A thick tension filled the air, paired with malice. Steepling and scheming, Ukyo was snickering to herself. She had been for a few minutes now, but she had a good reason.
It took a bit of convincing—and collaboration offers—but Ukyo was finally next in line to fight shampoo. She wanted justice... which is the righteous way to brand a vicious vendetta.
Ukyo tightly squeezed one of her throwing spatulas, watching Shampoo's last match intently. Shampoo's opponent started slowing down, a look of concern crossing her face.
"Something wrong?" Shampoo asked.
"Something is wrong, but they're too stubborn to say so..." The girl stroked her chin. "Oh crap! I gotta go feed the stove!"
Shampoo quirked an eyebrow. "Hm? How stove hungry? It no eat food."
"No, my dog is named 'The Stove'." The girl puffed out her chest. "Ah! there's no time!"
Shampoo watched her opponent frantically rush out of the ring before she could milk any more time out of her. The moment the careless camel owner stepped off of the ring, an outraged okonomiyaki chef exploded onto the stage so abruptly, Shampoo had no time to escape the spatula slamming down on her.
Shampoo swiftly dropped to her knees and pointed both Chui vertically, managing to wedge her two Chui beneath the hulking spatula before Ukyo crushed her.
Ukyo growled and pressed down on her spatula harder. "You're so going to pay!" She barked, trying to jostle the Chui out of the way, but Shampoo's grip remained firm.
With a slight struggle to keep both maces stable, Shampoo innocently mumbled out, "What Shampoo do? Shampoo have been nice to everyone..." Behind her Chui, she slipped Ukyo a mocking smirk.
Ukyo pressed harder at the sight of the smirk. "You Trip me, And then you drag those fights out more than you have to, just to piss me off!"
Shampoo placed a hand over her mouth in surprise—or to hide her ever-growing smile—forgetting that she needed both hands to avoid being pressed into a fine pancake. "I never do anything like that—"
*Gong*
Ukyo immediately laughed at the flattened amazon, she hoisted her spatula over her shoulder. "How's that, you jackass—" A mace flew past her ear, knocking the spatula out of her hand.
Shampoo furiously rose to her feet while glaring at Ukyo, fist clenched at her sides. She spat out rubble and snatched her other mace off of the floor. "I kill!" she shrieked before hurling her last mace at Ukyo and pouncing on the chef.
"Wasn't this a tournament?" whispered one man, shuddering slightly.
Tonic cackled into Colognes ear. "isn't that purple haired girl your great-granddaughter?"
Cologne closed her eyes and sighed.
"Teens." she muttered.
Ukyo and Shampoo rolled back and forward, punching whatever body part they could get their hands on. Eventually their brawl left them tediously balancing over the edge of the arena, but they were too focused on hitting each other to notice.
Ukyo tried to spring Shampoo off of her with her feet, but Shampoo held a firm grip on her shirt and they both fell off of the stage. They took a moment to process what happened, sitting on the floor as they did
Shampoo blinked twice before her confused expression took a nosedive. "Aiya! stupid spatula girl drag us both down!" Shampoo furiously exclaimed, slapping Ukyo on the back in frustration
Ukyo punched shampoo in the shoulder. "This is your fault!"
Another fight between the two broke out, forcing guards to cautiously escort the two away.
——————————————————————————————————————————
Even with the commotion from Shampoo and Ukyo's brawl, there was no pause in the fight between Akane and Yukue.
Akane was fighting cobwebs and her reaction speed suffered from it.
Yukue couldn't kick without the pain in her gut getting worse. Her instincts wouldn't agree with her reflex either.
Yet their pride and resilience kept the two locked in their fight. And the two fighters surged forward.
Yukue closed the distance first as Akane stumbled forward. Her foot pressed to the floor for a moment, her instinct telling her to retreat again. But Yukue snatched her foot off of the floor and slung it toward Akane's head.
Akane noticed the kick late, nearly falling over in her attempt to dodge. She quickly covered her brief blunder with a ferocious punch. It was obvious, yet Yukue froze and stepped back.
