Early morning, and the start of another calendar week. The racing
clouds of the night previous were gone, but a gentle breeze caressed
Nerima by way of an indirect reminder. This, added to the cherry
trees sparsely standing beside the roads, created the eternally
beautiful picture - bright cherry blossoms ruffled by the wind. How-
ever, it was still too early for the encore of the floating, falling
sakura.
  Down the footpath of one such street ran Akane. But she was in no
mind to admire the natural heritage. In her head-band, T-shirt,
shorts and joggers, Akane panted as she raced past the corner of the
block and down the next path. Some of her hair clung to her face,
the sweat evident on her arms and legs too. It soaked her back, and
her chest bounced tightly under the wet patch on her front.
  Akane was sprinting. The days of Kohane's training, and what they
had shown Akane of her abilities gave her new physical determination.
Rising early, she mapped out a six kilometre course around the
neighbourhood, started her stop-watch and set off to see how quick
she could do it. She forgot her towel, as well as her walkman, and
for the moment was wondering what to wear to the evening's party.
Now Akane approached the last corner, and sped up her pace. She
rarely ran so fast, but the faint nagging pain made her feel good to
know she was pushing herself. She turned the corner, with the dojo
gate ahead, and Ryouga slumped beside it.
  He was all right, simply totally fatigued. He looked in the direction
of the foot-falls and huffing to be greeted with the sight of Akane,
with her body in full motion, running worriedly to him.
  "Ryouga-kun!" Concern etched into her voice.
  "I'm okay..." he mumbled loud enough for her to hear, and tried to
raise himself.
  Akane reached him, supported him with an arm. "Are you sure you're
all right? Where have you been? You look pale... You need to eat..."
  Akane and Ryouga dragged Ryouga into the house.


  "How is he, Oneechan?"
  "He just lay on Ranma's futon and was out like a light, Akane-chan.
All he needs is rest." Kasumi gave the group a reassuring look, then
made for the kitchen.
  "What do you think, Kohane-san?" Akane asked from across the table.
Ranma was present too, and they all sat under the kotatsu as defence
against the brisk morning air. Akane now wore her usual attire of
shirt and skirt; Kohane was dressed in a cute form-hugging Chinese
coverall she had pulled from her little bag.
  "I slept bad last night," she sighed. I'm pretty sure I sensed his
Shishi Houkou Dan. It was powerful... and he's so fatigued."
  Ranma shifted his legs. "But what about this threat he talked
about?" Ryouga had tried to relay what he remembered about the
encounter, but after hearing the essentials, Kohane ordered the nod-
ding boy to bed.
  Kasumi quietly served some tea, and Kohane sipped. "Mmm. Now, he
said that the guy mentioned immortals, and he said that the attack
was supposed to be some sort of message. I can only conclude that
Ryouga's opponent was sent by someone who has it in for me, and
wanted to announce his presence."
  Ranma asked, "Who could it be?"
  Kohane pondered. All those with any real cause to challenge her
were long dead. "I can't think of anyone. Must be someone who visited
one of my villages and decided to test himself against me." She
stared upwards. "But somehow I have a bad feeling about it..."
  "Well, this guy has a servant, the guy who attacked Ryouga, right?"
said Ranma.
  "Right. He must be commanding..."
  "If he attacks," said Akane, "we'll help you fight."
  Kohane smiled. "Thanks, but I'd call that the worst-case scenario."
They finished their tea. Kohane stood up. "Training!" she announced.
"It's a perfect day for outside practice. All nice and chilly and
you warm up real fast. Let's see if you've improved."
  The next hour was spent in rigorous combat. Ranma and Akane changed
into traditional gi and did their best in attacking Kohane." The
immortal mostly evaded by zipping around the enclosure, periodically
charging either of them to gauge their defence. At one stage, Akane
stanced on the veranda and saw Kohane sprinting in her white gi
along the wall opposite. She took careful but rapid aim, then
punched: "SUISEI KEN!" The light streak of energy flew at Kohane who
stopped short to evade it by inches.
  "Very good, Akane-san!" Kohane began clapping.
  Akane beamed at the praise, but then Ranma alighted next to Kohane
and started grappling with her, which annoyed his fiancee. "RANMA-A-A!"
  "Arararararararara!!"
  Kohane dodged the sweet chestnut punch with ease. With a smirk on
her face, she held a fist a few centimetres from his chest. A shout
of "CHOUKYUUSHUN IINCHI KEN!" and her blow sent Ranma splashing into
the pond.
  "Wow," said Akane.
  Ranma stood up and hopped out, saying, "The One Inch Punch? I saw
Bruce Lee do that in, um, oh what was it...?" She rubbed her smarting
chest.
  Kohane posed. "Bruce Lee was no where as good as _I_, the immortal
Kohane!"
  "Let's just see!"
  She dodged Akane's low fly kick and saw Ranma somersaulting toward
her. Chi glowed and streaked from her heel as it descended right at
Kohane's head.
  "KUDARIKI SHOUTEN HA!!"
  Kohane pivoted three-sixty degrees with chi arcing from her own
radially outstretched foot.
  "HANSHUU NAMI KYAKU!"
  This defending roundhouse knocked the blow's force away and put
Ranma into a defenceless spin. She leaped to give her two snap kicks
then One-Inch-Punched her back into the pond. "That's just as good,
Ranma-chan! Do you think you could make it a bit stronger and faster?
Oh, and I'll teach you that kick later."
