Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Neutral Ground ❯ High School Daze ( Chapter 4 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Metroanime 
Back to school.
Anime/Manga: Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Martial Arts | Type: The Bet | Uploaded On: 11.10.2002 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 956 | Status: Completed
Back to school.
Anime/Manga: Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Martial Arts | Type: The Bet | Uploaded On: 11.10.2002 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 956 | Status: Completed
NEUTRAL GROUND 4:
High School Daze by Gregg Sharp
A Ranma 1/2 fanfic
"Yes, yes, we know that all char are (c) R.Takahashi, and she abandoned her project saying that she couldn't do anything more with the storyline. Yeah, right. _I_ still object to being paired off with Kuno-baby, I mean the least she could've done is get me someone whose IQ is greater than that of his bokken.
"This is one of those 'Altered Universe' stories, set in the story arc of 'The Bet' dealing with minor changes resulting in major repercussions for our hapless group.
"If you think I'm being OOC, send me 5000 yen and I MIGHT tell you why...oh, can't do that. What? Free? Ah, I'm out of here, Nabiki Tendo working for free, now that _IS_ Out Of Character. Ja ne."
--------
"C'mon, Ranma, I'll walk you to school."
"Well maybe I'm not ready," Ranma wilted as Nabiki passed him a school bag. "Okay. Maybe I'm ready."
"Wouldn't do to be late for your first day, now would it?" Nabiki smiled. He was NOT getting out of this that easily.
"I guess not," Ranma sighed and followed her. "So when's Akane coming?"
"Don't worry about my dear sister, she's more than capable of looking out for herself." Nabiki watched as Ranma leapt to the top of a fence and continued along it. "Must you do that?"
"Balance training." Seeing Nabiki didn't get it, "ah, Pops always taught me to make training out of damn near anything I did."
"Ranma, we're alone, for the moment at least." Nabiki paused. How to say anything without scaring him off? "I wanted to ask you something."
"About what the old man was saying last night? About the catfist training, and all... Yeah, it's true."
"So my cursed form?" Nabiki looked back up. Ranma WAS uncomfortable with this, but Nabiki realized that ten years on the road with Genma Saotome was not inclined to make one socially adept.
"Makes me a bit, uh, nervous."
Scared is more like it, Nabiki realized. Tsk. Still, there were ways of dealing with fear. "That wasn't what I was going to ask you, anyway."
"No?" Ranma glanced over at her, curious now. Nabiki had been friendly to him, compared to Kasumi - who was distant, and Akane - who was alternately hostile and distant.
"Your cursed form and mine have some common elements, I guess." Nabiki wanted to ask him about it. Did he ever feel the pull, the temptation? She'd always prided herself on control, on her intellect and ability to manipulate others, but there was something in that cat-girl form. That form ran almost purely on emotions and instincts, was stronger and faster, had more acute
senses and odd talents like the claw attack she'd used on Akane's mallet. Did Ranma find his dragon-girl form as seductive as Nabiki found the cat?
If it were any other boy, she'd thought of a way to put it that might make sense. Her uncursed form was like being a Rolls Royce- stately, elegant, and mainly dignified. It was controlled, comfortable, and beautiful in its way. Her cursed form was a souped up hotrod capable of incredible accelerations and more nimble than anything on the street. It was racy, wild,
and sexy. Unfortunately, after she'd worked out that explanation, she realized that Ranma had almost no experience with cars.
"Uhm. I suppose." Ranma had no idea what Nabiki was going on about. Still, it had been so long since he'd had a friend, and here was a girl who was actually being nice to him! Well, most of the time. If only Akane weren't so cute. Ranma frowned, where did THAT come from? He also got a very strong impression that money (something he'd always had very little of) was of great
importance to Nabiki.
