Project A-Ko Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Vampire Hunter (Darkstalkers) Fan Fiction ❯ Nabiki 1/2 (A Very Scary Thought) ❯ A Three Hour Cruise... ( Chapter 56 )

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.

The sea breeze wafted through the hair of Perfume as she stood at the bow of the forty-foot yacht watching the shoreline recede with a curious apprehension. She was adjusting rapidly to the unsettling wave motion under her feet, learning to sway in counter-motion so as to not have her center of balance be so adversely affected. She had never been to sea on a vessel such as this before and was finding the sense of being surrounded by so much ocean unnerving. It was not simply the fact of her curse that made her wonder at the wisdom of this journey, it was the fear of being completely out of her element with minimal control over the circumstances of her existence.

The ocean was such a violent medium. She had always assumed that the sea was a mysterious frontier renown through song and legend as something tranquil and infinite, but here she was discovering how vast and restless it could be, so powerful and unforgiving with mysterious depths that were beyond her understanding. The harsh brine in the air was affecting her senses and there were so many sounds to focus upon as though her entire environment were one great crashing cacophony of vibrations.

Yet still she remained calm, practicing inwardly the techniques she had learned from Cologne through long and steady practice. There was a rhythm behind the seeming chaoticness of the ocean, and by attuning herself to this inner rhythm she was able to learn to move in counter-tempo. By gently bending with the flow she managed to maintain her inner balance rather than hurl her lunch over the side, as she had at first been so strongly tempted.

Oddly enough, she found it easier to filter out the vast majority of the sensory input her acute senses were bombarded with so that she could focus on the conversation going on behind her. Ukyo was conferring with Nabiki on the presence of the Hinako woman, both lounging around in revealing bikinis, acting as if unaware that Perfume heard every word that they were speaking. She was also stealing coy glances over her shoulder whenever she thought that they were not observing, enjoying the leg show while comparing the figures of the two women to whom her destiny was bound by love and honor.

She envied her Airen and co-fiancée their freedom to expose their bodies to the harsh sunlight.

Being pale even for an Amazon with a tendency to burn easily, she had to cover herself up with her normal Chinese-style clothing, even though the warmth of daylight made her already feel somewhat hot and cloying. Better that than suffer the absolute agony of a sunburn, however, so she let the focus of her mind center on their words, ignoring the other discussions being held around on the boat by differing sets of parties.

She was not surprised when their conversation touched on her but kept her face composed and emotionless so as not to betray her attention and maybe discourage them from revealing things of a personal nature.

"You two seem to be getting along just fine these days," Nabiki noted with a tone that was almost wistful, "Hard to believe after the way you used to protest your lack of interest."

Perfume was not looking at them when Nabiki said this but she could almost feel Ukyo's blush and smiled a little in reflection. Perfume allowed herself a small smile as she recalled the awkward period during which she had courted Ukyo and tried to gain her interest. The most Ukyo had been willing to share in the beginning was her friendship, and that was _almost_ enough for a time, but nothing to be treasured beside what she and Ukyo now shared.

Of course, her Airen was modest about the matter, which was only to be expected. Ukyo did not have her expressive nature and was always modest in showing her feelings, quite a lot like a man when Perfume thought about the matter.

"Yeah, well, you know how it is…or was," Ukyo finally sighed in a way that was both embarrassed and hopeful, "I had no idea what I was getting involved with at the beginning, but now, with the benefit of hindsight…"

"I see," Nabiki replied in that characteristically gentle-yet-smug way of hers that was equal parts sympathetic and knowing, "That's much the way I'd describe things between Shampoo and me, only at the time that we met I thought I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting into…"

"Yeah, but you had it easy," Ukyo snorted, "You were a guy when it happened, while I was afraid of loosing my womanhood if I got involved with another woman. The funny thing is that now I feel more like a woman than I ever felt when I was pretending to be a guy, telling myself that I didn't need a man to make me feel fulfilled. When I'm with Perfume…well…I feel very much like a woman…if you get my meaning."

"Oh, I get you," Nabiki chuckled softly, "Loud and clear. Don't forget, I know what it's like to be on both sides of the pillow…"

"How can we ever forget?" Ukyo at once retorted, "You never let us."

"Well…I still haven't done it with Ranma," Nabiki's tone was filled with annoyance and regret on that point, "Or any other guy for that matter, so that's something else we have in common."

"Don't remind me," Ukyo sighed, "Before I met him I always thought all guys had one thing on their minds, which was more than they could handle."

"He's too nice for the two of us," Nabiki leaned back and stretched herself out, showing off her long, lean and entirely well-curved body, "Cornering him is going to be a real challenge. As much as I hate to say it, we're probably going to have to wait until the honeymoon to nail him."

"Depending on whichever one of us goes first," Ukyo pointed out with just a hint of her competitive spirit, "And don't you dare suggest we do it as a threesome."

"Aw," Nabiki feigned disappointment, "You sure you wouldn't like it better that way? We'd give Ranma every other guy's fantasy, and if you'd prefer to do it with guys we could both gang up on you for a sandwich, I'd even bet you'd like that."

