. . . I have no idea from this point on . . .
Ranma's Wish, Chapter two
By Felix Webster
All original Ranma ½ Characters Copyright Rumiko Takahashi (first
published by Shogakugan in Japan and brought over to North America by
Viz Communications), and are used without permission.
Please don't sue . . . cause I have no money.
Special thanks to my pre readers
Chris Stassen
Paul Blay (sorry about the spelling mistake in the last two pieces)
" " - speech
* * - thoughts
( ) - other languages - Chinese mostly -
[ ] - Panda signs
-The first day of school is always hell . . . -
Ranma-chan woke up slowly, desperately trying to hold on to her
dream. She knew it was important but it slipped away from her mental
grip like the sands it was made up of.
As she slowly opened her eyes the morning sun made her close them
again quickly. *Damn, why'd Mom leave the curtains open,* she thought
in a groggy haze of near sleep. She decided to stretch her arms, but
bumped into someone beside her. *Oops, guess I'm not home. I guess I
better get Pop up for training now,* she thought, as she smiled to
herself. She reached over and shook the body beside her and was
rewarded with a 'Hmmmph' from the sleeping form, but it was defiantly
not male.
Ranma-chan sat up suddenly totally awake, not knowing why she was in
this room. She looked over to the unfamiliar sleeping girl beside her
and slowly recognized Akane from the night before. Realizing where
she was caused her to relax, though she knew she had to get up for
her daily training with her father.
She got out of bed and changed from her pajamas to her gi as quietly
as she could, so not to wake her new friend. As she was about to
leave the room she turned and crouched down to take a look at the
girl she had just slept with. *The guys back at school would have
killed for a chance like this,* she thought with a chuckle. "Lucky
for you I'm a gentleman, even if I am a lady," she said in a soft
whisper.
----------
There was some kind of noise coming from outside the house and it
caused Akane to wake up badly. She sat up and looked at the clock on
her desk, as far as she was concerned it read way too early for her
sleepy mind's liking.
"Ranma, you up?" she asked as groggy haze. When she didn't get a
response she looked over to the other side of the bed, only to find
it empty. "She must of gone to the bathroom," Akane said to herself.
The sounds came again and this time she suddenly became worried that
someone was attacking her new friend. She bolted out of her bed and
ran toward the living room. She reached the door to the backyard and
witnessed a sight that left her so stunned that she slumped to her
knees.
"Okay Ranma, this time I'm not going easy on you!" Genma yelled at
his daughter. Although it sounded very serious he said it with a wide
grin on his face.
"It's the way I like it, Pop!" Ranma-chan shouted back in a happy
sounding voice.
They both leapt into the air and started sparring while they hung
there defying gravity. Akane watched, shocked by the skill she was
watching. "Wow, where'd they learn to do that?" she said to herself.
Ranma-chan landed near where Akane was watching as they broke apart.
Ranma-chan turned and smiled at her new friend, "Hey, Akane, you're
up!"
"Um. . .yeah," Akane replied. "What are you two doing?" she asked in
confusion.
"We're training," Ranma-chan answered as she dodged a strike from
her father. "Why don't you get your gi on and join us?" Ranma-chan
asked as she threw a series of kicks back at her father.
Akane watched as Genma blocked all of the kicks and leap away from
his opponent. "Do you have any idea what time it is, Ranma?"
"Yeah, so?" Ranma replied as she leapt at her father and launched
her next attack. Genma was ready for the move though, and launched
his own surprise counter-attack. The next thing Ranma-chan knew she
was flying backwards, so she righted herself and fell right into the
pond.
"Good one, Pop!" Ranma-kun said in praise, then noticed his voice
had changed. "Oh great! I guess a bath won't hurt me now that I'm
already wet," he said as stepped out of the pond and reset his gi.
Akane suddenly flashed red with anger at seeing a boy in her yard.
She had to calm herself down, reminding herself that the boy in front
of her was a girl with an bad curse. She turned back into the house
only to find both of her sisters standing there also watching the
combatants.
"You know, she's a really great looking guy," Nabiki said to Kasumi
with her patented devious smile.
"Yes, she is. I better set the bath for the day since it looks like
she'll need it." Kasumi walk off seemingly unfazed by what she had
watched.
"That's enough for today, Pop. I'm gonna need get ready now," Ranma-
kun said as he turned to his father. "You want to join me, Akane?" he
asked over his shoulder as he turned to walk toward the bathroom.
"What!?!" Akane said in pure shock. Having had years of experience
with her sister, Nabiki, she noticed Ranma-kun had nothing devious in
his face. "Um. . . okay," she said in a small voice.
----------
Ranma-chan and Akane relaxed in the furo facing each other. Akane
was surprised at how comfortable she was at that moment. "Ranma?" she
started as she realized she was very curious about her new friend and
the bath was the most private place they were going to find in the
house.
"Yeah, Akane?" Ranma-chan replied, her eyes were closed with
contentment as her body soaked in the heat.
"How'd you know?" Akane asked straight out. She hoped she hadn't
insulted her friend by being so bold, but she had to know.
"Know what?" Ranma-chan replied without opening her eyes. She knew
what Akane was asking, but she also knew Akane needed to word it in a
way she was comfortable with if she was ever to understand the answer.
"Um. . . That you're, um. . . That you like girls in that way?"
Akane may have stumbled when she started her question, but she
finally got it out.
"How do you know you're not?" Ranma-chan countered with a devious
smile.
"What!?! I. . . Ah. . . I just know!" Akane was caught off guard and
replied quickly with an answer even she wasn't totally sure of. To be
honest she had never really thought about it before, even though many
people at school had accused her of it.
"I'm just kidding, Akane," Ranma-chan said with a chuckle, and reach
farther across the furo to pat Akane's hand. "I've been around guys a
lot in the last few years. You see, Pop has a job as Phys. Ed.
Instructor at an all boy's school near our home. He talked Mom into
letting me go there as it had a better curriculum than the regular
school, and 'cause tuition was free for the kids of Instructors,"
Ranma-chan related evenly as if it was the most natural thing in the
world.
"How'd they let you get away with it?" Akane asked with a lot of
interest. She couldn't believe an all boys school would allow that,
even for an instructor's child.
"Basically, I bound my breasts and acted like one of those boys who
hadn't developed yet," Ranma-chan answered. "It's not like I've got
much to bind," she said with obvious disgust.
"Don't say that, Ranma, you've got great breasts!" Akane said in her
friends defence.
"Thanks Akane, but they're not as great as yours," Ranma-chan said
with sly smile on her face.
"Thanks. . . Wait! We are NOT having this conversation!" Akane said
with obvious strain in her voice.
"Sorry Akane, I couldn't resist," Ranma-chan said with a chuckle.
"To get back to answering your question, I was around guys every
school day and I never felt anything but friendship for any of them.
I really didn't think much about it for a long time, till I realized
I was admiring the girls with my friends when they girl watched, for
the same reasons they were. . . I found girls sexy." Ranma-chan
waited for Akane to show some repulsion with concealed nervousness.
"So you found other girls sexy, a lot of girls do without being that
way," Akane said calmly. She decided Ranma-chan's life choice was
mostly based on not having other girls around to be able to tell her
it was normal.
"Yeah, well, there's more to it than that. . ." Ranma-chan started.
She knew the usual arguments, her own mother had made most of them.
She knew what she was, and she had come to terms with it already.
"Okay then I have a question for you," Akane said. "How come you
haven't made a pass at me then?" Akane was more nervous about what
the answer was going to be then she thought she should be.
"Who says I haven't, " Ranma-chan said with a straight face, still
relaxing with her eyes closed. "We slept together last night, and
we're bathing together in the nude. I'd say those were pretty big
passes, wouldn't you?" Ranma-chan put a playful smile on her face as
she said that.
Akane started to get self-conscious at what Ranma-chan had just
suggested, then she realized there was a few problems with what was
said. "Ranma, you wouldn't agree to sleep in the same bed with me
until I suggested we use separate blankets," Akane pointed out. "And
you acted more than a little shy when I asked you to wash my back a
few minutes ago."
"I didn't want to scare you off, I don't have many friends, and even
less who are girls,"Ranma-chan said with embarrassment.
"Why not?" Akane asked with concern.
"Well, I couldn't exactly get close to my fellow classmates for fear
they would find out that I was actually a girl," Ranma-chan replied
to the question. "And the few girls I knew either tried to use me to
meet the other guys at my school , or tried to date me which would
have blown my cover," she added in a depressed tone.
"Well, that won't happen here," Akane said firmly. "I'll introduce
you to my friends, they're nice girls, and you'll see things will be
different."
"Yeah, sure, till it rains on me and I become a guy, then I'll be
the freak of Nerima." Ranma-chan was depressed at her own words, but
put on a fake smile to make it look like she was making a joke. Akane
wasn't fooled.
----------
A while later the entire family was at the table beginning their
breakfast. Akane was thinking of a way of introducing Ranma-chan and
her curse to her friends, so she almost missed what the two guests
started to do.
"Are you ready, girl?" Genma asked with his chopsticks poised in the
ready position.
"Anytime you are, Pop!" Ranma-chan replied mimicking her father's
move.
"Right, GO!" Genma said loudly as he struck out with his hands at
the food. Then both Saotomes attacked the food in a blinding display
of speed. It was almost impossible to see their hands as the food
disappeared. They both stopped when there was nothing left in their
bowls or the area surrounding them. "Excellent breakfast, Kasumi,"
Genma said as he sat back patting his stomach.
"Yeah, great food," Ranma-chan added. She noticed the stunned look
on the others faces and became a little embarrassed. "Me and Pop do
that when we're on training trips. Pop says it builds speed and lets
us get back to training faster," she explained. "Mom won't let us do
that at home cause she says it's too unlady-like, even from me."
"My, what energetic eaters," Kasumi said wondering if they had even
tasted her cooking or were being polite.
"Yes, Kasumi, and we're big eaters too," Genma replied back with a
wink.
"I'll remember that." Kasumi started thinking of the increased
amount of food she'd have to cook and cringed inside, though outwards
she gave a sweet smile.
----------
"Are you going to wear that, Ranma?" Akane asked as she watched
Ranma-chan put back on her red Chinese shirt and the black pants that
went with them.
"Yeah, kinda have to. I can't wear a dress in case I change forms,"
Ranma-chan answered as she smoothed out the shirt's wrinkles. "And my
boy's uniform won't fit in my male form even though it was baggy to
hide my curves."
"Well, I hope they don't give you too much of a hard time about it
at school." Akane grabbed her bag and headed for the door, "I'll wait
for you downstairs. Don't be too long cause I don't want to be late,"
Akane said as she left the room.
