Chapter 10

"I do not know where Tendou Kasumi is." Cu Lon watched hope
briefly kindled start to die at these words. "However I do know where she
is not."
"Aw Man! What's that supposed to mean?"
Cu Lon ignored Ranma and addressed the Tendou sisters.
"I mean that your sister has not left the main islands. Wherever
she is, she is somewhere in Japan."
"How do you know that? They could have put her on a plane
or . . ."
"No." The word was said as simple fact. "They could have not put
her on a plane or a boat without my knowing. Samurai," the word was not a
compliment "do not like to get their hands dirty with manual labor, and
all Japanese consider themselves Samurai. Kankoku jin work the docks,
indo jin work the airports, tai jin cook and clean for you and
chugokujin" Cu Lon smiled a shark's smile "we are every where, see every
thing, talk to everyone. Even gaijin-sama."
The native Japanese winced at her scathing tone.
"So you understand, nothing moves in Japan. Nothing is bought or
sold without i-jin eventually seeing, and what they see, I know about.
The only way they could have moved Kasumi is by private car, and that
limits where than can go. There are only so many places that they would
dare keep her. I can find her, but it will take time. . ." Cu Lon looked
directly at Akane. ". . . time that you must give me. You must fight in
the Gakidou. And you must make each fight last as long as possible. Each
minute is silver, each hour golden. With enough time, I will find
Kasumi."

Kabuki-cho located on the east side of Shinjuku Eki, the busiest
train station in the world. Kabuki-cho--smelling of sweat, blood and sex.
Kabuki-cho--home of every vice and perversion known to man and a few
known only to the Japanese. Kabuki-cho--where the devil himself wouldn't
come after dark.
Ukyou clenched her battle spatula in a white knuckled grip as she
followed their guide through dark, narrow alleys. The littered floor of
the alley dragged at her feet with wet sticky sounds. Other times it
crunched like an empty strawberry box. The worst was when the ground
moved with a furry skittering sound. She was really, really glad she
couldn't see the ground. Only the presence of her companions kept her
there, kept her moving forward into the darkness, sticky with evil. Above
and slightly ahead, she could see Moshu and Ryouga silhouetted on the
roof. A glance behind showed Ranma, watching the rear, on the left, Shan
Pu and Cu Lon, while she and Mr. Tendou took the right flank. And in the
center, as if surrounded by an invisible barrier, walked Akane and
Nabiki.
There'd been three 'guides' in the beginning.
The first had insisted that only Akane and Nabiki were invited to
the Gakidou. Ryouga's attempt to reason with him had ended unhappily. Cu
Lon was of the opinion that with patience and care, the ex-guide would be
able to tie his shoes by himself in two or three years.
The second had, driven by some strange compulsion, perhaps
related to the full moon, or the migration of lemmings to the sea, lain
hands on Shan Pu. Moshu had not been amused by this. Moshu had firmly,
but with eloquence, explained the rudeness of touching a woman against
her will. Moshu had explained 'guide' number two into something
resembling a tattered khaki bag of hamburger, a bag that moaned, and
cried and flopped around a lot.
Guide number three had developed a severe case of hiccups, and
was showing an alarming amount of white around the eyes, much like a man
suddenly castrated by a slamming door. Finally they left the dark back
ways and entered a narrow side door.

Moshu would follow Shan Pu into hell. Maybe he already had. The
place their guide had led them was hot, underground and full of damned
souls. It wasn't dark, as he'd half expected, half hoped. He had an
advantage in the dark. Instead it was bright, almost painfully so. He
wondered if the Japanese were afraid of the dark. They'd put sufficient
neon lights in Tokyo to make certain no living soul ever saw the stars or
the moon. Moshu missed seeing the stars. Even blurry they were a comfort.
He also missed the smell of green and growing things. Maybe the Japanese
were allergic to plants and animals. They were trying hard enough to
concrete over the entire island. He could see Shan Pu and the old mummy
talking with Akane and Ranma. Usually he wished Cu Lon far, far away. He
was glad she was here in this place. He could not conceive of anything
that could down Cu Lon. And as long as she lived she would protect Shan
Pu. That thought comforted him a great deal.

