Chapter 3: Of demons, swordsmen and beer
"I love you date with me, I love you will date with me, "I love you date will with me, "I love you come and date with me. A synchronized swimming troupe of Kunos chanted as they circled one naked red headed Ranma Saotome who just so happened to be sitting on a rock under the sea legs crossed and arms rapped accost her chest tightly.
It had been three days since Ranma and Kuno's fated "duel" yet still the echo's of the trauma it brought him were rather deep and still plaguing his nightmares.
"AAAAAAAAGGGGGG" Ranma awoke late screaming and drenched in a cold sweat. "It's just a dream it was just a dream, it was only a dream, Damn that pervert Kuno really freaks me out. He shuttered as he had to keep telling himself over and over again all that morning as he tried his best to get ready in time in spite of his unease.
As he and Motoko rushed back on to school grounds the quickly becoming all to familiar sight of guys charging out of the school to take Motoko was getting to Ranma and still reeling from his nightmare Ranma laid into the crowd with the same ferocity as Motoko had the previous day, coming to a climatic ending when Motoko and his feet were placed squarely on the Face of Tatawaki Kuno and the two spring off of it rushing off toward class.
"You don't have to fight my battles for me ya know." Motoko growled angrily as they bumped shoulders and got momentarily stuck in the door way to their class.
"I wasn't doing it for you." Ranma growled back as they both burst form the door frame and rushed into their seats.
"Man that Kuno what a creep" Ranma thought for the most of the day as he carefully made his way through the day until school had finally finished. He and Motoko were walking out of the double doors.
"You've been acting rather uncharisticaly timid all day." Motoko commented as they exited left the stairs and made their way toward the gate.
"I don't want to talk bout it." Ranma said rather as if he were trying to ignore her.
"Dose it have something to do with the duel the other night? you didn't loose did you? To Kuno I should hope not."
"Look Motoko already said I didn't want to talk about it alright!" Ranma replied snapping at her.
"So you did loose then didn't you." She taunted . "Guess that just means our engagement is off ill just have to find a stranger..."
"For the last time I did not loose to that Creep Kuno, its just his perverseness that creeps me out!" ugh I just shutter to think about..."
"It was at this moment that in front of them neat the gate out stepped the tall figure of Kuno barking words with Immediacy. "What have you done with the pigtailed girl foul Saotome."
"What the hell do you mean?" Ranma questioned already aggravated enough as it were."
"Don't lie to me Saotome I know that you know the pigtailed girl, Quoth the Blond headed foreign girl." He said in a rather strange high-pitched voice.
"Ranma Saotome and your precious redheaded girl share a room at the Hinata apartments." How could you do such a thing to such an innocent girl Saotome You will..."
"Ranma Saotome You Will pay for what you've done to me!" Another Voice shouted up from behind as a another entered the Melee running as if the fury of all hell were at his heels shoveling Kuno over and into the schools stone wall as if her were nothing but an insignifant piece of trash in the wind. "I've seen hell because of you!"
"Ranma Saotome, Prepare to Die!!!" The burly Shaggy headed stranger yelled as he leapt through the air, Fangs bared and umbrella poised to strike.
Ranma having the reflexes of someone who has been practicing martial arts since before they could walk. managed to dodge the attack with a one handed back-handspring, before the ground for six feet in every direction around the stranger had been driven over a foot below the sounding path.
"Ranma" Was all the fanged stranger was able to say before...
"Who the hell were you attacking? You could have killed someone, this madness must stop." Motoko's voice could be heard from the left side of the path along with the violent unsheathing of her sword sending a wave of ki barreling in his direction.
She then leapt from the grass and with a great cleaving swoop struck at the lost boy. There was a loud clang of steel on steel and a cloud of dust rose up around them. For a moment everyone around the outside of Ryoga's little pit was blind to what was happening in the circle. There were several more clangs and then the sound of the Yellow clad attacker grunting before Motoko came flying out of the dust cloud slamming into one of the nearby trees.
She hit with a vicious thud as her sword following just behind her stuck in the old oak just inches above her head, it was smoking at the hilt. She coughed several times and attempted to stand, her dark bangs now covering most of her sweaty face. For a moment she managed to rise to her feet only to collapse back onto one knee clutching her chest with one hand as the stranger spoke.
"I don't know what kind of relationship you have with Ranma but if you don't want to die, you had best stay out of my way!"
There was a brief pause as Motoko caught her breath. "Think that's enough to stop me?" She violently replied somehow managing to stand to her feet and yank the steaming sword from the tree. Onlookers could tell that she was in great pain but was determined to beat this insane, Demon possessed young man.
