Hi all. As always Ranma and Co is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and while some people will notice some similarities between this and "Sixth Sense" I will deny it. So with no further ado, Montanto Productions proudly presents.
Sob of the Breeze
A Ranma Fanfic by Bill Morse
Chapter 2
School of Spirits
Sometime in the mid
seventies the body of a young girl was found in an alleyway near Nerima'a
shopping district she had been killed from multiple stab wounds to the back and
chest. While it enraged the community causing a citywide manhunt, her killer
was never found.
It was midnight and the
light of the full moon illuminated the streets of Nerima. There wasn't
anyone out at this hour so no one heard the noise from the alley as a girl ran
out screaming for help. She lurched forward in mid stride as if struck in the
back. She stumbled falling to the ground coughing up blood She tried
desperately to climb back to her feet only to be struck again. Blood pooled
around her as she collapsed for a final time and vanished. The blood took a
minute longer to fade away.
* * * * * *
The sound of slow clapping echoed through the alley. The girl
looked up to see who it was. "Oh, hi Akane-chan," she smiled.
"Hi Sayuri-chan! Wow,
you're getting better!" Akane appeared out of the darkness.
"Well you know how it
is, you can't do the same thing every night for twenty-six years, without
improving a little bit," Sayuri got back on her feet as the blood flowed
back into her
"I know, but don't
over do it. Remember the hell you got five years ago when your 'last words'
were 'My god, can this be the end of Rico?'"
"You're not going to
let me forget that are you?" Sayuri giggled.
"Girl friend, I
don't think anyone is going to let you forget that."
"What brings you out
of the Dojo tonight?" Sayuri changed the subject.
Akane looked around
briefly. "Sayuri-chan, can we talk somewhere?" she whispered.
"Sure, the usual
place?"
"That sounds good, do
you know where Yuka-chan is now?"
"At this hour, she's
probably down by the highway."
"Good, let's go get
her," Akane paused for a moment, "Sayuri-chan, must you do
that?" she pointed at her friends chest.
"What?" Sayuri
looked down at where Akane was pointing. The front of her blouse was soaked in
blood. "It's how I died," she explained.
"I don't care, it's
disgusting."
"That's easy for you
to say, Miss 'I fell asleep as I watched Tokyo burn.'"
"Sayuri-chan,
please."
"Come on, let's go,
"Sayuri sighed as her wound closed up and the blood faded away.
* * * * * * * * *
The driver was surprised to
see a girl hitchhiking at the side of the highway so late at night. "Where
do you want to go, Cutie?" he asked when he pulled up next to her.
"Please, Sir, can you
take me to Kawaguchi?" the girl smiled.
"No problem, hop
in"
The girl was about to climb
into the back seat when two other girls appeared behind her. One wore her hair
long tied in a red ribbon. The other had hers tied in a short ponytail.
"Yuka-chan, we have to talk," the one with the ponytail said.
"Can it wait,
Guys? I'm trying to work
here," the first girl hissed.
"Please, Yuka-chan, Akane
is having problems. We have to help her."
"Alright,
alright," the first girl groaned. "On second thought, could you take
us to Nerima instead?" she asked the baffled driver as the two other girls
climbed into the car.
* * * * * * * * *
The building had been an
eyesore in an otherwise prosperous neighborhood for years. Rumor had it that it
had taken a direct hit during the bombing in the forties. While repairs had
been made years later they had been haphazard and the building was condemned
soon after. Despite this it had never been torn down and still stood today as
ugly as ever. Anyone with certain
gifts, such as sight or insanity, would see the trendiest teahouse in Nerima.
Akane thanked the grinning
skeleton who brought their drinks. "I'm sorry to bother you guys but I
didn't know who else to talk too."
"Don't worry,
Akane we're your friends. You can call on us whenever you need us!" Sayuri
smiled.
"This from the girl
who only has to make a nightly appearance," Yuka grumbled.
"Would you stop complaining
about your quota? I told you the ride over here counts!" Sayuri threw up
her hands in exasperation.
"It wasn't the usual
place, people will talk," Yuka grumbled into her tea.
"So, you were saying
new people moved into your house, Akane-chan?" Sayuri turned to Akane
changing the subject.
