Ranma: Welcome to the club Chapter 6
Disclaimer: I do not own either Ranma, Eiken or any other series displayed in this fanfiction.
6 and a half hours later
Unlike the last day Ranma was pleased to find himself waking up normally. No dreams of soft things brought about by scantily clad girls pressing against him from all sides. No maids falling over one another to keep him in bed. It was a good way to wake up. Heck even his pillows felt softer than normal, and bigger...warmer and...beating ah crap.
"Lemon? Malon? Melon?" He said with his eyes closed. Still to groggy to open them.
"Nope." Was the reply he got.
"Oh...Kirika?" He said with no small amount of apprehension when his tired brain registered the voice.
"Yep." The delight in her voice was tangible.
Faster than most could follow Ranma had tossed his covers aside and was pressed against his room wall. Staring back at him was a near seven foot tall girl, butt naked in his bed with the only thing between her and the full mMontybeing his sheet which was lazily being held up with one arm that she didn't care if she dropped. She looked at him like a thin cat does a fat mouse, licking her lips in a manner that wasn't so much suggestive but more advertising with a fifty foot billboard with flashing neon lights
"Hey." She purred.
Nodoka was in the lavish and spacious kitchen cooking up breakfast.
"WHAT THE HELL!"
She almost dropped the knife she was holding.
"What was that?" She said. Putting down the sharp instrument on the counter and heading towards her sons room.
"I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!" Gushed the auburn haired woman while holding her son in a bone crushing hug.
"NGH! Mom! It's not what you think!" He grunted out with a precious breath.
"Oh? So a gorgeous young girl didn't sleep naked in the same bed as you last night?" She asked sounding completely sincere.
"Yes! No! YES! AHH!"
"No need to be so shy lover boy." Said Kirika in between bites of the most heavenly food she'd ever eaten.
Nodoka teleported to the girls side. Eyeing her up more than a mother or even a straight woman really should.
"I'm just so happy that my son was able to get such a 'healthy' beauty into his bedroom, and so soon." She said, the sincerity in her voice contrasting with the irritated twitching of her brow.
"Mom I told you she snuck in." Ranma almost whined.
"Even better. Girls are already longing for you enough to break into my home and sneak into your room. Not including the triplets."
"Triplets? You mean those three I tossed out of the room last night?" Kirika asked.
Nodoka nodded "I suppose so. I haven't seen them at all this morning. I wonder where they are?"
"Can we stop now?" Pleaded Lemon.
"My arms gonna fall off." Melon moaned pitifully.
"No! Another hour to go!" Said Yui sternly
As punishment the three had been made to write lines on a blackboard since they were caught. Only instead of writing so many lines they were made to do it over and over again, erasing the black board once full then writing all over again. Writing the words 'I will not sneak into Master Grandmas' room' over and over again in perfect calligraphy, which if they failed to do so get them another 10 minutes
"This is cruel!" Said Melon.
"And unusual for this day, age and country!" Whined Malon.
"Just be glad you not security right now. And another 20 minutes for complaining!"
"MORE COMPLAINING!"
"A-GAIN!"
"To ignore our duties is to bring shame to the Saotome clan and ourselves!"
"A-GAIN!"
"To ignore our duties is to bring shame to the Saotome clan and ourselves!"
"A-GAIN!" The laptop shouted through the speaker attached to it while the head of security sat nearby reading an otaku magazine.
She had almost every member of security in a secret training room somewhere on or under the property, each of them standing with their arms out straight in front of them and their legs in squat positions. They had the works when it came to psych and non lasting physical torture applied to them. Holding heavy dumbbells in each hand, Throwing hammers swinging from their thighs while in a seated position. Three foot needles poised to pierce the back of their hands if they were lowered as much as an inch and a large rusty spike ready to skewer their digestive tracks should their legs falter.
This was 'still' considered a slap on the wrist. At least compared to the punishments for the two that fell asleep at their station last night to allow Kirika a chance to break in.
For example. None of the weights are on fire...yet.
"So might I know the name of the girl who made my boy a man?"
A strangling sound came from that son's throat as his mother and club leader talked at the breakfast table.
"Kirika Misono Mrs Saotome."
"Kirika? A lovely name. So how did you two meet?"
"I'd twisted my ankle and he carried me all the way to my clubhouse. It was love at first sight for the both of us." She said wistfully.
"NO IT WASN'T!"
The two women's heads snapped to face the boy "Ranma!" His mother said admonishingly.
