Chapter 2

A loud cry shattered the quiet and a cloud of stone dust billowed out into the morning air.

"Ahhhhhh. That felt good."

"Brick no hit back." Startled, Akane spun to see Shan Pu standing behind her, hands on hips. Akane's lips tightened at the realization the big Amazon had gotten behind her with absolutely no warning.

"Easy break brick. No move, no hit back. Hit warrior not so easy."

"Ranma's not here Shan Pu. Uncle Satome took him off for more training."

"Shan Pu already know that." Akane waited for Shan Pu to elaborate. As the silence lengthened Akane's anger grew. She felt it start to boil over as she noticed a smirk on Shan Pu's face.

"All right Shan Pu, what do you want?"

"Why want something? Why not just visit?" Akane took a heavy step forward, hands raised. "You've got about 3 seconds to tell me what you want or . . ."

"Or what? Clumsy, violent, pervert girl . . . what do?"

"Aaaaaaaaaa!" With a scream of outrage Akane launched a bone crushing blow. Shan Pu moved a fraction and the blow smashed . . .air. Insultingly Shan Pu smacked Akane on the rear. With a snarling growl Akane whirled, launching a high spin kick that would have snapped the top off a fire hydrate. Being somewhat more mobile and infinitely more limber Shan Pu again shifted just slightly . The massive blow missed and Akane was thrown off balance ,would have fallen had Shan Pu not caught her.

"No get so angry no miss so much."

"When I want your opinion" Akane snarled, shrugging free of Shan Pu's grip. "I'll give it to you."

"O-key Do-key." Shan Pu agreed cheerfully. Springing forward Shan Pu launched a flurry of hand and foot strikes, at first driving Akane backwards. One pace, two paces back. Then Akane regained her equilibrium and started to counter attack. Dropping suddenly forward Akane caught herself on her hands , scything her legs around in a smashing leg sweep. Laughing Shan Pu leapt over Akane's legs, only to double over as Akane's caught her in the gut with an iron palm strike. Landing hard Shan Pu rolled quickly away, coming to her feet facing Akane.

"Ha . . .pretty good trick." Shan Pu eyed Akane narrowly. "But no catch that way twice." Breathing heavily, Akane noticed with satisfaction that Shan Pu slightly favored her belly. Slightly. Before she could savor the sight Shan Pu attacked . . .and Akane was too busy fighting to think about anything else. Five minutes later Akane found herself face down in the dirt, one arm twisted past her shoulder blade, Shan Pu's knee digging into her spine.

"Pervert girl give up?" Akane's answer was to bring her head sharply back into Shan Pu's face. There was a flat meaty sound of bone on flesh then Akane cried out involuntarily as Shan Pu twisted savagely on her arm.

"Pervert girl make bad mistake. You give up now. Admit Shan Pu winner."

"GO . . ." Akane panted through the pain. "TO HELL!!" Akane cried out again as Shan Pu twisted harder, digging her knee into Akane's spine.

"You no can win. Admit Shan Pu better. Surrender or I break arm."

"Do it. DO IT!" Akane twisted futilely in the dirt. Tears of humiliation cutting tracks in her dirt smeared face. "I don't care what you do . . .I'll never give up. NEVER!"

"You brave girl. Maybe brave as Amazon." Shifting her grip Shan Pu flipped Akane onto her back so that Shan Pu straddled her waist, pinning Akane's arms to the ground with her knees. "But Shan Pu have to teach lesson, so pervert girl know Amazon best fighter." Akane stared definitely up at Shan Pu, but the intense look in the Amazon's violet eyes gave her pause.

"Shan Pu WILL make you surrender." With those stern words Shan Pu launched her final attack.

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"N . . .no more . . .please no more." Gasping with exertion Shan Pu dashed sweat from her eyes and crawled over to the still weakly writhing girl.

"Akane surrender now?"

"I . .I . . ." Shan Pu raised a hand trembling with fatigue and made as if to launch another attack . . .hoping the other girl wouldn't suspect she had reached the end of her endurance. Who would have thought this silly Japanese girl could last so long. Any of her Amazon sisters would have been pleading for mercy long since . . .or babbling idiots.

