-1Disclaimer: Ranma ½ isn’t mine, please don’t sue.

Author note: Chapter 16, Ranma vs. Mousse, and other wacky stuff.

First I Giveth

Chapter 16 Roasting Chestnuts with You

By Marik Kurakashi

Ranma had trained well into the night to find a way to defeat Mousse. The Chinese boy had the reach on her, so she had to find a way to get inside that reach. Working on her speed and even some grappling techniques with her father, Ranma was confident of victory the next day.

School had always been something of a weak point for Ranma, but considering she was so amped up for the fight, she actually stayed awake. Ignoring the shrieks of her classmates, as though her participating in class was a portent of doom, she enjoyed the day much to her own shock. Lunch had been fun, eating with both sisters as they discussed the coming battle.

But still, Ranma couldn’t believe Nabiki would use herself in a bet like this.

Sure, she said it was to help Ranma, but was that really all? How was she supposed to know that Nabiki was on the up and up here? After all, if she were to believe all the nasty rumors, Nabiki’s ability to shirk out of bets was the stuff of legends.

It didn’t matter, as all Ranma had to do was win and there’d be no reason for Nabiki to back out of the deal somehow. The time was nearing, the battle would be intense, and she hoped that she could take it. She had no real idea what Mousse may bring to the fight, but it didn’t matter.

He’d lose all the same.

“Good luck Ranma.” Akane said, as Ranma headed off to battle Mousse. They had arrived early so Ranma could warm up before the battle.

“Hey, don’t worry, I’m the best remember?” Ranma said confidently, smiling brightly.

“Sure, sure. All the same, you’ll need it.” the youngest Tendo said, before looking around for her sister. “Have you seen Nabiki?”

“She said she’d be there to watch the battle,” Ranma replied, thinking briefly. “I think Shampoo may have come by.”

“Oh.” Akane said, not understanding the oddball relationship between her sister and the former Amazon. “Well, Mousse should be here soon.”

“Yeah, I hope she gets to watch it.” Ranma said, before waving off Akane’s look of discomfort. “She’s being wagered on this battle isn’t she?”

“That’s right, she is.” Akane said, breathing a mental sigh of relief. ‘So he’s just concerned about her knowing her fate. That’s all.’

“Saotome Ranma!” Mousse called as he arrived at the appointed battlefield. “I have come to defeat you and free Shampoo!”

‘The ex-groom is in so much trouble in this fight. She must know that the reach belongs to Mousse.’ Cologne thought as she and Har manned a noodle cart.

“That idiot,” Har muttered through her bandages. “He better be careful or that girl will surprise him.”

“Oh?” the elder said, surprised by Har’s assertion. “What makes you think that?”

“That girl was supposed to be training all of last night right?” the mummy girl said, handing off a thing of noodles absently. “Well, as far as I can see, she’s thrumming with anticipation for this bout. Mousse spent all of yesterday crowing about his easy win.”

RING RING!

Both Har and Cologne looked up to see a bike streaking towards the ground, which lightly jarred down in front of them. Nabiki released her death grip and hopped off the bars, while Shampoo dismounted from the bike. Both girls surveyed the battlegrounds, and were pleased to see the fight hadn’t started.

“Good job, Aibo.” Nabiki said, smiling at the other girl. “We’re here just in time.”

“Aw, it nothing Anego.” Shampoo said with a blush at the praise.

“N-Nabiki?” Akane called, spotting her sister and coming towards her. She stopped and took a closer look at the older girl. “W-What the hell are you wearing?!”

“This?” Nabiki asked absently, pointing to the Chinese dress she had on, which was only a bit longer than Shampoo’s normal one. “Just something I borrowed from Shampoo, it’s probably what the old ghoul would have me wear during my unspecified time under her.”

“You mean.. you don’t think Ranma will win?” the younger sister asked incredulously.

“I know Ranma will win, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.” the elder sister said, a dismissive tone in her voice. “Besides, I think I look pretty good in it.”

“I’ll say.” chorused several nearby boys.

“See?” Nabiki teased, before holding up a hand. “There’s a fight to watch.”

Back in the impromptu ring, Mousse was finishing his stretching. The combatants stared each other down, waiting for a sign to begin. Cologne, deciding it was time to begin, picked up an empty pot and banged on it.

