this action only made him perspire more freely, one might think it was a wasted effort. One would be wrong.

She let go of his hand and tied the bandana back into its place in her hair. "Airen… you just lose cool because Lung-Lung get close and do something romantic. But few seconds back, Ling-Ling pat you on arm and you not even flinch. Why you think that is?"

"A little pat on the arm is nothing, compared to some of the stuff… you've done…" Ryoga's voice trailed off as the beginnings of understanding began to glimmer on his face.

"Mm-hm," Lung-Lung confirmed. "We sorry we make you uncomfortable sometimes, Airen. We not ever want it to be too bad. But little bit is okay, is even good, Great-Grandmother say. She think you is much shy, need help to get over. So we take slow steps to make you more comfortable with get close."

"Is hard to be patient," Ling-Ling said, looking at Ryoga with a somber expression. Then her whole face shifted, lighting up with a big smile. "But now we understand better what big sister Shampoo tell us long back. Good man is worth wait."

While he had come a good ways under the twins' subtle (or not-so-subtle) prodding, Ryoga was still a little too flustered to enjoy a conversation like this as much as he would in later days.  Besides, they hadn't really answered his first question yet.  "You haven't really answered my first question yet."

"What was…? Oh, yeah. How we know you only wanted to be friend with spatula girl." Lung-Lung hesitated, but decided there wasn't any good way of avoiding this admission. "Not too long ago, Airen… we see you off in distance with her… we follow you with Dance of Hidden Chameleon. Watch you go on walk and eat lunch at nice restaurant."

"This was after we tell you we had no been using to follow you," Ling-Ling broke in. "We tell truth then."

"Anyway, we see spatula girl try do same thing we do, try come-on tricks to get Ryoga to get closer to her. But you not respond at all. You not go along with it, and you not even get nervous. That how we know, Airen. If there was feeling on your side, would at least get nervous when she try like that. Like you do with us."

Ryoga blinked. "Wait a minute… You're telling me Ukyo was trying to do the same thing you do? Why didn't I notice anything?"

Stunned silence for a moment, then a delayed facefault from the twins.

"Never mind, I don't guess that was the smartest question I've ever asked," he admitted. "Remember, Ling-Ling, Lung-Lung, some of the things you girls understand are a mystery to us guys. Or at least to me. Whatever Ukyo did, it couldn't have been as obvious as the stuff you pull sometimes."

"And what if had been?" Lung-Lung demanded, getting back up.  "What if she not too, too bashful Japanese that no can come out and show what want?  What if she make obvious, hug you even or something like that?"

"She actually did that once," Ryoga admitted nervously.  "Right after the Gambling King left. I probably would've freaked out completely if you two hadn't softened me up for that kinda stuff." He said the last in the hope that it would calm Lung-Lung down.

"Spatula girl go too far this time!" Lung-Lung snarled.  "We never EVER let her steal you away from us! Will beat her into ground if have to!"

At this point Ling-Ling smacked her sister on the head, ending her tirade. "Earth to Lung-Lung," she said sarcastically. "Thanks to Mother, is no question of spatula girl try to steal Airen away, remember? She have own."

"Oh… yeah. That right." The lime-haired girl laughed sheepishly. "Lung-Lung forget in heat of moment. Sorry about that, Airen."

"Ranma, prepare to die!" Ryoga muttered under his breath, a wry grin on his face. "Talk about déjà vu." When the twins looked at him strangely, he smiled and said, "It's nothing."

The three were quiet for a minute or two, before Ling-Ling spoke up again. "So other Ryoga will not be alone after all? Not even for small time it would take good man like him to find somebody in village what interested?  He will go right to her?"

"Yeah, that's right," Ryoga confirmed.

Lung-Lung hesitated, obviously wanting to ask a question but unsure how to phrase it. At last she said, "Airen… You and he is same person, more or less. Will become different as time go by, at least that what Mother said, but right now you know what he would feel like and he know same for you. Will he… be happy with her?"

Ryoga took a deep breath. "Yes, I think so," he said. "Are you okay with that?"

Both Amazons looked downcast. "Is man we care about, who we have to let go because there only one for us," Ling-Ling said. "We want him be happy. We no like Ukyo, as Airen well know. But if she make other Ryoga happy, then… then that okay with us. Even if we not think she deserve get lucky like that."

"I wouldn't be surprised if she felt the exact same way about you two," Ryoga said, wisely NOT going on to add, "You and her have a lot more in common than any of you realize."

"Humph. Spatula girl would never have good sense like that," Lung-Lung huffed. "But… at least other Ryoga not be lonely…"

"Yeah…" Ryoga said, suddenly noticing that somehow, without appearing to move, both girls had gotten quite a bit closer. He gulped, then said, "Being lonely sucks… I'm glad I'm not anymore…"

Restraining themselves until he made the next move was one of the hardest things Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung had ever done.  But they were rewarded as Ryoga finally leaned forward and put his arms around both of them.

Whether the Amazons would have been able to hold themselves back from going any further and probably spooking their Airen must remain a mystery, for at that moment the trap door to the roof opened and someone climbed out.  As the newcomer was behind Ryoga, he remained unaware of this (and Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung were certainly not paying enough attention to notice) until an exclamation came from behind the three of them.

They hadn't intended to break off practice this soon.  Ranma, Kodachi, and Shampoo had started their day by heading to an open area on the outskirts of the village, and engaging in some free-for-all sparring. Unfortunately, they found reason to cut it short before any of them had really gotten their fill of the fun.

Ranma had thought that the earliness of the hour would have been enough to guarantee some privacy. Although most everybody in the tribe would probably have been awake by now, there shouldn't have been any reason to bring anyone out in this direction. But apparently he'd underestimated the curiosity of the Amazons toward the newcomers.

He didn't quite become aware of the sensation of danger quickly enough.  As often happened in situations like this, the fight had shifted into both girls vs. Ranma.  He had just twisted to one side, grabbing Shampoo by the arm as she inadvertently presented a minuscule opening in her defenses, and spinning her into the path of Kodachi's ribbon strike which his initial shift had dodged. As the girls were temporarily stymied, Shampoo because she was completely entangled, Kodachi because her faithful ribbon was out of commission and Ranma had already disarmed her of everything else, the Anything-Goes heir was able to relax for a moment.

And that was when the hairs at the back of his neck stirred with a feeling of peril. He tensed, then spun around, halfway expecting a sneak-attack from some unknown assailant.

No attack was forthcoming. Nobody was anywhere near his back. But there were a number of Amazons standing a good distance away, watching the battle with an unmistakable gleam in their eyes.

'Oh, crud,' Ranma thought. Desperately he spun back to face the girls. Shampoo was now untangled, and Kodachi had recovered most of her weapons.  Both braced themselves to resume combat.

"Well, that's about enough for today, don't you think?" the pigtailed martial artist asked loudly, making sure his voice would carry to his unanticipated audience.

Kodachi, who was focused too much on her boyfriend to have noticed the newcomers yet, blinked in surprise. "Enough for today? Only thirty minutes of sparring? Are you feeling all right, Ranma-kun? You're usually the last one of us to call it quits when we train."

"Ha, ha, ha! You're such a kidder, Dachi-chan!" Ranma said desperately. "You know this is just a hobby for me!" Under his breath he hissed, "play along, play along already!" and jerked his head toward the Amazon audience.

The White Rose's eyes widened as she finally noticed the others, and the looks they were giving Ranma. After a long moment of glaring at them and debating whether or not to walk over and administer a judicious Spirit Ribbon Storm, she eventually said, "Of course, you're right, Ranma-sama. It wouldn't do to think of this as something serious, now would it?!"