A few minutes later Ranma-chan was leaving Akane's room when Nabiki
met her at the door. "Ranma, I usually don't give out information for
free, but this time I'm making an exception," Nabiki said with her
usual calmness.
"Yeah, what is it?" Ranma-chan asked. She knew better than to pass
up information that could be vital for her survival, but she didn't
trust this girl. Unfortunely it showed on her face.
Nabiki took notice of the look of the wariness in Ranma-chan's
expression and her opinion of the girl went up a notch. "Akane is
going to be in a fight when she gets to school," She stated plainly
and started to walk away.
"What!?!" Ranma-chan couldn't believe how calm Nabiki was when she
knew her own sister was going into battle. "Who is she gonna fight?"
she asked with concern.
Nabiki smiled at the girl over her shoulder, "I only give one
freebie, so that information will cost you." She continued her way
down the stairs as Ranma-chan stood there stunned.
When the state of shock wore off Ranma-chan ran down the stairs
trying to catch Nabiki. At the bottom of the stairs she almost ran
into Akane, who had come to see what was taking so long. "Oh good,
you're ready. Here's your bag. Come on lets go," Akane said in rapid
fire as she grabbed Ranma-chan's arm an headed to the door.
"Okay, Okay! I'm coming, " Ranma-chan said chuckling lightly. And
the two headed to school.
As the two headed down the street Ranma-chan noticed the railing and
smiled to herself. With little effort she leapt to the railing and
started walking along it. Akane couldn't believe that Ranma-chan
could walk such a narrow pole. "What are you doing, Ranma?"
"Balance practice," Ranma-chan replied.
After they continued on for a few minutes Ranma-chan decided she
needed to deal with what Nabiki had mentioned earlier, so she jumped
down beside Akane again. "Akane, who you gonna fight at school?"
"What!?. . . Who told you?" Akane said in total surprise.
"Nabiki mentioned it to me before we left, but she wouldn't say who
it was," Ranma-chan said thinking back to Nabiki's smile and
shuttered. "Your sister is a. . . weird person," she added trying to
be polite.
"I'm more worried how much she charged you. . . never mind I don't
what to know," Akane said waving off her own thoughts. "You don't
need to bother worrying about the fight, I do this every morning and
I really don't have much problems." Akane tried sounding unconcerned
about the situation but Ranma-chan wasn't buying it.
"Listen. . ." Ranma-chan started but never finished as he was now wet.
"Oh! I'm so sorry," an old lady who was standing near by said
quickly as she noticed she had splashed someone while watering the
sidewalk.
"It's not your fault, I should have seen it coming," Ranma-kun
return to the woman with a bow. Akane was trying hard to suppress a
laugh watching her annoyed friend trying to be polite. Ranma-kun on
the other hand was now worried about school. "Oh great, now what am I
gonna do, I can't go to school like this," Ranma-kun said to Akane
after they had moved away from the old lady.
"I'll take you to Dr. Tofu's office, it's on the way and we can get
some hot water there," Akane replied back. Ranma-kun noticed the odd
look in Akane's eyes as she mentioned the doctor.
The pair reached the office in only a few minutes as it was indeed
close
to where they had been. Ranma-kun liked the look of the little
clinic, it seemed warm and friendly. He was waiting for Akane to come
back with the hot water that she had disappeared though a inner door
to get. He started to hum to himself, and this caused him to miss the
boney little hand creeping towards him. He jumped when it landed on
his shoulder, he spun to face a tall man wearing a gi and glasses,
carrying a skeleton. "Watcha do that for!?!" he said trying to catch
his breath.
"I'm sorry, I thought I should meet my new visitor in a fun way,"
the man said with a smile.
Ranma-kun gave the man a look that said 'you're weird' as Akane came
back into the room carrying a kettle. "Oh Dr. Tofu. . . I see you met
Ranma," Akane said looking down and fiddling her thumbs in
embrassment.
Ranma-kun looked at Akane, then smiled as he poured the hot water on
herself.
"Why yes, I was just introducing myself to him. . . Um, her?"
Dr.Tofu replied, readjusting his glasses as he gave Ranma-chan
another look. "Hmm, time to get new glasses."
Ranma-chan looked depressed, she was sure the doctor would find her
a freak. "I have a Jusenkyo curse that makes me a guy when cold water
is poured on me," She said nervously.
"Jusenkyo, you don't say, I've heard of the place but never met a
victim before," Dr. Tofu said with a smile.
"Trust me, it's not fun," Ranma-chan said weakly.
"I believe that's the point of curses," Dr. Tofu stated trying to be
helpful.
"I've been confused about something, I thought you'd be happy
becoming the son your father always wanted," Akane said to her friend
then regretted it when she saw the look on Ranma-chan's face.
"I wanted him to be proud of me as I am, a girl who was as tough as
any son he could ever trained," Ranma-chan stated in fierce
seriousness. "I've trained as hard as I could with the limited time
Mom lets me go on training trip, just to prove that I'm not the
disappointment he originally thought I was."
"I'm sure your father doesn't think of you with disappointment,"
Akane said trying to comfort Ranma-chan.
"Well girls, I believe you're going to be late if you stay here any
longer, come back later and we'll talk some more," Dr. Tofu stated.
He still had a smile on his face as he led them to the door.
----------
The pair had been quiet for a couple of blocks, as the school's
gates became visible Ranma-chan decided she should ask Akane about
the Doctor before they got any farther. "So you really like that
Doctor, huh?" she asked, trying hard to keep the sly grin off her
face.
"Oh yes, Dr. Tofu has been treating our family for several years
now, he's a very good doctor," Akane replied with a dreamy look in
her eyes.
"Oh man, you've got a crush on him!" Ranma-chan said with a little
laugh.
"So what if I do!?!" Akane clenched her fists and turned on her
friend very angry. She couldn't believe Ranma-chan could be so cruel.
"Hey, hey, I was only having a little fun," Ranma-chan said smiling,
waving her hands in front of her. "I thought you didn't like guys?"
"BOYS!" Akane nearly screamed, then look at the time on the school's
clock. She was going to be late. She decided the only way to get in
the school on time was to pshyc herself, clenching her fists she drew
on all the rage she could muster and started her mantra "I HATE
BOYS!, I REALLY HATE BOYS!!" She started to run at the school
chanting, "I HATE BOYS!" over and over.
Ranma-chan followed not understanding what she was going on about
until a mass of boys in sports gear became visible inside the school
grounds. She watched as the boys all tried to attack Akane, and
noticed that none of them had a chance against her friend. One by
one, and two by two they all were knocked down by Akane's blows.
Ranma-chan was impressed by Akane's strength and stamina, but decided
that she still needed work in dexterity and finesse.
Akane had finished in record time, she was going to make it to class
on time after all. She stood there trying to catch her breath when
the projectile came at her. Akane was about to catch it when a blur
stepped in front of her. She was shocked when she saw Ranma-chan
moved to intercept what was thrown at her.
"Someone is very careless to be throwing roses around," Ranma-chan
said in disgust.
Akane looked down and put a hand to her forehead in depression.
"Kuno," was all she could say.
"As is the setting sun a moment of rare beauty, so is but a minute
with my love, Akane Tendo," said a tall boy in kendo clothes,
minus the armour. He walked forward with an air of pure arrogance,
moving his bokken to point at the pair of girls in the middle of the
destruction. "Akane Tendo, these peasants thought to win your favour
by combat, but all pale before your skill. I alone shall rise above
their failure and be successful, I chall. . . hello, and who are
you?" the boy asked Ranma-chan as he finally noticed that his prey
was being protected by another.
"Are you alright, Akane?" Ranma-chan asked with concern, seeing the
cringing that her friend was doing. "If you had told me you did your
morning training at school I could have asked to join in, it looked
like fun."
"FUN!?!. . . wait, you think that was training?" Akane asked in
confusion.
"Yeah, of course, why else have a bunch of guys attack you?" Ranma-
chan said as if it was obvious.
"Excuse me. . ." the boy with the bokken said trying to get their
attention.
"Look, I'll explain it later, we're going to be late," Akane said
shaking her head in disbelief. She didn't understand how Ranma-chan
could think she would want a bunch of boys attacking her each morning.
"EXCUSE ME!" The boy yelled at the top of his voice. "We are not
done, Akane Tendo. Unless you wish to forfeit my challenge and agree
to date with me."
"Um, Akane, who's the guy with the stick?" Ranma-chan asked as she
turned and looked at the Kendoist.
"That is Upperclassman Kuno," Akane replied starting to move around
Ranma-chan. "I don't want to date you, Kuno. Why can't you understand
that," she said in anger.
"Ah, Although your voice says no, I know the soul is willing, give
up this facade and agree to date with me," Kuno said with a arrogant
smile.
Ranma-chan stepped between them trying to block Kuno from getting
any closer to Akane. "Listen buddy, I don't know who you are but she
told you to get lost," she said with a hint of anger in her voice.
"Ah, I see, the vision of gracefulness before me also wishes to date
with me," Kuno said with sneer on his face. "Though to be fair to the
beauteous Akane Tendo you must defeat me in battle first, but be
warned I am prepared to lose." He moved back and pointed the bokken
in a rising motion.
"There's no way I would want to date you, but if you want to
challenge me you got it!" Ranma-chan said as she got into a ready
stance.
"Yes, a challenge it is, but first I shall have the name of the
fiery tigress so I may know who it is I am to date," Kuno said with
dripping arrogance.
"I'm Ranma Saotome, heir to the Saotome School of Anything-Goes
Martial Arts," Ranma-chan said proudly. "And I told you I don't want
to date you!"
"Ranma? Isn't that a boy's name, and you are most definently a girl,
a strong looking one, but a girl none the less," Kuno said in
confusion.
"My Pop wanted a boy, you got a problem with that?" Ranma-chan said
in annoyance.
"As I have no control over your parents choice of name for you, I
can have no reasonable problems for they would be as pointless as my
words of comfort to you for having such a name," Kuno answered trying
to look sagely.
"Huh?" Ranma-chan looked stunned for a moment then turned to Akane.
"Did you understand that?" she asked hoping that Akane might be able
to tell her if she had been insulted.
"Not a word of it, Ranma," Akane said. She looked just as confused
as everyone else.
"Never mind, this isn't getting us anywhere," Kuno said firmly. "I
am the raising young star of the Kendo world, the Blue Thunder of
Furinkin High, Tatewaki Kuno age 17." As he said his speech lightning
flashed behind him at the most appropriate moments.
