Akane stretched, groaning with pleasure, then relaxed. It was strange to have the house this quiet. Strange, but nice. She was going to take advantage of Ranma, Uncle Genma and her father being gone with 'grandfather' Happossai on a training trip. Boy, would _they_ be surprised when they got back.

    Smiling contentedly she headed into the kitchen. The real trick was to remain calm. She pulled a bag of flour from under the counter. Follow the directions. She looked at the spice rack with a slightly manic expression. Taking a deep breath she slowed her racing pulse and took only three bottles from the rack. She reached over with her left hand and pried her right hand, a finger at the time, from it's death grip on the spice holder.

Stay in control.

    Ignoring the sweet siren call of the spices she methodically pulled ingredients from the cupboards and lined them neatly across the counter. Pulling a stack of three by five cards from her pocket she taped one to each of the items she pulled out. Unfolding a largish piece of paper she taped it to the wall and stepped back, looking at the color coded cook-by- numbers sheet she'd developed. All she had to do was follow step by step, 1 . . .2. . .3 . . . That was the secret. As long as she couldn't _see_ all those spices and fruit and . . .and stuff she couldn't go wrong.

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

    "Blue 76," Akane muttered as she worked. "Lift spoon, green 4," She found the properly marked implement. "Blue 77, Stick green 4 into mixing bowl green 1." She did so, and went back to reading the chart. "Blue 78, Start metronome, green 11." Reaching over she started the instrument ticking back and forth. "Blue 79, Make one complete circle of bowl, green 1, with spoon, green 4 with each tick of metronome, green 11." Amazed she watched her hand move smoothly around the bowl . . .A knock at the door interrupted her reverie. "Coming!" Checking her chart she made sure she was not stopping at a point marked by a _red_ star burst. Those indicated "Bad Things", like electric fires or grease fires or flooding or . . . "Bad Things". Relieved to find no red star bursts she briskly wiped flour off her hands and headed for the door. "May I help you?"

    "I'm looking for Tendou Yau. Is he in?"

    "Oh," Akane swallowed a lump. She hadn't heard that name in years. "He . . .my great- grandfather is . . .his memorial tablet is in the shrine."

     "Ahhhh." The man tugged at the brim of the hat that shadowed his face. "So Yau is dead."

    Akane couldn't suppress a gasp. It was barely excusable that he hadn't known to use her great grandfather's posthumous name before. This seemed deliberately disrespectful. "Is there something I may help you with?" She worked hard to control her temper.

    "You can let me see your father."

    "I'm sorry," She said, not sounding sorry at all. "He is not in right now. If you would like to leave your card?" She held out her hand. Something about this man made her glad her father wasn't around. And now that she thought about it he looked too young to be a friend of her great grandfathers. Unless he were one of the old students?

    "My card?" Something about the man's voice sent a shudder down her spine. "I believe I will leave something more than a card for my old . . .friend Tendou Soun. . ." That voice . . .where had she heard that voice? " . . .and his very pretty little Akane-ch-an."

     No! Oh no. She looked up in horror to see the man smiling at her.

     "Don't you remember me, Akane-ch-an?" He reached for her. Automatically she lashed out with a side kick that would have gelded a locomotive.    "Naughty little Akane-ch-an," Stopping her kick with one hand he reached out and touched her, just above the heart. A fireball exploded in her chest. "You must be punished."

    "You must be punished, Kingo-ch-an. Your technique is poor, your kicks weak, defense nonexistent. Your lack of ability reflects poorly on the school . . .on _me_." there was a soft emphasis on the last word. A silent shudder ran through the kneeling ranks of gi clad men. One in particular was affected.

