Project A-Ko Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Vampire Hunter (Darkstalkers) Fan Fiction ❯ Nabiki 1/2 (A Very Scary Thought) ❯ Renegade Amazon... ( Chapter 55 )

Nabiki 1/2

(A Very Scary Thought)

Written by Jim Robert Bader

Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

Based Upon the Altered Destinies Storyline

Inspired by the works of such fans as

Wade Tritshler

Richard Lawson

James Jones

And Many Others

Standard Disclaimer: This is inspired by the work of Takahashi Rumiko and is not my original creation. All characters belong to her. This is only a fanfictional work, and is not intended to compromise the rights of the original owners, distributors and publishers of the Ranma series. I have no money to spare and would very much appreciate if no one tries to sue me.

Although Cologne was regarded with some fear and suspicion by the members of Nabiki's inner circle, her word was respected when it came to the Martial Arts and the Lore of the Amazons, which all of those present had found of use on occasion. So when she told them that she had something of great importance to share, it was natural that all eyes attended her as Nabiki and her loved ones sat down in a rough semi-circle, leaving space for their missing companions as Akane and her own band of intimates were presently absent.

Cologne looked grave even by her own measured standards as she nodded to the five young people watching her attentively. At last when she was certain that she had the full measure of their attention she said, "What I am about to tell you must not be repeated outside the walls of this dojo. It is of utmost importance that you understand the sensitive nature of what I am about to impart. Shampoo and Perfume know some particulars of these affairs but neither one is privy to the complete, entire story. We Amazons have many secrets that we guard zealously from outsiders, but as you three are almost Amazons by adoption it is only fair that you know the truth about the one whom we will be facing shortly."

"Madam Lao?" Nabiki asked, "We already know she was a member of your tribe, and that she did something that got her kicked out of Joketsuzoku and caused you to adopt Perfume into your family in her place."

"This much you have learned from Arigami Keiko," Cologne nodded soberly, "What you may not know is that the woman who now calls herself Lao Kung is in fact my once-beloved granddaughter and is Shampoo's aunt. She was my student long before any of you were even a twinkling in your parents eyes, and when the Council of Elders voted for her banishment it was as if a piece of my own heart was torn from my breast. It is difficult for me to speak of these things, but if I do not, it is my fear that you will fail to appreciate the dangerous nature of the woman whom you would be facing."

"What did she do that was so awful?" Ranma asked, "It must have been really bad if you can't even speak about it."

"Very true, Son-in-law," Cologne leaned heavily against her staff with her eyes closed for a long moment, only to open them again with a hard look that seemed to dare those present to accuse her of allowing her grief to get the better of her judgement, "But before I explain what it, was I must tell you more about the history of the Nyanichiczu. Our three thousand year history contains many chapters that are dark and unpleasant, and some would be difficult to comprehend in terms of modern experience or morality. You must accept that in ancient times things were done a bit differently than what is the practice today. Not that our traditions are subject to change with the times, of course, but we have learned to be practical, while our ancestors were ruthlessly pragmatic."

"Enough with the dramatic build up already," Ukyo mildly retorted, "We understand that the old days had a lot of cruelty and violence in it. Just look at the history of Japan," she shrugged, "So things could get pretty brutal way back then, what else is new?"

"Well spoken, Daughter-in-law," Cologne nodded sagely, "Then understand that when we first took residence in the mountains that are now our homeland we were a people uprooted from the old ways forced by circumstance to adapt to a new climate. We had been nomadic for a thousand years prior to our coming to China and now we had to learn the ways of farming and land cultivation. The horse had been our home on legs until this time, and while we were even then a matriarchy there was not as much separation between the sexes. Though women were the warriors and the hunter-gatherers, our men were considered just as valuable in their contributions to the domestic life. The songs and poems that survive from those days tell of the gentleness between husband and wife as men did all the domestic chores and raised our children while our women fought to defend the hearth against all enemies that dared make challenge to our territorial claims."

"Interesting," Nabiki mused, "I'd sure like to know exactly how this matriarchy got started. Shampoo's told me mostly children's myths and legends, but you seem to know quite a bit of the practical side of things. I never knew you were such a scholar."