"Pervert," Ukyo replied with a chuckle, "You're as bad as Shampoo, you know that?"

"Oh, and Perfume there doesn't come up with some pretty scandalous suggestions?" Nabiki challenged, "I've heard you two make quite a bit of noise together, and that's not just the complaint of all the neighbors…"

Perfume could well imagine from her silence how Ukyo was blushing furiously and she smiled with a certain smug relish before her Airen continued, "Well…yeah we kind of…experiment a little after hours, nothing too serious, just a couple of naughty girls doing things that would shock even you if I let you get away with installing hidden cameras."

"Just think of the video rights," Nabiki pretended to lean towards her in a predatory whisper, "I happen to have it on good authority that Amazons are very…limber. You could make a considerable fortune with the Echi crowd."

"And I suppose you've suggested this to Shampoo?"

"What, do I look crazy or suicidal?" Nabiki retorted, "She may be uninhibited but my wife does have her pride and standards. Not that I couldn't make a bundle doing it with some other girl in my male form…only she'd probably geld me." This latter part was spoken with a nervous whisper that implied that the idea was only slightly facetious.

"So," Ukyo said at last after another long pause, staring at her bare feet as she also stretched out with a sigh before turning up and gazing out at the ocean, "Here we are…two women, both trapped up in situations we'd never have believed possible if they were happening to someone else, trying to make the best of a bad deal, and actually doing pretty good all things considered. I mean, life isn't always a bed of roses, but it could be a lot worse. I've got Perfume and you've got Shampoo and we're not even fighting about Ranma. You ever think maybe things are a little too perfect?"

"Tendo Nabiki!"

Both Ukyo and Nabiki sat upright while Perfume tensed a little. She heard the footsteps coming up the ladder and sensed the presence of Hinako-Sensei approach them.

"I withdraw that last question," Ukyo softly murmured.

"Tendo Nabiki," Hinako came to stand a short distance away from the three girls and adopted a tone that made Perfume almost believe that she could hear as scowling, "I have just spoken with your younger sister and she has informed me that your cousin, Kaneda, has been living with a foreign girl who is not yet of age, and I am given to understand that she is carrying his child?"

"She's his wife, Sensei," Nabiki replied in such a way that Perfume could imagine what she was thinking about the loose-lipped nature of her sister, "They met when we were in China. It was sort of hastily arranged by the tribal customs of her people, but they've since made it official."

"Scandalous," Hinako said in clear disapproval, "The behavior of you Tendos is quite shocking in the extreme. I suppose this is partly why I have rarely seen Kaneda attending regular classes?"

"He's…not enrolled at Furinkan, Sensei," Nabiki explained, "He attends a different school…mostly involving home tutoring…"

"Then he has no business being on Furinkan school grounds," Hinako stated flatly, "Yet I have seen him harassing young girls and engaging in all manner of scandalous behavior with that Grandfather of yours. That is hardly proper behavior for a husband with a pregnant wife. I have a good mind to speak with him about this matter the next time I see him."

"Oh, believe me," Nabiki said with clear reluctance, "He only goes to Furinkan when it's absolutely necessary, and he wouldn't show up at all if he had any choice in the matter. He's not a Pervert, and if anything he's tried to put a stop to Gramps and his antics."

"I'll believe that when I see more evidence," Hinako said, "Until then you're both on report as far as I'm concerned. And you, Kuonji-san, I have told you repeatedly about carrying that weapon around with you everywhere you go. It is not ladylike to adopt such mannish, aggressive behavior…"

"Yes Sensei," Ukyo responded, knowing well enough that it was pointless to argue with Hinako.

"And your friend here," Hinako at last turned her attention Perfume's way, "I have seen this young lady on school grounds several times of late, but I do not believe that she is a student of Furinkan…"

"Oh, she's going to enroll and take courses," Ukyo hastily explained, "She my w---my good friend from China," she hastily amended, earning an unseen smile from Perfume's direction, "Her name is Perfume and she's the adoptive cousin of Kaneda-sama's wife, who you saw back at the Tendo House."

"Perfume, eh?" Hinako asked, "I don't suppose she has a last name?"

"Ah," Ukyo hesitated, then said, "Not really."

"Perfume's people are the Nyanichiczu of China," Nabiki hastily supplied, "She comes from a small village named Joketsuzoku…"

"The home of the Chinese Amazons?" Hinako gasped, surprising Nabiki as she suddenly became more like the child that she resembled, "Are you really an Amazon, lady?"

"Yes, little one," Perfume answered, finally turning around and giving the diminutive teacher a friendly expression, "I am village Enforcer, and the Elder Cologne is my adoptive great grandmother."

Ukyo's jaw nearly hit the deck as she stared at Perfume in surprise, hearing her Chinese bride speak almost perfect Japanese for the first time since she had met her.

"You're very pretty," Hinako said brightly, "I'll bet you have a lot of boyfriends."

"Not really," Perfume lost most of her smile as she thought about Mousse, "No."

"Well," Hinako paused for a moment before smiling again and saying, "I guess I'll be seeing a lot more of you when you enroll at Furinkan. You might even have me for a homeroom teacher like Kuonji here."

