Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Tribal Sisters ❯ Thunder Clouds ( Chapter 3 )

"Oh great, Shampoo your finally here. Your sister put some weird spell on us and know every time we hear hands clap we get the urge to act like Amazons. We need help!" Nabiki exclaimed.

"Yeah can you give us a hand." Akane begged.

"Okay." Clap Clap.

"We swear allegiance to the amazon tribe," said Akane, Nabiki, and Kasumi in unison.

Shampoo then proceeded to remove some fresh baked Dim Sum from the oven. "Who would like more yummy Dim Sum?" She cheerfully asked.

"Will this reinforce the mind control?" Nabiki demanded to know.

"Yes, but it’s Amazon Dim Sum," Shampoo answered.

"Oh Amazon, wow, I’ll have some."

"Me too."

"Hey don’t hog it all Akane."

Neko is much to impulsive Shampoo thought. Now she would either have to keep the Dim Sum coming until the affects become permanent or let it wear off and try to convince them this was just a prank. They will probably be very very angry if it does wear off! Just when did she start worrying so much about consequences? It probably wasn’t until after Neko became her sister, she thought. It puts life in perspective to have another person depend on you. For instance back when Neko still thought she was a cat whenever she wanted to enter or leave there home, Neko would stand by the door and meow. This became annoying. The girl just couldn’t grasp the doorknob. It was probably because her thumb was a strange foreign object to her. In her mind she had paws, rather than these silly five appendages. Shampoo found a simple solution; she exploded the door off her house. Neko was so happy, being able to come and go without that terrible moving wall to stop her. She was so impressed with her sisters’ cleverness that Neko decided to destroy every other door in the village in imitation of her wonderful sister. Fortunately neither of them got into any trouble. People where outraged but everyone knew Neko was imitating someone else, and Shampoo got a boy named Mouse to take the blame for smashing the first door. Shampoo giggled as she thought of that dumb Mousse, he spent three days in the stocks in the pouring rain because Shampoo promised to date him as soon as he got out. The funniest part was that Mousse caught a cold and Shampoo told him that rescheduling the date wasn’t part of their deal. Last she heard the dummy was training to take revenge or something.

At that very moment our heroine, Neko, was doing another impulsive thing. She was chasing Ukyo across the rooftops of Furinkan with a bento of her fresh baked Dim Sum.

"Ukyo-sama, Please try some of Neko’s very delicious cooking. Mew."

"Get away from me! You’re crazy!"

"You’ll feel different after you eat Neko’s cooking! Mew."

What the heck was Ukyo supposed to do here. Sure she was the sworn enemy of the Saotomes. Sure her family honor demanded she turn around and attack Neko. Sure her affections make her vulnerable. However, ever since Ukyo renounced her womanhood being liked by other girls has scared the daylights out of her. After all what if she started liking them back. It would be untrue to Ranma. Wait why does Ranma matter? The engagement is ancient history. Besides he betrayed her.

Ukyo opened the door on the roof of Furinkan highschool and rushed inside.

Oh no, Neko though! It was her old enemy, a door. All right Neko, you have done this a thousand times. Remember you have hands, not paws. Grip the knob between the fingers and the thumb, turn and push. It didn’t work. Don’t panic some doors you pull instead of pushing. Try pulling. Yes it’s opening.

Her triumph was short lived. The door opened to a flight of stairs, and there resting on the first step was a grenade with the pin missing. She immediately closed the door.

POW!

A loud noise could be heard and smoke sifted outward from the edges of the door. Neko couldn’t help but wonder why her new husband was being so shy. After all he was so forward in challenging her right at the beginning of their date the day before.

Figuring that Neko would view all the exits from the rooftop, Ukyo rushed to the underground passage that Gosunkugi had shown her back when they where taking over the school. Escape was hers she thought. The tunnel led directly to Kuno's house. Even if she didn’t escape there would be a minion ready for back up.

"Wait Ukyo," a voice called as she raced through the tunnel. She looked back. It was none other than that accursed Genma Saotome. "You, why are you here old man!"

Genma knew he was playing a dangerous game. Ukyo claimed and even convinced herself that she wanted revenge against the Saotomes, but the older martial artist suspected what her true feelings were. "I saw Neko chasing you, and used my mountain lion form to track you when you entered the school."

"I asked why you’re here, not how you found me," Ukyo bellowed.

