Chapter 6

Ukyou stared at the carefully folded bundle of clothes. The relaxation she'd felt in the bath drained away like dirty water. -New clothes.- Her anger grew. -Fine clothes.- Giri . . . Her restaurant . . .bailing her out of jail. Debt piled upon dept. A burden that would have been heavy coming from a friend . . . became intolerable. Shaking with anger Ukyou snatched her battle-spatula from where it had been neatly placed and stalked off in search of HER!

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Carefully Akane poured sake into two small red earthenware cups set on either side of the miya. She arranged two sprays of sacred sakaki on the sambou in front
of the offerings of sake. She had just touched a match to the small lamp when she heard Ukyou enter the room,"I want to talk to you."

Akane stiffened slightly at Ukyou's tone. Taking a deep breath she let it out slowly, forcing herself to relax. She'd hoped to put this off. In fact that was one reason that she'd come to the shrine. The other of course was that she always liked to talk to her mother before she went to bed. "O . . .of course Ukyou. I'm sorry I fell asleep in the
furo. I must have been more tired than . . ."

"What . . .is . . .THIS!" Ukyou, dressed in a short toweling robe, thrust a bundle in
Akane's face. Akane could feel the heat of her anger and sent a brief prayer to Kami-sama.

"Ummm . . .well, your clothes were all messed up from helping with the roof. I mean they were really torn and . . .uh well since it was my fault I thought I'd get you some
new. . ."

"What?" Ukyou's voice was low and dangerous. "What did you think? Did you think 'Poor Ukyou lost her restaurant I'll give her a new one?' Did you think 'Pitiful
Ukyou, no friends or family I'll take care of her?' DID YOU THINK!" The savage backhand knocked Akane to the floor. "Helpless Ukyou . . .pitiful Ukyou . . ."

Akane scooted backward across the floor, desperately deflecting the savage kicks that punctuated each of Ukyou's words. With a squeak of fright Akane rolled to her feet as the big battle spatula spun up and down to slice into the hardwood
floor.

"What gives you the right." Ukyou's shoulders were heaving as anger destroyed her control. "What gives YOU the right. You're not my senpai, you're nothing. How
DARE you try to put me in your debt . . .try to . . .try to . . ."

With a scream of rage Ukyou launched a wild slashing attack, her massive pole arm cutting the air like steel lightning. If Ukyou had been less angry or Akane more
frightened Kodachi and Shan Pu might well have woken the next day to find two thirds of their problem solved. Instead Akane quickly and steadily backed across the room, staying just out of reach of the deadly blade ; maneuvering Ukyou to a point where the room narrowed. A point where the maximum arc of one of her swings sliced into a support. Just a nick, but enough to slow the return. Slow enough for
Akane to come in low with a spear point strike just below Ukyou's left arm. A strike in the nerve cluster that left her arm numb and useless. Simultaneously Akane's right hand swept under and around, twisting the heavy steel blade free from Ukyou's grip, sending it skittering across the floor.

Ukyou stared at her empty hands for an unbelieving instant before launching a screaming berserker attack. Normally Ukyou would have been, at best, an even match for Akane barehanded. Her rage at what she saw as Akane's attempt
to subjugate her with obligations that she could never repay; to make her less than she was by smothering Ukyou in a lifetime of giri drove her. Drove her well beyond her normal limits and allowed her to drive Akane across the room like a leaf in a storm. Akane remained on the defensive; avoiding some blows, absorbing the rest but offering no attack. The realization that Akane had not once attempted to strike her only fueled her anger.

"Damn you, DAMN YOU! FIGHT! Fight me!"

"I . . .I." Akane gulped air, straining to stay out of Ukyou's range. "I . . .don't . . .WANT . . .to fi . . .fight you."

"Tough!" Ukyou snarled. "I want to fight YOU!"

"Look . . .I . . .I'm sor . . ."Akane ducked a wild swing and rolled forward to end up behind Ukyou.

"sorry. . . sorry. Didn' mean . . .debt. Not gi . . .ri"

Akane gasped. "Ran . . .Ranma . .I . . ."

"Bitch!" Ukyou spat on the floor at Akane's feet. Chest burning, hand pressed against a stitch in her side Ukyou stood glaring at Akane. "Th . . .think you've got it all . . .don'cha. Got a big family . . .old Samurai name." Ukyou gulped air. "Big doujou for . . .for dowery. You . . .got . . .nuthin'. You . . .you . . . a joke. Even with all this . . .can't buy a husban'."

A hurt, vulnerable look passed briefly over Akane's face,"I'm not trying to put you in my debt . . .I'm not trying to buy . . ."