Ranma-chan blinked several times then turned to Akane. "Is this guy
for real?" she asked in disbelief.
"He's always like this," Akane answered grimly. "He gets worse if
he's trying to go out with you."
"Excuse me, my twin beauties, but there is a challenge here and any
more delays would be a slight to my honour," Kuno said calmly.
"Fine, if you want to be kicked around that badly," Ranma-chan said
as she got into stance.
Kuno suddenly sprinted forward and brought his sword down in a
lightning quick swing, Unfortunely for him Ranma-chan as already
behind him. Ranma-chan spun on one heel as she gave Kuno a kick to
the small of the back. Kuno stumbled a few steps but regained his
balance quickly and turned to face his opponent, "Impressive, you are
truly and tigress in motion."
"Whatever," Ranma-chan responded as she stepped into Kuno and gave
him several punches to his chest. She hit every vital point she could
to end the fight quickly.
Lightning flashed again.
Kuno stood there looking unfazed, but he also didn't move as a light
rain started fall on his head. Ranma-kun on the other hand dashed for
the closest building as fast as he could and hid from the school
population. He heard the school bells as he hunched down next to the
gym mats. This was not a good start to his school year.
----------
"I can't believe we were late, it only took a minute to beat that
wind bag," Ranma-chan in annoyance. She and Akane sat under a nice
shady tree eating their lunch, enjoying a nice sunny afternoon.
"If you hadn't changed we could have been on time, but getting you
some hot water took some time," Akane replied to her friend
playfully. Akane didn't mind being late this time, seeing Kuno
getting pounded on was well worth it. "I just hope he doesn't get
fixated on you like he did on me after the first time I beat him,"
she said with concern.
"Yeah, I still can't believe he's responsible for those morning
attacks. I can see why you were so mad at me when I first showed up,"
Ranma-chan said. She could understand why Akane hated boys if they
kept attacking her for the prize of dating her. Ranma-chan, herself,
would enjoy that kind of exercise knowing full well they would never
come close to defeating her.
"Well, Um, That wasn't the only reason and you know it. We've talked
about it
Two girls walked up to Akane, both were smiling but looked unsure of
Ranma-chan. "Hi Akane, who's your new friend?" asked one of the girls
who approached.
"Oh hi," Akane said looking up at her old friends. "This is Ranma,
she's. . . ah, staying with my family for a while," Akane said as
Ranma-chan gave the girls a weak smile.
"Hi, I'm Sayuri and this is Yuka," Sayuri said cheerfully as she
pointed out her friend. "We've been friends with Akane since we were
real little."
"Yeah, and the only girls not mad at me for having most of the
school's male population chasing me." Akane said under her breath in
a depressed tone. She decided not to ruin the introductions so she
looked up with a happy look on her face. No one there were fooled.
"So Ranma, you transferred to this school a little late. . ." Yuka
started to ask, trying to change the mood.
"Um, yeah, Me and Pop got back from our trip to China a little later
then we expected," Ranma-chan replied. She tried to smile but it was
still weak.
"You went to China? Wow how exciting, I never get to go
anywhere,"Sayuri stated looking jealous.
"Yeah well, it's a trip I wish I had missed," Ranma-chan said in
depression. "It was a very bad idea from the beginning, and it kept
getting worse."
"Why, what happened?" Yuka asked in interest.
Akane decided that there had been enough questions and directed her
friends up and away from Ranma-chan, "I'll be right back, Ranma."
When she got far enough away from Ranma-chan's hearing she turned to
her other friends. "Look, Ranma has had it rough the last few months,
could you two please not ask about China for awhile?" Akane asked
almost pleading.
"Why? I don't understand. . ." Sayuri started looking confused then
she went wide-eyed and whispered, " wait you don't mean. . ."
Akane started waving her hands in front of herself, and a large
sweat bead on her forehead, "No, no. . . nothing like that." Akane
was having problem figuring out how to approach this subject. "Look,
why don't you come over tomorrow night and I'll try to convince Ranma
to explain. . . but you have to promise not to treat her like a
freak, ok?" she asked quickly.
"Um, okay Akane, we'll come over, " Sayuri said as Yuka nodded in
agreement. They both took their leave discussing what Akane was
hiding about Ranma-chan that could make them think she was a freak.
"So, your friends don't like me do they?" Ranma-chan asked Akane
when she got back.
"No, nothing like that," Akane replied quickly. "Look Ranma, they
want to be your friend, but I think they should know about your curse
first."
"Oh yeah that would help things," Ranma-chan said sarcastically.
"When they run away screaming don't forget I warned you."
"I won't be that bad," Akane scolded her friend. "Look, I was able
to accept you and I know them, they will too."
Ranma-chan still didn't like it but she trusted Akane, "So when do
you want to show them?"
"Tomorrow night, I invited them to a sleep over," Akane replied as
she continued her meal.
"That soon," Ranma-chan said quietly with a cringe.
-----------
"Nabiki Tendo, I want you," Kuno said as he stood with his shadow
overlapping the girl in question.
"Oh Kuno, I had no idea. . ." Nabiki replied with both hands to the
sides of her face which gave a faux blush. The other girls around her
made giggling sounds.
"NOT like that, Nabiki Tendo," Kuno said quickly. "I have no
interest in you."
Nabiki stood up giggling, "I know Kuno." She dusted herself off and
straightened her skirt. "Couldn't you wait until tomorrow when we
usually meet?" she ask in annoyance as she didn't have his pictures
on her at the moment. Her last statement evoked the other girls to
start whispering amongst themselves as Nabiki led Kuno away.
"I wish information about a beautiful red-haired vixen that I
understand is staying at your house," Kuno said trying to be his most
noble in stance and attitude. Inside he was all in turmoil over this
new girl in his life.
"You mean Ranma?" Nabiki asked innocently, she could see yen signs
starting to dance around Kuno's head.
"Yes, that was what she said her name was, it's such an odd name for
such a beautiful girl, I. . ." Kuno replied, starting to go into one
of his rants.
Nabiki put a stop to it quickly for her own sanity's sake, "What do
you want to know Kuno, and remember it'll cost you."
"Add it to what you'll charge me tomorrow. I wish to know as much as
you know," Kuno responded, he knew how Nabiki usually did business. "
I wish to know her likes and dislikes, and all the usual things a man
could use to date such a creature of wonder."
"Um, listen Kuno. . . how about we hold off a bit on this, I. . .
um, need time to find out more about her. She only came to our house
last night," Nabiki said stumbling over her words. She just had a
very unusual reaction, she was actually concerned about siccing this
loon on a girl her hardly knew. She suddenly felt protective of Ranma-
chan and she didn't like the feeling.
"I am willing to wait, but not long. Gather you information and have
it ready soon, I will pay you handsomely for all you can give me,"
Kuno stated. He had a hard time believing what he was seeing, Nabiki
Tendo, a girl who would sell her own sister, was having a moral
dilemma about a girl she hardly knew. Even he was able to see it on
her face, and he knew he could be more than a little dense
sometimes, he usually hid it with arrogance to fool the peasants.
Nabiki got herself under control again, then she decided to find out
if she had lost her regular income from him,"Um, okay. Are you giving
up on my sister?"
Kuno stopped for a moment. "Your sister. . ." he said in a small
voice. Images of Akane started to flash into his mind of his first
love, each one pushed him closer and closer to the edge. "NO! Of
course I haven't stopped loving your sister, bring yourself to the
usual meeting place tomorrow," he said in a bold voice as he turned
and walked away.
Nabiki watched him leave, she just shook his head and thought,
*IDIOT!* Then she smiled and said in a quiet voice, "But a rich
idiot."
----------
School was just letting out and many students were making their
escape as quickly as humanly possible, one of the students had no
intention of leaving and was standing at the main gates as if a
guardian.
Kuno watched the crowd coming out of the buildings, searching for
his target. He moved his eyes over the people and almost missed Akane
as she and an unknown boy were coming out of the main building. Not
seeing his fiery tigress he decided to deal with this cur that had
the gall to walk with his woman.
Akane was still giggling as Ranma-kun was resetting his clothes,
they had been coming down the stairs as a bucket of the janitors
mopping water had been knocked over. Luckily no one else was around,
mostly due to the fact both girls had been late getting out.
"You know you wouldn't have been in the right place at the right
time for that one if you hadn't had that argument with the teacher,"
Akane said as she wiped away tears of laughter from her eyes.
"But she was wrong on her pronunciation of that word, it was 'hair'
not 'hear'," Ranma-kun said in annoyance. "Besides the water would
have waited for me, it always does."
"So, how do you know so much about languages? First you say you know
Chinese, and now I find out you are almost fluent in American
english," Akane said in amazement.
"British," Ranma-kun corrected. "Mom sorta demanded I learn other
languages. I learned Chinese cause Pop warned me that we'd be going
to China as soon as he could convince Mom, as for english. . . that
was Mom's idea."
"Why?" Akane said in agitation. She hated when Ranma-kun stopped
explaining in the middle of an answer. She was starting to think that
Ranma-kun was doing it for dramatic pause, but it was driving her
nuts.
"Mom knew I wasn't gonna be a traditional girl and she figured I'd
probably go into the business world some day, she didn't think I
would bother running a dojo. So she sent me to a tutor to learn
English so I could deal with the business world," Ranma-kun said in
long explanation. "She never had much confidence in Pop being a good
teacher of the Arts, she changed her mind a couple of years ago so
she doesn't bug me about all the time I spend training anymore."
"She wanted you to become another Nabiki?" Akane said with a shiver.
"One of her is enough!" Akane still didn't understand one thing,
"Why 'British' and not 'American' english?"
"The tutor Mom sent me to was British and she taught me what she
called 'Proper English'," Ranma-kun finished her explanation.
"Okay," Akane said with a shrug. "So you wanted to get a snack
before going home?"
"YOU THERE CUR! GET YOUR HAND AWAY FROM AKANE TENDO!!!!!" came a
bellow from the direction the school gates.
Akane hung her head and placed a hand to her forehead in support,
"Kuno."
All the students who were leaving turned to look at what Kuno was
yelling at. What they saw was almost as amazing to them as it was
maddening to Kuno. There was a boy with Akane, he was carrying her
bag, and they were holding HANDS!. The rumours started instantly.
Kuno came running up to the pair in a rage. "I said Get. Your. Hand.
Away. From. Akane. Tendo!" he punctuated each word as he drew his
bokken and pointed it at the unknown boy.
"Calm down Kuno," Ranma-kun said in reply. He shifted the bags off
his shoulders in a smooth motion.