"Listen to me Ukyo! Neko isn’t Ranma’s relative she is Ranma." Seeing her eyes widen and her defensive stance falter Genma faked some tears and continued. "Ranma fell into a cursed spring at Jusenkyou. She is locked in her cursed form by a magic bracelet. Due to something called the Nekoken she lost her memory, and thought she was a female cat. Next she was re-educated by a tribe of mountain warriors called the Amazons." Ukyo was now staring in dazed disbelief. Genma crossed his fingers and finished his story. "Despite all this Ranma never forgot you. Ranma still loves you, and that love may be the only thing that can restore him to his former self." Ukyo nodded with a look of Urgency in her eyes. "Okay, what do I do," she asked. Genma had her. She actually believed Neko remembered her. Ranma barely even remembered her before he lost his memory. Now all he had to do was convince Ukyo to get Neko to eat one of her own mind controlling Dim Sum. Now to tell her his plan…

Suddenly the walls of the tunnel exploded. Genma used Ukyo as a shield to protect himself from the dust and falling debris. "Not now" he cursed

"Ukyo-sama, I found you! Mew."

"Ukyo, listen to me, whatever you do don’t eat the…" Genma was stopped by the sounds of hands clapping. He dropped to the floor, took out a shoot of Bamboo from who knows where, and began munching.

"Old man, what were you saying?" Ukyo demanded to know.

He continued to munch the bamboo with an oblivious look on his face, and growled when Ukyo tried to take the bamboo shoot away.

Ukyo looked at Neko in a new light. She had always wondered how different Ranma might be when they finally met again, but this was a bit much. The eyes were the only part that looked the same, and yet they were also the part that had changed the most. As a child Ranma’s eyes were constantly wandering never able to focus in one spot for very long, but now those eyes were looking at her and only her. This was her first love, the love that supposedly let her down. Still Ranma had lost everything but managed to hold on to that love (at least that’s what Genma had told her). This wasn’t the Ranma who had betrayed her. Revenge on this person was meaningless. Did Ukyo want that Ranma back? All these years did she really want him for revenge, or was they’re something else? Could this girl give her what she wanted? She was beautiful, but maybe Ukyo was just so lonely that she wanted to see someone who didn’t exist. Or maybe the part that betrayed her was the part of Ranma that didn’t exist anymore.

"Ukyo eat Neko’s Dim Sum now? Mew."

"Huh." Ukyo managed. She looked as though she was already in a trance. Her eyes were glazed, and devoid of expression.

Neko gently took Ukyo’s hand and place a baked good inside it.

"Did you make this for me?" Ukyo asked.

"Mew."

"Because you love me!"

"Mew." She said with more enthusiasm.

Ukyo looked at the food held it close to her heart then slowly lifted it to her mouth.

"Hey Shampoo," Nabiki asked. "What type of currency do they use in the Amazon tribe."

"We use the barter system," Shampoo answered. "Village trades goods and resources with other villages. People of tribe think governments big enough to need other currencies are mostly corrupt. When Nabiki joins tribe Nabiki will give all her Japanese moneys to elder council to be used only for emergency medical care and education of all Amazon peoples."

NO!

Though miles apart Nabiki and Genma screamed in unison

"Everyone stop eating the Dim Sum," Nabiki demanded. "Don’t you see those Amazons are like small scale communists."

"Don’t eat that Dim Sum," Genma demanded, slapping the bun from Ukyo’s hand and the tray of buns from Neko’s arm onto the dirty filthy ground.

Shampoo tried clapping her hands, but couldn’t regain control of Nabiki. Nabiki then looked to her sisters. "Akane, Kasumi, you have to fight it. We can’t give all our money to the Amazon council."

"But the Amazon system is better than ours," Akane commented. "It looks out for all the people and treats them equally."

"Equal," Nabiki shouted. "Equal. A barter system equal. Think Akane! What will you do in the village, what will you have to barter. Will you sew quilts, grow food, cook. You know how inept you are with anything domestic. Akane, you would be the poorest Amazon ever."

"Akane have brute strength," Shampoo retorted. "Warriors strength is considered most important contribution to village."

"Right, Amazons are warriors," Nabiki continued. "Kasumi, what will you do in a warrior society."

"I suppose I would sew quilts, grow food, and cook."

"Kasumi have talent for cooking, and even good with medicine. She could even be a herbalist, or potion maker," Shampoo complimented.

"Well I’m sorry! Maybe you girls will enjoy living like a meaner more in your face Amish colony, but I for one happen to like our corrupt capitalist system," teased Nabiki.

Back in the tunnel. Neko clapped furiously, but had lost control of Genma.

"Ukyo listen to me. That Dim Sum contained a…"

POW! Slap! Kapow!

"How dare you ruin the food my darling Neko-chan cooked for me with love." Ukyo violently pelted Genma with her spatula.

Her darling Neko-chan. Oh please. Five minutes ago Ukyo was desperate to escape Neko. Still, Genma thought, it was his own fault for trying to team up with someone as crazy as Ukyo. Maybe this is why he ran off with the okanomiyaki cart all those years ago. He knew the whole family was nuts.

