Ranma Hard Core
The first Story, Part 3
"School?" Ranma repeated in inquiry with a slight strain in his voice; going through an isometric kata.
"Well, we *are* going to be staying a while," Genma replied. Ranma stopped his practice and walked up to his father, looking him in the eyes.
"You're serious this time," Ranma stated, "Exactly why do you want to stay here so long, I thought we would be going home after that ridiculous trip in China."
"Boy, you benefited a lot from China," Genma scolded.
"Yeah, this curse is a wonderful souvenir," Ranma replied snidely. Though in truth, Ranma did gain a lot from his experience in the orient. The learning of the three Heavenly Postures had opened up a totally new avenue of power that he had not comprehended before. He also felt an awareness of himself that at the time of discovery had put him in awe, opening the paths of the inner and outer heavenly circles. Before he was healthy, but now he healed much faster and found it difficult to be sick. Much of what he learned now complimented his style, and heavily integrated into his own form of Anything Goes Martial Arts.
"You whine just like a girl!" Genma attempted to grab Ranma by the muscle shirt, temporarily forgetting certain rules to remember around Ranma. The pigtailed boy effectively reminded him.
"It's time for me and Akane to..." Nabiki paused at the sight, "that looks like it hurts. Anyhow, we need to get to school."
"Fine," Ranma replied curtly, before walking out of the room.
"Hey!" Nabiki called out, "Akane can lead you there."
"I... don't think that would be the wisest idea," Genma commented, recalling events of the previous night. Nabiki quickly caught on at the subtle hint, just as her younger sister came down, ready for school.
________________________________________
Ranma walked into the kitchen to get a quick glass of water, before heading out."
"How do you feel about going to school here, Ranma-kun?" The pigtailed boy turned towards the matronly figure that held a glass of juice for him. Ranma looked at it warily, but then took it and sipped from the glass.
"It isn't the first time I've been. If anything, it will give me a break from my idiotic old man for a few hours of the day." Kasumi nodded, and handed Ranma a backpack.
"Thanks," Ranma said curtly, before walking out. Kasumi considered the boy. He was a little younger than her, so it would never work out. But it was apparent that she needed to help the boy. She would spend much of the day that he was at school contemplating how she would relate to him.
"Well, I've already gotten your supplies for you, and Nabiki and our fathers had enrollment prepared for you. You'll just need to go in and sign a few papers."
__________________________________________
"Second Thought, Ranma, hurry up and get ready, I need to get to school early so I can show you around." Akane looked at her sister, but didn't give it any thought. Ranma walked in carrying a school pack that was given to him by Kasumi, and gave a sideways glance at the youngest Tendou daughter.
Akane felt like a heal for how she acted last night, but she wouldn't allow her dignity to suffer, "Well, just stay away from me while we're at school. I don't want anyone to associate me with a pervert."
The pigtailed boy's eyes narrowed, and before he could give reply, Nabiki pulled him by the arm, "We don't have time, hurry up!" Ranma decided to ignore the longhaired girl, and allowed himself to be lead away by Nabiki.
Akane stared after them, and silently berated herself for letting the opportunity to patch things up go by.
__________________________________________
Ranma found himself alone. Not that he had any problem with it, he preferred it really, but nonetheless he was alone. His natural aura of angst that surrounded him kept any friendly students at bay, as he watched the middle Tendou sister discuss things with her classmates. He had already gotten enrolled, and had nothing better to do than tag along and observe the girl. He wasn't sure why, but he had felt a bit curious about her every since last night, when she was staring at him in a way that didn't seem hostile, but still rather unnerving.
Nabiki was trying her best to ignore Ranma observing her, but she still found herself quite nervous. She stuck to answering questions about the 'mysterious and sexy', but perpetually antagonistic boy that she came to school with, she wasn't prepared to answer any personal questions, and carefully evaded them. Despite the disserting feeling, Nabiki felt a certain... warmness from the boy's attentions. He wasn't such a bad looker after all, and if it weren't for his curse and anti-social attitude, she'd say he was pretty close to perfect.