"That's Upperclassman Kuno to you!" Kuno said in his usual
arrogance. "And exactly how did you know my name?" Kuno added. Ranma-
kun was about to say something but Kuno cut him off, "No doubt you
had heard of my magifiance. My fame as the raising star of the Kendo
world proceeds me."
"You are so full of yourself!" Ranma-kun said fully annoyed. He was
getting angry at the idiot in front of him, wasn't one defeat in a
day enough for this guy? He let go of Akane's hand and gave her the
bags without saying another word, then he got into stance.
Kuno couldn't remember where he had seen that form before, but he
had and it was recently. "I have no mercy for those who push
themselves unwantedly on young girls," Kuno said trying to sound
noble.
"So you must not like yourself much then?" Ranma-kun said with a
cocky smile. He launched his attack first to throw off the Kendoist's
stride.
Kuno saw it coming and parried it with his bokken, then struck out
in a thrust attack. "You jest at the moment of your own demise?"
The two continued for many attacks and counter-attacks, mostly it
was Ranma-kun dodging the ever increasing speed of Kuno's bokken.
Ranma-kun moved to the side as one downward swing came in stronger
than the others, it hit the school wall and left a crevice large
enough for several students to walk through. He saw another swing
coming from the side. Ranma-kun dodged the blade with ease, but the
air pressure left him feeling like one of his father's punches had
gotten through his defences. He couldn't believe that Kuno had this
much skill, their earlier fight went way too easy compared to this.
"Ok, no more jokes," Ranma-kun said calmly, all mirth had left him.
He started a new fighting pattern designed to move around a weapon
and to strike his opponent multiple times in vital locations.
Kuno blocked many of his opponent's attacks and dodged a few more,
but too many got through and his arms and legs had gone numb. It was
a familiar sensation. He was starting to fall to the ground when his
weight was suddenly supported by the boy, then put gently to the
ground. Who ever the cur was he had a sense of honour that Kuno could
have respected if it wasn't for the boy's advances on Kuno's love,
Akane.
"You just lay there for a while, you'll get the feeling back in
about an hour," Ranma-kun informed the Kendoist after placing him on
the ground. He moved back and grabbed Akane's hand then started to
pull her out of the schoolyard, "Come on Akane, let's get out of
here."
Akane had been too wrapped up in the fight, seeing again how smooth
and graceful all Ranma-kun's movement's were, that she didn't even
realize the fight was over. She really wanted to be able to fight
like that. Then she was snapped out of it when Ranma-kun grabbed her
hand and started pulling her out the main gates.
----------
The two sat in Dr. Tofu's examination room, waiting for the Doctor
to come back with some hot water. Ranma-kun looked around the room
for a minute or so then turned back to Akane, "Is Dr.Tufo a general
practioner?"
"Well, he specializes in Chiropractic and herbal medicines but he
also does general medicine for some families," Akane answered as she
watched the door eagerly. "We use to come to him for everything."
"Yes, until a couple of years ago I handled all the Tendo's medical
concerns, but the girls grew up a bit and became uncomfortable a man
checking some things," Dr.Tofu offered with a smile as he came into
the room with a kettle.
Akane blushed and turned her head away as he mentioned the last
part. Ranma-kun giggled at his friend's shyness, then poured the
water on herself. She came to a decision and looked up at the Doctor,
"I glad to hear you handle all medical concerns. I need a doctor for
womanly check ups, and I would feel more comfortable with you doing
those since you know about the curse. If you are willing to take on a
new patient."
Akane looked at her friend a little shocked by how easily Ranma-chan
could discuss such things with a man. She, herself, stopped coming to
Dr.Tofu out of embrassment of having a man even coming close to
looking there, especially someone she really liked.
Dr.Tofu sat down and took on a professional appearance, "I don't see
why not. It would be interesting to see what your curse has done to
your development, but most girls your age prefer a woman doctor to
deal with those concerns."
"I really don't want another doctor knowing about the curse, too
much chance that they'd use me like a test subject. And actually I
would be more embrassed by a woman checking me down there. . . for
personal reasons," Ranma-chan explained with a small blush of her own.
Akane coughed into her hand in a knee jerk reaction to the last part
of Ranma-chan's statement. Dr.Tofu gave Akane a curious look then
turned back to Ranma-chan, "I'd be honoured. You know Nabiki is the
only Tendo girl who still comes to me for those services,"
"That's because you give us a cut family rate and she's more
concerned with money than embrassment," Akane said as if it was the
most obvious thing in the world.
"So when would you like to set up an appointment?" Dr.Tofu asked in
his professional tone.
"Well I haven't had a check up since before going to China, so I
should have one soon cause of the change in my body," Ranma-chan said
calmly trying to make it sound as if the curse no longer bothered
her. "How about Monday after school?
"I don't have any major appointment at that time so it should be
fine," Dr.Tofu replied.
----------
Unlike her new friend who fell asleep as soon as her head hit the
pillow, Akane lay in bed unable to sleep, it had been an interesting
day. Her new friend was surprising in so many ways. Ranma-chan could
be very bold one moment, but also very shy the next. Her and her
father were so very skilled yet she didn't make a big deal about it,
as if it was just natural, she even offered to teach Akane some of
the moves she used against Kuno.
She looked over at Ranma-chan's sleeping body and sighed, *I hope
Yuka and Sayuri don't get freaked out by her curse, she could use
some more friends.* Akane sudden noticed that Ranma-chan was mumbling
in her sleep, but she couldn't make out what was being said. She gave
Ranma-chan a small kiss on the cheek and said in a quite voice, "see
you in the morning." She then decided to just lay back and try to
finally get some sleep and after a time sleep did catch up with her.
----------
Ranma found himself in the mists again, he didn't see the screen
like last time so he moved on a bit. Finally he found what he was
looking for, and saw Akane give a small kiss to his alternate half.
He smiled for a moment before depression set in, "Akane would never
do that with me."
"Not with the way thing are between you two, but this Akane was just
giving a kiss to her friend in comfort," said an unfamiliar voice
behind him.
Ranma spun as fast as he could to face the owner of the voice, only
to find a woman standing there. She looked a little like Kasumi, or
even Akane, but older. "Um, who're you? And where's the old man?"
Ranma asked in confusion.
"We decided that you should meet some of the others," the woman
replied sweetly. "Don't worry I can answer you questions just as
easily as he could."
"Um, okay," Ranma responded, then turned back to the screen. "It was
a busy day wasn't it," he said to himself as he looked at the
sleeping girls.
Ranma turned away from the screen after a few moments and looked at
the woman again, "Okay, I guess I should start while I can. Me and
Pop seem to have a better relationship. . . why?"
The woman smiled at Ranma, "You and your father weren't on the road
alone as much, and he couldn't bring himself to teach you any
insanely stupid styles. He also tried to make the time you two spent
together very special so you two would be closer."
"He didn't teach me any of the insane styles. . . you mean like the
Neko-ken?" Ranma asked in amazement. "Yeah I guess we would have a
better relationship then, that training was when I first started to
realize he cared more about training me than about me."
"That was a very impressive realization for a 6 year old to make,"
the woman stated calmly. "He couldn't bring himself to do that to a
little girl, and he was also worried what your mother would do to him
if she found out," she continued looking annoyed about something.
"I can understand that. I'm more shocked he actually was working,
even if it was as a Phys. Ed. Instructor. . . doesn't that require a
college degree?" Ranma asked as he realized some things didn't add up.
"Your mother pushed him into getting a degree saying if he was ever
going to be taken seriously as a dojo master he was going to have one
to prove he had the skills to teach," she said proudly then added
with a hint of sadness, "I wish someone else could have seen things
that way, but some people are more stubborn then others."
"You don't need a piece of paper to prove you can teach, " Ranma
said in annoyance.
"You do if you want to get a loan to start a dojo, " the woman
responded. "But he didn't really want a dojo, he just wanted to make
your mother happy. She's the one who convinced him to take a teaching
job."
"Trying to make mom happy? That doesn't sound like the Pop I know,
but I guess having to spend so much time with her changed him too,"
Ranma said with a smile. "Not that I'm complaining," he added quickly.
"Okay, it seems like I'm going to have the same problems with Kuno,
but I guess I should have expected that," Ranma said to himself.
"Akane has always been happy to hide my curse from other people,
mostly out of embrassment about being engaged to a freak, why is she
trying to tell her best friends about it here?" he asked in
confusement.
"She isn't so much embrassed about it as she's embrassed about how
she feels about it. Here she wants you to have as many friends as you
can so you don't feel like such a outsider like you described your
life was like before," the woman said with pride in her voice. She
looked at the screen with a expression of longing that almost ripped
Ranma's heart out in concern. "She does love you, you know."
"I wish I could be sure of that back home, but I guess I'll never
find out," Ranma said, depressed by the thought of never seeing his
Akane again. "I guess I have to make do with this version if I can."
"As you've been told she is the same Akane in everyway as the one
you already know, she's just reacting differently to different
situations put before her," the woman reminded him of prior
conversations.
"I have a weird question. . . what womanly concerns? I mean the ones
mentioned at Dr.Tofu's office," Ranma asked not sure if he really
wanted an answer or not.
The woman chuckled slightly, "I surprised you don't know already,
but I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."
"Um, sure," Ranma replied. He figured he wouldn't get a straight
answer about that, but he had to ask. He turned back to the screen
and looked at the two girls sleeping then asked, "Am I going to be
doing this every night?"
The woman moved up to stand beside him and also watched the screen,
the look of longing was on her face again. "No, only when important
things happen in your life which you need some answers about. The
first little while this will happen more often as you are just
beginning your new adventure, but as time goes on you'll come here
less and less," the woman explained.
Ranma looked over the woman and saw the happiness and the pain that
she had on her face as she looked at the screen. "You're her mother,
Kimiko, aren't you?" He asked as it dawned on him why she looked
familiar.
"Yes," Kimiko replied not taking her eyes off of the screen. "I'm
sorry, I haven't seen my little one for some time and I was
distracted," she said shaking her self out of the trance seeing Akane
again had put her in. She looked at Ranma again and sighed, "I am
supposed to be here to answer your questions and concerns."
"Don't worry, I don't have any pressing concerns right now, why
don't you enjoy your time and I try to stay asleep as long as
possible," Ranma said in a comforting tone.
"Thank you," Kimiko replied back as she turned back to the screen.
"I can see why, even with all the other problems you brought with
you, that she fell in love with you," she added as she watched her
daughter sleeping.
The two just stood there for a long time watching the screen until
finally the world started to fade again, and Ranma felt the pull that
he had experienced before. "I guess our time is up, I hope I can do
this for you again," Ranma said as the misty void disappeared.