Neko was so happy. Her love was fighting for her honor. Well actually Ukyo was savagely beating Neko’s own father, who had just saved her from insidious mind control. Still Ukyo had called her Ukyo’s darling. Maybe now her love wouldn’t run away. Perhaps those Dim Sums weren’t necessary after all.

Ukyo finally stopped flinging her spatula. Genma had been unconscious for a while, and her arm was getting tired. Neko glomped her in a way she learned from big sister Shampoo and squealed Wo Ai Ni. She proceeded to give her defender a passionate kiss.

She’s doing it again, Ukyo thought. Still if it’s Ranma then that’s okay. Wait why is it okay? I spent years training to kill Ranma. Yet this isn’t the same Ranma. I want it because it is Ranma, but it’s okay because it isn’t Ranma. Wait, if it isn’t Ranma then are we two girls kissing? Does she know I’m a girl? Of course she knows. Ranma remembered only me. It’s Ranma; it’s okay, but just in case.

Ukyo shoved Neko away and ran away as fast as she could.

"Oh phooey! Mew. Airen is still being shy. Mew."

xxxxx

Dr. Tofu gripped a patients wrist and shoulder with expert precision. He gave the wrist a slight twist, while apply a more sizable pressure to the shoulder. The right amount of pressure would cure this mans back pain for a week, but too much would break his arm. He was doing this perfectly. He always did. Then he saw her. His glasses fogged over. No, don’t fog over, he thought. If they fog over he wouldn’t see her anymore. There was a cracking sound and a large scream filled the room. Probably nothing important, he thought. The doctor continued to focus on her.

Kasumi sighed. She was too timid to do this. No wait. Amazons are warriors, they can’t be timid. She had to do this, otherwise she would leave for the village and never see him again. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, psyched herself up then did what she came to do. "I’m sorry to bother you at work. Dr. Tofu, I don’t know how you feel about me," she said meekly, "but tribal laws are bigger than our feelings," she said with more confidence. "I challenge you to a fight. If you win then you have to marry me, that’s the tribe law, and if I win you have to marry me cause um… I beat you." This was the right thing to do, wasn’t it? After all a village in the mountains could use a good doctor. She wanted him, taking him is what an Amazon would do right?

Popping and cracking noises continued.

Normally Tofu-sensei would loose all sense of logic when Kasumi was around. Still he listened intently to her every word, having a good enough memory to make sense of what she said later. Kasumi, how nice to see you! Just let me finish up with this patient. He then pulled the poor mans arm in and out of its socket and struck some random pressure points. Miraculously the man previously scheduled to see chiropractors for the rest of his life was forever cured of his back problems. Still his shoulder was going to hurt for a week or so.

"I thought you might be this way," Kasumi commented. She then handed the doctor a Dim Sum that she stashed away from dinner. The doctor thanked her and greedily ate it, along with the napkin it was wrapped in. Soon his eyes glazed over in a familiar manner. Kasumi spoke, "Whenever you hear hands clap you will think in a calm, rational, and serious manner for a little while." She added the little while because his goofy seeming personality was kinda cute in small doses. She then clapped her hands.

The fogged disappeared from his glasses and Tofu looked at Kasumi. Realizing this was his chance he got down on his knees. "Kasumi, Oh my dear Kasumi. I love you. I’ve always loved you; but whenever I see you I become to flustered and inarticulate to express my true feelings. Please marry me."

For once Kasumi was flustered and inarticulate so Tofu reluctantly continued. "Also I talked to Genma the other day, and I really think you should consider the possibility that you might be brainwashed by the Amazons."

"Um… Uh. I like Amazons," Kasumi said in total confusion.

"Okay, sure, then I like them to," Tofu said in a loud obnoxious voice. His glasses were clouded over again and he could no longer think straight. "Let’s join the tribe together. Hey, uh… do we still have to fight."

xxxxxxx

The next morning the school was being reopened. Every boy arrived an hour early for there daily strategy meeting. After all 400 boys couldn’t gang up on one girl every day without a plan. Someone might get hurt. The grand council consisting of the toughest male fighters in the school and Gosunkugi were gathered awaiting the arrival of their dictator. Finally Ukyo arrived. Yet something was not right. Their dark ruler seemed tired and unalert as well as distracted and in deep thought.

"Lord Ukyo," Kuno addressed. "Our forces are at peak strength. I thought today we would send the wrestling team as a distraction then have the math club handle the main attack. We usually do it the other way around, but that never works so..:"

"Huh," came Ukyo’s only response.

"The daily attack on Akane Tendo, my liege." What was wrong, Kuno wondered? Ukyo always treated these strategy sessions with absolute seriousness.

Ukyo continued to stare off into no where.

"Lord Ukyo, your orders please," Kuno begged.

"Oh uh, you handle it. I’m taking time off from bullying Akane."