"Oh come on, Ranma, I'll show you to your class." She waited for him to jump down then took his hand to hurry him into the school, she smiled both within and without. She rejoiced at the startled faces of the boys waiting for Akane. See, the youngest Tendo daughter isn't the ONLY one who can have a boyfriend! See, I may be the "Ice Queen" but that doesn't mean I'll have to be alone forever! So there, you stuck up girls who've flaunted your relationships before me!
It had hurt her more than she'd let on, when boys had gone out with her and it turned out that they'd either wanted her for something related to her money, or they wanted to get to Akane through her. Nobody approached Nabiki for Nabiki's sake, those who might have were scared off by the "Ice Queen" facade or business shark reputation. Well, let them gawk now!
She glanced back at Ranma, still holding his hand as she ran up the steps. "You want to be able to get a window seat anyway." She still wasn't sure what it was about him. Just a brawny martial artist without much in the way of schooling, Ranma the Barbarian. Still there was a definite attraction that the catgirl felt, and on the trip back she'd seen glimpses past the cocky martial artist facade to a little boy who wanted to be nice and have someone to pal around with.
---
"Why are you two following me?" Akane ran towards the school. "You're going to make me late!"
Shampoo ran a step behind Akane. "Rie Ga say you make good Amazon. She make you candidate for Tribe. Shampoo witness. Watch Akane, report back to Elders. Much honor you accepted as honorary member of tribe." Shampoo deliberately did not mention that Rie Ga would get a fair amount of that honor.
Rie Ga ran nearby. "-Besides, my brother's interested in one Akane Tendo.-"
Shampoo blinked. "-Tie Ga interested in Akane? He's never been interested in any of the girls of the village.-"
Rie Ga smiled and winked at Shampoo. "-If Akane is accepted as an honorary Amazon, then Tie Ga will come to Japan, defeat Akane, take Akane back to village as bride. Or both will stay here and raise a family. Not sure, think it could go either way. Akane gets someone who will respect and care for her, so she wins. You get a clear shot at Ranma, so both you and Ranma win. Rie Ga gets a new sister who knows a lot about the outside world, plus can stay with sister
in laws family when I get Elders pissed off at me.-"
"-You've been thinking about this.-" Shampoo was impressed.
"Would you two kindly speak Japanese so I can understand you?" Akane snarled. There was the school up ahead.
"Shampoo!?"
"I see, Rie Ga." There was a crowd of armed males in front of the school. It looked like something out of the legends.
"I hate BOYS!" Akane charged into the crowd, which moved to attack her.
Rie Ga and Shampoo watched Akane move into a group of attacking boys and did the natural thing when seeing a sister Amazon (elect) being attacked by MALES who were using weapons (baseball bat, hockey stick, swords, etc) in an attempt to subdue and/or seriously injure a woman. If they were attacking one at a time, the two Amazons would have sat back and watched. Even if Akane were double-teamed, it would have been OK. Twenty-one odds? Definitely not in keeping with the rules.
Rie Ga produced her jo staff. Shampoo produced her bonbori.
"Hiyaaaaaaaa!" Shampoo arced down with both bonbori flashing in a complicated rhythm.
"A-ta!" Rie Ga spun her staff around, then thrust it into the solar plexus of some guy in a hockey mask. Fearing that it might be that "Jason" guy she'd seen in a movie, Rie Ga decided to make sure he'd go down. "Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken!"
Akane blinked. Bodies were flying everywhere. There were horrible crunching noises, moans of pain, and the occasional cracking noise or pop as joints were either broken or dislocated.
Kuno, noting the silence that usually indicated that it was his turn, stepped from the tree he had been concealed behind, and threw a single rose towards Akane.
As he began his speech, he noted that two young women were leaping at him.
A moment after that he learned that throwing ANYTHING at Akane Tendo at that moment would forever be filed under "Incredibly Stupid Things To Do" or "Potato Manuevers" in the minds of all the students and faculty watching the proceedings.
<WHAMWHAMWHAMWHAMWHAMWHAM!> Shampoo's bonbori beat a drumroll on his head.
<K-RUNCH!> Rie Ga's flying snap kick caught Kuno in the groin.
