CHAPTER SEVEN

"NICE CREWCUT"

Some of the students scurried to the window to see what the commotion was all about. Akane pushed her was through the crowd of students, she gasped. Ranma followed, still half-asleep, "What happened?" he mumbled.

"Look!" Akane pointed outside. She heard a thud behind her, she looked over her shoulder; only to see that Ranma had collapsed on the floor… sleeping… again. Akane sighed, "So hopeless…"

XXX

"Oh my god!" a middle-aged man shouted. He had dark tinted glasses, a Hawaiian attire and a coconut plant sitting on the top of his head. He held one of those electronic razors in his hand. He looked down at Rio who was kneeling on all fours.

Rio dug his fingers into the dirt, tears streamed down his eyes. "How dare you…" he whispered. " HOW DARE YOU TRIM MY HAIR!" he yelled. He stood up and glared at Principal Kuno. A big wad of hair lay at his feet, Rio's soul was enveloped in an inferno. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the handle of his wooden sword. Kuno stepped back.

"Oh so sorry! I thought you were one of my students!" he said, he dropped the razor on the ground. He laughed. "It grows back anyway!"

A crowd of students now surrounded the two, blocking any escape route for Kuno. Rio slowly walked towards the cowering principal, "It will take a long time for it to grow back." He growled. He lifted his wooden sword over his head.

The students began to cheer for Rio. Rio swung his sword down at the cowering Kuno. Kuno ducked. The palm on his head split into two, the wooden sword just barely touching his head. Rio noticed that there was a kendo stick blocking his sword from hitting the principal's head. Rio stepped back. The one who owned the sword looked at Rio coldly. He had short brownish-black hair and had on a dark-blue robe.

Principal Kuno hugged this person tightly at the leg, "Oh son! I knew you would save me!" he cried.

Tatewaki looked at his father in disgust, "I'm only doing this for my image." He spat. "Now let go, so I could fight this fiend." Principal Kuno let go of the leg and crawled back. The shouts from the students became louder.

Nabiki stepped in. it was a moment or money-making opportunities. "Alright! Place your bets on who'd win. Tatewaki or the new guy?"

"Stop blocking my way, boy. I have unfinished business to attend to." Rio said.

Tatewaki squinted his eyes, quickly he charged at Rio. Rio blocked the attack. The students watched in awe as a flurry of attacks forced their way into either Rio or Tatewaki. Then both of them jumped away from one another, they were both panting. Rio was getting tired of this play, "Tokageroh." He mumbled.

Tokageroh appeared behind Rio, "Need my help now?" Tokageroh entered the wooden sword.

XXX

A student clambered up a tree to see what the commotion was all about. He had short black hair and a skeleton-like appearance. He looked through his binoculars with his sullen eyes. His heart raced as he saw a green-skinned spirit enter a man's wooden sword. The binoculars fell on the ground as Gosunkugi searched his school bag for a book. He squealed in delight as he pulled out a worn-out book. He scanned the pages thoroughly, "Here it is!" he said to himself. His thin bony fingers traced over the title. He read the article about Shamans, about spirit control, Oversoul… etc… etc… he was deeply engrossed in his readings. He leant backwards, thinking there was something to lean to and fell of the tree.

XXX

Tatewaki stepped back from Rio. His hair was matted with sweat, fear was in him. Somehow this man became stronger than before. He held the handle of his kendo sick tightly. He could feel his blood rushing to his ears.

Rio approached him, he swung his Oversouled sword downwards at Tatewaki. Tatewaki raised his kendo stick to defend himself and closed his eyes. He felt a light thud on his kendo stick, he opened his eyes. In terror he jumped back. His kendo stick was in two, his blue robe had a large gash and he was bleeding lightly from a wound in his chest.

He didn't know what to do, he dropped his stick and pushed his way through the crowd. The Principal crawled away too. The students jeered at the two retreating figures then they slowly dispersed.

Rio didn't chase after them, he ran his fingers over his shortly trimmed hair. He sighed, "No use crying over spilt milk." He told himself.

"That came in too late don't you think?" Tokageroh joked.

"Oh, you be quiet." Rio murmured.

XXX

"Alright, class!" the teacher scolded them. "Get back to your seats!"

The students returned to their designated seats. Akane had to kick Ranma to wake him up.

Akane had a hard time trying to pay attention to the teacher, she was amazed on how that man easily beat Tatewaki. She remembered Ranma saying that Tatewaki was getting stronger day by day. But… the guy that was staying over at their place was older… maybe experience was on his side.

XXX

Lee Pai Long was busy repairing the hue hole Len created a while earlier. Anna was watching television with Pilika. Pilika was trying to keep up with the plot of the soap opera Anna was watching. Jun and Kasumi seemed to get along pretty well, they were busy talking and drinking tea. Len locked himself up in the guest's room. Morty, Yoh and Trey lazed away outside; just looking at clear blue sky. They heard someone walk in.

Rio dragged his feet into the living room where Anna, Pilika, Jun and Kasumi were. Pilika gasped, "What happened to your hair!"

"Oh, dear!" Kasumi exclaimed. She stood up and approached Rio, "Your hair is unevenly cut. If you want I could fix it up for you."

Rio's eyes shone, "Yes please!"

Trey looked at Rio from outside, "You guys notice that only Rio's hair gets ruined when he fights?"

"Maybe it's a big magnet so that the blows would head straight to his hair." Morty chuckled.

"How are you even sure that Rio fought today?" Yoh asked, his eyes still closed.

"Rio's not that stupid to cut his hair like that." Trey answered. Then he stopped to think, "Or… maybe he is."

The trio laughed.

XXX

Rio looked at himself in a mirror that was handed to him by Kasumi. His hair was in a neatly trimmed crew cut. He was happy that Kasumi trimmed his hair for him, it made it even more special, "Why… thank you!" he said as he stood up.

"Wow, Rio!" Pilika said.

Anna didn't bother to look at Rio, every other hairstyle of Rio was all the same to her.

"You're really good, Kasumi!" Jun commented.

"Oh, it's nothing." Kasumi replied humbly.

Rio walked outside to the three guys lying on the grass. "Look at what my beloved queen gave me!"

Trey looked at Rio's new hairstyle, "Don't tell me… she signed you up in an army!" he joked.

"Very funny."

"It looks pretty good, Rio." Yoh said as he opened his eyes. "It just made your head look bigger."

XXX

Gosunkugi pulled himself up. "There are shamans here!" he whispered to himself. He grabbed his book and ran to his class, thoughts coursed through his mind. Why hasn't he thought of that before? He could just capture a spirit and command it to destroy Ranma… and voila! He has Akane all for himself. Gosunkugi laughed. It will all be easy. All the notes to capture a spirit were in his book… all he has to do is find one.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

(A/N) (blush) I am so flattered… anyway, Sapphire-Amethyst, I hope that they finish SK too or I'd hate myself for not watching that Philippine dubbed version. If they didn't… well the letter bomb's on its way.

Showstopper: hey, what happened to you? I miss your reviews.

Al? what ?

I'm still not sure on what to do with Pilika, people out there, please voice out your opinions. I'd appreciate each and every one.

With love,

Pazaway-tiger