The fighters shot toward each other, Ranma weaving around Mousse’s opening right cross and coming in with a right aimed for her opponent’s gut. Mousse, showing his own limberness, spun away from the punch and threw a right kick aimed at the back of Ranma’s head. That turned out to be a tactical error, as the girl ducked the kick and springing up to capture the leg.

With minimal effort, she flung Mousse across the ring. However, the boy rolled him into a ball and landed on his feet, back to Ranma. The redhead closed the gap in a hurry, but was thwarted by a backfist that made her stop her charge. Mousse flowed into a front kick seamlessly, forcing Ranma to leap back out of range.

A cheer went up as the crowd appreciatively clapped for the nice exchange.

Circling one another now, Mousse and Ranma feinted at each other for a few seconds. Tiring of the fruitless chase, Ranma leaped in with a right side kick, which Mousse swayed away from. Before he could press an advantage however, he had to hop back as Ranma spun the side kick effortlessly into a left back spin kick.

Landing in a crouch, right hand stabilizing her, Ranma’s head shot up as she looked at the Chinese boy who was backing away more. Shifting to a sprinter’s stance, she shot towards her foe with great speed, getting inside his reach before his counter could form. Hopping up, she used her left knee to push his right arm aside as she threw right hook at his face. He leaned away from the punch, which only opened him up further.

With a spin, Ranma flowed the blocked arm and caught it in a Jujigatame, using Mousse‘s unset feet to take him down to the ground.

Mousse’s face contorted with slight pain as the redhead hyper-extended his arm in the judo armlock. As the crowd gasped, the boy’s mind flew as he thought of a counter to his predicament. One quickly came to him, as he rolled his body around to lean on his legs and press Ranma’s head into the ground.

A burst of strength allowed him to lift his lighter foe from the ground, hand dangerously close to her throat. Wary of what he might try, she let go of the hold as his arm reached the apex of its lift, flipping forward and landing behind Mousse. Surprised that his arm was suddenly free, Mousse leapt away from the redhead, giving him time to shake the feeling back into the arm.

“Not bad, Saotome.” Mousse grudgingly congratulated. “Another thirty seconds like that and you would have broken my arm.”

“Hey, it’s not Indiscriminate Grappling for nothing.” Ranma said back, loosening herself up more. “Besides, that was a good way to make me let go, as you were going to jam me into your knee.”

“It appears, so far, we’re at a stalemate.” he replied, once the feeling was back in his right arm, he took a ready stance.

“Naw,” she said with a confident smirk. “I just haven’t had a chance to make my superiority known to you yet.”

“Pride goes before a fall you fool.” Mousse said, a sneer on his face.

“And you must have none, what with you challenging me while I’m locked as a girl and all.” Ranma shot back, still smirking.

“You dare mock me!” the boy roared, charging forward.

“I don’t see you stopping me!” the girl retorted, charging as well, but lower to the ground.

Mousse unleashed a fury of swings, each missing their mark by mere centimeters. Ranma was focused on dodging alone, wanting to tire her foe out instead of simply pummeling him into submission. For a solid minute, she evaded the blows, weaving away at seemingly the last possible second.

“Very shrewd, ex-groom.” Cologne complimented, watching the exchange with a passive look.

“The fool’s lost his cool.” Har added, shaking her head in disgust.

“So, you think you can dodge all of my attacks?” Mousse asked, tiring slightly, before stopping his attack and sticking both arms out to the side. “Then try this! BLOW OF THE WHITE SWAN!” He brought his hands forward in a blur.

“What the?” Ranma asked before she was clobbered on top of the head by something.

“Ha, not so confident now that I bring my real skills to bear are you?” the Chinese boy taunted, sticking his hands up in his sleeves.

“Real skills? Yeah right!” the redhead snorted, recovering from the blow with ease. “That won’t work twice.”

“Confident to the end eh Saotome?” he asked, smirking as he slowly took the stance of his earlier attack. “Then taste it again, BLOW OF THE WHITE SWAN!” Again his hand shot forward in a blur.

“I said,” she growled, thrusting a kick in between his hands. “That won’t work twice!”