Akane would not let Yukue catch a break. She stepped in, winding up an uppercut. Yukue's right fist flew to intercept Akane's punch, but got grabbed by Akane's left hand. She hooked her uppercut under the same arm and placed her back against Yukue, tossing her toward the edge of the arena.
Yukue twisted in the air landing on her feet. Her feet slid from the soles to her heels, Inch by inch, centimeter by centimeter... But she caught herself.
"I'm not done yet!" Akane stopped herself from dropping and acted immediately, ignoring the cry from her torso and the pain in her thigh to drive the finishing kick into Yukue's back.
Yukue let out a weak gasp. Turning around, she hoped to muscle herself back onto the arena, with one foot if she could.
Akane tensed up at the sight. Carefully watching how, for a moment, Yukue managed to catch herself, but the pain in her stomach was too much to ignore.
When Yukue finally fell on her back, Akane collapsed from the dizziness, clutching her head.
Yukue sat up, looking up in thought, and let out a deep sigh. "An ice pack and some sleep would be nice... Maybe Ringo could use his flicking technique—" She got to her feet and slowly walked away.
"...g-Great match..."
"Huh..?"
Akane stood and limped closer to Yukue, just so she could see her nod proudly. "I said it was a great match.."
"Oh, uh... thank you..."
"If it isn't any trouble could we fight again some other time?"
"Hey! look out!" Yukue shouted.
The warning came too late. Akane was shoulder tackled from behind before she could turn around and try to save herself.
The culprit apologetically clasped her hands together and winked. "I'm sorry, but If I need that money for my shop, so I had to take the chance." She bowed again, before turning to her next opponent.
——————————————————————————————————————————
"It's for her own good," Ranma thought. "What was she expectin' to do after gettin' hurt like that."
Ranma turned his attention to Ringo, who wasn't even paying attention to his own fight. His opponent, Yoshida Nozomi, is a fairly accomplished martial artist. A one-time champion, three-time finalist, star pupil of his school... and completely disregarded.
Not that Ranma knew, or Ringo cared. Ringo's troubled gaze was fixed on the bleachers where Nabiki and Tonic sat.
"They just had to talk to each other..." he thought bitterly.
He shuddered at the sight of Nabiki and Tonic Shaking hands, their conspiring grins, and especially the lack of crossed fingers.
"They agreed on something... something terrible!"
His concern only fed the flame on his head, which fluttered in the wind as he weaved past his opponent's attacks. Eventually the attacks stopped coming.
"Could you please pay attention!?" Nozomi pleaded. "I would like a little bit of respect."
Ringo was busy scowling at Nabiki while she talked to Tonic. Nabiki noticed, and flashed a smug grin. "Huh, whad'ya say?"
"Can you pay attention to our fight?"
"...I've been doing that." He finally answered, "You're quite ordinary though..."
Nozomi's bushy eyebrow twitched. "I'm asking for your undivided attention in this fight, not an opinion."
"Fine, you got it." Ringo mumbled, prying his eyes away from his active nightmare.
"Thank you." Nozomi did one quick bow before settling in to a stance, both arms up, all of his weight on the left foot.
After a brief survey around the ring, Ringo blitzed behind Nozomi and pinched his collar. , Nozomi spun around as fast as he could, hoping to catch Ringo with an elbow, but Ringo yanked him backward and tossed him over his shoulder. Before Nozomi could touch the ground, Ringo dashed beneath him, grabbed him by the leg, and launched him out of the ring.
"Alright, who's... next?" he asked. Getting no answer in the form of a sneak attack or another smug remark, Ringo finally looked at his line. It was completely empty. "Did I really just—"
Clap, clap, clap.
Ringo rolled his eyes, turning toward the source of the sound. Ranma had started clapping, a smug grin already stretched across his face. "I knew you could do it." He mocked.
"So you like testing people?" Ringo's feather flickered as he stepped over to Ranma's arena.
"The lack of effort is sorta impressive, but..." Ranma hopped onto his feet and stretched his back. "I've only got a glimpse of how you really fight."
"You can wait?" Ringo mockingly asked in return, stretching his arms behind his back.