"I've made my inquiries in my youth," Cologne shrugged, "Nothing major, but when I was young myself I went through a period of skepticism that drove me to determine the roots of our society. In any event, this idyllic life slowly changed over time when conditions worsened and there was a famine that swept the land, when the rains did not fall for many seasons, then fell without relent for several more beyond that. A pestilence broke out shortly after this dramatic turn in the weather and it ravaged all lands but those under Amazon control. We stood firm against both famine and plague to emerge the stronger with a more centralized leadership centered on the Matriarch and the Council of Elders that passed a number of increasingly authoritarian provisions."

"The division of labor between the male and the female was tightened and made more restrictive, and soon the men of our tribes began to chaff at this steady erosion of their personal freedoms. Some agitated and spoke openly against the council, and when persuasion did not turn their anger aside, the Elders resorted to violence to enforce their decisions. This quieted things only for a time, but then came a new generation of young people who found matters too restrictive for their liking. A leader rose from among the ranks of these young men who challenged the Matriarch and defeated her, thus becoming her husband."

"He tried to implement reforms against the will of the Elders, but they fought back with greater skill and numbers and drove these rebels into exile, the Matriarch with them. Not content to let things stand this way the man, whose name was Musk, staged a daring raid in which he and his men attacked a neighboring village that was allied to the Amazons and took away a number of young women that he made into brides for his men. Thus began the Musk dynasty, hated rivals to the Amazons, but that was only the beginning. What followed these beginnings would lead to war and hatred that has lasted down unto the present."

"You see, Lord Musk was an ambitious and visionary individual who pictured himself as an eventual Emperor ruling over the throne of all of China. He knew that he would need more than ordinary soldiers to effect his plans, so after creating his mountain fortress with the warriors under his control, he began a new program that involved the use of the Cursed Springs themselves, already notorious in his day and avoided by the Amazons for all but the most intensive training. His agents stole water from the springs of Drowned Man and Woman and brought it back to his castle, where it was used to turn a selected managerie of animals into human versions of themselves, lacking the minds of adults and thus very easy to train as concubines for his growing harem."

"The offspring of the union of his concubines and soldiers became a new generation of warriors with strong animal instincts, the perfect army with which to lead into victory after he taught them to despise the Amazon way and made all women in his Kingdom the virtual slaves of their husbands."

"But the Amazons of his day were far from idle while this happened. The new Matriarch was from the younger generation but had not followed the upstarts into rebellion and exile. When she gained power she used her influence among the younger warriors to force the Elders to at long last recognize the complaints of their people. She instituted a number of reforms that greatly improved conditions for all their people and abolished some of the more draconian laws, gave men more personal liberty and insisted that women share more of the domestic labors of the household. She ruled wisely and grew popular as the Amazons flourished, but she grew more alarmed when informed of the growing power of the Musk Dynasty. She insisted on training her own warriors to a level of physical ability not previously attained, then armed our men and had them similarly instructed so that virtually the entire Amazon nation was ready to defend itself when the Musk dynasty at last struck without warning or mercy."

"In the end, the Amazons held firm against the Musk, but the truce that followed had a bitter flavor for both sides in the conflict and many of their best warriors had died on either side. It would prove to be the first of many battles that would be fought down through the years and it resulted in enmity that survives into our own times. To this very day, the Musk and the Amazons loathe each other but have learned to abide each other's continued existence. We keep things mostly quiet these days to pacify the Communist government, but we have not forgotten our hate, only learned to bury it deeply."

"In nearly all respects Lao Kane was just one more victim of this ages old struggle," Cologne sighed, "And in spite of all that I had done for her before or since I cannot help but feel that I failed her in some way. If she had been better prepared, or less naïve…"

"Excuse me," Ukyo spoke up, "Lao Kane? That's Madam Lao's real name?"

"Lanocane?" Ranma repeated with a puzzled expression.

"You did not hear me say that," Cologne half-smiled, "It is forbidden for an Amazon to speak that name aloud by decree of the council, and therefore for an elder to have spoken it would be an unthinkable transgression."

