Nyuchezuu no Senshi, Ranma
				 Chapter First
		      In Which Our Hero Loses Something.

	I stare at oyaji in disbelief as he eats, only sparing a single hungry
glance for the feast on the table.  He should at least know enough Chinese to
recognize the characters for `prize,' if not read them.  I look up at the girl
approaching angrily, decide, hoping that this is the village of Chinese Amazons
I read about.

	``Very sorry.  Will offer up fine trained panda if lose.''  My Chinese
is still pitiful, but I hope I got the message across.  She nods once, makes an
impressive backflip up onto the log she had just stormed off of.  I follow,
landing lightly next to her and going into a guard stance.  She attacks with
both bonbori, leaving her chin wide open.  I plant my foot there, hardly
expecting it to work, and am mildly amazed when she goes flying off the log.

	*Ah well.  Looks like I get to keep the old bother.* The girl storms up
to me, grabs my chin gently, and turns my face as she leans in to kiss me.
Something makes me turn my head, drop my chin to take her kiss on the forehead.
The crowd screams delightedly, reminding me of a Skorpions concert that I stood
outside of once.

	Suddenly I remember why I did that.  Placing one's head on a Bedouin's
feet makes one into his guest, and he is honorbound to protect one.  Defeating
a woman of Nyuchezuu is also a binding act, but she has at least three choices
on how to respond.  She can kiss one on the cheek, letting all and sundry know
that one is her enemy, at least for the next little while; or on the mouth,
signifying friendship or her suit in marriage; or on the forehead,
acknowledging the bonds of family that bind them, us, all together.  By kissing
me on the forehead she had acknowledged me as one of them, and, since it was
rather obvious that I hadn't been an amazon before she kissed me, as her
daughter.  She stares at me in shock, anger giving way to a brighter emotion as
she throws an arm about my shoulders and leads me to the table.

	  Pop stares in abject shock as I approach, backing away from the table
at my glare.  The girl makes an expansive gesture at the table, pushing me to
sit on the bench at the table, then sitting next to me.  I too make an
expansive gesture at the table, and all the warriors watching join us, taking
at least a few ceremonial bites, speaking congratulations, hugging us both.  I
manage to pick up the girl's name, Shanpoo.

	I look up and see Oyaji starting to sneak off, and run to catch him.
``Shanpoo-mama, is there nice cage?  Panda.''  She nods understanding, speaks
to a couple of the other women about, and one of them waves me to follow.  I
take Oyaji's pack off and set it next to Shanpoo before complying.

	We walk for a good while, crossing most of the village, and come to a
building that looks a lot like a jail.  I follow her in, my hold on Oyaji being
the only thing that keeping him from bolting.  I have to pound him a bit to get
him into the cell, dodge the door as the woman shuts then locks it.  ``Thanks.
Keep from hot water, please.  Bad for panda.''  The woman suddenly smiles.  Her
reply is in Chinese, but I manage to pick up `Chouchuanshan' and `Understood.'
I manage to talk to her for a while, the language barrier not quite keeping me
from deciding that she's really cool.  We walk back to the field, and manage to
exchange names on the way.  Hers is Laoshen, and I smile up at her, totally
confused by the way the sight of her smile makes me feel.

	By the time we get back to the others most of the food is gone, but
Shanpoo-mama hands me a full plate, which I quickly devour while making the
appropriate noises of enjoyment, since the food is _very_ good and I am _very_
hungry.  I am introduced to more people than I have ever met at one time
before, and I manage to catch slightly over half of the names, something I am
quite proud of.

	``Wish great-grandmother here.  Would make life easier.
Great-grandmother speak Japanese.''  Shanpoo shakes her head at me, I can't
quite figure out why.  I nod anyway, most of the way done with my food.

	When I finish she waves at my bags, and I shoulder Oyaji's pack.  Most
of the others have already wandered off, leaving just a few who watch as
Laoshen picks up my pack and Shanpoo leads us to a house in about the middle of
the village.