"Hey you had better stay out of this one Motoko" Ranma said stepping in-between the two.
"So Ranma Saotome, I see your still good at running away."
"Hugh." Ranma asked dumbfounded as he scratched his head.
"You mean you really don't know who I am?" He asked dumbfounded and some what dismayed that his own mortal enemy didn't even know his name. "I'm Ryoga Hibiki, still don't remember. How bout that time you went and broke a man to man promise, but I guess you don't remember that one either do you Ranma."
"What promise?" Ranma asked rather contently.
"You mean He wants to kill you and you don't even know why?" Motoko asked stepping up beside of her fiancé in as Ranma stood there with his hand on his chin thinking.
"Hibiki, Hibiki Now where have I heard that name before? Sounds familiar but I just cant seem to place it." Motoko asked herself as she pondered the situation.
"So you mean you really don't know who I am Ranma?" Ryoga asked.
"Un uh" Ranma shook his head back and forth almost wildly. After a short moment he pointed his finger out and pointed at the lost boy as he climbed out of his pit.
"Then answer me this Saotome, why didn't you come to fight me at the appointed place and time?"
There was a long pause while Ranma pondered the past of his life before it suddenly occurred to him. "Ah Now I remember." Ranma Said as he snapped his fingers pointing at him. "What was the big idea of making me wait for you there for 3 whole days.
"But on the fourth day when I finally showed up, you and your father had turned tail like a coward and ran off to China!" The lost boy yelled the bellows of hell seeming to sound from his lungs.
"Four days! he must have the worst sense if direction I have ever heard of." People in the crowd muttered as Ranma once again spoke.
"Now correct me if im wrong, but wasn't the vacant lot we agreed to fight in right behind your house?" Ranma asked already knowing the answer.
"That's not the point Saotome, you ran off to China and broke a man to man promise, you have made a fool of me for the last time Saotome." He yelled as he attacked first throwing his umbrella in a wide sweeping arc and punching wildly catching it when it returned and then wielding it like a sword.
Ranma ducked and weaved in and out of his blows. It was fairly easy to do for the time being as the lost boys rage may have augmented his strength but it left him sorely lacking for speed or accuracy. "Of course he was trying to hit the lightning quick Ranma Saotome.
"Why dose he hate you so much what the hell did you do to this guy?" Motoko Yelled keeping pace with the fight from the side.
"Well how do you expect me to remember that Motoko? it was over three years ago I cant even remember what we had for breakfast this morning."
"That's right how could I expect you to keep track of all the people you screwed and cheated over the years!" Motoko angrily retorted "And because of you we didn't eat breakfast this morning, you sleep like a damn stone!"
"That's it!" Ranma exclaimed looking off into space thoughtfully Before Quickly he stopped the fight with a palm just short of Ryoga's face "Wait right here." He said
Much to everyone's surprise Quickly he darted off and around the corner. A few moments later he reemerged carrying an arm-load of packaged bread.
"Here you go Ryoga, Cullet sandwich, Pastry bread, chao mien bread, Italian bread, French bread, Curry bread, melon bread, stick bread, banana bread, soup bread, o' wait there isn't such a thing... hum. Did I forget anything?" Ranma asked.
Ryoga gave him an evil look.
"Jeeze your greedy, fine here, here's the Origami bread too." Ranma said throwing him a bread package that looked strangely like a crane.
"You think this about bread Saotome!" He yelled shoveling them into his backpack and charging Ranma all the while the crowd looked onward more confused than ever.
At that moment Motoko realizing where she had heard the name Hibiki unsheathed her sword and let loose a full powered evil cutting blade second form at the charging maniac hoping to put a stop to this madness or at the demon sprit that was obviously controlling this tortured young man.
At the very moment her ki left the tip of her sword the lost boy opened his umbrella and throwing it over his shoulder charged the swirling mass of energy head long.
"That's suicide!" Motoko thought to herself for an instant. "I mean what good could a paper umbrella be against one of the most powerful strikes in all of the "Gods cry school of swordsmanship."
However much to Motoko's surprise she felt a sudden rushing of wind blow up in her face and watched in awe as the red umbrella came plowing though what she once thought was an impassible technique it was then that she began to feel her feet slide backwards along the dirt path outside the high school.
"What's with the wind?" she thought momentarily before he martial senses came back to her. "Its not the wind" she suddenly realized digging her blade in to the ground and using it as a spring to leap overtop of the umbrella. "It cant be but his ki is strong enough to repel the evil cutting sword strike second form! Incredible! though also frightening at the same time. Now I understand why he has such a reputation."
