Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Publishing. I am not profiting financially in any way with this story. It is written simply for the reading pleasure of Ranma fans everywhere.
Acknowledgments: A thank you must go out to King Bob III and P-chan for turning me onto the Ranma manga. I've read the entire series from beginning to end at least 3 times, and it is some of the funniest stuff I've read anywhere.
Goodbye Forever Ranma … Hello
Chapter 14: Fear and Growth
The winds howled and swirled all around her, blowing Sakura's hair in multiple directions all at once. She found herself running to keep up with Master Sushi as he hurried to the police station. She kept looking up into the sky, watching the fast moving, spiraling, gray clouds. Remembering the last typhoon brought a frown to Sakura's face and a cold sweat over her whole body. But was this a typhoon and was it heading their way? The status of the storm had changed several times already and while the skies were looking ominous, they didn't tell the whole story. Akajimo did not have its own weather service station, so to get the latest information on approaching storms, Master Sushi had to go to the police station where Keisatsukan Yukito could radio the weather service on the main island. Sakura insisted on going with him to make sure he got there safely, but what she would not admit to was that she was scared to stay in the house all by herself with the winds howling and battering the doors and windows.
They reached the station and Sakura dashed ahead of Master Sushi to get the door for him; yells to shut the door came from inside. Sakura pulled on the door after Master Sushi walked in but the wind was blowing even harder now and fighting with the door to get it to close was like trying to hold back a charging bull. Yukito rushed over and with great effort, they managed to get the door shut. She let out a deep breath. "Thank you, Yukito-san" She smiled up at him.
Yukito smiled back, his cheeks turning a pale pink. "M-my pleasure, Sakura-chan."
"Yes, yes. All very pleasant and nice." Using one of his canes, Master Sushi pointed to the other two officers sitting at their desks. "Sakura-chan, that's Keisatsukan Higa, and that's Keisatsukan Miagi. Keisatsukans, this is Sakura-chan." Not waiting for anyone's response, he proceeded. "Yukito-kun, I need you to contact the weather service station at Okinawa and find out the latest on this storm."
Yukito may have toyed with the idea of teasing Master Sushi, joking about the radio not working, it would have been justifiable payback for all the times Master Sushi had teased him, but seeing the martial arts master so distressed, he immediately rushed over to the radio and adjusted the channel. "National Weather Service, Okinawa Station, this is Akajimo Police Station, Keisatsukan Yukito speaking. Do you copy? Over."
They waited.
"Akajimo Police Station, Yukito-kun, this is Niigaki from the Okinawa Station. Good to hear your voice old friend. Over."
"Good to hear you too, Niigaki-kun. How is the family? Has Yuuki-chan given birth yet? Over."
"Not yet, but with this storm, I have a feeling it may be tonight. Over."
Master Sushi cleared his throat. "Yukito-kun, please." He added firmly.
The officer looked up and nodded. "Right."
"Niigaki-kun, do you have the latest forecast for Akajimo? Over"
"One second." There was a brief pause. "Okay, Typhoon Usagami has been downgraded to a tropical storm with sustained winds between 65 to 75 kilometers per hour. At its current course it is expected to pass well south of the Okinawa islands, somewhere in between Okinawa and Miyakojima, and eventually making landfall somewhere along the Chinese coast. Expect moderate to severe thundershowers and lightning. Waves are expected to be between three and five meters along the Okinawan islands." There was a brief pause. "That's it. Over."
Master Sushi breathed a sigh of relief. Sakura walked up to him, grabbing his arm and smiling up at him. He smiled back at her and nodded. Yukito continued his conversation with his friend, Niigaki for a few more minutes before signing off.
Yukito stood and stretched, letting out a wearisome groan, as if he had just spent the past hour lifting oversized bags of potatoes. "Well, I guess you have the day off, Sushi-sama." He gave the martial arts master a crooked smile.
Master Sushi nodded. "Thank you, Yukito-kun. It is good to know the island will be safe." Turning, he saw that the other two officers had come and stood behind him, apparently as interested as he was concerning the approaching storm. They smiled and bowed to both Master Sushi and Sakura. Master Sushi nodded in return, while Sakura bowed and offered them a broad smile. "Let's head home, Sakura-chan." Without further ceremony, he headed for the door.
"Sushi-sama, please, let me drive you home. It is far too windy to walk." Higa offered.
Master Sushi was about to decline the offer, but he looked over at Sakura first and saw her face light up at the prospect of riding in a vehicle.