Both watched with some satisfaction as Kuno slid to the ground, making a squeaking noise deep in his throat.
Akane, looking at broken and bleeding bodies littering the field, watching as Rie Ga was about to drive a killing blow into the school's star kendoist (actually she was aiming at a pressure point of Stone Cold Libido), did something quite out of character for her. She
screamed.
"Akane no worry, we make sure he no bother you again in this life." Rie Ga smiled. "We know what to do when men try to, how you say, force a woman."
Looking around her, Akane tried to say something. "...but that, I mean, they weren't..."
Shampoo blinked. "-What wrong with her?-"
"-I don't know. Maybe this is some weird custom of these Japanese.-" Rie Ga sighed. "-Maybe we ought to spy on her from a distance until we understand these crazy people a bit more.-"
"-Maybe she WANTED to be passed around like cheap bottle of wine?-" Shampoo looked at how upset Akane was and considered this a possibility. They'd heard stories about outsider women.
"-Don't think so. Let's get going.-"
"Sound good to Shampoo."
--------
Lunchtime at a nearly bare Furinkan. Ranma passed Nabiki, who smiled and winked at him before turning back to business.
Ranma wasn't sure what to make of that.
"Attention." A woman's voice crackled from the overhead speakers. "The report in from area hospitals is that there were no fatalities and no serious injuries."
Scattered applause from the students.
"The 'I will beat Akane Tendo into a bloody pulp so I can date her' club will be released tomorrow. Wednesday at the latest."
Scattered applause again.
"Tatewaki Kuno," the announcer's voice paused, "suffered greater injuries, and is expected to be in a full body cast for the next several months."
Wild applause greeted that statement. Ranma noted that this seemed to make Akane rather happy. Maybe Junko was wrong and Akane *didn't* secretly encourage all those boys. Hmmm. It seemed rather unlikely but Ranma was willing to admit he didn't understand women AT ALL.
"The two women spotted at the center of the battle are wanted for questioning. Any information on the two should be given to the vice-principal's office as soon as possible. Thank you."
"Yo, Ranma," Hiroshi, one of Ranma's classmates, held out a shirt. "Have you seen these, they are just so cool."
Ranma noted the "I survived the Furinkan Amazon Invasion" logo with the date written immediately below it. "Uh-huh. Two warriors equals an invasion?"
"Hey, it's something. How many other schools even get this much excitement?"
Ranma agreed there was a point there, somewhere.
------
Kasumi stepped out into the yard and began using the water ladle method to wash the front walkway. It was traditional, it was slow, it was inefficient, it was a comforting ritual. Neither Akane nor Nabiki would have washed the front walk this way. Both Kasumi and the Warrior would do it, and would do it this way for the same reasons.
Kasumi considered this as she finished the job in short precise movements. Yin and yang. Two sides of the same thing, interlocking because they fit and their natures depended on one another. The curses seemed to amount to the same thing. Genma, fat and lazy and proud. Much like the panda he turned into. Nabiki had been described as "catty" before. Ranma had a hidden side
despite all his brashness and rough edges, perhaps this was reflected in his curse as well.
That line of thought brought the thought of the Warrior to her. "Heisei" was probably a translation of her name, not her real name. It was easier to call her simply the Warrior. She could feel her presence grow stronger with every transformation. She was calm, and she was strength, she was an Archetype - the gentle warrior who must fight but regrets the battles. The reluctant warrior who craves peace but never seems to find it.
Even in death, Kasumi realized with a shiver.
"Ni hao, sister Heisei." Shampoo called as she leapt to the roof of the Tendo dojo.
"Ni hao, sister Kasumi," corrected Rie Ga. "We need tell elder that great warrior return to us."
"Who this 'we' Rie Ga speak of? I no want to talk with Great Grandmama any more than she do."
"She favor Tao Kun marry Rie Ga. Tao Kun big, Tao Kun strong, Tao Kun good fighter. Rie Ga say phooey on that. Tao Kun sword smarter than he is."