Ranma's Wish, Chapter two
By Felix Webster
All original Ranma ½ Characters Copyright Rumiko Takahashi (first
published by Shogakugan in Japan and brought over to North America by
Viz Communications), and are used without permission.
Please don't sue . . . cause I have no money.
Special thanks to my pre readers
Chris Stassen
Paul Blay (sorry about the spelling mistake in the last two pieces)
" " - speech
* * - thoughts
( ) - other languages - Chinese mostly -
[ ] - Panda signs
-The first day of school is always hell . . . -
Ranma-chan woke up slowly, desperately trying to hold on to her
dream. She knew it was important but it slipped away from her mental
grip like the sands it was made up of.
As she slowly opened her eyes the morning sun made her close them
again quickly. *Damn, why'd Mom leave the curtains open,* she thought
in a groggy haze of near sleep. She decided to stretch her arms, but
bumped into someone beside her. *Oops, guess I'm not home. I guess I
better get Pop up for training now,* she thought, as she smiled to
herself. She reached over and shook the body beside her and was
rewarded with a 'Hmmmph' from the sleeping form, but it was defiantly
not male.
Ranma-chan sat up suddenly totally awake, not knowing why she was in
this room. She looked over to the unfamiliar sleeping girl beside her
and slowly recognized Akane from the night before. Realizing where
she was caused her to relax, though she knew she had to get up for
her daily training with her father.
She got out of bed and changed from her pajamas to her gi as quietly
as she could, so not to wake her new friend. As she was about to
leave the room she turned and crouched down to take a look at the
girl she had just slept with. *The guys back at school would have
killed for a chance like this,* she thought with a chuckle. "Lucky
for you I'm a gentleman, even if I am a lady," she said in a soft
whisper.
----------
There was some kind of noise coming from outside the house and it
caused Akane to wake up badly. She sat up and looked at the clock on
her desk, as far as she was concerned it read way too early for her
sleepy mind's liking.
"Ranma, you up?" she asked as groggy haze. When she didn't get a
response she looked over to the other side of the bed, only to find
it empty. "She must of gone to the bathroom," Akane said to herself.
The sounds came again and this time she suddenly became worried that
someone was attacking her new friend. She bolted out of her bed and
ran toward the living room. She reached the door to the backyard and
witnessed a sight that left her so stunned that she slumped to her
knees.
"Okay Ranma, this time I'm not going easy on you!" Genma yelled at
his daughter. Although it sounded very serious he said it with a wide
grin on his face.
"It's the way I like it, Pop!" Ranma-chan shouted back in a happy
sounding voice.
They both leapt into the air and started sparring while they hung
there defying gravity. Akane watched, shocked by the skill she was
watching. "Wow, where'd they learn to do that?" she said to herself.
Ranma-chan landed near where Akane was watching as they broke apart.
Ranma-chan turned and smiled at her new friend, "Hey, Akane, you're
up!"
"Um. . .yeah," Akane replied. "What are you two doing?" she asked in
confusion.
"We're training," Ranma-chan answered as she dodged a strike from
her father. "Why don't you get your gi on and join us?" Ranma-chan
asked as she threw a series of kicks back at her father.
Akane watched as Genma blocked all of the kicks and leap away from
his opponent. "Do you have any idea what time it is, Ranma?"
"Yeah, so?" Ranma replied as she leapt at her father and launched
her next attack. Genma was ready for the move though, and launched
his own surprise counter-attack. The next thing Ranma-chan knew she
was flying backwards, so she righted herself and fell right into the
pond.
"Good one, Pop!" Ranma-kun said in praise, then noticed his voice
had changed. "Oh great! I guess a bath won't hurt me now that I'm
already wet," he said as stepped out of the pond and reset his gi.
Akane suddenly flashed red with anger at seeing a boy in her yard.
She had to calm herself down, reminding herself that the boy in front
of her was a girl with an bad curse. She turned back into the house
only to find both of her sisters standing there also watching the
combatants.
"You know, she's a really great looking guy," Nabiki said to Kasumi
with her patented devious smile.
"Yes, she is. I better set the bath for the day since it looks like
she'll need it." Kasumi walk off seemingly unfazed by what she had
watched.
"That's enough for today, Pop. I'm gonna need get ready now," Ranma-
kun said as he turned to his father. "You want to join me, Akane?" he
asked over his shoulder as he turned to walk toward the bathroom.
"What!?!" Akane said in pure shock. Having had years of experience
with her sister, Nabiki, she noticed Ranma-kun had nothing devious in
his face. "Um. . . okay," she said in a small voice.
----------
Ranma-chan and Akane relaxed in the furo facing each other. Akane
was surprised at how comfortable she was at that moment. "Ranma?" she
started as she realized she was very curious about her new friend and
the bath was the most private place they were going to find in the
house.
"Yeah, Akane?" Ranma-chan replied, her eyes were closed with
contentment as her body soaked in the heat.
"How'd you know?" Akane asked straight out. She hoped she hadn't
insulted her friend by being so bold, but she had to know.
"Know what?" Ranma-chan replied without opening her eyes. She knew
what Akane was asking, but she also knew Akane needed to word it in a
way she was comfortable with if she was ever to understand the answer.
"Um. . . That you're, um. . . That you like girls in that way?"
Akane may have stumbled when she started her question, but she
finally got it out.
"How do you know you're not?" Ranma-chan countered with a devious
smile.
"What!?! I. . . Ah. . . I just know!" Akane was caught off guard and
replied quickly with an answer even she wasn't totally sure of. To be
honest she had never really thought about it before, even though many
people at school had accused her of it.
"I'm just kidding, Akane," Ranma-chan said with a chuckle, and reach
farther across the furo to pat Akane's hand. "I've been around guys a
lot in the last few years. You see, Pop has a job as Phys. Ed.
Instructor at an all boy's school near our home. He talked Mom into
letting me go there as it had a better curriculum than the regular
school, and 'cause tuition was free for the kids of Instructors,"
Ranma-chan related evenly as if it was the most natural thing in the
world.
"How'd they let you get away with it?" Akane asked with a lot of
interest. She couldn't believe an all boys school would allow that,
even for an instructor's child.
"Basically, I bound my breasts and acted like one of those boys who
hadn't developed yet," Ranma-chan answered. "It's not like I've got
much to bind," she said with obvious disgust.
"Don't say that, Ranma, you've got great breasts!" Akane said in her
friends defence.
"Thanks Akane, but they're not as great as yours," Ranma-chan said
with sly smile on her face.
"Thanks. . . Wait! We are NOT having this conversation!" Akane said
with obvious strain in her voice.
"Sorry Akane, I couldn't resist," Ranma-chan said with a chuckle.
"To get back to answering your question, I was around guys every
school day and I never felt anything but friendship for any of them.
I really didn't think much about it for a long time, till I realized
I was admiring the girls with my friends when they girl watched, for
the same reasons they were. . . I found girls sexy." Ranma-chan
waited for Akane to show some repulsion with concealed nervousness.
"So you found other girls sexy, a lot of girls do without being that
way," Akane said calmly. She decided Ranma-chan's life choice was
mostly based on not having other girls around to be able to tell her
it was normal.
"Yeah, well, there's more to it than that. . ." Ranma-chan started.
She knew the usual arguments, her own mother had made most of them.
She knew what she was, and she had come to terms with it already.
"Okay then I have a question for you," Akane said. "How come you
haven't made a pass at me then?" Akane was more nervous about what
the answer was going to be then she thought she should be.
"Who says I haven't, " Ranma-chan said with a straight face, still
relaxing with her eyes closed. "We slept together last night, and
we're bathing together in the nude. I'd say those were pretty big
passes, wouldn't you?" Ranma-chan put a playful smile on her face as
she said that.
Akane started to get self-conscious at what Ranma-chan had just
suggested, then she realized there was a few problems with what was
said. "Ranma, you wouldn't agree to sleep in the same bed with me
until I suggested we use separate blankets," Akane pointed out. "And
you acted more than a little shy when I asked you to wash my back a
few minutes ago."
"I didn't want to scare you off, I don't have many friends, and even
less who are girls,"Ranma-chan said with embarrassment.
"Why not?" Akane asked with concern.
"Well, I couldn't exactly get close to my fellow classmates for fear
they would find out that I was actually a girl," Ranma-chan replied
to the question. "And the few girls I knew either tried to use me to
meet the other guys at my school , or tried to date me which would
have blown my cover," she added in a depressed tone.
"Well, that won't happen here," Akane said firmly. "I'll introduce
you to my friends, they're nice girls, and you'll see things will be
different."
"Yeah, sure, till it rains on me and I become a guy, then I'll be
the freak of Nerima." Ranma-chan was depressed at her own words, but
put on a fake smile to make it look like she was making a joke. Akane
wasn't fooled.
----------
A while later the entire family was at the table beginning their
breakfast. Akane was thinking of a way of introducing Ranma-chan and
her curse to her friends, so she almost missed what the two guests
started to do.
"Are you ready, girl?" Genma asked with his chopsticks poised in the
ready position.
"Anytime you are, Pop!" Ranma-chan replied mimicking her father's
move.
"Right, GO!" Genma said loudly as he struck out with his hands at
the food. Then both Saotomes attacked the food in a blinding display
of speed. It was almost impossible to see their hands as the food
disappeared. They both stopped when there was nothing left in their
bowls or the area surrounding them. "Excellent breakfast, Kasumi,"
Genma said as he sat back patting his stomach.
"Yeah, great food," Ranma-chan added. She noticed the stunned look
on the others faces and became a little embarrassed. "Me and Pop do
that when we're on training trips. Pop says it builds speed and lets
us get back to training faster," she explained. "Mom won't let us do
that at home cause she says it's too unlady-like, even from me."
"My, what energetic eaters," Kasumi said wondering if they had even
tasted her cooking or were being polite.
"Yes, Kasumi, and we're big eaters too," Genma replied back with a
wink.
"I'll remember that." Kasumi started thinking of the increased
amount of food she'd have to cook and cringed inside, though outwards
she gave a sweet smile.
----------
"Are you going to wear that, Ranma?" Akane asked as she watched
Ranma-chan put back on her red Chinese shirt and the black pants that
went with them.
"Yeah, kinda have to. I can't wear a dress in case I change forms,"
Ranma-chan answered as she smoothed out the shirt's wrinkles. "And my
boy's uniform won't fit in my male form even though it was baggy to
hide my curves."
"Well, I hope they don't give you too much of a hard time about it
at school." Akane grabbed her bag and headed for the door, "I'll wait
for you downstairs. Don't be too long cause I don't want to be late,"
Akane said as she left the room.