"She is 'not' my lover!" My girlfriend! She isn't anything like that!" He argued back.
"Ranma Saotome! Don't you dare say such things!"
The two were interrupted by a whimpering sound. Kirika had her hands up to her face was quietly sobbing. Letting out a hiccup every so often.
"Don't you *hic* like mu-me?"
Nodoka slowly turned to face her son and gave him the most murderous glare he'd ever get. He tried to counter with his own but it was like an ant trying to stare down an elephant.
"D-do you want Chiharu? Am I not good enough?"
The name Chiharu struck Nodoka as important. Doubly so when he son's expression turned pained.
"Whose Chiharu?"
"No one." Ranma said a little too quickly to be inconspicuous. "Just a girl in my club like Kirika."
The woman looked between her son and the crying beauty she'd found in his bed. The gears in her head ground until generated enough power to turn on the figurative light bulb. She sat down next to Kirika and began patting her back absently, noting her lack of a bra.
"It's alright dear I understand." She said gently.
"You Du-do?"
Nodoka nodded "Of course. It's obvious to me that both you and this Chiharu girl are competing for my son and you were afraid she'd beat you. I'm no stranger to that."
"Say what." Parroted the two teens. One of whom had stopped crying and had no red streaks on her face.
"What? You certainly didn't think Genma was the 'only' man I've ever been with? Your not a little boy anymore Ranma.." She took Kirika by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. "You don't worry dear. Try hard enough and I'm sure he will be bedding you in no time..."
"MOM!"
"...And if he ends up choosing this other girl then I'm sure he wouldn't mind taking you as his mistress. Or the other girl if he chooses you as his wife naturally."
She opened her eyes to realize she'd been talking to thin air. She sighed deeply and put her cup down. "Prudes."
Ranma and the tall girl next to him made a B-line for the waiting limo. Moving as fast as they could without breaking into a run.
"We will never speak of this again." Said the boy.
Kirika nodded "Agreed."
"Training?"
"Of course!" Said Kirika.
It was after school...so anytime really...did they ever go to class? The Eiken club was gathered in their club house discussing Ranma's upcoming match with Ryoga.
"You haven't seen each other in a long time. It's best that you prepare yourself to face all sorts of styles and techniques." That sound piece of advice came from the normally silent Grace.
Ranma couldn't fault her logic either. He spent last night only guessing what Ryoga would bring past his umbrella and impossible strength. Plus he hadn't gotten any training done for the past few days. While that way okay for most he could feel himself start to tighten up from lack of almost constant exertion.
"Okay I get it. So I'll just start training myself again."
Kyoko shook her head "I'm afraid not." Ranma faced her and she continued. "I've done some calculations and have been able to come up with a much more effective way for you to train."
He looked over at the diminutive scientist. 'She' made something that could train him better than he could himself. She had to be kidding.
She wasn't kidding.
It looked pretty much like any exercise machine. It had all the necessary equipment for him to work out in a number of way, some of which at the same time. Although he wasn't really sure if all the buttons and flashing lights were really that necessary, and the diesel fumes coming from it couldn't be good for him or the environment.
"Are you sure that's safe for him to use? It looks awfully dangerous." Said Chiharu. Oddly with more cynicism in her voice than worry.
"Tch ridiculous. They're a 97% guarantee that only 5 minutes in Hercules machine will more than double Ranma's strength and make him more limber than a boneless monkey. "
"And the other 3 percent." Ranma didn't like percent. Always some small chance for something completely unexpected to happen, if it was really bad then they're was a chance for a something completely unexpected and incredibly painful to happen. He prefered all or nothing. Two outcomes which he could guarantee without worrying about a 'maybe' or a 'possibly'.
"Your muscles will tear off your bones and explode." The diminutive girl said flatly.
Really hated percent.
"Sounds good to me!" Kirika proclaimed, shoving him towards the machine.
"You crazy!? Not in your life!" He barked, removing himself from the amazonian grip and putting distance between him and the exercise machine from hell.
"What are you? Scared?" She asked slyly. Attacking his overbuilt sense of male pride.
His answer surprised them all.
"YES I'M SCARED! I'm scared that this machine your trying to jam me into will take away the only thing I have in my life that makes me proud that Genma Saotome is my father!"
The different range of emotions of the club members was hardly unpredictable. Chiharu and Komoe were shocked, Grace and Kuma looked confused while Kyoko was somewhere between angry and guilty...guigry...angilty...whatever, and of course their leader was grinning to each ear.
