Ranma & Ukyo's Cupid
Chapter 4. And the Champions Are...
"Wow Yuzuki! You were awesome!" Ukyo said when she came back to the stands.
"Oh it was nothing." she said.
"I'd like to spar with you some time." Akane told her.
"Sounds fun." Yuzuki replied.
"Okay everyone! Are you ready for Round 3?" the announcer asked as the crowd cheered.
"Up next is Team 3 vs. Team 6!"
"Team 6. That's Kodachi and Yoko!" Akane said.
"How do you think Kodachi will rank Ranma?" Yuzuki asked.
"I don't know. She was pretty tough last time, but me and Akane still beat her. I've improved a lot since then. I don't know if she has. I think she will win this match though." Ranma said.
"And the winner is... Team 6 Kodachi and Yoko! 38 to 12"
"Oh ho ho! These pathetic girls are no match for The Black Rose! OH! HO! HO!" Kodachi cackled maniacally.
Next, Teams 7 and 8 fought. Team 7 bested Team 8 with a score of 45 to 5.
"Those guys look tough Ranchan." Ukyo said.
"I think their opponents were just wimps." he repliedd assuredly.
"Okay folks, we know you're excited for the next round of fights, but first we have a specially prepared dinner for you all!" spoke the announcer.
"Oh boy! I love to eat!" Ranma exclaimed running towards the tables to grab some food. Genma wasn't far behind.
"That Ranma, he loves eating almost as much as martial arts." Kasumi laughed.
"Chomp! Nom nom nom! Mmmm this is good!" Ranma said gulping down as much food as possible.
"How disgusting! You eat like a wild animal!" Kodachi sneered, but Ranma ignored her.
"Come on Ranma, it's embarrassing. Show some manners." Akane said.
BURP!"Oh excuse me." Ranma said and kept eating.
Kodachi slammed her hands on the table. "You vulgar creature you! Have you no modesty? No shame!"
Ranma pulled down his bottom eyelid and stuck his tongue out at her. "Bleh!"
"Ranma! What's gotten into you!?" Akane yelled.
Ukyo and Yuzuki laughed.
Shampoo wasn't sure what to think of this side of Ranma.
"Oooohhh you! You! You little witch you! I'll get you!" Kodachi fumed and then walked away.
As she was walking away she turned and flung a black rose at Ranma, who instinctively knocked it away. It landed near Akari who picked it up, sniffed it, and passed out.
After dinner, there was karaoke. Ranma, Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi, and Shampoo all sung some songs together much to the crowd's delight. Ukyo and Yuzuki did a duet which was well received. Then Kodachi got on stage to sing.
"My ears! What is that noise?" Ranma asked.
"Boooo! You stink!" a man yelled.
"How rude! You commoners just can't appreciate an elegant, feminine and refined voice such as mine." Kodachi said.
"Is that what she calls it?" Akane muttered.
"Alright everyone, we hope you enjoyed dinner and karaoke, cause now it's time for the next round of battles!"
Up next, Team 4 vs. Team 7.
"Good luck Yuzuki." Ukyo said.
"Thanks. I'll do my best." she replied smiling.
"Oh my stomach." Ranma groaned.
"Dummy." Akane mumbled.
"And now Team 4 Yuzuki and Keiko vs. Team 7 Miho and Rei!"
Miho was tall and slender but not weak looking. She had dark purple-tinted hair pulled back in a waist length ponytail. She would be the fighter. Rei was average height and weight and had long black hair with short bangs. She would be the catcher.
BOOM! WOOSH! The canon fired a bouquet at full speed.
Yuzuki jumped to deflect it, but when her hand came within an inch of it, she felt a sharp pain. Miho grabbed her hand and squeezed it hard then flung her over her shoulder to the other side of the ring.
Before Yuzuki could get up to help Keiko, Miho had already batted the next bouquet away.
"Crap, that move caught me off guard." Yuzuki said.
"What's wrong? You can beat up a 250 pound girl but not lil ol' me?" Miho taunted.
Boom! Woosh!
"Here it comes. I can't just stand around and let Yuzuki do all the work. I've got to do my part too." thought Keiko as she ran forward to make sure she caught the incoming bouquet.
"Too slow!" Miho shouted as she jumped in front of her.
Right before the bouquet came to her, Yuzuki jumped and kicked the bouquet in the air yelling, "Jump! Keiko, jump!"