Kasumi watched the two sit down on the roof, each saying that the other was the logical choice to bring this development to the attention of their elder council.
She sighed and wondered if she should bring it to their attention that Cologne had been there briefly right after everyone had received their curses, and most likely knew about it already.
Kasumi returned her attention to the task at hand.
----------
Akane thought about the BOY that supposedly had saved her life. She resented many things about him: his reputed skills in the martial arts, that his feud with that other boy had resulted in Nabiki and Kasumi getting weird curses, that Ranma DEFENDED said boy by saying that this Ryouga wouldn't normally attack anyone besides himself. There was that nasty arranged engagement thing too. All his fault.
She also despised his typically male arrogance and chauvanistic attitude. He refused to take her talk of a connection between them due to the shared chi as something serious, putting it down to HER imagination. Now he was putting the moves on her sister, Nabiki, spending a lot of time around her. Then he'd go flirt with that hussy Shampoo without so much as an apology to her sister!
He even refused to take her seriously in a fight. She'd tried to spar him twice now and all he did was dodge her attacks. Well, he'd take her seriously soon. She'd train with Kasumi's Warrior half and see if he reacted differently when she kicked his butt so hard he'd be tasting toenail polish.
------
The next day was quiet. Most of the boys who had fought the Amazons were back, though the number of casts and bandages were sufficient reminder of the previous day's events that an eerie calm descended on the school.
No major surprises, and most of the teachers were glad for the break from the big morning fight that usually announced Akane's arrival to school.
Ranma left school with Nabiki. He killed time by talking with the school's Karate Club while she finished her business meetings. There was gossip about them being an "item" but Ranma knew he was just getting comfortable talking with Nabiki.
Finally both were ready and met up in the front of the school.
"RANMA, PREPARE TO DIE!"
Ranma saw Akane running towards him and shrugged. "Hold this," he tossed his bookbag to
Nabiki. They were just leaving the school, now this. Guys couldn't attack him in the middle of an exam or during gym, could they? Had to wait until it was inconvenient.
Shaking his head, he took in Akane's snarl and body positioning. "What are you so mad about this time? Geez, you are SO uncute. Especially in that outfit." Well, at least she was wearing something more suitable for a fight than the school uniform.
"Die, Ranma!" Akane snarled and smashed in a section of some unfortunate property owner's wall. "Because of you I've seen HELL!"
"Been lookin' in the mirror again?" Ranma dodged but noted that Akane had been working out, there had been serious power in that strike.
"Damn you! Stand still and fight!" Akane turned to glare at Ranma.
"Calm down, Akane," Nabiki touched her sister's shoulder. She was going to say that whatever she was angry about couldn't be THAT bad.
"BACK OFF!" Akane didn't even look. She casually backhanded her sister, who slid nearly three feet before coming to a stop.
There were startled gasps. Everyone was used to seeing Akane beating up guys first thing in the morning, but to actually hit her own sister. The crowd gave them more room. The consensus of the comments being that the stress of the morning combats had completely flipped Akane out.
Nabiki looked up from where she came to rest and checked her bleeding nose. "Akane?"
Ranma was as shocked as the rest of the students. "Akane, are you crazy? What you do that for, you uncute tomboy!"
"You shut up!" Akane pointed a finger at Ranma. "For what you've done to me, I WILL KILL YOU!"
"What'd I do?!"
"Words cannot convey the suffering I've endured thanks to you..." Akane clenched her fists.
"Why won't you tell me what I've done?"
"Here, Nabiki," Yuka offered Nabiki a glass of water. "You've got blood all over your faceeee." Yuka looked startled as she tripped.
Nabiki winced, just knowing what was going to happen. *SPLASH!*
There were startled yelps from the students as Nabiki shifted. Nabiki-neko ignored them as unimportant compared to what was before her. What was of the greatest importance was the scent reaching her.