Perfume's smile returned, giving Ukyo a wicked look before replying, "I'd like that."

"Then you should know that you can always come to me if you ever have any problems that you'd like to talk about with somebody," Hinako turned around and said, "Well, that's what I came to say, so right now I think I'll go and see if they have any snacks to eat, I'm feeling hungry."

Ukyo waited until Hinako was gone before turning to Perfume and saying, "How…?"

"I practice," Perfume replied, "Perfume listen good to Airen speak. It hard to use proper words, but I not stupid. I get better the more I rehearse in private."

"Never knew you spent that much time away from Ukyo," Nabiki observed dryly, earning a withering look from both women.

"Ohiyo!" said Akane brightly as she and Kodachi came out on deck to join them, both dressed in bikini attire, Akane's being the more conservative in nature while Kodachi's…was practically nonexistent, "Mind if we come sun ourselves with the rest of you guys?"

"Be our guests," Nabiki replied, "It's a free deck," she paused before adding, "You told Hinako-Sensei about Kaneda?"

Akane winced before she sat down with Kodachi on the opposite half of the deck, "It…sort of slipped out while she was interrogating me. I didn't mean to tell her about your relationship with Shampoo…"

"Well, I for one think it perfectly scandalous," Kodachi grinned, giving Nabiki a coy look, "Your cousin shacking up with a foreigner, whatever is the world coming to these days? I certainly do hope he will continue to do right by the poor girl."

"He will," Nabiki stated flatly, "Shampoo is a part of his life and he will honor her no matter what happens. She couldn't be in better hands, I assure you."

"I have no doubt that you do mean what is best for the girl," Kodachi mused, "But it must be awfully lonely for her, being away from her people, surrounded by foreigners who don't even speak her language. Perhaps she would be happiest if she moved back to her village with her husband, not that I should much like to see your darling Kaneda-sama vanish off to distant parts, especially since it would mean that he would then experience the same daunting limitations."

"Ah…" Nabiki seemed to be thinking that one over while Ukyo decided to come to her rescue.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Ukyo said, "Shampoo seems happy enough to me, and Kaneda's a terrific guy who'd never do anything to make her feel unwanted or unwelcome. I know it's a pretty big adjustment living in Japan, but outside of her immediate family, I don't think Shampoo really misses her village. It's not the same living somewhere without someone who honestly loves and cares for you, like Nab-chan."

Nabiki gave Ukyo a surprised and curious look, oddly warmed that her childhood friend had come to her defense with such welcome praises. Then she looked up past Ukyo and saw Perfume smiling at the both of them before hastily glancing away, and from that glance she derived more than one implied meaning.

Perfume continued smiling to herself as she reflected on what Ukyo had just said. It was true that living in Japan had been a difficult adjustment at first, but over time she had come to see that the people around her genuinely cared for one another and never tried to maliciously poke fun at another person's weakness. So very different from the village life she used to lead where she had always felt like an outsider, and no one seemed to much like her because of her weaknesses and what she represented. Given all of that, there was not much she really could miss besides the beauty of the countryside, and Japan had its own beautiful sites for modest compensation.

Besides which was the simple fact that Ukyo had stated for the both of them: without someone with whom you shared their level of intimacy, a life in heaven would be as meaningless as the abyss that had once been her existence.

"So," Kodachi turned her attention towards Ukyo, "You find life is treating you well, Kuonji-san? I understand that your restaurant business is a great success with your fellow students."

"Oh yeah," Ukyo smiled, "Hinako-Sensei may frown on me having a business to run, but my okonomiyaki is a hit with everybody. Perfume helps me out a lot, and so does the old woman."

"And Mousse," Nabiki gently reminded.

"Yeah," Ukyo scowled, "Him too. Somewhat."

"I heard that, Kuonji," Mousse appeared as if on cue, "And I resent the implication that I will do something to you on this voyage in defiance of the truce that currently stands between us."

"Do you deny thinking about it?" Ukyo asked him.

"Of course not," he said serenely, "I just resent it."

"Well, then, you can see my problem," Ukyo stated flatly, "It's not like I can trust you, even if you do work in my restaurant and I--unfortunately--get to see you almost every day. The fact remains that you still see me as an obstacle, and--how do you Amazons love to put it?"

Perfume answered without humor, "Obstacles are for removing."

"It is true that you stand between me and the woman that I love," Mousse replied, "But I hold no malice towards you, even if you do think little of me on account of what I am compelled to do by the laws of our people. At first you were but a hapless victim of circumstances, but of late you have taken to heart that which I cherish, so it is inevitable that there must come a reckoning between us. I do not relish having to take your life, but for Perfume to be mine you must be made to relinquish your claims on her now and forever."

"Not a chance," Ukyo glared at him, wishing she had her baker's peel on hand to smack him one. Not that there was any chance that he would try something with Nabiki and the others close nearby, but Mousse's tone had an edge of desperation on it, and he was an Amazon with hidden weapons skills and the speed to strike faster than an eyeblink. He was giving off no sign of a battle aura as yet, but that could change with hardly a split-second of warning.

