Chapter 6: Pathandaway.

“Nabiki you have to see this” Akane said, calling her sister up to the bows. Ahead of Ganess's pride was the bay of Peace and beyond that the City of Pathandaway. Framed by snow-topped mountains the city was a study in contrasts from the squalor of the drover's yards to the palaces of the potentates overlooking the bluff. The bay itself glistened in the sunlight, a clear azure blue broken only by the white spray of wavetops. Wher it met the city was built a busy seaport, bustling with activity crowned by gulls. Rising up from the bay was a spray of densely packed housing, each one giving off a gentle plume of white smoke from their chimney. Higher up, on the hill could be seen the array of interlinked white towers, glowing with their own luminescence, that proclaimed itself the Guild of Mages. Closer to the bay but on a bluff all of its own stood the grand Arena, a massive edifice of stone and brick, arched entrances reaching up to vast awnings. Nestled next to it was the large brick building that housed the various logistics to make such a spectacle run, from animal pits to condemned cells.

“There's a ship coming towards us” Ukyo noted, pointing out at a red-painted mastless boat raging through the wavetops towards them.

“Ship ahoy” Called the masthead, somewhat lack-lusterdly.

“Don't worry about that one” Ganess said, wandering up to the trio of girls, “that's just the pilot coming.”

“Pilot?” Ukyo asked, “I thought you said you could turn this thing in a public fountain?”

“Aye” Ganess replied, “But clairvoyant I ain't. See that dark patch there, an there?” he said pointing into the bay, and co-incidentally wrapping his other arm around the girl.”

“Uh-huh” Ukyo agreed.

“Thy're called sparlings. Nasty pointy metal thinks sunk into the harbour, designed to rip the belly out o' any fool stupid enough to try the harbour without a guide.”

“Nasty” Ukyo agreed.

“Meant to deter pirates,” Ganess explained, “but really they's just there to make the guilds an extra coin or six, not that they need it,” he finished bitterly.

“How's that?” Nabiki asked.

“Fisrt time in Pathandaway is is?” Ganess asked, “Then you'll see soon enough. Meantime get your friends on deck and your purses ready.” With that he strode off to do his final adjustments and prepare to heave to for the pilot.

Soon everyone, including a sleepy looking male Ranma, was assembled on deck with their gear watching the ship approach.

“How's it moving” asked Akane, “Shouldn't it have oars or something?”

“Look there,” offered the mate, pointing at the waterline below the ship's prow, “Selkies”

“What's a selkie?” Akane asked, trying to make out the dark shapes that appeared to be towing the vessel.

“They're sort of half men.” The man explained, “They change into these sea-lion things. Normally they's travel around the deep oceans, only landing to screw and raise kids.”

“So why do they...”

“Pull the pilot?” the man guessed, “not like they got much choice is it?” he finished walking off.

“Why don't they just transform and swim away?” Akane wondered.

“First there's that guy with the crossbow watching them” Nabiki answered pointing at a man harnessed into the chainsman's post. And secondly my guess is that most of them have family.”

“So they keep their families hostage” Akane stated, an edge in her voice.

“And they probably make sure to give a 'demonstration' every so often too.” Nabiki guessed.

“Demonstartion?” Akane queried.
“Something drawn out and painful...” Nabiki replied.

“I don't think I'm going to like these people very much, “Ukyo observed.

-

As the ship pulled alongside The Nerimans could make ou the chains that held the Selkies and the whip carried by the bowman.

“I've half a mind,” Ukyo groused.

“Whoa” Nabiki stilled her, “we aren't here to save the world. Just leave it. Besides what are you going to do? Dive in, sword ion ahnd and-”

“Do my porcupine impression,” Ukyo finished ruefully looking at the dozen bowmen at the ready on the deck of the vessel. “This sucks!” she groused.

Evene as the boat was still coming alongside an extremely slender man in a silvery tunic bounded across the gap, landing with all the grace of a hunting cat. Ganess immediately strode up to him and the two shook hads before moving Aft.

“Customs inspection?” Nabiki guessed.

“Seems like it” Ukyo agreed, “shouldn't take long”
“How so?” Nabiki asked, trying to verify her own theory.

“The two of them knew each other by name,” Ukyo replied, “any bribes will already be agreed on” she finished cynically.

“Which leaves us as the only sticking point.” Nabiki concluded. “Guys get it together and keep it cool” she said, trying hard not to look at certain people.

“Thank you Avair” the silver clad man said, shaking Captain Ganess by the wrist before moving over to the Nerimans. “Well met, I am Airvhan ip Melhrood,” the man pronounced, flicking back his long blond hair, and revealing his ever so pointy ears, “the delegate of the Guilds' council of fair Pathadaway” The words came out quickly, a rehearsed and rehashed speech that he had evidently used on an almost daily basis. “I will need your names, professions and the purposes of your visits” the man continued in an almost bored voice. “In this way we assess all visitors for entry tariff into our fair city. You may of course decline to state your particulars in which case you shall be assessed in the maximum tariff band.” He strode to the rail and turned on the small group.

“You needn't bother” the man said to Ukyo, observing the fresh scar on her face and the ease in which she carried her oversized blade, “you're a mercenary, right?”

“You got a problem with that?” Ukyo demanded, sliding a foot into a ready stance. The movement did not go unnoticed and suddenly the small group found themselves the focus of two dozen aiming bowmen.

“Stand down, “ Nabiki insisted, far less worried about Ukyo than Ranma. Ukyo nodded and relaxed, stepping back just a little.