	``You sleep here.''  Shanpoo shows me to a room, and Laoshen drops my
pack next to where I dumped Oyaji's, ``Need take bath,'' Shanpoo continues,
leading me to the bathroom.  The two of them leave me there, heading off to
different bedrooms.  I enter the room, wash quickly, and decide to forgo a soak
in favor of sleep.  I also decide that I probably should stay female for a
while, dry my hair and head off to the bedroom I had been assigned.  Within
moments I am asleep.


	``Good Morning!'' Someone says in Chinese.  I suddenly realize why my
back is so warm, and flop out of the bed in a single convulsive jerk.  The
other person laughs, climbs out of bed and starts to get dressed.  ``What did
you think would happen, you sleeping in my bed and all.''  She continues, or at
least I think that is what she said.  I look away when she takes off her
nightgown, pull out a clean set of clothing from my pack, then dress quickly.

	``Laoshen, not know this your bed.''  I feel her hand on my shoulder,
turn to look up at her.

	``I don't mind.''  She smiles at me, and I suddenly hope she can't see
the way her smile. . .  I shake my head quickly.

	``Do you do martial arts?''  That was one of the first phrases I ever
learned in Chinese, and some people think I actually can pull it off.

	``Yes.  Want to spar?''  I nod, and she leads me out of the house.
Outside I am greeted by the sight of most of the village sparring, or so it
seems.  My eyes must have shown my surprise, for Laoshen laughs softly.
``Surprised?''  I can only reply with a nod.

	Laoshen is _very_ good.  I start to wonder how I managed to beat
Shanpoo yesterday, for if she is the best in the village she should have
outclassed me easily.  *Maybe she just was overconfident, or maybe they only
let one person per household compete, or maybe only allow a certain number of
competitions per person.* I franticly dodge an attack, her fingers only
millimeters from my face.  My dodge leaves me open, though, and I catch a foot
to the belly.  I manage to bring her down with me, but I think I lost, 'cause
she drops her forehead for me to kiss.  She then kisses me on the forehead,
too, so I'm quite confuzzled as she leads me in for breakfast.

	``Great-grandmother will be back in two weeks.  If want, can begin
teaching you about village ways and village techniques.  Can only teach little
girl techniques until Elders acknowledge your adoption.''  Shanpoo says over
breakfast.

	``Little girl techniques?''

	``Some very powerful.  Watch.''  She touches my teacup with one
fingertip, and it blows up, flinging hot tea everywhere, but mostly on me.

	I'm impressed by the technique, but mostly worried what the revelation
of my curse would bring.  Shanpoo's eyes flash for an instant, then she calms
down, vanishes out the door.

	She returns in moments.  ``Here, this fix.''  She hands me a small jar
of water.  I take the lid off and look inside, noticing a slightly odd sheen to
it.

	``What do?''  She mimes pouring it over my head, so I do so.  Instantly
I am a girl again.  *Hardly a cure*  ``Still girl.''  Shanpoo looks terribly
concerned now.

	``You want to be boy?''  I nod.  She looks appalled.  ``Oh dear.
Village steal that from Jakou Ouchou every couple year, use on Xanith.  Thought
you were, daughter.''

	``What Xanith?''

	``Xanith is person who born wrong.  Man born as woman, woman born as
man.  When 16, if person sure, person can use temporary Chouchuanshan mixed in
Jakou water to fix form.  Thought you just needed Jakou water.''

	``Can reverse?''  Shanpoo looks puzzled for a moment, then replies.

	``No.  Village never need undo.  Very sorry.''  *Whell, this . . . *

	``Is OK.  Hard to be Amazon when male.''  I use the Japanese word for
Amazon, since I can't remember an appropriate Chinese word.  Laoshen giggles
from next to me and Shanpoo smiles.

	``Still very sorry.''  She looks _very_ guilty as she says this, so I
risk leaning over the table and hugging her.  She hugs me back, and I feel a
warm wet spot slide down my cheek.  *She's crying?!*

	``Don't worry.  Poured water all by self.''

****

	``Are you well?''  Laoshen's voice is warm in the darkness.

	``No, can't explain in Chinese, either.''  I turn over and hug her
tightly, my tears dripping slowly onto her hair.

	``Then say in Japanese.'' I pause to consider it, then press my face to
her neck and begin.

