Disclaimer: Ranma and Company are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. All
other characters in this story are my own.
Author's Notes: When looking over this story after about a couple of years, I noticed that I had never written just how everybody else finds out about Ranma's new school. After all, only Akane knows that. I quickly fixed that, as well as Kasumi's reaction to Happosai's antics. Originally, I had her fully cognizant of what type of person he really was. Now, after seeing more episodes and reading other fanfics, I'm not so sure (Does she or doesn't she know the whole truth about him?). Everything else is as it was originally written.
THIS IS RANMA'S SCHOOL?
Akane and Nabiki were just returning home from running some errands when they saw Kasumi packing a couple of baskets.
"You're just in time," she called out to them. "We're all going to visit Ranma!"
"Hooray!" Nabiki yelled, as she jumped into the air and clapped her hands. She had been having the worst time trying to locate Ranma's whereabouts, something that was quite unusual for her.
"Big deal," Akane muttered under her breath, oblivious to Nabiki's true intent.
"Wait a minute!" Nabiki exclaimed. "How do we visit Ranma if we don't know where the school is?"
"The school sent an invitation to us a couple of days ago," Kasumi replied. "There are directions to it's location on the back of the card. I thought I'd surprise everybody."
"Well, you sure succeeded, there, big sister," Nabiki happily replied.
"You two go get changed into something nice, now," said Kasumi. "We'll be leaving in ten minutes."
------------
The bus deposited the three girls, their father, Genma Saotome, and Happosai approximately a mile from the school. "We walk from here," Kasumi said.
Within ten minutes, the small group was at the front gate of the Great School of Martial Abilities. Kasumi pulled the bell cord by the gate. Slowly, the great iron door swung open.
"Greetings," a small, elderly woman said. She was evidently one of the teachers at the school.
"Come this way, please," the woman directed. The group followed her on to the school grounds proper.
For the first time, the others saw what Akane already knew about for nearly two weeks. Everywhere they looked, they saw young girls of varying ages milling about.
"Where are the boys?" Soun asked incredulously.
"We have only one at the moment," the elderly woman replied calmly.
"One!" Genma exclaimed. "That must be Ranma!"
"You know him?" the woman asked.
"I'm his father!" Genma replied proudly.
"Then I'm sure he'll be glad to see you," the woman replied.
"Just where is he?" Genma asked.
"He should be beyond those buildings yonder, practicing with Master Chang. He will be finished in a few minutes."
Genma and Soun couldn't wait, however, and dashed toward the spot in question.
"Excitable men, aren't they?" the old woman remarked.
"Yes, they are," Kasumi replied. "Is the one called Sensei Chan around?"
"She will be along presently," the elderly woman replied. "She has been expecting you."
Akane looked over her surroundings thoroughly. She was finally inside the school grounds. She would make a thorough search of everything she could while she was there. She was going to find out what was really going on in this school if it was the last thing she did.
Happosai looked around with ecstatic eyes. He couldn't believe his good fortune.
Sensei Chan came walking up to the three girls and Happosai. "Where are the two younger men?" she asked. "They've gone to see Ranma train, Sensei Chan," the older woman replied.
"I do hope they do not try to interfere with the session," Sensei Chan said with a little trepidation. "He is progressing nicely and shouldn't be disturbed."
"I'm sure that they will keep their distance," Kasumi assured her.
"Sure, they will," Nabiki muttered from the side of her mouth.
"Shhh," Kasumi chided her.
Suddenly, there was a blur to their right. Happosai couldn't contain himself any longer. He dashed for a group of schoolgirls coming out of one of the rooms in the main building.
"Grandfather!" Kasumi yelled. "No!"
"Not to worry," Sensei Chan said calmly. "He won't get far."
The girls scattered the instant they saw Happosai coming. He furiously looked about for them from the spot they had just vacated.
Happosai saw one of the girls, and leaped forward. He was side swiped by a brightly colored blur. It turned out to be one of the other girls in the group. He went down hard.
The three visitors watched the scene incredulously. Sensei Chan turned and smiled at them.
"We know all about Master Happosai," she said. "The girls are well versed on how to handle such a situation."
The three newcomers watched as Happosai got up and found himself surrounded by several of his potential victims. He leaped straight up, only to be knocked down again by another blur from above.
"Oh, dear," Kasumi said in a worried voice. "I know that Happosai likes to play with the younger girls, but this seems to be going a bit overboard."
Sensei Chan turned to Akane and Nabiki. "She doesn't know, does she?
The two younger sisters shook their heads in unison.
Happosai got up slowly this time, then utilized his ability to cloud people's minds, effectively rendering himself invisible. Again, he leaped into the air, sure that he would be able to grab one of the girls unawares.
Suddenly, several pairs of panties flew into the air. Happosai's concentration was broken as he saw them all around him. He tried to reach out to grab one, and was again slammed into the ground by a leaping girl. This time, however, she employed a flying kick.
Happosai did not get back up after that.
"Oh, my!" Kasumi exclaimed in horror. "I do believe that Grandfather Happosai has over done it."
Sensei Chan, however, viewed the scene with amusement. "Ranma showed us that one," she said with pride to Akane and Nabiki.
She turned to the other woman. "Please have a couple of attendants look after him," she said. "Preferably, males."