You have to be wondering if she's popping happy pills by now. Heck knows I am. Honestly who smiles that much and can claim sanity?
"Welllll. I suppose we 'could' come up with another training method." The bluenette said begrudgingly.
The cursed transsexual sighed in relief. "Anything's better than that thing."
"Anything?"
Never say 'anything'...ever.
'I guess I 'did' get some of pops foot in mouth'.
It was right outside the clubhouse that he was to get the alternate training and he was keen to do it this way rather than be subjected to a mechanical monster.
Grace was facing him several feet away. She stood with no stance and her face looked in an ever present closed eye smile.
The rest of the club was gathered in front of their domicile clearly eager to watch the show, or at least The members who's names began with K were.
"Will Ranma be okay? I mean he is fighting a girl." Chiharu said quietly, not wanted to be accused of making sexist comments in front of her mostly female club.
"You kidding!? I don't think our boy has any problem with it. Do ya Ranma!?" The giantess bellowed.
"Not a one." The boy replied instantly.
That was a lie. A straight up, big fat stinking lie. He had 'every' problem with hitting a girl. Every time he's ever done it mind you had been in a fight. It wasn't the girls themselves who were the problem though. They always made him give his all and became extra vicious when he made his displeasure about fighting them due to their gender known. No the problem was with the spectators. To them he wasn't allowed to fight back even to defend himself. He was supposed to just stand there and take it.
It was quite in one fight in particular. It had been a few years ago. His father had lost all the money in the bottom of an empty glass and forced his son to enter a street fight for easy cash. He'd taken down three big guys before a girl decided to try her luck, she was a few years older than him, a head taller and clearly very well trained since he doubted an ordinary girl could put her bare foot through a wall without even a bruise. The atmosphere of the crowd soon changed when it was clear he had no intention of letting her win. Chants of his name and cheers for his victory turned in booing and angry yells that he was a 'woman beater' and a 'cowardly jackass'. Oh right, he had totally forgotten he was supposed to let her beat 7 shades of s**t out of him.
He wasn't afraid to fight a woman. He was afraid of what everyone else would think if he fought a woman. (4)
"I won't forgive you if you hold back Ranma." Grace called to him while slipping into a stance.
'Wouldn't be the first time I heard that.' He moved into a stance of his own.
"Ready?"
They nodded.
"BEGIN!"
The two wasted no time. Kicking off they darted at each other. Grace ducked a knife strike to the face while Ranma dodged a palm strike to the sternum. Each countered with a straight punch at the other only to once again be avoided by the slimmest of margins.
"Your good." Grace commented.
Ranma's smile said it all.
She ducked and swept his legs out from under him. Without even pausing to curse his foot jabbed her exposed side knocking her over. His landed in a handstand just as she moved into a roll and sprang back to her feet. Moving in a blur she was able to grab hold of his legs and yank him into the air and immediately score a palm strike to his mid section.
The air rushed out of him like a popped balloon, but he didn't let a little thing like oxygen deprivation stop him from countering. Grabbing her arm he pulled Grace towards him and drove a knee into her own stomach, tossing her behind him just as he twisted and touched the ground on his front. He would have got up that very instant but he was frozen for only the briefest of seconds at what he saw.
As she fell back through the air Graces dress, which covered her decency the same way neon spandex disguised 5 colour coded kids with attitude, was pull up. Giving Ranma clear view of her underwear.
Not a pervert by many means he was decent enough to blush and look away if only for a second. A second which allowed Grace to right herself and launch a killing blow against the unprepared boy.
He slammed against the ground harshly, Grace towering over him , her brown eyes wide open and cold as steel. Her left hand clenched into a fist which bulged with trembling veins.
"MISS GRACE STOP!"
*WHAT-DOOM!*
The club members, the club house and the entire building it rested on trembled violently like...ya know...kind of in bad taste to say it now.
Ranma wasn't even aware he had stopped breathing, staring up at Graces battle serious face. Her arm mere inches away from his all too crushable skull was elbow deep into the concrete beneath him with a web of spidercrack spreading from the point of impact all across the roof.
"Nice one Grace!" Kirika cheered "You nearly crushed his skull like an overripe melon with that one!"
It was at that moment that Grace realized what exactly she had been about to do. Her narrowed eyes widened into abject horror. Both hands flew to her mouth and she fell to her rear.
"I..." She couldn't even say another character, she just jumped to her feet and backpedaled into the clubhouse, but not before everyone could see wet track start to form on her cheeks.