Keiko jumped in the air and caught it. "Gotcha!"
"Hey! Is she allowed to kick her own bouquet!?" Miho complained.
"Yes." replied the announcer.
"Fine, two can play at the game." Miho said.
"Ranma are you paying attention to all this?" Akane asked.
"Oooohhhh my tummy." he moaned with his head down.
"Ranma! How could you go and make yourself sick right in the middle of the tournament!?" Akane yelled.
"It was the sushi." he replied.
"It was the 16 plates of food! That's what it was!" Akane admonished him. "I don't know how you are able to eat like that and not look like that Akari girl."
"Ranma honey, next time try to slow down on the food. You eat way too fast." Ukyo said putting her hand on Ranma's back and rubbing it. Much to Akane's chagrin.
The crowd cheered. Keiko caught another bouquet.
"Score for Team Yuzuki!" Daisuke cheered.
"That Keiko girl is kind of cute eh Hiroshi?" Hiroshi said nudging him.
"Oh yeah. So is Yuzuki. They all are. Heck, even Akari is."
The crowd cheered again. This time Rei had caught one.
"I'm gonna make a killing off all this!" thought Nabiki.
Yuzuki had lost count of the score but she guessed they were about tied.
"Gotta make this next one count." she thought.
KA-BOOM! The canon fired and hurled a bouquet at lightning speed.
Yuzuki and Miho leapt into action. Miho was closer and got to it first. Whack! She kicked it toward Rei.
"Oh no!" Yuzuki thought and tried to change directions mid jump.
"Yeah!" Rei shouted as she caught it.
"Crap we needed that one. I'm not sure how many are left but I'm sure we are getting close to the last." Yuzuki thought.
Boom! Woosh!
Yuzuki jumped and kicked the bouquet straight into the air and smacked the ceiling with it. Keiko was running around the arena to catch it when it came back down.
"I've got it!" she said.
It was coming down right on her but Miho jumped to knock it away. Yuzuki jumped at the same time. They both arrived at the same moment, but Yuzuki's leg was just slightly longer and her foot touched it first, sending it to the other side of the ring.
Keiko dove and slid on the ground just barely catching it before it went out of bounds.
"Whew! That was a close one!" she said sighing in relief.
"I'm not gonna lose. Not today." Miho said with her fist clenched.
"This should be close to the last one. I absolutely have to deflect it." Yuzuki thought.
KA BOOM! WOOOOSH! This one seemed to come faster than the rest.
Miho moved swiftly, as did Yuzuki. Before Miho could knock it toward Rei, Yuzuki kicked Miho in the side and spun and kicked the bouquet in the opposite direction.
Rei ran fast to get to the other side of the ring. Miho rolled on the floor fast and got to the bouquet smacking it right in Rei's direction. Yuzuki jumped and kicked it away again. Both girls volleyed it back and forth for several minutes.
"Come on Yuzuki, you can do it!" cheered her partner Keiko.
Finally both girls leapt and kicked at the same time. Miho was strong, but Yuzuki was stronger, and the force of her kick sent Miho and the bouquet to the ground.
"Miho!" cried Rei running to her partner on the floor.
"And the score is Team 4 Yuzuki and Keiko: 27, to Team 7 Miho and Rei: 23."
"We won!" Keiko and Yuzuki celebrated.
Ukyo barely noticed that her friend had won, she was having a Ranma back rub battle royal with Akane. Ranma was too sick to notice the two girls rubbing his back hard.
"What's wrong with Ranma?" Yuzuki asked when she returned to the stands.
"He ate 16 plates of food!" Akane replied.
"Including 3 plates of sushi." Ukyo added.
"Oh no, and your match is up next." Keiko frowned.
"I can still fight!" Ranma proclaimed.
"I don't know Ranchan, maybe we should drop out. I don't want you getting hurt." Ukyo said.
"Yes Ranma, use your brain for a change." Akane told him.
"I'm not quitting over a little belly ache. I've ate Akane's cooking many times and survived! This is nothing!" Ranma declared.
Akane didn't like that he mentioned her cooking, but declined to make an issue of it at this moment. But later...
"Up next, Team 1 vs. Team 3. Contestants, come on down!"
"Alright Ucchan, let's do this!" said a confident Ranma.
"Okay Ranchan, if you think you can fight, let's fight!" Ukyo replied enthusiastically.