Ukyou had seen that look, guessed what it meant. A warrior, like a businesswoman, is trained to find a weakness and exploit it. Ukyou was both. "You can't buy honor. You can't buy a husband." Ukyou laughed. "There's not enough money in the world,
not a dowery big enough to make you a woman. Look at you; clumsy, stupid. Failure as a woman. Failure as a martial artist. All you can do is break bricks." Seizing the
Ihai of Akane's mother from the shrine Ukyou smashed it on the floor in front of Akane. "When your mother realized what she'd given birth too, she probably killed herself."

The silence was absolute, even the small night creatures ceased their tiny cries. Angry blood pounding in her ears was suddenly frightened by the flash of anger in Akane's
eyes and took a half step backward. As suddenly as summer lightening the anger passed and Ukyou watched the life drain from Akane leaving her looking old and frail. Suddenly coming to herself Ukyou looked in horror at the demolished room, the smashed kamidana and the rest. But even the splintered remains of the god-shelf couldn't match the shattered look on Akane's face.

"A . . .akane? I didn't mean . . ." Ukyou took a hesitant step forward. Shivering Akane stumbled back a step.

"I have to clean . . .clean up. I have to . . ."

Ukyou swallowed hard at hearing the small thin voice,"I can . . .it's my fault. Let me help."

"Ukyou?" Akane looked up, bewildered. "Oh . . .oh . . .I . . .tea. I should make some tea. You're a guest. I should make tea. Kasumi always makes . . ." Akane stumbled to a stop, like a windup toy that's run down.

Ukyou took another step forward, stopping abruptly as Akane again shivered uncontrollably. "I'll go make the tea." Ukyou said softly. "How do you like . . .I'll just go start the water heating and make some tea. If you need . . ."Ukyou stopped suddenly. Whatever Akane might need, Ukyou couldn't give. The thought made her feel cold for some reason. Quietly she left the room, leaving Akane fumbling to pick up pieces of the broken shrine.

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Ukyou sat in the kitchen, her hands wrapped around an old chipped mug she'd found in the corner of a cabinet. It suited her mood. Just like the scalding bitter tea. Across from her sat a pot of oolong tea and some small cakes she'd made. For Akane. When she came. From cleaning up the . . .from cleaning up. For the third time in as many minutes Ukyou got up from the table to go look for Akane. And sat down
again. What could she say . . .what could she possibly say or do NOW.

Ukyou shuddered as she remembered what she'd said . . . what she'd DONE earlier. To the shrine. Akane's mother . . .In her mind's eye Ukyou could still see the god-shelf hit the floor, the memorial tablet shatter. Akane would kill her for that. COULD
kill her and no one would ever blame Akane. Ukyou remembered a story a few years ago about several school-girls, girls younger than she was now. These girls had killed their class mate for failing to show proper sincerity at the funeral of another of
the girls' mother. They'd gotten a suspended sentence. For what had happened tonight Akane could nail Ukyou to the Tokyo tower and shove burning coals down her throat and never go to trial.

In fact the prefecture would probably vote her a medal with a vote of censure for being to easy on Ukyou. Of course nothing Akane did could possibly match what would happen to Ukyou in the next life. There were ten-thousand hells in the Buddhist pantheon and Ukyou had just bought a ticket to visit at least half of them.

"Gomen, Ukyou. I'm sorry I took so long."

Ukyou stiffened as if she grabbed a live wire, "Akane. How are you feeling?" Ukyou groaned to herself. Good one Kuounji, she thought. Now ask her if she likes being kicked in the gut. Maybe if I just cut my throat now?

"I'm alright. Please forgive me for the way I acted."

Ukyou's head snapped around so fast she almost fell off her chair. Forgive HER? For what?

"I . . .I didn't trust you, you see."

Ukyou's felt a sinking sensation.

"It was just all so strange. You . . .all of you, Kodachi, Shan Pu, and you. I wondered what you were up to."

Ukyou looked longingly at a bread knife. Just beyond where Akane was standing. So near . . .Ukyou imagined she could feel the heavy steel blade piercing her throat a brief stinging pain. Let Shan Pu and Kodachi deal with this. They liked the intrigue, the danger. All Ukyou had ever wanted was to get married, have children . . .maybe find her G-spot.

"I couldn't trust you. Not really. I thought you were all up to something. And then, tonight, in the furo . . ."