"Yeah, Genma Saotome
is a friend of Soun-chan's. His son is engaged to Nabiki-chan."
"Is he cute?"
Yuka asked, her curiosity finally getting the better of her bad mood.
"Who, Genma?"
"The son, silly,"
Yuka giggled.
"Why should I care if
a breather is cute? They all just grow old and die soon enough," Akane
snapped.
Sayuri and Yuki looked at
each other and nodded. Akane had acted the exact same way when Soun Tendou had
first met his future wife.
"And to make matters
worse he can see," Akane continued.
"See, for real? You're
kidding," Yuka gaped.
"Are you sure Akane?
There are so many breathers who pretend." Sayuri added.
"Of course I'm sure,
he called me uncute!" Akane
went on to tell her friends about the day's events and Ranma's curse.
Sayuri and Yuka listened in
disbelief. "That's very
unusual Akane, what do you plan to do about it?"
"Whatever can I do?
Drive him mad? Haunt him to death?"
"Oh come on, Akane,
you know there's no call for that?" Yuka giggled.
"Yes, Akane, I would
think the best thing is to get him and Nabiki –chan married so they'll
move out" Sayuri added.
"Move out? Nabiki-chan
is the best heir Soun-chan has. I
won't let the Dojo leave Tendou hands, I won't!"
"Easy, Akane-chan
after all, you still have Kiri-chan," Sayuri pointed out.
"You've never
seen Kiri-chan fight," Akane muttered.
"He's only thirteen.
He has plenty of time to improve. If all else fails he can manage the dojo and
have another sensei teach. It would still be the Tendo dojo that way."
"Or Soun-chan could
train one of his grandchildren."
Akane shrugged as she
finished her tea. It was going to have to be Nabiki at all costs.
* * * * * * * *
Kiri watched in amazement
as he watched Ranma and Mr. Saotome leap from rock to rock exchanging blows and
shouting very loudly. The level of skill amazed him. He wondered if he practiced more if he could get to Ranma's
level. He could at least try.
"Are they going to be
doing this every morning?" Kiri looked up to see his older sister still in
her pajamas a toothbrush in her mouth looking bleary eyed and more then a bit
cranky.
"Probably, Isn't it
cool, Neechan?"
Nabiki rolled her eyes in
exasperation. It looked like sleeping in was a thing of the past.
Their conversation was
interrupted by two loud splashes coming from the Koi pond. A wet Panda lumbered
into the family room followed by a disgruntled redhead. Her silk shirt was
sticking in all the right places.
"Do you need a towel,
Ranma-Sempai?" Kiri asked eagerly.
Ranma paused long enough to
give Kiri a withering glare.
* * * * * * * *
"School? You've
got to be kidding," Ranma shouted.
"Well, we probably
will be staying here for some time," his father replied.
"You're going to
Furinkan. That's the same school Nabiki goes to," Kasumi smiled. "I'd
show you the way but I have to take Kiri to school."
"Neechan! I can get to
school on my own," Kiri protested.
"I think you should go
with Nabiki," Kasumi smiled ignoring her younger brother,
"What? You expect me
to be seen with that jerk?" Nabiki asked.
Kasumi ignored Nabiki and
continued to speak, "after all its proper for fiancés to walk
together."
Nabiki and Ranma glared at each other.
* * * * * * * *
"Let me make this
perfectly clear, Saotome, as far as school is concerned there is no engagement.
I don't know you and you don't know me, understand?" Nabiki
kept looking forward at the sidewalk. She did not want to give Ranma the
satisfaction of being impressed by him walking on the top of the canal fence.
"Whatever," Ranma
grunted looking the other way.
"I'm serious, you so
much as acknowledge my existence and I will make you wish you were never
born."
"I heard you,"
Ranma grumbled. He glanced down at Nabiki trying not to notice the couple
standing several meters behind her, a man and woman holding knives staring
blankly into space as their throats bled continuously. "Ignore them and
you're sane, ignore them and you're sane," he whispered to himself.
"Where's your
shadow?"
"What?" Ranma
asked snapping out of his mantra.