A few minutes later Ranma-chan was leaving Akane's room when Nabiki
met her at the door. "Ranma, I usually don't give out information for
free, but this time I'm making an exception," Nabiki said with her
usual calmness.
"Yeah, what is it?" Ranma-chan asked. She knew better than to pass
up information that could be vital for her survival, but she didn't
trust this girl. Unfortunely it showed on her face.
Nabiki took notice of the look of the wariness in Ranma-chan's
expression and her opinion of the girl went up a notch. "Akane is
going to be in a fight when she gets to school," She stated plainly
and started to walk away.
"What!?!" Ranma-chan couldn't believe how calm Nabiki was when she
knew her own sister was going into battle. "Who is she gonna fight?"
she asked with concern.
Nabiki smiled at the girl over her shoulder, "I only give one
freebie, so that information will cost you." She continued her way
down the stairs as Ranma-chan stood there stunned.
When the state of shock wore off Ranma-chan ran down the stairs
trying to catch Nabiki. At the bottom of the stairs she almost ran
into Akane, who had come to see what was taking so long. "Oh good,
you're ready. Here's your bag. Come on lets go," Akane said in rapid
fire as she grabbed Ranma-chan's arm an headed to the door.
"Okay, Okay! I'm coming, " Ranma-chan said chuckling lightly. And
the two headed to school.
As the two headed down the street Ranma-chan noticed the railing and
smiled to herself. With little effort she leapt to the railing and
started walking along it. Akane couldn't believe that Ranma-chan
could walk such a narrow pole. "What are you doing, Ranma?"
"Balance practice," Ranma-chan replied.
After they continued on for a few minutes Ranma-chan decided she
needed to deal with what Nabiki had mentioned earlier, so she jumped
down beside Akane again. "Akane, who you gonna fight at school?"
"What!?. . . Who told you?" Akane said in total surprise.
"Nabiki mentioned it to me before we left, but she wouldn't say who
it was," Ranma-chan said thinking back to Nabiki's smile and
shuttered. "Your sister is a. . . weird person," she added trying to
be polite.
"I'm more worried how much she charged you. . . never mind I don't
what to know," Akane said waving off her own thoughts. "You don't
need to bother worrying about the fight, I do this every morning and
I really don't have much problems." Akane tried sounding unconcerned
about the situation but Ranma-chan wasn't buying it.
"Listen. . ." Ranma-chan started but never finished as he was now wet.
"Oh! I'm so sorry," an old lady who was standing near by said
quickly as she noticed she had splashed someone while watering the
sidewalk.
"It's not your fault, I should have seen it coming," Ranma-kun
return to the woman with a bow. Akane was trying hard to suppress a
laugh watching her annoyed friend trying to be polite. Ranma-kun on
the other hand was now worried about school. "Oh great, now what am I
gonna do, I can't go to school like this," Ranma-kun said to Akane
after they had moved away from the old lady.
"I'll take you to Dr. Tofu's office, it's on the way and we can get
some hot water there," Akane replied back. Ranma-kun noticed the odd
look in Akane's eyes as she mentioned the doctor.
The pair reached the office in only a few minutes as it was indeed
close
to where they had been. Ranma-kun liked the look of the little
clinic, it seemed warm and friendly. He was waiting for Akane to come
back with the hot water that she had disappeared though a inner door
to get. He started to hum to himself, and this caused him to miss the
boney little hand creeping towards him. He jumped when it landed on
his shoulder, he spun to face a tall man wearing a gi and glasses,
carrying a skeleton. "Watcha do that for!?!" he said trying to catch
his breath.
"I'm sorry, I thought I should meet my new visitor in a fun way,"
the man said with a smile.
Ranma-kun gave the man a look that said 'you're weird' as Akane came
back into the room carrying a kettle. "Oh Dr. Tofu. . . I see you met
Ranma," Akane said looking down and fiddling her thumbs in
embrassment.
Ranma-kun looked at Akane, then smiled as he poured the hot water on
herself.
"Why yes, I was just introducing myself to him. . . Um, her?"
Dr.Tofu replied, readjusting his glasses as he gave Ranma-chan
another look. "Hmm, time to get new glasses."
Ranma-chan looked depressed, she was sure the doctor would find her
a freak. "I have a Jusenkyo curse that makes me a guy when cold water
is poured on me," She said nervously.
"Jusenkyo, you don't say, I've heard of the place but never met a
victim before," Dr. Tofu said with a smile.
"Trust me, it's not fun," Ranma-chan said weakly.
"I believe that's the point of curses," Dr. Tofu stated trying to be
helpful.
"I've been confused about something, I thought you'd be happy
becoming the son your father always wanted," Akane said to her friend
then regretted it when she saw the look on Ranma-chan's face.
"I wanted him to be proud of me as I am, a girl who was as tough as
any son he could ever trained," Ranma-chan stated in fierce
seriousness. "I've trained as hard as I could with the limited time
Mom lets me go on training trip, just to prove that I'm not the
disappointment he originally thought I was."
"I'm sure your father doesn't think of you with disappointment,"
Akane said trying to comfort Ranma-chan.
"Well girls, I believe you're going to be late if you stay here any
longer, come back later and we'll talk some more," Dr. Tofu stated.
He still had a smile on his face as he led them to the door.
----------
The pair had been quiet for a couple of blocks, as the school's
gates became visible Ranma-chan decided she should ask Akane about
the Doctor before they got any farther. "So you really like that
Doctor, huh?" she asked, trying hard to keep the sly grin off her
face.
"Oh yes, Dr. Tofu has been treating our family for several years
now, he's a very good doctor," Akane replied with a dreamy look in
her eyes.
"Oh man, you've got a crush on him!" Ranma-chan said with a little
laugh.
"So what if I do!?!" Akane clenched her fists and turned on her
friend very angry. She couldn't believe Ranma-chan could be so cruel.
"Hey, hey, I was only having a little fun," Ranma-chan said smiling,
waving her hands in front of her. "I thought you didn't like guys?"
"BOYS!" Akane nearly screamed, then look at the time on the school's
clock. She was going to be late. She decided the only way to get in
the school on time was to pshyc herself, clenching her fists she drew
on all the rage she could muster and started her mantra "I HATE
BOYS!, I REALLY HATE BOYS!!" She started to run at the school
chanting, "I HATE BOYS!" over and over.
Ranma-chan followed not understanding what she was going on about
until a mass of boys in sports gear became visible inside the school
grounds. She watched as the boys all tried to attack Akane, and
noticed that none of them had a chance against her friend. One by
one, and two by two they all were knocked down by Akane's blows.
Ranma-chan was impressed by Akane's strength and stamina, but decided
that she still needed work in dexterity and finesse.
Akane had finished in record time, she was going to make it to class
on time after all. She stood there trying to catch her breath when
the projectile came at her. Akane was about to catch it when a blur
stepped in front of her. She was shocked when she saw Ranma-chan
moved to intercept what was thrown at her.
"Someone is very careless to be throwing roses around," Ranma-chan
said in disgust.
Akane looked down and put a hand to her forehead in depression.
"Kuno," was all she could say.
"As is the setting sun a moment of rare beauty, so is but a minute
with my love, Akane Tendo," said a tall boy in kendo clothes,
minus the armour. He walked forward with an air of pure arrogance,
moving his bokken to point at the pair of girls in the middle of the
destruction. "Akane Tendo, these peasants thought to win your favour
by combat, but all pale before your skill. I alone shall rise above
their failure and be successful, I chall. . . hello, and who are
you?" the boy asked Ranma-chan as he finally noticed that his prey
was being protected by another.
"Are you alright, Akane?" Ranma-chan asked with concern, seeing the
cringing that her friend was doing. "If you had told me you did your
morning training at school I could have asked to join in, it looked
like fun."
"FUN!?!. . . wait, you think that was training?" Akane asked in
confusion.
"Yeah, of course, why else have a bunch of guys attack you?" Ranma-
chan said as if it was obvious.
"Excuse me. . ." the boy with the bokken said trying to get their
attention.
"Look, I'll explain it later, we're going to be late," Akane said
shaking her head in disbelief. She didn't understand how Ranma-chan
could think she would want a bunch of boys attacking her each morning.
"EXCUSE ME!" The boy yelled at the top of his voice. "We are not
done, Akane Tendo. Unless you wish to forfeit my challenge and agree
to date with me."
"Um, Akane, who's the guy with the stick?" Ranma-chan asked as she
turned and looked at the Kendoist.
"That is Upperclassman Kuno," Akane replied starting to move around
Ranma-chan. "I don't want to date you, Kuno. Why can't you understand
that," she said in anger.
"Ah, Although your voice says no, I know the soul is willing, give
up this facade and agree to date with me," Kuno said with a arrogant
smile.
Ranma-chan stepped between them trying to block Kuno from getting
any closer to Akane. "Listen buddy, I don't know who you are but she
told you to get lost," she said with a hint of anger in her voice.
"Ah, I see, the vision of gracefulness before me also wishes to date
with me," Kuno said with sneer on his face. "Though to be fair to the
beauteous Akane Tendo you must defeat me in battle first, but be
warned I am prepared to lose." He moved back and pointed the bokken
in a rising motion.
"There's no way I would want to date you, but if you want to
challenge me you got it!" Ranma-chan said as she got into a ready
stance.
"Yes, a challenge it is, but first I shall have the name of the
fiery tigress so I may know who it is I am to date," Kuno said with
dripping arrogance.
"I'm Ranma Saotome, heir to the Saotome School of Anything-Goes
Martial Arts," Ranma-chan said proudly. "And I told you I don't want
to date you!"
"Ranma? Isn't that a boy's name, and you are most definently a girl,
a strong looking one, but a girl none the less," Kuno said in
confusion.
"My Pop wanted a boy, you got a problem with that?" Ranma-chan said
in annoyance.
"As I have no control over your parents choice of name for you, I
can have no reasonable problems for they would be as pointless as my
words of comfort to you for having such a name," Kuno answered trying
to look sagely.
"Huh?" Ranma-chan looked stunned for a moment then turned to Akane.
"Did you understand that?" she asked hoping that Akane might be able
to tell her if she had been insulted.
"Not a word of it, Ranma," Akane said. She looked just as confused
as everyone else.
"Never mind, this isn't getting us anywhere," Kuno said firmly. "I
am the raising young star of the Kendo world, the Blue Thunder of
Furinkin High, Tatewaki Kuno age 17." As he said his speech lightning
flashed behind him at the most appropriate moments.
