"What's SHE still doing here?" The venom
in Nabiki's voice could have etched steel.
"Shan Pu is
helping us with . . .with the arrangements." Nodaka's voice was
dull, her figure shrunken and old looking.
"Helping us?
Helping herself you mean." Nabiki whirled back around and jabbed
Shan Pu in the chest. "Akane's not even in the ground and you're
already sneaking around like a cat in heat."
Shan Pu went bone
white and swayed under the lash of Nabiki's hate. Succor came from a
surprising source as Saotome Genma came up behind his wife and put his
arms around her.
"I understand.”
"Understand!"
Nabiki attacked this new target. "What have you EVER understood
except your belly. You fat useless piece of shit."
Genma stood impassively
as Nabiki flayed him with her anger. When he spoke, it was with a quiet
sadness, astonishingly unlike his usual bombast.
"I am fat. And
useless. Old men like me should never outlive their children. And Akane
was my child. The daughter we never had. She was far better to me than
I deserved." Silent tears cut tracks down his sunken cheeks as
Nodaka twisted in his grip to burry her head in his chest. "I've
spent most of my life regretting things; things I've done, things I've
left un-done. I understand failure because I've failed at so much."
Genma took a ragged breath and captured Nabiki's red tear swollen eyes
with his own. "Just remember this Akane may not have had many years.
But the years she had were full. She met Princes and Gods, fought demons
and creatures from myth." Genma's closed his eyes against a spasm
of pain. "Akane had nothing to regret in her life . . .and our
regret is that she has left us alone."
"Akane die doing
what want." Shan Pu put in diffidently.
Nabiki looked around,
startled. She'd almost forgotten about the Amazon. Now that she was
reminded, her face darkened with anger. Shan Pu continued before Nabiki
could speak.
"Nabiki no like
Shan Pu. That OK. Shan Pu want tell something. Shan Pu know better die
doing what want do, what like do. Better die good, than live afraid,
do nothing. Akane die like warrior. Shan Pu know this. Akane never give
up. Shan Pu use strongest technique to erase memory. Akane fight, win.
Akane fight phoenix, fight ghost cat, fight demon doll. All time fight.
Never give up. This time fight sky. No win, but brave fight, good fight.
This warrior way to die."
Nabiki's face twisted
with anguish. With a muffled sob she turned and ran for her room.
Shan Pu looked after
Nabiki's departing form with sadness then turned back toward Nodoka
and Genma. "Shan Pu no want make feel bad." She looked straight
at Genma . "Shan Pu want husband. Is good, woman fight for man.
Need strong woman keep family strong. Make strong children. Woman win
fight, deserve strong man. Shan Pu not want win this way. Shan Pu want
help husband. But want help Akane family also. Akane strong enemy. Strong
enemy good, make Shan Pu strong." With that pronouncement Shan
Pu sketched a short bow and left the room, heading for the doujou. There
she found Ranma, alone in the dark, staring at nothing.
"Wo ai ni."
Shan Pu said cheerfully, settling beside Ranma's still figure. Ranma
jerked once, then settled back into stone silence.
"Shan Pu make
too, too delicious dim sum with mushroom. You like?" The stillness
of the night was broken only by Ranma's ragged breathing. Nothing deterred
by Ranma's cold stillness Shan Pu continued her artless prattle.
"You take Shan
Pu on date, yes?" She seemed not to notice the low growling sound
emanating from the dark.
"Now pervert-girl
gone, you come back with Shan Pu to China?
She sensed rather
than saw the attack that rushed out of the gloom of the doujou. Rolling
aside from the blow that would have crushed her chest she came to her
feet facing her opponent. "Aireen, I thought you not hit girl.
You no hit Akane."
The howling beast
that slammed into her bore no resemblance to the young boy who had engaged
in play-fights with her for months. This was no play Ranma was out for
blood. And, had he used the slightest bit of skill he would have annihilated
Shan Pu in the first instant. But there was no shred of his years of
training and skill, only rage. And so Shan Pu survived .