"Oh ho ho ho! Made yourself sick did you? It must be punishment for such ill manners." Kodachi said mockingly.
She was the fighter and her partner Yoko was the catcher. Yoko was rather small except for a big chest. She had burgundy hair up in a bun.
The announcer spoke, "Let's get it on!"
"Go Ranma!" Hiroshi cheered.
"Hey I kind of like that Yoko girl." Daisuke commented.
"Traitor." Hiroshi whispered.
The bouquet rushed toward the combatants. Kodachi hurried to deflect it with Ranma right at her heel. Ranma almost had her, but then he felt like he was gonna barf and fell.
"Ranma!" Ukyo cried out.
Whack! "Oh ho ho! Too easy." Kodachi said after deflecting the bouquet.
"Damn, I was so stupid to have eaten like that." Ranma growled holding his stomach.
"Ranma, you big idiot!" Akane shouted from up in the stands.
"Akane, shouldn't you cheer something more encouraging?" Kasumi asked.
"Ranma! Don't poop your pants!" she yelled.
Kasumi frowned, "That isn't what I had in mind."
"Get up Ranma. We gotta win this." Ukyo said lifting him up.
"Why not just throw in the towel harlot?" Kodachi asked.
"I won't give in to the likes of you." Ranma said standing up.
The next bouquet flew out and Kodachi was on it like a heat-seeking missile. But Ranma was able to land a precise kick to her ribs and send her flying. Ukyo caught the bouquet.
"Go Ranma! You can still do it!" Yuzuki cheered. Daisuke however, didn't notice the score. He was too busy staring at Yuzuki's butt.
Kodachi grabbed her side. "I'll pay you back for that you witch!"
"Stay focused!" Yoko yelled to Kodachi.
"Don't tell me what to do you commoner!" Kodachi shouted back.
"Wow, she doesn't even get along with her own partner." Ukyo said.
The next bouquet zipped by and Ranma was on it, but before he could deflect it, "Oh no, I think I'm gonna...uhh ooohhh."
While Ranma gagged, Yoko caught the bouquet.
"Oh crap! This ain't lookin' good. Nabiki, can I change my bet from Team Ranma to Team Kodachi?" Hiroshi asked.
"Sorry, all bets are final." Nabiki replied.
"Aw, crap." he grumbled.
"Ranma! Come on boy! This is pathetic!" yelled Genma.
Kodachi went to kick the bouquet and Ranma leapt to kick it out of her way, but in his female form his legs were too short and Kodachi reached it first.
"Damn!" Ranma shouted.
Ukyo dove to catch it, but came up short. "This isn't looking good. At this rate we'll lose." she thought.
"Ha ha ha!" Kodachi laughed. "You're outclassed girl. Give up!"
"No way!" Ranma shouted. "I don't give up!"
"That's the spirit Ranchan!" Ukyo cheered.
Boom! Woosh!
"I'll show this commoner her place!" Kodachi thought as she ran forward.
Ranma grabbed Kodachi and pulled her into a bear hug.
"Let go of me commoner!" Kodachi yelled, elbowing Ranma's stomach. "Hey! What are you?"
"Uuuuhhhh!" Ranma barfed all over her!
The audienced gasped and then there was silence!
"Oh my God!" Yuzuki said putting her hand over her mouth.
Kasumi covered her eyes.
Nabiki shuttered, "Gross!"
Akane slapped her forehead. "Geez Ranma!"
Genma pushed up his glasses and smiled. "That's my boy!"
Meanwhile, Kodachi was on the ground, covered in puke.
"Kodachi!" Yoko yelled.
"Um... Ranma? Are you okay?" Ukyo asked
"Ooohhh my stomach still hurts." he moaned.
Kodachi stood up. She looked down at her expensive outfit, now covered in puke.
"You... you, YOU! Oooohhhhh!" she passed out.
"Team 3 forfeits the match, Team 1 wins!" the announcer said as the crowd booed and hissed.
Ukyo helped Ranma out of the ring.
"Ranma!" the others said running down to meet them.
"Good job boy!" Genma said, patting him on the back.
"Mr Saotome! I don't think puking on someone else is a good job!" Akane growled.
"I'm going to go to the store and grab some pepto bismol." Ukyo said and hurried off.
"Hey!" Akane yelled as Shampoo glomped Ranma.