"It shall be done," the elderly woman said, as she bowed. She then left to get the attendants.
Sensei Chan turned back toward the girls. "Shall we join your father and his friend?" she said.
"Let's," replied Kasumi excitedly. The foursome went towards the main structure.
"You said that Ranma showed you that trick?" Akane asked incredulously, as the group walked down a hall-way to the central courtyard.
"Yes," Sensei Chan replied. "One must always be able to use one's enemy's weaknesses against him. Ranma told us of all of Happosai's weaknesses and how to exploit them. The result is as you have just seen."
"Just how long has Ranma been exploiting these weaknesses?" Akane asked suspiciously.
"You'll have to ask him," Sensei Chan replied dryly.
The group came to the central courtyard. There, in the middle, were Master Chang and Ranma, engaged in a practice match. Both Genma and Soun were watching from the sidelines.
"I've never seen such moves!" Soun exclaimed in a low voice.
"Indeed," Genma agreed. "This 'Master Chang' is quite good!"
Soun saw his three daughters and beckoned them over. "You have got to see this!" he exclaimed.
Ranma and Master Chang were facing each other. Ranma was trying to attack Master Chang with several kicks to the body. Master Chang easily blocked them and counter attacked. Ranma leapt straight up and somersaulted over Master Chang. He then turned and faced the man.
Both combatants circled around warily, until they were in their original positions. Then Master Chang smiled and bowed to Ranma. Ranma returned the bow.
"That is all for today, young one," Master Chang said. "You are doing well. We will continue on Monday. You now have some guests to entertain."
With that, the two bowed once again, and Master Chang left the courtyard. Ranma turned and bowed to Sensei Chan, then greeted his father and the Tendos. The greeting was heartily returned, with the exception of Akane's, which seemed forced.
"When did you arrive?" Ranma asked.
"About ten minutes ago," Kasumi replied.
"Where's Happosai?"
"He's taking a much needed nap," Kasumi said. Nabiki giggled at this.
Both men looked curiously at the two girls. Nabiki, however, had more pressing questions.
"Is it true that you're the only boy here?" she asked.
"It appears to be so," Ranma replied, putting a hand to the back of his head and giving an embarrassed chuckle.
"So that was Master Chang you were sparring with?" Genma asked, changing the subject.
"Yes," Ranma replied proudly. "He's my Kempo trainer for the duration."
"Impressive man," Genma grunted.
"He is at that," Ranma said with a hint of reverence.
"Come," said Sensei Chan pleasantly. "You would all probably like a tour of the premises."
The others agreed wholeheartedly. Sensei Chan led them along the walkway towards the rear of the building complex.
As the group walked along, Akane came up along side Ranma. "What's this I hear about you showing the girls here certain tricks that will stop Happosai in his tracks?" she asked in an imperious whisper.
"What sort of tricks?" Ranma asked.
"Throwing panties into the air, for one!" Akane hissed back.
Ranma's eyes went wide with amazement. He then laughed nervously and said, "A true warrior uses whatever is at his or her disposal to defeat a foe."
"Well, I wouldn't do that!" Akane said imperiously.
"Oh?" asked Ranma in a low, oily voice. "What would you do, then?"
Akane had no answer to this. Miffed, she stalked off.
Ranma came up to Sensei Chan, who had been surreptitiously viewing the exchange. "Did you tell them about what I told the girls about Happosai and how to stop him?"
"Yes," Sensei Chan stated calmly.
"Why?" Ranma hissed.
"Why not? All should benefit from one's knowledge."
"Akane doesn't believe so."
"Never fear," Sensei Chan said soothingly. "She'll come around. She's just a little upset about your fellow students, that's all."
"That's enough," Ranma said in a worried voice.
Sensei Chan now raised her voice so the others could hear. "The area we are walking through is the central courtyard of the main complex. Here, we have the main offices, infirmary, teacher's lounge, and their quarters.
"The buildings we passed through to get here were the student's dormitories, recreation hall, clock tower, and study halls. The mess hall will be on our left as we exit this building, and the classrooms will be in two buildings on either side of the central field, one of which will be directly beyond the mess hall.
"The entire campus is one kilometer wide by two kilometers long. As you have probably noticed, the main group of buildings is set in the eastern side of the campus. This is to allow sufficient room for the track and field, which is at the upper western corner of the campus. There are also several special training areas along the western wall.
"At the upper northeastern corner is a special training area that is fifty meters by two hundred meters in size. It is used for special training and tests. The terrain there is very rough, and there is a slight slope to the area. This is to fully test our student's abilities."
"Feel free to roam around, but please be careful. A teacher or student will answer any question you may have. We'll meet back here at the mess hall in an hour."
With that, Sensei Chan glided away. The three girls immediately dashed off in different directions. Genma and Soun stayed with Ranma for a while. "This is some place," Soun whistled.
"It sure is," Ranma replied.
------------
Akane began her investigation of the campus. Her first stop was the dormitories, particularly the one where Ranma was quartered. She was about to enter when she heard a voice come from behind her.
"Is that your room?"
Akane turned around to face a small, middle-aged woman with a pleasant face. "Who are you?" Akane asked.
"I am Mistress Snowflake," the woman replied. "Are you a new student here, or just a visitor?"
"I'm a visitor," Akane said.