"Rrrranma. It's not Akannne. Rrrrryouga!" She snarled at the disguised boy, deeming that it was time for a little payback.
========================================
oh well, everyone saw that coming the first time, so no surprises now, eh?
High School Daze by Gregg Sharp
A Ranma 1/2 fanfic
"Yes, yes, we know that all char are (c) R.Takahashi, and she abandoned her project saying that she couldn't do anything more with the storyline. Yeah, right. _I_ still object to being paired off with Kuno-baby, I mean the least she could've done is get me someone whose IQ is greater than that of his bokken.
"This is one of those 'Altered Universe' stories, set in the story arc of 'The Bet' dealing with minor changes resulting in major repercussions for our hapless group.
"If you think I'm being OOC, send me 5000 yen and I MIGHT tell you why...oh, can't do that. What? Free? Ah, I'm out of here, Nabiki Tendo working for free, now that _IS_ Out Of Character. Ja ne."
--------
"C'mon, Ranma, I'll walk you to school."
"Well maybe I'm not ready," Ranma wilted as Nabiki passed him a school bag. "Okay. Maybe I'm ready."
"Wouldn't do to be late for your first day, now would it?" Nabiki smiled. He was NOT getting out of this that easily.
"I guess not," Ranma sighed and followed her. "So when's Akane coming?"
"Don't worry about my dear sister, she's more than capable of looking out for herself." Nabiki watched as Ranma leapt to the top of a fence and continued along it. "Must you do that?"
"Balance training." Seeing Nabiki didn't get it, "ah, Pops always taught me to make training out of damn near anything I did."
"Ranma, we're alone, for the moment at least." Nabiki paused. How to say anything without scaring him off? "I wanted to ask you something."
"About what the old man was saying last night? About the catfist training, and all... Yeah, it's true."
"So my cursed form?" Nabiki looked back up. Ranma WAS uncomfortable with this, but Nabiki realized that ten years on the road with Genma Saotome was not inclined to make one socially adept.
"Makes me a bit, uh, nervous."
Scared is more like it, Nabiki realized. Tsk. Still, there were ways of dealing with fear. "That wasn't what I was going to ask you, anyway."
"No?" Ranma glanced over at her, curious now. Nabiki had been friendly to him, compared to Kasumi - who was distant, and Akane - who was alternately hostile and distant.
"Your cursed form and mine have some common elements, I guess." Nabiki wanted to ask him about it. Did he ever feel the pull, the temptation? She'd always prided herself on control, on her intellect and ability to manipulate others, but there was something in that cat-girl form. That form ran almost purely on emotions and instincts, was stronger and faster, had more acute
senses and odd talents like the claw attack she'd used on Akane's mallet. Did Ranma find his dragon-girl form as seductive as Nabiki found the cat?
If it were any other boy, she'd thought of a way to put it that might make sense. Her uncursed form was like being a Rolls Royce- stately, elegant, and mainly dignified. It was controlled, comfortable, and beautiful in its way. Her cursed form was a souped up hotrod capable of incredible accelerations and more nimble than anything on the street. It was racy, wild,
and sexy. Unfortunately, after she'd worked out that explanation, she realized that Ranma had almost no experience with cars.
"Uhm. I suppose." Ranma had no idea what Nabiki was going on about. Still, it had been so long since he'd had a friend, and here was a girl who was actually being nice to him! Well, most of the time. If only Akane weren't so cute. Ranma frowned, where did THAT come from? He also got a very strong impression that money (something he'd always had very little of) was of great
importance to Nabiki.
"Oh come on, Ranma, I'll show you to your class." She waited for him to jump down then took his hand to hurry him into the school, she smiled both within and without. She rejoiced at the startled faces of the boys waiting for Akane. See, the youngest Tendo daughter isn't the ONLY one who can have a boyfriend! See, I may be the "Ice Queen" but that doesn't mean I'll have to be alone forever! So there, you stuck up girls who've flaunted your relationships before me!