"Wait I...!" He called after her but the club door shut behind her before he could say anything.
"I see lady Grace did it again." Someone said from nowhere. Kyoko and Komoe both jumped a mile when they noticed a tall blonde shadow standing behind them.
"Mr Leon?" Said Chiharu.
The blonde man nodded in recognition and sighed. "I'm afraid I was too late . This is unacceptable! What kind of man am I if I cannot even do my lone duty!"
"Your duty? Blondie I don't know what the hell the Grace family pays you for cause Grace does not need anyone to protect her." Snarked Kirika. Yawning loudly and stretching in ways that raised age ratings.
"Ms Grace?" He said confused before comprehension dawned "Ah I see. You believe that because I am Ms Grace's Bodyguard that it is my duty to guard her."
'Kinda in the name.' The majority thought united.
"The reality of my work is much more severe. I am not to protect her from threats..."
"...You protect threats from her." Ranma finished.
Leon nodded "Ms Grace is 'ridiculously' strong you see. A martial arts prodigy of the highest order from a long lineage of Martial arts prodigies, matched with a natural born strength that surpasses even that Hibiki boy. With such a gift she is one of the greatest fighters in the world."
*Shunk*
Ow! Right in the ego.
"However. Because of her overwhelming power. My lady is forced to wear the bangles and earrings you ever see her wear. In actual fact are heavy weights. Made to bring her down to a much, 'much' lower level."
*Shunk, Shunk*
His pride as a martial artist 'and' a dude looked like a team Jacob t-shirt after the fourth book was released.
"Sadly she still possesses a great deal of force. Force which she has no idea how to hold back, even in a spar. It's fortunate that it was you who she fought against Mr Saotome. Anyone else she 'would ' have pulped their head like gourd."
*Shunk, Shunk, Shunka, Shunka, Shunkity, Shunk*
"O..k. I guess I feel kinda bad for her."
"Good. Now all you have to do is apologies to her and this whole mess will be fixed."
"Apologize?! Why me!? She wasn't the one who almost became one with the roof!"
Leon's eyes hardened. "You 'must' apologies to her. The thought of almost killing you scared her. Just go in and say sorry for doing so and all will be right."
He would love to argue. If he hated one thing it was being forced to poise for what other people do to him. He also knew that he was surrounded by women and this guy could probably pin a fly to the wall with a butcher knife without killing it.
*sigh* "Alright. I'll go say sorry?"
"Giving up so easily Saotome? I would have thought that you'd fight a little more about his." Kyoko said suspiciously.
He waved her off while walking towards the clubhouse.
"Nah. I kinda know what it's like see the world as if it was made of glass."
"Thin glass, thats so cracked that even blowing on it will..." Leon said.
"I GET IT! SHE'S STRONGER THAN ME! STOP DESTROYING WHATS LEFT OF MY FRAGILE MALE EGO!" He yelled and flung the door open and slammed it behind him.
"...What fun would that be?" Asked a confused Kirika to her minions/ club.
It didn't take Ranma long to find her, what with the clubhouse's fanciful exterior nothing more than a shell hiding merely one large room with only one tiny room elsewhere for the toilet. So it was easy to see her cowering in the middle of the room. Crouching down and sniffling and completely oblivious to her skirt which had ridden up to give the word a peek at her snow white panties.
Steeling himself for a battle he had 'no' experience in Ranma walked up to her and kneeled down. Putting on as comforting a voice as he could manage.
"Grace. Grace it's all right..." He said nervously, dealing with crying girls never his strong suit. He gulped loudly when she didn't even respond.
"It's me Ranma. You didn't hurt me see." He assured her. Holding his arms out to show that despite a few minor injuries he was fine.
"..."
"Aww C'mon Grace. I'm really trYING!?" His voice went up an octave for a second when to his surprises a pair of strong arms wrapped around his midsection and pulled him to the ground, he landed in a sitting position but he was now positioned with the girl who could snap him in two in a position to do just so with her face buried in his chest and her tightly clad almost bare rear in his lap.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry." She sobbed into his chest, each sorry punctuated by a light sob which pushed her further and further into his embrace.
Rather than try to wiggle out before Kirika could burst in and make a big deal he put his hand on her shoulder and petted it gently.
"I said it's alright Grace. This ain't the first time somebody didn't know their own strength. It ain't that big a deal."
She looked up at him, her closed eyes slowly leaking. "But...I almost...I."
He smiled "'Almost' but you didn't. I'm gonna be the best Grace. I couldn't let something like that get ta me right?"