    "No, please Oda-sama. I'll work harder. I promise----"

    "Will you, Kingo-ch-an? Will you work harder?" The man called Oda looked at the cringing Kingo in concern. "Let's just see how hard you can work." Effortlessly he pulled Kingo to his feet with one hand. No one noticed the small girl watching from the shadowed corner. "Guard yourself Kingo-ch-an." He said gently. Pale and shaking Kingo slid into a classic Praying Mantis stance. Slowly, almost leisurely, Oda punched at his chest. Kingo immediately slapped the attacking hand aside, moving back at the same time. "Never retreat Kingo-ch-an," said softly. "You can't win if you retreat." Smiling gently he moved back from Kingo. "Again, faster this time."

    "Hai, sensei." Kingo set himself. Again the very slow strike, again the redirection to block. Only this time Kingo moved forward, instead of back, his free hand moving in a simple hammer punch. Oda blocked and moved back into position. "Again. Faster. Fast as you can." Kingo was sweating, his entire being concentrated on his technique as he made a full power punch, fingers locked in a spear point. Still smiling Oda moved just slightly, allowing Kingo to overbalance from the force of his own punch.

"Sloppy stance," Oda rammed two fingers into Kingo's stomach. "try again." Retching Kingo assumed his stance.

    Adjusting his foot work he attacked again, with similar results. "Your concentration is weak," Oda slammed Kingo to the ground with a short punch to the sternum. "try again." Dizzy and sick Kingo dragged himself up. He went down again almost immediately. "Slow, stupid . . .worthless," Oda remarked conversationally. "I am ashamed to have you as a student." He drew back his fist, dangling the semi- conscious Kingo in the other hand. "This will be a mercy---"

     "Stop!" The entire class let out a collective sigh of relief as Tendou Soun entered the doujou. "He's not your student," Soun looked coldly at Oda. "He is mine."

    "But Sensei," Oda answered reasonably. "As your senior student---"

    "No more," Soun picked Kingo up from the floor where Oda had let him drop. Handing him off to another student he turned back to Oda. "I've let you stay because you showed potential. But no more."

    "What ever do you mean . . .Sen-sei?" "Get out. You are no longer a student of the Tendou school. Your name will be stricken from the rolls."

    "But Sen-sei, I'm your heir . . .your daughters fianc‚. Should you throw me out?" A hard look came into his eyes. "Do you really think you _can_ throw me out?" Oda seemed amused by the threat.

    "Shouldn't you do konjaku first?" Soun's face tightened in anger. He should have listened to Hideko's grandfather and dealt with Oda before this. Instead he'd waited . . .wanting to show the old man he could handle things. Show him and Hideko that he was a real Sensei. Not just Hideko's husband. "This isn't 1156 and you aren't yoki kataki." Soun replied dismissively. "I don't announce my name for unworthy foes."

    "Unworthy," Oda's smile turned cruel. "So, I'm awanu kataki." He slammed a punch into Soun's temple, following it with an axe kick that knocked him across the room. "Who's yoki now? Who's worthy?" Oda moved across the room like a predator. "What do you think of my Black Tiger technique . . .sen-sei.?"

     "Don't you hurt my daddy!" The tiny girl darted from the shadows, taking a defensive stance in front of her unconscious father.

     "Akane-ch-an. Pretty little Akane-ch-an. Are you going to protect your daddy?" He must have thought she was yoki kataki. The Dragon kick was full powered, delivered to the center of her chest. The force of the blow lifted her from the ground and slammed her into the wall. "And now," Oda turned back to Soun who was still unconscious on the ground. "I think it's time to close the Tendou school." He staggered slightly as he was hit from behind.

    "Y . . .you leave my da . . .daddy alone." Akane stumbled back over to her father. She wiped blood from her face, swaying like a drunken man.

    "Akane-ch-an, it's not polite to interrupt grownups." Oda said dreamily. "You really need to learn better manners." Akane planted herself shakily between Oda and her father, like a kitten defying a lion. With no more expression than if he'd been swatting a fly Oda's hand came back for the final blow. Involuntarily Akane's eyes closed.

    "Oda."

