A dozen training dummies, standing silently in the cool air.
They were all aligned perfectly, ready to be used.
It was barely after dawn, and yet there was a young man upon the grounds. He weapon held perfectly in his hands, his eyes closed, his body at peace.
"I strike!" He shouted, and with a blur of movement attacked! In the space of a second, he was on the other side of the training dummies.
A moment passed, and all twelve dummies slid apart, cut in half by a single attack.
"Perfect." He smiled, clenching his fist in triumph. "Soon Tendo, soon..." He spoke with righteous anger, "Soon I shall have my revenge!"
½ Ranma
Episode 2: Captain of the Kendo Club
"Nnnn where's breakfast Mom..." Ranma mumbled as she woke up. "Oh..." She sat up, stretching out on the futon. She looked around, her dad wasn't around. Good. "What a dream." She rubbed her head, she had a headache. "I had gotten engaged to a jerk." She walked out of the room she was staying in...
And ran straight into Yuushi Tendo.
"...god damn it." Ranma glared at the boy, to her annoyance he glared right back. "You're not a nightmare."
"Good morning to you too." He rolled his eyes. "Come on, you dad told me to get you."
"Right." Ranma wondered why he didn't wake her up like he usually did. She followed him downstairs to the family room. Everyone was gathered around a new table, including her dad. Breakfast was being served, it was a traditional Japanese breakfast, rice and miso soup.
"Good morning Ranma." Kasumi said, smiling at the girl.
"Good morning." Ranma looked around the table. The only empty spot was next to where Yuushi was sitting. Sighing, Ranma sat down, and began to eat. "Mmm... hey this is pretty good."
"Thank you." Kasumi's smile got a little wider.
"Hey can you show me the recipe?" Ranma asked, "It's pretty good."
"Of course I'd be glad to."
"Thanks!"
"Wait," Yuushi glanced at Ranma, "You can cook?" An instant later a chopstick hit him in the forehead.
"Of course I can cook!" Ranma said,. "Why wouldn't I be able to? You have any idea what it would be like traveling with him," She jerked her thumb at Genma, would be like if I couldn't?"
"It just feels too feminine for you." He shrugged.
"..." Ranma sighed, "Yuushi."
"Yes?" He said with an innocent smile.
"Die." She slammed her now empty bowl onto his head.
Yuushi grabbed the bowl and shoved it in her face. "Overreact much?"
"Can you two not kill each other at breakfast?" Nabiki interjected before the two were about to start punching each other.
Ranma and Yuushi froze, glancing at Nabiki.
"Thank you." She stood up, "I'm going to school."
"Speaking of school..." Kasumi reached into her apron, pulling out a peice of paper. "Ranma, you've been transferred to Yuushi and Nabiki's school."
Ranma took the paper, "I have?" She glanced at Genma, who nodded, unable to speak as his mouth was full of rice. She sighed. "Fine. Geez..."
Ranma slowly trailed behind Yuushi. They were walking down the street. Yuushi on the sidewalk, Ranma on the fence.
"I need to follow you to school, OK?" She had said. He had just nodded.
And now they were walking to Furinkan High in silence.
Finally, Ranma spoke up."We are not getting married." She stopped walking, and a second later Yuushi stopped as well.
"Of course." He turned his head to look up at her. "We'll get out of this as soon as possible. So let's not bring it up, OK?"
"Right." Ranma said, "We're strangers."
"Strangers."
They walked through the front gate, the school wasn't different from any other Japanese high school that Ranma had seen.
"Ah, Tendo, you have come." Except for the boy in the hakama sitting in the middle of the entryway. His eyes opened, and he quickly stood up. "The time has come!" He was holding bokken.
Yuushi looked annoyed. "What is it this time Kuno?"
"This time? This time? Tendo! Justice and righteousness needs no excuse to come forth! I am Heaven's Instrument! Today, I shall strike you down!" He sounded very confident.
"Hey…" Ranma spoke up, "Far from me to interrupt, but who are you?"
"Oh great, she started him up." Yuushi mumbled.
"Who am I?" The boy said, "I shall gladly explain to a fair maiden." He continued, thrusting his bokken towards the sky. "I am Heaven's Instrument. The Sword of Righteousness. The Warrior of Truth! I am in an endless battle against evil and treachery! The Captain of the Kendo Club, I am Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder Furinkan High!" Thunder sounded through the air, and a bolt of lightning struck behind him.
"Um, Kuno." Yuushi interrupted.
"Yes?"
"You're the Vice-Captain of the Kendo Club, I'm the Captain."
