Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ An American Dragon in Nerima ❯ Chapter the Sixth ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer:  Ain't mine, don't own 'em.  Wish I did though.  Flames will be extinguished.  Thanks to John Tannius for letting my borrow ideas from Dragon's Destiny.

Beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep…click.  Monday morning arrived bright and early for the draconic lieutenant.  His three day break had been an anxious one, with him constantly watching his back for the Amazons.  He had the feeling that someone was watching him as he went about his business in the ward.  He quickly got cleaned up and before leaving, slipped into Kasumi's bedroom, his BDUs blending in with darkness in the room.  Marx smiled at the sleeping Tendo, before kissing her gently on the cheek.  "Be careful, beloved," he whispered in her ear.  As quietly as he slipped in, he slipped back out, grabbed his lunch, and headed for the train station to catch the early express to Tachikawa.

Mu Tzu followed the American from as far back as he could, and noted the train destination and what Dai Ryuujin no Nishi was wearing, before heading back to the Nekohanten to report it.

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"Tachikawa, you say," Kuh Lon said.  "Hm…and you say he was wearing an American combat uniform?"  The near-sighted Hidden Weapons Master nodded.  Kuh Lon took a thoughtful pose on her staff.  "This does not bode well.  If that is the case, then Dai Ryuujin no Nishi is an American soldier.  To kidnap or kill him might cause the Americans to consider our tribe in the same category as a terrorist organization."

"Perrrhaps, then a diverrrsion, Elderrr, so that the authorrrities believe that Dai Rrryuujin no Nishi was taken by anotherrr orrrganization," Tigar suggested.  "Even a terrorrrist orrrganization based here in Japan."

Cologne thought about it.  To have the Great Western Dragon in the tribe would be a boon and a source of strong children-enough so that the Joketsuzoku Amazons would become the dominant tribe in Jusenkyo, and possible strong enough to rival Beijing.  "We'll try diplomacy first.  If that doesn't work, we'll abduct whomever he is closest to in the Tendo family."

Tigar looked at the diminutive matriarch.  "That would be the eldest Tendo daughterrr, Kasumi I believe herrr name is. I've noticed that ourrr tarrrget spends most of his time with herrr."  Cologne nodded.

Shampoo looked at her great grandmother, and voiced an objection.  Someone had to play Devil's Advocate, after all.  "You know that would never work, Great Grandmother.  Look at what happened when Saffron and Kirin took Akane.  Airen went after them and defeated them.  He killed Saffron, Great Grandmother!  Do you think kidnapping whoever the dragon is close to will bind him to us?  How many battles will we have to fight, Great Grandmother, to win this?"  Even if she acted like the over-developed airhead around Ranma, and kept her intellect hidden from her grandmother, Shampoo was not a stupid warrior.  When she was supposed to be chasing after her airen, she spent time in the library while Ranma was in school, surfing the Internet, reading the doctrine of potential adversaries.  Two of the websites she found to be of great interest were the American Defense Department's digital libraries and "fact sheets", and the PLA's doctrine library.  "If we go to war with the evil dragon, what will prevent Beijing from interfering in our war?  And if they can't handle us, Beijing would most definitely ask for assistance from Western powers.  And if it comes down to it, Great Grandmother, all it would take is one bomb, and the three thousand years of Amazon traditions are gone in the blink of an eye.

"Do we really want the Joketsuzoku to become a myth?  For our village to suffer the fate of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?"

Cologne fixed her heir with a stern gaze.  "Xian Pu, we are Amazons, we do not fear death.  But you raised some very salient points.  You are becoming more and more a true warrior.  But do not shirk this responsibility that we have maintained for the past three thousand years to protect the world from Dai Ryuujin no Nishi and his evil predilections.

"We are going to try to reason with the Tendo family first, then the poor fool who's become the dragon.  If neither option works, then we will play our final card, and kidnap whomever he is closest to.  Then he should see the reason for what we are doing and why we are doing it."

Shampoo nodded, for once not trusting her great grandmother and matriarch in matters for the Amazon nation.  Even though the lavender-tressed Amazon would never admit it to her, her great grandmother may be a superb martial artist, but her worldview was limited to what she was taught when she was a young girl, when the world was a lot bigger then.  But since after Saffron's defeat, the Amazon suitor of Ranma had become much more of a realist.