    Akane's eyes flew open. "ji-chan," she called weakly to her great grandfather. Something flashed in his eyes as he saw her bruised and bloody face. Something dark and dangerous. He appeared to ignore her and instead faced the rest of the class; all of whom has been shocked into immobility by Oda's actions. "I think," he started in a voice raspy from decades of cheap cigarettes. "that you all now understand how devastating a surprise attack can be. Awareness of your environment is the most important weapon a martial artist has. Quite often the first blow struck wins a battle." As he spoke he walked over and picked Akane up in his arms. Gently wiping her face with a handkerchief he examined her for more serious injuries.

    "daddy . . .daddy's hurt."

     "Your daddy is alright sweetheart." he looked down as Soun groaned. "He's got a hard head." The double meaning was lost on the little girl. Oda smiled slightly at the old master with his hands full of little girl. This was going to be easy.

     "Your day is past old man." He launched a spear point strike that should have broken the old man's neck. The blow missed and the old man seemed oblivious as he tended to his great granddaughter. "I think you should leave now."

    Enraged, Oda attacked with a bewildering array of strikes and kicks, any one of which would have been lethal . . .if they had landed. "Don't make things harder on yourself."

    "Are you going to try to stop me old man?"

    "I'm not the one you need to worry about." Oda spun around, coming face to face with a young woman in a yellow house dress carrying a broom. Evidently she'd been cleaning the walk way.

    "O-ijiji," she ignored Oda. "I heard a commotion. How is she?"

     "Akane-chan is just fine Hideko-chan," he assured his grand-daughter gently ruffling the little girls hair."

     "Soun?"

     "Has a hard head," he knelt beside the fallen man, running a free hand over Soun's head and back. "he'll be sore for a few days though." Akane's mother faced Oda.

    "I would like you to leave my house, please."

    Oda snorted derisively. He'd had enough of her looking down her nose at him. As if he were dirt.

    "I don't think you quite understand. I am your husbands designated heir. And now that he is unable to fulfill his duties . . ." He smiled suggestively. "Of course, if you're nice to me, there's no reason why some arrangement can't be made for you. If you're _very_ nice."

     Oda could see her lips purse, as if she tasted something nasty. He _didn't_ see her move, but he did feel the end of her broom as it cracked against his skull.

    "Why you little----" Crack-----crackcrackcrackcrackcrack The broom blurred almost into invisibility as it spun, hitting him with impunity on the head, arms, shins. "Bitch! I'll kill you. I'll----" Oda staggered back as the tip of the broom slammed into the center of his forehead. Wielding the broom like Tomoe- gozen's golden naginata she drove Oda like a leaf before a typhoon. Twice he tried to counterattack, but could find no opening in Hideko's defense. He tried to disengage . . .get room to maneuver, to think. Contemptuously she wiped the bristle end across his face.

    Blinded and bewildered by the rapid strikes Oda stumbled and would have fallen, if a strong hand hadn't grabbed him by the collar. "I think you better run boy."

    Oda cleared his eyes to see the old man looking at him. He'd expected anger, rage. There wasn't even contempt. As if he were of no consequence. A stinging blow to his rear knocked him from the old mans grip. Another blow, another and another drove him from the doujou and out the main gate. One final blow knocked him tumbling into the street as Hideko swatted him like a pesky child; to the jeers and laughter of passers by.

    "You bitch." Oda picked himself up off the street. "I'll never forgive this. Do you hear me old man? I'll get you. I'll get all of you."

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

    "I was so sorry when I heard your great grandfather died." Akane struggled to focus on the face looming above her.

    "You . . .knew? Then . . .why . . .ask?" She could hardly breath. It felt as if her chest had been caved in. He'd barely touched her and she felt like she was dying.

     "Of course I knew. The bastard died before I could kill him."

    Akane shuddered at the smile on the face in front of her. "And your dear mother," Akane gasped in pain as a hand tightened suddenly on her shoulder. "did she suffer before she died? Did she cry and beg as the cancer ate her guts?" Oda jerked back, then wiped the spittle from his face. "Naughty." Casually he backhanded her. Once, twice, three times . . .until the world went grey around her. "I didn't get to kill them. But you're here. And you'll tell me where your father is," He pressed his thumb under her right eye. "you'll tell me . . ."