. .one instant, and another, and another. Until Ranma allowed an opening
Shan Pu slammed a strike into the nerve junction just under his left
arm, paralyzing the limb.
Wrapping herself around his good arm
she hung on while Ranma tried to beat her to death by body-slamming
the two of them against the doujou floor. Even Ranma's rage fueled strength
had its limits. With stunning suddenness he collapsed sobbing against
Shan Pu. "Is good cry. Let out poison, make feel better."
She held Ranma against her, gently stroking his sweat soaked hair.
"I never . . .never told her." His voice
was wracked with huge choking sobs. "I never told . . .never .
. ."
"She know," Shan Pu soothed,
continuing to stroke his hair as she gently rocked him back and forth.
"She know you love her. All people know." Shan Pu gave a low
laugh. "All people know.
So silly silly Ranma Akane know, just not say with words." She
broke off, as light flooded the doujou. Blinking to clear her eyes she
saw the room filled with people.
"What's going on here? Ranma? Shan Pu?"
Genma looked at the wreckage that had once been a doujou.
"Ranma feeling
sad. Shan Pu help feel better." Shan Pu said, as if it were the
most natural thing in the world to be tangled in the wreckage, covered
in bruises and blood, holding a sobbing boy in her arms.
"What are you
doing?" Nabiki stormed forward and grabbed Shan Pu by the hair.
"I want you OUT of here you little Shan Pu's eyes teared but she
made no move against Nabiki.
"Shan
Pu leave soon."
"You'll leave
NOW!" Nabiki's angry shout was followed by a backhanded slap. A
slap which stopped inches from Shan Pu's face.
"Nabiki, it's
all right."
Nabiki stared at
her hand, caught in Ranmas fist, in disbelief; which quickly turned
to rage. "Why you worthless little shit. How dare you shack up
with this Chinese whore!
"That's enough,
Oneechan."
"Kasumi Oneesama!"
Nabiki spun at the sound.
"Don't you see
what he's doing. He's dishonoring Akane's memory. How . . ."
Shan Pu was shocked
to see grey hairs on Kasumi's head; to see how her hands trembled. But
Kasumi's voice was firm as she spoke to her sister.
"Nabiki, Shan
Pu is a guest under our roof. Please do not fight."
"But . . ."
Nabiki started angrily.
"No get angry
, Shan Pu go now. No want make fight." She started to her feet,
but was held in place by Ranma.
"Nabiki,"
Nodoka put a hand on Nabiki's shoulder. "Shan Pu is only trying
to help. Please try to understand . . ."
"Understand!
I understand all right. My sister is dead and this Chinese bitch is
alive. I understand her fiance," Nabiki spat the word." is
rolling around in the dirt with his Chinese whore."
"I going now."
Shan Pu gently pried Ranma lose and handed him to his mother. "Nabiki
angry. Would rather Shan Pu dead and Akane alive. Nabiki love Akane
very much. All family love Akane. Want alive. Shan Pu no can bring Akane
back." Shan Pu looked sadly at the group facing her. "San
Pu miss Akane too."
Nabiki snorted in disbelief.
Shan Pu grinned a
little at that and continued. "Is true. Akane good enemy. Make
Shan Pu strong. Have friend is good. Have good enemy better. Battle
make strong. No fight, get fat, lazy . . .die. Akane make Shan Pu stay
strong. Akane strong, honorable. Help Shan Pu fight ghost cat. Shan
Pu can trust. Akane quick tempered, violent. Also . . .friend. Shan
Pu miss very much." The group
parted silently as Shan Pu walked out of the doujou. At the gate she
turned back to face them. "No good for Ranma stay alone in dark.
Dark enter soul, make sad. Stay in light, remember happy time with Akane."
The gate closed behind her with finality, leaving the family to stare
after her in silence. Until the gate banged open suddenly and Shan Pu
popped back inside. "Shan Pu almost forget. Shan Pu come back tomorrow.
Husband sitting in dark feeling sad Shan Pu kick butt all over doujou.