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 Marx spent most of his day, if no longer feeling that someone was watching him, suffering from this overwhelming sense of dread.  Some of it was confirmed when he stopped in the squadron offices.  "Marx," Captain Schuler called, "can I see you for a moment?"

"Sure.  What's up, sir?"  He asked, as he closed the commander's door behind him.

The affable squadron commander looked at his day shift flight chief.  "Marx, since you've been here, your flight has been proving General Marshall's pilot program.  Your number of military-civil incidents is the lowest in Japan.  Your number of security incidents, on the other hand, is the highest in the theater.

"Of course there is this complaint from Colonel Cordano about how your troops physically and verbally abused him."

"Sir, the Colonel is a tight-assed…"

"No need to go any further, Marx.  I've read your report, and I know you followed the book with him.  Which is why I'd like you to step up to the plate and become the XO."

"Huh?"

"As you may have heard, there's been an incident with Captain Shapiro's family back in the States, and he's requested an emergency change of station.

"With your record since you've been here, your 'Open Door' policy about your troops and civilians, and the fact that your troops respect you, I want you to replace Al."

"Sir, I don't know what to say.  Of course, I'll accept the position."

"Glad to hear it, Marx.  Besides, it'll look good on your promotion boards when it comes time."

"What about my flight sir?"

"Well, Al will be outprocessing for the next two weeks, so for that time, you'll still be in charge of your flight.  But I want you spending time working with my staff, and Al, to get you transitioned into the role.  MSgt. Spirenburg will take on your position until we can get a new lieutenant. 

"Marx, I also want you in charge of military-civil affairs for the squadron.  You live off base, right?"

"Yes sir, in the Furinkan section of Nerima-ku."

"Ok, I'll also arrange for you to have a staff car and pager.  If something happens, I can't have you take the train here, sign out a car, and then get to where you need to go."

"Understood, sir."

"Congratulations, Lieutenant, on moving up in the world.  Go let your flight know.  And try not to kill them."

Marx chuckled.  "Thank you sir."

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The outer chimes of the Dojo rang.  Then rang again.  "How may I help you, Elder," Kasumi asked as she opened the outer door, impressed that Shampoo hadn't just blown a hole in the outer wall.  But the eldest Tendo was somewhat surprised that Shampoo wasn't around.

"Hello, Kasumi.  I need to speak with your father about one of your tenants," Cologne said.  Kasumi nodded, and led her in.

"Father, Elder Cologne needs to speak with you," she said to her father at the shoji board.  When Genma saw who it was, there was a flurry of activity, a splash of water and a giant panda playing with a beach ball.

"I'll make tea," she said, heading into the kitchen.

"Elder, what did Ranma do this time?"  Soun asked, glaring at his currently-pandafied friend.

"Tendo-san, this has nothing to do with the Saotomes.  Although I wish Son-in-law would do the right thing.

"I believe you have an American serviceman renting a room here, yes?"

"A Lieutenant Marx, stationed at Yokota.  How does this concern the Amazons, Elder?"

"I've simply come to give you a warning about your tenant.  He has been possessed by a monster from the deepest pits of Hell, and may have stolen something of ours while he was in China."  There was a crash of broken crockery, and a muffled "Shit," in Kasumi's voice coming from the kitchen.

"What makes you suspect that, Elder?"

"Three thousand years of Amazon history are never wrong.  The demon that possesses your tenant stole something from us three thousand years ago.  Has he shown any of you a golden key?"

Both fathers shook their head.  "No, he hasn't, Elder," Kasumi said, as she walked out of the kitchen with the tea service.

"I will ask all of you, and please tell those that are not here, not to interfere in our quest for this monster.  We've known each other for two years, and I'm sure you are quite aware of the Amazon saying 'obstacles are for killing'.  In some strange way, I consider you to be family, regardless of the problems that you've cause for my great-granddaughter.  When you make your decision, you may contact me at the Nekohanten."

"We will think about what you said, Elder." Soun said, mustering up all the courage he had to say it without breaking down.  Cologne nodded, and pogoed out of the Tendo home.

"Kasumi," her father said, "you knew something about this, yes?"

"Father, I've talked with the Lieutenant; I've seen his true form.  He is not a monster, but a potential family member.  I love him dearly, and won't turn against him.  We need to hear his side of the story.  All of it, to make a decision."