Shampoo just shook her head. '<Who do they think they're going to fool with that pathetic act anyway? And have they forgotten most of those girls don't speak Japanese?>' Oh well, better to play along. Given how the other Amazons were staring at her Airen, she was pretty sure the damage had already been done, but continuing to dangle his true prowess in front of their eyes would only make things worse. Now that the moment had actually come, she felt like an idiot for all the times she'd fantasized about showing Ranma off to the rest of the Amazons. What had she been thinking when she'd imagined them just walking away in despair at not having a chance at someone that good?!

And so it was that the three of them headed back to the village much earlier than they had thought to. They were quiet for a while, but as they reached the first few houses, Ranma spoke up. "Do ya think they bought that, Shampoo?"

"Hmmm, let Shampoo think. Would Amazon sisters believe that man what only think of the Art as hobby get good enough to move so fast warrior's eye can not follow, and trap Shampoo in attack what other top-notch fighter meant for him?" Shampoo shook her head. "Not a chance in the world, Airen. We should have go farther to find training ground. Sorry I not see that in first place."

"Like it's any less my fault?" Ranma sighed. "Man, I've never felt so much like a piece of meat with a bunch'a hungry wolves staring at it. Furinkan wasn't nearly this bad."

"Furinkan know better than to cross Shampoo's sister.  Right, Kodachi?" Shampoo didn't actually wait for a response before turning back to Ranma.  "But you say you never, ever feel like that, Airen?" Her lips curved into a sultry smile. "Not even when Shampoo look at you like that? Then I guess I just have to try harder."

"Hey, it's different when it's you guys," Ranma pointed out.

"Indeed. It IS different with us." By now Kodachi had had time to calm down, and to think a few things over. "We share a bond with you that none of them can ever hope for, a bond so strong it even outweighs Amazon marriage laws. So why don't we ask the Matriarch to spread the word that you're off-limits, Ranma-sama?"

"That maybe work, but maybe not," Shampoo cautioned.  "Probably will reduce heat, but not get rid of everyone."

"Why ever not?" That didn't seem to make much sense to the White Rose.

"They already know Ranma is outside of marriage law.  Because he have Shampoo, he not count as outsider, and defeat other Amazon not mean anything unless is actual marriage challenge he made. But that not stop them from try to make him want to choose them. Because Heart Link is secret, can no tell them why they not really have any chance at that."

Kodachi frowned thoughtfully. "Then is there nothing we could do? Ultimately these girls' intentions would have the same impact on us as on you, Ranma dear. Shouldn't Shampoo and I be able to do something?"

"Yes and no," Shampoo answered for him, looking uncomfortable. "Could put out public word that we absolutely not accept any more candidates for fellow wives to Ranma. That probably get rid of just about everyone." Left unspoken was the thought that they would be able to do what Ranma himself couldn't, and be unmoved by the sorrow of disappointed cute girls.

The White Rose sighed as she took in the expression on Shampoo's face.  "And what's the downside that makes this approach unfeasible?"

"What it would say about what Ranma is to us.  Would be saying to everybody, what Ranma maybe, maybe not want doesn't matter to us, we is only ones what have right to make decision.  Is you willing to put that out to whole village?"

Kodachi recoiled at the implication. "Of course not!"

Shampoo smirked. "I know. Was rhetorical question."

Another approach had occurred to Ranma by now.  "But maybe we could get the other Elders to step in an' tell everybody not to waste their time. Whaddaya think about that, Sham-chan? I mean, they all know about the Heart Link. They can just tell all the girls that I'm not interested in anybody else; they don't have'ta say WHY. I'd think that if there's anybody that could get something like that taken on faith, it'd be the Council of Elders."

Shampoo gave him a strange look. "Does you really think all those girls would believe? Would give up just like that for such vague statement? Ranma never have trouble not thinking with hormones?"

Ranma, remembering back to a certain moonlit episode, blushed fiercely enough to pique Kodachi's curiosity. But it obviously wasn't the right time to ask for details such as those. They were well inside the village now, and people were moving about in the streets around them.

As they approached the Matriarch's house, Ranma suddenly stopped dead, and gave a groan. "Oh, man, we gotta warn Ryoga! Soon as somebody sees him… er, them, going all out in practice, he'll… THEY'LL be up to their necks in girl troubles just when they thought they were in the clear!"  Fortunately none of the Amazons within earshot spoke Japanese well enough to follow this, or it would have become a moot point.

"Aiyah! That right!" Shampoo said, dismayed that she hadn't thought of that herself. "Either of you know where Ryogas is?"

Kodachi pointed down the street. "Actually, there's one of them now, coming this way with Ukyo and someone else."  Her brow crinkled in puzzlement.  "Something certainly seems to have excited them. I wonder what?"

The question was answered quickly enough, as Ryoga, Ukyo, and the man with them came over to where Ranma, Kodachi, and Shampoo were standing.  Ryoga grinned like a loon as he put his arm around the man's shoulders. "Ranma, Kodachi, Shampoo, may I introduce Ichiro Hibiki. My father."

Seen from this close, the family resemblance was so obvious that Ryoga might not have even needed to say anything.  Ichiro was a man in his early thirties, with the same black hair and powerful build as his son. He stood a few inches taller than Ranma. His eyes were brown, not that far off in hue from his skin, which was sun-darkened and weathered as if he had spent many years traveling under the open sky.  His dusty clothing and large backpack further added to that impression.

Though appearances can be deceiving, what you see is usually what you get with a Hibiki.

It was somewhat disconcerting for Ranma and Kodachi to see the fangs that Ryoga had lost so long ago still gleamed in his father's broad smile.  "I'm always glad to meet friends of my son."

Ranma managed to recover enough composure to bow.  "Y-you're his father? Where'd you come from, anyway?!"

The teenagers were struck with a bizarre sensation of déjà vu as Ichiro put one hand behind his head and laughed embarrassedly.  "That's one question I've never been able to answer very well. I don't even know where I am now. Just that I was looking down a cliff, hoping there'd be a spring or stream at the bottom, and recognized my boy down there."

"Oh! Are you thirsty, Dad?" Ryoga asked. "C'mon inside and we'll get you something to drink. This is where I'm staying right now anyway."

Ryoga led the way inside, Ichiro following him and Ukyo following the elder Hibiki, with the chef making sure to keep him in her sight at all times.  From the stories Ryoga honey had told her, she was pretty sure that was the only way to ensure his half-Oni directionlessness didn't suddenly kick in and shift him to Australia.

Because she was paying such close attention, Ukyo was able to stop in time to avoid running into Ichiro's back when he suddenly came to a halt.  However, the same wasn't true of Shampoo, Ranma, or Kodachi, who piled up behind the chef and knocked her forward into Ryoga's father anyway. The entire mass of people stumbled forward into the large greeting room.

Ichiro absentmindedly halted his forward momentum by quickly shifting one foot in front of him and bracing himself. As the elder Hibiki in front of them went from stumbling father to immovable object, Ranma, Kodachi, Shampoo, and Ukyo all lost their balance entirely, falling to the ground in a confused tangle of arms and legs.

Neither Ichiro nor his son noticed. They were too busy staring in disbelief at the sight in front of them.

The newcomers weren't the only people in the room.  Four people had been seated at a table when the door opened.  Two of them, Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung, were still sitting, with startled, questioning looks on their faces, as if they suspected something but weren't sure of it.  The other two were standing, their own expressions well beyond startled or uncertain. The other Ryoga was staring in disbelief at who his twin had brought with him. And the last person present…

"Ichiro?" A sort of hopeful gasp.

"Kozue?" The whisper of one who sees something too good to be true.

It was a good thing that Ryoga wasn't standing directly between them, for at this point his father and mother raced forward, grabbing each other and holding on for dear life.

Ukyo, who had managed to disentangle herself and get back to her feet, walked over and tapped Ryoga on the arm. When that produced no noticeable response, she poked him in the ribs with a throwing spatula. "Hey, Sugar, you don't mean to tell us… is that your mom?!"