"Right," Nabiki smiled meaningfully, "So we never heard it. Please continue about the one whose name you didn't just say…"

"My granddaughter," Cologne sighed, "One of a pair of first-class warriors, much like Shampoo and Perfume in their day. She and Shampoo's mother used to train regularly, which was appropriate for two sisters of the same social standing. Kho-Hom…your dear mother, child," she glanced meaningfully at Shampoo, "Grieved no less for the loss of her beloved younger sister than I did for the loss of a granddaughter. You see…Kho-Hom, who was two years her sister's senior, had married young to a man of the village who had caught her eye when she was about your age. Lao, unfortunately, was very proud and refused to lower herself to any man, believing no one in the village was worthy of her affections. Even then she was restless and wanted to see more of the world, so I suppose it was inevitable that she would turn to an outsider when at last she found a man worthy of her standards."

"It was tragedy indeed that the man she fell in love with came from the Musk dynasty, a warrior who was as powerful as the tigers that had been his female ancestors. They met in a private challenge match that ended when this warrior, who went by the interesting name of Julep, defeated my granddaughter. Lao found herself all too willing to declare this man her husband and went gladly to the land of the Musk, where she appears to have been treated rather well for a time. Women of the Musk Dynasty are usually kept hidden away from the eyes of other men, but rather than throw her into his harem her husband treated her like a prize. Julep doted upon her lavishly and gave her all manner of finery that for a time made Lao feel like a captive princess."

"But alas, it was not to remain so forever. The tides of politics and ambition caused Julep to weigh the advantages of having an Amazon of her caliber in his thrall against the advantages that could be gained in using her as a pawn in his personal ambitions. He was advisor to then-Prince Garnet--father of the current Prince Herb--and he had great plans to help his Prince achieve the ages-old dream of conquering China. The political climate in China had shifted with a younger generation clamoring for reform while the entrenched old guard was clinging tenaciously to a withering political system. It was felt that a push in the right direction would shift the Mandate of Heaven from the Communists so someone who could pose as a symbol of fresh leadership and progress. I cannot say what all of his plans were, only that he came to view the Amazons as a key stepping stone to their advance into the limelight.

"I believe what he was after were the secret lore safeguarded by the Elders of our tribe, which perhaps he meant to add to the already considerable knowledge that the Musk had accumulated over the centuries. Uniting our people under the leadership of his Prince might even have been the eventual goal of this plot, all that we know for sure is that he sent a secret message to the Elders on behalf of Garnet, in which he laid out terms for nominal peace that were actually a cover for his real plan of extracting certain concessions."

"He also dropped broad hints alluding to Lao being advanced in her pregnancy with the suggestion that dire things might happen to her if he was not granted his way."

"In desperation, the Council commissioned an expedition that I voluntarily headed to seek to know of Lao's status, and when I confronted Lord Julep he was all smiles and pleasantry. Prince Garnet and he spoke to our concerns at the time that all of China might be facing troubled times in the wake of the brutal crackdown being experienced in some of the major cities and neighboring Tibet. They outlined a bold scheme to consolidate both Amazon and Musk forces into a mutual defensive pact, citing our shared history and historical cultural ties. It seemed all very well and good on the surface, but beneath I could see their ruthlessness and cunning. They had no interest in sharing power and actually sought to end our rivalry by absorbing the Nyanichiczu into their orbit."

"I tried to prevail on Lao that she should leave with us before anything bad could happen to her or the child that she was about to deliver, but she foolishly did not believe my warnings. She believed that her husband sincerely cared for her when I could see that Julep was tiring of his wife and the novelty of their marriage. She was too independent minded for his tastes, too quick to voice her opinions and not content to live entirely as a submissive. I made one last warning and she got very angry and denounced me. I had to leave without her, wishing with all my strength that I could have dragged her out of there before the inevitable happened."

"When the time at last came and Prince Garnet did not gain all that he wanted he tried to have Lao poisoned after she had given birth. When she proved too strong for the evil medicine, they took her child away from Lao's very arms and had her cast into their personal play-chamber…a sort of Medieval dungeon used for interrogating prisoners. There Julep bared the hidden side of his true nature and subjected his wife to unspeakable horrors that I will not burden your young minds by repeating, save that my granddaughter endured an ordeal made far worse by betrayal, denial and bereavement…"

"Her own husband?" Ranma gasped in disbelief, "How could he?"

