Wassup? I'm here again.
Well, I got Alex to track Lila down and now we're all set to get at it again.
As soon as they show up...
Lila: I'm here!
Alex: You started yet?
Alex Ultra: Just getting there.
But first, for the Reviewer Responses:
I may never remember my name: Lila: [Coldly glares at Alex Ultra] WHAT made you suggest he do THAT!? Alex Ultra: [Grins stupidly] Eh... hehe? Um, hey, I wonder if you even have a name? Seems like you may not? Lila: Oh, you are SO gonna get it! Alex Ultra: ^_^+ Alex: -_-''
Well, I guess we can get on with it now.
Lila: [Grumbling to herself]
Languages: "-English-" "Japanese" "\Chinese\" Thoughts don't count.
~~~~~~*** LAST MINUTE CHANCE ***~~~~~~
Ranma was up on the fence that next morning, despite being heavily bandaged all the way up his right side because of an incident the night before.
I could just barely make out the slight limp every time he stepped on his right foot. He was fortunate his lower arm didn't get caught up in it or he would have had a tough time in class.
I wasn't going to try to argue with him, but he was letting himself slow down this morning. He said it was so we wouldn't complain about him being too fast, but we knew better.
Akane waved a hand in front of my face to get my attention. "Huh? What's up?"
She pointed her finger behind us. "You missed our turn." I then promptly turned around and ran at full speed back to the corner where we normally turn to school.
"Haha! Oops! I guess I wasn't paying much attention! Sorry." Ranma was standing on the corner of his favorite fence looking a bit annoyed.
With a sigh, he continued down the fence and we followed.
"You sure aren't paying much attention this morning..." Akane was looking at me from the side.
I pointed in front of us. "Aaah!" She barely managed to jump over the mailbox on the sidewalk. Getting her bearings back she came back up beside me. "See? Now you've got me doing it! What's up?"
I pointed my finger up at Ranma. "Has he ever done that before?"
She looked at him questioningly, and he looked at me with the same tone. "Done what?"
I looked at him. "Nearly killed himself."
Akane was silent for a second, but Ranma just shrugged and went on. "Yeah, a few times actually." She didn't say any more, so I didn't ask.
Not even a minute later we arrived at the school.
"Ranma!" Kuno ran out to meet us at the sight of Ranma. "Ah, my pig-tailed goddess, we shall have to speak later. Now my only concern is Ranma!" As I glared angrily at him, he pulled out a slip of paper that had the word 'Challenge' written on it.
"What's this?"
"I challenge you Ranma!"
Ranma fell into a fighting stance on hearing these words uttered. "So? How would you like to be beaten today? In the head, the side, the gut, or should I just take you out from below?"
Kuno didn't say anything. "First, the terms. If I should win, you will set me up on a date with the Pig-Tailed girl."
"HEY!!" I yelled at him, extremely put off.
"I am sorry! But it is the red haired one of which I speak!"
"Oh, go on."
Ranma dropped his guard and looked at Kuno suspiciously. "Okay... and when I win, you'll leave both of them alone for the next week. Good enough?"
Kuno smiled. "Acceptable. Do you accept this challenge?"
"Yep!" Ranma fell back into his fighting stance.
"Good. Now the terms for the challenge."
"Ya ya, I beat your butt, we leave, everything turns out fine. Let's go!"
"The one who scores higher on their next test shall be the winner!"
Ranma was struck speechless for a second. "Huh?"
"We meet back here in three days. The one who scores higher on their next test wins this challenge." Kuno walked away, seeming pretty confident for some reason. But then, he always seemed pretty confident, even when he had a face full of dirt.
Ranma watched him walk away. "Um, what just happened?"
Akane smiled at him teasingly. "Hehe, the densest guy in school just challenged you to a battle of wits!"
"I can't wait to see this!" But first, I had to go to class.
~~
'Furinkan High School. Ranma Saotome.' A girl walking wordlessly by noted the name of the school as she continued on her way.
She didn't even change pace as she walked on.
"Hey! Aren't you going to school?"
