All Ranma characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi, first published
by Shogakugan in Japan and brought over to North America by Viz Communications.
Confrontations and Expectations part 4
(Continued from A Different Viewpoint)
Ranma slapped his thigh. "Yeah! Me and Ryoga will..."
Johnathon shook his head. "All of us will, except Kasumi." He looked at her then.
Kasumi smiled and nodded. "I know I'm not a fighter, Johnathon."
He smiled at her and looked at the rest of the group. "Are you with me?" < God that sounded stupid.>
Ryoga nodded fiercely. Akane shot to her feet followed an instant later by Ukyo, Mousse, and Shampoo. "I'm with you!" "You bet!" "Count Shampoo in!" "Absolutely!"
Leisurely Genma and Soun rose, Genma laughed. "Ah old friend, once again it is our duty to right injustice, and to protect the frail and weak."
Soun nodded with great seriousness. "Well said old friend, well said."
Ranma went and stood over by Akane. "Um, Akane, maybe you should protect Kasumi and the rest of us can..."
Akane looked sharply at him. "Why Ranma? Think I can't handle myself?"
Johnathon quickly strode over. "Certainly not Akane, Ranma knows how good you've gotten."
He elbowed Ranma in the side and looked at Kasumi. "Kasumi would be in danger alone, if they could find her that is..." He paused in inspiration.
Ranma was nodding, trying to placate Akane. "Right Akane, I think you would do a great job of protecting..." He paused and looked at Johnathon. "What do you mean if they could find her?"
Johnathon moved over to Kasumi. "Kasumi-chan, I hate to ask this of you..."
Kasumi looked puzzled, then her eyes softened and she smiled. "If I'm a cat, they won't be able to find me. Right Johnathon-san?" Johnathon nodded. "Of course I don't mind. It's an excellent idea, I'll find a nice tree to climb and no one will see me." Everyone was a bit startled by Kasumi's logical suggestion, but it sounded like a good idea.
Johnathon impulsively kissed her on the forehead and turned to Mousse and Shampoo. "Alright, Mousse, can you locate them and find out how many there are, and where?"
Mousse nodded. "I can see better as a duck, I should be able to get a good estimate of their numbers."
Johnathon grinned. "Then get going, we'll have hot water waiting here for you. Ok, now we need a forward scout, to warn us if anyone is coming close, Shampoo?"
Shampoo smiled. "Shampoo do easy, they no see me coming."
Johnathon nodded. "Great Shampoo, but don't go very far, and don't attack unless you have no choice, get back here instead." Mousse poured some water on his head and flew off. Shampoo simply jumped into a tree and started bounding away.
Akane looked at the half-cat man, questioningly. "Right here? Are we going to meet them right here?" Johnathon nodded and swept his hands around at the terrain. "It's perfect, look about." Akane did so, as did Soun, Genma, and Ranma. Ukyo shrugged and started heating more water. They were on a relatively flat section of the mountain pass. The trees were evenly spaced, every ten feet or so, and tall, their branches not growing out till ten to fifteen feet off the ground. There was plenty of space, and few natural obstacles.
Akane looked back at Johnathon. "I don't understand."
He shrugged. "It's simple really, the terrain is open enough and level enough so we won't have to worry about twisting an ankle or tripping in front of a spear. There aren't a lot of us, so we can't afford accidents. Random chance can hurt us a lot more then a larger group. There is plenty of room for a small group to move around, but they won't be able to mob us all at once. Even so, it's open enough that they can all get a good look at what's happening to each other. If they all know how dangerous we are things may get a lot easier, they'll probably end up running."
"Finally," Johnathon continued, his curiously feline voice deepening. "We are here already, if we move on we might not find anything better. I would like to get this over with, and I am positive they will not expect to get attacked so soon." Soun and Genma were nodding wisely, as if they had come to the same conclusions on their own.
Ranma nodded as well, slowly. "Sounds good sensei, we are cutting out the random factor huh."