There were no cars or busses on the island, and the only time Sakura did ride in anything was when she went to the main island with Hitomi-sensei and they rode the bus from the port where the ferry dropped them off to the center of town. The closest thing to vehicles on the island were the two golf carts that served as the official police vehicles. They were battery powered, painted white on the top half and black on the bottom half with the Okinawa Prefecture emblem on the front, and the word Police written in Japanese, Okinawan and English on the sides, and a police light and siren on the roof.
It wasn't much, but it was enough to get Sakura excited. That was good enough for Master Sushi. "Thank you, Higa-kun. That would be most appreciated."
The officer quickly grabbed the keys. "Miagi-kun, come and get the garage door for me." Higa gestured for Master Sushi and Sakura. "This way, please." They followed the two officers into the garage.
Sakura's eyes lit up at the sight of the two vehicles. She had seen real cars on Okinawa but getting to ride in the police vehicle, even if it was just a glorified golf cart, was a real treat.
Master Sushi gestured with his cane. "Take the front seat, Sakura-chan!"
She shook her head. "No Sensei! You take the front seat!" Without another word, she hurried around him and sat on the rear bucket seat which faced backwards, and then she bounced onto her knees facing forward on the seat, holding tightly to the guard rails that framed it.
Master Sushi saw the bright smile on her face and knew there was no point in arguing with her. Front seat or rear, Sakura was going to enjoy every moment of this short trip home. He went and sat down also, gripping the guard rail.
Higa got in the driver's seat and turned on the cart. The motor hummed to life and he gestured to Miagi, who pressed the garage door button. A cross wind began swirling around in the garage. Higa yelled, "Hold tight!" He drove off at a safe speed not wanting to lose control with all the wind gusts.
While they drove no faster than 40 km/hr, to Sakura, they may as well have been going 140. To her, it felt like they were speeding through town, making everything seem like a blur as they raced on by. Of course, the winds helped with this illusion, which Sakura did not seem to mind nearly as much as she did during their walk to the police station. As they neared their destination, Sakura's euphoria suddenly turned to terror when a blinding flash of lightning followed almost instantly by a loud thunder clap filled the air. Sakura squeezed her eyes tightly shut and pressed her hands over her ears.
Master Sushi yelled, "Sakura! Hold on!"
It was too late. The cart hit a rut in the road and she tumbled out of the seat and onto the mud covered earth.
Higa slammed on the brake and rushed over to her. "Sakura-chan! Are you all right? Are you hurt?"
She didn't respond. She just kept herself curled up in a ball, trying to keep her eyes and ears sealed off from the approaching storm.
Higa asked again, but when he got no response, he picked her up and carried her over to the cart. Master Sushi called him over and had Higa place her on his lap. He secured his canes between the seats and held Sakura firmly with one arm while holding the railing tight with the other.
Five minutes later, Higa was following Master Sushi down the hall with Sakura trembling in his short but strong arms.
"Please, take Sakura-chan to the bathroom." Master Sushi instructed as he went into the kitchen to heat a kettle of water.
The keisatsukan nodded and continued down the hall. In the bathroom, he sat her down on the toilet seat and began filling the bathtub.
Sakura pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her forehead on them and pressing her elbows against the sides of her thighs while keeping her hands over her ears. While the occasional crack of thunder could still be heard within the house, it was muffled enough to allow Sakura's mind to ease out of the terrors that held her captive. She slowly uncoiled herself, allowing her feet to slide off of the toilet seat and down to the floor. Gradually, she pulled her hands away from her ears and slowly opened her eyes.
Noticing her change in posture, Higa knelt before her and looked up into her eyes. "Sakura-chan, are you all right? Does it hurt anywhere?"
She stared with expressionless eyes, not even blinking for the longest time.
"Sakura-chan?"
Slowly, tentatively, she shook her head. A few moments later, the word, "no" escaped her lips.
Higa started to raise his hand to wipe away some mud from her forehead when Master Sushi called out to him. He stood and bowed to her, "Master Sushi is calling me. We'll be right back", and he walked briskly out the room.
Alone, Sakura slowly reached up and ran her hand across her forehead. Staring at it, she rubbed her thumb over her fingers feeling the smooth, cool moist earth between them. Sighing in disgust with herself, she stood and went over to the sink. There she saw the mud on her face and hair. She stared blankly at herself wondering how she got in this state. Heavy rain began pelting the roof and the crash of thunder sent quivers through her body. 'I remember now.' She told herself. She turned on the faucet and cupped her hands under the temperate water and began rinsing the mud off her face and hair.