Ling-Ling got up from her chair and walked over to her Airen.  "Ryoga… Ling-Ling think she recognize from picture, but hard to believe. Is really your father?"

The Ryogas, each with his voice catching in his throat, could only nod.

"So BOTH Ryoga's parents wandered into the same place, at the same time, and it just happened to be the Amazon village?  Where their son… er, sons, had just settled down for a visit?" Kodachi shook her head in disbelief. "Ranma-kun, how much more aren't you going to tell me? You never said the slightest thing about this place being just as full of chaos and outlandish coincidences as Nerima."

"It not usually this bad," Shampoo protested.  "Not even close. I wonder if maybe we bring strange stuff with us."

Since the Matriarch's home had become the site of an impromptu family reunion, Ranma, Kodachi, and Shampoo slipped out again to give them some privacy. Without anything better to do, they began walking around the village, Shampoo pointing out spots of interest to Kodachi as they came to them. The White Rose wasn't really paying that much attention, though, her mind dwelling back at the Matriarch's home and what was happening there. Shampoo didn't notice her sister's inattention, as she was doing the same thing, allocating only a few of her thoughts to the tour, with the rest of her wondering just how Mr. and Mrs. Hibiki were adjusting to the knowledge that they now had two sons instead of one, as well as at least two eventual daughters-in-law.

Eventually neither of them could stand it any longer.  "This is part of village where metalworkers have shops, Kodachi. So what you think going on back with Ryogas parents, Ucchan, Ling-Ling, and Lung-Lung?"

The White Rose didn't even blink at the non sequitur.  "I've been wondering myself, Shampoo. I hope everything is turning out well, that they're able to handle learning everything they need to. Perhaps it depends on how many oddities they've experienced in their years of wandering. I suspect they may take the news better than a typical Japanese couple would."

"Probably so. Is certain 'typical' isn't right word for the Hibiki family," Shampoo agreed. "Wonder if Ryoga has tell them yet about Oni heritage."

"I doubt it. More likely he'll… er, they'll wait until your great-grandmother is available, so that she can be the one to break that news to them."

"Would be good idea. Wonder if Great-Grandmother knows way to cure them from get lost," the Amazon mused. "Is not the same thing as Ryoga was, after all, they not have Oni soul to cast out. I hope is possible for them to be cured for real."

"I've been thinking the same thing. And while I can't be certain, of course, I believe there is a way to do just that."  Kodachi glanced to one side, at Ranma.  She would prefer not to mention this in his hearing, for sensitivity's sake. He was a few steps away, seemingly lost in thought, but she lowered her voice anyway. "Back when the Matriarch explained Ryoga's heritage to us, she made a clear distinction between human and half-Oni. So it stands to reason that if Ryoga's father and mother immerse themselves in the Nannichuan and Nyannichuan, they would receive true human bodies as 'cursed' forms, in which they would not be subject to directionlessness any longer."

"Aiyah! Is very good idea," Shampoo agreed, impressed once again with Kodachi's clarity of thought. "Should tell Ryogas as soon as we see them again."

"If your great-grandmother hasn't already beaten me to it.  And assuming she doesn't say it won't work, of course," Kodachi pointed out.

"That true." The girls were quiet for a few more moments, before Shampoo spoke again, in a pensive tone. "Wonder what Ryogas' parents going to think of Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung."

"Are you worried that they might have a problem with the thought of an Amazon multi-marriage? Or are you just concerned about your cousins making a good impression?"

"Both, maybe," Shampoo answered. "Is not cousins' fault they look four years younger than real age, but if Ryoga just blurt out, "This is Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung, my fiancées," without preparing parents first, could maybe really hurt their feelings if father or mother react in shock."

"Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that," Kodachi replied.

"And then there is possibility that them in same room with Ucchan would cause a fight to break out. That probably will not happen, but is one more thing to worry about."

The White Rose chewed her lower lip worriedly.  "I hadn't thought of that. Maybe we ought to head back. Just in case."

Shampoo nodded. "Come on." The girls turned and began walking back the way they had come.

"Hey! Where're you going?" Ranma called out, roused at last from his preoccupied thoughts.

"We're going to go back to the Matriarch's home," Kodachi answered.

A blank look on his face, Ranma asked, "What?  Why? We left there so they could all have some privacy." He quickly glanced at the angle of the sun, reassuring himself that he hadn't somehow lost track of a few hours.

"Well, we were just a little concerned, that's all," his girlfriend replied. Another blank look prompted her to summarize the last few minutes' conversation between her and Shampoo.

By the time she'd finished, her boyfriend was shaking his head.  "Dachi-chan, don't you think you're getting worked up over nothing?"

"Maybe, but better safe than sorry, don't you think?"

"No, I really don't. Not this time."  Ranma wasn't sure how to put what he wanted to say into words, so he kept quiet for a few moments. At last he said, "Even if all that stuff does happen, it ain't our place to go back and try to keep things runnin' smoothly, right? I mean, they're all gonna be family, at least unless somewhere down the road from now Ucchan an' Ryoga decide they just want to be friends. So they all ought to learn to get along together.  We shouldn't stick our noses in their business."

"Personally, I suspect Ryoga would appreciate it rather than being offended, if we headed off some trouble between Ucchan and the twins," Kodachi protested. Then she smacked herself on the head. "But that doesn't necessarily mean his parents would feel the same way about some strangers interfering. And it certainly doesn't mean they would thank us for sugarcoating over an area of trouble in their sons' lives. Well, I feel like an idiot now."

"You shouldn't," Ranma reassured her. "Some other time I might've agreed with ya. Wouldn't have thought about it nearly as much as I just did, that's for sure. But… I'm kinda sensitive about family stuff right now…"

As the tone with which he'd spoken that last sentence registered, Shampoo and Kodachi extended their perceptions along the Heart Link, sensing Ranma's feelings. They each took hold of one of his arms, and led him over to an open area not far off to one side, where they sat down side-by-side-by-side.

"Airen… I sorry. Not realize 'til now this hurt you so much," Shampoo said quietly. Kodachi had discussed this briefly with her, late one evening during the trip from Nerima toward the village, but the Amazon realized now that she hadn't really understood the extent of Ranma's feelings on the matter. Not knowing what else to say, she leaned her head against his shoulder and tried to project feelings of comfort, love, and acceptance.

"I didn't think either, Ranma-sama," Kodachi admitted.  "How seeing Ryoga suddenly reunited with his parents would affect you, after Genma's reprehensible behavior."

"I'm happy for them, and all," he said, "but yeah, it was one more reminder of how little my old man seems ta think of me."

"Makes no sense to Shampoo," the Amazon confessed.  "Long time before I love you, Airen, I could still see what good man you is. How could Genma not?"

"This is only a theory, mind you," Kodachi said slowly, "but I think what may have happened was Genma projecting his own faults onto Ranma. After all, we all know very well that if HE were suddenly dropped into the lap of luxury," she squelched a random but intense urge to pull Ranma into her own lap by way of illustration, "that he would simply lie back and do absolutely nothing. Perhaps he knows in his heart how much better than him you are, Ranma dear, but his pride simply won't allow him to admit it to himself."

After a few moments of silence, Ranma sighed.  "Huh. Maybe. I dunno. What more do I have to do to get through to the old idiot?!"

"Airen…" Shampoo said slowly. She'd been considering Kodachi's statement too. "If Kodachi is right, then is not matter of you at all. Is matter of him. Maybe you do everything you can and still not change things."

"Oh, really?" Ranma said, a gleam rising in his eye.  Although Shampoo hadn't intended her words as such, putting it in the form of a challenge made the situation seem a lot less insurmountable. "Wanna bet, Sham-chan?"

"Bet? Against Airen? Do Shampoo look stupid?" she asked teasingly, responding to his improving mood with a return of her usual cheerfulness. "And anyway, I is on your side. That means bet on Ranma, not against. Always."