"Silence!" Kuno pointed his bokken dramatically at Yuushi, "The office of Captain is rightfully mine!"
"Then you really shouldn't have bet the title in that match of ours." Yuushi shrugged.
"Your trickery will not succeed today Tendo!" Kuno raised his bokken, "I strike!" He rushed towards Yuushi, in a second he was in front of him, "Fall by my blade!" he swung down.
Yuushi stepped to the side, concrete exploded where the bokken connected, Yuushi shifted behind Kuno, and with a shout hit him in the back with a palm strike, then a kick. Kuno flew through the air, hitting a wall, embedding himself slightly into it. "Sorry Upperclassman, I need to go to class."
"Does this happen often?" Ranma asked, walking over to his side.
"Once a week or so." Yuushi shrugged.
Kuno pulled himself away from the wall. "That knave…"
"Geez, annoying I imagine." Ranma said.
"Really…"
Kuno jumped up, charging towards Yuushi, "I shall defeat you!" He shouted, swinging his bokken at Yuushi.
Yuushi's turned his head, seeing the bokken rushing down towards him. Great this is going to hurt He still attempted to dodge it. However, he braced himself for a painful hit.
It never came.
"What trickery is this?" Kuno stared at his stopped bokken.
Ranma was standing in front of Yuushi, the bokken grasped in her hand. She had completely stopped Kuno's attack. "Hey. It's not nice to hit people with their back turned." She pulled the bokken down, pulling Kuno to the ground with it. "Come back later, OK?"
Kuno, bug-eyed, just nodded.
"Thank you." A rain drop hit Ranma. "Oh geez, it's raining." She grabbed the surprised looking Yuushi by the arm. "Come on, inside before it starts, take me to class."
"Good morning." Ranma bowed to her class, "I'm Ranma Saotome, I'll be here for a while. So please be kind to me." She said with a gentle smile.
"….." The guys jaws dropped. The girls were trying to figure out how this new student stood in relation to them.
"There's a seat next to Tendo, sit there please Ms. Saotome." The teacher said.
"OK." Ranma sat down, not even noticing the stares.
"Nabiki Tendo!" Kuno slammed his hand on her desk, "I demand an explanation!"
"…to what, Kuno-baby?" Nabiki asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Do not toy with me woman." Kuno's eyes narrowed. "For while your heart is just as black, nay perhaps even blacker, then that of your brothers, I know you are the one to turn to in this school when information is required!"
"You sure do know how to complement a lady Kuno-baby." Nabiki held out her hand, "Ten thousand yen please."
"Here!" Kuno pushed the bills into her hand.
"Ask away." Nabiki counted and pocketed the cash.
"Who was that fair skinned red headed girl with your brother this morning?"
"Fifteen thousand yen." Nabiki held out her hand again.
"I-" Kuno stuttered, "I already paid you woman!"
"You paid to ask me a question. Now you need to pay me to answer it." Nabiki didn't lower her hand. "Fifteen thousand yen please."
"Fine! May your ill gotten funds torment you in the hereafter!" Kuno shoved more bills into her hand.
"Thank you Kuno-baby." Nabiki smiled at her money. "Her name is Ranma Saotome. She's a student of Anything Goes. Her dad and my dad arranged a marriage between her and Yuushi."
"An arranged marriage?" Kuno paused, "I see… yes. The poor maiden. To be entrapped to an engagement to such an honorless swine like Tendo!"
"Whatever you say Kuno-baby." Nabiki had, once, tried to correct Kuno's view on reality. It had lead to an hour long headache and no progress whatsoever. Nowadays she played along; it was more amusing that way.
Ranma stuck a hand under the shower. Hot water, good. She stepped into the shower, P.E was starting in a few minutes and she wanted to be clean.
"Hello?" A girl next to her tapped her on the shoulder.
"Yeah?" Ranma said as she rubbed shampoo into her hair.
"You're the new girl, right? I'm Yuka." She smiled, "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise." Ranma said.
"So, people saw you hold back Kuno like that. That was pretty cool." Yuka said, "I mean, he's a really good fighter and you dealt with him in a second!"
"Eh, he's decent. He's too attached to the weapon though. If my sword had been restrained like that I would have let go and punched the guy who did it."
"I don't think anybody would expect something like that Ranma." Yuka giggled. "You might even be better than Tendo!"
"Oh. I know I'm better then Yuushi, kicked his sorry butt yesterday." Ranma laughed.
Yuka smiled, "You sound a little familiar with him, know him?"
