Rippa Buyou (AST)

## Biography

Rippa crossed paths with Ranma sometime before the beginning of the main story, successfully defeating Ranma several times in combat. Frustrated at his consistent defeated, Ranma temporarily trained in Rippa's dance style in order to defeat him, but even after training was unable to win. Only when faced with the ultimate dilemma to either continue training with Rippa's master and abandon the Anything Goes style, or go his own way to Ranma realize the flaw in his approach, finally defeating Rippa by denying him the music he needed to maintain his beat at the time.

Much later, after the battle in the Hotel La Bac, Shampoo, while enspelled by Lemon, agreed to go on a date with Tatewaki Kuno. Kuno would take them to a dance class where they would encounter Rippa and his twin sister Kitsui who lead the final dance of the evening. Shampoo's competitive spirit caused to her to attempt to match the pair, resulting in them receiving some praise from Rippa afterwards.

With the lessons as and end, Mikado Sanzenin made an appearance, arguing with Rippa. Shampoo reacted badly to his presence, prompting Kuno to challenge him and lose. Mikado would then approach Shampoo, inquiring of the location of Kaneda (aka Kasumi) and apologizing for his earlier encounters with her.

Mikado would reappear later at the newly rebuilt San Cheng Huang and plead with Kasumi to help with a problem. Kasumi, being too weak to truly assist, declined to help, but Shampoo quickly said she would intervene on hearing that Mikado had been defeated by Rippa and how strong he was. Ranma, who also was present, would also recognize the name of his old rival of follow after.

Once arriving at Rippa and Kitsui's dance practice, Shampoo attempted to challenge him for Mikado debt by he refused, even allowing Shampoo to punch him without retaliation or defense. However, when Ranma arrived, Rippa demeanor changed. After bringing up the matter of Pride, Ranma arranged a freestyle martial arts dance endurance match in one week with Rippa and his sister as one team, and Ranma and Shampoo as the other. At stake was Mikado debt, and Rippa and Ranma mutually agreeing to join the other's school if they lost.

Rippa would reappear before the match, meeting Ranma at a dance club where he and Shampoo were practicing. He and Ranma exchanged banter, Rippa in particular noting how he believed that Ranma had made much more progress training with his old master than with Soun Tendo, but Ranma rebuffed him.

At the actual match, Rippa would concentrate most his efforts on battling Ranma, while Shampoo fought Kitsui. At first, he would make extensive use of his Flicker Step technique, but Ranma soon deduced its weakness forcing Rippa to attack in more conventional ways. Rippa would also be quickly surprised when Ranma was able to interfere with his ki flows, giving Ranma significant openings in Rippa's own defense. Finally, in a moment of distraction with the girls' fight, Ranma struck Rippa with an energy blast, knocking the boy cold.

This did not end the fight, however, as Kitsui was able to use the unconscious boy's body as a puppet and have him continue to fight. Soon after she would revive him and the pair would team back up to attempt to force their opponent to abandon the dance floor by placing a ki flame over it. This failed, however, when Shampoo and Ranma used an adapted form of Herb's hovering technique to attach themselves to the ceiling above the dance floor and out of the flames.

Not realizing this tactic did actually qualify as still being properly within the dance floor limit, Rippa complained to the judges but was overruled and lost points. This effort failed, the pair would once break up, both teams points now very low. While Kitsui kept Shampoo distracted, Rippa managed to root Ranma down and attacked with his own energy blast. Shampoo, realizing Kitsui was no longer a threat, switched to Rippa but too late to win the match. However, she did manage to make him lose his final point at the same instant their team lost their final point, resulting in a tie.

After having the tie confirmed, Ranma and Rippa mutually agreed to continue the fight outside, but Akane shut this down by demonstrating how neither were in any shape to continue. After tending to their immediate injuries, Rippa would declare a compromise instead, and have the pair exchange their relevant knowledge to the other.

Some days later, while training Ranma, Rippa would express skepticism about the nature of Ranma's extended engagement with Ukyo, Kasumi and Shampoo, encouraging him to make efforts improve the situation.

Later, with the San Cheng Huang under seige by the Kitsune, Ranma would call in Rippa as backup, and he would end up teamed up with Shampoo in one of the distraction parties. His eyes grew wide upon meeting Kasumi-kun for the first time. Ranma tiredly warned him to stop when he started jokingly flirting with him. He told Kasumi that Ranma had always been way too sensitive on this topic, which only puzzled him as he wasn’t aware what was going on.

Everyone convened in the pocket dimension to do the last bit of strategy. They would make a break for Siren's barrier by Frost, and with the repair of the kettle could restore Herb's male form preventing any forced marriage. Since Siren was an Amazon, the kitsune's could not attack Siren's barrier without provoking a response from the Amazons.

Devlin gave each a magic potion to drink which would allow them some added protection from the kitsunes as well as allow them to at least hurt them in physical combat for the duration of the effect. Teesha, another mage present who was helping, used her power to create numerous homunculi duplicates of each to act as distractions, and the group divided into pairs to accompany some of the duplicates to make the deception more convincing. Shampoo ended up paired with Rippa. Along the way they would meet with Ranko who was waiting for them.