"And I as well," Kodachi said adamantly.

Ranma didn't say anything, just pulled them tightly against him for a few minutes. At last he said, somewhat gruffly, "Thanks. Thanks a lot." After swallowing a few times, he went on, "So whaddaya think I should do, to pound some sense into Pop's skull? How about telling him about the barrel of Nannichuan we'll have brought back for him, but not letting him have it unless he can defeat me in combat? That'd get it through to him just how much I've been 'slacking off' and 'forgetting the Art'!"

Shampoo clapped her hands excitedly. "Is too, too good idea!" Watching that would make for some great entertainment!

While Kodachi felt the same way, she was reluctantly obliged to point out, "I don't think taunting him with a cure that he'll never be able to achieve is the best way to get him to open up, Ranma-kun."

That was true. The fat old panda never would be able to win that challenge, Ranma thought. "Everything's gotta have a downside," he grumbled. Oh well, back to the drawing board.

"What would make my old man finally respect me?" he mused out loud. "Or force him to show it if he really does? Hmmm…"

Shampoo and Kodachi turned the question over in their minds as well, calling up Ranma's memories. What had Genma always demanded of his son? What had he stressed as Ranma was growing up? Martial arts, of course. There really hadn't been anything else at all. Genma had taught his son from the earliest age to live, eat, sleep, breathe, and revere the Art. In fact, Kodachi thought with a sinking sensation, if Genma should discover that Ranma had learned to value other things as well, it might well disappoint the old idiot no matter how skilled a martial artist his son had become.

Was it really that bad, though? Surely not even Genma could focus absolutely EVERYTHING on the Art. Had he never presented anything else as having any worth at all?

After a bit of thought, the White Rose realized there was something she was overlooking. It hadn't been emphasized nearly as much, over the course of the years, and even when it was Genma had usually tied it to martial arts in some way or another. But she remembered now there had been numerous times when Genma had stressed the need for his son to grow up to be a real man… a paragon of manliness (not that the elder Saotome had put it that eloquently)… in short, a man among men. Which Kodachi knew he was, of course, but what would be the best way to prove that to Genma?

Ranma brightened as he suddenly thought of something.  What he'd already been planning to do on this trip… if that didn't get his father's respect, nothing would.  And there was no need to waste any more time. He rose to his feet, pulling a surprised Kodachi and Shampoo up with him. "C'mon, you two. I got an idea."

"Idea? What idea? Where we going?" Shampoo asked confusedly as Ranma led them purposefully onward.

"There's something I've been wanting to do for a while now, Sham-chan. My old man didn't have anything to do with why. But if it don't make him proud of me, I don't know what would."

"So… we going to do that now? Ranma?  Where we going anyway?"

"This morning showed privacy ain't exactly in huge supply around here, so we're gonna find some place far enough out that nobody's gonna come stumbling in and interrupting," Ranma said.

He still had his arms around both girls, but they managed to lean back slightly and exchange glances behind his back.  'Surely he doesn't… no, he couldn't… interrupting us?  I don't…'  With the 'man among men' memory still fresh in her mind, Kodachi was having some difficulty forming coherent thoughts.  'I will not jump to conclusions… I will not jump to conclusions… I will not allow my heart to jump up my throat and out my mouth…'

Nobody said anything for the next forty-five minutes.  Ranma was too busy making sure they weren't being followed; Shampoo and Kodachi were too busy fighting a mounting sense of anticipation and trepidation.

At last they reached an area that seemed sufficiently far from the village. Ranma looked with satisfaction on the broad stony field framed on three sides by hills and the fourth by a thicket of trees. "Looks like the perfect spot. Nice and private."

Shampoo swallowed, trying to work some moisture into her throat.  "That certainly true.  Nobody interrupt here."  She gulped again.  "Ranma want Shampoo go off to trees and wait there for while?"

"Huh?" Ranma asked, apparently not having anticipated this.  "What for?"

"Shampoo think is best that way," the Amazon said firmly, walking over toward the trees without further hesitation. "Can send Kodachi to come get Shampoo when Ranma ready for me."

Ranma scratched his head as he watched Shampoo disappear off into the thicket. "I will never understand women," he muttered. "Anyway, Dachi, I'm gonna need your help for this. Shampoo too, I still don't get why she walked away just now."

"I think… she just wanted it to be… just you and her… when… I quite agree with her, you know," Kodachi said, mentally thanking Shampoo for taking a firm stance.

"Oh well," Ranma shrugged. "I guess it'll take a little longer, but we're not in any hurry, right?"

"R-right," Kodachi managed, the butterflies in her stomach now feeling as if they might lift her off the ground. 'I can't believe… am I ready… I wanted to wait… didn't I?… But if Ranma-sama… he seems so determined…'

"So, anyway, like I was gonna say… I've been working on an idea for a brand new technique. This looks like the perfect place to develop it. It's enough out of the way that nobody's gonna come by and see it too soon.  I want it to be a secret until I get it perfect. If that don't earn some respect from Pop, I don't think anything will." Ranma's face shone with determination.

Kodachi's face shone with something other than determination.  "Th-that's what you brought us out here for?! To find a place where you could design a new special technique?!"

"Yeah, that's right. I need you and Sham-chan to know where I'll be so you can help run interference and keep people away." Ranma was more than a little puzzled by the expression on his girlfriend's face.  "Hey, Dachi, you feelin' okay?"

"Of course, Ranma-sama, why wouldn't I be?" Kodachi asked, holding back a laugh for fear it would turn into hysteria. 'So much for not jumping to conclusions.'

"Well, if you say so…" he wasn't convinced, but somehow sensed that it might not be a good idea to push it. Not when she was radiating that level of embarrassment. "I'm not sure how long it'll take me to work the move out. I'm planning on something pretty high-level. Like I said, I've been wanting to do this for my own sake, but it should also make an impression on Pop. Anyway, it may take a long time to get right, so I'm gonna take a couple hours out of each day to come here and work on it. Depending on how much progress I make, I may bump that up or cut it down. Just have to see how it goes."

By now Kodachi's heart rate was more or less under control.  By focusing all her thoughts on what Ranma was saying, she had managed to banish most of her flush as well.  "So what is this move you intend to create, Ranma-kun?"

"Um, well, it's a secret," Ranma said. "I want it to come as a surprise to everyone. I promise, you an' Sham-chan'll be the first to see it, once I've got it down. But you gotta wait until then, okay? And like I said, help me keep people away while I'm practicing."

"Oh, well, all right." Had Kodachi not still been fighting a severe case of embarrassment, she might have pushed just a little, if only to tease him. But as it was, she was glad of the opportunity to turn away and walk briskly toward the thicket. "I'll go send Shampoo so you can tell her."

Ranma watched her go, still wondering just what had had Dachi-chan so off-balance. Whatever it was, he was thankful for it. Otherwise, he suspected she would have caught on to the fact that there was a bit more to the plan than he was telling her. And that wouldn't do at all. Not yet.

Their privacy held for the next few hours, allowing the three to get in enough sparring to make up for the morning's interruption.  This particular practice session was even more strenuous than usual, as Kodachi and Shampoo had a lot of frustrated energy to burn off and there was no way in the world Ranma would deliberately let them show him up. They didn't call it quits until well after their normal lunchtime.

At which point Ranma remembered there was a forty-five minute hike between them and lunch. Fifteen minutes later, as they approached the Matriarch's house, Shampoo was once again feeling envious of Kodachi's ability to recover her strength as fast as she spent it. Even for the Champion of the Amazons, a forced march like this on an empty stomach after hours of all-out combat was no fun at all.

They found the house unoccupied when they arrived, with the leftovers from lunch neatly packed and awaiting them. It was just as well that everyone else had already come, eaten, and gone, because there wasn't the slightest bit of food remaining after the three had eaten their fill. In fact, Shampoo had had to whip up an extra batch of lo mein, with dim sum on the side.