"Well, I'm afraid that the dormitories are off limits to visitors unless they the permission of the occupant beforehand."
"I was looking for one of the students," Akane lied. "I thought he might be in his room."
"Oh, you must mean Ranma. A fine boy. I think you'll find him at the practice field to your left and up a ways."
"Thank you," Akane said sweetly, and she quickly went toward the area that Mistress Snowflake pointed out.
Mistress Snowflake chuckled as she watched Akane leave, and shook her head slowly. "So that is Akane," she said to herself. "Such a suspicious girl. And what a terrible liar!"
------------
Akane was moving so fast that she nearly ran into Ranma, Genma, and Soun. Ranma was showing the men several of the small dojos and practice areas that dotted the western quadrant.
"What's that fenced in area?" Genma asked.
"That is my private practice and meditation yard," Ranma replied proudly. "The teachers set it aside just for me for the duration. It is usually used by them, but they have others."
"Oh, there you are Akane," Soun said. "Enjoying yourself?"
"Yes, father," Akane replied with a smile. "It is a marvelous place."
"Ranma was just showing us the exercise and practice area. Care to join us?"
"Why not?" Akane said sweetly. She decided to have another go at exploring after listening to Ranma for a while. She was still a bit upset about not being able to get into Ranma's room, but decided she could try again later.
"These dojos are used for specific skills," Ranma was saying, as he indicated several low structures. "Special techniques and movements are practiced here."
"Are you using any of them?" Genma asked.
"Yes," Ranma replied. "I am now in the process of learning the 'Exploding Point Technique'. I should be pretty proficient with it in a few day's time."
"The 'Exploding Point Technique!" Genma gasped in amazement.
"Yes, among other things," Ranma said calmly.
"What other things?" Soun asked nervously.
"You'll have to wait and see," Ranma replied mysteriously.
Nobody saw Sensei Chan among the buildings behind them. She smiled to herself as she overheard the conversation. Well done, Ranma, she thought to herself. Let's keep them guessing for a while.
"The next stop is the track and field," Ranma told the others.
"I think I'll pass," Akane said. "You see one track and field, you've seen them all. I'm going to check out the classrooms, instead."
"All right," Ranma said. "Please don't disturb anybody up there. Some of the students use the rooms for studying when they are not in use."
Akane raced for the classroom buildings, but veered away at the last moment and entered the main complex. She sneaked into several ground floor offices, but found nothing of an incriminating nature. She checked the infirmary and found Happosai lying on a bed, still unconscious.
Akane then checked the upper offices, but found nothing. She then dashed to the easternmost school building. She found the classrooms to be the same as those of her own school, plus a few rooms that were designed for small groups of students, perhaps five to ten.
The other building was the same, being basically the sciences and home economics hall; compared to the general education classrooms of the building she had just left. Akane still could not find anything that would confirm her suspicions, and that made her even more suspicious.
What Akane didn't know, was that she was being observed all the time. The teachers at the school thought it quite amusing to watch her attempts to prove that their school was some terrible place out to corrupt Ranma in some way. It was all they could do to hold back their snickers.
Akane finally gave up and walked up to the special training area that Sensei Chan spoke of. She was amazed by what she saw.
The area was as Sensei Chan described. The whole area looked like a battlefield after a heavy rain. It was a rugged area, with small pools and hillocks interspersed about the slope, which was fairly high. Akane began to wonder about Sensei Chan's definition of "slight".
At the top of the slope was a low-slung building, built to the traditional style. What its function was, Akane could only guess.
Kasumi and Nabiki came up to her. "It's time to meet at the mess hall," Kasumi said.
Akane followed her sisters to the rendezvous point. There, they met Ranma, their respective fathers, and Sensei Chan.
"What are your plans for lunch?" Sensei Chan asked.
"I thought a picnic might be nice," Kasumi replied.
"An excellent idea," Sensei Chan said. She pointed towards some trees. "There's a nice, shady spot over there that you can use."
Akane noticed that several of the other students were now walking around with other adults and children. She assumed that these were their families. She also noticed that there were not that many students around at the moment. During her intense exploration, she had not been aware of that.
"Where are all the others?" she asked Sensei Chan.
"Most have gone to visit their families in town," Sensei Chan replied. "Others have decided to take in a movie or just have a nice time walking around town."
The group settled down around a couple of trees while Kasumi unpacked the lunch she had prepared that morning. Akane moved close to Ranma and posed a question.
"Why do the teachers here have such strange titles?" she asked.
"It appears to be a tradition at this school," Ranma stated. "Each teacher picks a name that emphasizes his or her abilities or specialty, or their personality."
"What are they all called?" Nabiki asked.
"Well," Ranma began. "There's Sensei Chan, who you already know. There is also Grand Mother, the head mistress. Then there are Master Chang, Mistress Snowflake, Mistress Swan, Shadow Master, Mother Crane, Little Granny, Mother Owl, Mistress Blossom, and Mother Fox. I have yet to find out what the nurse's name is, or if the caretakers have any special names."
"What are the teacher's real names?" Akane asked pointedly.
"They have never said," replied Ranma. "We students only know them from the titles they have taken. There doesn't seem to be any reason to do otherwise."
"How come you are the only boy here?" Nabiki asked.