“Guh…” he replied, a swan shaped object pressed against his face.

“…He was using that?” she asked, face screwed in confusion.

“It’s a training potty!” one of the crowd yelled, drawing a series of boos from the onlookers.

“Grr…” Mouse said, throwing the potty into the distance. “I will defeat you, no matter how I have to do it!”

“Hah, just keep trying you idiot.” Ranma replied, taking a loose stance. Without warning, she blasted forward and inside his guard in a flash.

“What?!” Mousse said, staggering a bit from the blow he’d suffered.

“You’re too slow!” Ranma called, slamming her elbow directly into the abdomen of her foe.

“Glah!” he cried, staggering back a few steps, clutching at his stomach. “H-How?”

“Not hard, moron.” she answered, reclaiming that same loose stance. “You had the reach on me, so I worked on my speed to get inside it. It’s apparent to me that you took this fight lightly as you haven’t prepared at all.”

“Grr..” Mousse said, getting back to his feet and taking off his robes. “An unfortunate mistake, one which I’ll correct now. Lay on, Saotome, and may death claim the first to beg for mercy.” He took a loose stance of his own.

The two fighters charged each other, once again exchanging high-speed blows. The two warriors flowed from blow to blow, though each blow missed by the merest of centimeters. The crowd clapped and cheered for every daring attack and amazing dodge, enthralled by the skill shown.

“So, the real fight is starting.” Nabiki said, watching the exchange intently.

“Real fight, sis? They’ve been going hard at each other since the beginning.” Akane said, not taking her eyes away from the action.

“No, Anego right. Mousse overconfident before, Ranma almost broke arm then ribs to get him to fight for real.” Shampoo said, explaining things while not paying attention to who she was talking to.

“Oh.” Akane said, staring intently at the fight. ‘Ranma, please don’t lose.’

Ranma and Mousse exchanged several kicks, Mousse spinning away from Ranma’s, and Ranma spinning in towards Mousse to get in position for her next kick. Throwing a feint, Ranma charged in and nailed him in the chest with a flying kick. Absorbing the blow, Mousse fell back with the kick, twirling around and kicking Ranma upside the head.

She tumbled away, shaking her head to get her bearings back. Recovering, she landed again in a crouch, right hand steadying her. She sprinted low and kicked at the charging Mousse's legs, which he leaped over and rolled up to a knee.

Quickly rolling back to her feet, she charged at Mousse and sprang off his knee to knee him in the face. He fell back from the blow, laying down for a brief second. Recovering from her attack, Ranma rushed her down foe and kicked at his head, which he rolled to avoid, rolling again when she tried to stomp his head.

He rolled back on his shoulders and kicked Ranma between the shoulder blades, sending her stumbling, before he sprung to his feet.

As the crowd roared with approval, both fighters stalked each other. Ranma ducked under a wild right haymaker from Mousse, then hopped over a left back sweep. Mousse regained his knees, but was kicked hard in the chest, sending him down to his ass.

Ranma rushed in again and barely missed a roundhouse left that the seated boy fell back from to avoid. Mousse sprang to his feet, wary even more of his foe as that kick would have nearly taken his face off. Stamping his right foot, Mousse then charged Ranma and missed with a right kick, but curiously, Ranma’s face started to bleed.

“What was that?” Ranma said, rubbing the shallow cut on her right cheek.

“Am I supposed to answer that?” Mousse retorted, taking another stance.

“Ranma! Mousse master of Hidden Weapons style!” Shampoo called, drawing the combatants' look.

“So that means…” Ranma said, looking before barely seeing the glint of metal. “A knife in your shoe? How low can you be?”

“Heh, you idiot. I’m a master of Hidden Weapons, which means my body IS a weapon.” Mousse said before springing into the air. “And now I finish this! Hawk’s talon!”

“Claws from his shoes!” Nabiki called, pointing up at the airborne boy.

“Ranma, be careful.” Akane shouted, as the crowd murmured in anticipation.

“Hah, that dumbass,” Ranma muttered, crouching down as far as she could. “The Saotome school was built for mid-air combat!” She too sprang into air, shooting past the descending boy.

“What the?” Mousse asked in shock as he looked up at the redhead.