Soun looked at her, and smiled inwardly.  His eldest daughter was showing her mother's steel core.  "Because you seem to be taken by this man, beast, whatever he's become, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for now.  But the moment that he endangers our family…"

"Thank you Father." 

The phone in the hall began ringing.  Genma-panda waddled over and growfed into it, before handing it to Kasumi.  [Why did I answer the phone?]  [Panda's can't speak.]

"Hello?" She smiled, when she heard who was on the other end.  "We were just talking about you…That problem that you talked about has made itself apparent…Yes, they know where you live…And I think they suspect us…We'll have to talk about it when you get home tonight…Ok, I'll set aside dinner for you…What?  You got promoted?  Congratulations…I love you, too."  She hung the phone back on the receiver.

"Who was that?"  Soun asked.

"That was Christopher-kun.  He called just to say that he's been promoted to second in command of his unit, and tasked as military-civil affairs coordinator, and that he'd be home late."

"We'll have our discussion with your boyfriend when he gets in then," Soun said.

"Yes, Father," Kasumi said.

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Marx was sitting in the XO's office after his tour, going over the paperwork that Captain Shapiro had.  "Basically, Lieutenant, you sit here and play 'Bad Cop' when the CO is playing 'Good Cop'.  Other than that, its sit here and find something to do.  Capice?"

"Yes sir."

"Airman Hutton is the orderly for both Captain Schuler and myself.  Just give her a shout if you need her."

"Roger that, sir."

"Good luck, Lieutenant."

"Thank you sir."  Marx stood and left the XO's office.  As he passed SrA  Hutton's desk, he nodded to her, left the headquarters offices, and signed out his staff car from the squadron motor pool.  It was, surprisingly enough, the same one that he had on Armed Forces Day.

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"I'm home," Marx said, as he unzipped and slipped off his jump boots in the genkan.  Kasumi was waiting for him.

"We're in the dining room," she said.  After putting his house slippers on, he made his way through the house, humming Chopin's Funeral March.  The couple paused at the threshold.  Kasumi took his hand in hers.  "Christopher-kun…anata, we're in this together.  No matter what my father decides."  She took a deep breath, and looked at her American dragon with her big brown eyes.  "I want to be with you until the end of time."

"Kasumi…aisuru, I feel the same way.  Just being with you has healed wounds from two lifetimes."  Taking a deep breath, Marx looked into the room.  Both families were sitting there.  "'May fortune favor the foolish'," he muttered.

Hand in hand the couple crossed the threshold, and sat down at the dining room table.  That action, and the fact that Kasumi was sitting right next to Marx, wasn't lost on Nabiki.  She was the first to speak.  "All right, Lieutenant.  My family was all but threatened, and I don't take lightly to threats.  What happened to you at Jusenkyo?"

"Never stopped her before," Ranma muttered quietly.

"I guess its time to come clean.  Nabiki, when I told you that I was in my cursed form, it was the truth.  Because of what happened at Jusenkyo to me, I can never go back to being just human…"

"So you are some creature from the depths of Hell!"  Akane all but shouted.  

Marx shook his ears to try to stop them from ringing.  "I resent that remark, Miss Tendo.  And, frankly, you shouldn't go around accusing someone of being something they're not."

"You said you were near the dreaded Cursed Training Grounds.  I assume that you entered them?"  Soun asked, not a hint of the emotions that usually plagued him present.

"I did.  When I was in college, I majored in history and was certified as a secondary education teacher in that field.  If there were historical grounds nearby, I'd want to learn about it…" and Marx recounted his trip to Jusenkyo to the families.  "…the Guide tried restoring my original form with hot water, but when I fell in the spring, I merged with the spirit of the dragon that created the training grounds."

"And what has this to do with the Amazons?  Why are they hunting you?"

"The Amazons and what I've become were fighting a battle for dominance of the valley.  If they mentioned anything about a stolen key, or something along those lines, do not believe them.  That key has always been my property."

"Anata," Kasumi whispered, "why don't you show them."  Marx nodded, and walked out into the yard.  "Father, sisters, Uncle Saotome, there is no more an honorable man than Lieutenant Marx.  I think the Amazons are upset about something, and they are trying to pin it on the man I love."