Bui Bui." Shan Pu waggled her fingers at the stunned group and
bounded over the wall.
"Kick my butt?"
Ranma shrugged lose from his mother. "Kick MY butt? HEY you get
back here Shan Pu.
SHAN PU!!!"
Shan Pu grinned a
little at the outrage in Ranma's voice. She could already feel the bruises
from tomorrow's sparring session, on top of the bruises she already
had. But it was worth it. Anything was better than that sad, despairing
figure she'd found sitting in the dark.
*************************************************
She was being followed. Carefully, casually Shan
Pu scanned her surroundings. She was almost exactly halfway between
the Nekohanten and the Tendou's. Just ahead, was a perfect spot for
an ambush. Casually rubbing the small of her back Shan Pu loosened the
safety strap on the small-sword she had concealed under her tunic. Briefly
she wished for her war-hammers; left at home as being inappropriate
for a mourning visit. She could feel the unknown presence, paralleling
her; just out of sight in the shadows. He was good very good. Even deliberately
looking Shan Pu could not pin down the precise location of her stalker.
Ten steps to the deepest shadow.
Shan Pu focused her chi for one explosive
burst.
Five steps.
Her left hand went back and grasped
the hilt of her sword.
Two steps.
With the barest whisper
of steel on leather the heavy blade snaked free of it's nest. Blade
extended at high guard Shan Pu lunged forward and to the left, whirling
quickly to put a wall at her back.
"Amazon no afraid
of . . ."
"Rrrrrrrroooowwww."
" . . .cat???"
Shan Pu stared slack jawed at the small filthy animal standing defiantly
before her in the alley. Heart pounding from adrenalin shock Shan Pu
slumped to the dirty alley floor.
"Oh . . .bad
kitty." Shan Pu started laughing. "Bad, BAD kitty. You scare
Shan Pu so much she almost have accident." Reaching into her pocket
Shan Pu pulled out a rice ball left over from her supper. Unwrapping
the treat she broke off a piece and threw it to the surprised cat.
Growling the little cat rocked from
side to side on it's fore-paws.
"Huh, you one angry cat." Grinning Shan
Pu ate a piece of the rice ball and threw another fragment to the cat.
"Shan Pu used to be cat. Scary at first. Small, no fight good.
But Shan Pu miss hearing things, seeing things. Cat world very different
small thing look big, hidden thing look clear." Sighing Shan Pu
looked at her small companion, now greedily eating the fragments of
rice ball. "Shan Pu miss being cat. Great grand mother say Shan
Pu no stay cat. Say cat killing Shan Pu." Shan Pu threw the rest
of the rice ball at the cat.
"Shan Puuuuuu!
Where are you Shan Puuuuuu!"
The small cat backed into the shadows
with a snarling hiss.
"Ayyyy. Stupid
Mu Tsu." She glanced into the shadows that had swallowed the small
cat. "You smart smart kitty. Shan Pu hide too, if could."
Grinning nastily she made an experimental swipe through the air with
her sword. "Great grand mother say Shan Pu no can hurt Mu Tsu bad.
Say Mu Tsu family very strong with central government. Say The People
NEED Mu Tsu family. Some time Mu Tsu nice, like friend from child time.
Some time Mu Tsu . . ." Shan Pu fumbled for words to describe her
feelings. "Some time Mu Tsu not so nice. . . make Shan Pu feel
funny. Not . . .not afraid. Shan Pu warrior, no afraid anything. Mu
Tsu just make feel . . . funny." Yellow eyes gleamed faintly in
the dim light. "Cat lucky. No have to worry politics. Boy cat make
feel funny, girl cat rip face off." Another swipe made the sword
hum through the night air. "Shan Pu no can hurt bad. But, maybe
great grand mother believe Shan Pu make mistake . . . think Mu Tsu attacker.
Must remember use blunt side." Grinning into the shadows Shan Pu
shifted her grip on her sword and bounded off toward the sound of the
calling voice. Moments later a black cat oozed from the shadows, snatched
the remains of the rice-ball and vanished.