“Look alive moron!” she screamed, focusing a burst of wind ki to carry her down to slam both feet into his face.

“Oomph!” he shouted, his words muffled by the feet resting against his mouth.

“And now to finish this!” Ranma shouted, standing up and forcing Mousse vertical. The talons came up but she grabbed his legs and flipped him over into a piledriver, crossing her legs around his neck and her arms around his torso.

“Guh… this can’t be happening!” Mousse choked out, struggling to break free, but finding the redhead’s grip unyielding.

“FALCON DRIVER!” she screamed out as they shot towards the ground.

They impacted the ground, kicking up a small amount of dirt. Mousse’s glasses flew off, his eyes rolling back in his head as he fell unconscious. Once he went limp, Ranma released her hold on him and stood up.

“I win.” she said, huffing slightly.

“Oh dear, you seem to have done quite a number on him” Cologne commented after hopping over to check it out. “The winner of this bout is Saotome Ranma!” She pointed at the redhead with her staff.

Ranma collapsed to a seated position as the crowd applauded and cheered raucously. Nabiki and Akane both came running over to him, Shampoo following at a more sedate pace. Both girls slowed to a stop by Ranma and studied her for a long second.

“Congratulations Ranma.” Nabiki said, kneeling by the redhead. “I knew I could count on you.”

“That was incredible, that piledriver you did.” Akane said, before looking over at Mousse. “Is he even alive?”

“Unfortunately,” Har grumbled as she checked on him. She then scooped him up into a firewoman’s carry. “I’ll take him back to the Nekohaten now, Elder.”

“Good, good.” the Elder replied, happy to have Har out of her hair for now. “Now, I believe a bet is a bet.”

“That’s right old ghoul,” Ranma said, being helped up to a standing position by Nabiki. “Now what is this technique?”

“This.” the old woman said, producing some sticks, and a bag of chestnuts.

“Oh, this is Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!” Shampoo said, a smile on her face.

“Oh, I see…” Ranma said, before blinking and pointing at Shampoo. “Okay, she said that a little fast. What was the name of this again?”

“Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken.” Cologne said, enunciating each syllable. “Or, in a simpler tongue, Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.”

“What kind of a name is that?” Akane asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

“You’ll see.” Cologne said, starting a fire, then dumping the chestnuts into said fire. She held up hands, selves rolled up, before her hands blurred.

“Wow!” Nabiki said, clapping her hands as Cologne revealed that she had grabbed all the chestnuts without being burned. “Nice job old gal.”

“Thank you, dearie.” Cologne said, bowing slightly.

“That is such an awesome technique.” Ranma enthused, right hand clenched in excitement.

“Now remember ex-groom, some chestnuts, a little fire, and to move fast enough to grab the nuts before getting burned.” Cologne lectured, before turning away. “Come along Shampoo, back to the restaurant. Oh and Ms. Tendo? Keep the dress, it looks rather nice on you.” With that, the old woman leapt away.

- - -

“How long has Ranma been at that technique?” Kasumi asked, pouring some tea for her sisters.

“About a week now,” Nabiki said, sipping the tea passively.

“He isn’t getting any closer,” Akane added bitterly, sipping her own tea. “Think it’s the cat’s tongue causing problems for him?”

“Maybe, but the idea is hand speed after all.” the middle Tendo pointed out, taking another sip. “I’m just glad he hasn’t set the yard on fire.”

“Damnit!” came the now routine cry of frustration, followed by the string of curses as Ranma ran to cool her hands off in the pond.

“Hmmmm,” Soun said as he entered the family room. “Ranma still not any closer is he?”

“Nope.” Nabiki answered, Akane just shaking her head.

“I guess that maybe a respite is in order.” the Tendo patriarch said, rubbing his chin. “Tonight is the fair.”

“Hey,” Nabiki said, looking at her sisters. “that might work. Take Ranma’s mind off things, and ease his frustrations.”

“Plus we get to have a bunch of fun too.” Akane added, rubbing her hands together.

“Stupid technique,” Ranma grumbled as she stormed into the family room to take a break from training.

“Say my boy,” Soun said, “how about you take a break and go to the fair with us?”

“What? No! I got training to do.” the redhead protested, trying to hide her burnt hands.