    "Excuse me, could you tell me where . . ." Ryouga shifted his pack as yet another pedestrian scooted past without stopping. Boy, people certainly were unfriendly in Kagoshima. He just wanted directions to the train station. It was expensive but it would be worth it to get back to Akane quickly. The lost boys eyes crossed as he imagined her delight at seeing him. She would come running, skirt twirling around her legs, brilliant eyes flashing. She would jump into his arms and tell him-----

    "Go . . .to . . .hell." Yes. She'd tell him to go to hell . . . Ryouga's single neuron still feebly attached to reality hit the pause button on his favorite fantasy. Hitting replay he heard again the fatal words . . . "Go . . .to . . .hell." Oh, his poor heart of glass would surely break if ever she said those words. Three words that would forever send him to the depths---- "Don't care what you do," Akane's voice panted heavily. "I'll . . .never . . .tell----" She broke off with a sharp agonized cry.

    "Akane?" Ryouga jerked out of his own little world. Looking around wildly he tried to find the source of the voice he'd heard.

    "Ahhh . . .but you will tell me, little Akane-ch-an." Akane was in trouble! Having successfully deduced the obvious Ryouga's eyes darted frantically around, trying to find her.

    "Ne . . .ver," Akane's voice was full of pain. "Never tell . . .nev . . .er." There! Her voice was coming from over---- ropping his pack Ryouga vaulted over a high wall, umbrella in hand, to find himself in the back of the Tendou compound. At the other end was Akane . . .and a strange man with his hand around her throat.

    "I'LL KILL YOU!!!" Not a very innovative battle cry . . . but what it lacked in originality was offset by sincerity and volume. Akane sucked in a deep shuddering breath as Oda released her, thinking she'd never heard anything as wonderful as Ryouga's voice. She sternly suppressed the twinge of disappointment that it wasn't another voice she heard. Mad with rage Ryouga charged the stranger, umbrella in a direct line strike that would have gutted a rock crusher. The stranger shifted fractionally to let the strike miss. His left hand reached out and slapped Ryouga lightly as he went by.

    "Shit!" Ryouga spun away, slamming into the wall. He felt like he'd been hit by a truck and his right arm dangled uselessly.

    "Hmmmm," Oda casually approached the dazed lost boy, dragging Akane by her hair. "You have some skill. That blow should have killed you." He inspected the back of his hand. "And I do believe I broke a fingernail." Tilting his head to one side he looked consideringly at Ryouga. "It seems you care for little Akane-ch-an. I was going to hurt her a lot before I killed her." Casually he back-handed Akane without taking his eyes from Ryouga. Smiling at the hatred flaring in Ryouga's eyes he continued. "If you give me a good fight . . .I'll just kill her." Wordlessly Ryouga launched himself at the smiling maniac. He was hurt, but he was getting some feeling back into his arm. If he could just get his hands----

    Effortlessly Oda shifted aside from Ryouga's bull rush, slamming a short savage punch into him as he went by. Fast! Ryouga gasped as his back exploded in fire. Fast as Ranma . . .maybe faster. Stumbling forward, as if crippled by the blow, Ryouga crashed into the wall----twisting like a cat he kicked off from the stones, and slammed into Oda like the wrath of God. "You hit pretty good," Ryouga snarled, twisting his fist into Oda's shirt front. "Let's see how you like it." Starting somewhere below his waist Ryouga's right hand accelerated like the Tokyo bullet train for a point in the center of Oda's belly and six inches past his spine. Oda grunted slightly. To Ryouga it felt as if he'd slammed his fist into a stone Buddha.

    "Sweet boy," Oda purred. "I thought you wanted to fight. If you'd rather play . . ." He brushed a finger across Ryouga's cheek.

    "Bastard!" Enraged Ryouga slammed another wicked punch into Oda's belly. He was rewarded with a gentle smile.