A short while later, Keisatsukan Higa and Master Sushi walked into the bathroom, each carrying two pitchers of hot water. Seeing Sakura up on her feet brought a smile to Master Sushi's face. "Feeling better, Sakura-chan?" She returned a weak smile and nodded.
"Good, good." He grinned, then walked over to the tub and poured the hot water into the bath. Higa followed suit. Pulling up his sleeve, Master Sushi gave the water a swirl. Steam rose from the tub. He shook his hand before wiping it dry on his samue. He turned to Sakura. "There, just as warm as the bath at Hitomi-sensei's. Just deposit your clothes outside the door and I'll leave you a fresh kimono for you to change into after you're done with your bath." Sakura pulled her wet hair back behind her ears and wiped her hands over her face to remove the excess water. She turned and smiled with a grin that was a bit more genuine this time. "Thank you, Sushi-sama. Thank you, Keisatsukan Higa-san for all your help. I am most grateful." She bowed.
Higa gave a big stupid grin and ran his hand over the back of his head. "It was my pleasure. I'm just glad I was able to help, Sakura-chan." He chuckled like a love-struck middle-schooler.
Master Sushi rolled his eyes at the young officer's antics. "Well, we'll give you your privacy. Don't let the water get cold." He tapped the officer with one of his canes and gestured towards the door. Higa gave a started, "Oh, right." He started out the door, then suddenly paused and turned. "G-goodnight, Sakura-chan." He bowed and then left. Master Sushi followed after him. Slowly, Sakura's smile faded. She peeled off her damp and muddy clothes and rolled them up into a ball. Walking to the door, a sudden, loud thunder clap raddled the house. She clutched the balled up clothes hard to her chest and scrunched low to the ground. She trembled all over and held her breath without realizing it. Eventually, the rumbling passed, and slowly, she got a hold of herself, standing back up and taking in several deep breaths. She eased her grip on her clothes, hanging her head in shame over how irrationally frightened the lightning and thunder made her. Cracking open the door, just a bit to make sure no one was around, Sakura deposited her clothes just outside, then swiftly closed and locked the door. Returning to the tub she looked at the whiffs of steam rising from the water. She bent over and stuck the tips of her fingers in to test the water. Bringing her hand back out, she closed her eyes and concentrated, then executed one of her Tai-Chi forms. The water in the tub swirled about and the steam vanished. This time she placed her whole hand in the water and smiled. She grabbed the bar of soap and the luffa sponge, and got in the tub.
Having put on the plain white kimono that Master Sushi left for her just outside the door, Sakura made her way to the washitsu with a towel over her head. She worked the towel through her hair vigorously and walked with a sense of purpose. She felt better after the bath: restored and rejuvenated. What was it that got her so shook up in the first place, she thought? Yes, it was raining hard, but it was only rain, only water; nothing to be afraid of. Suddenly, a flash of lightning and the bone rattling thunder shook the house. Sakura dropped to her knees and pulled the towel tightly over her ears and eyes. Now she remembered. A second lightning strike filled the house with light and not only the crack of the thunder but a hellish tearing sound so loud and clear it sounded as if the lightning itself had torn open the earth. Sakura let out a scream and pressed her head against her knees.
Master Sushi came stumbling out of the washitsu. Seeing Sakura curled up on the floor, he rushed over to her, using the walls for support. Collapsing practically on top of her, Sakura instantly lurched forward and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Don't leave me, Sushi-sama." She pleaded in a meek voice. "Don't leave me." With another flash of lightning, her body quaked all over and she let out another cry.
He stroked her back and offered words of comfort and reassurance to her. After a few minutes, he gently pried her hold on him loose and got her to kneel back. "It's all right, Sakura-chan. Come, let's have some tea and then we can go to bed. The storm will be over before you know it while you sleep."
She looked up at him with pleading eyes. "C-can I sleep with you tonight, Sushi-sama? I don't want to be alone tonight, not tonight. Please."
He stared into her eyes and saw the genuine fear that was torturing this poor, young woman's soul. He had let her sleep with him in the past during fierce storms and tonight would be no exception. "Of course you can, Sakura-chan."
She flung her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. The muffled words, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, …" rumbled in his chest.
He squeezed her close. "There, there. Nothing to get all worked up about. Come, let's have our tea before we go to sleep, shall we?"
She nodded and loosed her hold around his neck. They rose together with Sakura helping him up to his feet.