"Hmm? No. I don't go here, and I don't have school today."
"Oh, bummer. We've got no breaks till summer three weeks from now. Well, see ya!" The boy that had addressed her ran off towards the school.
"Hn, I'll have to look into it, I guess."
~~
On the first day, he studied. He had a test in his World History class tomorrow and he was going to be prepared.
He studied during lunch, he studied during class, he even studied on the walk (run) home. And once there, he studied all night until he fell asleep reciting dates and names.
Then the second day, he did what he knew he had to do. Constantly reviewing to himself all the useless information he had memorized the day before, he took the test.
Initially, he froze, he hated tests. But then he took a deep breath, and plunged right in.
Afterward, he wasn't as sure as he would have liked to be. "But hey! Kuno's a moron! He can't possibly do THAT well! HA!" After that revelation, he was in a pretty good mood.
The next day was judgment day.
~~
We got to school and right away Kuno spotted Ranma. "Saotome! Today it is decided."
"As it is, but not till after hours. I need to pick mine up today."
"Then after hours it is! We shall meet then!" He was so cocky that he didn't even seem to notice me, not that I was complaining.
'He must be up to something...'
~~
At lunch Ranma seemed rather happy. "So I take it went well?"
"Check it out!" Ranma handed me a slip of paper. At the top-right corner was a big A+ in red ink, and just below that was a score. 98%
I lowered the report and stared into his face. "What is it?" I handed the paper to Akane, who took it in hand.
"Holy!! Ranma! You did this!? Wow!"
"Great, isn't it?"
"Yeah! Wow, Kuno's going to have a hard time beating this!" Akane saw Nabiki walking by and waved her over. "Nabiki! Look at what Ranma did!"
She looked at it and smiled. "Wow! That is good!" She let out a short laugh and walked on.
"Man! Wait till I show Kasumi!" Ranma took back the sheet of paper.
"First I have to show Kuno. Then you can show it to anyone but pops! Okay?"
"Why not your father?"
Ranma sighed. "Because he will get the idea that he needs to beat my head into the ground. Why do you think he took me on that trip through China anyway?" Akane shrugged. "I was apparently a smart kid and he figured I should put my head in Martial Arts like him. In other words he wanted me to be more like him..."
"What do you mean? Fast to act and slow to think?" Ranma nodded, and I noted the interesting use of words.
"Look, the bottom line is that this doesn't get to my father, okay?"
"Sure, why not. Besides, that way I can save it for later!" Ranma scowled and went back to his eating.
~~ Later, in the School Grounds ~~
Ranma was waiting for Kuno by the school gate right after school let out. He didn't have too long to wait, of course.
"Saotome, now we're here. Let's get on with this!" I still swore that he seemed a little too confident, but who knows?
"Sure. Here you go, that's mine." Ranma handed his report to Kuno, who took it in hand with a smile.
He looked at it and his face immediately took a frown. "You got this score, Saotome?"
"Yeah, great isn't it?" Ranma looked... like Ranma. He was smiling, but he had already spent most of the afternoon being proud of himself so he probably didn't feel like gloating right then.
"Well then, you may find my score... disappointing." He handed a similar piece of paper to Ranma's waiting hand.
Ranma looked at it with a smile on his face... and immediately turned green.
Akane walked over to look over Ranma's shoulder as Kuno spoke up. "Yes, I do believe it to be an acceptable score. Although it couldn't hurt that it was in my Kendo class."
Anger immediately shone on Ranma's face. "KKKUUUUUNNNNOOOO!!! I-..." He seemed to be stuck mid-sentence, almost as if contemplating his next move. He had one finger stuck directly in Kuno's face.
I could have sworn that I saw defeat weigh heavily on his shoulders as he said the next phrase. "I'll see what I can do." He then turned around and walked away, making eye contact with no one, letting Kuno's scorecard drop to the ground.
Kuno started hailing the heavens and ran off to who-knows-where as if he was the happiest person in the world.
I walked cautiously up to Akane and asked what that was all about.
"Kuno got a perfect score. And Ranma lost."