But he would not strike, she reminded herself, not with Perfume standing in such a way that her hands were flexing in preparation for calling forth her axes. Fast as he was, Mousse knew that Perfume was much faster and would not hesitate to strike in the defense of her Airen. It was enough of a deterrent to insure that he would keep his distance and not start any trouble.

Of course trouble started anyway, not from either her or Mousse. Rather it was Kodachi who turned on him and leveled an accusing stare that made the sight-blind Mousse react a little.

"You may have agreed to abide by a truce, but that does not hold with me," the Black Rose hissed from less than a meter's distance, "We have unfinished business between us, you and I, on the little matter of some cursed water you stupidly tossed. If you had any idea of the pain and embarrassment you have caused me…"

"If?" Mousse turned to her with surprising heat in his expression, "If I know what you are going through, Miss Kuno? I think that I very much do understand, in ways that you could begin to--URK!"

This latter part was spoken just before he collapsed onto the deck like the proverbial limp rag. Cologne hobbled over on her staff and ignored his body as she turned to the others and said, "It should be a while before he will trouble you again. My apologies for not keeping better track of the blind fool, he slipped from my side while I was otherwise engaged in conversation."

Nabiki looked down at the slumped Mousse and asked, "Why did you allow him to come with us in the first place, Grandmother? Promise or no, you knew he would cause trouble."

"True," Cologne replied, "But as difficult as he is to manage, he can also be quite useful in a way. His skills as a fighter--while not the equal to Shampoo or Perfume--are quite considerable nonetheless, and where we are going we could use as many assets as can be afforded. He is…cannon fodder, if you will…a mere target for our enemies to direct their fire towards while those of your who require less range in your attacks can slip in closer while he distracts them."

"Them being?" Akane asked her.

"Lao's minions, of course," Cologne replied, "Perhaps even Lao herself, though I doubt very much that Mousse would pose her any sort of challenge."

"So we need him after all," Kodachi said in mild disgust, clearly tempted to suggest heaving the Chinese boy over the railing, if only to drag for fishbait.

"For now," Cologne agreed, and implied in her tone was the suggestion that now would not necessarily mean later.

"By the way," Nabiki said, deliberately changing the subject, "Where's Keiko gone off to? I half expected that she'd remain with you two."

"She's down below talking with her father," Akane replied, "We thought we'd give the two of them some privacy. The others are either busy or conferring over some charts and pictures about our probable direction. Where's Ryoga?"

"Up at the front of the boat with Ranchan," Ukyo replied, "The boys are enjoying the view of the waves breaking over the bow…"

"Either that or they're spewing up their lunch where they think we can't watch them," Nabiki said slyly, "I don't think either one of them has ever been at sea before…or at least Ranma hasn't. I never have been able to figure out how Ryoga gets to some of the places he's been to."

"Neither can he," Ukyo smiled, "If you ask me it's like he had a curse of his own, and it doesn't involve water."

"I don't see why you guys are always being so mean to Ryoga-kun," Akane said crossly, "It's not like it's his fault he gets lost sometimes, it's just something he has to deal with."

"Why Akane-chan," Kodachi smiled, "Why be so defensive about it? We all like Ryoga very well, but one might think with you it was something more serious."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Akane looked away with a nervous expression, "He's just a nice guy I happen to like. Why does everybody always make something more out of it than they have to?"

Perfume had to smile to herself at Akane's evasive denials. If only she had hearing like mine, the Amazon thought, she would be able to eavesdrop on a very interesting conversation…

"Man…when are you finally going to tell her?" Ranma was just then saying in exasperation, "At this rate you two are never going to get together!'

"Don't push me!" Ryoga snapped before turning to look at the waves that were causing their boat to bob up and down in such an alarming manner. In all truth he hardly noticed this, sunk so low into depression that he barely even felt when Ranma punched his arm somewhat harder than was called for.

"What is the problem?" Ranma asked, "You both like each other, right? So why don't you just try telling her instead of getting so tongue-tied every time she tries to get a conversation going?"

"Oh, and like you have it easy talking to Nabiki?" Ryoga growled irritably.

"Huh?" Ranma blinked, "Hey, I talk to her all the time, and Ucchan too…"

"Have you ever told either one of them that you love them?" Ryoga asked, hardly noticing the confused and panicked look that crossed his friend's features as Ranma considered this, "That's how it is for me whenever I try talking to Akane. She's so…beautiful…and her eyes…that smile she turns on me…it's just…I can't take the thought of her maybe telling me she doesn't like me that way. You know, like some people say they just want to be your friend when you'd like it to be something more with them?"

"I…I don't…I can't say I know what that's like," Ranma admitted.

"Of course not," Ryoga said bitterly, "You just let yourself be walked all over by Kodachi, so maybe you're afraid of something like that happening with Nab-chan, only I don't think it ever will. She's crazy about you…and so is Ucchan. You've got it lucky that they both don't need to be told how you feel, but if Akane doesn't feel about me the way I do about her…I'd have nothing to live for."