"Apparently, they're phasing out boys in this branch of the school. They had more girls than boys from this area interested in entering the academy. Therefore, they're going towards an all girls' campus. I'm the last boy they will be teaching here."
"You said 'this branch'," Genma said. "How many branches are there?"
"A dozen throughout the islands, from what I've heard," Ranma replied between bites of Kasumi's cooking.
"It must really be something, having nothing but girls as your fellow students," Nabiki said, trying her best to needle Ranma. "This school must be spectacular, compared to the others you have attended."
"It's just like any other school," Ranma said calmly, not taking the bait. "The teachers teach, I learn. It's as simple as that."
Nabiki pouted and went back to her meal. Akane looked at Ranma in a curious fashion. She couldn't believe that Ranma was not affected by having only girls as schoolmates.
"Just how many girls attend this school?" she asked.
"Around a hundred and twenty," was Ranma's calm reply.
Akane suppressed a gasp. A hundred and twenty girls and only one boy! It was a wonder he hadn't been pursued all over the campus by them. Surely, they had some feelings towards him.
Ranma continued to eat the lunch that Kasumi prepared, oblivious to Akane's thoughts.
------------
Lunch over, the group headed over to the infirmary to see how Happosai was doing. He was now half a-wake, murmuring to himself. "So many girls. So many girls," was repeated over and over.
Kasumi came over to his bed, and knelt over his head. "Wake up, sleepyhead," she said. "It's almost time for us to leave."
"What!" Happosai shrieked, as he shot straight up out of bed. "With everything we can do here! Are you crazy?"
"You have spent the past two hours sleeping, foolish old man," Kasumi sweetly replied. "You should not have over exerted yourself earlier. You used up all the time you had. You'll just have to wait until the next 'Visitors Day'."
"Never!" Happosai screamed, and he dashed out of the room. There was a thudding sound and a yelp of pain. Ranma and the others rushed to the door.
There, on the ground, was Happosai, stunned and senseless. Standing over him was one of Ranma's classmates, in a classic defensive pose. Once again, Happosai had met his match.
Kasumi sighed. "One of you will have to carry him," she told her father and Genma.
Genma sighed, knelt down, and placed the unconscious Happosai on his shoulders.
"Before we go, I would like to see you room, Ranma," Akane said.
"I don't see any harm in that," Ranma said. "Follow me."
Ranma led Akane and the rest to his quarters. "This is where I study and sleep when I'm not practicing," he said.
The others were amazed at the spartan condition of the room. "The teachers believe in simplicity here," Ranma explained.
"I believe that this was once a guest room or a teacher's chamber," he continued. "It has a private bathroom, while the dormitories have communal facilities."
Akane looked at the desk where Ranma's schoolbooks and papers were. She then viewed the bed, dresser, closet, and nightstand. "Pretty impressive," she said admiringly.
"It is one of the better accommodations I've had," Ranma said proudly.
Her curiosity satisfied, Akane headed for the door. She still couldn't figure out what the school was up to. It seemed so ordinary. This was what irked her the most. She knew that something was afoot, but couldn't prove it.
As Ranma escorted the group to the main gate, Sensei Chan glided up to Akane. "Did you find out anything interesting?" she asked.
Akane scowled, but said nothing.
Sensei Chan smiled and glided away again, this time heading towards the gate.
"We've had a marvelous time," Kasumi told Sensei Chan. "It really is quite a place."
"Thank you," said Sensei Chan. "Do come again."
Just then, a group of schoolgirls came through the gate from the outside. They were giggling and gossiping as they went by. A few stopped and came towards Ranma.
"Are we all set for practice, tomorrow?" one of the girls asked coyly.
"Nine o'clock sharp," Ranma replied. "The practice field."
"We'll be there," the girls giggled as they ran off, laughing.
Ranma turned around to see Akane glaring at him.
"They are fellow students, nothing more," Ranma reiterated testily.
Nabiki stifled a snicker.
"Let's go," Soun said. "We have a bus to catch."
Everybody said their good-byes and the Tendos, and Genma, carrying Happosai, walked down the road to the bus stop. Ranma watched them for a few minutes, then went back to his room to do some studying.
------------
While riding the bus home, Soun and Genma fell to talking about the day's events.
"It really is quite an academy," Soun said.
"It is indeed," Genma agreed.
"Ranma seems to really enjoy being there," Soun said.
"That's what worries me," Genma lamented.
Akane shared his feelings. Why did Ranma have to come here to study, when he had a perfectly good dojo at the Tendo residence? Just what influence did Sensei Chan have over him? Akane felt some worry for Ranma.
The rest of the trip was uneventful. When they returned home, Kasumi prepared dinner. Happosai finally woke up and complained bitterly about missing out on the day's events. The others laughed at this and proceeded to enjoy dinner.
As she prepared for bed, Akane couldn't help but wonder about what was really happening at the Great School of Martial Abilities. There was something about it that still troubled her. As she fell asleep, she decided that it would bear further investigation.
Ranma lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He couldn't figure out Akane's violent reaction to the fact that his fellow students were all girls. Then again, he really couldn't figure out Akane at all. As he finally dozed off, he resolved to leave such matters to another day, when he had more time. For now, he would be very busy indeed.
To be continued...
Next time: Happosai decides to pay another visit to The Great School of Martial Abilities. Will Ranma and his fellow students be able to fend off the pint-sized pervert? Stay tuned to find out!