It had hurt her more than she'd let on, when boys had gone out with her and it turned out that they'd either wanted her for something related to her money, or they wanted to get to Akane through her. Nobody approached Nabiki for Nabiki's sake, those who might have were scared off by the "Ice Queen" facade or business shark reputation. Well, let them gawk now!
She glanced back at Ranma, still holding his hand as she ran up the steps. "You want to be able to get a window seat anyway." She still wasn't sure what it was about him. Just a brawny martial artist without much in the way of schooling, Ranma the Barbarian. Still there was a definite attraction that the catgirl felt, and on the trip back she'd seen glimpses past the cocky martial artist facade to a little boy who wanted to be nice and have someone to pal around with.
---
"Why are you two following me?" Akane ran towards the school. "You're going to make me late!"
Shampoo ran a step behind Akane. "Rie Ga say you make good Amazon. She make you candidate for Tribe. Shampoo witness. Watch Akane, report back to Elders. Much honor you accepted as honorary member of tribe." Shampoo deliberately did not mention that Rie Ga would get a fair amount of that honor.
Rie Ga ran nearby. "-Besides, my brother's interested in one Akane Tendo.-"
Shampoo blinked. "-Tie Ga interested in Akane? He's never been interested in any of the girls of the village.-"
Rie Ga smiled and winked at Shampoo. "-If Akane is accepted as an honorary Amazon, then Tie Ga will come to Japan, defeat Akane, take Akane back to village as bride. Or both will stay here and raise a family. Not sure, think it could go either way. Akane gets someone who will respect and care for her, so she wins. You get a clear shot at Ranma, so both you and Ranma win. Rie Ga gets a new sister who knows a lot about the outside world, plus can stay with sister
in laws family when I get Elders pissed off at me.-"
"-You've been thinking about this.-" Shampoo was impressed.
"Would you two kindly speak Japanese so I can understand you?" Akane snarled. There was the school up ahead.
"Shampoo!?"
"I see, Rie Ga." There was a crowd of armed males in front of the school. It looked like something out of the legends.
"I hate BOYS!" Akane charged into the crowd, which moved to attack her.
Rie Ga and Shampoo watched Akane move into a group of attacking boys and did the natural thing when seeing a sister Amazon (elect) being attacked by MALES who were using weapons (baseball bat, hockey stick, swords, etc) in an attempt to subdue and/or seriously injure a woman. If they were attacking one at a time, the two Amazons would have sat back and watched. Even if Akane were double-teamed, it would have been OK. Twenty-one odds? Definitely not in keeping with the rules.
Rie Ga produced her jo staff. Shampoo produced her bonbori.
"Hiyaaaaaaaa!" Shampoo arced down with both bonbori flashing in a complicated rhythm.
"A-ta!" Rie Ga spun her staff around, then thrust it into the solar plexus of some guy in a hockey mask. Fearing that it might be that "Jason" guy she'd seen in a movie, Rie Ga decided to make sure he'd go down. "Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken!"
Akane blinked. Bodies were flying everywhere. There were horrible crunching noises, moans of pain, and the occasional cracking noise or pop as joints were either broken or dislocated.
Kuno, noting the silence that usually indicated that it was his turn, stepped from the tree he had been concealed behind, and threw a single rose towards Akane.
As he began his speech, he noted that two young women were leaping at him.
A moment after that he learned that throwing ANYTHING at Akane Tendo at that moment would forever be filed under "Incredibly Stupid Things To Do" or "Potato Manuevers" in the minds of all the students and faculty watching the proceedings.
<WHAMWHAMWHAMWHAMWHAMWHAM!> Shampoo's bonbori beat a drumroll on his head.
<K-RUNCH!> Rie Ga's flying snap kick caught Kuno in the groin.
Both watched with some satisfaction as Kuno slid to the ground, making a squeaking noise deep in his throat.