"Well...no."
"So don't feel bad bout getting serious with me kay? It'd be a waste to let someone as good as you hold back all the time."
Her sniffing stopped, her eyes opening ever so much to give him a glimpse of her deep chocolate brown eyes. "Thank you Ranma."
"No p..."
His words were silenced when his mouth was suddenly covered by hers. It wasn't a lovers kiss even though their position would suggest otherwise, but it wasn't a simple just friends thank you peck. She lingered for a while but she didn't put anything into it, simply pressing her lips to anothers.
After about 10 seconds she pulled away, leaving her blushing profusely and the boy frazzled.
"Sorry..." She apologized "Papa always did that with mother to make her feel better but I've never..."
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MISS GRACE!"
Both where pulled from their thought by the sound of an angry man. Turning they spotted an enraged Leon, with a shocked Eiken club and a grinning amazon. It was only then that the two realized that their position could be seen by others who had not witnessed their exchange as 'amorous'.
"Not again." The boy whimpered tiredly.
It took 5 days of non stop bowing and scrapping to convince the others of his innocence. Unfortunately and quite shockingly Ryoga arrived the next day
The field was packed with students. Stands were full to capacity forcing most of the audience to sit on the grass. The cafeteria's had decided to take advantage of the gathering and had sent out vendors to dispense the stale crap people trend to buy at such event but don't notice because of the action.
Off at a quiet corner far out of site of any snooping teachers or campus security was one of the less than legal activities also common at such events. Several students were surrounded by dozens of others, money exchanged hands for paper slips. Some predicting Ranma to win, some for Ryoga. Others predicted how long the fight would last, details on certain injuries. One even said that the fight would be interrupted.
The bookie gave that poor sucker 200 to 1 odds with a bet of 2000 yen.
Nearer the field but still a little off it was an announcers table which the Eiken club had manned, er girled. Kirika and Grace were behind the microphone talking away with using the colour commentary and old pro formula common for sports.
"Perfect day for a rumble isn't that right Grace!" Cheered the ever excitable amazon in over dramatic fashion.
The heiress agreed "Right Kirika. At a balmy 57 degrees the fighters will be able to stay awake and alert throughout."
"I'm so cold." Someone off to the side said.
"Aaannndd lets introduce our fighters!"
Ranma rolled his eyes. If he'd known this would happen he'd have left this an extra day.
"Standing at 5'8 and weighing 157lbs. Ranma 'the horse' Saotome!"
A cheer went up from the crowd. All the boy being cheered for was 'the horse?"
Kirika's voice seemed to lose the happiness and energy.
"And on the opposite side of the field. At 5'9 and 160lbs. A boy who couldn't find his nose with his finger and a GPS...!"
"HEY!"
"RYOGA 'THE OX' HIBIKI!"
If the name bothered Ryoga as much as the jab at his sense of direction did he wouldn't how it. Nor the steady booing that was directed only at him by the crowds. He continued only to glare at his hated enemy.
"So Saotome. I'm actually surprised you showed up. Not going to run away again?" He said in a baby talk voice.
"I didn't run away the first time you directionless nitwit." Ranma replied exasperatedly.
"Both fighters seem raring to go." Commented Grace.
Kirika nodded "Fighters ready!"
Ranma slipped into a loose stance. Flexible and ready to take anything Ryoga threw at him.
In contrast Ryoga went into a riid stance that focused on overwhelming power.
"AAANNNNDDDD FIGHT!"
"...Zipadee do da, zipadee yay. My ohh my what a wonderful day."
"Will you zip a dee IT ALREADY AKANE!" Said the singers irate sister.
"Oh Nabiki relax and live a little." Said Akane, who was smiling warmly enough to compete with Kasumi.
It was almost unnatural to see the normally angry and violent Akane Tendo so at peace. Then again it wasn't every day she was starting a new school. No more hentai squad. No More Kuno, no...more Kuno, NO MORE KUNO!
Sure there were still *shudder* boys around here but they didn't even glance her way. Not that she was complaining mind you.
Nabiki on the other hand was considerably less happy about the arrangement. She'd built up a reputation at Furikan not to mention a considerable amount of power over the student populace and some teachers. Now she had to start all over again at a school with easily more than 10 times the student number at Furikan.
The problems didn't end there. She'd kept her family in the black by distributing cheesecake of her sister amongst the male populace and especially to that idiot Kuno.