"Eh? Well I'm kinda living with him so I guess-"
"You're living with Yuushi Tendo!" A girl overhearing Ranma screamed.
An instant later a mob of girls surrounded her. "What the he-"
"Why are you with him?"
"What's he like at home?
"What do you do with him?"
"Have you slept with him!"
Ranma was being pushed against the wall by the force of the pointless questions. They just kept on demanding, even as Ranma tried to answer. Finally, she took a deep breath and shouted, "It's none of your damn business!"
"She's pretty good looking."
"Yeah… but her personality and other things are a bit off." Yuushi replied.
At a glance, nobody would think Hikaru Gosunkugi would be Yuushi Tendo's friend. The two could not be more different. Yuushi was athletic, popular, and outgoing. Hikaru on the other hand was nerdy, somewhat weak, and very shy. Yet for some reason they hit it off.
They, having finished P.E already, were now watching the girls play baseball.
Ranma was at bat.
"Really?" Hikaru looked her over, "She seems pretty nice."
"Believe me, looks can be deceiving." Yuushi sighed. "If you ask me, she's a violent perverted thug of a girl." He gave her a glance as she swung the bat, "Even if she is good looking."
CRACK! Ranma hit the ball with the bat… and the bat shattered, the ball flying towards the fence. The ball flying through the fence. Finally it stopped.
CHUNK. After making contact with Yuushi's forehead.
"Yuushi!" Hikaru's jaw dropped as his friend passed out.
"Just… go home Ranma." Yuushi glared at the girl. Sure, she looked apologetic now. But he was too annoyed to care.
"Hey, I'm not going home till you do." Ranma sighed, "Plus that bump looks nasty." She pointed to the icepack now taped to Yuushi's forehead.
"It's not as bad as it looks."
"It looks pretty bad." Ranma was still following Yuushi as they walked around to the back of the school. "Where are you going anyways?"
"Kendo club, remember? I'm the captain of it,"
"Oh, right…" Ranma fell silent.
The Kendo club was held in a rather large dojo. It had been donated to the school when Kuno had been captain. Inside the dozen kendo club members were already practicing, Kuno in partiular was swinging his bokken with a feirocity that was almost impressive.
"Hey Captain."
"What's up?"
"What's with the ice pack?"
"Long story." Yuushi said, "Come on! Let's start practice!" He said with a smile.
"Hmm..." Ranma sat down on a bench near the door. "Don't mind me."
"Fine." Yuushi walked into a changing room.
Slipping on his Kendo gear, he winced as the mask lightly touched the bump on his head. "Stupid Ranma..." He went back to the main training area. Kuno was, as usual, lording over the less experienced members. Ranma was sitting in the bench, passively watching the matches. He picked up a shinai and walked into the room. "Oh, Upperclassman, you are remembering to take it easy on the new guys, right?"
Kuno noticably winced. "I am merely helping my underclassmen get better...Captain." He said that last word as if in pain.
"Oh and here I thought you were just beating on them." Ranma commented.
"Miss Saotome, I'm sure perhaps to someone new to kendo it may seem that way, but rest assured I am the best in the school! I know how to train!" Kuno laughed. "So worry not fair maiden." He thrust his shinai out, "When I, the Blue Thunder of furinkan high am done, these shall be kendo masters!"
"Uh-huh." Ranma stood up, "Oy, El Capi-tan." She waved to Yuushi.
"Huh?"
"Can I join?"
"You...?" Yuushi paused, "Hmm... well I don't-"
"Of course not!" Kuno suddenly interjected, "As the Vice-Captain, I strongly object!"
Yuushi raised an eyebrow, that was the first time Kuno had ever actually called himself the Vice-Captian. "Why?"
"Kendo is a sport of men! Delicate maidens can not participate in it!" Kuno waved his shinai around wildly.
"Uh-huh..." Ranma walked down to the changing room, "Tell you what Kuno, if you beat me, I won't join. but if I win, I join. Fair?"
"...very well. I shall do my best to gently disuade you of this, Miss Saotome." Kuno said in a gentle tone.
"Uhhh..." Yuushi glanced at Ranma as she walked past him. She was smiling. A few minutes passed, and she came back. Wearing the full kendo gear, she picked up a shinai and slung it over her shoulder.
"Ready to start Upperclassman?" She asked sweetly.
"Of course." Kuno pointed at a club member. "Emiya! You be the referee."
"Um, sure."
The two lined up, their shinai held in perfect form.
"Begin!"
"I strike!" Kuno swung his shinai, a powerful and quick blow aimed for Ranma. CLACK! Ranma blocked it easily. Kuno moved closer, swinging again. CLACK! Once again Ranma blocked it. "You are rather skilled, Miss Saotome!"
