Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Secret of the Wild Horse, Revised Edition ❯ What was That? ( Chapter 2 )

 

Secret of the Wild Horse

 

Chapter 2: What was that?

 

--Same Morning--

 

It is a quiet morning in Nerima, it is quieter than a graveyard at night in the Nekohanten, a very old woman jumped out of bed, quickly slipped in her fine, light blue silk rob with lotus flower prints, the handcraft made the lotus flower extremely alive and thriving in the light blue background.

 

 

After she donned her rob, she went through her morning routine of going through several martial arts katas, at a speed that most individual could not follow. She then followed it up with a quick shower. After toweling herself off and feeling somewhat refreshed, but still feel the heavy weight of her age upon her.

 

 

She quietly went down the steep steps and entered into the kitchen area of the restaurant which have a small window that allow easy serving to the customer area, She slowly started up the gas for the restaurant's grill and other cooking tops for the day. She then opened several pantries that holds absolutely nothing. After finishing setting up shop, she looks up at the clock on the wall it reads "4:13"

 

 

"Looks like my age is finally catching up to me" sighed Ku Long, one of the nine Amazon elders.

 

 

These Chinese Amazons should not be misconceived with those of the Greek Amazons. First, the name Amazons was given to this group of people because they like the Greek Amazons are a tribe of female warriors, and that is only similarity between the Chinese Amazons and their Greek counterparts. First, the Chinese Amazons want first and foremost create the best warrior existed, however in order to do so an Amazon must be strong body and mind.

 

 

So to ensure the strength of the Amazons, one must maintain an extremely pure warrior blood-line. That is the reason why there are two clauses within the Amazons, one is if an outsider male defeats an Amazon women, the Amazon women must pursue him with the most flamboyant fashion, in order to ensure that he has a strong strength of mind.

 

 

However, what is not known by the outside, is the additional clause within this rule, that once the male has been proven to be of strong-minded then he have several choices open to him, one he can marry the Amazon girl who was chasing him and gain warrior status in the tribe which means lower to other Amazon females but higher than an Amazon male, or he can refuse the marriage, but must procreate a child with the said women, then the male becomes an honourary member of the tribe, and must assist the tribe if their child could be endangered, which means every major warfare.

 

 

The other law involves an outsider female, if an outsider female defeated an Amazon warrior, then the Amazon warrior must put on a facade of rampage to kill the said female, should the female stands her ground the first time, then she immediately becomes a full-fledged Amazon where the duo laws does not apply to them, and could move as they wish.

 

 

If the female run at first then the Amazon warrior must pursue her until she stands her ground or her mind crack. When she stands her ground she gains the same status as when the Amazon stood it the first time. Should her mind crack before that, then it is quite obvious, she was not worthy to be an Amazon.

 

 

All of the deal about the ill-treatment of men are simply rumors created by the Amazons themselves in order to keep whoever enters the tribe honest in the reason why they have entered their tribe. The constant attack and constant threat to a person's life is what makes the females not want to join the tribe. The flamboyant pursuit seems a little bit unfair for the induction of male, so in order to create a fairness, there must be a noble lie, or withhold of information that only gives out the picture of a subordinate male. While also not blatantly lie about the status of the men within the village, but reroute the wording of the response to make it as such.

 

 

However, In fact, the Amazon tribe is an extremely open society that stress on equality, where the option of homemaker, warrior, healer, or scholar are open to all sex, however this choice only opens up by age 18, before each Amazon are trained equally in all five fields to ensure their choice are sincere. This, however, does not stop one to choose ahead of time, should the person who wants to specialize to the council of elders about their choice. The council is then to judge the person's sincerity in his or her choice, should the council deem the intention of the young was genuine, it will allow the child to pursue his or her interest, however, if not, then the specialization is denied and must follow again the path until 18. Most importantly, the forcing of one's thought to another is extremely frowned upon by the tribe. This being the only rule that is actively enforced daily by the tribe, there will be retribution after the third warning by an authoritative figure of the tribe.

 

 

Not known to anybody, besides those who meddles within Amazon tribal affairs, is the power of the elders to control a particular element of nature. Chinese Amazons always had a very close tie to the earth mother, thus she has granted each of the Amazon elders a limited control over a particular element. The element that she granted Ku Long is not one of the original five element but just as powerful. Ku Long is only a title and not her name it means literally Void Dragon.

 

 

Before gaining the title of Matriarch, each matriarch must individually go on a quest to find a way to contact the Earth Mother, the answers are usually extremely simple. Though, simplicity does not mean easy. Subsequently there are nine elders, and there can only be nine, because there are only nine elements that the Earth Mother recognizes, being Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Light, Dark, Void, and Air.

 

 

Upon finishing the quest, their previous name are completely forgotten and are remade within the forge of the Earth Mother to become a creature that will only serve the Earth Mother. There are multiple benefits for this addition, though most think the glory of serving the Earth Mother and the increase in power was not enough for the price one must pay to go through the entire ceremony and carrying the burden of the responsibility to use the powers correctly.