“Ranma-kun,” Nabiki said with an overly sweet voice, before she dropped it and glared at her. “you’re nowhere closer to the Amaguriken then you were when the old ghoul showed you.”

“But… but…” Ranma sputtered, fumbling for a reason to stay behind.

“Oh dear,” Kasumi put in, “if we’re going to the fair, then we may not be coming home until very late. And there aren’t any leftovers after lunch today.”

A nigh audible crack was heard as Ranma learned that she’d be home alone with no food ready to eat.

“I’ll go! I’ll go!” she cried, flapping her arms in dismay.

“Good, let’s get ready everyone!” Soun called, sending everyone scrambling.

- - -

“Phoo.” Ranma said as she walked alongside Nabiki and Akane in a floral patterned kimono. “I shouldn’t have agreed to this.”

“Relax,” Nabiki said, looking over at the redhead. “It’s just for tonight, ok?”

“Well, okay Nabiki.” the girl said, apparently mollified by that.

‘What does she got on him that makes him do what she says?’ Akane thought, staring at the back of her sister’s head. ‘Why does he take what she says and always fight with me?’

“Hey, Ranma, yakitori!” Nabiki called, feeling a bit hungry as she tugged the redhead along, leaving the introspective Akane behind.

‘Damnit, just what is it that she does right that I do wrong?’ Akane demanded silently, not noticing the disappearance of her companions. ‘And why can’t he understand she’s just using him? That she’ll dump him when she gets whatever it is she wants.’ Akane wandered the fair, lost in thought.

“I dunno why I’m here,” Ranma said, eating her skewer as she walked along with Nabiki. “I’m not going to have any fun.”

“Sure, whatever you say.” Nabiki answered, eating her own skewer while leading Ranma to the carnival games.

Once she laid eyes on the games, Ranma was sold on the experience. With girlish glee, Ranma streaked from game to game, squealing with delight. As Nabiki watched in bemusement, Kasumi walked up beside her and shook her head.

“Poor Ranma,” she said, looking at the girl zipping about. “Trying so hard to pretend he’s having a good time.”

“I don’t think he’s pretending,” Nabiki replied, smiling as Ranma seemed truly happy.

- - -

“Well, keeping with Ranma so Nabiki doesn’t do anything was a bust,” Akane complained to herself as she looked for something to do.

“Hey there, pretty girl. How would you like a new goldfish? A hundred yen will get you a shot at one of these babies.” a carnie yelled, gesturing to the tank in front of him, which was of course, filled with goldfish.

“Sure, why not?” she said, placing down a hundred yen and receiving a paper net.

“Now,” the carnie explained, “all you have to do is get the goldfish of your choice from the tank to a bowl and it’s yours. The net breaks, and you don’t get a goldfish.”

“Piece of cake.” Akane said, swiping the net trough the water. However, the net broke once it left the tank. “Another!” She slammed down another hundred yen.

This repeated it until Nabiki showed up to see what her sister was screaming about.

“You rigged this, didn’t you?” Akane shouted at the carnie, holding him up by his shirt.

“He’s a carnie, of course he did.” Nabiki said, drawing Akane’s attention.

“Hey, where’s Ranma?” Akane asked, dropping the carnie.

“With Kasumi, he’ll be along shortly.” Nabiki said, a smirk on her face.

‘What’s with the smirk?’ the younger sister thought with a trace of malice.

“Anyways, I guess I’ll give it a shot.” the older sister announced, placing down a hundred yen and taking a net. “See? It’s made out of paper, which will just get soggy and fall apart. You’d need to be real fast to get it from one to the other with this intact.”

“Are you going to critique it, or fish with it?” the carnie said, readjusting his outfit.

“Fish with it, but don’t worry, you’ll be out of business soon enough.” Nabiki said, swiping the net through, which predictably broke. “Oh well.”

“Hey Nabiki!” Ranma called, finishing off a candied apple. “What are you doing?”

“Oh nothing much.” Nabiki said, smirking at the carnie. “Just fishing for some goldfish. Too bad the game is rigged.”

“My game is not rigged!” the carnie said hotly, glowering at the girl.