  Ranma knelt in the water, a little winded. She raised a fist to
peer at it, then held it close to one of the rocks lining the pond.
After an instant, and a loud kiai, the stone splintered from the fist
rapidly accelerating through it. Determination on her face, Ranma
held the stance dramatically, then looked at the hand again and
smiled.
  "I didn't think it would take you long, Ranma-chan." Kohane turned
to Akane, "Now, do you want to try?"
  At their skill-level, the One Inch Punch was an easy move to
master. And its purpose was served: now Ranma and Akane felt renewed
confidence to battle their teacher with more focused determination.
Drawing from what they had learned under her, their moves became
backed up to varying degrees with their fighting spirit energy. For
the next few hours Kohane observed the extent of their improvements.
She gave them a run for their money, but by the time Kasumi called
them for late lunch, even Kohane was perspiring.
  As they ate, Kasumi brought Ryouga down to join them. The boy
assured them he was feeling much better.
  "I'm sorry that you can't sleep more, Ryouga-kun," Kohane exp-
lained, "but we do seem to be facing a threat."
  "Uh, yeah." Ryouga related the details of the encounter again,
carefully.
  Kohane's conclusion was unchanged. "This person isn't going to go
away. He must be after me, but as you're my students, he won't
hesitate to attack you too, don't you think Ryouga?"
  Ryouga grunted.
  "Yeah, you know what we're up against (or does he? she though),
but I still want to see you in action. But now, more training."
  Ranma's bowl was clean and Akane quickly finished her food. Ryouga
took large mouthfuls until he was full, and they rose. They moved
into the garden again. Are you coming to tonight's dance, Ryouga-
kun?" asked Kohane on the way out.
  "Dance?...Like a party?" Ryouga was a bit confused.
  "Yeah, at the high school... oh."
  "But I don't go to Furinkan." Ryouga felt a bit left out as they
watched him.
  "You can still come. I'm sure it will be okay." Akane smiled.
  "I think you _should_," said Kohane firmly. Ranma looked bemused.


Soun and Genma pondered over their game of shougi. They were also
distracted by the 'teenagers' standing silently in the yard.
  Her students copied Kohane's stance: the body front-on, with the
right foot slightly forward; back and neck straight, and hands flatly
open and extended before the torso.
  "Kids grow up so quickly these days," Soun commented, moving a
wisely chosen piece. "Their power is most daunting."
  Genma concurred. "And they've been like that nearly an hour."
  Indeed, the sun was sinking, and all that had moved were the
martial artists' shadows. Kohane stood at the front, with Ryouga to
her left and Ranma on her right. To Ranma's right was Akane, stanced
a little more further back.
  "Are we all focused?" the immortal presently whispered. She knew
that they were. "Now, you know where your chi is centred..." she
instructed, "I want you to grow that spot to surround your body."
  Akane, Ranma and Ryouga, in the serene mental state, could not
think on anything but Kohane's words. Gradually, with patient effort,
their spirits expanded.
  "Your move, Saotome-kun..." prompted Soun. He lost his train of
thought upon looking up to see what was happening. An aura had burst
into existence around Kohane: eddies of glittering white, fringed
with faint gold. Before their eyes another flared up to surround
Ranma. Her's was the blue of her eyes, fairly static save for the
scarlet at the edges. A yellow-grey aura appeared around Ryouga,
then Akane became blanketed in soft sky-blue light. The fathers
continued watching.
  In this state of mind, Kohane's thoughts became completely clear
and she examined the current situation, among other less pressing
things. Some guy is after me, she thought, and tried to get Ryouga as
an announcement. He has a servant, so it's likely that he has more,
and he's trained them to equal my students' level. Ryouga's opponent
defended against his rudimentary Tamashiitou, so... So the guy we're
facing could be an immortal.
  Kohane's aura wavered slightly. The thought of facing others of her
kind was intimidating. She decided to end this meditation soon.
  "Now I've got you, you horrible girl!" shouted Happousai. "HAPPOU
DAIKARIN!"
  "What the hell?" was all Kohane could say as the crude fuse bombs
hurtled at her.
  Ryouga matched Ranma's speed as they moved to intercept the explo-
sives. The ghostly surrounding glow streaked behind them before
going out. All Akane could do was shield her face from the blast.
When the smoke cleared, she saw that Ryouga and the red-head had
taken the brunt, while Kohane's gi and face were blackened by soot.
  "Tha... That was pathetic!!" cried Kohane with indignation.
Happousai stood victoriously on the wall, but at that remark his
grin dropped. Ranma and Ryouga were angry too and prepared to attack.
However, Kohane threw an uppercut into the air before her, and
Happousai's chin snapped up and he was launched into the air.
Punching at him, Kohane's white chi shot at the old man from between
her fingers. He was knocked over the horizon.
  The 'teenagers' all shared looks of disgust. Akane picked herself
up, watching for what her teacher would do. Kohane brushed at some
of the looser ash and dust and let out a big sigh.
  "That guy is really starting to annoy me," she muttered.
  "Tell me about it," said Ranma, as she and Ryouga dusted and
wiped at their faces.
  Kohane started walking to the house. "Well, I think I'll start
getting ready now."
  Ranma glanced at the sun, still with a comfortable distance between
its position and the horizon. "Isn't it a bit early?"
  "I've never been to a party before. I got some clothes yesterday,
and I need time to try them all on--"
  "Time!" yelled Akane, and groaned. She pulled out her stop-watch,
and it read 9:16. She groaned again.