"So, what do ya want to do now?" Ranma asked, after the feeding frenzy was finally finished.

"Well, our tour of the village was cut somewhat short this morning," Kodachi replied. "Why don't we get back to that?"

"Is okay with me." Shampoo grinned sheepishly. "Um, what was last place I show you this morning, Kodachi?"

Kodachi arched one eyebrow, hoping to bluff her way out of admitting she hadn't been paying enough attention to remember.  "Don't you recall?"

"No," the Amazon was forced to admit.  "Shampoo was too busy thinking of Hibiki family reunion, and not keeping my mind on what I was doing. What was?"

"Um, well, I don't remember either. I was doing the same thing as you, actually."

Ranma chuckled. Kodachi turned and gave him a challenging look. "Is something funny, Ranma-kun?"

"Just that you weren't paying enough attention to realize Shampoo wasn't paying enough attention to see you weren't paying attention.  Sounds like some kinda Zen thing."

"Humph. If Ranma think is so funny, where is last place we go to on tour?" Shampoo asked.

"That's easy. We'd just gotten to the tournament challenge log," Ranma replied confidently.

"Ha! You weren't paying any more attention than we were!" the White Rose said triumphantly, suddenly remembering. "It was actually the Council hall!"

Shampoo stuck her tongue out at her Airen.  "Silly Ranma." Then she blinked. "Wait, Kodachi, that not right either. I remember now, it was statue of Hippolyta."

There was a long moment of silence, before they all burst out laughing.  "Whaddaya say we just start at the beginning again?" Ranma asked.

This morning, they had all been too preoccupied to notice.  It hadn't been as obvious then anyway.  But since word had now had time to spread, plus more Amazons had free time during this part of the day than during the morning, it soon became apparent to Ranma, Kodachi, and Shampoo that their progress through the village was being tracked. They did their best to ignore it.

Amazons, at least teenage ones who don't have an Elder riding herd on them, seldom have the patience to hold to a subtle approach.  By the time the three had reached the tournament challenge log for the second time that day, they found a number of girls there waiting for them.

The word 'number' rather than 'group' is used deliberately, because most of the girls in question were shooting each other cool looks that made it pretty obvious each would have preferred to have a great deal less company present. These looks faded as Ranma and company came into view, though, each girl putting on a friendly smile.

The trio stopped on seeing their welcoming committee, Ranma in particular wondering whether there was a graceful way to get the heck out of there without looking like that was what he was doing.

'<She who hesitates is lost,>' Xiang Lu thought.  By chance she was the closest Amazon to Ranma's current position, not counting Shampoo of course. She made good use of that now, striding forward briskly. As she had known would happen, the other girls immediately moved to follow. With a smirk, she tapped the end of her staff into the ground beside her, whispering "Bakusai Tenketsu!" and walking faster.

The explosion of gravel and dust behind her allowed her to get over to the newcomers before any of the other girls could recover from the surprise.  It also startled Ranma enough that he forgot about beating a strategic retreat. And then Xiang Lu was right up next to them, raising a hand in greeting and giving a cheerful "Nihao!"

"Uh, nihao," Ranma said, remembering at the last second not to add, "Xiang Lu." Keeping the Heart Link secret might be even more trouble than he'd expected, the Saotome heir thought anxiously. He proceeded to overcompensate for the close call. "Have we met before?  I met a lot of people at the welcome feast the other day, but I can't remember everybody. I'm Ranma Saotome, if we weren't introduced."

Kodachi gave her boyfriend an odd look, wondering just why this girl had reduced him to such a level of awkward babble. A quick glance along the Heart Link reassured her that whatever was causing Ranma to feel off-balance, it wasn't any sort of attraction to the girl.

Xiang Lu gave an apologetic smile. "Not speak Japan goodly."  She turned to Shampoo. "<What did he say?>"

Shampoo returned a cool stare to Xiang Lu's forced smile.  '<Oh, now that she's trying to get a piece of my husband, suddenly she turns friendly.>'  Aloud, she said, "<That he wasn't in the mood to have two-faced dyed-haired girls throwing themselves at him.>"

The other Amazon had been admiring Ranma out of the corner of her eye.  She noticed him flinch before Shampoo's words could really register. "<Do you speak our language?>" she asked him, turning away from Shampoo.

"No?" Ranma ventured. Shampoo just put her head in her hands and sighed.

"<Glad to hear it,>" Xiang Lu said, turning up the power output on her smile. The other girls had all caught up now, but she was the one who'd gotten here first and she wasn't about to relinquish this place before she was ready. "<Anyway, I'm Xiang Lu. It's nice to meet you, Ranma Saotome.>"

"<Uhh… just Ranma will do,>" he said with a mental groan, yielding to the inevitable.

"Ranma-kun, why did you just admit to speaking Mandarin?" Kodachi asked exasperatedly.

"Cause she asked, in Mandarin, if I could understand her, and like an idiot I said no," Ranma sighed. The White Rose rolled her eyes.

Xiang Lu turned and gave her a smile too, returning for the moment to heavily-accented and broken Japanese as a sign of courtesy.  "Nihao.  Am Xiang Lu. You… Kodachi, yes?"

"That's right," Kodachi said, regarding the girl with a mixture of surprise and skepticism. When Xiang Lu had been facing Shampoo, it had been pretty obvious that the other Amazon was having some difficulty appearing friendly. But that didn't seem to be the case now.  The girl was wearing a warm smile that didn't look at all forced.

Xiang Lu stretched her knowledge of Japanese, trying to think how to phrase what she wanted to say next in the other girl's language.  She wanted to get off on the right foot, after all. However, her knowledge of Japanese was just not up to the task, and at last she turned to Ranma and, speaking in Mandarin, asked him to relay her request to Kodachi. Still, Xiang Lu thought to herself, it was highly unlikely the other girl would mind. Anybody who could put up with Shampoo had to be some kind of saint.

"She asked you if you wanted to have a friendly match on the challenge log," Ranma translated.

"Hmm. There won't be any Kisses of Death administered, will there?" Kodachi asked. Not that that would actually be a real problem, given that she knew the secret of the Kiss already, but she would still rather avoid one than get one and just stand still, pretending to fight off fear with determination, to achieve formal Amazon status. That would feel too much like cheating.

"Nah," Ranma reassured her, "you're already basically considered an ally of the tribe, so it don't apply."

Xiang Lu might not have caught any of the exchange, but some of the other girls present spoke Japanese well enough to follow it.  Kodachi found herself receiving a number of skeptical looks, as the other Amazons were more than a little curious now.  If this outsider girl had spent enough time with Shampoo to learn that much about Amazon law, shouldn't she also have seen the Champion in battle? She had to know just how skilled the Amazons were. So why was she concerning herself about what could happen if Xiang Lu lost?

They weren't actually trying to say this by the looks on their faces (after all, none of them wanted to get on the bad side of the girl who the man they were interested in had already chosen out of love), but their dubious expressions were still clear enough for Kodachi to get the feeling that none of them thought she had needed to ask the question.  It was a more than a little insulting, she thought with a feeling of annoyance.

That the only woman to make their Champion taste defeat had actually been an outsider had been explained away by just about everyone, with some thinking it had happened because Shampoo had been too tired after a long day of fighting. Others thought it had probably been a fluke such as might strike anyone once in a millennium. Still others had considered it some kind of karmic payback on the high-and-mighty Shampoo, though the recent news that her defeat by the redheaded foreign girl had eventually led to her finding a strong husband for herself had cast some doubt on that theory. Still, whatever the reason for Shampoo's loss, Amazon pride said that an outsider just wasn't going to defeat Xiang Lu, who was ranked fourth among the unmarried warriors. 

Kuno pride said Amazon pride needed a good swift kick in the pantsuit.