"How many times do I got to tell you eyes front stupid!" Ranma yelled sweeping Motoko off of her feet and into his left arm and blocking the lost boys red paper umbrella with his right.
"The impact was loud and jarred Ranma's body about as the huge umbrella threatened to smash its way though Ranma's head his blocking arm stopping it just inches away from his head.
"Motoko felt Ranma's mussels bulge and his grip tighten around her waist as the pigtailed boy took the brunt of the umbrella with one arm. His teeth gritted nearly grinding together to ease his suffering as his blue eyes winced with pain.
"This Ryoga Hibiki was no ordinary adversary nor was he using just any ordinary umbrella." She told herself remembering the details of the Letter she had received from her home school several weeks before.
At that moment she saw the lost boy's axe kick barreling down on what would be Ranma's undefended head. Instinctively she threw up her foot catching the heel of his kick in the arch of her foot effectively blocking it from connecting with Ranma's head.
"I'm getting tired of this Ryoga." he growled and though he was still reeling from the momentary shock of pain surging through his body Ranma managed to grab the umbrella snatching it to the side and throw several impossibly fast kicks to Ryoga's midsection.
To the untrained eye it would have appeared that he kicked him only once but Motoko counted at least a dozen as well as one of her own as she swung her leg back down hitting him in the decent. Sending the lost boy flying back and the umbrella sailing off into the crowd.
Ryoga landed skidding backwards several yards back. he appeared to be skidding out of control, but when he dug the toes of his Chinese shoes onto the ground and abruptly stopping then he began laughing to himself.
Ranma and Motoko stared at him for a moment rather awestruck at the power of their opponent.
"That all you got Ranma?" he asked a certain taunting hung thick in his words. "If that's all you've got Saotome I've got nothing to worry about." He laughed taking in a big lungful of air and stretching his chest.
"Humph when did you go and get strong." Ranma asked his fighting senses honing in making him now completely unaware of the black haired beauty he still held in his arms.
"You weren't the only one that learned something in china, Ranma!" Ryoga Replied with a smirk sinking his toes into the ground. a second later he was directly in front of Ranma and Motoko charging them full speed.
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Keitaro Urishima just so happened to be walking down the street past Hinata high school when he heard a ruckus and rushed in to investigate. He fought his way through the rabid crowd only in time to see the newest resident of his dorm snatch a red paper umbrella from a boy in yellows hand and kick him backwards.
"He's an incredible fighter he might even be better than Motoko" Keitaro thought to himself as the watched the Three locked in combat he was so engrossed in the fight that he didn't even see the large red umbrella sailing towards his dome until
"WHAM!" The red piece of paper and bamboo slammed into the side of his head knocking him over and plowing a forough several meters long in the ground with his head.
"What the hell is this thing made out of?" Keitaro asked struggling to lift it off of himself.
Even when Hiatani and Shari who just so conviently happened to be in the crowd as well came to his aid they grunted struggled and strained to even lift the piece of paper and bamboo form his chest each time failing as one would loose grip and letting it fall back down onto his chest crushing him into the ground once more.
"It wasn't until Mutsumi came along singing to herself and doing a little hop skip walk just melting out of the crowd was he able with her help able to lift the umbrella off of his chest.
"Oh my this is heavy isn't it?" Mutsumi said he head in the clouds. "My that boy in yellow must be really strong he swings it around with one hand like its nothing."
"What did you say?" Keitaro asked freaking out and launching himself to his feet. "He swings it around with one hand!?!"
"Yea just ever so gently like this." Mutsumi said with a smile and a light giggle as she lifted the umbrella and began to swing it around much like Ryoga had earlier high school students running for their lives trying to avoid getting hit with the umbrella of doom.
"What's your grip strength Mutsumi?" Keitaro asked the anemic girl in shock.
"Not much I would figure." she blushed answering accidentally dropping the end of the umbrella on Keitaro's foot.
It was then that it suddenly clicked for Keitaro the urgency of the situation as he leapt to the front of the crowd yelling. "Ranma, Motoko Watch it out there don't get close to him he's a monster!"
"Now he tells us." Ranma said sarcastically smiling over at Motoko as they each blocked a downward strike from the lost boy their feet shattering the concrete slab in foot shaped prints where they were standing. " Is your landlord always so full of insight?"
"Most of the time yes, he hasn't failed the TokyoU entrance exam 3 years in a row for nothing after all." Motoko said looking over at Ranma a light smile forming on her lips." It had been a long long time since she had enjoyed a fight this much and other than fighting alongside her sister this was the best two on one fight she had ever been in.
As she and her fiancé used their combine strength to spring up from the ground and throw Ryoga back while attacking simultaneously.