"Here comes Akane again," one of Nabiki's classmates drolled out.
"We got all the bets taken for how long this will take?" Another girl questioned.
"Yeah, all bets are final now," Nabiki added, marking a final student's name into the ledger, along with a time span.
Ranma turned to look out the window, seeing Akane rushing bullheaded into a crowd of boys. Ranma only stayed long enough to see the first swing from the crowd.
"Ranma, what...?" Nabiki gasped in fright, as Ranma leapt from the window of the third floor from where they were observing the fight. Then she and her friends were in awe, when Ranma landed safely, and ran towards the brawl.
"Ranma! Don't get involved! Akane can handle it!" Ranma ignored Nabiki's warnings. A large group of guys ganging up on one lone fighter, much less a girl, had him seeing red. The red haze in front of his eyes cleared, once he actually saw how the battle was going.
Akane whirled about in practiced motion, each strike far from economical, but devastating and enough to fell anyone in it's path. Ranma backed up to observe the fight better, noting how the girl handled herself. Not too much later, only a single figure remained standing.
"Honestly, every morning," Akane sighed in contempt, before noting Ranma's presence. His face was set in a neutral expression with his arms crossed, seeming to silently berate the girl, in Akane's perception. Akane began to retaliate to the imagined challenge verbally, when Ranma spoke.
"What's this all about?"
"Truly a boorish lot..." started a cultured voice, "Evidently, each of them intends to ask you out, Akane, on the dawn that he finally defeats you."
"Ask him," Akane motioned to the boy carrying a bokken and a rose, poised as if a dramatic figure of the feudal era.
"Yes, knave, let us have words," Kuno interjected, pointing his bokken in Ranma's direction, "How is it that you find yourself so familiar with the beauteous Tendou Akane? If you seek her hand, you must defeat the tigress in battle, as I had decreed."
"And why would I have to fight for Akane's hand?" Ranma growled, so this whole insanity was this idiot's fault before him.
"HEY!" Akane screeched, misinterpreting what Ranma had stated, Kuno made the same conclusion from what the other boy had said."
"You dare scorn the Lovely Tendou Akane's beauty? I say, it is not a man that turns away from such feminine radiance, not a man at *all*!"
Kuno hit a sore spot. Ranma began to visibly seethe, "You... take that back."
"Ah-hah! So my words much sting you deep? Perhaps such truth can be found in mine subtle barb," Kuno gave a slight smile in contempt, "perhaps you prefer those of more masculine structure?"
Ranma steadily and slowly strode up until his face was less than a foot from Kuno's, and looked into his eyes, "You... will take that back... now." The pigtailed boy's knuckles popped and were turning white.
Akane caught the whispers of the present student body about the new boy's sexual preference, taking his failing to partake in the battle for Akane's hand as sure evidence of such. She had suffered some of the same suggestions, and though the boy was a pervert, he didn't deserve the commentary and innuendos that were going about him, like she had and sometimes still does. Maybe what she would do next may earn something other than his animosity towards her. Maybe she'd even be able to clear herself of a few rumors.
"That's not true, Upper Classman Kuno!" Akane shouted, "I'm sure he likes girls just fine..." Akane steeled herself for the next part, "He's my Fiancée."
Everyone present in the schoolyard went silent at the announcement, only an "Akane, you idiot," heard in the distance from another Tendou. Ranma lost his perpetual scowl for a few instances, taken by surprise. Where had Akane received that notion?
Kuno gained a wild look in his eyes, and his face twisted into outrage, "Youuuuu," he started in a low voice, before starting again, "you dare claim the hand of Akane, without my consent."
"I don't think it's yours to give anyway, dolt," Ranma replied with contempt, almost spitting in the kendoist's face.
"IMPUDENT!!!!" Kuno cried, swinging his weapon down towards Ranma's cranium, forcing Ranma to dart to his right side quickly, then backpedal. Akane visibly saw the rage blossom in Ranma, as he instantly went into his standard stance.