Author's Notes: When looking over this story after about a couple of years, I noticed that I had never written just how everybody else finds out about Ranma's new school. After all, only Akane knows that. I quickly fixed that, as well as Kasumi's reaction to Happosai's antics. Originally, I had her fully cognizant of what type of person he really was. Now, after seeing more episodes and reading other fanfics, I'm not so sure (Does she or doesn't she know the whole truth about him?). Everything else is as it was originally written.
THIS IS RANMA'S SCHOOL?
Akane and Nabiki were just returning home from running some errands when they saw Kasumi packing a couple of baskets.
"You're just in time," she called out to them. "We're all going to visit Ranma!"
"Hooray!" Nabiki yelled, as she jumped into the air and clapped her hands. She had been having the worst time trying to locate Ranma's whereabouts, something that was quite unusual for her.
"Big deal," Akane muttered under her breath, oblivious to Nabiki's true intent.
"Wait a minute!" Nabiki exclaimed. "How do we visit Ranma if we don't know where the school is?"
"The school sent an invitation to us a couple of days ago," Kasumi replied. "There are directions to it's location on the back of the card. I thought I'd surprise everybody."
"Well, you sure succeeded, there, big sister," Nabiki happily replied.
"You two go get changed into something nice, now," said Kasumi. "We'll be leaving in ten minutes."
------------
The bus deposited the three girls, their father, Genma Saotome, and Happosai approximately a mile from the school. "We walk from here," Kasumi said.
Within ten minutes, the small group was at the front gate of the Great School of Martial Abilities. Kasumi pulled the bell cord by the gate. Slowly, the great iron door swung open.
"Greetings," a small, elderly woman said. She was evidently one of the teachers at the school.
"Come this way, please," the woman directed. The group followed her on to the school grounds proper.
For the first time, the others saw what Akane already knew about for nearly two weeks. Everywhere they looked, they saw young girls of varying ages milling about.
"Where are the boys?" Soun asked incredulously.
"We have only one at the moment," the elderly woman replied calmly.
"One!" Genma exclaimed. "That must be Ranma!"
"You know him?" the woman asked.
"I'm his father!" Genma replied proudly.
"Then I'm sure he'll be glad to see you," the woman replied.
"Just where is he?" Genma asked.
"He should be beyond those buildings yonder, practicing with Master Chang. He will be finished in a few minutes."
Genma and Soun couldn't wait, however, and dashed toward the spot in question.
"Excitable men, aren't they?" the old woman remarked.
"Yes, they are," Kasumi replied. "Is the one called Sensei Chan around?"
"She will be along presently," the elderly woman replied. "She has been expecting you."
Akane looked over her surroundings thoroughly. She was finally inside the school grounds. She would make a thorough search of everything she could while she was there. She was going to find out what was really going on in this school if it was the last thing she did.
Happosai looked around with ecstatic eyes. He couldn't believe his good fortune.
Sensei Chan came walking up to the three girls and Happosai. "Where are the two younger men?" she asked. "They've gone to see Ranma train, Sensei Chan," the older woman replied.
"I do hope they do not try to interfere with the session," Sensei Chan said with a little trepidation. "He is progressing nicely and shouldn't be disturbed."
"I'm sure that they will keep their distance," Kasumi assured her.
"Sure, they will," Nabiki muttered from the side of her mouth.
"Shhh," Kasumi chided her.
Suddenly, there was a blur to their right. Happosai couldn't contain himself any longer. He dashed for a group of schoolgirls coming out of one of the rooms in the main building.
"Grandfather!" Kasumi yelled. "No!"
"Not to worry," Sensei Chan said calmly. "He won't get far."
The girls scattered the instant they saw Happosai coming. He furiously looked about for them from the spot they had just vacated.
Happosai saw one of the girls, and leaped forward. He was side swiped by a brightly colored blur. It turned out to be one of the other girls in the group. He went down hard.
The three visitors watched the scene incredulously. Sensei Chan turned and smiled at them.
"We know all about Master Happosai," she said. "The girls are well versed on how to handle such a situation."
The three newcomers watched as Happosai got up and found himself surrounded by several of his potential victims. He leaped straight up, only to be knocked down again by another blur from above.
"Oh, dear," Kasumi said in a worried voice. "I know that Happosai likes to play with the younger girls, but this seems to be going a bit overboard."
Sensei Chan turned to Akane and Nabiki. "She doesn't know, does she?
The two younger sisters shook their heads in unison.
Happosai got up slowly this time, then utilized his ability to cloud people's minds, effectively rendering himself invisible. Again, he leaped into the air, sure that he would be able to grab one of the girls unawares.
Suddenly, several pairs of panties flew into the air. Happosai's concentration was broken as he saw them all around him. He tried to reach out to grab one, and was again slammed into the ground by a leaping girl. This time, however, she employed a flying kick.
Happosai did not get back up after that.
"Oh, my!" Kasumi exclaimed in horror. "I do believe that Grandfather Happosai has over done it."
Sensei Chan, however, viewed the scene with amusement. "Ranma showed us that one," she said with pride to Akane and Nabiki.
She turned to the other woman. "Please have a couple of attendants look after him," she said. "Preferably, males."
"It shall be done," the elderly woman said, as she bowed. She then left to get the attendants.