Boulder cutting blade!" Motoko yelled jerking her sword form the ground and unleashing a furious ki attack to her airborne enemy. "It slammed hard against the lost boys chest tearing his clothing and throwing him off balance rapidly toward the ground.
It was the instant just after Motoko's Ki had struck Ryoga that Ranma vaulted over top of her caught the boy in yellow by the shirt collar and pounded his stomach with hundreds of punches each one moving so rapidly they seemed to be only one solid hit.
The combine force of the two attacks first drove the lost boy into the ground and then through the pavement below him. Dust went flying everywhere and for a moment all seemed if it were to calm down when Ranma came flying out of the crater flipping through the air like an accerobat before touching down on the ground lightly as a feather beside of Motoko and a few seconds later a young man clothed in a tattered yellow tunic emerged smoldering from the crater.
"Thank you for holding that for me." He said rather politely, snatching his umbrella form Mutsumi as he exited.
"Die Ranma!" He yelled violently thrusting his umbrella open and throwing it at the now panting Motoko Aoyama and Ranma Saotome standing beside of her. The two martial artist jumped overtop of it and into the crowd as a means to dodge it.
They watched it return Ryoga who caught it and not able to see either of his opponents almost in blind rage ran off towards the point where he had seen them last. His mind and his eyes lost track of his enemies Ranma and Motoko and in a blind rage bezerked charged through and I mean literally through the school yelling." Ranma! Where Are you!?!" "Sending Broken shells of desk and shattered concrete walls in every direction.
Back on the school grounds as Ranma walked over to Motoko and helped her up he said.
"What the hell did you jump in the middle of a man to man fight for are you crazy woman you could have been killed, plus I don't need you fighting my battles for me you got that.
"That's what I told you this morning." Motoko fired back angrily. "Besides it wasn't just your battle anyway, Hibiki the name just so happens to the same as the guy that plowed through 17 of our finest swordswomen and exorcist in the north two months ago. He's a wanted man Ranma suspected of being a Wolf-demon or worse, he has to be brought to justice.
"Yea my justice." Said Ranma hitting his palm with his fist. "he wasn't this strong last time we fought, I got to figure out where he got it from next time so I can beat him."
"There's not going to be a next time Ranma." Motoko said angrily. "This is my fight for the honor of MY clan, so im not going to just let some stupid bread feud and a couple of overly inflated male egos ruin the name and reputation of my school, hell I probably should have let him kill you just to get out of this stupid engagement and to get you out of my way."
Same goes for you if you hadn't have jumped in the middle of the fight I would have won and you would have had the chance to Exercise your precious oni right on the spot!"
"Can I offer a peaceful solution to this." Keitaro said popping up on the side of them.
"NO!" they both yelled in unison hitting him with dual back fist sending poor Urishima flying into the great-blue yonder.
"You expect me to believe that you could beat that guy Ranma." Said Motoko. "He almost put your head through this concrete slab were standing on."
"Ya think you would do any better Motoko, if that umbrella would have hit you directly…" Ranma was about to finish when the embarrassed Motoko cut him off.
"Anyway that's my business just stay out of it Ranma." Motoko said angrily turning around.
"Ha stay out of your business, Stay out of mine Aoyama, after all we aren't married yet and even if we were I wouldn't be caught dead working for your clan..."
Things were about to get messy as both Ranma and Motoko had had their honor and the honor of their families challenged by the other when.
"What you two are engaged to be married?" Mutsumi asked a huge smile on her face interrupting what was looking to soon be another battle between the Kendo girl and her Fiancé..
"Yes..." they both said turning to her slowly.
"Well congratulations you two!" she said jumping between them with her arms around their respective necks. "I didn't know the Kendo girl had a boyfriend, Motoko you'll make such a lovely bride and you what's your name again?" she said turning to the pigtailed boy.
"Ranma Saotome." he replied rather at a loss for words at the Mellon girls reaction
"Well Ranma-san I'm sure you'll clean up well too, now let me have a look at that face of yours." she said with a smile taking her hands off of Motoko and putting her hands on either side of Ranma's face. Her big deep brown eyes opened as her face inched ever closer to his when, in an instant her hands slid around to the back of his neck and her lips met his
"Her face was soft and something like he had never felt before in his life Ranma thought his face swelling red form the blood rushing to it was a sweet ecstasy that he had never in his short 17 years on this earth imagined and he felt helpless in her arms.