Kuno immediately recovered from missed slash, having slightly overcompensated in his fury, and rotated his wrists so that his bokken was pointed sideways. In the same motion, Kuno raised his left arm vertically until his weapon was raised horizontally over his head, and then finally brought it around in a tight circular motion for a downward diagonal strike aimed for what he perceived was Ranma unprotected hip.
Ranma turned a bit more towards his right, bringing his left forward foot's heel off the ground and twisting it outward. At the moment Kuno's strike was about to connect, Ranma shifted his whole body into a counter; power that came from as deep as his legs, with his left foot twisting down, in turn causing the heel to drop strongly to add to the pigtailed boy's left fist swinging down at a diagonal strike from the elbow to counter Kuno's attack at his opposer's wrist.
Most of Kuno's momentum was countered, and Ranma tightened his back muscles to crunch against the bokken's connection. In the same motion as the counter, Ranma's back right foot rose off the heel and pushed off the ball of the foot. As if directly connected with his right leg, Ranma's right arm came up, placing its fist in front of its owner's face on the left side.
Ranma was airborne, his forward leaping motion bringing the jutting nudge of his elbow out and against the bridge of Kuno's nose powerfully. Once the flying elbow connected, Ranma torqued it to his left at a slight angle, dragging it with force to do more damage to Kuno's face.
Everyone in the schoolyard heard the crunch, and appropriately winced, as Kuno crashed hard into the tree behind him. Ranma scowled even more than usual for him, allowing everyone to comprehend his sincere resentment for. He didn't pay much attention to the exclamations of his fellow students that he managed to take Kuno down with one blow, since he wished he could had done so much more to the bastard slumped against the tree.
Akane looked with fearful awe, the way Ranma dealt with Kuno was much more excessive than the other boy deserved. She came to a realization, "Ranma doesn't play around."
Ranma was about to turn and walk away, "Hold, scoundrel."
Kuno's voice sounded a bit decongested, speaking while he stood back up with an extremely angry expression. Ranma's expression matched his opponents, albeit tainted with a bit of anticipation as he took up his stance.
The first Story, Part 3
"School?" Ranma repeated in inquiry with a slight strain in his voice; going through an isometric kata.
"Well, we *are* going to be staying a while," Genma replied. Ranma stopped his practice and walked up to his father, looking him in the eyes.
"You're serious this time," Ranma stated, "Exactly why do you want to stay here so long, I thought we would be going home after that ridiculous trip in China."
"Boy, you benefited a lot from China," Genma scolded.
"Yeah, this curse is a wonderful souvenir," Ranma replied snidely. Though in truth, Ranma did gain a lot from his experience in the orient. The learning of the three Heavenly Postures had opened up a totally new avenue of power that he had not comprehended before. He also felt an awareness of himself that at the time of discovery had put him in awe, opening the paths of the inner and outer heavenly circles. Before he was healthy, but now he healed much faster and found it difficult to be sick. Much of what he learned now complimented his style, and heavily integrated into his own form of Anything Goes Martial Arts.
"You whine just like a girl!" Genma attempted to grab Ranma by the muscle shirt, temporarily forgetting certain rules to remember around Ranma. The pigtailed boy effectively reminded him.
"It's time for me and Akane to..." Nabiki paused at the sight, "that looks like it hurts. Anyhow, we need to get to school."
"Fine," Ranma replied curtly, before walking out of the room.
"Hey!" Nabiki called out, "Akane can lead you there."
"I... don't think that would be the wisest idea," Genma commented, recalling events of the previous night. Nabiki quickly caught on at the subtle hint, just as her younger sister came down, ready for school.
________________________________________
Ranma walked into the kitchen to get a quick glass of water, before heading out."
"How do you feel about going to school here, Ranma-kun?" The pigtailed boy turned towards the matronly figure that held a glass of juice for him. Ranma looked at it warily, but then took it and sipped from the glass.
"It isn't the first time I've been. If anything, it will give me a break from my idiotic old man for a few hours of the day." Kasumi nodded, and handed Ranma a backpack.