Johnathon smiled ferally. "Right, unless something goes wrong we can't lose. I've seen Akane handle forty guys at once at the school, and we've all gotten better since then. I warn you though, these guys are not love struck high school kids. They are religious fanatics, relatively well trained and not holding back. I've fought them, so has Ryoga, they use spears and work well together."
Ryoga nodded seriously. "They're about as tough as Toma's guards, but better motivated I think." Genma and Soun nodded again, remembering.
Johnathon looked confused. "You'll have to tell me about that sometime." He paused then spoke again. "Know your enemy and know yourself, as Sun Tzu said. Well, we've got that advantage at least, especially once Mousse gets back. We could use some contingency plans too. Maybe some code words..."
Akane frowned. "Code words? Why? They don't know Japanese right?"
Johnathon looked at her seriously. "No, Clio probably does, and maybe a few others. That's not what I meant by code words though. What I meant was plans, all wrapped up in one word that can be shouted. For example I'd shout Rabbit! and that would mean for everyone to break off and retreat. As a matter of fact that's a good one, if I shout Rabbit, we'll run away. Me and um, Akane will get Kasumi while Ranma cover's us, everyone else will run under the cover of one of Ryoga's Breaking Points, and we'll all regroup down the pass a mile or so. How does that sound?" Everyone nodded and made affirmative noises.
Akane tilted her head. "Rabbit, huh. Ok."
In Tokyo, a man in a white mask, wearing a tuxedo and cape, looked at a sailor suited blond girl quizzically. "Coming down with a cold meatball head?"
She sneezed again. "Never mind me, watch out for that Youma!"
Johnathon thought some more. "Hmmm, if Ryoga want's to use a Breaking Point, and needs us to clear him some space, he could yell... Um let's see..."
Akane giggled. "Pig!"
Johnathon looked puzzled for a moment then nodded. "Sure, that would work."
Ranma broke in. "That's perfect! Now Ryoga, remember to shout Pig good and loud." Ryoga grumbled but nodded. Ranma turned back to Johnathon. "If I want to use a Hiro Shoten Ha I'll shout, um..."
Ryoga smirked. "Girl! You can shout Girl! Just so we stay consistent." Ranma started to get red in the face.
Johnathon laughed, it sounded funny coming from his catlike mouth, it was obvious that he hadn't' laughed much as a half-cat. "That'll work fine, this way no one will get confused about what to expect."
Ranma glared at him for a bit then shrugged. "Sure, why not."
Johnathon looked around. "Anyone else got any other big attacks we should avoid?"
Akane shook her head. "No, just those two."
"Ok." Johnathon scratched his chin in thought. "We'll stay together at first, till we get an idea of what they're going to do, but just in case if I yell Three! we'll split up into three teams of three, and if I yell One! we'll regroup."
Ranma broke in. "What teams? How will we pair up?"
Johnathon paused for a moment. "Ranma, Akane and I will be team Alpha. Genma, Soun, and Ryoga will be team Beta. When they get back, Mousse, Shampoo and Ukyo will be team Gamma, alright?"
Ukyo frowned. "Why am I with them?"
Johnathon answered easily. "Firepower, both you and Mouse throw weapons. I'd team Ryoga with you as well but I figure Shampoo knows Mousse's fighting style best." He moved in closer and added quietly. "Besides, Soun and Genma will need Ryoga. It'll balance things so no team is too weak."
Ukyo frowned some more, but nodded. < Soun and Genma are probably a weak link, especially Soun, and Ryoga is, I have to admit, second only to Ranma.> Everyone else wondered privately what Johnathon had said, but were agreeable to the teams.
Johnathon turned back to the group. "Alright, that's probably enough, we will make up the rest as we go along. If Cliopatra is there we should capture her, but we should also give a good show, scare them enough and the fight's over." Johnathon went over to Kasumi. "Everyone should get some rest till Mousse comes back." Johnathon sat down next to his love. The others spread out a bit, quietly talking, trying not to be to obvious they were leaving Johnathon and Kasumi alone. Johnathon sat quietly.