Ranma scoffed and stood ready for Ringo to attack, but Ringo... stretched even more. He pulled each leg behind his back and even spun his arms.
Ranma folded his arms "I'm pretty sure most of the tournament should've been a good stretch for you."
Ringo's eyes narrowed. "It's an awful day tomorrow... and today." he muttered, silently starting a new set of calf raises. "Why not get ready for both?"
Ranma sighed. "So you're gonna make me wait forever. Alright, take your time then... It's not like you were gonna win anyway."
"Ten..." Ringo whispered.
"If you're hoping to bore me out of the ring, then I guess you'd get further than actually fightin' me."
Ringo glanced at Ranma for a moment, arching an eyebrow. "I wonder why you're so impatient." he said, continuing his stretch.
"Wonder why yer so slow." Ranma said under his breath.
"Twelve."
His eyebrow twitching, Ranma let out an obvious groan before tapping his feet faster. "Are ya done tomorrow, or—I dunno... any time now?!"
Ringo bent over to reach past his toes for a deeper stretch. He let out a satisfied grunt before nodding, the small flame flapping along. "Yep, I think I'm done."
"Finally! I hope you didn't stretch your arms into—" Before Ranma could raise his guard, Ringo shot across the ring, nearly catching Ranma with a flying knee.
"Hey! Don't go jumpin' the gun!" Ranma barked. "I'm hoping this isn't a trend o' yours."
Ringo caught his balance and shrugged, sighing at the missed attack. "I thought you were ready."
"And after I generously let you stretch instead of layin' you out..." Ranma grumbled.
Ringo rolled his eyes and one hand while placing the other hand on his hip. "Take your time then."
Ranma squinted at Ringo and settled into his stance with a bit more haste. "Jeez... I'm ready—"
Ringo rushed toward Ranma even faster, aiming a punch toward the jaw. Ranma side stepped the attack, watching Ringo fly past him. "You!—"
"I waited." Ringo remarked, whirling around with a sweeping kick.
Ranma hopped over the kick and stepped right up to Ringo. "I waITeD," he mocked. "For half a second! Do you have any shame?"
Ringo tilted his head away from a punch, trying to knee Ranma in the jaw before planting a foot against Ranma's chest and leaping back. "You're so talkative."
"Keep talking ya' shameless jerk!" Ranma dove at Ringo with a flying kick and unleashed a combination of sharp punches and kicks.
Ringo hopped over the flying kick and managed to sway away from the most of blows, but a few would've caught him if he hadn't blocked. Before any more punches could land, Ringo darted away from the barrage.
Ranma curled his hand slowly. "Ya' scared I'll show these people you really can't fight?"
Ringo hopped in place as he curled an eybrow. "What—"
"I mean all these cheap tactics must be a way to compensate." Ranma turned his back, continuing the shaming.
"Were in the middle of a fight—"
"It was honestly so disappointing, getting excited—"
Ringo shook the fire away and rolled his eyes... before charging in with a haymaker as the feather reignited.
Ranma ducked under the punch, and countered with a dual-palm strike that sent Ringo flying. "I've got you now, idiot!"
Ringo slid across the stage on his hands as Ranma chased after him, intent on adding the finishing touch to his trap. But Ringo spun on one hand to face Ranma, tucked his knees into his chest, and sprang up into a dropkick.
Ranma ducked under the attack, but was stuck defending as Ringo flipped to drop an axe kick from the air. Ranma rolled out of the way, somersaulted to avoid a punt kick, and blocked a roundhouse coming from his left.
Ranma grinned cockily "You're tryin' anything now, aren't ya." Ringo pushed harder, using the strength of his legs to shove Ranma aside.
As Ranma rolled to the edge of the ring, Ringo brought his foot down into a sprinting position. He took a deep breath, and lunged forward with a right knee. "Jeez—" Ranma tilted his head out of the way and watched Ringo fly past "What a maniac."
Ringo landed right on the edge with a wide step on his right foot and whirled around with a left roundhouse. At the sight of Ringo winding up for a side kick, Ranma took the moment to sweep Ringo's legs and gain a moment of peace.