I thought about it for a minute, part in disbelief, and part in shock. "So what you're saying is... Ranma lost a battle of wits against the worst air- head in school."
"Second."
"Huh?"
"His sister's a bigger air-head, or acts like it." I sighed... not really finding why that was important.
"We can talk about that later, let's just go." Akane started off, and I followed her.
~~
"So are you really going to go through with it?" Nabiki interrupted counting her money (most likely bets from the earlier encounter between Ranma and Kuno) to ask Ranma a question that was on everyone's mind.
"I don't really have a choice. I agreed to the terms, and I'm not about to go back on it. I have to." Nabiki let out a hum and went back to her money.
His father had gotten wind of the little bet, and for some reason was celebrating his son's loss. "HAHA!! My boy lost a battle of wits to an idiot! I'm so proud!"
"Mr. Saotome! I don't see what's to celebrate about that!"
"Ha! I always say that if you're one step behind in schoolwork, that means you're one step ahead in training! I'm proud of you boy!"
"You do realize what this means, don't you?"
"A small price to pay for your art! When I think a--" His celebration was cut short by a splash of water from a pail that was now empty and hanging from Ranma's grip.
"Shut up pops!"
"And Ranma, while you're at it, you really should get Ranko." Kasumi handed him glass of water for himself.
Sighing, he took the glass. "What did I do to deserve this?" Closing his eyes, he dumped the glass over his head.
~~
'That's an interesting predicament he's gotten himself into.' The girl had to chuckle to herself as she went over what happened during the day. As strange as the circumstances may be, Ranma should have known Kuno was up to something.
'Well, kay serah, serah. Or whatever that saying is...'
~~
Hanumiki smiled at his newest guest. "Well! I'm so glad you could make it!" An extremely old man, seeming even older than himself, and yet stronger and taller as well, stood only a few feet away, looking pleased to be there.
"Oh of course. But you do know that I'm not actually here-here."
"Of course, I realize that. But whether an Astro-projection or the real thing, it's you either way. We have much catching up to do old friend."
The taller man smiled. "Of course, but why don't we discuss the reason for my visit, hmm? It must have been pretty important for you to have called me."
"Yes... well. About that..."
~~~~~~*** End of Chapter 5 ***~~~~~~
Hehe, two cut-offs in the same chapter. Am I evil or what?
Of course, there wasn't any action in this chapter, but wasn't Kuno's challenge PERFECT!?!?
Yeah, that's what I thought. Perfect as always.
Lila: [Dumps a bucket of water on Alex Ultra]
Alex Ultra: [Shocked and confused] Meow?
Lila: Ha! If you like cats so much, why don't you try BEING one for a while!?
Alex: Good one! Jusenkyo water?
Lila: Yep!
Alex Ultra: Meow! [Is now a small brown and white cat]
Lila: Now little kitty, it's time for your shots! [Holds up a needle]
Alex Ultra: MEOW!!!!!!! [Panics and starts running at a blinding speed]
Lila: Oh come on! It won't hurt too much! The pain will only last until you lose consciousness! Hehe...
Alex: HAHA! I never would have thought of that! It's perfect! [Won't stop laughing]
Lila: I know! I took the whole time while he was typing to collect that water!
Alex Ultra: [Still meowing and running at inhuman speed]
Lila: [To Alex] What's he saying anyway?
Alex: He's saying 'NOT THE NEEDLE!! NOT THE NEEDLE!! NO NEEDLES! NO NEEDLES!!' Geeze, he's as bad as Goku!
Lila: Another friend of yours?
Alex: Uh, yeah.
Alex Ultra: [Now on top of a refrigerator] [Series of meowing sounds]
Alex: Well yeah I can talk to cats! Psychic, remember? All I had to do was read your mind!
Lila: Yeah, like you did with the demons... remember?
Alex: Oh yeah. You know, he turned out to be an up-standing guy! [Smiles sweetly]
Lila: Uh, right.
Bringer of Hope and Creator of Worlds
Alex and Alex Ultra
LATER MEOOOOOOOOWWWWWWW!!!! [HEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPPP!!!!]