"Oh my." Mutsumi said when she finally pulled away. "Did I just kiss someone again? im sorry I just have this habit of kissing people especially when I first meet them." She said smiling sweetly at the beat red Ranma standing there in the middle of the crowd in shock. On the other side of her Motoko wasn't faring much better than her fiancé as she stood there her face flushed with embarrassment and her body was largely unable to move.
Are you alright Motoko?" Mutsumi asked examining the kendo girl. "Is something wrong? you look rather sad or embarrassed."
"No no nothing at all." Motoko tried to assure Mutsumi that everything was alright all the while doing a horrible job of it.
"Now there's no need to be shy Motoko-chan I think I know what's bothering you." She said with a smile as he hands found their way to the sides of Motoko's face and then in another instant their lips met. For a moment Motoko tried to struggle loose of the embrace after all she had a reputation to maintain but soon she too fell victim to the kiss of the Otohime and became little more than jelly in her arms. So this what a kiss form something other than "Mr., cherry." feels and taste like she thought caught up in the rapertious ecstasy of her first real kiss.
"There all better, Mutsumi said with a smile as she let Motoko go. "Now you don't have to feel left out because Ranma-san was the only one to be kissed.
Watching spellbound from the sidelines blood poured form the nosed of Keitaro, Hitanai, Shari, and the many high school and junior high boys that had gathered to watch the fight never expected to get to watch two women kissing. It was a guys dream day first fights then women making out and it would have been better if Motoko wouldn't have pulled out of the mentality of sweet surrender she was in and if she and Ranma hadn't sent their countless bodies flying off into the air directly afterwards.
"So Ranma When do you figure he'll be back to finish it?" Motoko asked aquwardly trying to change the subject as bodies rained from the skies like mortars in a war zone.
"Knowing Ryoga, I wouldn't be surprised if he showed back up in a week or two, Ill tell you this though there's no point in chasseing him, as much distance as he covers he could be halfway to Okinawa or Hakido by now. common guys lets go home." He said rather agitated throwing what few books he had from school over his shoulder and walked off of school grounds.
"Pigtailed girl, Motoko Aoyama..."
"Shut it Kuno!" Ranma and Motoko said as one as they both stomped on top him driveling him further into the ground with their twin anger as they left school grounds.
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"So Mutsumi? when did you get back?" Keitaro asked as they trailed the young martial artist back through town."
"Oh my, who are you again?" the Dark headed girl carrying several watermelons asked.
"Hugh?" Keitaro heart dropped and plunged into his stomach. "She doesn't remember me?" Keitaro thought to himself in shame."
"Oh I know who you are!" Mutsumi exclaimed excitedly. "Kei-Kun!" She smiled and threw her arms around his neck. "Its been so long Six months or so, You and Naru-san were such a help to me on my trip. Speaking of which where is Naru-san?" Mutsumi asked looking all around still hanging from Keitato's neck.
"Aak Mutsumi your choking me." Keitaro squeaked out about the time his face turning blue.
"What's going on? who is she again?" Ranma asked a quizzical look on his face as he turned around to watch Mutsumi and Keitaro somewhat behind them.
"She's one of the managers friends from Okinawa." Motoko replied slightly disinterested.
"They look like their more than just friends to me." Ranma said with a chuckle watching Mutsumi climb on top of Keitaro and shout for Naru-San, all the while her melon-sized Brest bouncing all up in Keitaro face.
"I'm under the impression that she treats almost everyone she meets in that way." Motoko said with a smirk when she seen something out of the corner of her eye.
"Oh Naru Back from prep school so early?" Motoko asked.
"No, Has love gone to your head or something Motoko, are you feeling alright?" Naru Asked. "I graduated a few weeks back and the ceremony was the a few days ago."
"Oh that's right." Motoko started to answer when it hit her. "What do you mean by love gone to my brain My brain has never functioned better thank you and if it were not for the engagement my sister made and the Honor of the Aoyama clan I wouldn't be marrying this arrogant cross dresser."
"You don't have to get so personal Motoko." He shouted back. "besides its different in my case!"
"Oh is it now, and just exactly how is that?" The kendo girl asked her anger getting the best of her.
"Lets just start with having all of the basic hard wear." The pigtailed boy replied
"Simply having the body of a woman dose not constitute having the essence of a true woman!" Motoko scoffed. "Why sprits often take the guise of women to..."
"But she was cut off by the loud and unruly speech of her other half. "And when did I ever Claim to Have the essence of a true woman? Woman If it hadn't been for the stupid old man not being able to read Chinese we would have never gone to Jusenkyo and I wouldn't have this stupid curse, nor for that matter would We have met your sister and gotten involved in this stupid engagement, or involved with you!"