Sensei Chan turned back toward the girls. "Shall we join your father and his friend?" she said.
"Let's," replied Kasumi excitedly. The foursome went towards the main structure.
"You said that Ranma showed you that trick?" Akane asked incredulously, as the group walked down a hall-way to the central courtyard.
"Yes," Sensei Chan replied. "One must always be able to use one's enemy's weaknesses against him. Ranma told us of all of Happosai's weaknesses and how to exploit them. The result is as you have just seen."
"Just how long has Ranma been exploiting these weaknesses?" Akane asked suspiciously.
"You'll have to ask him," Sensei Chan replied dryly.
The group came to the central courtyard. There, in the middle, were Master Chang and Ranma, engaged in a practice match. Both Genma and Soun were watching from the sidelines.
"I've never seen such moves!" Soun exclaimed in a low voice.
"Indeed," Genma agreed. "This 'Master Chang' is quite good!"
Soun saw his three daughters and beckoned them over. "You have got to see this!" he exclaimed.
Ranma and Master Chang were facing each other. Ranma was trying to attack Master Chang with several kicks to the body. Master Chang easily blocked them and counter attacked. Ranma leapt straight up and somersaulted over Master Chang. He then turned and faced the man.
Both combatants circled around warily, until they were in their original positions. Then Master Chang smiled and bowed to Ranma. Ranma returned the bow.
"That is all for today, young one," Master Chang said. "You are doing well. We will continue on Monday. You now have some guests to entertain."
With that, the two bowed once again, and Master Chang left the courtyard. Ranma turned and bowed to Sensei Chan, then greeted his father and the Tendos. The greeting was heartily returned, with the exception of Akane's, which seemed forced.
"When did you arrive?" Ranma asked.
"About ten minutes ago," Kasumi replied.
"Where's Happosai?"
"He's taking a much needed nap," Kasumi said. Nabiki giggled at this.
Both men looked curiously at the two girls. Nabiki, however, had more pressing questions.
"Is it true that you're the only boy here?" she asked.
"It appears to be so," Ranma replied, putting a hand to the back of his head and giving an embarrassed chuckle.
"So that was Master Chang you were sparring with?" Genma asked, changing the subject.
"Yes," Ranma replied proudly. "He's my Kempo trainer for the duration."
"Impressive man," Genma grunted.
"He is at that," Ranma said with a hint of reverence.
"Come," said Sensei Chan pleasantly. "You would all probably like a tour of the premises."
The others agreed wholeheartedly. Sensei Chan led them along the walkway towards the rear of the building complex.
As the group walked along, Akane came up along side Ranma. "What's this I hear about you showing the girls here certain tricks that will stop Happosai in his tracks?" she asked in an imperious whisper.
"What sort of tricks?" Ranma asked.
"Throwing panties into the air, for one!" Akane hissed back.
Ranma's eyes went wide with amazement. He then laughed nervously and said, "A true warrior uses whatever is at his or her disposal to defeat a foe."
"Well, I wouldn't do that!" Akane said imperiously.
"Oh?" asked Ranma in a low, oily voice. "What would you do, then?"
Akane had no answer to this. Miffed, she stalked off.
Ranma came up to Sensei Chan, who had been surreptitiously viewing the exchange. "Did you tell them about what I told the girls about Happosai and how to stop him?"
"Yes," Sensei Chan stated calmly.
"Why?" Ranma hissed.
"Why not? All should benefit from one's knowledge."
"Akane doesn't believe so."
"Never fear," Sensei Chan said soothingly. "She'll come around. She's just a little upset about your fellow students, that's all."
"That's enough," Ranma said in a worried voice.
Sensei Chan now raised her voice so the others could hear. "The area we are walking through is the central courtyard of the main complex. Here, we have the main offices, infirmary, teacher's lounge, and their quarters.
"The buildings we passed through to get here were the student's dormitories, recreation hall, clock tower, and study halls. The mess hall will be on our left as we exit this building, and the classrooms will be in two buildings on either side of the central field, one of which will be directly beyond the mess hall.
"The entire campus is one kilometer wide by two kilometers long. As you have probably noticed, the main group of buildings is set in the eastern side of the campus. This is to allow sufficient room for the track and field, which is at the upper western corner of the campus. There are also several special training areas along the western wall.
"At the upper northeastern corner is a special training area that is fifty meters by two hundred meters in size. It is used for special training and tests. The terrain there is very rough, and there is a slight slope to the area. This is to fully test our student's abilities."
"Feel free to roam around, but please be careful. A teacher or student will answer any question you may have. We'll meet back here at the mess hall in an hour."
With that, Sensei Chan glided away. The three girls immediately dashed off in different directions. Genma and Soun stayed with Ranma for a while. "This is some place," Soun whistled.
"It sure is," Ranma replied.
------------
Akane began her investigation of the campus. Her first stop was the dormitories, particularly the one where Ranma was quartered. She was about to enter when she heard a voice come from behind her.
"Is that your room?"
Akane turned around to face a small, middle-aged woman with a pleasant face. "Who are you?" Akane asked.
"I am Mistress Snowflake," the woman replied. "Are you a new student here, or just a visitor?"
"I'm a visitor," Akane said.
"Well, I'm afraid that the dormitories are off limits to visitors unless they the permission of the occupant beforehand."