	``First there's the fact that I soaked myself with that water without
even thinking about it first. . . .''

****

	``Aaaaaaaaa!''  I leap back and hide behind Laoshen.

	``What's wrong?''

	``Ca-Ca-Ca-cat!''  I bury my face in the small of her back.

	``Why are you afraid of them?''  *my Chinese is improving, I caught all
of that*

	``Neko-ken.''

	``Which is?''

	``Ultimate technique.  Take trainee and throw in pit of hungry cats.
Wrap in fish-sausage first.''  She takes a very sharp breath.

	``Who did that?''  There is anger in her voice.  I find it strangely
comforting.

	``Oyaji.''

	``Can I kill him?''  I shake my head against her back.  ``Drat.
Listen, the only way to get over a,'' I can't understand the word, and make an
inquisitive noise, ``big fear is to face it.  Let's go talk to the cat.  I
won't let her hurt you.''  I follow her, moving out from behind her because it
is just too embarasing to try walking while hiding your face in someone else's
back.

****
	``No.  I don't want to.''  I look at the seven gold hoops in Laoshen's
hand, think about it for a moment.  *Is it 'cause of the pain?  That isn't a
proper excuse.*

	``You'd look really nice with them.''  She smiles down at me, and my
resistance suddenly crumbles.

	``If you say so.''

	``OK, hold still, or this will hurt more than it would have
otherwise.''  I nod, then hold very still as she slides the needle into my ear,
following it with the first hoop.  The next three go easily, then she slips the
first one through my cartilage.  It takes quite a bit of willpower to keep from
moving.  The next to last one is worse, and with the last one I leave tooth
prints in my right index finger.  ``All done!''  Laoshen holds up a mirror to
show me.  I must admit that they look very nice, even if they are a little
femme for my tastes and my left ear is glowing red from the blood rushing to
repair the damage.  I finger them lightly, seven hoops, one each from seven
different people who now call themselves my friend.  *I don't know if I've had
seven friends before, let alone all at once*

****

	``Don't worry so much.  Like the way your Chinese is improving you'll
pick up this technique.  You've only been hit twenty-five times.  It took me a
hundred and thirty to pick up the bakusaitenketsu.''  Laoshen smiles up at me.
Easy for her to say, she isn't tied up here getting smacked with a boulder.
*She's been through this, so don't be so harsh.  It isn't like she wouldn't
stop if you asked her to.*

	``Then lets try again.''  Her smile gets almost blinding.

****

	``Look at this,'' I hold out a paper napkin and two photocopies of
caligraphied documents.

	``What are they?  Could you read them?''  Laoshen answers, moving to
look over my shoulder, brushing my arm ever so lightly as she does.  I can't
quite supress a shiver of delight at the touch.

	``The first one,'' I smooth the napkin, ``Says that if Saotome Genma
and Tendou Soun only have daughters Genma's daughter will be engaged to a
Masaki Tenchi.  The second,'' I shuffle the papers a bit, ``Is a promise to my
mother that I and my father will commit seppuku if he does not succeed in
making me a `man amoung men,' and the last is an agreement engaging Saotome
Genma's unborn child to one of Tendou Soun's children.''

	``What kind of person is your mother, letting a man handle such things?
It's a woman's job to make sure that her children are well-trained, and arrange
any marriages.''

	``Japanese.  I don't even remember what she looks like.''  Laoshen hugs
me tightly, presses my head lightly under her chin.  *kimochi ii zo*

****

	``What is this I hear about you having a daughter, Shanpoo?''  I look
up to see an amazingly small old woman, seemingly nothing but power made flesh,
the living embodyment of the Yoda archetype.

	``Yes.  She beat me at end the of the tournament.  I was overconfident
about a small wet girl.  I left one opening in my initial charge and she
exploited it.  Then when I went to give her a kiss on the cheek she moved and I
kissed her on the forehead.  She's a little bit rude, but very skilled for an
outsider and very sweet.''  I start at that last discription, absurdly pleased
by it.

	``She also learns very fast.  She's been in training most of her life,
and it shows.''  Laoshen's praise feels _so_ nice, I can't understand how.