"Ah so you Admit it Saotome You were just after one thing all along went you?" The kendo girls eyes faired with battle aura. "I should have known a scoundrel like yourself would have no real honor."
"No honor? always after what?" Ranma asked he was getting rather angry himself. "Ranma was a lot of things but an honor less dog was not one of them.
"Aaargg are you so thick headed that you will not even acknowledge your own true plan. You intend nothing more than to marry your way into my Noble house rob me of my chastity and..."
"Look Motoko if this about me walking in on you at the baths last night, its no big deal for me to see a naked girl, ive seen myself naked plenty of times. "Besides who would want a scrawny girl like you, your nothing but mussel and bone when they could have a spicy hot tamale like me. "He said cockily resting his hands on the back of his neck and turning his back to her.
For once Naru seeing the rage in Her dorm mates eyes cautiously side stepped out of the way just in time too because.
"Air cutting sword!" These words echoed through the skies as a flash of Motoko's sword sent a huge wave of ki plowing into the younger Saotome back launching him up into the air smoking.
"Scary" Mutsumi said sliding back down Keitaro intentionally or not grinding him the whole way down.
"Naru-san." She cried out in excitement as Motoko's little display of swordsmanship brought her attention to Motoko and Her very dear friend standing right next to her.
"Keitaro!" Naru Yelled seeing Mutsumi jumping all over Keitaro. Her brown eyes burst nearly to flames as she stormed in their general direction the cracking of her knuckles oozed malice and bodily harm.
"It was about this time that the smoldering body of Ranma Saotome came crashing down from the sky in between them and coincidently in a small pool of water that just do happened to be on the street."
"What'd do that for Motoko!?!" A short redheaded girl sprang up from the puddle shaking her fist at the Kendo girl.
"Hey who are you?" Mutsumi asked her question distracting Naru from her evil intent momentarily."
"I'm Ranma Saotome! Who the hell do you think I am?" she stated unaware that she had changed."
"Ranma Saotome Is a guy I think. Mutsumi said. "He's the guy that's engaged to Motoko, that girl over there." Mutsumi whispered to Keitaro motioning with her head at Motoko.
"Of course I know who Motoko is I would have to be daft not to know who my own Fiancé ." Suddenly Ranma-chan became aware of what she had just said and clamped her hand overtop of her mouth.
"So Motoko has two fiancés, a guy and a girl both with the name Ranma Saotome, How bizarre just like the plot out of a Haraqulin romance novel or something." She smiled
"Well you'll be getting a lot of action wont you Motoko?" Mutsumi continued winking at her.
"Aawwwww." Motoko and Ranma Both smacked themselves in the forehead simultaneously hanging their heads.
"No no no you have it all wrong Mutsumi." Naru said. Suddenly they were all staring at Naru who was now somehow wearing her glasses and standing in front of a chalkboard.
"See Mutsumi she said as she began to draw. "This is Ranma Saotome." she drew a stick figure with a braid. Then she drew another fat bald stick figure beside of him. "This is Ranma's father, he is stupid."
"You can say that again." Ranma Mumbled under his breath.
"What was that." Naru said turning around angrily smacking a ruler she had pulled from seemingly nowhere smacking the pavement with a loud crack.
"Nothing Miss Narusegua." he replied.
"Good." Naru said turning back around and continuing the lesson.
"Ranma and his father went to a magical training ground in china to practice and prefect their martial arts Unfortunately Ranma's father who by the way cannot read Chinese had neglected to find out that the pools underneath of the training ground were cursed. That was at least until they had fallen into them and found out first-hand. Now whenever Ranma is splashed with cold water he turns into the Attractive redheaded girl you see in front of you now. Hot water on the other hand will change him back to male form." She said rather matter of factily as she slammed the end of her chalk against the chalkboard.
"Which is why technically he can stay at our all girls dormitory." She gave Keitaro the evil eye. He winced expecting Naru to bring the pain any moment yet none came.
"Anyway Do you understand Mutsumi?" Ranma asked turning to the turtle lady.
"Yes I do now, Naru-san you would make such a good teacher!" she exclaimed before turning back to Ranma. "I think I understand now Ranma-san, Whenever you get splashed with colds water you turn into a girl right."
"Um-hum." Ranma nodded "thinking to himself maybe this time she's finally for it..
"And hot water turns you back?" She asked.
Ranma only nodded.
"What a weird way to cross dress." Mutsumi stated
"Ranma and Motoko crashed to their backs in depression.
"Is she ever gonna get it?" Ranma asked.
"I don't know." Motoko whimpered back
The three Ronin of Tokyo U stared at each other for a few moments blankly each wondering what to do it had been so long since spring and what were three old friends to do when they had just been reunited after all this time when suddenly all of their eyes lit up at once and...