"Thanks," Ranma said curtly, before walking out. Kasumi considered the boy. He was a little younger than her, so it would never work out. But it was apparent that she needed to help the boy. She would spend much of the day that he was at school contemplating how she would relate to him.
"Well, I've already gotten your supplies for you, and Nabiki and our fathers had enrollment prepared for you. You'll just need to go in and sign a few papers."
__________________________________________
"Second Thought, Ranma, hurry up and get ready, I need to get to school early so I can show you around." Akane looked at her sister, but didn't give it any thought. Ranma walked in carrying a school pack that was given to him by Kasumi, and gave a sideways glance at the youngest Tendou daughter.
Akane felt like a heal for how she acted last night, but she wouldn't allow her dignity to suffer, "Well, just stay away from me while we're at school. I don't want anyone to associate me with a pervert."
The pigtailed boy's eyes narrowed, and before he could give reply, Nabiki pulled him by the arm, "We don't have time, hurry up!" Ranma decided to ignore the longhaired girl, and allowed himself to be lead away by Nabiki.
Akane stared after them, and silently berated herself for letting the opportunity to patch things up go by.
__________________________________________
Ranma found himself alone. Not that he had any problem with it, he preferred it really, but nonetheless he was alone. His natural aura of angst that surrounded him kept any friendly students at bay, as he watched the middle Tendou sister discuss things with her classmates. He had already gotten enrolled, and had nothing better to do than tag along and observe the girl. He wasn't sure why, but he had felt a bit curious about her every since last night, when she was staring at him in a way that didn't seem hostile, but still rather unnerving.
Nabiki was trying her best to ignore Ranma observing her, but she still found herself quite nervous. She stuck to answering questions about the 'mysterious and sexy', but perpetually antagonistic boy that she came to school with, she wasn't prepared to answer any personal questions, and carefully evaded them. Despite the disserting feeling, Nabiki felt a certain... warmness from the boy's attentions. He wasn't such a bad looker after all, and if it weren't for his curse and anti-social attitude, she'd say he was pretty close to perfect.
"Here comes Akane again," one of Nabiki's classmates drolled out.
"We got all the bets taken for how long this will take?" Another girl questioned.
"Yeah, all bets are final now," Nabiki added, marking a final student's name into the ledger, along with a time span.
Ranma turned to look out the window, seeing Akane rushing bullheaded into a crowd of boys. Ranma only stayed long enough to see the first swing from the crowd.
"Ranma, what...?" Nabiki gasped in fright, as Ranma leapt from the window of the third floor from where they were observing the fight. Then she and her friends were in awe, when Ranma landed safely, and ran towards the brawl.
"Ranma! Don't get involved! Akane can handle it!" Ranma ignored Nabiki's warnings. A large group of guys ganging up on one lone fighter, much less a girl, had him seeing red. The red haze in front of his eyes cleared, once he actually saw how the battle was going.
Akane whirled about in practiced motion, each strike far from economical, but devastating and enough to fell anyone in it's path. Ranma backed up to observe the fight better, noting how the girl handled herself. Not too much later, only a single figure remained standing.
"Honestly, every morning," Akane sighed in contempt, before noting Ranma's presence. His face was set in a neutral expression with his arms crossed, seeming to silently berate the girl, in Akane's perception. Akane began to retaliate to the imagined challenge verbally, when Ranma spoke.
"What's this all about?"
"Truly a boorish lot..." started a cultured voice, "Evidently, each of them intends to ask you out, Akane, on the dawn that he finally defeats you."
"Ask him," Akane motioned to the boy carrying a bokken and a rose, poised as if a dramatic figure of the feudal era.
"Yes, knave, let us have words," Kuno interjected, pointing his bokken in Ranma's direction, "How is it that you find yourself so familiar with the beauteous Tendou Akane? If you seek her hand, you must defeat the tigress in battle, as I had decreed."
"And why would I have to fight for Akane's hand?" Ranma growled, so this whole insanity was this idiot's fault before him.
"HEY!" Akane screeched, misinterpreting what Ranma had stated, Kuno made the same conclusion from what the other boy had said."