     "My turn, sweetling." A planet crashed into Ryouga's chest, splintering ribs and lacerating tissue with fragments of bone. Semi-conscious he watched Oda stride toward him. Through a gathering darkness he could see that Oda had dropped Akane to the ground. "you . . .lose." Ryouga whispered. Oda had a moment to be puzzled at Ryouga's blood stained smile. "BAKUSAI----" Ryouga felt something break deep inside him. "TEN----" His strength was pouring out like water from a broken pitcher. "----KETSU!!!" Stabbing back with both hands Ryouga blasted the courtyard wall into a hurricane of stone daggers. The last of his strength gone he collapsed into the rubble.

    "Damn!" What the hell was _that_ Oda wondered? If he'd been a little slower it might have gotten him. Dusting off his jacket he frowned at the bleeding lost boy. He could hear sirens in the distance . . .someone had called the police. "I'll finish with the Tendou's when your father returns." He flicked a business card contemptuously at Akane's prone form. "Give him this. Someone will be watching. I'll know when he gets back." Settling his hat at a jaunty angle Oda stepped over Ryouga's body and sauntered off down the street.

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

    "Akane!" Shan P'u looked up and down the dark and deserted street. "What do here? Something wrong?" A grim look came over her face. "You need help? Shan P'u hear what happen. You no worry, Shan P'u help----"

    "Can I come in?"

     "Ayyyy. Sorry. Sorry." She reached out and dragged Akane into the Nekohanten. "Not expect visitor this late. No worry," She added hastily at Akane's stricken look. "Shan P'u need get up answer door anyway." She grinned at Akane. "Is joke! Shan P'u read article, say all man like womans with joke."

     "Ummmm . . ." Akane swayed on her feet. "Can I . . .I need to see your great grandmother."

     "What may I do for you Akane-chan?" Akane spun sharply at the unexpected voice. "Sit down child, before you fall down. Shan P'u . . .make some tea please."

     "I make now." Shan P'u disappeared into the kitchen.

    "I have a favor to ask."

    K'e Lwun motioned for Akane to continue. "I have to go away for a while. To train . . ."

     "I know about your visitor the other day." She chuckled as Akane's astonished look. "Blowing up the wall was just a little conspicuous. I expect that most of Nerima knows something happened at the Tendou doujou." Placing a hand over Akane's she continued. "Don't do anything foolish child. I've investigated this Oda person."

     "What did you find out?"

    "Nothing good. He is involved in many criminal activities. This is not like any of Ranma's previous challenges. This man is a killer. A master of the Black Tiger. He is very, very good. And he enjoys inflicting pain."

    "Heh," Akane surprised herself by chuckling. "It's not one of Ranma's challenges. It's mine," she almost laughed again at the look on K'e Lwun's face. It wasn't often you could surprise the Amazon elder. "He was one of my great grandfather's students. He . . .had some trouble and was thrown out of the doujou. He swore katakjuchi on the whole family."

    "This vendetta is none of your doing," K'e Lwun said reasonably. "You could only have been a child at the time. Son-in-law has a fondness for you. Wait until he and your father return. And vile as Happosai can be he would never let you come to any real harm."

     "Unless he was distracted by a pretty girl. I'm sure he would be very sorry after Oda killed us all . . ." She shrugged her shoulders. "And I don't know if I can explain,"Akane began slowly. "but . . .if I don't fight him, then he wins."

    "Would that be so bad? Is winning worth dying?"

     "He thinks our school is no good. That his technique is better."

    "He will kill you," K'e Lwun replied simply.

     "I would find him a difficult opponent." She thought for a moment. "However, life is uncertain. It is always possible that his wickedness will catch up with him." She smiled slightly. "Quite often such evil people are consumed by their own bad karma."

    "No. Thank you, but no." Akane smiled gratefully. "I appreciate the offer----"

    "I was merely making a prediction, based on many years of experience."