Akane, looking at broken and bleeding bodies littering the field, watching as Rie Ga was about to drive a killing blow into the school's star kendoist (actually she was aiming at a pressure point of Stone Cold Libido), did something quite out of character for her. She
screamed.
"Akane no worry, we make sure he no bother you again in this life." Rie Ga smiled. "We know what to do when men try to, how you say, force a woman."
Looking around her, Akane tried to say something. "...but that, I mean, they weren't..."
Shampoo blinked. "-What wrong with her?-"
"-I don't know. Maybe this is some weird custom of these Japanese.-" Rie Ga sighed. "-Maybe we ought to spy on her from a distance until we understand these crazy people a bit more.-"
"-Maybe she WANTED to be passed around like cheap bottle of wine?-" Shampoo looked at how upset Akane was and considered this a possibility. They'd heard stories about outsider women.
"-Don't think so. Let's get going.-"
"Sound good to Shampoo."
--------
Lunchtime at a nearly bare Furinkan. Ranma passed Nabiki, who smiled and winked at him before turning back to business.
Ranma wasn't sure what to make of that.
"Attention." A woman's voice crackled from the overhead speakers. "The report in from area hospitals is that there were no fatalities and no serious injuries."
Scattered applause from the students.
"The 'I will beat Akane Tendo into a bloody pulp so I can date her' club will be released tomorrow. Wednesday at the latest."
Scattered applause again.
"Tatewaki Kuno," the announcer's voice paused, "suffered greater injuries, and is expected to be in a full body cast for the next several months."
Wild applause greeted that statement. Ranma noted that this seemed to make Akane rather happy. Maybe Junko was wrong and Akane *didn't* secretly encourage all those boys. Hmmm. It seemed rather unlikely but Ranma was willing to admit he didn't understand women AT ALL.
"The two women spotted at the center of the battle are wanted for questioning. Any information on the two should be given to the vice-principal's office as soon as possible. Thank you."
"Yo, Ranma," Hiroshi, one of Ranma's classmates, held out a shirt. "Have you seen these, they are just so cool."
Ranma noted the "I survived the Furinkan Amazon Invasion" logo with the date written immediately below it. "Uh-huh. Two warriors equals an invasion?"
"Hey, it's something. How many other schools even get this much excitement?"
Ranma agreed there was a point there, somewhere.
------
Kasumi stepped out into the yard and began using the water ladle method to wash the front walkway. It was traditional, it was slow, it was inefficient, it was a comforting ritual. Neither Akane nor Nabiki would have washed the front walk this way. Both Kasumi and the Warrior would do it, and would do it this way for the same reasons.
Kasumi considered this as she finished the job in short precise movements. Yin and yang. Two sides of the same thing, interlocking because they fit and their natures depended on one another. The curses seemed to amount to the same thing. Genma, fat and lazy and proud. Much like the panda he turned into. Nabiki had been described as "catty" before. Ranma had a hidden side
despite all his brashness and rough edges, perhaps this was reflected in his curse as well.
That line of thought brought the thought of the Warrior to her. "Heisei" was probably a translation of her name, not her real name. It was easier to call her simply the Warrior. She could feel her presence grow stronger with every transformation. She was calm, and she was strength, she was an Archetype - the gentle warrior who must fight but regrets the battles. The reluctant warrior who craves peace but never seems to find it.
Even in death, Kasumi realized with a shiver.
"Ni hao, sister Heisei." Shampoo called as she leapt to the roof of the Tendo dojo.
"Ni hao, sister Kasumi," corrected Rie Ga. "We need tell elder that great warrior return to us."
"Who this 'we' Rie Ga speak of? I no want to talk with Great Grandmama any more than she do."
"She favor Tao Kun marry Rie Ga. Tao Kun big, Tao Kun strong, Tao Kun good fighter. Rie Ga say phooey on that. Tao Kun sword smarter than he is."
Kasumi watched the two sit down on the roof, each saying that the other was the logical choice to bring this development to the attention of their elder council.