Slowly, they made their way to the washitsu and drank their tea in silence, then Sakura helped Master Sushi up, handing him his canes and they made their way to his bedroom. She helped him into bed first then lay down beside him. He wrapped his arms around her protectively, and she placed her arms over his. With each flash of lightning and roll of thunder, Sakura quaked in his grasp, but Master Sushi simply tightened his hold around her ever so gently and whispered soft comforting words, even when she was certain he was sound asleep. It took some time but eventually, Sakura drifted off to sleep. Unfortunately, even in her sleep she was haunted by the rain and lightning. She felt herself being tossed to and fro by giant waves which tried to drag her down into its depths; and even when she felt herself overcome its efforts to drown her, she felt heavy rains choking her and driving her down as well. Whenever a flash of lightning lit up the room, she felt rapid waves of pain throughout her body, as if thousands of volts of electricity were coursing through her, threatening to tear her apart. Relief finally came, in the early morning hours as the tropical storm passed, and all that was left of it was a gentle rain that came and went with each passing cloud.
Master Sushi gradually opened his eyes. Seeing Sakura sleeping peacefully in his arms brought a smile to his face. From experience, he knew she was a heavy sleeper but still he worked as gently as possible to slide his arm out from under her. Having freed himself from his house guest, he eased himself out of bed and made his way to the kitchen to get the tea pot boiling. That task done, he went to the long hallway which bordered his courtyard on two sides, and set out to slowly and methodically remove the storm doors that he and Sakura had put up the day before.
Though covered snuggly by Master Sushi after he got out of bed, Sakura felt the loss of warmth with his absence. She slowly stirred, rolling in the direction her master would have been if he had still been in bed. Ending up on her back, and still missing his warmth, her eyes slowly fluttered open. She turned side to side, seeing no one in the room. She wondered why it was so dark. She stretched and let out a soft groan. 'Is it still the middle of the night? No, it can't be. I feel too rested. The storm. That's right. She looked up at the high window in Master Sushi's bedroom. It was sealed, just like all of the other windows and doors throughout the house. Suddenly, the hallway lit up somewhat. She sat up. 'Master Sushi must be removing the storm doors to the courtyard.' She sprang to her feet and adjusted the white kimono she put on last night, then rushed into the hallway. Sure enough, there he was standing with the first storm door halfway removed. She dashed over to him. "Here, Sushi-sama; let me help you with that." She reached out to take one side of the door and assist him in maneuvering it to its resting place. But he did not move. She looked up at him, tilting her head slightly to get a better look at his face. He was staring into the courtyard with a blank look she had never seen upon his face. She let go of the door and walked over to him to see what he was looking at. Staring into the courtyard, she let out a gasp and covered her mouth with her hands. Tears quickly sprang to her eyes. Now she knew what that terrible tearing sound was last night. The sakura tree had been struck by lightning and split in two. Its two halves laying dead upon the rest of the garden.
The train ride from Tokyo to Kagoshima would take seven hours. There was a transfer at Osaka, another at Fukuoka, and a third at Shin-Yatsushiro. From there it was then a straight shot to the Kagoshima where Akane would take a ferry to Okinawa's big island. From there she would board a second ferry which would take her the rest of the way to Akajimo.
Nabiki sat on Akane's bed with a notepad and a pencil. "Toiletries?"
Akane picked up the mid-sized travel pouch. "Check," and she preceded to place it in her backpack.
Nabiki checked the item off her list. "Extra pair of shoes?"
Her younger sister crouched down and opened the shoe box on the floor. She took out the nearly new pair of hiking boots, placed them in a cloth pouch and placed the pouch in the backpack. "Check."
This went on for about 40 minutes until the main pouch of Akane's backpack was completely filled. "Well, that's it, I guess."
Nabiki nodded. "You couldn't have timed it better. Leaving on the first day of Spring break; with any luck you'll be back before the start of the new term."
Akane nodded in agreement. She took a deep breath to steady herself. She looked around her room. Was there anything she missed, she wondered. Her eyes settled on a few things that she thought would be nice to take but looking at her bag, she decided against taking any non-essentials. Convinced she had everything she needed, she nodded again.
Nabiki stood and walked over to her sister. Placing a hand on her shoulder and staring her in the eyes, Nabiki asked, "Are you all right?"
Akane stared back for a moment before giving a small smile. "I'm fine. Just a little nervous I guess."
Nabiki continued to stare and a look of melancholy formed upon her face. "Nervous that the girl in that photo may not end up being Ranma?"