“Then how about this: for a hundred yen, she,” Nabiki said, pointing at Ranma, “can fish for as many goldfish as she wants, and will only stop when either the net breaks or the goldfish run out.”

“What? No way!” the man cried.

“I don’t see why you’d waste your time with this turkey.” Ranma said dismissively as she came up beside Nabiki. “The nets will always fall apart, unless you can pull them in and out of the water fast enough… without getting them wet.”

“Bah, he’s just a chicken anyways.” Akane said, glowering at the carnie.

“He better watch out for the yakitori people, they may try to skewer him and cook him up!” Nabiki said, laughing uproariously at her own joke, joined by Ranma and Akane.

“Grr, okay, okay, fine!” the carnie said, holding out a net. “You’re on!”

“Here.” Nabiki said, setting down the fee and moving out of the way for Ranma.

“Speed is the key!” Ranma called, hoisting the net up high, before rapidly swooshing the net through the tank and sending the goldfish into different bowls. In less than a minute, the tank was empty and all the bowls were filled.

“Come and get your free goldfish!” Nabiki called, which was answered by a stampede of children.

“I… I don’t believe it.” the carnie said, as he watched Nabiki give away his goldfish. Once all the bowls were empty. “Don’t go anywhere kids, those fish haven’t left my possession yet.”

“Oh no?” Ranma asked, looking through the tank. “Don’t see any fish in there.”

“Nevermind that!” he shouted, setting aside that tank for one teeming with piranhas. “You empty this tank, the goldfish are yours.”

“That all?” Ranma asked, holding up the still intact net up.

“Nope, if they bite you, you lose, and the kids give back the fish.” the carnie said, a confident smirk on his face. “What do you say?”

‘Have to get them out without being bitten.’ Ranma thought, staring at the tank. ‘Sounds kinda familiar.’

“Hey, you can do this Ranma. Just think of it like the Amaguriken, but without the fire.” Nabiki whispered into the redhead’s ear.

“Oh! Oh yeah!” Ranma squealed, posing with the net. “Special training!”

- - -

An hour passed, and Ranma finally left the now defunct carnie behind. The piranha had been no match for the whirring hands of the Saotome heir. To the bowls, back to the tank, and to the bowls again, Ranma flicked them until she was confident she had it down.

The Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken mastered, Ranma and the Tendos marched on the Ramen Servers Union sponsored haunted house. The Union viewed this as a boon, as they apparently now had an actual ghoul in the union, perfect for this kind of thing. Shampoo stood outside as the greeter, who brightened as the group approached.

“Welcome to Haunted House!” she said, giggling a bit. “Shampoo welcome Ranma, Great-Grandmother is within, she has locket with pill.”

“Great! I’m going in!” the redhead proclaimed, diving into the haunted house with abandon. “Old ghoul!”

“So glad you could make it, ex-groom!” the old woman cackled from somewhere, “If you want the Phoenix Pill, you must find me!”

“Count on it!” Ranma yelled back, fighting through the various spooks set up through the house.

“Not so fast!” Har called as she hopped down to stand in Ranma’s path.

“Get out of my way!” Ranma said, flinging Har out of the way.

“Hey!” the mummy girl protested as she flew through the air and into a wall. “OW!”

“Old ghoul,” Ranma said with genuine menace, “It ends tonight!”

“You think that, but I’m sure you’re wrong.” Cologne called from somewhere, causing the redhead to look around rapidly. “How has your training in the Amaguriken gone?”

“Come on out and I’ll show you!” the redhead replied in frustration, continuing on into the last room of the building.

“Greetings, ex-groom.” Cologne said, standing in front of a boiling lake. “Are you ready?”

“I was ready yesterday!” Ranma snapped, rushing forward in a blur.

‘She’s much faster than before!’ the old woman though, barely avoiding a desperate grab. “So… you have mastered it after all.”

“If I had thought of the goal more than the procedure, I’d have mastered it in an hour.” the redhead said back, adapting a cocky stance.

“Would you now?” the old ghoul said, thrusting her staff out. “Talk is cheap.”

“Then shut up!” the girl snapped back, dodging the staff with ease. “And give the pill over now!”

“But there’s no fun in that.” Cologne quipped as she rolled away from another attempt to snatch the locket.