"Shampoo, Ranma might puke on you too." Kasumi said.
"Shampoo no care." she said shrugging.
"Come to think of it, now that Ranma and Ukyo have won, they'll be facing you and Keiko in the finals." Akane said to Yuzuki.
"Yup, and me and Keiko here are gonna win!" she proclaimed with confidence.
"With the shape Ranma is in, it looks like you might be right." Akane replied.
"Okay people! This is your last chance to place bets!" Nabiki announced.
Ukyo came back with the medicine and gave it to Ranma.
"Here you go sweetie." she said spoon-feeding it to him. That ticked Akane and Shampoo off, but they didn't press the issue.
"Mmmm, this stuff is yummy." Ranma said.
"We have a little bit of time before the final match, so just rest. Okay Ranma?" Ukyo said.
"Yeah, yeah." he replied.
"So Ukyo, how do you feel about making it to the finals?" Kasumi asked.
"Well, Ranma did the real work. I'm just happy to be on the same team as he is." she replied.
"Shampoo be in finals if had been on Ranma's team."
"You would have been if you were on Yuzuki's team too." Akane added.
"She's good, but can she really beat Ranma?" Ukyo wondered.
"Aren't you excited Keiko?" Yuzuki asked.
"Yes! I'm so glad I ended up on your team. You kick so much ass!" Keiko exclaimed.
An hour passed, and it was now time for the final match.
The announcer spoke saying, "Okay contestants, come to the ring for the final battle!"
"Where's Ranma?" Ukyo asked.
"Wasn't he laying down in the room for the injured?" Nabiki asked.
"He's not there now." she replied.
"Contestants! Come to the ring now! It's time for the finals!" the announcer said again.
"I'll go tell them we're looking for Ranma." Yuzuki said.
The whole gang split up and looked for him.
"Ranma!" Akane called out. "Where did he go?"
Ukyo went to the bathroom. "Ranma honey? You in here?"
"Yeah." he replied.
"It's time for the final match now. You can back out if you want. I don't care about winning. I just care about you." she said.
"I'm gonna win this! I always win!" he told her.
The announcer's voice came over the loudspeaker, "Ranma Saotome! Come to the ring or the match will be forfeited."
"Aw crap! I gotta hurry!" he exclaimed.
The announcer spoke again, "Ranma Saotome, please come to the ring or the match will be forfeited!"
"Coming!" he said running to the ring!
"Finally! Where were you Ranma?" Akane asked.
"Had to take a dump!"
Akane sighed loudly. "I should've guessed."
"Okay folks! This is it! The final match! Team Ranma and Ukyo vs Team Yuzuki and Keiko! Let's get ready to RUMBLE!"
"I'm all better now. So let's do this." Ranma said with a big smile.
"Good! I'd be super pissed if I got puked on!" Yuzuki replied, full of confidence.
"Now that Ranma is healed, can Yuzuki possibly win?" Akane asked.
"Ranma win for sure." said Shampoo.
"Let's just see." Soun said.
KA BOOM! WOOOOSH! The first bouquet of the match was launched!
Ranma focused intensely. "I've got to win this!"
"Come on Ranma." Ukyo thought.
Ranma and Yuzuki both moved so quickly it was hard for most of the audience to see. There was a flash, a bang, and then the bouquet went flying!
"Go Ranma!" Shampoo cheered.
"I knew I should've bet on Team Ranma for this match." Daisuke muttered.
"Told ya!" Hiroshi said.
Ranma had a big smile on his face. "I've got this!"
But Yuzuki hadn't lost any of her confidence.
BOOM! WOOSH! The bouquet sped toward the combatants. Ranma leapt after it. But to his surprise, Yuzuki sped ahead of him and kicked him in the stomach. Ranma went flying back and Yuzuki knocked the bouquet away.
"I guess you're tougher than I expected." Ranma said getting back up.
"This is exciting!" he thought.
The next one came flying, both jumped on it. But Yuzuki's longer legs reached it first!
"Crap!" Ranma yelled.
BOOM! Another one came flying. Ranma went for it as fast as possible and succeeded in batting it away.
WOOSH! The next one came. Yuzuki batted it away the same as Ranma had the last.
Another one was fired at them. Ranma moved like lightning, but Yuzuki flew like the wind. Ranma was within inches when Yuzuki kicked him and knocked him to the ground.