Ranma-chan blinked several times then turned to Akane. "Is this guy
for real?" she asked in disbelief.
"He's always like this," Akane answered grimly. "He gets worse if
he's trying to go out with you."
"Excuse me, my twin beauties, but there is a challenge here and any
more delays would be a slight to my honour," Kuno said calmly.
"Fine, if you want to be kicked around that badly," Ranma-chan said
as she got into stance.
Kuno suddenly sprinted forward and brought his sword down in a
lightning quick swing, Unfortunely for him Ranma-chan as already
behind him. Ranma-chan spun on one heel as she gave Kuno a kick to
the small of the back. Kuno stumbled a few steps but regained his
balance quickly and turned to face his opponent, "Impressive, you are
truly and tigress in motion."
"Whatever," Ranma-chan responded as she stepped into Kuno and gave
him several punches to his chest. She hit every vital point she could
to end the fight quickly.
Lightning flashed again.
Kuno stood there looking unfazed, but he also didn't move as a light
rain started fall on his head. Ranma-kun on the other hand dashed for
the closest building as fast as he could and hid from the school
population. He heard the school bells as he hunched down next to the
gym mats. This was not a good start to his school year.
----------
"I can't believe we were late, it only took a minute to beat that
wind bag," Ranma-chan in annoyance. She and Akane sat under a nice
shady tree eating their lunch, enjoying a nice sunny afternoon.
"If you hadn't changed we could have been on time, but getting you
some hot water took some time," Akane replied to her friend
playfully. Akane didn't mind being late this time, seeing Kuno
getting pounded on was well worth it. "I just hope he doesn't get
fixated on you like he did on me after the first time I beat him,"
she said with concern.
"Yeah, I still can't believe he's responsible for those morning
attacks. I can see why you were so mad at me when I first showed up,"
Ranma-chan said. She could understand why Akane hated boys if they
kept attacking her for the prize of dating her. Ranma-chan, herself,
would enjoy that kind of exercise knowing full well they would never
come close to defeating her.
"Well, Um, That wasn't the only reason and you know it. We've talked
about it
Two girls walked up to Akane, both were smiling but looked unsure of
Ranma-chan. "Hi Akane, who's your new friend?" asked one of the girls
who approached.
"Oh hi," Akane said looking up at her old friends. "This is Ranma,
she's. . . ah, staying with my family for a while," Akane said as
Ranma-chan gave the girls a weak smile.
"Hi, I'm Sayuri and this is Yuka," Sayuri said cheerfully as she
pointed out her friend. "We've been friends with Akane since we were
real little."
"Yeah, and the only girls not mad at me for having most of the
school's male population chasing me." Akane said under her breath in
a depressed tone. She decided not to ruin the introductions so she
looked up with a happy look on her face. No one there were fooled.
"So Ranma, you transferred to this school a little late. . ." Yuka
started to ask, trying to change the mood.
"Um, yeah, Me and Pop got back from our trip to China a little later
then we expected," Ranma-chan replied. She tried to smile but it was
still weak.
"You went to China? Wow how exciting, I never get to go
anywhere,"Sayuri stated looking jealous.
"Yeah well, it's a trip I wish I had missed," Ranma-chan said in
depression. "It was a very bad idea from the beginning, and it kept
getting worse."
"Why, what happened?" Yuka asked in interest.
Akane decided that there had been enough questions and directed her
friends up and away from Ranma-chan, "I'll be right back, Ranma."
When she got far enough away from Ranma-chan's hearing she turned to
her other friends. "Look, Ranma has had it rough the last few months,
could you two please not ask about China for awhile?" Akane asked
almost pleading.
"Why? I don't understand. . ." Sayuri started looking confused then
she went wide-eyed and whispered, " wait you don't mean. . ."
Akane started waving her hands in front of herself, and a large
sweat bead on her forehead, "No, no. . . nothing like that." Akane
was having problem figuring out how to approach this subject. "Look,
why don't you come over tomorrow night and I'll try to convince Ranma
to explain. . . but you have to promise not to treat her like a
freak, ok?" she asked quickly.
"Um, okay Akane, we'll come over, " Sayuri said as Yuka nodded in
agreement. They both took their leave discussing what Akane was
hiding about Ranma-chan that could make them think she was a freak.
"So, your friends don't like me do they?" Ranma-chan asked Akane
when she got back.
"No, nothing like that," Akane replied quickly. "Look Ranma, they
want to be your friend, but I think they should know about your curse
first."
"Oh yeah that would help things," Ranma-chan said sarcastically.
"When they run away screaming don't forget I warned you."
"I won't be that bad," Akane scolded her friend. "Look, I was able
to accept you and I know them, they will too."
Ranma-chan still didn't like it but she trusted Akane, "So when do
you want to show them?"
"Tomorrow night, I invited them to a sleep over," Akane replied as
she continued her meal.
"That soon," Ranma-chan said quietly with a cringe.
-----------
"Nabiki Tendo, I want you," Kuno said as he stood with his shadow
overlapping the girl in question.
"Oh Kuno, I had no idea. . ." Nabiki replied with both hands to the
sides of her face which gave a faux blush. The other girls around her
made giggling sounds.
"NOT like that, Nabiki Tendo," Kuno said quickly. "I have no
interest in you."
Nabiki stood up giggling, "I know Kuno." She dusted herself off and
straightened her skirt. "Couldn't you wait until tomorrow when we
usually meet?" she ask in annoyance as she didn't have his pictures
on her at the moment. Her last statement evoked the other girls to
start whispering amongst themselves as Nabiki led Kuno away.
"I wish information about a beautiful red-haired vixen that I
understand is staying at your house," Kuno said trying to be his most
noble in stance and attitude. Inside he was all in turmoil over this
new girl in his life.
"You mean Ranma?" Nabiki asked innocently, she could see yen signs
starting to dance around Kuno's head.
"Yes, that was what she said her name was, it's such an odd name for
such a beautiful girl, I. . ." Kuno replied, starting to go into one
of his rants.
Nabiki put a stop to it quickly for her own sanity's sake, "What do
you want to know Kuno, and remember it'll cost you."
"Add it to what you'll charge me tomorrow. I wish to know as much as
you know," Kuno responded, he knew how Nabiki usually did business. "
I wish to know her likes and dislikes, and all the usual things a man
could use to date such a creature of wonder."
"Um, listen Kuno. . . how about we hold off a bit on this, I. . .
um, need time to find out more about her. She only came to our house
last night," Nabiki said stumbling over her words. She just had a
very unusual reaction, she was actually concerned about siccing this
loon on a girl her hardly knew. She suddenly felt protective of Ranma-
chan and she didn't like the feeling.
"I am willing to wait, but not long. Gather you information and have
it ready soon, I will pay you handsomely for all you can give me,"
Kuno stated. He had a hard time believing what he was seeing, Nabiki
Tendo, a girl who would sell her own sister, was having a moral
dilemma about a girl she hardly knew. Even he was able to see it on
her face, and he knew he could be more than a little dense
sometimes, he usually hid it with arrogance to fool the peasants.
Nabiki got herself under control again, then she decided to find out
if she had lost her regular income from him,"Um, okay. Are you giving
up on my sister?"
Kuno stopped for a moment. "Your sister. . ." he said in a small
voice. Images of Akane started to flash into his mind of his first
love, each one pushed him closer and closer to the edge. "NO! Of
course I haven't stopped loving your sister, bring yourself to the
usual meeting place tomorrow," he said in a bold voice as he turned
and walked away.
Nabiki watched him leave, she just shook his head and thought,
*IDIOT!* Then she smiled and said in a quiet voice, "But a rich
idiot."
----------
School was just letting out and many students were making their
escape as quickly as humanly possible, one of the students had no
intention of leaving and was standing at the main gates as if a
guardian.
Kuno watched the crowd coming out of the buildings, searching for
his target. He moved his eyes over the people and almost missed Akane
as she and an unknown boy were coming out of the main building. Not
seeing his fiery tigress he decided to deal with this cur that had
the gall to walk with his woman.
Akane was still giggling as Ranma-kun was resetting his clothes,
they had been coming down the stairs as a bucket of the janitors
mopping water had been knocked over. Luckily no one else was around,
mostly due to the fact both girls had been late getting out.
"You know you wouldn't have been in the right place at the right
time for that one if you hadn't had that argument with the teacher,"
Akane said as she wiped away tears of laughter from her eyes.
"But she was wrong on her pronunciation of that word, it was 'hair'
not 'hear'," Ranma-kun said in annoyance. "Besides the water would
have waited for me, it always does."
"So, how do you know so much about languages? First you say you know
Chinese, and now I find out you are almost fluent in American
english," Akane said in amazement.
"British," Ranma-kun corrected. "Mom sorta demanded I learn other
languages. I learned Chinese cause Pop warned me that we'd be going
to China as soon as he could convince Mom, as for english. . . that
was Mom's idea."
"Why?" Akane said in agitation. She hated when Ranma-kun stopped
explaining in the middle of an answer. She was starting to think that
Ranma-kun was doing it for dramatic pause, but it was driving her
nuts.
"Mom knew I wasn't gonna be a traditional girl and she figured I'd
probably go into the business world some day, she didn't think I
would bother running a dojo. So she sent me to a tutor to learn
English so I could deal with the business world," Ranma-kun said in
long explanation. "She never had much confidence in Pop being a good
teacher of the Arts, she changed her mind a couple of years ago so
she doesn't bug me about all the time I spend training anymore."
"She wanted you to become another Nabiki?" Akane said with a shiver.
"One of her is enough!" Akane still didn't understand one thing,
"Why 'British' and not 'American' english?"
"The tutor Mom sent me to was British and she taught me what she
called 'Proper English'," Ranma-kun finished her explanation.
"Okay," Akane said with a shrug. "So you wanted to get a snack
before going home?"
"YOU THERE CUR! GET YOUR HAND AWAY FROM AKANE TENDO!!!!!" came a
bellow from the direction the school gates.
Akane hung her head and placed a hand to her forehead in support,
"Kuno."
All the students who were leaving turned to look at what Kuno was
yelling at. What they saw was almost as amazing to them as it was
maddening to Kuno. There was a boy with Akane, he was carrying her
bag, and they were holding HANDS!. The rumours started instantly.
Kuno came running up to the pair in a rage. "I said Get. Your. Hand.
Away. From. Akane. Tendo!" he punctuated each word as he drew his
bokken and pointed it at the unknown boy.
"Calm down Kuno," Ranma-kun said in reply. He shifted the bags off
his shoulders in a smooth motion.