“How long, old bag? How long can you keep that up?” Ranma asked, pressing the old woman for all her worth.

“If you look behind me, I don’t have to.” Cologne answered, proving her point by springing back onto an inner tube floating on the boiling lake. “Now ex-groom, make it across this boiling lake and take this from me.”

“With pleasure!” Ranma called out, grabbing a loose piece of paneling and using it to start across the water.

‘Amazing,’ the old ghoul thought as the panel riding redhead started towards her. ‘She’s using the Amaguriken to propel herself forward without touching the water.’

“This is the end!” Ranma cried as she neared Cologne, making a fast swipe at the locket with was slapped away.

“Try again!” Cologne retorted, thrusting her staff repeated to ward off Ranma.

“You can stop me when I use one hand…” Ranma said, stopping her attack and curling both arms up to her sides. “…But how about two!” She used both hands at once, thrusting them forward at blinding speeds.

“Gah!” the old woman called as she felt the locket be pulled from her neck.

“I win!” the redhead crowed, opening the locket to reveal a candy drop. “Huh, looks like a candy drop.” She popped it into her mouth.

“That’s because it is.” the old woman rasped. “Your pill is in another locket I’m afraid.”

“You… you!” Ranma sputtered. “But Shampoo said you had the pill.”

“That’s because I told her I did.” Cologne replied with a shrug.

“Great.” the redhead said morosely. “Will I ever get it from you?”

“Who can say?” the old woman shrugged, before knocking Ranma back to shore without dropping her in the water.

“What was that for?” Ranma called, rubbing her forehead.

“A measure of respect for your swift change in tactics, my dear boy.” Cologne replied, drifting further on the lake. “Keep fighting like that and you’ll be a man again sometime soon.”

“Old ghoul…” Ranma said, as she watched the elder drift away. “Next time we meet, I’m taking that pill!”

There was no reply, as Cologne slumped against the inner tube and was content to let it caring her away. Though she wasn’t tired from the battle, she simply needed to rethink her stance on Ranma. The redhead was slowly gaining respect.

And there was no doubt in her mind, that the next battle would definitely be the last.

End Chapter 16

Yakitori: grilled chicken served on skewers

Jujigatame: Known more commonly as a cross arm breaker in pro wrestling.

Teaser for chapter 17:

Ah, the beach, a grand vacation spot and good for relaxing when you want to burn your skin into a sensitive red mess. Now, the Tendos and Saotomes didn’t come to the beach for rest and relaxation. Nope, they were there because the Amazons staying at the Nekohaten had relocated to the beach for the summer.

Everyone tried to relax, hoping that the Amazons would show themselves sooner or later. Nabiki in particular was happy that the Amazons snuck away to the beach, as it was a prime opportunity to work on her tan. As she enjoyed the sun, Ranma and Akane scoured the beach for any sign of the old ghoul or Shampoo.

So far, they were unsuccessful.

“Damn that old ghoul!” Ranma hissed from atop a poll. “Where could she be?”

“It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack.” Akane said from the base of the poll.

“Yeah, a really ugly needle.” Ranma quipped, before flipping down.

“So now what?” Akane asked, looking sideways at Ranma.

“I dunno, I was gonna go hang with Nabiki for a bit.” Ranma said offhandedly, missing the frown creeping across Akane’s face.

‘She really is shameless.’ Akane seethed internally. ‘When this whole fiasco is over, Nabiki is going to learn her place.’

Author note: So, that’s chapter 16 for you. As for why Tofu didn’t use the Tokyo Grandpa point to enable Ranma to change back? Well for one, Tofu broke it to Ranma that he was locked, and not mentioning a point that could temporarily reverse it was libel to get him beat pretty fierce. Now, I know what you’re thinking, in cannon, it was all but stated Mousse would beat Ranma locked in his girl form right? Well, in this case, Mousse was overconfident, as he knew he the reach on Ranma. There was no confusion on his part as to whether the redhead was Ranma or not. And, add to the fact Ranma worked on getting inside a larger opponent’s reach and was prepared to fight Mousse as she was, and there you have it. And yes, the title of the chapter really doesn’t reflect the contents of the chapter, but it was all I could think of. Later.