Ranma blinked again, then said, "Hey man, don't talk like that! You gotta know she likes you…a lot more than she ever liked me. You're just scared of admitting it, that's all. I'll bet she feels the same way about you, and she's just as scared about you telling her to take a hike."

"I'd never do that!" Ryoga protested, "I could never stand to see her hurt, and I'd never do anything to hurt her. I'd die before I let her come to any harm…I just don't know if I can stand hearing her tell me that she doesn't feel this way about me. Even if she rejects me, though, I'll always love her and I'd do anything to protect her or make her happy."

Ranma looked sidelong at the lost boy, hearing the despair and dread in his tone and wondering how anyone could be so depressed when they had so much else going for them. He had only known Ryoga a few months but he'd found the boy to be courageous and a competent Martial Artist. The two of them trained together regularly, and for the past month they had done so under Cologne's close supervision, learning new tricks and new fighting techniques to add to their own distinctive styles. They knew each other fairly well by this point, even had made a few overtures towards a tentative friendship, but as yet they had not fully gotten over the initial rivalry they felt. Training against Ryoga sometimes got pretty rough with both boys going all out to beat the tar out of one another on a regular basis.

That competitive spirit, however, did not apply to their respective private lives. In that regard Ranma felt very much as Ryoga did and was trying to find courage to face his own relationship troubles by encouraging Ryoga to overcome his nervousness around Akane. It was as if he hoped to draw strength in himself by using Ryoga to test out an approach, which he had to admit was not a very nice thing to do if there were to be any real friendship between them in the future.

"I think I know Akane pretty well," Ranma said at last, "We've spent the last ten years growing up around each other, and she's almost like my sister. We don't always get along, but I know for a fact that she smiles differently for you than she does around other people."

"She does?" Ryoga asked with a hopeful note that was extinguished a moment later as he stared out at the horizon and said, "But what if it's just pity she feels, not real affection? I don't know what to do when I'm around her…I…I want to hold her in my arms and…"

"Hey," a voice intruded on their consciousness, "What are you kids doing up here? You could fall over the edge and wind up in the propellers before anybody knows what happened!"

"We're okay," Ranma glanced over his shoulder, seeing the huge black boxer standing on the forward deck with legs spread wide to maintain his balance, "We know how to keep our balance, so there's really no danger."

"Kid," the big man snorted, "You got a lot to learn if you think there ain't never any danger. You sit up front like this and you're just asking for Ol' Father Neptune to come up along and smack you down one."

Ranma studied the other man a minute then smiled and said, "You're Michael Bison, aren't you? You were the heavyweight champion in America for four straight years, undefeated."

"Hey, that's right," Ryoga said in surprise, "I thought you looked familiar. You fought with Hideo Yogashi in that Tokyo match some six or seven years back…"

"You kids got a good memory," Bison nodded grimly before staring out to see, "But it was more like eight years back, feels more like twenty. I was Heavyweight Champion of the world, once, had a good shot at beating Ali's record. All gone now, thanks to that scumbag Vega…"

"Who's Vega?" Ranma asked and got a cautiously surprised look from Bison, as if the big man had not been fully aware that he had said the name aloud.

"Just forget about him, kid," Bison replied, "You're better off not knowing."

"Ah," Ryoga looked uneasy about something as if trying to find the right way of phrasing his next question, "Uh…what happened in your last fight…?"

"You mean about the ear thing?" Bison's expression darkened, but instead of getting angry he just smiled, "Another long story. Let's just say I wasn't myself when it happened.."

"What did happen then?" Ranma asked, "You had a perfect record before your last fight. What made you do something like that and throw your whole career away?"

"You really want to know?" Bison asked, "Do you really want to know what happened to me? What turned my whole life into a sewer and put me through a living hell for three full years of my life? I'll tell you what happened to me, kid…Vega happened."

"Who is this Vega you keep talking about?" Ryoga asked, "Is he your enemy?"

"Oh yeah!" Bison laughed a hard, bitter laugh, "He's my enemy all right, he's everybody's number-one all time favorite kick-em-while-they're-down kind of bad guy, and if he's still around I'll want another shot at him, a permanent shot at the title. Of course I'm going to have to get in line for it since everybody on this boat who's a team player's got something against Vega. Take Chun-Li for example, Vega murdered her father."

Both boys just started, then stared at the brown-haired Chinese girl presently steering the yacht at the control station. From where they were they could not make out much more than a general impression, but they could see the firm set of her lovely features, the hard fix of her gaze and the tell tale signs of a determined personality. Each tried to imagine themselves and what they would be like if they had lost a parent to violence.

"Eight years," Bison said, sounding more than faintly amazed at the time lapse, "Eight years ago I was on the top of the world, I had everything you could want, and I wanted it all, baby. For a kid who grew up in the Projects it was like running the Marathon and winning the Lottery several times over. The Tokyo match was supposed to be a publicity stunt to generate interest. I was looking for some new challenges, there weren't any challenges left in the boxing world. The guys I'd fought in my last ten matches were bums. My manager said if I wanted to meet a real fighter I should head to the Orient, so Tokyo was really supposed to be just my first stopover."