Kasumi slowly leaned up against him. "I know it will all work out just fine Johnathon." Kasumi put her arm around his back. "You'll see."
Johnathon sighed to himself. < This is all my fault.> He berated himself. < If only I could have just handled things better the last time I was in China...>
Kasumi seems to sense his melancholy mood. "I believe in you Johnathon, you won't let us down."
He let himself grin. "I believe in them. Ranma, Akane, Ryoga, everyone. They won't lose, I believe in them."
Kasumi hugged him to herself with one arm. "Us, believe in Us." She put her head against his shoulder. "I'm going to believe in you..."
Johnathon looked down at her. "Just me?"
She looked up at him. "Yes silly, because you're the one I love."
Johnathon froze in shock, then put his arm around the small of her back. "I love you too." They sat in comfortable silence for several long minutes.
Before long Mousse came flying in. Ukyo doused him with hot water and he got dressed in seconds.
Lowering his glasses to look at the group Mousse spoke quickly. "I found them, they're very close, just out of sight by now. There are about a hundred of them!"
Akane gulped. "A hundred?"
Johnathon nodded. "About what I expected, that's eleven to one odds." He smiled wickedly. "Hey Ranma, think you can handle eleven?"
Ranma snorted. "Hmmph, gimme fifty!"
Johnathon grinned wider. "That's the spirit, just don't get cocky... on second thought, Ranma, go ahead and get cocky."
Just then Shampoo bounded out of the trees. "They come! Many of them!"
Johnathon looked at her. "Right, how long?"
Shampoo looked back and considered. "Three, maybe four minutes."
Johnathon smiled. "Plenty of time, ok here's the plan..." Quickly he filled Mousse and Shampoo in on the contingency plans and code words. As he finished briefing them his ears perked up and oriented on the sounds of many booted feet. "They're coming, they'll see us any second." Johnathon grabbed a canteen and opened it, dumping the contents over Kasumi's head. "Shampoo, put Kasumi up there." He pointed to a nearby tree, it's lowest branches fifteen feet up. Shampoo picked up Kasumi and jumped up into it's branches, safely depositing Kasumi. Johnathon spoke up. "Alright, we'll hit their flank and go for their leaders. Stick together, cover each other and don't hold back." He frowned. "Try not to kill anyone if you can help it. Come on lets go!"
Johnathon lead the way, close to the cliff, jogging quickly and quietly. Everyone but Kasumi followed, easily keeping pace. Kasumi watched from her branch, and wished for perhaps the first time in her life, that she had studied martial arts like the rest of them. Johnathon spotted the front line of men and broke into a sprint. The Nerima martial artists behind him reacted instantly, the whole group charging at top speed. The spear carrying solders, tired from a long days march, reacted considerably slower. There were nearly thirty soldiers down in the first few seconds. They started to fight back in earnest now, but Johnathon felt confident that it was too little, to late.
The black furred half-cat dodged a spear, snapping it with a claw swipe and kicking it's wielder solidly in the chest, then was forced to dodge two more.
Ranma's confidence soared at their initial success, drawing upon this he summoned his Ki. "Roaring Lion Bullet!" Ranma spread his Ki blast out to lessen the effect a bit while catching more targets. Half a dozen fell back, an equal number fell stunned. < We're winning!>
Akane was strongly reminded of the days before Ranma had arrived, fighting in the school yard against dozens of boys. These men were better, but so was she. The dance continued, with different players, Akane flowing from move to move so quickly and smoothly even her opponents were mesmerized.
Ukyo pancake flipped her third opponent, then leapt high away from several spears, half a dozen mini spatula's arced down as she went up, snapping several spears. Ukyo landed in the cleared space and swung mightily with her giant spatula, sweeping two soldiers at once.