"I was looking for one of the students," Akane lied. "I thought he might be in his room."
"Oh, you must mean Ranma. A fine boy. I think you'll find him at the practice field to your left and up a ways."
"Thank you," Akane said sweetly, and she quickly went toward the area that Mistress Snowflake pointed out.
Mistress Snowflake chuckled as she watched Akane leave, and shook her head slowly. "So that is Akane," she said to herself. "Such a suspicious girl. And what a terrible liar!"
------------
Akane was moving so fast that she nearly ran into Ranma, Genma, and Soun. Ranma was showing the men several of the small dojos and practice areas that dotted the western quadrant.
"What's that fenced in area?" Genma asked.
"That is my private practice and meditation yard," Ranma replied proudly. "The teachers set it aside just for me for the duration. It is usually used by them, but they have others."
"Oh, there you are Akane," Soun said. "Enjoying yourself?"
"Yes, father," Akane replied with a smile. "It is a marvelous place."
"Ranma was just showing us the exercise and practice area. Care to join us?"
"Why not?" Akane said sweetly. She decided to have another go at exploring after listening to Ranma for a while. She was still a bit upset about not being able to get into Ranma's room, but decided she could try again later.
"These dojos are used for specific skills," Ranma was saying, as he indicated several low structures. "Special techniques and movements are practiced here."
"Are you using any of them?" Genma asked.
"Yes," Ranma replied. "I am now in the process of learning the 'Exploding Point Technique'. I should be pretty proficient with it in a few day's time."
"The 'Exploding Point Technique!" Genma gasped in amazement.
"Yes, among other things," Ranma said calmly.
"What other things?" Soun asked nervously.
"You'll have to wait and see," Ranma replied mysteriously.
Nobody saw Sensei Chan among the buildings behind them. She smiled to herself as she overheard the conversation. Well done, Ranma, she thought to herself. Let's keep them guessing for a while.
"The next stop is the track and field," Ranma told the others.
"I think I'll pass," Akane said. "You see one track and field, you've seen them all. I'm going to check out the classrooms, instead."
"All right," Ranma said. "Please don't disturb anybody up there. Some of the students use the rooms for studying when they are not in use."
Akane raced for the classroom buildings, but veered away at the last moment and entered the main complex. She sneaked into several ground floor offices, but found nothing of an incriminating nature. She checked the infirmary and found Happosai lying on a bed, still unconscious.
Akane then checked the upper offices, but found nothing. She then dashed to the easternmost school building. She found the classrooms to be the same as those of her own school, plus a few rooms that were designed for small groups of students, perhaps five to ten.
The other building was the same, being basically the sciences and home economics hall; compared to the general education classrooms of the building she had just left. Akane still could not find anything that would confirm her suspicions, and that made her even more suspicious.
What Akane didn't know, was that she was being observed all the time. The teachers at the school thought it quite amusing to watch her attempts to prove that their school was some terrible place out to corrupt Ranma in some way. It was all they could do to hold back their snickers.
Akane finally gave up and walked up to the special training area that Sensei Chan spoke of. She was amazed by what she saw.
The area was as Sensei Chan described. The whole area looked like a battlefield after a heavy rain. It was a rugged area, with small pools and hillocks interspersed about the slope, which was fairly high. Akane began to wonder about Sensei Chan's definition of "slight".
At the top of the slope was a low-slung building, built to the traditional style. What its function was, Akane could only guess.
Kasumi and Nabiki came up to her. "It's time to meet at the mess hall," Kasumi said.
Akane followed her sisters to the rendezvous point. There, they met Ranma, their respective fathers, and Sensei Chan.
"What are your plans for lunch?" Sensei Chan asked.
"I thought a picnic might be nice," Kasumi replied.
"An excellent idea," Sensei Chan said. She pointed towards some trees. "There's a nice, shady spot over there that you can use."
Akane noticed that several of the other students were now walking around with other adults and children. She assumed that these were their families. She also noticed that there were not that many students around at the moment. During her intense exploration, she had not been aware of that.
"Where are all the others?" she asked Sensei Chan.
"Most have gone to visit their families in town," Sensei Chan replied. "Others have decided to take in a movie or just have a nice time walking around town."
The group settled down around a couple of trees while Kasumi unpacked the lunch she had prepared that morning. Akane moved close to Ranma and posed a question.
"Why do the teachers here have such strange titles?" she asked.
"It appears to be a tradition at this school," Ranma stated. "Each teacher picks a name that emphasizes his or her abilities or specialty, or their personality."
"What are they all called?" Nabiki asked.
"Well," Ranma began. "There's Sensei Chan, who you already know. There is also Grand Mother, the head mistress. Then there are Master Chang, Mistress Snowflake, Mistress Swan, Shadow Master, Mother Crane, Little Granny, Mother Owl, Mistress Blossom, and Mother Fox. I have yet to find out what the nurse's name is, or if the caretakers have any special names."
"What are the teacher's real names?" Akane asked pointedly.
"They have never said," replied Ranma. "We students only know them from the titles they have taken. There doesn't seem to be any reason to do otherwise."
"How come you are the only boy here?" Nabiki asked.
"Apparently, they're phasing out boys in this branch of the school. They had more girls than boys from this area interested in entering the academy. Therefore, they're going towards an all girls' campus. I'm the last boy they will be teaching here."