"It's sunny out. I see
the fence's shadow but I don't see yours," Nabiki pointed at the
ground.
"It'll catch up in a
minute," Ranma shrugged. His reflection and shadow were always a few
seconds slower then he was. This was all the more obvious when he was running
or walking fast. Since he didn't want to explain having a girl's shadow
he had been avoiding mirrors and bright sunlight. At the moment he found the best policy was to ignore this
fact just as he tried to ignore ghosts. For all he knew it was just the curse
playing with his perceptions yet again.
"Whatever, like I
said, keep away from me in school, Saotome. I don't want your weirdness
to wear off on me."
"You and me
both," Ranma muttered.
He turned his attention to
the fence only to see Akane standing in front of him dressed in the same
uniform as Nabiki's. "Why are you doing that?" she asked.
"Ignore them and
you're sane, ignore them and you're sane, " Ranma repeated under his
breath and continued walking forward.
"Is it some sort of
balancing practice or is there something else to it?" Akane vanished an
instant before Ranma would have bumped into her. A gust of wind promptly
knocked him off the fence and into the canal.
Ranma burst out of the
water spitting angrily. "What did you do that for?" She shouted
angrily.
Akane's voice was all
around him. "Don't EVER walk through me again," it said
sternly.
"Are you deliberately
trying to make me late, Saotome?" Nabiki asked looking over the fence.
"Yeah, like I have
better things to do with my time," Ranma leaped from the canal and landed
just behind Nabiki. "Well see you later, gotta go."
"And where do you
think you're going?"
"Back home to get a
hot bath. Do you really think I want to show up in school looking like
this?"
"With fifteen minutes
to spare? I don't think so. Still, if you want to give it a try it's
you're funeral. I'd find somewhere closer if I were you."
"Okay, where should I
go?"
"What? You're asking
little old me? Do I look like the type who highlights every hot water faucet on
a map? You're on your own, Saotome. Try not to take too long doing it."
Nabiki smiled and walked away.
Ranma shrugged watching the
youngest Tendo sister walk away. "I'll show her", she muttered I
don't need any help to turn back into a guy." It was only a minute before
she realized Nabiki hadn't told him how to get to school.
* * * * * * * *
"Excuse me, Sir, I'm
trying to get to Furinkan High, can you tell me how to get there?" Ranma
asked frantically. He had realized quite quickly Nabiki was right about not
having time for a bath. In desperation he bought a cup of tea from a corner
store that left his hair sticky and a noticeable stain on his shirt.
The man said nothing and
continued to stare into space. "Come on I'm in a hurry," Ranma grabbed the man's arm but got
only air. He sighed praying nobody had noticed. If he hadn't been so
rushed he would have been able to notice the behavior patterns not to mention
the man's head was cocked at an odd angle.
"Do I have to poke
everyone I want to talk to? At least there wasn't anyone watching this
time," Ranma said out loud.
"Oh I wouldn't
say that," a far too familiar voice said from behind him.
"Would you stop doing
that," Ranma growled refusing to turn around to see a smiling Akane.
"Such bad
manners," Akane smiled. "If I didn't know any\better I would
almost swear you didn't want to get to Furinkan."
"How the hell would
you know?" Ranma shouted spinning around. "And why are you wearing a
uniform anyway?"
"What, you're saying I
shouldn't get an education just because I'm dead? Like the school board
has never heard that excuse before."
"So you're saying
you're going to Furinkan high as well," Ranma said dryly.
"Why yes, that's
exactly what I'm saying."
"And you would be able
to show me the way."
"Possibly. If you
asked me nicely," Akane smiled
"Oh please gentle
spirit, show me the way to Furinkan High School."
"There's no need to be
sarcastic about it," Akane walked away with a mock pout on her face. She
looked behind her every few minutes to see if Ranma was following her.
* * * * * * * *
"Come on, hurry up I
don't have all day," Akane shouted as she ran towards the gates of
Furinkan. If it hadn't been for Ranma she wouldn't be wasting the
remaining time she had running. If she hadn't had Ranma trying to keep up
she would have been at school now where being late was the least of her
problems.