"Then Vega's goons approached my me with an offer that I didn't want any part of. I'd lost my best friend and kid brother to drugs, and these scum wanted me to help them peddle their dope. When I told them no they said I should throw the fight instead to keep their backers happy. I threw them out personally, and my manager with them, only I tossed him out a window. Too bad there was a pool underneath to break his fall, I would have liked to see him bounce a little. Would have served him right for selling me out like that to those Shadaloo jokers.

"Next day I'm in my room and getting prepped and ready when this…guy shows up from out of no where. I don't remember the details too good, but he was one scary dude with a gaze like ice and a manner that'd scare Frankenstein speechless. I think we fought and I lost, but it don't matter which way. He did something to my head, messed me up pretty bad, made some kind of hypnotic suggestion or something then let me go again. I didn't even remember he even paid me that visit until many years later, I just know I went into that fight with some kind of buzzing in my head, and then when things started to get rough against Hideo Yogashi I…well…I suddenly had this unbelievable urge to get down and dirty and forget all the rules of boxing. I bit him like we was in a Street Fight, and that's how I got myself banned from the wonderful world of professional Boxing. Next thing I know that scary dude is back again and makes me another offer, and I wind up serving Shadaloo the next few years without question."

"They brainwashed you?" Ranma gasped.

"Didn't take too much work," called the heavyset man gruffly chuckled with no real humor, "Guile and Chun-Li always say there ain't much in my head that needs washing. Cammy's another matter…they did the same number with her bleach blond pate, only they used her as their own personal assassin. Shadaloo's like that…they recruit Street Fighters and use us like pawns, make us into good little soldiers in their war against civilization as we know it."

"And now you're fighting them?" Ryoga asked.

"Oh yeah," Bison slapped his meaty fist against the palm of one hand, "Every way I can. I may be just a big dumb brick from the Projects, but I never took nothing from nobody that I never earned before that Vega creep did a number on me. Some days I can't even look at myself in a mirror without thinking on what I was…" he looked away with a pained expression, "Anyway, it's probably moot. We took care of Vega last time we met…stopped him cold, and maybe I hope forever. Shadaloo's another matter…that work goes on even without the monster." He paused another moment, then he snorted again, ""Course what have I got to complain about? Compared to Blanka I've got it easy. He used to be human until Vega used him like a guinea pig trying to make the perfect soldier."

"Telling tales out of school, mate?" asked Cammy White as she appeared on the deck looking like a gorgeous swimsuit model with her long legs and equally long blond tresses. In spite of themselves both Ranma and Ryoga had to do a double take and were glad none of the other girls were present to take notice of their reaction.

"Just talking about what your hairdresser told me last time I asked," Bison returned a look of feigned innocence and said, "What do you want, White?"

"The Colonel wants you to recheck the gear," Cammy replied, "Says we may be going into action a lot sooner than we thought. He and Blanka have been going over the latest satellite photos and they think we may have a lead on our elusive pirate."

"So soon?" Bison looked skeptical, "That doesn't sound very likely."

"Know what you mean," Cammy shrugged, "I don't believe it either, but the latest reports do have these pirates operating close enough to this side of Japan that it's worth being prepared. Once we're out in International Waters we'll start to do a full-spectrum sweep. Lao's supposedly got some kind of Stealth technology that makes her ship almost invisible to radar. We'll know soon enough when we get closer to our objective target zone."

"I don't like this," Bison turned around and maneuvered past the blond beauty, "Call me a Pugilist from the old school, but when somebody's got an ace like that up their sleeve they don't just hang out with a 'Come and Get Me' sign painted across their port bow. This has got to mean trouble."

"Tell me about it," Cammy swept her glance towards Ryoga and Ranma, "You kids shouldn't sit like that while this ships in motion, you could both wind up as shark bait."

"Thanks," Ranma said as he started to stand up, "We were just about to leave anyway…"

"Hey, wait!" Ryoga reached out suddenly and grabbed him then pointed, "What's that up ahead?"

"Huh?" Ranma asked, shading his gaze with a hand as she tried to follow the other boy's gesture, "I don't see any…wait a minute…what's that cloud doing out there?"

"Cloud?" Cammy also shaded her eyes but did not seem to follow their gesture, so she called out over her shoulder, "Hey Chun! Toss me a pair of binoculars, will you?"

"Why don't you get them yourself," Chun-Li muttered in a voice low enough not to be caught by anyone but Perfume's sharp hearing, but just the same she reached over and took up a pair while steering with one hand. Rather than give them to Cammy, however, she raised them to her own eyes and stared at a point where the boys were still pointing.

"Typical," Cammy growled, then shaded her eyes again as she tried to focus upon whatever it was that the boys had spotted.

Meanwhile, Nabiki had left her companions to join Guile, Keiko, Ken Masters and the ogre-like Blanka who were presently gathered around a glass table surface staring at some liquid crystal image displays that looked incredibly modern and certainly implied a link to technological resources not available to an ordinary group of mercenaries. Guile was looking very intensely at one image as she approached and she caught him saying, "That's definitely a ship of some sort, but I can't make out what kind. I see three masts, which should mean it's probably a schooner, but…"

"Hull shape looks more like a Chinese Junk on the pull back," Ken replied, "The distortion's pretty heavy…whatever they're using to camouflage their hull must put out a pretty strong signal. I wonder why we can't get anything on the infrared though besides a bunch of gray-green shapes."