"I caught it!" Keiko exclaimed!
"That puts Yuzuki and Keiko in the lead!" Nabiki said.
"Can Ranma really be beat?" Akane wondered.
Genma sobbed. "My own boy getting beat by a girl!"
"Come on Ranma! Shampoo believe in you!" the amazon cheered.
"Let's all cheer Ranma on!" Kasumi said.
"Go Ranma! Go Ukyo!" Hiroshi shouted.
"Go Team Yuzuki!" Daisuke yelled then added, "Hey! I got money on them!"
"Ranma! What would your mother say if she saw this!" Genma shouted.
"She'd wonder how in the hell her son turned into a daughter!" Ranma thought.
Yuzuki went to strike the next bouquet, but Ranma was able to stop her with a powerful kick that threw her to the ground with a loud thud.
"It's all yours Ukyo!" Ranma yelled.
Ukyo grabbed it, but it was going so fast she couldn't get a good grip on it and she dropped it.
"Crap! Once it's fallen on the ground it doesn't count!" Ranma yelled.
"Woo!" Yuzuki and Keiko shouted in unison.
Ukyo frowned, "I really let you down didn't I?"
"Don't worry about it Ukyo! We'll get the next one for sure!" Ranma encouraged her.
"Not if I can help it!" Yuzuki said.
Ranma tried his best to knock away the bouquet, but Yuzuki countered his moves and Keiko caught it.
"Hee hee! I caught it again!" she said happily.
"Grrr. There's no way she can beat me. I will win!" Ranma said.
BOOM! WOOSH! The next bouquet came. Ranma and Ukyo again failed to score.
"Oh my. Things aren't looking good for Ranma and Ukyo." Kasumi said.
"Way to go captain obvious." Nabiki quipped.
"I can't believe it. What's going on?" Akane asked.
"Ranma needs to train more in his girl form." Genma stated.
The stalemate continued between the two teams. Each finding it hard to score. The cannon fired another fast bouquet at them. Yuzuki almost had it when Ranma came up behind her.
"Aaaaaaahhhh" she screamed as the bouquet zipped past her and into Ukyo's arms. Ukyo did not rejoice however, she stood in shock. Ranma had his arms around Yuzuki, and his left hand was on her breast!
"What the hell?" Yuzuki growled.
"That Ranma! He's such a pervert!" Akane yelled.
"Booooooo!" Shampoo shouted.
"Lucky!" Hiroshi and Daisuke said in unison.
"Ranma how could you!?" Ukyo cried.
"Hey! It's not how it looks!" Ranma said.
"Oh, then how is it?" she asked angrily.
"The only way I could stop her was to hit her pressure points!" explained Ranma.
BOOM! WOOSH! Here came another bouquet.
"Ranma! Don't you dare pull anything like that again!" Ukyo warned.
"But Ukyo!" he cried as the bouquet zipped past him and into Keiko's arms.
"Great! Now what am I supposed to do?" he thought. "I want to win, but I can't beat Yuzuki without hitting those pressure points. But if I do hit them, not only do I look like a perv, but it'll make Ukyo angry. I don't want to ruin our upcoming date..."
"Ranma will do anything to win." Yuzuki thought.
Suddenly Ukyo got a bright idea. "Hey Shampoo! Come down here!"
"Huh? Why you want Shampoo?" she asked.
"What's she thinking?" Ranma and Yuzuki both wondered.
Shampoo came down to the ring. "What you want Spatula girl?"
"Turn into a cat and jump in the ring?" Ukyo said.
Neither Ranma nor Yuzuki heard what Ukyo was saying. They both were focused on the bouquets.
"What in it for Shampoo?"
"I'll give you a week's worth of food at Ucchan's, just hurry up and do it!" Ukyo begged.
"Whatever." Shampoo said. She ran to the bathroom and got cold water, turning herself into a cat. Then she leapt into the ring.
Ranma froze in place. "C-c-c...CAT!"
"Hey! What's a cat doing in the ring?" Yuzuki asked.
"What are they up to?" Daisuke wondered.
"It's the cat fist!" Akane exclaimed.
"Yes! It's the only way to win! Good thinking Ukyo!" Genma said.
Ranma began trembling uncontrollably. "Cat...cat...CAAAAAT! NOOOOO!"
"What the hell is up with him?" Yuzuki asked. She was kind of freaked out.