Ranma watched as the sky
darkening as they entered the school ground. The purple sky reminded him of
Jusenkyo. The wind picked up and he could hear the howling of dozens of voices.
"Akane! We love you, Akane! Date with me, Akane! Be with me forever,
Akane!" There had to be fifty of them, boys between fifteen and
seventeen. Some were dressed like
peasants others like soldiers. Most were dressed in various sports
outfits. Most of the boys charged on
foot, others seemed to blink in and out of existenceor swooped down on them as
if they were part of the wind. "I hate this," Akane growled running
faster. Suddenly She seemed to be
in four places at once swatting spirits away one by one in a blinding flash of
light.
* * * * * * * *
"There's so something
going on in the courtyard," Tatewaki Kuno looked down from the window of
the fourth floor classroom.
"What?" Nabiki
asked walking over to the window with the rest of class behind her.
""There's some one
caught in the dust storm," Tatewaki replied.
The dust storm was a
strange phenomenon that occurred in the Furinkan courtyard every morning. No
one knew what caused it but fortunately most students were safely in class by
the time the wind picked up but today there was a boy in a red shirt standing
alone in the center of the storm.
"Oh great, he just got
here and he's already embarrassing me," she muttered.
"What was that,
Tendo-san?" Tatewaki asked.
"Nothing, Kuno-chan,
nothing at all," Nabiki muttered planning what she would do to her idiot
fiancée when she got her hands on him.
* * * * * * * *
Ranma stared in surprise as
he watched Akane stand alone in the courtyard. She had driven off the rest of
the spirits in no time at all. He
was amazed just how quickly it had happened. "This is so tedious,"
Akane grumbled.
"Indeed," a voice
answered. Ranma turned to see a man dressed in Samurai garb carrying a sword;
"they do it to show their affection for you they honor you."
"There are times I
think I'm damned," Akane grumbled.
"My, you are popular
aren't you," Ranma grinned getting a glare from Akane in return.
"You there, boy, you
are being far too familiar with Akane of the Tendo Dojo. Speak, who are you?
"He's no one. He's
just staying with the Tendos. He's nothing special, Kuno," Akane shouted.
"What? Another
breather, a MALE breather, staying with Akane? The son and grandson of Akira
Tendo are bad enough but a stranger desecrating Akane's abode? I challenge
you!" Kuno shouted pointing his sword at Ranma.
"No, I don't
think so," Ranma replied.
"What?"
"I don't want to
be late for class and being seen fighting thin air is not a good way to make a
first impression, see you in the comic books," Ranma turned from the young
samurai and broke into a run.
"Come back here you
coward!" Kuno shouted. "Don't you dare ignore me!" It was
too late though. Ranma was inside the school before the rain started coming
down in buckets.
* * * * * * * *
Tatiwaki watched Nabiki
from across the room and sighed. He wondered if she felt about him the same way
he felt about her. Most of the time she seemed exasperated by his mere
presence. But she did call him
"Kuno-chan" that had to mean something.
Once he had actually gotten
the courage to ask her out but then one of his blackouts had occurred. They had
started a little after his father had left for Hawaii. They had gotten progressively worse as
the years had gone by.
It was getting to the point
he could only remember class and homework. He frequently found himself dressed
in Kendo gear when he didn't even like sports. His physique had improved
remarkably and for reasons he could not understand jocks who used to bully him
for years now treated him with fear and respect.
He had watched Nabiki since
he had pointed out the boy who had gotten caught in the daily dust storm in the
courtyard. She had not been able to maintain her classic cold demeanor since
then. She actually seemed angry. Perhaps this time he had a chance. If he
listened to her, show her that someone cared about her problems she would like
him perhaps even go out with him.
He was just about to get up
to walk towards her when he felt a far too familiar pressure at the back of his
skull. "Not now," he whispered to himself. "Please, class time
is my time, not now."
* * * * * * * *
"Nabiki Tendo."
Nabiki slowly turned to see
Kuno staring at her with a degree of intensity she seldom saw from him in the
classroom. Kuno was having another one of his mood swings. Pity, usually he was
quite pleasant during class time." Yes, Kuno-chan what is it?" she
sighed.
"Who was the boy with
Akane today?"