"You said 'this branch'," Genma said. "How many branches are there?"
"A dozen throughout the islands, from what I've heard," Ranma replied between bites of Kasumi's cooking.
"It must really be something, having nothing but girls as your fellow students," Nabiki said, trying her best to needle Ranma. "This school must be spectacular, compared to the others you have attended."
"It's just like any other school," Ranma said calmly, not taking the bait. "The teachers teach, I learn. It's as simple as that."
Nabiki pouted and went back to her meal. Akane looked at Ranma in a curious fashion. She couldn't believe that Ranma was not affected by having only girls as schoolmates.
"Just how many girls attend this school?" she asked.
"Around a hundred and twenty," was Ranma's calm reply.
Akane suppressed a gasp. A hundred and twenty girls and only one boy! It was a wonder he hadn't been pursued all over the campus by them. Surely, they had some feelings towards him.
Ranma continued to eat the lunch that Kasumi prepared, oblivious to Akane's thoughts.
------------
Lunch over, the group headed over to the infirmary to see how Happosai was doing. He was now half a-wake, murmuring to himself. "So many girls. So many girls," was repeated over and over.
Kasumi came over to his bed, and knelt over his head. "Wake up, sleepyhead," she said. "It's almost time for us to leave."
"What!" Happosai shrieked, as he shot straight up out of bed. "With everything we can do here! Are you crazy?"
"You have spent the past two hours sleeping, foolish old man," Kasumi sweetly replied. "You should not have over exerted yourself earlier. You used up all the time you had. You'll just have to wait until the next 'Visitors Day'."
"Never!" Happosai screamed, and he dashed out of the room. There was a thudding sound and a yelp of pain. Ranma and the others rushed to the door.
There, on the ground, was Happosai, stunned and senseless. Standing over him was one of Ranma's classmates, in a classic defensive pose. Once again, Happosai had met his match.
Kasumi sighed. "One of you will have to carry him," she told her father and Genma.
Genma sighed, knelt down, and placed the unconscious Happosai on his shoulders.
"Before we go, I would like to see you room, Ranma," Akane said.
"I don't see any harm in that," Ranma said. "Follow me."
Ranma led Akane and the rest to his quarters. "This is where I study and sleep when I'm not practicing," he said.
The others were amazed at the spartan condition of the room. "The teachers believe in simplicity here," Ranma explained.
"I believe that this was once a guest room or a teacher's chamber," he continued. "It has a private bathroom, while the dormitories have communal facilities."
Akane looked at the desk where Ranma's schoolbooks and papers were. She then viewed the bed, dresser, closet, and nightstand. "Pretty impressive," she said admiringly.
"It is one of the better accommodations I've had," Ranma said proudly.
Her curiosity satisfied, Akane headed for the door. She still couldn't figure out what the school was up to. It seemed so ordinary. This was what irked her the most. She knew that something was afoot, but couldn't prove it.
As Ranma escorted the group to the main gate, Sensei Chan glided up to Akane. "Did you find out anything interesting?" she asked.
Akane scowled, but said nothing.
Sensei Chan smiled and glided away again, this time heading towards the gate.
"We've had a marvelous time," Kasumi told Sensei Chan. "It really is quite a place."
"Thank you," said Sensei Chan. "Do come again."
Just then, a group of schoolgirls came through the gate from the outside. They were giggling and gossiping as they went by. A few stopped and came towards Ranma.
"Are we all set for practice, tomorrow?" one of the girls asked coyly.
"Nine o'clock sharp," Ranma replied. "The practice field."
"We'll be there," the girls giggled as they ran off, laughing.
Ranma turned around to see Akane glaring at him.
"They are fellow students, nothing more," Ranma reiterated testily.
Nabiki stifled a snicker.
"Let's go," Soun said. "We have a bus to catch."
Everybody said their good-byes and the Tendos, and Genma, carrying Happosai, walked down the road to the bus stop. Ranma watched them for a few minutes, then went back to his room to do some studying.
------------
While riding the bus home, Soun and Genma fell to talking about the day's events.
"It really is quite an academy," Soun said.
"It is indeed," Genma agreed.
"Ranma seems to really enjoy being there," Soun said.
"That's what worries me," Genma lamented.
Akane shared his feelings. Why did Ranma have to come here to study, when he had a perfectly good dojo at the Tendo residence? Just what influence did Sensei Chan have over him? Akane felt some worry for Ranma.
The rest of the trip was uneventful. When they returned home, Kasumi prepared dinner. Happosai finally woke up and complained bitterly about missing out on the day's events. The others laughed at this and proceeded to enjoy dinner.
As she prepared for bed, Akane couldn't help but wonder about what was really happening at the Great School of Martial Abilities. There was something about it that still troubled her. As she fell asleep, she decided that it would bear further investigation.
Ranma lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He couldn't figure out Akane's violent reaction to the fact that his fellow students were all girls. Then again, he really couldn't figure out Akane at all. As he finally dozed off, he resolved to leave such matters to another day, when he had more time. For now, he would be very busy indeed.
To be continued...
Next time: Happosai decides to pay another visit to The Great School of Martial Abilities. Will Ranma and his fellow students be able to fend off the pint-sized pervert? Stay tuned to find out!