Akane's gaze shifted to the window and the pale blue sky in the far distance. She thought long and hard about her fears. What was it that really scared her more than anything? Slowly, she whispered, "There's that, but there's also …" She turned back to Nabiki. "What if it is him? Why hasn't he come back to us?"
Nabiki let her hand slide down Akane's arm until she was holding her sister's hand. She gave a forced smile. "You mean like other than she's really suffering from amnesia and doesn't remember he's a boy and who he really is, and who we all are." Nabiki was hoping to get a small grin out of her sister but Akane remained stoic in her expression. Nabiki sighed, "Well, then I guess that means he's grown tired of all the craziness around here and decided to make a new life for himself as a girl living on a tropical island. Not a bad gig if you can get it. Don't you think?" Nabiki gave a big toothy smile.
Akane's expression grew painfully sad and her eyes began to water.
Nabiki's smile vanished, "Hey! I was just kidding! Come on. You know that's not true, don't you?"
Akane's lips quivered. "But that's exactly what I'm afraid of. What if Ranma really is happy down there and decided he doesn't want his old, crazy life back. Doesn't want …" She paused, "doesn't want me?" She blinked and a tear made a trail down her cheek.
Nabiki pulled her into a tight embrace. "Sshhh … Hey, none of that," Nabiki whispered. She held her little sister as tightly as she could for several minutes. "Hey, hey, you know that's not the case. You know it." She pulled away and placing her hands on either side of Akane's face, she forced Akane to look her squarely in the eye. "What happen to this, psychic connection you and Ranma share? Surely, if it works for you knowing he's still alive, it must work for him knowing how much you miss him and care about him, right?"
Akane closed her eyes and whimpered, "I made it all up." A few more tears fell from her eyes.
Nabiki pulled her into a hug again. "Aahhh! You baka you." She laughed softly. After another minute, Nabiki freed Akane from her hug and placed her hands on her sister's shoulders and gave her a firm shake. "Okay, enough of this. You are not giving up before you even start."
Akane looked up at her.
"You're stronger than this, Akane. You are no quitter." Nabiki got right up in Akane's face, their noses practically touching. "You hear me. You are stronger than this, right?" Nabiki gave her sister a firm shake.
Akane nodded with determination in her eyes. "Right. I am strong. One way or another, I'll find out the truth." Akane's eyes cleared as she forced back any more tears that threatened to escape. She took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Okay, I'm ready." She ran the back of her hand roughly across her face to wipe way the tear tracks. She stepped over to her bed and picked up her backpack. Turning to her sister, she said, "You surprise me, Nabiki. I would have expected words like that from Kasumi, not from you. When did you get so optimistic?"
Nabiki smiled and slid her fingers into the small hip pocket of her jeans. Removing her hand, she pulled out a 2-caret diamond ring.
Akane dropped her pack and rushed up to Nabiki, grabbing her hand and pulling it up close to her face to make sure her eyes were not deceiving her. "When?" she asked.
"Last Saturday. Kamo-kun is such a romantic. He took me on his family's yacht. We had dinner in the middle of Tokyo Bay with a string quartet playing. Then he got down on one knee and proposed. He said he knew it was awfully fast, but he was sure and was willing to wait until I was sure as well."
Akane's eyes were still glued to the ring when she realized Nabiki had stopped talking. "So, you said yes?"
Nabiki gave her a comical smile, "Heaven's no! I'm not that rash. I told him thank you and I'd have to think about it carefully. I took the ring. I'm no fool." She grinned.
Akane giggled. "That's the Nabiki I know." She hugged her older sister. "I'm so happy for you."
Nabiki returned the hug. "I'm hopeful for you, little sis." They shared a kiss on the cheek, and then Nabiki added. "I haven't told anyone yet, sooo –"
Akane nodded, "No problem. You're secret is safe with me." Akane picked up her backpack and headed for the door. "I'll call when I reach Akajimo."
Nabiki grinned, "I'll be expecting your call." She held her grin as she watched her sister walk out the door and make her way down the stairs. Slowly, her smile faded. "Good luck, little sis," she whispered.
Sakura stood on the rocky shore on the far end of the island working through her Shaolin Kung Fu forms as Master Kuen had taught her. She worked desperately at focusing on her core, gathering and churning her Ki in an effort to heat it to the point of igniting it, and then in one swift motion tried to release it through her hand out over the sea. She stood with her hand extending out towards the water for a moment longer but nothing appeared.
Master Sushi walked up next to her and grabbed her wrist, pulling it towards him and sliding the back of his hand to her palm. "Well, it's quite warm," he said.
Sakura sighed in disappointment.