"Hi there," Nabiki smiled as she eased up alongside then, "I take these photo-images have something to do with Madam Lao and her pirates?"

"You could say that," Guile replied, "We've been tracking an anomaly on the high seas for the past several days. It's located roughly in the area that we're headed for, but it wasn't this close to shore the previous day. If I didn't know any better I'd swear that it was headed in this general direction."

"That is strange, Dad," Keiko remarked, "I know Lao pretty well and I can tell you she's full of surprises. Fact is, I've never really told anybody about everything that happened…I don't think anyone else would believe most of it, except Elder Cologne."

"Then maybe we ought to ask the old lady what she knows about this," Ken suggested.

"Just as long as you ask nicely," Cologne replied as she appeared quite suddenly between Ken and Nabiki, balancing on her staff so that she could see the table displays clearly, "Very interesting technology, far superior to anything I have ever seen. It seems you have managed to obtain an image of an Elemental Inversion."

"A what?" said Guile, looking sharply at the old woman.

"Elemental Inversion," Cologne repeated as if explaining to a small child, "I thought you knew something about Chi manipulation. There are a planes of existence where the elements of nature are gathered into separate concentrations along perfectly balanced correspondence frequencies. Fire, Air, Water, Metal, Wood, Stone and Aether. Lao's correspondence is with the plane of Water, that was the element that she is trained in and her skills at manipulation have apparently grown to be quite formidable. What you are seeing here is an entire field surrounding this ship that has been incorporated around elemental force lines of the universal fluid."

"I see what you're saying," said Blanka in his gravely voice, "An Elemental Inversion is a kind of Chi-force manipulation that warps the field around an area along magnetic force lines…like that uncontrolled experiment the US Navy did in the '40s. Only how can they control the feedback that builds up along the subspace inversion lines?"

"You're thinking of a static field generator," Cologne replied, "But a stable field can be erected if you use the technique of multiple folding and draw upon the Elemental plane itself to empower the inversion, so one field cancels out the other and creates a static flux that is relatively stable."

"But what maintains it in a stable balance?" Blanka asked, "The resistance factor must be enormous…"

"It can be done," Cologne stated firmly, "But it does require a device to regulate the flow of unbalanced forces so as to maintain a perfect equilibrium…"

"I'm sure you two must find this a fascinating discussion," Guile said, "But would you mind filling the rest of us in on what you've discovered?"

"Forgive me," Cologne replied, "I had meant to say that Madam Lao, my former apprentice, knows enough about what you might term as magic to understand how to erect the type of barrier that you see here in these special images. I suspect that she has obtained the possession of several rather powerful artifacts in order to mask her activities from normal outside detection. I am rather impressed that you were able to find her at all…what I don't understand is why the progression of these sightings on your map indicate that she is moving towards us in a very specific direction."

"You think maybe she knows that we're looking for her, Elder?" Keiko asked.

"How could she?" Ken wondered, "This mission is classified. Even we didn't know we'd be heading out this soon until…" he froze in realization.

"Until the reports that so-conveniently got handed told us where to look to find our lady pirate," Guile finished for him with a dark expression, "Those ships were attacked but left surprisingly intact with most of their crews alive to report on their whereabouts. The profile for Lao is that she eliminates resistance and severs all lines of communication while leaving most of her victims still breathing."

"She just takes the women," Keiko finished for him, "Or more precisely she takes the ones who have the most market value. I know how she works, Father…I was her…confidant for close to three full years."

"Do you think she would be laying a trap like this expecting someone to come after her, Kei-chan?" Nabiki asked.

"It's certainly possible, but why?" Keiko wondered, "Lao never does anything without a reason…at least a reason that makes sense to her."

"An enigma," Cologne replied, staring at the map with a curious focus, "She is coming this way as if she expects us to arrive and obligingly fall into some sort of an ambush."

"An ambush?" Guile frowned, "Are you certain?"

"It is almost certainly what I would do if I knew an enemy were seeking my capture," Cologne remarked thoughtfully, "But how would she know to suspect us…?"

"Colonel!" Honda called out from the front of the cabin, "We got something on sonar…it's pretty faint, but it's definitely an echo."

"Engine noise?" Guile asked.

"No outside engines, just our own, which I've calibrated into the Sonar," the huge oriental replied without looking up from his console, "This thing's making wave noises that are pretty huge…it's big whatever it is, and it's getting closer. Nothing on the radar but…"

"Guile! You'd better get up here!" called Chun-Li from above, "We've got trouble!"

"What now?" Guile grumbled as he headed out of the cabin, followed by the others, excluding only Honda who murmured, "I got a bad feeling about this…"

Guile climbed the ladder up to the control deck where Chun-Li was holding the binoculars out for him while maintaining control over the wheel with her other hand. Guile took the binoculars, but before he lifted them to his eyes he could already see what looked like a low-lying cloud passing a few miles off the horizon. He brought the binoculars up to his eyes then slowly said, "Uh oh…"

"Uh oh is right," Chun-Li replied, "I think we won't have to worry about finding her…she's managed to somehow find us."