"That's Upperclassman Kuno to you!" Kuno said in his usual
arrogance. "And exactly how did you know my name?" Kuno added. Ranma-
kun was about to say something but Kuno cut him off, "No doubt you
had heard of my magifiance. My fame as the raising star of the Kendo
world proceeds me."
"You are so full of yourself!" Ranma-kun said fully annoyed. He was
getting angry at the idiot in front of him, wasn't one defeat in a
day enough for this guy? He let go of Akane's hand and gave her the
bags without saying another word, then he got into stance.
Kuno couldn't remember where he had seen that form before, but he
had and it was recently. "I have no mercy for those who push
themselves unwantedly on young girls," Kuno said trying to sound
noble.
"So you must not like yourself much then?" Ranma-kun said with a
cocky smile. He launched his attack first to throw off the Kendoist's
stride.
Kuno saw it coming and parried it with his bokken, then struck out
in a thrust attack. "You jest at the moment of your own demise?"
The two continued for many attacks and counter-attacks, mostly it
was Ranma-kun dodging the ever increasing speed of Kuno's bokken.
Ranma-kun moved to the side as one downward swing came in stronger
than the others, it hit the school wall and left a crevice large
enough for several students to walk through. He saw another swing
coming from the side. Ranma-kun dodged the blade with ease, but the
air pressure left him feeling like one of his father's punches had
gotten through his defences. He couldn't believe that Kuno had this
much skill, their earlier fight went way too easy compared to this.
"Ok, no more jokes," Ranma-kun said calmly, all mirth had left him.
He started a new fighting pattern designed to move around a weapon
and to strike his opponent multiple times in vital locations.
Kuno blocked many of his opponent's attacks and dodged a few more,
but too many got through and his arms and legs had gone numb. It was
a familiar sensation. He was starting to fall to the ground when his
weight was suddenly supported by the boy, then put gently to the
ground. Who ever the cur was he had a sense of honour that Kuno could
have respected if it wasn't for the boy's advances on Kuno's love,
Akane.
"You just lay there for a while, you'll get the feeling back in
about an hour," Ranma-kun informed the Kendoist after placing him on
the ground. He moved back and grabbed Akane's hand then started to
pull her out of the schoolyard, "Come on Akane, let's get out of
here."
Akane had been too wrapped up in the fight, seeing again how smooth
and graceful all Ranma-kun's movement's were, that she didn't even
realize the fight was over. She really wanted to be able to fight
like that. Then she was snapped out of it when Ranma-kun grabbed her
hand and started pulling her out the main gates.
----------
The two sat in Dr. Tofu's examination room, waiting for the Doctor
to come back with some hot water. Ranma-kun looked around the room
for a minute or so then turned back to Akane, "Is Dr.Tufo a general
practioner?"
"Well, he specializes in Chiropractic and herbal medicines but he
also does general medicine for some families," Akane answered as she
watched the door eagerly. "We use to come to him for everything."
"Yes, until a couple of years ago I handled all the Tendo's medical
concerns, but the girls grew up a bit and became uncomfortable a man
checking some things," Dr.Tofu offered with a smile as he came into
the room with a kettle.
Akane blushed and turned her head away as he mentioned the last
part. Ranma-kun giggled at his friend's shyness, then poured the
water on herself. She came to a decision and looked up at the Doctor,
"I glad to hear you handle all medical concerns. I need a doctor for
womanly check ups, and I would feel more comfortable with you doing
those since you know about the curse. If you are willing to take on a
new patient."
Akane looked at her friend a little shocked by how easily Ranma-chan
could discuss such things with a man. She, herself, stopped coming to
Dr.Tofu out of embrassment of having a man even coming close to
looking there, especially someone she really liked.
Dr.Tofu sat down and took on a professional appearance, "I don't see
why not. It would be interesting to see what your curse has done to
your development, but most girls your age prefer a woman doctor to
deal with those concerns."
"I really don't want another doctor knowing about the curse, too
much chance that they'd use me like a test subject. And actually I
would be more embrassed by a woman checking me down there. . . for
personal reasons," Ranma-chan explained with a small blush of her own.
Akane coughed into her hand in a knee jerk reaction to the last part
of Ranma-chan's statement. Dr.Tofu gave Akane a curious look then
turned back to Ranma-chan, "I'd be honoured. You know Nabiki is the
only Tendo girl who still comes to me for those services,"
"That's because you give us a cut family rate and she's more
concerned with money than embrassment," Akane said as if it was the
most obvious thing in the world.
"So when would you like to set up an appointment?" Dr.Tofu asked in
his professional tone.
"Well I haven't had a check up since before going to China, so I
should have one soon cause of the change in my body," Ranma-chan said
calmly trying to make it sound as if the curse no longer bothered
her. "How about Monday after school?
"I don't have any major appointment at that time so it should be
fine," Dr.Tofu replied.
----------
Unlike her new friend who fell asleep as soon as her head hit the
pillow, Akane lay in bed unable to sleep, it had been an interesting
day. Her new friend was surprising in so many ways. Ranma-chan could
be very bold one moment, but also very shy the next. Her and her
father were so very skilled yet she didn't make a big deal about it,
as if it was just natural, she even offered to teach Akane some of
the moves she used against Kuno.
She looked over at Ranma-chan's sleeping body and sighed, *I hope
Yuka and Sayuri don't get freaked out by her curse, she could use
some more friends.* Akane sudden noticed that Ranma-chan was mumbling
in her sleep, but she couldn't make out what was being said. She gave
Ranma-chan a small kiss on the cheek and said in a quite voice, "see
you in the morning." She then decided to just lay back and try to
finally get some sleep and after a time sleep did catch up with her.
----------
Ranma found himself in the mists again, he didn't see the screen
like last time so he moved on a bit. Finally he found what he was
looking for, and saw Akane give a small kiss to his alternate half.
He smiled for a moment before depression set in, "Akane would never
do that with me."
"Not with the way thing are between you two, but this Akane was just
giving a kiss to her friend in comfort," said an unfamiliar voice
behind him.
Ranma spun as fast as he could to face the owner of the voice, only
to find a woman standing there. She looked a little like Kasumi, or
even Akane, but older. "Um, who're you? And where's the old man?"
Ranma asked in confusion.
"We decided that you should meet some of the others," the woman
replied sweetly. "Don't worry I can answer you questions just as
easily as he could."
"Um, okay," Ranma responded, then turned back to the screen. "It was
a busy day wasn't it," he said to himself as he looked at the
sleeping girls.
Ranma turned away from the screen after a few moments and looked at
the woman again, "Okay, I guess I should start while I can. Me and
Pop seem to have a better relationship. . . why?"
The woman smiled at Ranma, "You and your father weren't on the road
alone as much, and he couldn't bring himself to teach you any
insanely stupid styles. He also tried to make the time you two spent
together very special so you two would be closer."
"He didn't teach me any of the insane styles. . . you mean like the
Neko-ken?" Ranma asked in amazement. "Yeah I guess we would have a
better relationship then, that training was when I first started to
realize he cared more about training me than about me."
"That was a very impressive realization for a 6 year old to make,"
the woman stated calmly. "He couldn't bring himself to do that to a
little girl, and he was also worried what your mother would do to him
if she found out," she continued looking annoyed about something.
"I can understand that. I'm more shocked he actually was working,
even if it was as a Phys. Ed. Instructor. . . doesn't that require a
college degree?" Ranma asked as he realized some things didn't add up.
"Your mother pushed him into getting a degree saying if he was ever
going to be taken seriously as a dojo master he was going to have one
to prove he had the skills to teach," she said proudly then added
with a hint of sadness, "I wish someone else could have seen things
that way, but some people are more stubborn then others."
"You don't need a piece of paper to prove you can teach, " Ranma
said in annoyance.
"You do if you want to get a loan to start a dojo, " the woman
responded. "But he didn't really want a dojo, he just wanted to make
your mother happy. She's the one who convinced him to take a teaching
job."
"Trying to make mom happy? That doesn't sound like the Pop I know,
but I guess having to spend so much time with her changed him too,"
Ranma said with a smile. "Not that I'm complaining," he added quickly.
"Okay, it seems like I'm going to have the same problems with Kuno,
but I guess I should have expected that," Ranma said to himself.
"Akane has always been happy to hide my curse from other people,
mostly out of embrassment about being engaged to a freak, why is she
trying to tell her best friends about it here?" he asked in
confusement.
"She isn't so much embrassed about it as she's embrassed about how
she feels about it. Here she wants you to have as many friends as you
can so you don't feel like such a outsider like you described your
life was like before," the woman said with pride in her voice. She
looked at the screen with a expression of longing that almost ripped
Ranma's heart out in concern. "She does love you, you know."
"I wish I could be sure of that back home, but I guess I'll never
find out," Ranma said, depressed by the thought of never seeing his
Akane again. "I guess I have to make do with this version if I can."
"As you've been told she is the same Akane in everyway as the one
you already know, she's just reacting differently to different
situations put before her," the woman reminded him of prior
conversations.
"I have a weird question. . . what womanly concerns? I mean the ones
mentioned at Dr.Tofu's office," Ranma asked not sure if he really
wanted an answer or not.
The woman chuckled slightly, "I surprised you don't know already,
but I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."
"Um, sure," Ranma replied. He figured he wouldn't get a straight
answer about that, but he had to ask. He turned back to the screen
and looked at the two girls sleeping then asked, "Am I going to be
doing this every night?"
The woman moved up to stand beside him and also watched the screen,
the look of longing was on her face again. "No, only when important
things happen in your life which you need some answers about. The
first little while this will happen more often as you are just
beginning your new adventure, but as time goes on you'll come here
less and less," the woman explained.
Ranma looked over the woman and saw the happiness and the pain that
she had on her face as she looked at the screen. "You're her mother,
Kimiko, aren't you?" He asked as it dawned on him why she looked
familiar.
"Yes," Kimiko replied not taking her eyes off of the screen. "I'm
sorry, I haven't seen my little one for some time and I was
distracted," she said shaking her self out of the trance seeing Akane
again had put her in. She looked at Ranma again and sighed, "I am
supposed to be here to answer your questions and concerns."
"Don't worry, I don't have any pressing concerns right now, why
don't you enjoy your time and I try to stay asleep as long as
possible," Ranma said in a comforting tone.
"Thank you," Kimiko replied back as she turned back to the screen.
"I can see why, even with all the other problems you brought with
you, that she fell in love with you," she added as she watched her
daughter sleeping.
The two just stood there for a long time watching the screen until
finally the world started to fade again, and Ranma felt the pull that
he had experienced before. "I guess our time is up, I hope I can do
this for you again," Ranma said as the misty void disappeared.