Well, I got Alex to track Lila down and now we're all set to get at it again.
As soon as they show up...
Lila: I'm here!
Alex: You started yet?
Alex Ultra: Just getting there.
But first, for the Reviewer Responses:
I may never remember my name: Lila: [Coldly glares at Alex Ultra] WHAT made you suggest he do THAT!? Alex Ultra: [Grins stupidly] Eh... hehe? Um, hey, I wonder if you even have a name? Seems like you may not? Lila: Oh, you are SO gonna get it! Alex Ultra: ^_^+ Alex: -_-''
Well, I guess we can get on with it now.
Lila: [Grumbling to herself]
Languages: "-English-" "Japanese" "\Chinese\" Thoughts don't count.
~~~~~~*** LAST MINUTE CHANCE ***~~~~~~
Ranma was up on the fence that next morning, despite being heavily bandaged all the way up his right side because of an incident the night before.
I could just barely make out the slight limp every time he stepped on his right foot. He was fortunate his lower arm didn't get caught up in it or he would have had a tough time in class.
I wasn't going to try to argue with him, but he was letting himself slow down this morning. He said it was so we wouldn't complain about him being too fast, but we knew better.
Akane waved a hand in front of my face to get my attention. "Huh? What's up?"
She pointed her finger behind us. "You missed our turn." I then promptly turned around and ran at full speed back to the corner where we normally turn to school.
"Haha! Oops! I guess I wasn't paying much attention! Sorry." Ranma was standing on the corner of his favorite fence looking a bit annoyed.
With a sigh, he continued down the fence and we followed.
"You sure aren't paying much attention this morning..." Akane was looking at me from the side.
I pointed in front of us. "Aaah!" She barely managed to jump over the mailbox on the sidewalk. Getting her bearings back she came back up beside me. "See? Now you've got me doing it! What's up?"
I pointed my finger up at Ranma. "Has he ever done that before?"
She looked at him questioningly, and he looked at me with the same tone. "Done what?"
I looked at him. "Nearly killed himself."
Akane was silent for a second, but Ranma just shrugged and went on. "Yeah, a few times actually." She didn't say any more, so I didn't ask.
Not even a minute later we arrived at the school.
"Ranma!" Kuno ran out to meet us at the sight of Ranma. "Ah, my pig-tailed goddess, we shall have to speak later. Now my only concern is Ranma!" As I glared angrily at him, he pulled out a slip of paper that had the word 'Challenge' written on it.
"What's this?"
"I challenge you Ranma!"
Ranma fell into a fighting stance on hearing these words uttered. "So? How would you like to be beaten today? In the head, the side, the gut, or should I just take you out from below?"
Kuno didn't say anything. "First, the terms. If I should win, you will set me up on a date with the Pig-Tailed girl."
"HEY!!" I yelled at him, extremely put off.
"I am sorry! But it is the red haired one of which I speak!"
"Oh, go on."
Ranma dropped his guard and looked at Kuno suspiciously. "Okay... and when I win, you'll leave both of them alone for the next week. Good enough?"
Kuno smiled. "Acceptable. Do you accept this challenge?"
"Yep!" Ranma fell back into his fighting stance.
"Good. Now the terms for the challenge."
"Ya ya, I beat your butt, we leave, everything turns out fine. Let's go!"
"The one who scores higher on their next test shall be the winner!"
Ranma was struck speechless for a second. "Huh?"
"We meet back here in three days. The one who scores higher on their next test wins this challenge." Kuno walked away, seeming pretty confident for some reason. But then, he always seemed pretty confident, even when he had a face full of dirt.
Ranma watched him walk away. "Um, what just happened?"
Akane smiled at him teasingly. "Hehe, the densest guy in school just challenged you to a battle of wits!"
"I can't wait to see this!" But first, I had to go to class.
~~
'Furinkan High School. Ranma Saotome.' A girl walking wordlessly by noted the name of the school as she continued on her way.
She didn't even change pace as she walked on.
"Hey! Aren't you going to school?"
"Hmm? No. I don't go here, and I don't have school today."