Ranma crouched down on all fours. "Meow! Meow! Meeeeoooow!"
"Okay, this is really weird." Yuzuki said.
"Sorry Ranchan, but I know you wanted to win this really bad, so I did the only thing I could think of to help you do it. I hope you'll forgive me." Ukyo said.
Boom! Woosh! The next bouquet came. Yuzuki leapt for it, but Ranma got there before her and shredded it to pieces!
"How'd he get so fast!?" she asked.
Boom! Woosh! Here came the next one. Ranma shredded it too.
"Ranchan! No! That was ours, I needed to catch it! Bad kitty bad!" Ukyo scolded.
Ranma looked at her and said, "Meow?"
Ranma shredded the next bouquet as well.
"Okay, I've got to get ahead of Ranma and catch it before he shreds it." Ukyo thought.
The bouquet came hurdling at them and Ukyo moved as fast as possible, but Ranma got to it first and ripped it to pieces.
"Geez!" Akane said, slapping her forehead, "Ranma is sabotaging his own team!"
"Damnit Ranma! Quit it!" Ukyo yelled. "Bad kitty! No!"
"Well, since he's tearing up his own bouquets we don't have to worry about them beating us." Keiko said.
Ranma shredded the next one too.
"Okay." Ukyo thought. "Here it comes. This time I'll catch it!"
The bouquet flew towards them at top speed. Ranma was poised to strike, when Ukyo reached down and petted him. He began to purr and Ukyo caught the bouquet one-handed!
"Yes! I did it!" she shouted triumphantly.
Ukyo stopped petting Ranma and he went back into attack mode, shredding the next bouquet before Yuzuki could get within ten feet of it.
"Crap! He's too fast like this? But how can I snap him out of it?" Yuzuki wondered.
The canon fired the next bouquet and Ukyo began petting Ranma again. Yuzuki jumped to knock it out of the way, but Ukyo stopped petting him and he sprung into action biting Yuzuki on the butt!
"Yeeooooww!" she hollered.
Ukyo caught the bouquet! "Yes!"
"Maybe they can pull this off after all." Akane thought.
"Oooohhh, that hurt!" Yuzuki said. But then she got an idea.
Boom! The canon fired again and the next bouquet came at them. Ranma ran forward but then stopped dead in his tracks.
"Bark bark bark!" Yuzuki said. She was down on all fours acting like a dog.
"Hiiisssssss!" Ranma hissed and growled at her.
Yuzuki was able to keep Ranma at bay until Keiko could catch the next bouquet.
"Yahoo!" she yelled.
Ukyo panicked, "Oh no! What do I do now?"
The canon fired another bouquet and Yuzuki began chasing Ranma. Right when the bouquet came within range Yuzuki turned around and ran toward it. Ukyo lunged for it as fast as she could and grabbed the tip of it just as Yuzuki hit it.
"Gotcha!" she exclaimed, barely holding on to it. Some of the flowers were knocked of by Yuzuki's kick, but it still counted.
"That was a close one. But you won't be so lucky on the next one." Yuzuki told her.
Yuzuki barked and growled, scaring Ranma away from the next one and Team Yuzuki and Keiko scored again.
"Not good." Ukyo thought. "We keep falling behind."
When the next one came, Yuzuki again barked at and chased Ranma. This time he leapt into Ukyo's arms for protection, knocking her to the ground. Ranma began nudging her face and purring.
Ukyo blushed, "Ranma, cut it out!"
"That's it! I'm gonna put a stop to this!" Akane shouted and started to head down to the ring. But before she got there, Shampoo came with a bucket of water and dumped it on Ranma and Ukyo, thus bringing Ranma back to his senses.
"Huh? What's going on?" Ranma asked. Then he looked down and seen a blushing Ukyo underneath him. His face turned as red as his hair and he jumped off. Akane and Shampoo were glaring at him.
"Hey! Isn't that interference? That's against the rules?" Yuzuki yelled.
The announcer answered her, "There's nothing in the rules against splashing people with water or throwing cats into the ring in Martial Arts Bouquet Catching."
"That's bullcrap! The rules stink!" she protested.
"There is however, something in the rules against complaining about the rules." the announcer replied.
Yuzuki decided not to press the issue any further.
"Alright! Let's do this!" Ranma said. "I'm ready to win this tournament!"