"But, sis," Akane chimed in, "he turns into a monster."

"If in your definition of a monster is a dragon, then yes, I am a monster."  With the exception of Kasumi and Ranma, everyone turned, and looked out the open doors out to the yard.  Shimmering in the moonlight was Marx's true form.  "There are those dragons that believe in nothing more than wanton death and destruction.  There are those dragons that want nothing more than to be left alone.  Then there are those dragons, who you would lump into a 'monster' category, that fight for what's right and good in the world.

"And if I were such a monster, Miss Tendo, would I have bothered helping you and your fiancé with your studies."  Stretching his neck, he placed his head against Kasumi's shoulder.  She reached up and began stroking his snout.

Akane sat there, stewing, trying to refute Marx's comment.  A small part of her mind told her that he was right.  But another, the one that refused to see Ranma for what he was, reminded her that he had just turned from a human to a giant lizard.  They could see her mouth working, but no words were coming out.

 "Tendo-san, if you would like me to move out to protect your family, I will do so," he said.

"There's no need, Lieutenant.  We know that the Amazons would not try anything against us, especially after Ranma's defeat of Saffron. That was a truly amazing fight."

"I understand that, Tendo-san, but I would feel better if there was some way that I could protect the one I love."

Soun's eyebrow went up with that comment.  "What do you mean?"

"My first wife…hell, both of my first wives.  Peng Xuan Wang and my first wife, from when I was a pure human were both murdered; Peng by the Amazon's predecessors, my other by a thief.  I have no desire to see that fate befall your daughter. I love her far to much to see it happen."

"I have to ask," Soun said, "your…the dragon's…did you ensorcel this Peng Xuan Wang, as Cologne has accused you of?"

There was a throaty chuckle coming from the dragon.  Genma blanched, in fear for his friend.  Akane started looking pale, as though she would become the next meal, or at least a light snack.  "If anyone was ensorcelled be it Peng or Kasumi, it was me on both counts.  Both your daughter and Peng share very similar traits, and have captured my heart just on the pureness of theirs alone.

"If the Amazons told you that Peng was placed under a spell by me, I can tell you that there are guidelines that my race has to follow.  And repeated violations of those guidelines can result in consequences stricter than any censuring.

"Many years ago, a matriarch came to power who felt that her tribe's land was too small, and waged a war on the independent villages and my allies, the Phoenix."  Eyebrows went up with that fact, particularly Ranma's.  "Don't worry, Ranma, I bear you no ill will for what you had to do, although I am quite impressed that you were able to defeat and kill Saffron.

"The independent villages banded together, and elected me king and war leader.  Over the course of ten years, the war was fought.  Through treachery done under a flag of truce, the Matriarch, Rol Lon, murdered Peng, and almost captured me, as my magic and innate abilities wore out.  That was how the Jusenkyo became cursed."  The two of the three Jusenkyo-cursed individuals in the Dojo looked at the dragon, with anticipation that he may be able to remove their curses.  Marx shook his broad head.  "I'm sorry.  The nature of the curse I placed on the valley does not allow it to be cured.  And adding the curse of a different spring, like Drowned Boy or Virtuous Man, has cumulative effects.  Which means, Ranma, you might be locked with features of both curses.  So you can consider yourself lucky that the last cask of Drowned Boy was consumed by Happosai." 

"Thanks for being honest, Marx-san," the pigtailed aquatransexual said. 

There was a cackling coming from the compound wall.  "Then you're memory is faulty by your time in the spring, Dai Ryuujin no Nishi," the gravelly voice said. Marx swung his head around to where he heard the voice.  "It was your evil that required us to go to war."

"And three thousand years of Amazon history is nothing more than propaganda, Matriarch.  I was there, I lived the experiences.  I had Peng's blood on my hands, my robes.  It was I that caused the mountain that was my home to explode.  It was I that met with Rol Lon.  And to be perfectly honest, Rol Lon's ruthlessness makes Hitler look like a saint."

Cologne suppressed the anger she felt towards the dragon for insulting her ancestor, but just barely.  "We can do this one of two ways, Ryuujin-the easy way or the hard way.  What will it be?"

Marx snorted.  "You expect me to surrender myself to murderers and liars?  I think not."  Marx spread his leathery wings, ready to launch to attack from the air.
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