"S . . .surrender . . .or Sh . . .Sh . . .Shan Pu show no mercy." She raised her hand sharply in the air with the last of her strength. Squealing in fright Akane wrapped her arms around her abused and sensitized ribs.

"NO . . I give . . .I give."

"Goo . . .good." Shan Pu gasped, dropping to the ground beside Akane. "If you no give . . .then Shan Pu have to give up. No fighting left." There was silence. A long, long silence. Then Akane rolled over in the dirt to face an equally prone Shan Pu.

"I hate you." Shan Pu opened her eyes, gummy with sweat, blood and fatigue. In front of her was Akane's face. Bruised, bloody. One eye swollen almost shut. Lip split, hair tangled and matted. Shan Pu ran a tongue around inside her mouth, wincing as she touched her own split lip. Her ribs protested with every breath and her rear was probably a mass of bruises.

"You pretty good . . .for Japanese." San Pu qualified. "We do again tomorrow? OK?" There was another silence. Louder than the last one.

"W . . .why?" Akane waved her hand limply to indicate the broken dojo walls, torn up yard.

"Shan Pu bored. Nothing to do. Ranma gone. You only one give Shan Pu decent work out." Narrowly Shan Pu watched for Akane's reaction to this statement . . .this one phrase she'd worked so hard to deliver . . .at precisely the right moment. She watched Akane's face flush with pleasure . . .and Shan Pu knew she'd won.

"OK."

Akane appeared to think for a moment. "You better come upstairs and get cleaned up." Rolling to her knees Akane struggled to her feet. Bracing herself Akane reached a hand down to Shan Pu. Shan Pu had NOT anticipated this and hesitated for a moment before allowing herself to be helped to her feet. Staggering slightly the two battered and filthy girls limped into the Tendou home and up the stairs.

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"Here's soap and towels." Akane gathered up Shan Pu's clothing. "I'll go put these in the wash and be right back." Sitting on the low wooden bench Shan Pu rinsed herself off, then started working lather into her long hair. She was inordinately proud of her long thick mane, but it was a pain to care for. It was at times like this that she especially missed home. Back in her village, as the undefeated champion (before Ranma anyway) she would have had her pick of young, up-and-coming warriors vying for her favor . . .eager to run errands, prepare her food . . .she winced as her fingers caught in another tangle. Wash her . . .

"Aaaaaaaaa." Shan Pu jumped as a small hand unexpectedly covered her own. As her combat reflex launched her away from the perceived threat, soap ran into her eyes, she inhaled water and slipped on the slick soapy floor. Blind, gasping and helpless Shan Pu fell toward the hard tiles . . .when strong arms wrenched her safely into a warm secure embrace.

"Wait . . wait . . ." Akane grasped Shan Pu's flailing arms in one hand while the other gently wiped her stinging eyes with a clean wash cloth.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Shan Pu Amazon warrior. She no scared . . ." Her indignant voice trailed off as she realized she was laying cradled in Akane's arms having her face washed like an infant. Flushing in anger she started to berate Akane for her clumsy stupidity. As her mouth opened for a stinging retort she met Akane's eyes. Eyes filled with concern and remorse. Eyes that reminded Shan Pu of a puppy waiting to be kicked. Shan Pu smiled inwardly as she realized how well this accident suited her purpose. Guilt was a perfect key to open the door to Akane's friendship.

"Shan Pu no scared." Struggling to sit up Shan Pu sank back ,bravely suppressing a groan of pain.

"Oh no! What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"Nothing wrong. Shan Pu leave now." Shan Pu replied, allowing a slight spasm of pain to appear on her face. Akane was completely fooled.

"You strained something when you slipped, didn't you?" Without waiting for an answer Akane pulled Shan Pu more securely onto her lap and began to finish Shan Pu's interrupted bath. Closing her eyes Shan Pu allowed Akane to bathe her. Relaxing completely she sighed with pleasure as Akane finished and tenderly carried her over to the steaming furo. Properly prepared, Shan Pu thought, Young tender puppy was a great delicacy.

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