 

 

While pondering on the laws of her people, Ku Long turned her attention to a few creaks coming from the steep staircase, and saw it is her great granddaughter Xiang Pu descending from the stairs as she seemed finished preparing for the day.

 

 

Xiang Pu like Ku Long is a Chinese Amazon. She has a sad expression on her heart-shaped face that is framed by wet violet hair, obviously wet after a bath. Her body is sculpted to perfection by the current standard. She is sporting her turquoise shirt with a rose design with the flower curved forward onto her breast, accentuating the rose but most importantly accentuating her already impressive endowments. The shirt is extremely modest, but it makes the already voluptuous creature more seductive than ever. She chose this shirt with a certain pig-tailed boy in mind.

 

 

"Morning, Grandma" Says Xiang Pu demurely in Chinese in a tired voice not from the lack of a full night's sleep, but from a heavy heart.

 

 

"How did you sleep?" Ku Long replies, without turning around picking up her fatigue from her inflection, with a dose of concern in her voice as she begun to cook the first meal of the day, not for any of the customer but for themselves.

 

 

This meal she is cooking being at a much more slower pace than her usual speed for the customers.

 

 

"I dreamt of Airen, again” said the usually bubbly Amazon, but now she is just lethargic from her heartache from knowing that there is only one chance that her Airen would return her affections is by truly having love for her. The love potions that the Amazons was famed for, was simply uncovering any feeling of the person instantly, though for those instant love, they are only temporary. The person gains immunity of it almost immediately, should there be no such feeling in the user to begin with. So to speak the potions are for revelation purpose but it does not cause impulsive action to the person.

 

 

Ku Long just let her great granddaughter think quietly for herself first, not for just for the benefit of the violet hair bombshell but it allows also her own thought to reanalyze Ranma's actions in the recent days. His actions took a drastic change, though for what reason it is still unknown.

 

 

She has been wary of the pig-tailed boy ever since she had received a letter with black cloud in the shape of a dragon seal, and followed immediately by a more familiar ebony seal of a man in a dashing position. Both of the letter addressed the same issue of dropping the pursuit of Ranma in a reason not stated, but then that clan has never been good with explanations just orders.

 

 

Also the recent paralyzing of Mousse in such a way was an obvious reason, though rumors has it that Ranma did it, but her sources have not confirm it, either naturally or para-naturally. However, the work of it definitely confirms that an Enforcer is around.

 

 

After finish eating with some quiet conversations with her granddaughter, she had begun to wonder how could an Enforcer be involve in such a menial matter as groom hunting, unless there is some ulterior motive for this. Though from her personal recent interaction with Shadow Runner, she did not detect any reasons for such a peak in interest by the old master. Also intriguing is the appearance of another Enforcer and his personal interest in such an issue. She is drawing out blanks for all of these odd behaviors by the maintainer of peace for the Bakalayan Mountains.

 

 

Currently they are setting up one of the customer tables, Ku Long and Xiang Pu carefully carried the plates and the eating utensils and set them down on the table carefully, not like the usual flamboyancy of exhibitionist flare of martial art prowess that the customers witness.

 

 

As they were sitting down for break fasting, Ku Long facing the entrance to watch the influx of wage-workers begin to fill the street and watching for their first customer of the day to take a turn into the restaurant.

 

 

“Grandma” Xiang Pu started to speak but stopped because she does not how to follow through with what she wanted to say, the pause lengthened as the violet haired beauty contemplated her words correctly, “I think we may have messed up in following how the laws our people apply to the real world.” She finished her thoughts. This is not a topic that is new to their daily discussion, Xiang Pu, like all teenagers, have a skepticism about the laws of trickery in a world that greatly values openness.

 

 

Ku Long having doubts herself about the laws, have begun to speak again the same lame excuse she have used multiple times: “The laws are as they are for the purpose of preserving our roots and it is these laws that have kept our tribe going for the last two thousand plus years.”

 

 

Ku Long is the current Matriarch of the tribe, but every law change must have a six versus three favor for the change, then the laws will be changed. However, the current status of the Council is five versus four on this issue. With Jing Long, Liang Long, Tu Long and Huo Long against the change and the rest sees the sensibility for the change. The problem is not the lack of a compromise, it is the lack of the willingness of a compromise by the four opposing Matriarchs.

 

 

“But we are not living in the Village now, so does it really mean we need to follow the rules of our tribe to the letter even in foreign soil?” Shampoo pressed on with what she sees as an advantage on the repetitive response by her great grandmother. This is a standard reply to Ku Long's repetitive answer to her insistent questioning.

 

 

“You think, that I am the Matriarch, so I have the power to change the law as I wish, that is not how our laws work. It is not that I do not wish to change the backwater laws. It is some of the others on the council that refuses to even listen to this topic when it is brought up.” Ku Long provided a little bit more information to quench the young one's persistent questioning and immense curiosity.