"What is that?" Nabiki asked as she beat everyone else in joining them on the top deck, "An island or a cruise ship?"

"That's not an island," Chun-Li replied, "I thought at first it was an atoll, but its been moving towards us at a steady speed and course."

"It's too big to be a normal ship," Guile said as he lowered his binoculars and stared at the obscure mass that was hidden beneath the rolling cloudbank, "It's at least a hundred meters long, it's got to displace over half a metric kiloton at least, but it's moving at a good twenty knots and at the rate we're headed they'll be on us in just under five minutes."

"Right about the time we cross into international waters," Chun-Li noted in suspicion.

"Yet it's moving without engine noises," Nabiki murmured thoughtfully, "But something's powering it and generating that stealth cloud. Colonel, I recommend we take evasive action, or whatever it is you do in nautical terms, and keep our distance until we know more about what we're dealing with."

"A good idea," Guile agreed, "Chun-Li, turn us around and take us back into Japanese territorial waters."

"I was just about to recommend it myself," Chun-Li replied, already turning the wheel while pulling back on the throttle. The yacht made a full turn at high speed and began to point back towards the distant shoreline when of a sudden, without warning, the engine sputtered and died, prompting Chun-Li to gasp, "What the hell?"

"Bison!" Guile called out as Chun-Li tried and failed to get the motor started again, "Where the hell are you?"

"You rang?" Bison poked his head up from the compartment where he had been checking air tank pressure.

"Take a look at our engines and see if you can figure out why they won't start," Guile replied.

"Why am I always stuck playing the mechanic?" Bison griped as he moved to a panel and opened it, then pushed a few buttons that called up a display image on yet another liquid crystal monitor. An image of the engine appeared as the Boxer ran a quick diagnostic, then his expression became animated, "Colonel! You're not gonna believe this!"

"Try me," Guile replied.

"The engine checks out just fine…except for the slight fact that it's clogged with some kind of interference."

"What kind of interference?" Guile wondered.

"Getting the info on that right now…oh boy! Would you believe the valves are clogged with seaweed?"

"Seaweed?" Guile blinked, "Are you sure of that?"

"I'm going for a visual confirm," Bison said as he motioned the girls presently standing on the rear deck to clear away to the sides, then reached down and opened a floor hatch that had been barely noticeable upon the deck, exposing the engine to view. This time he was far from the only one to react to the incomprehensible sight that greeted him before he tersely said, "Yeah, I'm sure all right. That's definitely seaweed."

"Nani?" Akane stared at a large-scale engine that had somehow gotten wrapped in the brown cords of the tough-fibred sea plant that had somehow wrapped itself entirely around the device as though it had miraculously grown there in the space of a few minutes.

"Seaweed doesn't grow naturally like this," Kodachi said at her side, "I should know, I've done enough tests on experimental horticulture using saltwater plants in my Marine Biology class."

"We've got to get that stuff off of it or we're dead in the water," said Cammy as she came around to see what was causing all the upset.

"Nice idea, White," Bison said, "You got any suggestions?"

Ukyo straightened up and said, "Think you can handle that, Per-chan?"

"Is good possibility," Perfume replied as she flexed both arms and suddenly held up her two broad axes.

"What the…?" Cammy blinked, "Where did those come from?"

"Never mind," said Mousse, now fully recovered, "I can do this, Perfume. It needs a fine touch or you might damage the engines."

"Say you," Perfume scoffed, "I no hit machine like some half-blind fool I know."

"Why is everyone behaving like this?" Hinako herself asked as she appeared from her cabin, then blinked, "What happened to the engine?"

"Uh, guys?" Ranma called out, "I think you'd better see this!"

"What now--KUSO!" Nabiki swore, as did everyone else save Hinako-Sensei (who looked at them all crossly).

"Oboy," said Ryoga as the wave of fog swept over their stricken vessel, at once concealing everything beneath a thick hazy mist that cut visibility down to less than thirty meters.

"Well, this is a fine mess we're in," complained Cammy, "Haven't seen fog this bad since I last went to London…"

"Would you shut up?" Chun-Li snapped.

"Make me!" Cammy growled.

"Both of you be quiet!" Guile ordered, waving his hands as he turned to say, "You hear that?"

"Oh my," said Cologne, angling her head as though to cock an ear at the sudden silence, "I think we has best grab hold of some floatation devices…"

"Why?" asked Ryoga.

"Because we are all about to take an unscheduled swim," Cologne said ominously, inclining her head towards the starboard side of the vessel.

They all turned to see the cause for the growing sound of wave motion, as well as the strange stringed instrument sounds that were approaching from the given direction. They all looked up as one and saw the looming mass slicing through the water on a collision course. A moment later it crashed into the yacht and split its fiberglass hull asunder. Amidst the groans and screams that followed there was the impression of something falling towards them, and then the cold, hard impact of salt water closing around them all in one terrible minute of agony and confusion…

Continued

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