"All right Akane, this is what I want you to do. . ."
"Hey, I'm a martial artist too, you know."
"Dammit, Akane!"
Akane flinched at Ranma's savage tone. He acted like he hated
her.
"This isn't a game. If you don't care about yourself, think about
Kasumi and Nabiki. If you lose . . ." Ranma made a slashing motion across
his throat.
"That's not fair. I . . ."
This isn't about fair. This is about surviving. And winning."
"The boy's right Akane."
Akane couldn't believe it. Mr. Saotome wasn't berating Ranma for
the way he was acting. He was supporting Ranma.
"Listen to son-in-law." Now Cu Lon was chiming in. "When I cannot
be here, listen to him. Do what he says, exactly what he says, even if
you do not understand it."
"Where're you goin' old ghoul?" Ranma was worried. He'd been
counting on Cu Lon's help.
"I must visit some friends. They may have word about Tendou
Kasumi. Genma! Ryouga! Come with me. You may prove useful."

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"OK, Akane this first guy you've got to fight does capoiera."
"What's that?"
"It's Brazilian. Nasty. The Portugese brought in slaves from all
over Africa to work the sugar cane. The slaves developed it around the
1500's. 'Cause they were chained up all the time, the moves had to be
real tight. Capoiera emphasizes strength, flexibility and rapid movement.
A basic move is a double foot strike, sometimes delivered from a hand
stand." Ranma looked Akane in the eyes to make sure she was paying
attention. "In the 1700's there was a big slave revolt. These capoiera
guys kicked a lot of slave-owner butt before the army moved in with guns
and stuff. Capoiera was outlawed until about 1965. Nowadays most people
think of capoiera as a form of dance in Brazil. But there are still some
teachers that are real serious about the fighting stuff. And these guys
are deadly fast, flexible, able to adapt to other people's fighting
styles. Crush coconuts or your guts with their feet."
Akane looked amazed.. "Ranma, how does someone who sleeps through
every period except lunch, know so much about history and gaijin history
at that?"
Ranma blushed. "Well, Pops wanted me to know as much about
different arts as possible."
"So you went to Brazil?" Nabiki was skeptical.
"Naw. We ran into this Israeli special forces guy in the
Philippines when we were studying escrima. He was a mestre; knew all
about the history and junk. Good fighter too. Beat the heck out of Pops
and me for a while. Then I got the hang of it and we were pretty even."
Ranma smiled cockily. "'Course I was only ten. I bet I'd really surprise
him now."
"Baka." Akane clocked him fondly over the head. "So how do I
fight him?"
"These guys are fast, like to use their whole body to deliver
power to their kicks. Kind of like a whip. They like to stay low to the
ground. Take the fight to him Akane. Get in close, inside where he can't
kick. Get him in a joint lock and pound him."
"Is that a good idea, to have her charge in like that? Wouldn't
it be better for her to work around him and wear him down?" Ukyou looked
worried.
"Akane's a bruiser. Slow, but strong as an ox." Ranma ignored the
darkling look his fiancee gave him and went on. "These guys are fast,
really fast. If she tries to match this guy, mix it up, he'll beat her to
pieces from outside her range. In close, if she gets her hands on him,
she'll kill him."
"Tendou and Malandro to the line. Seconds out. Fighters to the
line. Seconds out."
Ranma and the others started out of the ring. Ranma looked back
just as Akane's opponent was entering from the opposite side.
"Daddy Scissors!" Ranma hissed.
"What did you say sugar."
"Daddy Scissors! SHIT! Daddy Scissors!"
"Ukyou and the others looked at him as if he'd lost his mind.
"Hey, referee" Ranma bounded back into the ring "That's a foul.
Look, he's got blades between his toes."
"You are the one who is fouling. Seconds out. If you do not
leave, you forfeit."
"What? But that guy . . ."
"I will not ask again. Leave the ring now."
"Ranma, go. I can't forfeit."
"Akane, look. He's a Daddy Scissors. His technique's to hold