 

 

The Chinese Amazons are quietly eating their breakfast and kept their discussion about the laws and the recent changes in Saotome Ranma. From the dodging of her bike to the possibility of being Ranma that have done the thorough job on Mousse, who is currently being sent back to the tribe, to be put down.

 

Amazons followed a very basic rule, those that could not go on are killed to end their suffering, because Mousse only concentrated on Martial Arts, he was one of the foolish people that only concentrated on one skill rather than the norm of two. The council hoped that he would one day that he could become an Enforcer but instead he was disabled by one.

 

 

As they begun they about to open the discussion about how Mousse should be handled, suddenly Ku Long stopped talking and her muscles tensed.

 

 

Xiang Pu understands from experience with her grandmother that something is going to happen.

 

 

Both fighters heightened their senses by expanding their Chi to encompass as far as possible, but they felt a sudden frustration that they could not pinpoint the exact location of where it came from, the younger nodded as if confirming Ku Long's response, but sweat has beaded on Xiang Pu's face in order to detect the same glimmer of unnatural chi that is approaching closer and closer.

 

 

Xiang Pu slowly turned around and a silence fell within the restaurant, as Ku Long giving a signal through her eyes to Xiang Pu. The less experienced one just nodded in understanding. Both Noticed a faint shadow that could have been mistaken to be a cloud covering the sun, but both confirmed that this is what they have felt. Ku Long bounded out of the Nekohanten, out of curiosity she motioned for Xiang Pu to follow, both turn the corner to see a headless body came out of a pool of shadow. Ku Long silently communicated for her great granddaughter to tend to the corpse.

 

 

She then begun to follow the shadow and she tapped into her elemental reserve, drawing upon her void energy to form energy balls that is black and crackled by lightening because of the reaction of the void with the outside chi.

 

 

She tried to create a tracer on to the unnatural shadow that is dashing forward. However, She only set it on the the pavement that the void energy hits not the shadow. After the 10th try, she stopped trying to mark it, but now she try to destroy the energy altogether, however all she accomplished was created dent in the pavement.

 

 

Feeling complete hopelessness to identifying what it is or bring justice to the murderer, she tried the last option, which is simply following the unnatural energy. She smirked as she follow the shadow to a blind corner, as hope blossom within her to at least cornering the culprit. However, as soon as the shadow reached the edge of the shades. All traces of it completely disappeared. Ku Long screamed in frustration by her incapability to accomplish such a simple task.

 

 

The old women did the only thing she can feeling the full extent of her 300 years of existence begun her trek back to her restaurant.

 

 

---Meanwhile with Xiang Pu---

 

 

Xiang Pu is using her healer skills to concentrate on to the headless male corpse. Xiang Pu decided to not only concentrate on martial arts like Mousse but she also branched out to the healing art. So she is currently using her limited skills to examine the body. Her current examination of the body seems quite odd, The body is completely hairless, it also seemed that all the blood in the person's body is gone along with his hands and feet. The cut marks show that the hands and feet are cut off after the body is cold in the same manner that the head is cut off. The body itself is pristinely clean with no distinguishing marks, there is also no trace of chi signature leftover from the body itself nor from the killer. This is obviously is not the work by an ordinary killer also the handiwork spokes of unparalleled skills of an assassin. What is also odd, is the lack of any fluid and organ within the body like all the fluid and organs are sucked out because there is no blemish on the external skin of the body. Xiang Pu did all of her examination through her Chi sense and her eyes. After all of this is done, she hopelessly went into the restaurant and called the local police force.

 

 

After a short while a police trooper came in front of the Nekohanten, Ku Long went frozen as she saw the dead corpse, sudden comprehension stroke her like a lightning from Thor. With trembling hands, she slowly went into the restaurant without her usual grace but with rather wobbly legs and her face is white with obvious fear that she does not show under normal circumstances. As soon as she entered the restaurant, she immediately reached for the nearest chair. She collapsed into the chair because her fear-caused wobbly legs. It could not hold on to her body weight anymore and felt every seconds of her life coursing through her body weighing down and for the first time in her life she felt like her true age.

 

 

 

 

 

A/N: I know the biographies in the last chapter as some of the reviewers had said it was unnecessary, but I, on the contrary, think it is quite necessary to the point of essential, mainly because the preconception of some of these characters that you develop in reading the cannon could be implied, but Takahashi-sama never come out and say it. I have seen the protrayal of the characters ranging from a docile Akane to a bitchy Akane, from a malicious Kasumi to a clueless Kasumi, and a playful Nabiki to a malicious Nabiki. I just want to clear up the misinterpretation people may have of them, and take everyone to the same page of the interpretation of the manga. Especially with what I have planned, it is extremely crucial that I have set this up as it is.

 

I would also like to thank Jason Wong for writing his Way of the Ninjistu, and a few other people's fanfiction, which I have incorporated their views and interpretation of the manga into this work.