"Oh, bummer. We've got no breaks till summer three weeks from now. Well, see ya!" The boy that had addressed her ran off towards the school.
"Hn, I'll have to look into it, I guess."
~~
On the first day, he studied. He had a test in his World History class tomorrow and he was going to be prepared.
He studied during lunch, he studied during class, he even studied on the walk (run) home. And once there, he studied all night until he fell asleep reciting dates and names.
Then the second day, he did what he knew he had to do. Constantly reviewing to himself all the useless information he had memorized the day before, he took the test.
Initially, he froze, he hated tests. But then he took a deep breath, and plunged right in.
Afterward, he wasn't as sure as he would have liked to be. "But hey! Kuno's a moron! He can't possibly do THAT well! HA!" After that revelation, he was in a pretty good mood.
The next day was judgment day.
~~
We got to school and right away Kuno spotted Ranma. "Saotome! Today it is decided."
"As it is, but not till after hours. I need to pick mine up today."
"Then after hours it is! We shall meet then!" He was so cocky that he didn't even seem to notice me, not that I was complaining.
'He must be up to something...'
~~
At lunch Ranma seemed rather happy. "So I take it went well?"
"Check it out!" Ranma handed me a slip of paper. At the top-right corner was a big A+ in red ink, and just below that was a score. 98%
I lowered the report and stared into his face. "What is it?" I handed the paper to Akane, who took it in hand.
"Holy!! Ranma! You did this!? Wow!"
"Great, isn't it?"
"Yeah! Wow, Kuno's going to have a hard time beating this!" Akane saw Nabiki walking by and waved her over. "Nabiki! Look at what Ranma did!"
She looked at it and smiled. "Wow! That is good!" She let out a short laugh and walked on.
"Man! Wait till I show Kasumi!" Ranma took back the sheet of paper.
"First I have to show Kuno. Then you can show it to anyone but pops! Okay?"
"Why not your father?"
Ranma sighed. "Because he will get the idea that he needs to beat my head into the ground. Why do you think he took me on that trip through China anyway?" Akane shrugged. "I was apparently a smart kid and he figured I should put my head in Martial Arts like him. In other words he wanted me to be more like him..."
"What do you mean? Fast to act and slow to think?" Ranma nodded, and I noted the interesting use of words.
"Look, the bottom line is that this doesn't get to my father, okay?"
"Sure, why not. Besides, that way I can save it for later!" Ranma scowled and went back to his eating.
~~ Later, in the School Grounds ~~
Ranma was waiting for Kuno by the school gate right after school let out. He didn't have too long to wait, of course.
"Saotome, now we're here. Let's get on with this!" I still swore that he seemed a little too confident, but who knows?
"Sure. Here you go, that's mine." Ranma handed his report to Kuno, who took it in hand with a smile.
He looked at it and his face immediately took a frown. "You got this score, Saotome?"
"Yeah, great isn't it?" Ranma looked... like Ranma. He was smiling, but he had already spent most of the afternoon being proud of himself so he probably didn't feel like gloating right then.
"Well then, you may find my score... disappointing." He handed a similar piece of paper to Ranma's waiting hand.
Ranma looked at it with a smile on his face... and immediately turned green.
Akane walked over to look over Ranma's shoulder as Kuno spoke up. "Yes, I do believe it to be an acceptable score. Although it couldn't hurt that it was in my Kendo class."
Anger immediately shone on Ranma's face. "KKKUUUUUNNNNOOOO!!! I-..." He seemed to be stuck mid-sentence, almost as if contemplating his next move. He had one finger stuck directly in Kuno's face.
I could have sworn that I saw defeat weigh heavily on his shoulders as he said the next phrase. "I'll see what I can do." He then turned around and walked away, making eye contact with no one, letting Kuno's scorecard drop to the ground.
Kuno started hailing the heavens and ran off to who-knows-where as if he was the happiest person in the world.
I walked cautiously up to Akane and asked what that was all about.
"Kuno got a perfect score. And Ranma lost."