Mousse flung chains, maces and daggers everywhere, no one near him felt safe. Shampoo punched, kicked and dodged in a blur, she missed her bonbori, but that didn't keep her from cutting a devastating swath through her opponents.
Ryoga broke two spears with an elbow smash, hammered their wielders with a powerful sweep kick, then shouted. "Pig!" His friends leaped away and a dozen soldiers moved in to take advantage of the seeming lack of defense on Ryoga's part as he bent down shouting. "Breaking Point!" Ryoga poked the ground with a finger and the resulting explosion blew them away, leaving Ryoga standing in the center, seemingly unharmed.
Genma and Soun had been holding there own against two and three opponents at a time, but were starting to get overwhelmed without Ryoga's help. Then he was back, knocking men flying, they both gave a sigh of relief, then quickly pretended they hadn't been worried.
The battle quickly came to a head. Less than half of Cliopatra's men were still standing, but they had Ranma and company surrounded and were fighting hard. Johnathon spotted Cliopatra finally at the back of her troops, it looked like she was about to run.
"Time to end this!" Johnathon pointed. "Clio's that way!"
Ranma nodded, coming up with a plan. "Ryoga! Clear a path, then everyone go! I'm going to finish this myself!"
Ryoga nodded back and concentrated on Cliopatra's fleeing form. < Pig! That's what I am, that's what I'll always be! Akane knows my secret, she hates me. Kasumi's been cursed and it was my fault! I let her be kidnapped!> "Shi Hi Hokodan!" Ryoga let loose with an incredibly powerful Ki blast, blowing the men between him and Cliopatra away like straws.
Everyone but Ranma burst for the gap in a flash. Genma and Soun carrying Ryoga who had blacked out. The line closed, but they leapt it easily, coming down outside their ranks and sprinting after Clio.
As Ryoga had started focusing his depression, Ranma had started his spiral. The battle surging about him had produced more than enough Ki for him to focus. Even as the remaining soldiers closed on him he let loose with a Hiro Shoten Ha. The whirlwind built in an instant, tossing spears and men everywhere.
Johnathon charged Cliopatra and her bodyguard. "Tell them to surrender Cliopatra!" He shouted in English.
Cliopatra laughed. "Or what? You'll kill them?"
"No!" He shouted back. "We'll kill you!"
Clio blanched at the threat. She yelled to her men and ordered them to put down their weapons. Johnathon moved to Cliopatra. Her bodyguard parted for him under the watchful eyes of Nerima's finest martial artists. "It's over Cliopatra."
The leader of the Children of Bast glared angrily at him. "How did you do it? How did you rescue her?"
Johnathon hissed at her menacingly. "No, I don't think you're in a position to ask." He turned away for a moment. "Shampoo, Mousse, find out if anyone here speaks Chinese. We need to resolve this."
Cliopatra had drawn a dagger while Johnathon's back was turned, she raised it and plunged it toward his back. He spun, somehow sensing the attack, but before the dagger struck, a hand caught her wrist. Johnathon turned to find a burly man in his late forties wrestling the dagger away. It was one of her bodyguard.
Johnathon stepped in and took the dagger, then solidly punched Cliopatra in the jaw. "That was for Kasumi." Cliopatra went limp in her bodyguard's arms. Shampoo and Mousse were talking slowly in Chinese. The man who had stopped Clio answered them, handing her off to two others. He talked to Mousse for several minutes.
Mousse announced in Japanese. "I've explained the truth to the man here, he seems willing to believe me." The man started speaking loudly in his own language. The men gathered around paying close attention.
Ranma walked wearily up. "What's going on?"
Akane quipped. "We're negotiating idiot."
Johnathon went to Mousse's side. "I studied something of Egyptian history when I was free of Clio the first time. The Children of Osirus were not fighters but healers. Tell them that and that Cliopatra was using them for her own ends."