Oh god ohgodohgodoh. She knew. Akane knew. She'd just been playing with them. Ukyou's eyes darted around the kitchen. Looking for signs of the police waiting to burst in. Guns, clubs, handcuffs. They'd take her to jail. For attempted murder. She'd be on the news, in the papers. Even if she got out of jail . . .there'd be whispers. People pointing, turning away. Mother's would pull their children aside . . .she'd be dirty. A criminal.

" . . . I could trust you then."

"what?" Ukyou's voice was a bare whisper as her heart re-started with a thud that made her eye-balls ache.

"I knew I could trust you then . . .all of you."

"How could you! I mean . . ."Ukyou stuttered. "How could you? Uhhh, tell. How could you tell? You could trust. Us? What did I . . .us . . .uh what did we do?"

Akane smiled slightly. "It's what you DIDN'T do."

Ukyou looked blankly at Akane.

"No drugs, no potions. I can tell. Shan Pu's shampoo makes your head . . .tingle. And Kodachi's powders leave a sour taste." Akane rubbed her head. "No tingle, no sour taste. And you had every chance. So I know I can trust you."

Ukyou saw black spots in front of her eyes as she thought how close it had been. Shan Pu had used only pressure points. No special herbs. Shan Pu hadn't had any shampoo. She restrained an hysterical giggle at the thought. "Wait . . .wait a minute. If you knew . . .if you THOUGHT." Ukyou hastily corrected herself. "If you thought we . . .us . . .errr . . .why did you LET us get so close if you didn't trust . . .us?"

Akane shrugged. "I didn't want to spend the next few weeks with you guy's running around trying to break in the doujou, slipping things into my food . . . I just didn't want the hassle. Plus . . ." Akane looked down at her toes, then back up at Ukyou. "Plus, it was nice . . .sparing with Shan Pu, learning calligraphy from Kodachi, being around you just like normal people. Even if was a lie. It was just . . .nice. Nicer than . . .well, just nice. And I didn't think you really believed me when I said I didn't know where Ranma was. So . . .it was easier to let you, well let you do what I thought you were going to do. Use some of Shan Pu's Chinese herbs or Kodachi's drugs on me."

"And . . .you were just going to LET us. Drug you?"

Akane laughed. "Well why not? Everybody does it all the time. I'd almost miss it if SOME one weren't drugging me, or kidnaping me or something. And it's not like you were going to kill me or anything."

Ukyou swayed as her heart slammed to a stop in her chest.

Akane continued. "I didn't mean to make YOU feel . . .to think you were under any obligation." Akane's low voice brought Ukyou back to life.

"You needed some assistance. If Ranma were here he'd be the first to help. He's your friend. Any help I give is because Ranma is . . ." Akane paused and shook her head. "No, that's not true. I mean he is your friend." Akane hastened to add in case Ukyou might misunderstand. "But that's not the only reason. I did it because I admire you. At least I thought that's why . . ."

Ukyou could only stare in shock.

"What you said . . .what you said is true. I'm clumsy and bad tempered a lot." Akane took a deep breath. "And . . .jealous. You've . . .you've done so much on your
own. Built a business, a life. I'm not sure if I could do all that on my own. I've always had my family, my friends. So . . .so you might be right. I might have . . .have been trying to place a debt on you . . ." Akane struggled to get her confession out.
"I thought I was helping. Being nice. It made me feel good. Maybe I was helping
for the wrong reasons. But . . .I don't know. I don't know." Akane dropped to her knees in front of Ukyou and bowed her head to the floor. "Please forgive me."

Ukyou's mouth opened and closed but nothing came out. Finally she reached down and hauled Akane upright. "Listen . . ." Ukyou couldn't think of what to say. What could she say? Don't worry about it. I'm going to kill you so it's not a problem anymore? "Listen. If you'll forgive me for . . .for the cave of lost love and. . . and stuff." Ukyou still couldn't bring herself to mention the wedding. "I'll forgive you for . . .for . . .well I'll forgive you."Ukyou grabbed Akane's hand. "Deal?"

Akane smiled up at Ukyou, "Deal."

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Ukyou shivered as she slid into bed.

"Cold?"

"NO! Uh, no I'm fine," Ukyou lied. She wasn't fine.
Akane had insisted she spend the night. In fact Akane insisted
that Ukyou stay at the Tendou's until Ukyou's roof was repaired. It
wasn't until Akane went to prepare the guest room that they
realized their 'fixing' the roof had produced some side
effects. One of which was that only Kasumi and Happosai's
rooms were habitable. Which fact put the two of them in the
same room; in the same bed. Akane wouldn't let Ukyou
sleep on the floor and Ukyou wasn't about to throw Akane
out of HER bed so that left them . . ."

"G'night Ukyou."