Cologne just sighed, "Would that I knew the answer to that, Son-in-law. The Musk no longer use cursed animals to maintain their ranks. Perhaps the old habit of treating their women like animals still prevails against all reason. Suffice it to say, Lao endured an almost daily ordeal that must have sapped her resources to their limit, but Lao was still an Amazon, and when she at long last saw what sort of a monster she had married her mind must have snapped because she eventually got loose and killed him, then escaped from the palace before the Prince and his minions could be alerted."

"She returned to the Amazons, but now we were faced with the most unwelcome of problems. Lao had rejected our help when it might have made a difference, believed sincerely in a man who was the avowed enemy of our people and--worse by far--she had committed violence against her husband, a transgression against all of our traditions. She was guilty of the unthinkable, of killing the father to her only child, and--more to the point--she now wanted us to help her liberate the child she had left behind, a son, from the Musk. By every right she could have demanded these things under better circumstances…but as fortunate would have it, this happened in the days following the Tianamen Massacre. With the crackdown then full underway a war between us and the Musk would have brought repression down upon all of our necks. For the good of the Nyanichiczu we were reluctantly forced to refuse her entreaties."

Nabiki looked hard at Cologne as she chose that moment to interrupt, "In other words you rejected her and threw her to the wolves because she was politically inconvenient."

"Alas," Cologne looked down in despair, "It was at that point that the shame Lao bore was in fact our shame. Prince Garnet was swift in demanding her return for punishment for what he termed the murder of a trusted kinsman and member of the royal family. Even then, the power that Garnet commanded was almost the equal to that of an Elder, so his threats carried some weight. There was no physical evidence to corroborate Lao's story of abuse and torture…her late husband had been too cunning in applying his brand of inhuman abuse so that there was hardly a mark on her besides a single brand that--it was claimed--had been the mark of princely affection between consensual adults. Given all of that, the Council was forced--with the greatest reluctance--to reject Lao's claims and declare her an outcast. To satisfy the power-mad lust of a depraved would-be Emperor, we cast her aside and told everyone that she was dead to her own family and house. We ordered her banished as a sort of mercy…" Cologne spoke the word with unmistakable bitterness, "Then told Prince Garnet that there was no longer an Amazon that bore her name. The name itself was forbidden by Council Edict, and thus we satisfied his need for vengeance and Prince Herb agreed to…overlook her transgression."

"That's inhuman!" Ukyo declared, "You mean to say that all this time…?"

"I never know," Perfume said in soft-voiced dismay, "Great Grandmother…you never tell me the one whose place I took was not a bad person."

"How could you do that to your own Granddaughter?" Ranma was all but shouting, his fury so great that he actually seemed to be manifesting a battle aura.

"Ranma, Ucchan," Nabiki urged more calmly, seeing the intense struggle that the Elder was having with her own admission, "I can't say that I'm any less upset than either of you, but I don't think Elder Cologne is telling us this so she can boast about an example of Amazon justice."

"You are so right, Child," Cologne softly murmured, "It would have been better had we killed her outright. Betrayal by a loved one is as cruel a fate as any I could wish on my worst enemy. First the betrayal of the man who claimed to love her, then the greater betrayal by those she most trusted. I cannot forgive what we did out of necessity, nor do I expect to be forgiven by any of you. That alone belongs to Lao, and I do not expect it from her either. I am only telling you this because it is at long last time that the truth be spoken somewhere. Were there anyone I trusted less than you, Daughter-in-law, I would never have shared this, even if you need to know the sort of person you will shortly be confronting."

"Great Grandmother," everyone turned to see the look in Shampoo's eyes as her tone was unusually level, "You do great wrong by Aunt. Shampoo not care you have reason good or no, you owe much explanation for why you let Perfume believe she take place of bad person."

"Would it have done any good if I had told either of you this before?" Cologne said tiredly, "But now you know the truth, that we Elders are hardly perfect. If it means anything in compensation, I did make a promise to Lao before she left that I would show greater care with the both of you. That is also why I was determined to see that your marriages would turn out far better than hers did. I have devoted the last several months of my long life to insuring that you have the sort of opportunities and lives that I have always believed that you deserve. I may be old but I do learn from my past errors and misjudgments. I only wish…" she sighed, "Well, it does no good to dwell upon the matter, and besides this, I was not the only one who had strong regrets. Another cherished pupil of mine left shortly after the decision and vowed to find her own way among people who did not cast aside a woman in such dire need. I later made inquiries and discovered that there had been an assault against the Musk subsequent to these occurrences and that Lao's son mysteriously disappeared. I assume she had help in effecting his liberation and made no further inquiries until the day Arigami Keiko wound up--figuratively--upon our doorstep."