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"Kampai!" The three Ronin sounded off clanking their beer glasses together as they sat around a table. (com-pai is Japanese for cheers though I may have spelled it wrong sorry (
"I didn't think we would ever see each other again." Keitaro said taking a sip of his beer.
"Yea it really is a coincidence seeing you here after all this time." Said Naru.
"So Mutsumi what are you doing here in Hinata anyway?" Keitaro asked.
"Mutsumi reached into one of her dress pocket and produced a small piece of paper looking rather like a ticket.
"An exam ticket?" Keitaro said rather shocked your going for Tokyo U again this year?
"Of course silly, im going to try until I make it..."
"Why are we here?" Motoko asked Ranma in a rather burned out tone.
"Well Odiously We couldn't just let you two young lovers go without a proper engagement party!" Mutsumi said answering Motoko's question.
"Yea answered Ranma holding a mug up himself. "And of course theirs the old Saotome family motto we have to live by."
"And what is that?" Naru asked possibly expecting some great proverb from Seta's nephew.
"Never Pass up free food or Booze." Ranma smiled taking a gulp.
"Like father like son." Naru sighed under her breath.
"Common Motoko at least have one drink." Ranma Said. "after all it would be rude to refuse Mutsumi charity."
"Motoko gave her fiancé an evil look, still milling the thought through her head until she sank down onto her seat on the floor and spoke.
"Well since It would be so rude to refuse." She grabbed up her ice cold mug wiping a little of the condensation off of the glass with her hand and lifted it most of the way to there lips but stopped halfway as Keitaro and Mutsumi had Lifted their mugs into the air in a toast.
Soon Ranma, Naru and even Motoko eventually joined in the toast.
"To the young Lovers!" Mutsumi toasted as their mugs clanked and then soon met lips. So it was no surprise that they had all taken a drink before it what she had said sank in.
"What!" Motoko and Ranma sounded in unison spitting out their beer. "Why did you call us that?" They both asked apprehensively.
"Well why else would a boy and a girl your age be engaged unless they loved each other?" Mutsumi asked innocently.
"Well lots of reasons." Motoko jumped to the defense of her position. "A lot of them..."
"Like?" Mutsumi asked unknowingly furthering Motoko's torment.
""Like um well there's... well maybe not that but defiantly... no no not that not at our age... but there's." She just couldn't think of anything other than what it actually was.
"Sigh, to tell the truth It was my pops and her older sisters idea to arrange a marriage between us, sorry but there's no love here." Ranma said with a cool sigh leaning back and resting his weight on his elbows.
"Well you could have fooled me." Mutsumi said with the quick wink of the eye at both Ranma and Motoko.
"Much as expected both of their faces turned a bright cherry red and they attempted to refute that comment endlessly for the rest of the night though to little effect as one would always finish the others sentence or tell the Ronin trio what about their fiancé that annoyed them so much or answer a question at the same time.
Though Ranma seemed to enjoy partaking in the free goods that were offered him it was the usually cool calm collected Motoko that tried to restrain herself to just one beer that fell victim to the atmosphere of the impromptu party Mutsumi had held in their honor.
One drink of the vile liquid turned into two drinks of bitter water which turned into three drinks of the refreshing brew which turned into four drinks of the sweet nectar, and so on and so fourth exct... exct..
By the end of the night the girls were playing some drinking game and even after, they had left to go find Mutsumi lodge Motoko, Mutsumi, and Naru were walking down the street shoulder to shoulder to shoulder singing.
Insert theme song form Ranma 1/2 season 1 here
"I think were the ones that got to worry about them making us wild." Ranma said nudging Keitaro in the ribs with a laugh.
"Yea you got that right." Keitaro laughed. "I really didn't think that any of the girls had it in em to party like that honestly. "Mutsumi she looks so sweet and innocent, its hard to believe she knocked that Isawa bear killer brew back like a pro. And Motoko always so Stuffy and serious I never would have through in a million years that I would see her take one drink other than something at some important ceremony but for her to drink like she did man God help us all."
"Yea yea you can say that again brother she sure had me fooled." Said Ranma. "I guess it was just Mutsumi free sprit and open wallet that awakened Motoko's inner party girl, though Ill hate to see her in the morning."
"Ya me too." Keitaro said I'm getting rather tired of being thrown from rooftops and out of windows for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Tell me about it." Ranma chuckled.
"So how bout Naru you haven't said anything about her yet?" Ranma asked. "You know there's rumors going around the dorm that you two got a little flame burning, well more like smoldering but you get the point."