"Uh . . .yeah. Good night."

Ukyou lay rigidly in the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her
head was pounding and her stomach burned with acid. This
wasn't right, the thought kept repeating over and over. She
wasn't supposed to LIKE Akane Not really. It was just
pretend. Part of the plan. Part of . . . Clenching her jaw
Ukyou concentrated on her anger, her resentment. All the
thing's she'd lost; her honor, her family. All that . . ."

"Can't sleep?"

Ukyou jerked as Akane suddenly pulled her close against
her side, her hands making small warm circles on Ukyou's
back.

"I used to do this for Kasumi when she had a
headache and couldn't sleep."

Ukyou started to jerk away with a protest. A husky
contralto froze her in place.

"Nenneko, [Sleep baby sleep!
O-yamma no Why are the ears of the
Usagi no ko, mountain rabbits child so
Nase mata long?]
O-mimi ga
Nagai e yara?

 

A lullaby? Ukyou was incredulous. Akane was singing her
to sleep as if she were a baby?

 

Okkasan no [Because while he grew
O-naka ni Safe beneath her heart
Oru toku ni, His mother ate the loquat leaves
Biwa no ha, She ate leaves of bamboo grass]
Sasa no ha,
Tabeta sona;

 

That was ridiculous. How dare Akane . . .Ukyou
unconsciously snuggled a little closer . . .how dare she treat
her like . . .

 

Sore de [That is why the
O-mimi ga rabbits child's ears
Nagai e sona. Are so long]

 

Ukyou wasn't a baby to be lulled to sleep with a song. She
would tell Akane . . .She would . . .

"Nenneko, [Sleep baby sleep!]
O-yamma no

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A female figure dressed in Chinese silks and carrying a pair
of war hammers briefly skylined herself against the city
lights as she made her stealthy way toward the Tendou
dojo. Out of the shadows another figure, clad in a leotard
and snapping a gymnastics ribbon, appeared in her path.

"There can be only one," The leotard clad beauty rolled her eyes to heaven as she
spoke.

"Crazy girl watch too much television. Will rot brain.
Got good taste in clothes though."

"Oh ho. The Black Rose complements anything that
she deigns to wear." Kodachi ran a hand down she tight silk
sheath. "However these." She raised one of the paired war-
hammers skyward. "Are crude weapons. No . . .elegance,
no finesse."

"HA!" Shan Pu barked, snapping her ribbon.
"Weapon all depend on warrior. Good fighter , all weapon
good. No so good fighter." She sneered at Kodachi. "No
weapon good."

"Perhaps we should test your idea. But first, "
Kodachi purred. "I believe the kiss of death is customary.
And since I am playing the Amazon part . . ." Gliding
forward she pressed her lips aginst Shan Pu's. Almost
instantly Shan Pu stiffened and sank to her knees on the
roof top.

"Ah, did I forget to mention my new lipstick? A new
experiment of mine . . .using a neurotoxin derived from the
puffer fish." Kodachi patted the frozen Amazon on the
cheek. "I wasn't sure what to do after I disposed of Akane
and the cook. Whether to let the police deal with the gajin
killer or . . . But you've delivered your self to me. It would
be . . .wasteful not to . . ."

"You . . .kill." Shan Pu pushed the words gaspingly
past paralyzed lips. "Kill 'kane, 'kyo. Dress like . . .Shn P'.
People see. Think . . ."

"Why yes, they will see ME, and think it is YOU."
Kodachi bent suddenly and ripped loose a pouch from Shan
Pu's leotard in a spray of black rose petals.
"But then . . .it appears YOU had a similar scheme
in mind. I'm going to kill you now. If it's any comfort I shall
endeavor to uphold the Amazon reputation for cruelty
and . . ." A rock hard fist to the gut bent her in two and ended
her speech. Twisting away from a second strike Kodachi
sprang away trying to gain time and distance. Shan Pu was on
her like a starving leopard. A high spin kick to the temple
staggered her and a stone-breaker fist to the kidney brought
her down.

"How!" Gasping , half curled in a foetal position
Kodachi glared at the big Amazon standing over her in
triumph.

"Stupid . . .so stupid girl." Shan Pu knelt straddling
the fallen Black Rose. "Three thousand year Amazon
history . . .Forget more about poison you ever know. Now
show you REAL kiss of death." Grabbing the helpless
Kodachi's chin in one hand she pressed her lips aginst
Kodachi's, grinding the other girl's lips against her teeth.
Pressing cruelly against pressure points Shan Pu forced an
entrance into Kodachi's mouth. Just as her tongue started
past the Black Rose's lips she felt a prick against her breast.
Drawing back slowly she glanced down to see a slender
needle pressed into the tender flesh just above her heart.