The young master smiled, letting his cane slide down his forearms to his hand. "Come, walk with me."
Letting out a long breath, Sakura jogged to catch up with him. Reaching the edge of the woods, Master Sushi gingerly lowered himself to the ground, setting his canes to the side and crossing his legs. Sakura immediately recognized Master Sushi's meditation position and sat down next to him, duplicating him. She inhaled deeply, held the breath for a few seconds, and then slowly exhaled.
Softly, Master Sushi began to speak, "Clear your mind. Release the stress you've been building up inside. Think of nothing, nothing at all." Several minutes passed. "Hear only my voice and the sound of your own breathing, … Now only your own breath." After more than ten minutes, he added. "Feel your Ki flow throughout your body." He waited a time. "Feel it flow in, through and out of your core." Again, after several minutes, he added, "try to concentrate your Ki within your core. Feel it. Make it take shape. Move it as you move when performing your Shaolin forms. Repeat the movements over and over; faster and faster. Feel the warmth buildup inside your core."
Sakura did as her master instructed, working her Ki round and around inside her core as if she were executing the forms within herself; at first it felt like trying to move in a pond filled with molasses, slow and sticky through the Ki. Over time, it seemed to become more fluid and easier to move. Her breaths came deeper until finally when she exhaled, a long stream of hot steam came out with her breath. Sakura did not even realize it and just went on stirring up her Ki and breathing deeply.
It was Master Sushi who noticed the difference in the sound of her breathing and opened his eyes to see what had changed. His eyes went wide at the sight of the long stream of steam coursing out of his student with every breath she expelled. He fought back a gasp minutes later when he saw flickers of flame mixed in with the steam. After staring in amazement for a time, he recomposed himself and said, "Alright, now release the Ki stored up on your core and allow it to flow naturally throughout your body. Once your Ki feels as if it is flowing normally again take a cleansing breath and open your eyes. Slowly, the small flickers of flame stopped appearing and as more time passed so did the steam.
Sakura released one final deep breath and gradually opened her eyes. She turned and smiled up at her master. "I really felt like I was controlling my Ki. It was tough at first but it got easier as time went on. I think I'm ready to try and manipulate fire now." She sprang to her feet and started to run across the rocks close to the water's edge.
"Sakura-chan! Wait!" Master Sushi called out. She stopped and turned around. "It's been a long day. Come, you should rest now."
She hesitated for a moment but as a dutiful student, she obeyed her master's instructions and hurried to his side. "I suppose you're right. I do feel kinda tired." She stretched her arms high above her head and let out a long, high groan. "Can we come back here again tomorrow, Sushi-sama?"
He studied her features for a moment; the way she walked, the way she breathed, her arm movements, her facial expression. Seeing she seemed no worse for wear, he smiled and said, "I see no reason why not. I think maybe we'll start with meditation first next time."
She smiled happily. "You really think that might make the difference in allowing me to control fire?"
Master Sushi tilted his head to the side. "Maybe. It doesn't hurt to try." Sakura nodded in agreement.
After a few moments of silence, she asked, "so what would you like for dinner, Sushi-sama?"
He shook his head and said, "no, no; you've done enough work for one day. I'll heat you up some water so you can take a bath, and I'll make dinner tonight. How does miso and rice sound?"
Sakura gave her master an exasperated stare. "Sushi-sama, you always make miso and rice. I think that's the only think you know how to make. Isn't it?"
Master Sushi grinned. "Not the only thing. I know how to grill fish as well, but we don't have any fish."
Sakura just looked at him as if he had just said the stupidest thing possible. Shaking her head she walked over to the water. Stopping, she performed a Tai Chi form and then very carefully walked atop of the water. Sakura walked out about 30 meters staring down into the clear blue sea trying to decide which fish to catch. After just a few minutes, she performed another form and lifted her hands up to the sky. A moment later a ball of water lifted out of the sea with a suma-katsuo in it. Sakura motioned the ball towards her and it slowly moved right in front of her. She pushed up her sleeve and reached into the ball and grabbed the fish by the tail. Upon pulling the fish out, the ball of water collapsed back into the sea. The fish wiggled about violently but she made another hand gesture, then raised her fingers to her lips and blew. Icy cold air shot out from her mouth and chilled the fish still, not enough to freeze it completely but enough to cause it to stop thrashing. She flung it over her shoulder and turned and walked back to shore. She could not hide a grin at seeing Master Sushi standing wide-eyed and slack-jawed. Sakura's smile grew when she said, "I guess grilled fish is on the menu now too," walking past her master.