"So now you know that Lao's gone into the piracy profession," Nabiki said simply, "So how does an Amazon become a professional slaver?"

"I wish that I knew the answer to that, Daughter-in-law," Cologne replied, "But perhaps it is just as well that I do not. What I can say is that Lao is probably more dangerous than anyone you have faced until now, even more dangerous than the Ronin."

"How's that again?" Nabiki arched her eyebrows, recalling vividly her fight with the renegade student of the North Star system.

"There is a kind of training," Cologne said carefully, "That involves learning to use your Chi to manipulate the force-lines of your environment. When applied to one of the traditional Seven Elements of Chinese Mysticism it can be a devastating power, and Lao had almost perfected the school of what you might call Tsunami Water Manipulation. Simply put, she can draw upon and channel the force of the universal medium, the element that breaks down mountains and flows without containment. Lao was just beginning to tap into her potential with this power, and there is no doubt in my mind that it played a key role in her electing to use the High Seas for her base of operations."

"So you think she's gotten a lot better since you've last seen her?" Nabiki asked.

"In nearly ten years time?" Cologne arched an eyebrow, "I should very much be surprised if she had not. To be certain she has had excellent motivation to master her art, having the fuel of rage and betrayal at those whom she once trusted. I cannot say as yet how good she might actually be, but as I am coming along with you on this trip it is may hope that she has not yet gotten good enough to challenge an Elder."

"That may be a hell of a risk to take," Ranma said, "She can't exactly look forwards to another meeting after what you pulled."

"Hibiichan," Shampoo said with more gravity than she had ever used towards the Elder until now, "Ranma is right, you just anger her with presence. Shampoo and Perfume will go talk to former Aunt and tell her it not right what done by Elders. We tell her you sorry, maybe she listen."

"I'm afraid not, Child," Cologne said sadly, yet with firmness, "Because you are the one who will not be coming along on this journey. It is up to your Airen and Perfume to represent the Amazons, and their other respective Airen, and before you show your temper around me, young lady, remember that you are halfway through your pregnancy and cannot be risked on such a dangerous mission."

Shampoo had opened her mouth, of course, but closed it just the same as she mulled that over then glared resentfully at Cologne before turning away with a snooty, "Hmph!"

Nabiki let out a sigh that she could hardly conceal. She had not looked forward to trying to explain to Shampoo her own concerns in this regard. Her wife was already chaffing under the limitations imposed by her pregnancy, but there was no way in Hell that Nabiki had any intention of putting either Amazon or child in the line of danger.

Then an idea hit her and she smiled, saying, "Shampoo, you know I would like nothing better than to have you around to watch my back, but I have another request of you. Two young girls have just shown up on our doorstep claiming to be my long-lost sisters. I want you to keep an eye on them, to watch what they do while they're around my father and sister. I don't trust them just yet, especially with that ridiculous claim they're making about my father having an affair behind my mother's back."

"It is possible that they are his children, you know," Cologne said cautiously, "They seem to be sincere in that belief. I don't wish to insult you, child, but remember that he is a former student of Happy."

"Maybe so," Nabiki growled, "But until I see more evidence I'm not trusting them around my dojo."

Shampoo considered this, her expression becoming thoughtful. Ranma himself was studying Nabiki coyly, hearing the way she had just declared the dojo as if it were her own personal possession.

At last Shampoo seemed to come to a decision and said, "I do this for you, Airen, and see that family is protected. If so-called sisters mean harm, then Shampoo will protect her family. If they no mean harm, then Shampoo will tell you that when you come back from mission."

"Thank you," Nabiki said sincerely, although from the way she spoke she could have just as well have been addressing herself to the Kami. Almost as an afterthought she smiled and added the word, "Airen," which made Shampoo brighten like the sun coming out from a cloudbank.