"You dare scorn the Lovely Tendou Akane's beauty? I say, it is not a man that turns away from such feminine radiance, not a man at *all*!"
Kuno hit a sore spot. Ranma began to visibly seethe, "You... take that back."
"Ah-hah! So my words much sting you deep? Perhaps such truth can be found in mine subtle barb," Kuno gave a slight smile in contempt, "perhaps you prefer those of more masculine structure?"
Ranma steadily and slowly strode up until his face was less than a foot from Kuno's, and looked into his eyes, "You... will take that back... now." The pigtailed boy's knuckles popped and were turning white.
Akane caught the whispers of the present student body about the new boy's sexual preference, taking his failing to partake in the battle for Akane's hand as sure evidence of such. She had suffered some of the same suggestions, and though the boy was a pervert, he didn't deserve the commentary and innuendos that were going about him, like she had and sometimes still does. Maybe what she would do next may earn something other than his animosity towards her. Maybe she'd even be able to clear herself of a few rumors.
"That's not true, Upper Classman Kuno!" Akane shouted, "I'm sure he likes girls just fine..." Akane steeled herself for the next part, "He's my Fiancée."
Everyone present in the schoolyard went silent at the announcement, only an "Akane, you idiot," heard in the distance from another Tendou. Ranma lost his perpetual scowl for a few instances, taken by surprise. Where had Akane received that notion?
Kuno gained a wild look in his eyes, and his face twisted into outrage, "Youuuuu," he started in a low voice, before starting again, "you dare claim the hand of Akane, without my consent."
"I don't think it's yours to give anyway, dolt," Ranma replied with contempt, almost spitting in the kendoist's face.
"IMPUDENT!!!!" Kuno cried, swinging his weapon down towards Ranma's cranium, forcing Ranma to dart to his right side quickly, then backpedal. Akane visibly saw the rage blossom in Ranma, as he instantly went into his standard stance.
Kuno immediately recovered from missed slash, having slightly overcompensated in his fury, and rotated his wrists so that his bokken was pointed sideways. In the same motion, Kuno raised his left arm vertically until his weapon was raised horizontally over his head, and then finally brought it around in a tight circular motion for a downward diagonal strike aimed for what he perceived was Ranma unprotected hip.
Ranma turned a bit more towards his right, bringing his left forward foot's heel off the ground and twisting it outward. At the moment Kuno's strike was about to connect, Ranma shifted his whole body into a counter; power that came from as deep as his legs, with his left foot twisting down, in turn causing the heel to drop strongly to add to the pigtailed boy's left fist swinging down at a diagonal strike from the elbow to counter Kuno's attack at his opposer's wrist.
Most of Kuno's momentum was countered, and Ranma tightened his back muscles to crunch against the bokken's connection. In the same motion as the counter, Ranma's back right foot rose off the heel and pushed off the ball of the foot. As if directly connected with his right leg, Ranma's right arm came up, placing its fist in front of its owner's face on the left side.
Ranma was airborne, his forward leaping motion bringing the jutting nudge of his elbow out and against the bridge of Kuno's nose powerfully. Once the flying elbow connected, Ranma torqued it to his left at a slight angle, dragging it with force to do more damage to Kuno's face.
Everyone in the schoolyard heard the crunch, and appropriately winced, as Kuno crashed hard into the tree behind him. Ranma scowled even more than usual for him, allowing everyone to comprehend his sincere resentment for. He didn't pay much attention to the exclamations of his fellow students that he managed to take Kuno down with one blow, since he wished he could had done so much more to the bastard slumped against the tree.
Akane looked with fearful awe, the way Ranma dealt with Kuno was much more excessive than the other boy deserved. She came to a realization, "Ranma doesn't play around."
Ranma was about to turn and walk away, "Hold, scoundrel."
Kuno's voice sounded a bit decongested, speaking while he stood back up with an extremely angry expression. Ranma's expression matched his opponents, albeit tainted with a bit of anticipation as he took up his stance.