It took a moment for Master Sushi to snap out of his stupor, but when he did, he hurried to catch up with her, nearly stumbling twice. Sakura stopped and waited for him, not wanting him to injure himself. Once beside her, he asked, "When did you learn to do that?"
Sakura grinned, "You didn't think I just walked straight from home to Sifu Kuen's and back without practicing, did you?" Sakura was feeling a hint of superiority having learned a skill even her own master did not know.
Regaining his composure, Master Sushi looked over at the fish Sakura was carrying. Attempting to hide a grin, but not trying too hard, he leaned over towards her a bit and said, "You know, suma-katsuo is best eaten as sashimi rather than grilled."
Sakura's eyes went wide and she pulled the fish forward into her hands. She puckered her lips and crinkled her nose but only for a few moments. Taking a deep breath, she flung the fish back over her shoulder and took on a smug look, lowering her eyelids down to narrow slits. "Well, I guess you're going to have to expand your cooking repertoire and include tataki." Master Sushi raised a questioning eyebrow. "When did you start using words like, repertoire?" Now Sakura was feeling really smug, "It's called books, Sushi-sama. You should try them; more than just The Five Rings." She giggled while spinning around and running on ahead.
Master Sushi stared after his student. Slowly, a wide smile crossed his lips, a smile which reached up to his eyes and made him look young again.
Akane set her backpack down on the train platform and gave a long hard stretch, getting pops from her back and shoulders, and then she twisted her neck and got a few pops there too. She let out a long contented sigh. She grabbed her backpack and hoisted it onto one shoulder and made her way over to the train schedule to see which terminal she needed to go to, which would take her from Fukuoka station to Shin-Yatsushiro. While studying the board, she could not help but overhear two men speaking rather loudly.
A taller man said, "This is a waste of time!"
"We have to go there and plead our case." The short round man replied.
The tall man shook his head. "They already said no. Do you really want them to tell you, NO, to your face? We should just contact the authorities. They can handle the situation."
"We tried that already. Once, the police showed up, she disappeared and just waited till the police left. She's no fool. She knows the police can't stay forever. That's why we need a true martial arts master to handle this situation. From everything I've heard, the best martial artist from here to Tokyo is from the Tendo Dojo in Nerima." The round man said.
The tall man replied, "And we called them, and they already said, no. According to the dojo's master, his two strongest students were not available. What can we do?"
Before the short man could reply, Akane cleared her throat loudly and stepped forward. "Excuse me, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. Did you mention, the Tendo Dojo in Nerima?"
The round man nodded vigorously. "Yes, are you familiar with it, Miss?"
Akane straightened up her posture and set her backpack down. "I am Akane Tendo, daughter to Soun Tendo, the master of the Tendo Dojo in Nerima. He has been my martial arts master since I was three years old. If there is something you need help with, as a martial artist, I am obligated to help." She gave a formal bow.
The short, round man smiled from ear to ear and bowed low. "Truly Kami has smiled down upon us this day and has delivered to us our savior."
Akane, gave an embarrassed smile and ran her hand along the back of her head. "Well, I wouldn't go that far, but I'll do what I can."
The taller man looked down at Akane with suspicious eyes. "Hold on, Ishibashi-san! We cannot simply jump to conclusions. How do we know this little girl is who she claims to be? And even if she is, how do we know she can handle the situation?"
Akane glared daggers at the taller man, but before she could reply, Ishibashi said, "Don't be rude, Takakura-san. What reason does Tendo-san have to lie? And surely, an oversized brute is no match for a formally trained martial artist." Turning towards Akane, he added, "Isn't that right, Tendo-san."
"Hmmm", Akane hesitated.
The short man's eyes went wide. "Oh, where are my manners? Tendo-san, allow me to introduce myself. I am Ryo Ishibashi, and this rude gentleman is Ken Takakura. We are officials from the village of Miyada. It is a small village northeast of Fukuoka. Recently, we have come under attack from an oversized beast of a woman who claims to be of a clan of amazons. I don't know what clan that is. She doesn't appear to be from Brazil, but never having been to Brazil, I can't really say what a Brazilian looks like."
A cold sweat broke across Akane's forehead and her palms suddenly got cold and clammy. "No, I'm sure she was referring to the Chinese Amazon clan."
"So you have heard of them?" Ryo asked.
Akane nodded. "I've had some dealings with certain members of the clan in the past, but never with anyone like you've described. What exactly has she done?"