“Professionally or personally?” the delegate asked, smirking just a little as he leaned back against the ship's rail. “not that it makes the slightest bit of difference, the council has a policy of letting your type in without charge providing you agree to participate in the games.” He took the time to buff his nails against his silvery tabard. “And your kind seem ever willing to hazard your lives for a purse of coins.” The man raised a well trimmed eyebrow, “Every one of you sure that you are the first true master of an art. You for instance are no doubt a true master of the sword,” he sneered.

Ukyo moved, faster than even Nabiki could follow, a perfect draw, and a leap. Within a heartbeat she had cut a thin sliver of rail from between delegate's second and ring finger.

Before the bowmen could react Ukyo had returned to her stance and shed her sword, leaning it against the mast at her side.

“So I claim,” she said, ignoring the inrush of air through Nabiki's teeth. “But my friends are better, Any one of them would have had your fingers, not missed like me! Care for proof?”

“Er no,” the delegate replied, rubbing his fingers as if to check they were indeed still attached. He threw a baleful glare at the bowmen, “I don't think that will be necessary friend...”

“Kuonji Ukyo” the chef offered, “And these are my friends, Hibiki Ryoga, Saotome Ranma and Tendo Akane. Swordsmen on and all.”

The delegate looked over at the three mentioned and decided not to make an issue of the girl doing the fish impression. “And these other two?”

“I am Tendo Nabiki and this is my Master Gosunkugi Hikaru,”

“He is a mage?” the delegate guessed, well used to seeing products of the perils of magical research.

“You want a demonstration?” Gos replied letting a hint of threat slide through.

“I think not” the man replied, suddenly in a hurry to leave. Perhaps because he found it somewhat unnerving to be so close to nu-jobs who were willing to become human pincushions simply to prove their point. “That will be four lions and six shillings” he informed them, long-fingered hand outstretched.

“Pay the man Kuonji-san” Nabiki said, letting her displeasure show.

“You sure?” Ukyo relied, still on edge

“Yes Ukyo, I'm sure!” Nabiki insisted. Ukyo finally got the hint and did as she was told. That seemed to end the day's business and the delegate rapidly retreated to the vessel he arrived on.

“and Ukyo remind me sometmie to talk to you about how much I like surprises!”

“Hai” replied Ukyo with a smile.

O

o

o

“Okay guys this will do” Nabiki said. They had arrived in a quiet plaza in between some houses the centre of which was dominated by an ornate fountain depicting dolphins swimming reaching and diving. The water and the mammals were depicted in glorious detail, captured in a perfect moment by the skill of the sculptor.

“Whoa that's cool,” Akane said, admiring the blue stone fountain.

“Wet,” observed Ranma.

“Very” groused Ryoga. Long experience had soured them against things just like that fountain.

“If we can get back to business” Nabiki insisted, not mentioning how much she was enjoying the cool spray from the fountain on her face, “time for rubbernecking later.”

“What's the hurry?” Ryoga asked.

“Hell forget sightseeing I need a beer!” Ukyo said without thinking.

“I want to look around” Akane said.

“WE should all be going to the library, if I can get access to a few higher matrices then-”

“Guys!” Ranma interrupted, “Can it! Nabiki is trying to get our asses sorted. Listen or sleep in the street tonight!”

“Thanks Ranma” Nabiki said, hiding her confusion at his changed attitude. “The way I see it we've got a lot to accomplish and the faster we get it done the better off we'll all be.”

“Which is why you need to get me to the library. I'll”

“Gos” interrupted Ukyo.

“Not least of which” Nabiki continued as if uninterrupted, “is getting Gos to the library to look up some 'matrices'-”

“What the hell is a mtrices?” Akane asked grumpily.

“A matrix is an exercise fro expanding your consciousness so that it can contain some of the higher power enchant-”

“Guys!” Ranma insisted.
“We also need to find more out about these games we are committed to playing in and arrange some lodgings. Now I suggest we split up so as to accomplish more.”

“We also need to find out more about this World Gate,” Ranma reminded them.

“And get a better handle on money matters,” Ukyo offered, “everything here seems to cost a lot more.”

“Agreed” Nabiki said, glad that the group was getting on board. “Now groups. I suggest Ryoga goes with Gos, that way he's always got a guide and can't get separated.” Nabiki deliberately didn't use the word lost. “Akane and Ukyo could try and find us lodgings and I'll take Ranma to see what we can dig up.”

“Whoa I don't need a chaperone,” said Ukyo.

“Yeah I want to go see the sights,” Akane objected, hanging onto Ryoga's arm to say what she didn't voice.

“Actually they are fairly likely not to let Ryoga into the magical part of the library,” Gos said

“Why not?” Akane asked, and Ryoga nodded along

“Assuming there is a section on magical matrices, and, I am counting on them having such, they won't let an illiterate even close to their tomes.”

“Illiterate?” Ryoga demanded, “Just because I haven't been to school in a whil-”

“Have you been able to read anything since you arrived?” Gos demanded furiously. “We may have got lucky with the language but do you honestly think this place uses anything approaching our hybrid script?”

“It might” Akane said in defence of her friend.

“Bull” groused Gos.

“Whoa” Nabiki interrupted, “we are way ahead of ourselves here. I suggest we save the arguments for things we can fix.” The only answer she got was glares. “For now lets just add finding out about writing to the library party,” she said through gritted teeth.

“And -” Akane began.

“And Akane can join you,” Nabiki conceeded with less than good grace.