"Perfume make promise to you, Cousin," Perfume said as she nodded to Shampoo, "I take good care of your Airen, watch her back and my Airen. No one harm either Airen while Perfume stand ready, and that go as well for Ranma."

"Thanks," Ranma smiled, "But I can watch my own back. Just keep Nab-chan and Ucchan safe and we'll call it even."

"Okay," Perfume said, smiling as she gave Ukyo a look that would have melted butter.

"Ahem," Ukyo replied with only a slight hint of discomfiture, "I guess we've squared that away, now all we need is for the rest of our group to show up so we can brief them."

"That won't be easy," Ranma said, "They're not going to like this story any more than we did."

"What story?" asked Akane as she appeared at the door to the dojo with Ryoga stumbling along beside her, "What all did we miss? And who are those two girls I just saw trying to feed boiled eels to our father and Uncle Saotome?"

"A long story," Nabiki rolled her eyes, "Pull up a chair while we wait for Keiko and Kodachi to get back from the mansion. I've got a pretty good idea that they're going to need to hear this…"

Daybreak found a small group of figures gathered around one of the piers in Tokyo harbor, readying a small yacht for the purpose of an ocean voyage. Two burly men at work stowing equipment and gear looked up at the approach of a pair of comely young women and one of them smiled before straightening up and asking, "Can we help you ladies?"

"Could be," Keiko smiled as she adjusted her sunshades and gave this fellow a quick lookover. He was Black and quite obviously an American and well over six feet tall, built solidly of muscle in a sleeveless shirt that looked two sizes too small for his girth. As impressive as he was, he was all but dwarfed by the second man, who in spite of appearances was not fat, just incredibly bulky with the muscles of a Sumo Wrestler. Keiko finished sizing them up and then asked, "Do either of you boys know where we can find a man named Guile?"

The name had an instant effect on both men. The black man lost his attempt at charm and paled. The Sumo wrestler also straightened up and replied, "You're here to see the Colonel? Ow…hey!" he turned resentfully to the other man, who had just punched him one the kidney.

<"Ixnay on the Olonelcay,"> the black man said in Pig Latin English, <"We're supposed to be doing this undercover, comprende?">

<"That is quite all right,"> said Kodachi in perfect English, <"The Colonel is expecting us. After all, Keiko here is his daughter.">

Both men did a double-take and blanched as they said, <"DAUGHTER???">

<"That's right,"> said Guile himself as he appeared from the upper deck of the yacht, reverting back to Japanese as he added, "Sorry about Honda and Bison, they mean well but sometimes they tend to stick their oversized feet in their mouths. Everything's ready, just as soon as your friends get here."

"So, this is her, huh?" asked a very handsome looking man with strawberry blond hair who came up alongside Guile, also speaking flawless Japanese, "Can't say as I see a resemblance, Guile. You sure she's your daughter?"

"Positive," Guile snorted, giving the man beside him a mocking glare before turning back and saying, "Ignore the Playboy, he thinks he's God's gift to somebody. Keiko-chan, this is Ken, he owns the yacht we'll be taking. Ken, this is Keiko and her friend, Miss Kuno Kodachi…"

"Kodachi will do," Kodachi smiled with a fluttering of her eyes, "So you are the famous Ken Masters of Masters Industries. Your father is the Third richest man in the world by current estimate."

"Actually I think he's either second or third," Ken replied nonchalantly, "Ever since the Sultan of Brunei got mixed up in that scandal. I don't really keep track of stuff like that, but Dad does pretty well on his own. I've got my own businesses to run and that's enough for me to deal with."

"Says the five time winner of the International Black Belt Awards," Kodachi mused, "Retired with no defeats to begin an interesting career as a film star. Such modesty hardly becomes a celebrity of your stature, but what on earth are you doing involved in an operation like this?"

"Well," Ken shrugged as he climbed down the stepladder leading to the main deck of the boat and came over to offer his hand to both ladies, "Truth to tell I sometimes moonlight by going on wild adventures just to prove I'm not all media hype, like that Johnny Cage guy. I've been known to fight the forces of evil myself from time to time, it's sort of like a hobby."

"Interesting hobby," Keiko smiled as she and Kodachi at last climbed on deck then swayed a little with the ocean currents. She was about to say something really complimentary to see if she could get a rise out of Kodachi when a pair of eyes caught her attention.