Kodachi smiled back at Xiang Lu, noting that the other girl wasn't one of those giving her skeptical looks. "I accept," she said. Then, tensing her legs and focusing her chi, she leaped the fifty feet to the challenge log, landing on the far end and looking back toward the girl who'd offered the challenge.

Shampoo patted Xiang Lu on the arm, giving her a real, if not particularly nice, smile. "<Prepare to get your butt kicked.>"

Not all that much later, the three of them were walking along through the streets of the village again. "None of the Amazons seemed too happy about my victory," the White Rose commented.

"Well, whaddaya expect?" Ranma asked with a grin.  "Those are girls that've trained their whole lives to be warriors. They aren't gonna be too happy to see someone their age pull off stunts that you normally gotta be an Amazon elder to match."

"It was just a little windstorm," Kodachi protested.  "The Amazons have the Hiryuu Shoten Ha, don't they?"

"Yes, but not normally taught to anyone under age of thirty," replied Shampoo. "And it not something can use on the challenge log, after all."

"Yeah, the look on Xiang Lu's face was pretty funny," Ranma said. "Why didn't you keep it up long enough to blow her off the log, Dachi?"

"Well, I suppose I could have. Since she knew the Bakusai Tenketsu, there wouldn't have been much danger of hurting her.  Still, I didn't want to play too rough," Kodachi explained. "She wasn't one of the Amazons who looked like they thought I was crazy for asking about the Kiss of Death beforehand."

"Plus doing it this way gave you chance to show off another technique too, right?" Shampoo asked cheerfully.

"Something like that. She was so surprised by then that her mental barriers were almost wide open. Easy prey for the dreaded Hula Hoopnosis technique."

"Should have made her cluck like a chicken or something first, not just get down off log." Shampoo made a mock-disappointed face at her sister. "Is missed opportunity."

"That would have been a little unnecessarily hard on her pride, don't you think?"

The lavender-haired girl sniffed disdainfully.  "Many of those girls was ones what have treat Shampoo with most jealousy and coldness because they never able to beat me.  Xiang Lu not worst of lot, but is certainly one of them. Would do her good to lose pride."

"Still, I don't think it's my place to teach that sort of lesson," the White Rose said uncomfortably.

"If not you, then who? They need to know that just because they is Amazons not automatically make them better than everybody else."

Both Ranma and Kodachi were staring now.  "Uh, Sham-chan? You wanna maybe clarify that statement a little? I mean, you know I got almost all your memories, and I think I woulda noticed if somewhere in the last few months you started not caring about your Amazon heritage."

"Ranma not get what Shampoo saying," the Amazon said, slightly frustrated. "This about those girls, not about Amazon way in general."

"Are you sure this isn't just your hurt talking?" Kodachi asked as gently as she could. "I know you've experienced a lot of pain because of their jealousy. But that shouldn't mean you don't give credit where credit is due. If not for my empowerment, I might not have been able to beat her. And that is nothing I achieved on my own; it was a gift. She might well have deserved to win if one just considers our relative levels of skill and the time we've spent training."

"No, is not just Shampoo's hurt talking." Shampoo gave Kodachi a challenging stare. "Kodachi, what are the Two Pillars of Excellence?"

The White Rose blinked. "I have no idea."

Shampoo deflated. "Oh, I must never have tell you that. Ranma, please take over."

"It's the first lesson taught to a young girl just beginning Amazon training. The Two Pillars of Excellence are fighting skill, which may be taught, and fighting spirit, which comes from within."

"And which is most important?" Shampoo prompted.

"Fighting spirit," said Ranma, who suddenly knew where this was going. It was one of the later memories he'd picked up in the Heart Link, of a conversation between the Matriarch and her great-granddaughter not long before the appearance of Ryoga-Oni.

"Thank you, Airen." Shampoo noted the gleam of understanding in his eyes, and turned to face Kodachi. "That is Amazon heritage, Amazon way. Do you think it is right?"

Hoping this wasn't a trick question, Kodachi answered carefully, "It certainly doesn't sound like anything I can argue with."

"And what part of that says to be born here somehow make you better than someone what is not?"

Kodachi thought for a bit, before saying hesitantly, "The fighting skill part? I mean, the Amazons do have quite a number of powerful secret techniques."

"Is true. And after three thousand years of breeding for strength, is true that bigger… um… percentage of girls born here have natural talent for fighting than anywhere else. But like Ranma say, the fighting spirit is what is most important. There nothing to say someone from somewhere else not have just as much of that as one of us, or more."

"I remember now," Ranma said. "Back when… things had just been settled with Tatewaki, and Cologne was talking to you about this stuff."

Shampoo nodded solemnly. "Great-Grandmother tell me things I never think about before, lessons of wisdom what usually is saved for older womans, not hot-head young warriors. Things about honor, and choices, and how all Amazon glory and heritage would not mean anything if Amazons not choose to honor it. Lessons about get stronger by losing, learn what not to do next time so you not hurt again, and maybe someday can help someone else not make mistake in the first place. Lessons about respect others if they show they worthy, and not forget before they shove it in your face that there is people like that out there."

"And most of the girls your age here haven't learned those lessons yet?" Kodachi asked.

Ranma snorted. "Not unless there's been a whole lotta changes since she left."

"Is one in particular I wish they learn," Shampoo said.  "Wish they would see that right goal is not to be best warrior in village. Right goal is to be best warrior you can be. If they learn that, then they would not resent me for be better than them.  Would see as opportunity to grow stronger themselves, learn by challenging me.  Would not find it necessary to hate it that they cannot actually win."

Kodachi, unable to resist the role of devil's advocate, had to ask, "Do you mean you wouldn't mind if somehow one of them manages to beat you during this visit?"

The Amazon shrugged. "Would probably take it as cue to up my own training for next while. But Shampoo could live with it." Ranma was nodding his head, but Kodachi still looked a little skeptical. Shampoo deliberately arched one eyebrow at her and said, "Is so hard to believe? When has I ever resented you for being too far ahead for me ever to catch up?"

For the longest time, Kodachi couldn't think of anything to say.  At last, she just admitted, "I never really thought about it."

"I probably never will be able to beat you in straight-out fight," Shampoo said. "And is okay. I am happy to have challenge, to spur me on to keep get stronger."

She turned to Ranma, and her smile got wider and a great deal naughtier. "Same goes double for Airen, of course. Have the benefit of challenge, same as with sister, and also have brave, strong, good man for husband." She reached out and began tracing a finger up and down his neck. "Will give Shampoo very strong, very fine children."

Ranma gulped and began sweating like crazy.  Shampoo laughed merrily, and to her credit there was only the barest hint of frustration in her tone as she said, "Someday."

They wandered around the village for another couple of hours, with no further incidents of note. As the shades of evening began to darken the sky, they returned to the Matriarch's home for dinner.

Rouge met them at the door. "Hello, children."

"Hey, Auntie," Ranma said back. "How's your day been?"

"Oh, not too bad," the Matriarch-in-training responded in a too-sweet tone. "Though I did have to spend a number of boring hours meeting with the Council of Elders this afternoon. That wasn't much fun." Her gaze sharpened. "It was even less fun when I returned home an hour ago, and found quite a mess in the kitchen."

Shampoo's eyes widened in dismay. "Aiyah!  Shampoo knew she forgot something!"

"That's right, niece," Rouge said, her tone shifting from syrupy to businesslike. "And since I could hardly start cooking with all those pans and things still dirty and cluttering up the kitchen, dinner is going to have to wait until after you head in there and clean up your mess."

The lavender-haired girl gulped. "You mean… dinner not even get started yet? And everybody know this Shampoo's fault?"  At Rouge's nod, she asked nervously, "Who all here right now? Shampoo not suppose Ryogas take parents to Jusenkyo for cure?"