"Naru?" Keitaro said somewhat shocked at the question and mention of her name. "well... she..." His face turned red as he started to get caught all up in his words.
"Hey if she's what you have your heart set on go after her man, anything to take the eyes off me and Motoko after all." He said with a wink getting behind Keitaro and pushing him in Narus direction.
"Meanwhile the trios singing had slowly come to a stop and the three young women were looking at Mutsumi's map rather befuddled.
"Hum now where is this place?" Mutsumi asked as they followed her around several random turns and down some alley ways. It was around then that Ranma had managed to push the rather stiff legged Keitaro Urishima up to Naru and the other girls.
"Let me see that map Keitaro said turning from his momentum toward Naru and looking at it narrowly avoiding bumping into Naru and possibly having telling her how he felt about her.
"Damn fool." Ranma Muttered under his breath sticking his hands in his pockets to warm them up and leaned in to get a better look at that map.
What he and Keitaro saw was A full map of Japan with a little dot somewhere around their location, of course the dot may have represented a 15 mile radius.
"What kind of map is this?" Ranma Asked. "You didn't happen to get this from the guy in yellow earlier today did you?"
"Yea that thing might be helpful if we were trying to crash-land here from space!" Keitaro exclaimed.
"Well I have a world map too." Mutsumi smiled.
"The four of them just sighed.
"Well I did hear that the Building had some kind of a bird statue on top of it." Mutsumi continued. "Hey there's a place."
"That's a bowling alley." Said Naru.
"I know but I've never been bowling before it says its open 24 hours." Mutsumi said clapping excitedly. "And there goes the last train, she smiled wavering at it as it passed by.
"Well guys I think this is where we get off." Ranma said to the Ronin trio as they walked toward the bowling alley.
"Are you sure?" Keitaro asked "Its a long ways since the train won't be back around till morning."
"Hey now your underestimating me. Me and pops crossed china on foot and you had better believe that I carried his drunk ass more than a couple of times out of towns with angry chasseing us villagers because he had gone and "forgot" to pay or something stupid he did so no need to worry bout us." He draped Motoko's arm over his shoulder and turned around.
"And oh yea I enjoyed the corruption of Minors earlier Mutsumi." Ranma said with an ever so slight bow before bounding off into the night with Motoko.
"Ah if we were all so spirited and athletic." Mutsumi said with a happy sigh. "They were minors?" She then questioned a few moments later as they walked through the door.
"I forgot how tiring traveling with Mutsumi was." Naru said to Keitaro as they set down at one of the tables in the bowling alley.
"Well at least its fun and besides we can't have her wandering all through town by herself at this hour of the night." Said Keitaro.
"Yea which brings me to another point I had. Do you really think it was such a good idea to let Ranma and Motoko run home like that, what if Ranma is some kind of..."
"I'm sure they'll be just fine Naru. I mean they are both 17, Ranma's half girl himself so I'm sure he understands that much about women and..."
"That's my point they are both 17 and what if someone jumps them or tries to...
"I pity that poor soul that tries to jump on either one of them much less when they are together even if one of them is rather drunk, believe it or not they do get along rather well, and wither they will admit it or not they seem to have a lot of respect for one another as martial artist so im sure they will be fine Naru."
"Besides Wasn't it you that took off solo on a trans-Japan trip at age 17." Mutsumi said sliding up to the table excitedly in her newly rented bowling shoes.
Naru blushed.
"So how bout a little bowling?" Mutsumi said with a smile on her face as she accidentally threw a 15 pound bowling ball into the side of Keitaro face.
"Sigh this is going to be a long night." Naru sighed putting her head in her hands.
Well chapter three is up. Thanks again to all of those who reviewed ) I appreciate the input greatly and would be pleased to see more of it in the future.
Not too much in this chapter, Ryoga and Mutsumi show up, but this Ryoga is different from the one that Jumped Ranma in the manga. Stronger, faster, tougher, and I would wager that if either Motoko or Ranma were to try to take him alone chances are they would probably loose. Plus he Is wanted by the Aoyama clan as some sort of demon, still he can be Dense as an ox and has the worst sense of direction in that hemisphere. "Hum I wonder where that will go?"
Authors notes:
Some people will think that Motoko will have acted Out of character when Mutsumi kissed her but from my reference, Episode one of Love Hina again Motoko's reaction when Kanako in Guise of Naru felt her up in public was no less than similar to that which I described.
Also as for Motoko just beating up on Ranma from time to time, all I have to say Is, How did she treat Keitaro when they first meet? And what did she want to do with him a little over a year and a half later? I rest my case ;)