Or, more specifically, a pair of glowing red eyes looking at her from the concealment of the lower deck. For a moment the look transfixed her as deep-seated memories held Keiko rigid. Kodachi noticed this and was about to ask her what was up when the figure Keiko was staring at finally came out into the light, moving with a wary caution as though trying to avoid frightening both girls into a panic.

"Uh…hi," he said in a voice that was as guttural and beastlike as his appearance. He had yellow-green skin and spiky red hair that went all the way down his back like the crest of a deranged Mohawk Indian and he had the basic proportions of a fairly well endowed gorilla. Other than that he seemed to be making an unsuccessful attempt to not seem frightening with his oversized fangs and Ogre-like appearance.

"Don't mind Blanka," Ken Masters assured them, "He's harmless. Mostly. Blanka, stop acting like you're on your first date and come over here and shake paws with the Colonel's daughter."

"Sorry if I gave you a fright," the creature rasped, looking down at his clawed feet before extending an equally clawed hand that looked big enough to squeeze a coconut like a sponge. Keiko took the hand with some reluctance and shook it while Kodachi settled for a modest bow, never taking her eyes off the wild-seeming creature.

"Charlie's here to help like the rest of my people," Guile explained as he came down to join them, "He's actually quite gentle as long as no one makes him angry, right Buddy?"

"Just don't make any cracks about feeding the monkey," Blanka growled softly, "I always hate that."

"Right," Keiko and Kodachi said in perfect chorus, both girls deciding on the spot to avoid the subject of the primate family altogether.

"So, you mates figure on coming along with us professionals, huh?" asked a womanly voice before a beautiful blond wearing a striped bikini and a blue barrette hat also emerged the interior cabin. She turned her look towards Guile and said, "Got those satellite reports you asked for, Colonel, along with the rest of the data. Blanka's downloaded a whole file of weather reports along with the personal testimonials of literally hundreds of witnesses. I hope it's enough to give you the lead you're after."

"We'll know soon enough Lieutenant," Guile said before nodding to his daughter, "That's Cammy White, another member of our team. She does the intelligence work around here while Charlie handles the electronics."

"Sort of a gift," Blanka grumbled, looking away as though embarrassed.

"So this is everybody on your side, Dad?" Keiko asked aloud, wondering if it was going to be crowded on the yacht when Nabiki and the rest of their team showed up later.

"Just about," Guile said with a curious reluctance, "Only one more player and…"

"You can stop waiting, I'm here."

Everyone turned around to see a brown haired Eurasian girl approach, which prompted Cammy to glare and hiss, "What's she doing here?"

"Easy," Blanka cautioned, "No Cat-fights on this voyage."

"Chun-Li?" the two men on the docks said in chorus before looking at each other and adding, "Uh-oh…"

"What's wrong, boys?" Chun-Li asked, "Aren't you glad to see me?" And then she saw Cammy White and glared, "What is SHE doing here?"

"Oboy," Ken murmured, "I'm starting to see why my buddy Ryu's sitting this one out…"

"At ease…both of you," Guile growled in a tone of authority, "Chun-Li's coming along at her own request. She's informally representing Interpol, which wants Madam Lao on a number of International charges including Smuggling, Kidnapping and Piracy. Unless you both give me your word to behave yourselves on this mission I'll leave the both of you right here, do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly, Colonel," Cammy's tone was icy.

"All right," Chun-Li glowered, "But if she makes trouble this time…"

"Think maybe it's too late to sit this one out?" Bison asked his companion.

"I'm thinking about it," Honda replied, "Maybe it's not too late to get a refund…"

"Konnichi wa!" hailed a voice that caused them to look up in time to see a group of six teenagers approach, along with one doll-like figure resembling a piece of fruit left to dry out in the sun for a decade, "I hope we're in time to get good seats on this trip. I always hated traveling coach."

"Hey, Nab-chan," Keiko called out as she waved a hand, "Glad to see you guys could finally make it! What took you so long?"

"Ever try to find your way here with public transportation?" Nabiki smiled back, "I almost felt like Ryoga back there, and that's with the cab ride at the end."

"Why does everybody always pick on me about my problem?" Ryoga growled sullenly, "It's not like I asked to inherit the family curse you know."