Ranma let out a sigh of relief, "Ever heard of rest?"
Ringo sat up and pursed his lips, "Love it." A small flame sat on his head, but at the sight of a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek, it jumped as he hastily got back on his feet.
Ringo blasted across the ring in seconds, his right foot stretched for another flying kick. Even at such speeds Ranma ducked under the attack, if only by a hair.
"The same old trick won't work twice, no matter how fast you get." Before Ringo could start his next sprint, Ranma cut him off with another swift jab. "Now It's my turn to set the pace." Ranma launched flurry of punches.
Ringo swatted the first punch away, but another followed quickly. He parried, blocked, and even dodged a few, but they didn't stop coming. When he found an opening Ringo countered with a barrage of his own.
Ranma slipped around Ringo's punches, and sped up twice as much. Ringo couldn't see half of the punches crashing into his arms. He couldn't see any openings either, only the increasing amounts of sweat dripping down his own face. He had to move, to get out of this barrage and keep moving.
Ranma was punching too fast for anything complicated... Ringo simply had to punch faster. As fast as he could.
His arm flew forward before he could even see it.
pap...
His punch landed before dropping with the rest of his body.
Ranma blinked, his arms frozen in front of his face. He rubbed the tip of his nose, feeling "Huh?"
Ranma looked down, watching Ringo's feather sputter and fizzle out as they lay on the floor. "did he..."
The arena and stage fell silent, shortly broken elderly cackling, and a harsh curse. Everyone else mutely stared.
The show girl taiko raced up to her raised platform, microphone in hand. "Uhh, We have our men's division Winner... uhm..." She fumbled with the cards in her pocket.
"Or for cryin out loud—It's Ranma Saotome!"
"Ranma Ssssaaaaoootome!"
The crowd remained confused, but eventually, the claps rolled in, and the tournament moved on.
Cologne left to go break up the ongoing between Shampoo and Ukyo. Tonic was still fuming and stomped out of the venue to shout with Cologne even more.
Nabiki watched her leave, then got up herself.
"Well that's a bust..." Nabiki mused, shaking her head. "the prize would've been a nice bonus, but lets see what I get get from her offer..."
Ranma crouched next to Ringo and poked his head, feeling a chill crawl up his hand. Ringo rolled over, slobber trailing down his chin. "He's out cold."
"I got him..."
——————————————————————————————————————————
Food stands and kiosks were closing up, and push carts rolled down the path toward the exit. There was slight chill in the evening air, enhanced by a subtle breeze blowing past.
And yet, there were still two shops reluctantly remaining open.
"Come and have some... yakitori."
"Come and get your Takoyaki... cold."
Yakiō and Yōsei. They never made any other sales today. Yakiō got one lucky sale, as Yōsei believes. "How the hell can a bird by food..."
Yakiō smacked a bowl against the counter top. "Quit complaining, you lost, and everyone is leaving."
"Well, why are you here?" Yōsei questioned, aiming a skewer at his rival.
"Excuse me."
"So you don't eat all of your fritters and say you sold out." Yakiō scoffed.
Yōsei clutched his skewer tightly, nearly throwing it. "I don't have to! This is quality food, these people just don't know it!"
"Sir?"
"Huh?" Yōsei finally noticed the girl, carrying a boy with a familiar feather on her back, standing right in front of him.
Yukue pointed at the menu and placed three hundred yen notes on the counter "May I have the Tokyo style takoyaki?"
A sly grin spread across his face before stretching further into a corporate smile. "Well of course young lady! Would your buddy like one too? On the house." He quickly cooked handed two skewers over before Yukue could answer.
"Oh, uhm... Thank you!" Yukue bowed, and walked away, Ringo in tow.
"You're welcome!" Yōsei grinned kindly, watching her leave. "Have yourself a most wonderful day!"
He the turned to his rival stand. "See that?" Stepping on the hot top, Yōsei pointed at his rival and started cackling. "You see that!? I got a human customer!"
Yakiō scoffed. "Oh please, she left too quickly to even know the mistake she made! Now get your foot off the stove!"