Rouge blinked in surprise. "That's… quite an impressive deduction, Shampoo. You're right, too— it will solve their wandering problem. But they're going to do that tomorrow, not today." She put on another hard smile. "They're still here, waiting inside with everyone else for the kitchen to become functional once more. And may I point out that the longer they're kept waiting, the worse a reception you'll get when you finally go through that door?"

Shampoo squared her shoulders. "Oh well… Amazon have to do what Amazon have to do…" She proceeded to walk around the building and squeeze through the window that opened into the kitchen, neatly avoiding a potentially awkward moment.

"Should've remembered to lock that," Rouge sighed.

"You know, I bet Shampoo could use some help in there," Ranma said, eyeing the front door nervously. "C'mon, Dachi-chan."

"Oh, no you don't," Rouge said exasperatedly.  "You'd tear the window-frame out of the wall if you tried to force your way through it, nephew-in-law."

A week or two later and he probably would've just splashed himself and slid through the window with ease, but right now the pain and disappointment of not being able to cure his curse via Jusenkyo was still too strong for that option to be considered. With a sigh, Ranma pushed open the front door and walked in. Kodachi sent a wistful glance toward the kitchen window, but then followed him in. There was just no way she would let Ranma go into harm's way alone.

"Oh, hey, Ranma," one of the Ryogas said casually, looking up from the card game he was playing with Ukyo as the pigtailed martial artist entered the room.

"Hey," he returned, looking around a little nervously.  Nobody seemed upset as far as he could tell. "Listen, I'm sorry about making us wait for dinner and everything."

Ukyo looked over and flashed him a cheerful 'V for victory' sign.  "Don't worry about it, Sugar.  Gave me a chance to show Mr. and Mrs. Hibiki just who makes the best okonomiyaki in the Bayankhala mountain range.  We aren't even gonna be ready for supper for at least an hour."

"There's no justice," Rouge muttered under her breath.  Louder, she said, "Did you save any of that for me?" Her stomach grumbled in counterpoint to the question.

The chef blinked. "Sorry, I didn't know you'd want any. If you're hungry, why'd you spend the last hour just waiting for Ranchan and company to get back?"

Rouge didn't bother to reply, opting instead to vanish with a bang and a cloud of smoke, which somehow managed to convey the impression of being thoroughly out-of-sorts. It was some very anthropomorphic smoke.

"She shouldn't have left so quickly," Kozue remarked mildly.  She and Ichiro were seated at a table on the other side of the room, with the other Ryoga, Ling-Ling, and Lung-Lung.  The Hibiki matron reached down and dug through the backpack seated on the floor beside her.  Finding what she sought, she straightened up and tossed a handful of foil-wrapped objects to Ranma and Kodachi.  "Here. If you're hungry, this should help tide you over until dinner."

Ranma grinned back at her. "Thanks, Mrs. Hibiki. I love Granola bars." He wolfed his down with enough enthusiasm that Kozue passed him several more.

He wasn't the only one hungry enough to want more than just a couple of the treats. However, Kodachi wasn't quite ready to emulate her boyfriend's method of scoring more; instead, she plucked two of the extras out of Ranma's hand, giving him a saucy smirk when he made a wordless noise of protest.

"So how are you enjoying your stay at the Amazon village so far, Mrs. Hibiki?" Kodachi asked after finishing off her last bar.

"Ask me again later, when I've had enough time to adjust to everything," the woman replied. There was more than a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Huh? Did you have a hard day?" Ranma asked.

Ichiro took his wife's hand, squeezing it gently.  "There's just… been a lot to take in.  Learning we have two sons now… meeting with the Elders so we can be forgiven for trespassing into Amazon lands… learning there's a cure finally in our reach, that can end our days of wandering…" he sighed, "…and finding out why it is that the Nannichuan and Nyannichuan would do that."

"So, I guess you heard about the Oni stuff, huh," Ranma said uncomfortably.

"Yeah, the Matriarch told them. Could we please drop the subject?" the Ryoga at the table asked, craning his head around to look at Ranma. He was sandwiched between Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung, facing partially away from Ranma and Kodachi.

"Yeah, I shouldn't've brought it up. Sorry, Ryoga."

"Ryu."

Ranma blinked. "Huh? What'd you say?"

The other boy shrugged. Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung weren't actually sitting close enough to be bumped by his shoulders, but it was a near thing. "That was one of the things we all discussed today.  We need a way to tell me and my twin brother apart.  We can't just both keep going by 'Ryoga Hibiki', after all."

"So Airen have take new name we suggest, Ryu."  This was Ling-Ling. "Is good one for such strong warrior, yes?"

"Ryu… hmmm," said Ranma contemplatively, a grin appearing on his face. "Maybe. Can you show me how to do a Ha Do Ken sometime, man?"

"Ha, ha, ha," Ryu said. "How about I Hurricane Kick your butt?"

"At least get Lung-Lung to bleach the bandana white and give it back to you. We gotta have some way to tell you and Ryoga apart at a glance, after all," Ranma pointed out.

Ryu pulled his chair back and turned in it, holding up his forearms so Ranma and Kodachi could see them. Elaborate dragon tattoos covered his arms from wrist to elbow. "This good enough for you?"

"Whose idea was that?" Kodachi asked, shifting her gaze from the tattoos to the Amazon twins. So they already had him wrapped this far around their little fingers. She did hope Ryoga… er, Ryu would learn to stand up for himself to them before it was too late.

"Was Airen's. Why Kodachi look at us like that?" Ling-Ling asked curiously.

"Um, no reason." The White Rose sought a quick change of subject. "Oh! Ryu, there was something we realized this morning that you need to hear. You too, Ryoga," she said, half-turning and speaking louder to draw Ryoga's attention away from his card game.

"What is it?" the other Hibiki boy asked.

"This morning, Ranma-kun, Shampoo, and I went some little distance away from the village and began sparring. Less than thirty minutes later, there were Amazons who had somehow got wind of this and had showed up to watch."

"Is that a problem?" Ryu asked quizzically.

"For us?" Ranma sighed. "Probably will be. But it ain't too late for you, man."

"What're you talking about, Ranchan?" Ukyo asked, beginning to get worried and a little annoyed at the ominous tone her friends were taking.

"Simple. If you guys don't wanna have to deal with more girls chasing you, ya better not let on to anybody how good a fighter you are. Either of you."

Ukyo flinched as the implications hit her.  She was only just getting to the point where she could admit to herself that she was relieved not to have to fight Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung anymore. And now it looked like there was every chance she and Ryoga honey had just gone from the mixing bowl onto the grill. "Holy crap!"

The Hibiki brothers might well have echoed that statement if their parents hadn't been sitting right there. As it was, they limited their responses to turning pale and gulping. Said parents just kept quiet, resolving to ask their sons for an explanation later.

"No worry, Airen," Lung-Lung said, moving quickly to reassure her man. "If they try hit on you, just say we is all you want."

"Yeah, we not let any lovesick girls force you into anything," Ling-Ling said.

Ukyo choked, coughing and hacking for the next several seconds.  At last, getting herself under control, the chef said sourly, "So you'd just shove them all off onto Ryoga-kun, is that it?"

"Is not," Ling-Ling bristled. "We just tell Airen that so he know he not have to worry if accident happen and other girls find out how good he is."

"But is still important you do best not to let happen," Lung-Lung said seriously, turning back to face Ryu. "No want set brother up for trouble." She resolutely ignored the fact that she was agreeing with Ukyo.

"Anyway, I think I made enough of an impression that you shouldn't have to worry too much," Ranma said. "Just keep a low profile and I bet they'll all go after me." He and Kodachi wore near-identical expressions of displeasure at the thought.

Inside the kitchen, as she scrubbed at one of the larger pots, Shampoo wondered why she had the sudden urge to scowl.