"So . . .not so stupid. Is poison?"

Starlight and neon gleamed off white even teeth as Kodachi
smiled. "Oh yes. A mixture of hemorrhagic and
necrotoxin's. It will rot your flesh from the inside. Slowly.
In two days you'll be screaming for me to kill you. Within
four days, no more than five you will have rotted away to a
stinking mass of Chinese puss."

"Shan Pu have no chance then." Staring Kodachi in
the eye she reached back under the tight silk sheath.
"Is problem with that dress. No can wear underpants
. . .leave panty line." Shan Pu grinned evilly as Kodachi
gasped and jerked under the gentle assault.
"Wha . . .what are you doing?"

"Japanese girl really are stupid. All Amazons know
what . . ."

Kodachi tried to snarl, but to her embarrassment it sounded
like a moan. "No you twiiiiit .oh oh oh. Ststst . .. Stop. Or or I'll
. . ."

"Or what? Kill Shan Pu? Going to do that anyway.
Better Shan Pu enjoy self before die." Tilting her head Shan
Pu went on in a conversational voice. "So better like this?"

Kodachi's eyes went wide and her breath came in little
gasps.

"Better like this?"

A little tremor shuddered her body, starting at her toes and
running to the top of her head before starting back down.

"Or maybe Kodachi like . ..this?"

Kodachi's back arched and a little scream forced her
mouth open, before Shan Pu closed it with an old fashioned
upper-cut that lifted Kodachi off the roof top and threw her
a good six meters. Standing and brushing herself off Shan
Pu walked over to the recumbent Kodachi.

"You pretty easy." Shan Pu spit on the roof. "Better
you be bed girl. No so good as fighter."

"The poison."Kodachi gasped, pointing at a small
spot of blood below Shan Pu's heart. "You . . .you're going
to die . . .rot. No antidote. You . . ."

"Shan Pu live long time. Is no poison."

Kodachi stared unblinking for a long moment.
"How did you know?"

"Not even you so crazy to keep poison like that next
to body. Too much chance get stuck by accident."

"Clever . . .clever girl." Kodachi's head nodded
tiredly. "Then I guess . . ." Like a striking snake Kodachi
snapped a small ball in Shan Pu's face. Gasping and choking
as the gas bomb exploded Shan Pu leapt back and to
the side to avoid Kodachi's attack. Coming in low Kodachi
pulled a short thick rod from her waist. Extending the baton
with a snap of her wrist Kodach slammed a bone smashing
strike against Shan Pu's knees. Only cat fast reflexes
allowed Shan Pu to take the strike on her thigh, saving her
knee but driving her to the ground with a grunt of pain. San
Pu deflected a linear strike with a slap block and countered
with a straight twisting punch. This was just a feint.
Kodachi moved aside as Shan Pu expected . . .wanted. This
placed Kodachi in position for a snap kick. Kodachi grunted
as she stepped into the blow, slicing for the tendons with a
slender knife she pulled from a neck sheath. Grinning in
delight Shan Pu drew a long curved blade from inside her
waist band. Swirling and dancing like deaths avatars the
two girls slashed and struck neither gaining an advantage;
neither daring to close with her enemy but always striking
from the outside. Waiting and hoping for an opening; a
mistake.

 

************************************************

Gasping Shan Pu sank exhausted to the roof top, Kodachi in
her turn sank down just beyond arms length. Turning her
face to the dawn Shan Pu let the breeze bathe her heated
face. Through lowered lashes she watched her adversary in
the light of the false dawn. Clothed only in blood and steel
Kodachi's bare skin gleamed in the faint light. Shan Pu
shivered as the breeze brought her Kodachi's essence; a
wild mix of musk , sweat and death. She chuckled suddenly.

"Something amuses you?"

Shan Pu chuckled again. "Shan Pu think of old Amazon
saying. Man to get children, woman for pleasure, vegetable for
necessity." Shan Pu looked at Kodachi from under lowered
lashes. "Too bad you no Amazon. Shan Pu enjoy take
you . . .tame for bed. Too bad have to kill."

There was a long silence as the two battered, exhausted
warriors watched the dawn creep in from the sea. Shan Pu
was startled by a low laugh from Kodachi.

"What funny?"

Kodachi waved toward the Tendou dojou. A curtain
fluttered in the early morning breeze. Through the window
Shan Pu could see two figures curled together on a bed.

"An amusing thought. In all the world there is only
one person I can trust at my back . . .and I'm going to kill
her."