"You can try if you want, but me and Keiko are ahead and there aren't many rounds left." Yuzuki said to him.
"The score is Team Yuzuki and Keiko 5, Team Ranma and Ukyo 4." Nabiki said.
Ka-boom! The cannon fired! Yuzuki moved as fast as she could, but Ranma moved faster. In fact, he seemed faster now than he did earlier. He easily knocked it away.
"Alright Ranma! Woo!" Ukyo exclaimed.
Ranma smiled. His confidence was growing. The next bouquet came and he successfully kept Yuzuki away from it allowing Ukyo to catch it.
"Now the score is tied!" Nabiki exclaimed.
"Alright Ranma! Put it away!" Genma yelled.
The next bouquet came and both went for it. Ranma again knocked it away. Finally, it was time for the last bouquet. An even larger canon came out to fire it. It fired at such incredible speed, that all the others before it seemed like they were in slow motion. It went so fast that when Yuzuki tried to hit it, she missed.
Ukyo, partly through skill and partly through sheer dumb luck, was able to stand right in front of the bouquet's path. It hit her in the chest knocking her off her feet and sending her flying backwards.
"Ukyo!" Ranma yelled running after her.
Ranma got behind her and caught her, breaking her fall. They slid to the edge of the ring and Ranma hit his head on the wall. The two sat there for a second, Ukyo on top of Ranma, then Ukyo looked down. The bouquet was in her hands, they had won!
"Ranchan? Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yeah, are you?"
"Yes. Guess what?" she asked, trying to contain her excitement.
"What?" he asked.
"WE WON!" she exclaimed.
"Woo hoo!" Ranma yelled as he and Ukyo celebrated their victory.
Yuzuki groaned in disappointment, "I really wanted to win."
"Me too. But at least we're the runners-up." Keiko said. But she was disappointed too.
"I should've bet on Team Ranma." Daisuke grumbled.
"Congratulations Team One, you're the winners of the Martial Arts Bouquet Catching Tournament! Here is your prize!" spoke the announcer.
Two beautiful women came out with giant six foot tall bouquets.
"Oh my God! Look at the size of those!" Yuzuki exclaimed.
Ukyo was overcome with joy, Ranma could care less. He won the tournament, with Ukyo's help, and that's all that mattered to him. Akane, Shampoo, and all the rest of the girls were jealous.
"Why Ranma get one? He not even girl!" Shampoo complained.
"If I had been on Ranma's team I'd have won." thought Akane.
Ukyo turned to Ranma and started to say something, but everyone else swarmed around him before she could.
"Ranma give bouquet to Shampoo. No?"
Ranma didn't get to answer. Ayako came down to greet him and Ukyo.
"Congratulations girls, I was the winner of the last Martial Arts Bouquet Catching Tournament." she said.
"Really? You must be good." said Ranma.
"Yes, but honestly, I've never seen anyone with your skills. I'm impressed. But nevermind that, I just want to tell you, that within three months of winning my bouquet, I found my true love."
"You did?" Ukyo asked. She was very interested in hearing this.
"Yes, every girl who has won the Martial Arts Bouquet Catching Tournament has gotten married within a year of winning!" Ayako said.
"Oh my God! Within a year?" Ukyo exclaimed.
"Yes, and I hope you two beautiful ladies will find someone to love this year. Congratulations!" Ayako told them.
"Hear that? Looks like you'll be finding you a man soon Ranma!" Akane teased.
Ranma glared at her.
Yuzuki was skeptical. "What could be so special about a dumb bouquet? Even if it is six feet tall!"
Akane started to ask Ranma a question, but the announcer spoke again saying, "And for our runners-up, we have a small consolation prize!"
"Oh boy! What is it?" asked both Keiko and Yuzuki, who were both excited.
The two beautiful women brought them two little six millimeter bouquets.
"Really? Is this a [censored] joke?" Yuzuki asked angrily.
"Well, I'm just grateful to receive anything at all." Keiko said, looking on the bright side.
Ranma and Ukyo were again asked to come to center stage. The announcer spoke again to the cheering crowd saying, "Ladies and Gentlemen, here are the winners of the 2016 Martial Arts Bouquet Catching Tournament! Ranma Saotome and Ukyo Kuonji!"
The crowd cheered wildly, Ranma and Ukyo both felt happy. It was the first time they had worked together like this. But it wouldn't be the last!