small blades between his toes. If he connects with a kick, he'll cut you
to pieces. Forget what I said before. Stay away from him. Try to tire him
out."
"Just go. I'll be fine."
Ranma sent one blazing look at the referee and left the ring.
"Ranchan! What was all that about? What's 'Daddy Scissors'?"
"It's a form of capoiera, the deadliest. An expert in this system
holds razors or short knives between his toes. He can rip the throat or
belly out of a man. I tried to tell the ref. . ."
"No use Ranma." Nabiki said tiredly. "The fix is in."
"Ukyou looked sick. "There must be something we can do!"
"Too many Yakuza around, we have no chance if try fight. Akane
must win own self." Shan Pu's eyes hardened . "But we make sure no more
tricks. Moshu, Nabiki, we go find Judges."
"It's no use" Nabiki looked old and tired "they're not going to
go against the Yakuza for us."
"Maybe so they don't care about us." Shan Pu gave an evil smile.
"But maybe they care we tell people fight fixed. Much money bet, many
people angry they think cheat. Maybe angry at judge, referee. Maybe tear
into itty-bitty pieces."
Nabiki's head came up, and a little life seemed to flow back into
her face.
"Yes, the crowd just might be angry if they thought they were
being cheated. Why they might just tear this place apart. Maybe even go
to the judge's homes if they thought they had been robbed." Nabiki took a
deep breath and stood straighter. "OK, Ranma, you keep sis alive 'till we
get back. Let's go Shan Pu." The trio headed toward the judges, leaving
Ukyou and Ranma alone at ringside.
Malandro stood for a moment eyeing his opponent, then began the
characteristic circling motion of a caperio fighter.
Akane turned, stolid and heavy footed, to keep him in sight.
"Careful, keep away, keep back. That's a good girl."
Ukyou could hear Ranma whispering the words as if they were a
prayer. She felt like praying herself, but the only words that would come
were "please god, please god, please god."
Finally Malandro seemed satisfied that he had his opponent's
measure and opened his attack with a fast bencao. Akane spun away from
his front kick too slowly. Only the loose fit and heavy cotton of her gi
saved her from injury. Malandro grinned and started his attack in
earnest. Working in from the flanks he started a flurry of hammer kicks
and spinning kicks that drove Akane like a leaf before a storm.
Malandro's meat-grinder attack soon reduced Akane's gi to a soggy red
tatter. Dazedly she tried to being her arms up in defense, but her eyes
didn't seem to focus, and she staggered just a bit. Malandro could see
her summoning her last strength, and then she began a screaming suicide
charge. Malandro couldn't believe her stupidity. As she charged, he
launched a rabo de arraia, intending to rip the eyes out of her head with
the "stingray tail" kick, then finish her at leisure.
Ukyou felt Ranma tense beside her and knew what he intended. Just
as she knew she couldn't let him fight alone. A fight to the death
against hopeless odds was not how she'd ever envisioned ending her life.
Actually she'd always pictured herself dying as a very rich, very
disagreeable old woman, surrounded by several generations of crying,
groveling children and grandchildren whom she'd terrorized for years. And
at her death she would have the satisfaction of knowing she'd cut them
out of her will.
Just as Ukyou and Ranma prepared to leap into the ring,
Malandro's kick met empty air as Akane disappeared. As Malandro went
high, Akane performed a perfect split that put her below his kick. And as
he passed above, her left hand smashed into the tender flesh between his
legs, and her tiger claw hand pulped his testicles like a fist full of
grapes.
Ranma and Ukyou watched in amazement as Malandro seemed to
shrivel like a spider dropped into a flame. As he lay screaming on the
floor, the referee seemed frozen for a moment. Then he approached
reluctantly, and raised Akane's hand to the crowd.
"Tendou Akane, the winner by a takedown."

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