I thought about it for a minute, part in disbelief, and part in shock. "So what you're saying is... Ranma lost a battle of wits against the worst air- head in school."
"Second."
"Huh?"
"His sister's a bigger air-head, or acts like it." I sighed... not really finding why that was important.
"We can talk about that later, let's just go." Akane started off, and I followed her.
~~
"So are you really going to go through with it?" Nabiki interrupted counting her money (most likely bets from the earlier encounter between Ranma and Kuno) to ask Ranma a question that was on everyone's mind.
"I don't really have a choice. I agreed to the terms, and I'm not about to go back on it. I have to." Nabiki let out a hum and went back to her money.
His father had gotten wind of the little bet, and for some reason was celebrating his son's loss. "HAHA!! My boy lost a battle of wits to an idiot! I'm so proud!"
"Mr. Saotome! I don't see what's to celebrate about that!"
"Ha! I always say that if you're one step behind in schoolwork, that means you're one step ahead in training! I'm proud of you boy!"
"You do realize what this means, don't you?"
"A small price to pay for your art! When I think a--" His celebration was cut short by a splash of water from a pail that was now empty and hanging from Ranma's grip.
"Shut up pops!"
"And Ranma, while you're at it, you really should get Ranko." Kasumi handed him glass of water for himself.
Sighing, he took the glass. "What did I do to deserve this?" Closing his eyes, he dumped the glass over his head.
~~
'That's an interesting predicament he's gotten himself into.' The girl had to chuckle to herself as she went over what happened during the day. As strange as the circumstances may be, Ranma should have known Kuno was up to something.
'Well, kay serah, serah. Or whatever that saying is...'
~~
Hanumiki smiled at his newest guest. "Well! I'm so glad you could make it!" An extremely old man, seeming even older than himself, and yet stronger and taller as well, stood only a few feet away, looking pleased to be there.
"Oh of course. But you do know that I'm not actually here-here."
"Of course, I realize that. But whether an Astro-projection or the real thing, it's you either way. We have much catching up to do old friend."
The taller man smiled. "Of course, but why don't we discuss the reason for my visit, hmm? It must have been pretty important for you to have called me."
"Yes... well. About that..."
~~~~~~*** End of Chapter 5 ***~~~~~~
Hehe, two cut-offs in the same chapter. Am I evil or what?
Of course, there wasn't any action in this chapter, but wasn't Kuno's challenge PERFECT!?!?
Yeah, that's what I thought. Perfect as always.
Lila: [Dumps a bucket of water on Alex Ultra]
Alex Ultra: [Shocked and confused] Meow?
Lila: Ha! If you like cats so much, why don't you try BEING one for a while!?
Alex: Good one! Jusenkyo water?
Lila: Yep!
Alex Ultra: Meow! [Is now a small brown and white cat]
Lila: Now little kitty, it's time for your shots! [Holds up a needle]
Alex Ultra: MEOW!!!!!!! [Panics and starts running at a blinding speed]
Lila: Oh come on! It won't hurt too much! The pain will only last until you lose consciousness! Hehe...
Alex: HAHA! I never would have thought of that! It's perfect! [Won't stop laughing]
Lila: I know! I took the whole time while he was typing to collect that water!
Alex Ultra: [Still meowing and running at inhuman speed]
Lila: [To Alex] What's he saying anyway?
Alex: He's saying 'NOT THE NEEDLE!! NOT THE NEEDLE!! NO NEEDLES! NO NEEDLES!!' Geeze, he's as bad as Goku!
Lila: Another friend of yours?
Alex: Uh, yeah.
Alex Ultra: [Now on top of a refrigerator] [Series of meowing sounds]
Alex: Well yeah I can talk to cats! Psychic, remember? All I had to do was read your mind!
Lila: Yeah, like you did with the demons... remember?
Alex: Oh yeah. You know, he turned out to be an up-standing guy! [Smiles sweetly]
Lila: Uh, right.
Bringer of Hope and Creator of Worlds
Alex and Alex Ultra
LATER MEOOOOOOOOWWWWWWW!!!! [HEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPPP!!!!]