"Akane-chan," Kodachi purred, "I see you managed to keep from losing your shadow this time."

"Practice," Akane said as squeezed Ryoga's hand meaningfully, which caused the lost boy to look up and almost trip over his own ankles.

"So this is the ship we're taking, huh?" Ranma said as he looked the boat over, "Kind of small, isn't it?"

"You aren't kidding, Ranma," Ukyo agreed as she eyed the forty footer, "Is it too late to charter out a full sized yacht? It looks like it's going to be standing room only this trip."

"Hey, don't judge a boat by its surface," Ken replied, "You guys are the ones coming along on this? It's not exactly a field trip you know."

"You're a fine one to talk, Punk," Guile snorted, "I seem to recall that you weren't much older than them when we first met in that bar."

"How exactly did they manage to talk you into this one, Guile?" Blanka stage-whispered, earning a glare from the blond-haired giant.

"Let's just say they whittled me down for negotiation and leave it at that," Guile grunted, not willing to admit that he meant the term literally in this case as he absently felt his lumps from the previous day.

"Excuse me," Chun-Li said to Ukyo as she stared at the younger girl's backside, "Is that a spatula you're carrying?"

"Baker's peel," Ukyo corrected, "What's your point?"

"Pig tailed girl no mind Airen," Perfume spoke up, "No convince her yet to master Hidden Weapons technique. Think maybe she like carrying weapon in open as status symbol."

"Permission to come aboard, Colonel?" Nabiki asked as she adjusted her own shades to give the man an appreciative smile that would have sent Shampoo ballistic had she been present.

"No problem," Guile said, "Come on board and makes yourselves comfortable…"

"Wait," Ranma looked around and frowned, "Aren't we forgetting somebody?"

"No," Nabiki said with a meaningful grin, "We're not. I made sure to give Hinako-Sensei the wrong directions so that she wouldn't be able to find this pier on time. With luck we'll be way out into the harbor before she…"

"I guess luck must not be with you today, Tendo-san," a male voice said from the deck as even Blanka seemed to jump in surprise, finding a tall Chinese boy in a white long-sleeved robe standing next to a short, angry-looking girl in a yellow dress.

"H-Hinako-Sensei?" Nabiki gasped as though seeing a specter.

"So," the young-seeming girl glared, "You were going to abandon your teacher. I might have expected that from a delinquent such as you."

"How did you…?" Guile started to say when the Chinese boy smiled and said, "A little bird told me that there was mischief on the breeze, or did you honestly expect to take my Perfume onto a dangerous mission such as this without my knowledge?"

"Mousse?" Ukyo groaned, "Just what I needed…perfect."

"It seems that I have underestimated you this time, boy," Cologne said with a narrowing of her eyes while Perfume made a point of taking refuge behind Ukyo's flank, "I trust you will remember to behave yourself on this voyage."

"I will respect the truce--such as it is--that exists between myself and Kuonji," Mousse replied, "You need not fear that I am here to cause trouble. I am only here to see that Perfume does not get into more trouble than she can handle when you face the Renegade. I too, have heard the legends of her mastery of the Elemental Combat styles, and you will need my talents in order to defeat her."

"Perhaps," Cologne said before turning away, "We will see."

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea," said Bison, "Yo, Colonel, think maybe having this many people on board might be overdoing it a--OOF!!!"

Both he and Honda grunted out their surprise as they each clutched hold of their midsections. Cologne hopped away on her staff saying, "Well, what are you waiting for, boys? Climb on aboard or we'll miss the tide."

"Uh, sure thing, Granny," Ken replied dubiously, "Cammy?"

"I'll start her up," Cammy replied, heading for the bridge area, "But I'm inclined to agree with Muscles over there. Seventeen people on a boat this size is pushing it a little."

"You want to tell them to get off?" Chun-Li asked, earning a glare from the blond as Cammy murmured, "Don't give me ideas just yet."

Bison straightened out, still holding his gut before murmuring to Honda, "On the other hand maybe they'll fit in after all."

"You ask me they're overqualified for this gig," Honda agreed sourly, looking towards Cologne before wistfully adding, "She almost reminds me of my grandmother, only Granny would have hit me a wee bit lower…"

Continued

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