     "----but if I don't fight him, then my name is worthless. Even if I didn't care about my own honor I can't let him . . ." she paused, searching for the right words. "I can't let him destroy everything my great grandfather did, every thing mother taught me."

    "Then let me help you. The Amazon nation has learned a few things in three thousand years."  Akane pushed a fat envelope toward K'e Lwun.

    "Here tea." Shan P'u placed a tray on the table.

     "You should sit down Shan P'u. This concerns you too." Akane tapped the envelope.

     "Ayyy. You want help squish bad man?" She raised a cup to her lips.

    "No, I want you to marry Ranma . . ." Tea sprayed across the room. " . . .if I don't come back."

         "Akane no do that!" Shan P'u wiped her face with a napkin. "What mean . . .marry Ranma? Ranma already Shan P'u husband."

    "What do you have in mind?" K'e Lwun asked quietly, ignoring Shan P'u for the moment.

    "I'm going to train at . . .a special place great grandfather talked about. I should be gone a little over five weeks."

    "Are you sure you are . . .rested . . . enough for serious training?" K'e Lwun asked delicately, noting Akane's bruised and swollen face.

    "This?" Akane touched her split lip. "It looks worse than it is."

     K'e Lwun raised a politely skeptical eyebrow. "Really. Oda was just playing with me." She closed her eyes briefly in shame at the memory of her helplessness. "He wanted to humiliate me . . . humiliate the Tendou ryuu. And he couldn't do that if he killed me too quick. So I hurt a lot, but nothing's broken." She favored K'e Lwun with a little smile, wincing as she open freshly scabbed wounds.

    "Won't your family miss you?" K'e Lwun persisted.

     "And what about Oda?" "I told Kasumi that I was going on a school trip . . .five weeks on a fishing boat." Akane grinned a little. "It's _very_ educational. And grandfather Happosai took daddy and the others for special training."

     K'e Lwun raised an eyebrow. "There's an international women's dance troupe touring Japan for the next few weeks. I doubt they will be through _training_ until the dancers leave for Australia."

    "Ahhhh. And this?" K'e Lwun patted the envelope. "It's copies of all the papers concerning the Tendou school. The registry of the founders, techniques, things like that. And a letter explaining what I'm doing and why. If I don't . . ." Akane's shoulders slumped. "The training is dangerous. I can't protect the doujou as I am now. I can't ask Ranma to protect the doujou."

    "Ranma glad fight Akane sake." Shan P'u put in. "He fight all time." She frowned a little at the thought.                "I can't . . .not after Ryouga . . ." Akane banged her fist on the table top in frustration. "If I can't defend the doujou then maybe the Tendou name should die. I'm _not_ going to ask Ranma to do something I'm not willing to do." She held up a hand, forestalling Shan P'u. "And I won't ask anyone else. Not this time."

    "What do you want us to do?"

    Akane looked gratefully at K'e Lwun. "Look after Kasumi and Nabiki while I'm gone. If I don't come back . . ." She grinned at Shan P'u. "Drag Ranma back to China. Take daddy and my sisters with you. They'll be safe there."

     "What happen promise Ranma marry Akane?" Shan P'u asked in a subdued voice.

    "If daddy tries to fight Oda he'll die. And there won't be anyone to protect Kasumi and Nabiki." "Ranma's too nice." Akane continued looking at K'e Lwun. "Oda would kill him before he realized how serious it was. I think a few years with the proper teacher would prepare him. And then you can come back to Japan."

    "To what end?"

    "Reclaim the doujou. And one of Shan P'u's children or grand children," Akane smiled at the flush she saw moving up Shan P'u's face. "can marry one of Kasumi's or Nabiki's. Fulfilling the promise to unite the families."

     "Very well." K'e Lwun wrote a date on the back of the envelope. "If you are not back by the twenty eighth," She looked at Akane who nodded. "by the twenty eighth I will go to your family and tell them your wishes. In the meantime, I will let no harm come to your sisters."

     Akane rose and bowed. "Thank you."

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