One step into the academy and she knew she'd never be able to provide that same service again with more than 90% of the girls at (school name) being not only better looking than either her or Akane but far more well off in the 'front' department. She couldn't take pictures of these girls either not without risking facing serious jail time
They'd never buy any pictures of Akane. it would be like offering an burnt hamburger to someone who could afford sirloin everyday. The chances of her making any money here the 'old fashioned way' were about as likely as Kasumi listening to heavy metal.
Back at the dojo Kasumi was vacuuming, singing gently in an angelic tone.
"Pushing up the ante, I know you've got to see me, Read 'em and weep, the dead man's hand again..."
Soun sighed from over his paper. "Maybe I shouldn't have paid the extra to get MTV."
"Don't look so happy dear sister. Remember why we transferred." Nabiki said wryly.
Akane's good mood soured a tad. Thanks to 'uncle' Genma they learned that his wife attended school here when she was a teenager and would more than likely send their intended here too. That was enough for the two of them to be transferred.
"Yeah I know. But this place has 54,000 students Nabiki. Chances are we'll never meet the pervert."
*BOOM*
The sound of an explosion hit them like a thunder clap, the ground beneath them trembled them terribly.
"What the heck was that?!" Akane gasped.
"DAMN YOU RANMA!"
"Offhand I'd say the pervert you just said we'd never meet." Replied her sister.
The two picked up their pace to see what was going on.
The longer the two fought the more 'The Ox' title seemed to stick with the fanged avenger. He charged Ranma like a mad beast, swiping at him with his fists and umbrella while grunting and snorting angrily with every failed attack. Ranma dodged everything thrown at him not daring to try and take a single step step forward since he could actually 'feel' the power coming from the attacks just from swiping past him. Ryoga's legs were solid meaning Ranma couldn't take them out from under him and his umbrella extended his range enough that going for his upper body was all but impossible.
All he could do was wait for a NOW!
He shifted his weight to the left for only second before suddenly twisting to the right. The sudden dramatic chaged caused an already striking Ryoga to overextend himself before he could correct the path of his hit, allowing his 'rival' a chance to score a vicious punch to his solar plexus.
The wind went out of Ryoga, but rather than collapsing to his knees he gritted his teeth and swiped out with his free hand. Now within attack range his strength didn't matter and Ranma effortlessly dodged and delivered another three jabs to lost boys stomach followed by a kick to push him away.
"What's the matter Hibiki." His 'rival' mocked. "Don't like the taste of crow?"
Ryoga stopped gripping his stomach and reached for his sash belt, hands tightening around both ends and speed forward again.
'A sash? Why w...' The sheer ridiculousness of Ryoga's action made our hero pause long enough for his attack to connect. By which time Ranma had surmised that Ryoga might know an offensive variant of the Iron cloth technique.
A loud 'popping' noise told him that his arm was dislocated. The rest was still properly located but hurt like hell none the less. Bruised and bleeding after his collision with the wall. A dozen or so students also lay in pain when he ploughed through them at missile speeds.
Fortunately his pop had hit him with harder things during training or the impact would have squashed him. He managed to shake himself back to full consciousness just as the fanged boy braced himself and took a flying leap right at him. Ranma inwardly smirked, Saotome style worked best when the opponents feet weren't on the ground.
He had just gotten his feet off the ground when he heard a pitiful sound. The sound of someone in pain.
The freshmen he'd been knocked into were still on the ground not moaning in pain but out and out screaming. One had an arm bent 45 degrees the wrong way and crying out for his mother. Another laying in the ground motionless clearly bleeding from the head.
Now up to this point Ranma had a very unusual idea of what the human body could withstand. To him being able to withstand bricks to the face and walk away from trees falling on you was normal. Sure he knew that non-martial artists were weaker and probably were not as durable as he was but he still believed them to able to take at least half the beating he could.
Yet here were people broken and battered to unconsciousness just because he grazed past them. He...he had hurt the weak.
No! Ryoga had hurt the weak.
"RYOGA!" He dodged to the side just as the lost boy tried to punch his head of. Rather than counter punch Ranma grabbed the limb and twisted it behind Ryoga's back and pushing him back to the soccer field. "We have to stop."
"NEVER!" Hibiki screamed. The saotome heir grit his teeth and pushed the arm further up. Ryoga tried lashing out with his other arm but that was quickly secured to. In childish manner he went for the shins but was pressed against the ground by his nemesis who held on for dear life.