Mousse nodded and went back to the older man. He spoke in Chinese for nearly a minute, then the man turned to his fellows for several minutes.
Johnathon gathered everyone together. "Mousse, Shampoo, Soun, handle the negotiations. Everyone else, let's see if we can provide some first aid to the ones that were hurt. This really isn't their fault." They moved over to the fallen men and started checking them. Stanching a few cuts, splitting the occasional broken arm or leg. Pretty soon the unhurt members of the Egyptian village were helping them as well.
Mousse went to Johnathon after awhile. "It has been settled. They realize now that they have been used. They plan on a suitable punishment for Cliopatra. Someone suggested she be put to work as a scullery maid for the rest of her life. Everyone seemed to like the idea."
Johnathon smiled grimly. "Serves her right." He sighed in relief. "I was worried about what to do after the fight was over. I'm glad things are working out." Mousse nodded and knelt down to help Johnathon finish applying a splint. "I'm going to get Kasumi." Johnathon announced, rising. "She deserves to be here to confront Cliopatra." Mousse looked up at Johnathon and nodded again.
Johnathon ran over to Kasumi's tree, which was just out of sight of the battle. He jumped up and landed on her branch. Johnathon carefully picked the little cat up and jumped back down. "We won Kasumi, everyone's safe, Cliopatra's followers have turned against her, it's all over." Kasumi meowed then purred, rubbing her head against his stomach. "Do you want some hot water?" She nodded and meowed again. Johnathon got the pot of water and Kasumi's father's gi. Johnathon put Kasumi down on the clothing and turned around. He held the pot behind his back with one hand. "Get under the pot." After a second he heard a meow. "Ready?"
Kasumi looked up. "Meow!" Johnathon poured and waited. He could hear her getting dressed, then felt her touch his shoulder. "Thank you Johnathon."
The tall feline in black turned to her. "Any time, would you like to see Cliopatra?"
Kasumi's face went dark with a frown. "What's been done with her?"
Johnathon smiled. "She's been demoted from high priestess to scullery maid for life, and I punched her in the jaw, hard."
Kasumi smiled gratefully. "Thank you Johnathon." Her smile turned thoughtful. "Hmmm, those catacombs are filthy, it will take years to clear them all." She giggled, her face turned slightly more serious, not smiling really but not sad either. "I was angry at her, but it's over, I don't need to see her now. Take me to everyone so I can see for myself that they're alright."
Johnathon nodded and held out his hand. "Ok, come on."
Kasumi and Johnathon came out and helped finish the job of applying first aid to the wounded. Serious injuries were surprisingly few. The worse was a man with a leg broken in two places and a mild concussion. He had been in the center of Ranma's whirlwind. After everyone else had been taken care of, Ranma hovered worriedly over the man until he regained consciousness, half an hour later. Upon waking to Ranma's worried face the man had started scuttling back in fear despite his leg. Several of his friends gathered around reassuring him and laughing a bit at his panicked reaction.
After a few minutes the man looked over at Ranma and pushed one fist into the air in a passable imitation of the final move of Ranma's Hiro Shoten Ha. "Ha." He punched up at the air again. "Ha!" He shrugged at Ranma and grinned.
Ranma nodded at the man and slowly raised his own fist. "Ha." The man's friends picked him up and slowly began carrying him toward the rest. Ranma mused quietly to himself on the strange bonds that sometimes formed between honorable opponents and formed an impromptu haiku. (Japanese two line poem.) "Strange connections, for stranger days." He shook his head. < Sheesh, now I'm starting to sound like Mr. Tendo!>
After several hours the defeated soldiers were ready to leave for their village. The ten from Nerima were going home as well. Mousse and the Chinese speaking older man shook hands and exchanged a few final words. Then everyone turned and started in opposite directions.
Mousse told everyone what the man had said. "We will probably not meet again, he said, but if we did it would be as friends." The ten from Nerima were quiet then, as they walked off into the sunset.
Not the end....
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