	``So, you are my great-granddaughter's new child.''  I nod at the old
woman's statement.  ``You're Japanese, aren't you child.''  I nod again, and
she shifts into Japanese.  ``Why are they calling you `she' when you are merely
cursed?''
	I reply in the same language.  ``There was a misunderstanding and I'm
stuck like this.  I don't think I mind anymore.''  My glance shifts to Laoshen
of its own accord, and I fear I blush.

****

	``Obaba, when will the elders meet?''

	``Another week.''

****

	``Does anyone have any objections to admiting this girl, Saotome Ranma,
as Shanpoo's daughter?''  The old woman looks significantly at Laoshen, and I
follow her gaze.  Laoshen looks quite torn by something, but minutely shakes
her head.  ``Are you sure?  Anyone who needs to talk to the girl may.''  She is
_definately_ talking to Laoshen, but I can't quite understand why and the
sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach doesn't help.  Laoshen again shakes
her head the tiniest bit, as if to afraid to do any more.

	``Then it is official, Saotome Ranma is Shanpoo's daughter and a member
of our tribe.''  The meeting of the village goes on a little more, then breaks
up.  I follow Laoshen from the room as she flees in tears.

	I catch up to her at last, ask, ``What was Obaba talking about, why did
she keep looking at you while she was talking?''  She wraps her arms about me,
sagging so her head rests on my shoulder as she weeps.

	``I'm Shanpoo's elder sister.'' Suddenly a lot of things fall into
place, and I stroke her back, burying my face in her soft black hair, my throat
feeling like I have a large rock in it and my eyes stinging.

	``Why didn't you tell me?''  The raw need in my voice scares me.

	``Why didn't you show me that you felt this way too?  You're a gi. . .
No, you're not.  Why should I have expected someone who was raised as a boy to
respond properly.''  Her voice colapses in the middle of the word `girl.'

	``I thought I had all the time I needed to gather my courage.''

	``It never occured to me that you wouldn't know.''  We collapse to the
ground at her words, my world more shattered than when I first realized what
had happened at Jusenkyou.  I let the tears flow, diluting the pain, but not
washing it away.  We sit there holding each other in a miserable lump for a
long time, eventually crying ourselves to sleep.

	I wake in the middle of the night, my tears cold in Laoshen's hair, the
air chilled to the point that I can't ignore it.  ``You awake?''  She nods into
my shoulder, ``We should get home, out of the cold.''  She nods again, and we
get up, walk slowly home, engrossed in our thoughts, her arm about my shoulders
and mine about her waist.

****

	``I'm sorry, Shanpoo-mama, but I can't stay in the village now, the
pain is too raw.  Hibaachan said that she'll accompany me to Japan to continue
my training and help me deal with the mess my father made of my life.''

	``I can understand, I think.  Remember to write, please.''  She walks
over and hugs me tightly, a pleasant ache about my ribs.

	``I'll try.  If you want you can come too, work on your Japanese.''
She smiles at me sadly, shakes her head.

	``I can't, I need to stay here, continue my training.''  I nod, start
to walk from the room, then turn and hug her one more time before going to
pack.

	``Ranma.''  The achingly familiar voice says from the doorway.  I look
up at her, ``This is for you.  I got it about a week ago, but couldn't gather
the courage to give it to you.''  She holds out a small hoop of fairly thick
wire, places it in my hand.  It is too heavy to be silver, so I guess,

	``Platinum?''  Again, I use the Japanese word, not knowing the Chinese.
She nods.

	``Yeah, I looked up the word so I could tell you.''  I suddenly start
crying again, and hold her tightly, my face pressed to her chest.  When I
finally get myself under control again she pushes me back a little, ``Would you
like me to put it on for you?''

	I nod, ``Here,'' I pinch my right ear lobe.

	``OK.  Let me go get a needle.''  She vanishes for a moment, and I look
around the mostly clean room, stuff my last few items into my pack, finger the
small item in my pocket.

	``Found it.  Hold still.''  I hold still, and she slips the hoop into
my ear lobe after the needle.