Yuushi rolled his eyes, He's holding back on her. Way too much.
"You're rather unskilled, Mr. Kuno." Ranma quipped, and swung her shinai. THWAP! It collided with Kuno's chest.
"Point!"
"...huh?" Kuno stared at where his chest had been struck. Ranma didn't heed his confusion, and attacked again. THWAP! And again. THWAP! And again. THWAP!
Again and again and again, her shinai a blur.
THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!
THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!THWAP!
Finally Ranma stopped, slung the shinai over her shoulder, and walked away.
"Ummm... Saotome wins?"
Yuushi's jaw dropped. "What the hell? That wasn't- That... I mean..."
Ranma glanced at him. "Problem, Captian?"
"Uhh..."
"Anyways, the schedule over there says practice is over. Let's head home." Ranma walked back into the changing room.
"Right..." Yuushi walked over to Kuno. "Wow Kuno, she did a number on you."
Kuno just stood there, motionless.
"Kuno?" Yuushi poked him in the chest. Kuno then tilted back, and fell to the ground, unmoving.
The endless strikes. The vibrant hair. The beauty and wonder.
She... she...
"Ranma!" Kuno's eyes shot open.
Ranma. A goddess in human form. A beautiful tigress, the one he had been waiting for! His true love! But wait! Ranma was engaged to the vile Yuushi Tendo! He wept at the injustice. But then, a revelation came to him.
Why Ranma had come, why she had fought him. Why... it all made sense!
"She's crying out for help! She's asking me to save her!" Kuno burst out laughing. "Of course... of course! Ranma, my love! I shall free you from the vile grasp of Yuushi Tendo!"
In front of the gate to the Tendo house, two people simultaneously sneezed and shuddered in pure revulsion.
"That was weird." Ranma said.
"Yeah..." Yuushi pushed open the door...and out leapt Genma.
"Ranma! You're late! It's training time!" He announced, before grabbing Ranma and throwing her into the yard.
"OK..." Yuushi shrugged, walking inside as Ranma and Genma battled in the air. With a loud splash, water errupted fom the Koi pond.
"Damn it old man! I had gone the entire day without becoming a guy!"
Ranma sighed, rubbing his hair dry.
More time stuck in this body, this weird and awkward body.
"How do they stand it?" He had often wondered. Everything felt so slow and clumsy. The only advantage he had noticed was that he was a little stronger, but that was not enough to offset everything else wrong with this curse.
"Excuse me." A voice behind him said.
"Gu-waha!" Ranma turned around, in a fighting stance. Damn it I'm getting sloppy!
It was a short, rather unattractive man. He wore a dark gi and bandanna wrapped around his head. All in all, like a ninja.
"Have you seen Ranma Saotome?" The ninja asked.
"Uh, I'm Ranma Saotome."
The ninja looked him over. "...oh dear. Master is getting desperate, isn't he." He sighed, "Oh well, I must not be judgmental." He handed a letter to Ranma. "Farewell." he vanished.
"Weird..." Ranma opened the letter, labeled "From Tatewaki Kuno."
"Hey, that Kuno guy sent me this letter." Ranma threw it on the table.
Nabiki picked it up. "Meet me outside the Kendo Club." She flipped the letter around. "That's it?"
Ranma laughed. "I kicked his rear today, maybe he wants a rematch." He clenched his fist. "I figure teaching the jackass a lesson in bullying would be enough. But it seems he wants more bruises."
"What did you do Ranma?" Nabiki asked. This sounded both amusing and profitable.
"Eh I'll explain later." Ranma brushed it off, "As soon as some hot water's ready I'll go beat him up again."
Sure enough, Kuno was standing outside the Kendo club, his gaze focused on the setting sun.
"Oy, Kuno." Ranma walked onto the grounds, "You sent me a letter?"
"Ah... Ranma." Kuno turned to face her. "I am glad we were able to meet here."
"Yeah yeah" Ranma nodded, "Look? Can we get this over with?"
"Or course." Kuno reached behind his back. "Ranma, I had no idea what you coming would bring. One day has changed my life!"
"...what?"
Kuno threw the object behind his back at her.
A bouquet of roses.
"What...?"
"Ranma. I swear my eternal love to you. Upon my honor, I will free you from that honorless Tendo." He smiled gently. "Farewell, my love." he walked stoically away.
Ranma stared at the roses. Stared at the leaving Kuno. Stared at the setting sun.
"What?"