With various mages acting as a barrier for the stronger kitsunes, Kasumi and company made their attempted escape. As they did, various weaker kitsunes engaged them. Shampoo and Rippa's group was so engaged and Shampoo ended up magically pinned to a wall, forcing Rippa to free her. They decided to rejoin the others but then a skeletal bird flew up and started speaking to them in Devlin's voice. Devlin informed that they had been tricked and in fact Peach had snuck on small portal onto Herb, and had used it to catch up to him. Peach, being perhaps the strongest kitsune present, made this particularly bad. Rippa noted they couldn't beat her, even all together, but Shampoo noted that Ranko potentially could.

After having met with Ranko, they explained the situation and Rippa and Shampoo entered the area where the others were now trapped to distract Peach long enough for Ranko to approach. Inside the looped space area, Shampoo's spirit sense allowed her to sense the true path out, but Peach quickly prevented their escape. Despite the best efforts of the other, Peach did indeed prove insurmountable, humiliating them by immobilizing them in the air and destroying their clothing. Shampoo, along with Herb remained defiant despite this. Kasumi, who had fooled Peach with a soul illusion, managed to sneak in an attack, but it too failed. As Peach asked if that was all she had, Kasumi use a flash of ki to blind her long enough for Ranko to make her final approach and grab her.

The effect of contact with the kitsune was dramatic, quickly defeating her. Kasumi decided to take her with them as she appeared injured by the contact and they raced off the remaining distance to Siren's barrier. Along the way, they managed to cobble together some clothing. Just short of the barrier, Eyebright suddenly appeared and confronted them, effortlessly defeating Ranko. However, before he could move on the rest, Jasmine appeared as well and blocked him. This gave the others the chance to enter the barrier.

Eyebright, frustrated with the situation, declared he was committed and that although he would not attack further, there was only two ways this would be allowed to end, Herb surrendering or dying. He explained that he could not let Herb return to the Musk alive given all that had happened, and sooner or later they would kill him before he could return. Kasumi, currently in male form, realizing the situation was otherwise intractable, confirmed with a look to Shampoo and then declared his intent to take Herb as his wife by Amazon law. An agreement was set up the Amazons would aid in the coup, and in exchange Kasumi would take the official title of Dragon Lord, although the true power would remain with Eyebright.

Rippa has been trying to start a dance program at his school, but has failed despite his best efforts so was forced to join track. He tried to look on the bright side and see it a way to trains his skill but he was quickly told the use of his technique weren’t allowed. Hearing that they were having a track meet against Furinkan he’d figured he’d come over himself instead of using the bus. On the way he came across Ukyo and unaware of her curse he subdued her and called animal control.

He found Ranma and Kuno talking in front of the school. Seeing how casual the two were Ranma called Rippa out for being so vitriolic with him, to which he replied he made it so easy. From there the conversation moved to Kasumi. Rippa noticed how down Ranma looked, he explained what happened to Kasumi and how useless he felt. Kuno felt even worse as at least Ranma was able to aid against the Fox Clan. Even if Ranma tried to assure him that it was mainly timing and luck that he was even there.

Given that Kasumi’s recent opponent was even worse Rippa advised Ranma to step up his Ranma. Unfortunately he didn’t even no were to start when it came to fighting such beings. Rippa suggested he try adopting magical principles into his style. In the meantime, they still had much knowledge to exchange. With renewed determination Ranma took his words to heart.

Rippa was rather worried when Ranma and the others went missing so was happy to go with him to Manpukuji Temple when he asked if he would like to go with him to pick up Ukyo. On the way Ranma explained everything that had happened since they’d been missing. Rippa ended up laughing so hard he was crying. He managed to get out through laughing fits enough to express his worry that Ranma would miss the tournament. Given all that had happened Ranma had completely forgotten about that, but was up for a challenge. Rippa asked if Herb would like to join, jokingly calling him Ranma’s girlfriend. While Ranma just rolled his eyes at this he did warn Rippa what Herb would do if he heard him. Rippa waved it off however. While Ranma didn’t believe would want to join he’d probably wouldn’t mind watching so Rippa offered to get him a spectator pass.

The conversation moved to Ranma’s progress in keijutsu, Rippa can get individual motions to work, but it just all fades away so fast. Ranma has learned to manipulate his own circuits, but the recoil was dangerous and unpredictable. Ironically this increased his offensive application, but even that was touchy, Ranma was working mostly blind, and Happosai’s notes could only take him so far. Rippa suggested that he asked Frost for help and Ranma considered it just as they arrived. They both expressed their frustration at manpukuji. Rippa was dubious of Ranma’s claim that the priest could taste aura, and while Ranma wish he could tell Ukyo that he was fully of it; the nature of martial arts cooking techniques made that impossible. While he can’t taste aura Ranma could feel that something was wrong when comparing Ukyo’s cooking with the priest.

Not long after the head priest greeted the pair with a smile, though his smile cracked slightly when Ranma asked how Ukyo was doing. Seeing that she wasn’t making any progress Rippa suggested she try something new. With a sigh Ranma asked him if he had any ideas before heading off, leaving Rippa in thought. Mint came back a short while later and as they waited Rippa talked with the priest. This is how Ranma and Ukyo found them nearly a half an hour later. After some quick goodbyes the threesome headed out, Ranma and Rippa hanging back slightly as Mint led the way and Ukyo followed behind him. Ranma asked Rippa about his chat with the priest. He told him just this and that, but it did give him and idea.