	I pull the tiny item from my pocket, hold it out, ``Here, I talked Old
Chen into letting me use her shop in exchange for a few hours' help.  It's just
scraps, but. . .''  She reaches out with shaking fingers, picks up the earing
I'd made.  It is only a couple centimeters of silver wire, a tiny piece of jade
that I'd found when I first got to China, and a lot of time figuring out how to
keep the jade from falling out of the wire cage, but she starts crying, puts it
in a spare hole in her right lobe, then collapses against me like I had against
her.

****

	``This sword has belonged to our village for a long time.  Treat her
well and she will keep you safe.''  I accept the sword two-handed from Old
Chen, giving her a quick kiss in return.  Everyone makes jealous noises.

	``I will.  I need to collect my father so as not to have him be a
burden on you.''

	``Your father?  I haven't seen him.''  Someone from the crowd calls.

	``He fell into Shonmaoniichuan.''

	``You've been keeping him in jail!  Your own father?''  A different
voice accuses.

	``Has he caused any trouble since I put him in there?''  There is a
general murmur to the affect that he had not.  ``And it isn't like I forgot to
feed him, water him, or empty his bucket!''  The crowd laughs, and someone runs
off to free Oyaji.

****

	``What are those things in your ears?''  Oyaji sounds very annoyed.

	``I've joined the Nyuchezuu.  They were given to me by my friends, and
to not wear them would say that I don't value their friendship.''

	``What do you mean, joined?!''  He's advanced to posilutely angry.

	``I mean I was accepted into the tribe as a warrior in training.''

	``But all their warriors are women!''

	``And any of them can pound you into a spot on the road.''

	``But your manhood!''

	``Sacrifice to the art.''  *I don't like it, but there is no way to get
it back*

****

	``I can't believe you would do that to your own father!''

	``Sacrifice for the Art.''  We'd been arguing for the last four days,
with Obaba making the occasional snide comment, generally about Oyaji.

	``But becoming an Amazon!  Giving up your manhood!''  *The way Oyaji
carps on this manhood thing makes me glad I don't have it anymore*

	``Far better than being thrown into a pit of hungry cats wrapped in
fish-sausage.''  I spot a suitable rock, and use the bakusaitenketsu on it.
Oyaji shuts up for a while, and we walk on in silence.

****

	``Granddaughter, it is time for your morning lesson.''  Hibaachan pokes
me, and I get up and put on my shoes.  ``Today we will again concentrate on
speed.  This time it will be speed of movement, rather than speed of attack.
Put this on,'' She hands me what looks like a backpack without the pack, and
waits patiently for me to put it on.  Once I have it in place, she bounces up
and grabs firmly, totally throwing my balance off.

	``How am I supposed to move fast when I have twenty kilos of martial
artist on my back?''

	``Very carefully.''  Hibaachan has been using that answer on me,
whenever I ask a stupid question, for days.  ``That way,'' She points with her
cane, and I set off in the direction she tells me.

****

	``Careful, we're approaching the DMZ''

	``DMZ?''  Hibaachan asks.

	``Do you know about the Korean war?''  She nods,  ``Well, it didn't
really end, both sides just agreed to stop shooting at each other.  To keep
each other out both sides put up fences, mine-fields, and they still have
people patrolling the borders with orders to shoot anyone who looks
`suspicious.'  This means we get to swim to Inchon.''

	``Oh.''

	``After that we walk to Pushan, and then swim from there to Japan.  It
isn't easy, but it's cheap.''

****

	``This is starting to remind me of the training scenes from _Empire
Strikes Back_.''  I grumble.

	``What is that?''

	``A movie.  I got to see it because Oyaji heard that there was a good
training scene.  I got to watch the other two after that.''

	``How does this remind you of that?''

	``Well, the protagonist, Luke, goes off to this jungle world to be
trained by a famous `Jedi' named Yoda.  He is surprised when Yoda turns out to
be this old man about your size, and almost doesn't believe.  Yoda makes Luke
run about and do acrobatics with him on his back.''

	``Yes, I could see similarities.  You will have to show me this movie
when we get to Japan.  But for now you need to swim.''

	``Yes Hibaachan.''