Everyone was shocked. Ukyo had spent over a year fighting to be the absolute power in Furinkan only to give that power back to Kuno. The idiot Kuno. Still, even in this state there was no boy willing to challenge the dark will of the person whose name must not be spoken. Everyone looked at Kuno in awe. He was the leader once more. For the first time and a long while a twinkle of independence and ambition could be seen in his eye. "All right everyone," Kuno announced, "there is one strategy I’ve been dying to try."

Neko, Shampoo, and Akane all walked towards the school as one might any morning. Then as she did every morning Akane ran ahead into the schools yard so that her friends wouldn’t get caught in the morning brawl. She was ready, having eaten a hearty breakfast of Dim Sum. To her surprise she made it halfway to the door without being attacked. Keeping her guard up Akane looked around. In the center of the path to the front entrance was a large transplanted patch of watermelons (obviously Gosunkugis' doing) and in the middle of the watermelon patch was a note. The note read AKANE PLEASE STAND HERE AND PICK UP A WATERMELON. Completely baffled Akane foolishly did as the note told her.

"All right Kuno-sempai," a thug told his leader, "Akane is holding the melon. We will take the blindfold off now." Last summer Kuno went on a training trip to the legendary Watermelon Island. In the training he was bombarded with watermelons and forced to fight for his life until the very sight of this fruit drove him onto a mad attacking frenzy. There was some temporary memory loss and the training almost killed him, but at last he was ready to reap the benefits of one of the most dramatic and generally useless training exercises in existence. Once the blindfold was removed the world turned red. Those accursed melons, there was a whole field of them. Rage built within him and with a single leap he flew into the patch, striking the melons with his sword one by one. Akane saw a blur of small explosions go off around her. In microseconds he struck at the very melon Akane was holding, knocking her onto several more melons in the patch. Kuno then struck at the watermelons her body defended, thus pelting Akane into submission.

When it was over Kuno spoke.

"Alas what foul men we be to leave such fine fruit wither on the vine so that I may strike a delicate flower who is in her prime."

Everyone stared in confusion. They looked upon the limp form of Akane Tendo. She was just a girl. She had defeated and humiliated them all so many times yet now she did indeed seem to be a delicate flower, lying helpless before the captain of the Kendo club. They continued to stare in indecision for a few moments then the lowest of them began to clap. The other students followed. Soon everyone was clapping and cheering.

Suddenly Akane sprung awake. "I swear allegiance to the Amazon tribe," she yelled. Everyone stared in uncertainty, but Akane had already heard the clapping. She knew she had been defeated by someone not of the tribe. What was that custom Neko had told her about? She loved that custom. After all it was an Amazon Custom. Of course. Akane pulled Kuno in for a passionate kiss, and then she spoke "I love you."

Kuno was not surprised. "Of course you love me Akane Tendo. Moreover I will defeat Ukyo. The school is mine once more. After all," he held his sword in the air and lightning sparked as though the gods trembled in fear, "I am the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High" Kuno screamed into the heavens.

Ukyo looked out the window and starred at the spectacle. "Huh, go figure." She then went back to thinking about her situation with Neko.

Nabiki, who always arrives early to take bets on the morning brawl, looked upon the bizarre scene before her. "You have got to be kidding me," she said. "How many magic mushrooms has Akane eaten. Well I suppose I can’t just leave things like this. After all if Kuno has the real Akane he won’t want to buy pictures of her anymore. HEY AKANE," she yelled. "Can I borrow your Ryoga tracker." Before she could tell what her sister was planning Akane nodded, then turned her eyes back to her sweet poetic swordsman. She pulled the tracker from Akanes knapsack, which and been tossed to the side of the melon patch, and activated the device. Nabiki was impressed for a moment. After all even the military doesn’t have access to a GPS system this advanced. She pressed one button and a map of Nerima appeared with a green dot to represent her location and a yellow dot to show Ryogas'. Strangely he was in the girls locker room again. She pressed another button and saw a thermal image of Ryoga himself picking his nose in an overhead view. "Well," she said in her most snotty know-it-all voice. "Let’s see what Akanes boyfriend thinks of the mighty blue thunder."

Shampoo stared in shock. For the first time in her life she questioned her own tribal laws. Then she remembered the loophole. Akanes isn’t bound to marriage laws unless she actually lives amongst the tribe for a time. She had better tell Akane, but maybe not for a while longer. Shampoo and Neko snickered to themselves, both thinking the same thing. Let’s let this go on a little longer, just to see where it goes.

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Will Kasumi and Dr. Tofu finally duke it out?

Will Shampoo tell Akane she doesn’t have to marry Kuno?

Does Akane actually want to marry Kuno?

How will Ryoga react?

How many magic mushrooms did Akane eat?

Will Ukyo stop being shy?

What will Neko try next to snag her dear Ukyo?

Are you sick of these stupid questions?

All this and more in the next chapter of tribal sisters.

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