At first the knocking didn't make any impression at all.  Jin To slept on, untroubled by the sound. But as it persisted, his expression of slack-jawed peace began to crinkle with discontentment. He twisted in his sleep, first turning away from the window, then pulling the covers over his head, finally doing the same with the pillow. Still the sound persisted, not loud, but not allowing for any other result than eventual response.

At last, the veil of slumber shredded beneath the vainly grasping desire of his subconscious not to be dragged back awake.  Jin To sat up in bed, blinking and trying to adjust.  As his mind cleared enough to realize what was going on, he muttered a curse, no less foul for being spoken so softly. It was the middle of the night! What moron would be tapping at his window at this hour?!

The man blearily got to his feet and struck a light, walking over to the window and opening it. "<What the hell is your problem?>!" he did his best to snarl. Since he was speaking in a whisper at the same time, in order not to disturb any of his neighbors, it was a fairly weak attempt.

"<Sorry about this.>" The other didn't seem all that sorry to Jin To. "<But I've got a job for you.>"

"<I don't believe this,>" the man muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. "<Look me up in the morning.>" He turned away and began to shut the window.

Before it had shifted more than an inch, a bulging pouch sailed through the opening, landing on the floor with a particularly musical *clink*.  It was a sound Jin To knew quite well, and one with which he was always ready to become even more familiar.  Reaching down, he picked up the pouch and opened it, spilling several heavy coins onto the palm of his hand.  They were unmistakably gold.

He turned back to regard the unexpected visitor, his grumpiness banished far more quickly and efficiently than his sleep had been.  The other smiled.  "<This isn't something I can talk about in the daylight.  Can I come in?>"

Ranma moved through the village with all the stealth at his command.  It hadn't taken long for word to circulate among the Amazons that he actually spoke their language fluently.  He tried not to think wistfully about what might have been. Not having Shampoo by his side to translate should have meant that at least the girls who didn't speak Japanese would leave him alone.

A pointless regret now, though. Over the last few days, Ranma had lost count of the number of times he'd been asked to help someone work on their Japanese. He'd given everyone the same answer, namely that he couldn't because he didn't yet have his license to teach. The puzzled looks on the girls' faces had been funny enough to take some of the stress out of the situation.

Still, he preferred to avoid such encounters if possible, and so the Anything Goes heir slunk undetected through the village.  At least, he thought he was undetected.  Several Elders noted his passage, and it was just Ranma's good fortune that none of them had great-granddaughters handy at the moment to be sent on an intercept course.

As he neared his destination, Ranma allowed himself to relax a little.  He'd just caught a glimpse of Kodachi and Shampoo ahead in the distance, walking toward the Matriarch's house along a lane that ran perpendicular to the one he was on, and if someone were to pop up now he could at least call out to the girls and get a little backup.  Ranma glanced around, checking one last time, and finding that there still weren't any Amazons preparing to pounce.

He began walking forward again, but almost immediately stopped, a smile spreading across his face. Cranking the stealth back up to maximum, Ranma stepped away from the lane, slipping between the houses in an attempt to sneak up on Kodachi and Shampoo before they reached their destination and went inside.

Since the girls weren't actually intending to go into the house, he needn't have moved quite as quickly as he did. But Ranma didn't sacrifice any stealth in his haste; he moved without a sound, masking his presence as best he could. No indication of his proximity betrayed him as he moved up behind Kodachi and Shampoo, reaching out to tap them on the shoulders.

"Nihao, Airen," Shampoo said with a smirk, one instant before his hand came into contact with her. Since the reason she and Kodachi were pacing along the street out here was that they were waiting for him, the Amazon had been using the Heart Link to keep track of where Ranma was. He would have to work harder than that to fool them, she thought smugly.

Shampoo was only half right. Kodachi, who had NOT thought to use the Heart Link to monitor Ranma's approach, was caught completely by surprise. She whirled around, catching the hand that had fallen on her shoulder and pulling her assailant off-balance, whipping out her ribbon and wrapping it around her boyfriend before he could recover.

"A little jumpy today, Dachi?" Ranma asked sarcastically.

The White Rose blushed. "Oops. Sorry, Ranma-kun. I've been fighting all afternoon, and I guess I've still got that mindset lurking in the back of my thoughts."

Ranma blinked. "Fighting all afternoon?  Whaddaya mean?"

"I suppose it was inevitable, really, after the showing I put forth against Xiang Lu. I'm not sure why they all waited until now, but eight girls challenged me to matches today while you were off training in secret." It had been a little awkward, as Shampoo had been elsewhere, unavailable for translation duty. But some of the other Amazons had spoken Japanese well enough to get their meaning across.

"So how bad did you beat them?"

"Not so badly as all that. I decided not to show off as much as I did in that first fight. Though I did disintegrate the bonbori of one of the girls."

Shampoo's eyes widened. "Aiyah! Who was? What girl was that, where you do that, Kodachi? Was Si Ca?"

"I don't remember," the White Rose admitted.  "Why?"

"Si Ca like Shampoo, she prefer bonbori for weapons.  Her father was not warrior, he was weapon maker. Bonbori what Si Ca use is special set he make for her and give when she take Amazon vows. And he die in tragic accident not long after that." Shampoo gulped. "If you deliberately destroy any of those… you have made very, very bad enemy."

"I… I didn't know…" Kodachi said anxiously.  "But surely weapons get damaged in fights all the time around here. Don't they?"

"Yes, but damaged is not same thing as turn to dust.  Crack handle… handle can be replaced.  Spirit of weapon is still intact.  But not if you destroy completely."

"Oh dear." An understatement, but Kodachi was too shell-shocked to make a more appropriate statement. She swallowed nervously, then managed, "What do you think I should do?"

Shampoo shook her head. "I not know."

Ranma chose this moment to speak up. "Hey, Dachi? What color hair and eyes did this girl have?"

"Light green hair with faint gold highlights, and dark blue eyes.  Why?"

Her boyfriend rolled his eyes. "Cause that wasn't Si Ca. Sham-chan, are you forgetting just how many girls around here do use bonbori?"

The Amazon blinked, then grinned sheepishly.  "Um… sorry, Kodachi. Sound like you fought Lin Fara. She not have any special attachment to her weapons that Shampoo know of."

Kodachi exhaled a sigh of mingled relief and aggravation.  "Shampoo, a few minutes ago you told me you'd gotten some surprising news from your aunt this afternoon.  Obviously it was more distracting than I thought."

"Is so," Shampoo agreed. "What I hear from Aunt Rouge is probably reason I not think clearly just now. What your excuse?"

"Touché," the White Rose admitted.

Before Shampoo could ask what that meant, Ranma spoke up.  "Anyway, Dachi, a few minutes back you asked Shampoo a question, right? What you oughta do."

"Well, yes, when I thought I'd mortally offended someone.  Are you saying I need to take some action anyway, even though that's not the case?"

"Got it in one," Ranma confirmed. "What do you think I'm talking about, Dachi-chan?"

"I'm sorry, Ranma, but I have no idea."

"UNTIE ME!!"

"Oh, very well," she said, moving to comply

Shampoo pouted. "But Shampoo think Ranma look too, too cute like that." She smirked, reaching out to pat him on the cheek.  "Besides, if you can not get loose on own, ought to ask nicer anyway."

Ranma rolled his eyes. "I just don't wanna break Dachi's ribbon or nothing. It ain't like we're at home, with an endless supply of replacements sitting around."

"Is good point," the Amazon admitted. "But Ranma still look cuter all wrapped up like birthday present."

"I bet other Amazons would think so too, if some of them happened to walk by," Ranma mused.

Kodachi, who had been working on a particularly stubborn tangle in the ribbon and not really paying attention to the conversation, suddenly found herself nudged aside rather forcefully. Shampoo grabbed the still-trussed-up boy, said "Come on Kodachi, what you wait for?!" and dashed inside the Matriarch's house.