She sighed and wondered if she should bring it to their attention that Cologne had been there briefly right after everyone had received their curses, and most likely knew about it already.
Kasumi returned her attention to the task at hand.
----------
Akane thought about the BOY that supposedly had saved her life. She resented many things about him: his reputed skills in the martial arts, that his feud with that other boy had resulted in Nabiki and Kasumi getting weird curses, that Ranma DEFENDED said boy by saying that this Ryouga wouldn't normally attack anyone besides himself. There was that nasty arranged engagement thing too. All his fault.
She also despised his typically male arrogance and chauvanistic attitude. He refused to take her talk of a connection between them due to the shared chi as something serious, putting it down to HER imagination. Now he was putting the moves on her sister, Nabiki, spending a lot of time around her. Then he'd go flirt with that hussy Shampoo without so much as an apology to her sister!
He even refused to take her seriously in a fight. She'd tried to spar him twice now and all he did was dodge her attacks. Well, he'd take her seriously soon. She'd train with Kasumi's Warrior half and see if he reacted differently when she kicked his butt so hard he'd be tasting toenail polish.
------
The next day was quiet. Most of the boys who had fought the Amazons were back, though the number of casts and bandages were sufficient reminder of the previous day's events that an eerie calm descended on the school.
No major surprises, and most of the teachers were glad for the break from the big morning fight that usually announced Akane's arrival to school.
Ranma left school with Nabiki. He killed time by talking with the school's Karate Club while she finished her business meetings. There was gossip about them being an "item" but Ranma knew he was just getting comfortable talking with Nabiki.
Finally both were ready and met up in the front of the school.
"RANMA, PREPARE TO DIE!"
Ranma saw Akane running towards him and shrugged. "Hold this," he tossed his bookbag to
Nabiki. They were just leaving the school, now this. Guys couldn't attack him in the middle of an exam or during gym, could they? Had to wait until it was inconvenient.
Shaking his head, he took in Akane's snarl and body positioning. "What are you so mad about this time? Geez, you are SO uncute. Especially in that outfit." Well, at least she was wearing something more suitable for a fight than the school uniform.
"Die, Ranma!" Akane snarled and smashed in a section of some unfortunate property owner's wall. "Because of you I've seen HELL!"
"Been lookin' in the mirror again?" Ranma dodged but noted that Akane had been working out, there had been serious power in that strike.
"Damn you! Stand still and fight!" Akane turned to glare at Ranma.
"Calm down, Akane," Nabiki touched her sister's shoulder. She was going to say that whatever she was angry about couldn't be THAT bad.
"BACK OFF!" Akane didn't even look. She casually backhanded her sister, who slid nearly three feet before coming to a stop.
There were startled gasps. Everyone was used to seeing Akane beating up guys first thing in the morning, but to actually hit her own sister. The crowd gave them more room. The consensus of the comments being that the stress of the morning combats had completely flipped Akane out.
Nabiki looked up from where she came to rest and checked her bleeding nose. "Akane?"
Ranma was as shocked as the rest of the students. "Akane, are you crazy? What you do that for, you uncute tomboy!"
"You shut up!" Akane pointed a finger at Ranma. "For what you've done to me, I WILL KILL YOU!"
"What'd I do?!"
"Words cannot convey the suffering I've endured thanks to you..." Akane clenched her fists.
"Why won't you tell me what I've done?"
"Here, Nabiki," Yuka offered Nabiki a glass of water. "You've got blood all over your faceeee." Yuka looked startled as she tripped.
Nabiki winced, just knowing what was going to happen. *SPLASH!*
There were startled yelps from the students as Nabiki shifted. Nabiki-neko ignored them as unimportant compared to what was before her. What was of the greatest importance was the scent reaching her.
"Rrrranma. It's not Akannne. Rrrrryouga!" She snarled at the disguised boy, deeming that it was time for a little payback.
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oh well, everyone saw that coming the first time, so no surprises now, eh?