"Who?"
Kuno looked puzzled for a
second. "The boy in the courtyard, the boy staying with your family at the
Dojo," he corrected himself.
"How did you know he
was staying at my. . . . ." Nabiki didn't get a chance to finish her
question, as her classmates suddenly surrounded her.
"What? You knew the
boy in the courtyard and you didn't tell us?"
"He's staying at your
house, are you trying to keep him all for yourself, Nabiki?"
"I'm not keeping him,
period!" Nabiki snapped angrily. The other girls backed away as Nabiki
turned angrily towards Kuno. "Look, Kuno-chan, his names Ranma Saotome.
His freeloading father is a friend of my father. They're staying in the Dojo
until further notice, nothing else!"
"Then my worst fears
were justified," Kuno growled. "That dishonorable, cowardly, commoner
soiling her domain? I will not have it!!"
"Kuno-san,
Tendo-san!" they both turned to see the teacher staring at them.
"Step outside." Kuno ignored Nabiki's glares as he marched out of the
classroom.
* * * * * * * *
His first day of class had
gone fairly well for Ranma. Despite the distraction in the courtyard he had
made it with time to spare. After
being introduce to the class by the teacher everything went normally. Ranma
spent the rest of the time dozing off as the teacher droned on and on content
that he did not have to worry about spectral tomboys.
He saw Akane and a few
other students standing in the hallway holding buckets of water, she did not look
happy. Ranma shrugged and kept walking.
"You made me
late," Akane called out. Ranma ignored her. "I'm talking to you! Do
you know what this will do to my record?"
Ranma stopped and looked to
see if there was anyone watching him. "No I don't know," he spoke
under his breath trying not to move his lips as he looked out the window.
"What will it do to your record?"
Akane put down her buckets
and marched in front of Ranma's line of sight. "That's not
important," she growled, "what is important is it's your fault I was
late."
"My fault? You were
the one fighting out there, how is it my fault?"
"I've finished my
fights on time for the last forty years, you screwed me up!"
"All right, all right,
it's my fault. You don't have to make a big production about it. So
what's the deal with what's his name?" Ranma asked.
"Who, Kuno? Oh, he's
just one of the older students here. He thinks that just because he committed
seppuku rather then submit to the Meiji dynasty's reforms we should all be
impressed by him. "
"So, what was the deal
with the light show this morning? "
"Oh a while back I made the mistake of telling him what
I thought of him in public. Rather then getting him to go away it just made him
more obsessed. He made a public announcement that I was his and if anyone else
wanted me they would have to subjugate me."
"Heh, sounds
flattering."
"It's not the least
bit flattering! Anyway, ever since that day I've had to fend off those idiots
every morning, especially Kuno! I always beat him despite how powerful he is,
though I never know why."
"Don't look at
me, I'm still trying to figure out why the dead go to school at all."
Akane was just about to
make a reply when they heard loud footsteps. Kuno came running down the hallway
dressed in kendo gear with a boken in hand. "Saotome! You dared to ignore
me. Now I see you cozying up to Akane yet again? This time you will not run
away, I will punish you!" Ranma rolled his eyes and started walking
towards the cafeteria.
"Ranma, be careful
don't underestimate him!"
"Oh please, he
didn't impress me when he had the sword and now he thinks he can scare me
with a wooden stick?"
"You don't
understand he," Akane winced at the sound of a boken hitting the solar
plexus hard," has a meat puppet," she finished watching Ranma fall to
the ground gasping for breath.
Ranma struggled to get back
on his feet trying desperately not to throw up. He was stopped by Kuno's boken
centimeters away from his nose. "Unlike you I am an honorable man, "
Kuno growled.
"You shamed yourself
with your cowardice, shamed Akane by your presence and shamed me by refusing to
fight. We will duel a week from today on the sports field as the sun sets. If
you are not there I will find you and you will feel my wrath," Kuno turned
and walked away.
"Now you've done it,"
Akane said facetiously.
Ranma had not regained his
breath to be able to reply. He looked at the gathering crowd of students
watching his predicament. Nabiki was standing in the front of them
furious. "Great, now two
uncute tomboys are mad at me," he muttered.