"This is between you and me Hibiki." He looked towards the downed students who by now had a large group of people surrounding them. He never thought he'd be so thankful that this school had as many clubs as students when the first aid club and future doctors club were there taking care of them. "Those guys were seriously injured."
"That was you not me!" The struggling had gotten wild. Ranma swore he heard his muscles straining to the point of tearing just to keep him down. His teeth gritting in concentration and anger.
"Maybe but you were the one who launched me! You could have killed them!"
"I DON'T CARE!"
The rage drained from Ranma's face as quickly as the strength drained from his body. The lost boy bucked him off like a bull sending him all the way to the edge of the field. Getting up and dusting himself off before grinning broadly. "I knew that would get you off guard." He reached for his bandana and looked towards the crowd then back to his enemy who was staring at him blank faced.
Ranma shook his head slowly.
Ryoga's grin widened to Grinch like proportions and tore the banana off his head.
The razor cloth even sounded like a shuriken whizzing through the air. Perfectly aligned with a seniors neck.
The whirling cloth was halted when it was intercepted by Ranma who caught the cloth between his fingers and let it flutter to the ground.
His face remained stoic but the ever closed yet always wide eyes of Lin could easily spot him biting the inside of his mouth, the bandanna falling to the earth not because he let it but because a thin but deep cut ran across three fingertips.
"Don't do that again Hibiki." His tone dead even. Not even registering surprise that beneath that head band was another identical headband.
Ryoga's answer was throw another in the exact opposite direction. This time the spinning band made it much closer before Ranma made contact, no time to grasp at it just punched into it wreaking havoc on his fist.
"*Pant* Ryoga if you do that again I won't..."
"Won't what? Save them?" He plucked a whole fistful of cloth before jumping high onto the air and swinging his arm in a wide arc sending razor death in all directions.
Ranma Saotome did 'not' seem to blur out of existence. The razor cloths did 'not' suddenly vanish in mid flight He did not move faster than can be perceived. For you see for any of that to happen it would have to have been implied that he moved at all. To this date neither Graces keen eyes nor the innumerable observation devices Kyoko had planted around the area produced one sliver of evidence that he didn't already have a big pile of black and yellow cloth at his feet nor any to prove that Ryoga's homicidal stunt ever happened in the first place.
The Hibiki boy stared at his hated rivals feet with undisguised awe. He had heard of such speed before, but only in the pages of a shonen manga.
"WHOOO-OOHHHH! Can you believe it!" Screamed Kirika into her microphone. Her foot planted on the announcers table as she pumped her free fist into the air in sheer excitement which if anyone had been watching her and not the spectacle would have completely forgotten about the fight. "In an anime-esque display of awesome the Eieken clubs wild stallion caught the psycho Hibiki's doom-danna's! Can you believe your eyes Grace."
The Chinese girl smiled "I can honestly say I can't Kirika. Such speed is only normally achieved by the most renowned of masters."
The purplette crashed back down into her seat,Microphone resting on top of her breasts which crashed back down on the table hard enough to make the wood creak. "So you think 'our' boys got what it takes to finish the job."
She nodded. "Oh I think both fighters still stand a good chance..."
She internally added. '...depending on how long this fight lasts.'
"Pht. Big deal. I could do that to."
"Uh huh." Nabiki muttered without turning away from the beefcake that was herfiancee.
It was a given to say that she never got to admire any good looking boys back at Furikan, for reasons that anyone at the school was either merely average or Kuno and she'd rather eat rusty nails than even consider that train of thought no matter how rich he was.
Ranma she'd known of for only a few days and seen for less than a minute and she already had a good opinion of him. Saving innocent bystanders from cloth razors showed great strength of character...also the way his muscles were almost perfectly outlined by the sweatily clinging silk shirt made the lose of extortion money almost totally worth it.
Way past worth it when the actual relationship started...wait...'our boy'?
Nabiki turned her head and saw just who was sitting at the announcers table.
Ho...ly...shit.
Fireworks went of in Nabiki's mind. Chibi Tendo's danced their happy little dances and full grown once leapt like dolphins into a sea of cash.
'If I sold just one picture of either of them...just one picture of that Red head or melon chested announcer...I'd make more than I got from a hundred photos of Akane!'
'Eiken club huh? Well clubs are mandatory here.'
Ryoga stared cautiously at his eternal rival who was staring back at him like a hawk would a sparrow. He reached up to pluck another Bandana but pulled his hand back down. It didn't work last time and he hated wasting moves or *shock* not having any bandanas left.
'Flames washed the village. Old men and young boys held hoes shakily as he approached. Children crying, a woman screamed.'