To this, Ken spoke up, "What hasn't she done? Vandalized property, stolen goods and money, bullied the villagers into giving her whatever she wants from free lodging to free meals to deeds to property. Our village is small and peaceful, so we have no law enforcement of our own."
Ryo spoke up, "We tried contacting the authorities here in Fukuoka for help and they did send some police officers but the minute they showed up, the brute went into hiding. The officers stayed for nearly three weeks, but eventually had to return. We thought that perhaps she had gone, but not more than a day after the police left she returned and was even more brutal than before."
Ken stepped forward. "Tendo-san, it was not my intension to be rude. Several of our strongest men have tried to stand up against this beast, but she sent all of them to the hospital. I simply do not wish to see a stranger, particularly a young woman, end up in the hospital as well."
Akane took in all that they had to say, then looked around for something she could use to demonstrate her strength. She spotted a new metal street light and an old wooden pole next to it. "What is that wooden pole used for?" she asked.
"Nothing. The metal poles replaced the wooden poles over ten years ago but funds were short for removing the old poles, so at least a third of the old wooden poles remain. Why?" Ken responded.
Akane walked up to the wooden pole. She waited until there was no traffic on the street before drawing back her fist, letting out a yell and striking the pole with all her might. The wood splintered into toothpicks and the pole came crashing to the ground blocking the street. Akane walked out into the street and picked up the pole and set it at the edge of the sidewalk.
Both Ryo and Ken stared wide-eyed and slack-jawed after watching Akane's incredible display of power. They looked at each other for a moment, then turned to Akane, dropped to their knees and bowed to the ground. They said in unison, "Tendo-sama, please come to our village and help us. We beg of you. We will pay you anything you ask. Just please, come help rid us of this terror."
Akane rubbed the back of her head again and gave an embarrassed chuckle. "I'll help in any way I can. And don't even worry about payment. It is a martial artist's duty to help those in need."
They stood and bowed formally. "Thank you, Tendo-sama. Thank you very much."
She waved uncomfortably at them. "Please, just call me Akane." She walked over to where she had set her backpack down and was about to hoist it onto her back when Ken rushed over. "Please allow me to carry your pack. It is the least I can do." He reached for the shoulder strap and Akane let it go. The pack thudded to the ground. Akane gave a surprised look up at Ken, whose eyes where wide with shock. He chuckled nervously and tried picking up the pack with one hand. The pack barely moved off the ground. He set it back down and grabbed the strap with both hands and tried picking it up again. He got it a few centimeters off the ground but that was as far as it was going.
Akane was about to grab the pack when Ryo stepped forward and said, "Set it down you weak fool. I'll take it." Ken gave no protest and set the pack on the ground and backed away, breathing heavy as if he had just tried lifting a car. Ryo shook his head in disgust, then tried lifting the pack. His round face turned beet red but he managed to get it up and onto his shoulders. He let out a long strained breath and huffed a few more. "See, no problem."
Akane smiled nervously at him, saying, "Okay, lead the way."
Ryo took one step and the weight of the pack pulled him back. He let out a yell and would have fallen over backward had Akane not reached out and grabbed his out-stretched arms. Steadying Ryo, she reached for the straps and lifted the pack off his shoulders with little effort.
"Why don't I just carry it myself?" She grinned, then flung the pack on her shoulder and adjusted the straps until it sat comfortably on her back. She gestured to the two men. "Please, lead the way."
Both men, more than a little embarrassed, bowed to her, and then started the three hour walk to their village.
AN: Sorry for the long absence. I finished writing this chapter several years ago, but numerous events in my life compelled me to set my writing aside. After recently re-reading my story, I was inspired to return to it and finally complete it. I hope there are still enough of you out there who are still interested in this story. Please take a moment to leave a review of this chapter.
Another AN: So, I've taken to listening to fanfics thought the audible play option in the mobile app. Listening to my story, I caught so many errors it was quite embarrassing. In addition to the necessary spelling and grammar corrections I needed to make, I also took ssfr's advice and broke up the paragraphs to have a single speaker per paragraph for the most part. I may have missed a few of those as well. I apologize if I did.
It warms my heart to see so many people still interested in my story. I hope I don't disappoint. As for chapter 15, I have been working on it a few hours a week. It will take some time to get it done but I will get it done and I promise not to take years to get it posted, though it might take a several weeks and possibly a few months. There is a lot going into this next chapter and I want to get it right. But I know you are a patient group and I truly appreciate that. Thank you to all of those who took the time to leave me a review. I really appreciate it. I also want to thank the new followers of my story and my writing. Thank you all.