He shook his head. "Never again."
He clenched his fists and slipped into an aggressive stance. Common sense told him to be defensive but as a martial artist he listened to his instincts and they told him that he had to destroy Ranma before he tried anything.
He stalked towards Saotome, never breaking his stance, with the speed he'd just seen he'd be destroyed if he dropped his guard for even a moment.
Ranma stands perfectly still, his narrowed eyes following him like a hawk watches prey.
He inched closer to his hated rival. The audience became silent as the suspense became palatable. Kirika gripped her microphone hard enough for it to break which Grace immediately covered for by moving hers over to the girl.
He got to within ten feet of Ranma, his knuckles cracked.
With a snap of muscle he sent a vicious left jab straight for Ranma's face. Arcing his blow so the Saotome couldn't dodge to the right to avoid him. Hos right fist already moving to be were his enemies head would be in a second when to the shock of all his feinted attack actually connected with flesh.
Ranma grunted as he was pushed back by the force behind Ryoga's fist. His hand wrapped between the callused knuckles felt like it was going to break, but it did manage to push him out of line with the boys other attacks. Without him to collide with Ryoga's momentum kept moving him forward and knocking him severely off balance, allowing Ranma to get a shot in with a kick to the sternum. Ryoga barely had time to gasp for the air that was forcibly expelled from him before he was punched in the ribs and landed 20 feet away from his enemy.
"Oh that had to hurt didn't it Grace? Right in his kisser!"
"Not as much as it hurt Ranma I'm afraid." The blonde replied sadly.
"Ha ha You call that a kick Saotome?!" Ryoga launched himself back at Ranma who was put on the defensive. "I've fought wild bears that hit harder than you!"
"That's hardly impossible you nitwit!" Wincing while parrying another haymaker before releasing a serious of jabs into the fanged boys chest.
Ryoga grunted but kept on the assault. "Whats with the love taps Saotome? I thought you dad trained you better than thi..." He was cut short when a foot met his face. Both boys yelped in pain and Ranma jumped away from him, wincing as he landed.
"What are you talking about!? Look at him out there he's beating lost boy like a drum? Am I missing something?" Kirika's gaze on the clubs boy toy intensified.
Nothing really bad, breathings a little ragged, his fists shaking a little but she couldn't see what was wrong...wait...that wasn't shaking.
His clenched fist was shaking but not in the manner of someone whos angry. It's moves were irregular and jerky, like spasms.
"Ouch. That guy must have a face like concrete."
Grace shook her heas. "The thickness of Ryogas skull..."
"HEY!"
"...Has nothing to do with it." 'and everything to do with Ranma's high speed Bandana catch.'
Ryoga darted forward with his fist, easily blocked by Ranma who visibly sucked in his breath while doing so, which was immediately expelled when a knee came up and smashed into his sternum, immediately followed by a vicious backhand which sent him skipping across the field like a stone. He crashed into the concrete walls of the pitch, almost going through it. The cracked stone covering him with rubble.
"RANMA!" Cried out a girl who was actually more concerned that the two were kicking the crap out of each other than the fight. Who was she?
Gee, let me think.
"GEEZ Ranma Saotome, who had been dominating the first part of the fight has quickly went from the top of the heap to having the heap on top of him!" The purplette screamed into her...what like 5th mike? "How can you go from owning this bastard..."
"Impartiality!" A voice echoed from nowhere immediately followed by a yelp and a splash.
"...To barely tickling him in such a small amount of time?"
'Because he expended himself trying to save everyone.' Grace followed the match like a hawk, catching Ranma's every wince as his blows connected, his breath growing increasingly more erratic. 'That phenomenal burst of speed he put on to catch Ryoga's weapons pushed him past his bodies limit, no matter for how long and put a lot of stress on his muscles. I'm surprised he hasn't keeled over already.'
If this match persisted. Ranma would be lucky if all he did was lose.
Ok I'm gonna end right there.
I know, I'm an asshole. What are ya gonna do? Punch me through the internet?
Seriously though I'm just tired of these things sitting on my computer for who knows how long while I add a few sentences or even a few words every few days or so. It was going to be longer but to be honest I much prefer fight scenes like you get from One piece. Straight up Martial arts like Ranma isn't as interesting to write for me.
I''ll start work on the next chapter when I can and hopefully get it out to you sooner than later.
As usual reviews and criticism are welcome so long as they are constructive. Flames with be ignored like the president with the Asbestos skin from Top Gun.