Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ use it merely for entertainment purposes.
A few days went by and so far things around Nerima had calmed down somewhat since the arrival of Eugene, though Kuno was still on the warpath about riding Japan of Gaijin influence. Nabiki, ever the business woman, started taking bets of who would be the one to knock Kuno out and how far he would travel giving her more profits in the last couple of days. Nabiki had decided that she would stick closer to the new arrival because he had caught her interest, many people would give Eugene looks of sympathy as anyone that caught her interest would soon be in her debt. So far the only real profit she got from him, directly anyway was because Akane had hit Ranma over twelve times and it was only Wednesday, meaning he owed her the money for the bet.
Currently Ranma and Eugene were alone on the school roof during the lunch break. It appeared that with Eugene around he seemed to act as a buffer between Ranma, and the chaos field he seemed to admit, and the world around him. "Man I tell you Kasumi gives even Grandma a run for her money in terms of making food," Eugene commented sampling some of food Kasumi made for him.
"Best I ever had," Ranma agreed after scarfing down the food in less than ten seconds.
A few minutes later Eugene finished his own food and decided to ask Ranma a question he had been meaning to almost since he met the gender changing martial artists. "Ranma what do you think of your life?"
"What'cha mean?" Ranma asked. He had a look of total bewilderment because no one had really asked him his opinion on just about anything.
"I mean how do you feel about, well everything that goes on around here?" Eugene asked.
Ranma snorted at the question, "I think it's a pain. I got more crazy rivals and fiancés then I thought possible." He then paused when he realized something, "No offence to yer Cousin or nothing." He then muttered, "Danm honorless Baka-Panda!" Then turning to his new friend and sparring partner he asked, "Why ya wanna know? You tryin' to get me to go to Shampoo?"
"Actually I'm not," Eugene answered. "I figure you have enough pressure as is it, that and I don't think anyone here is ready for marriage. I mean come on we're still teenagers for Christ's sake."
"What about them laws that the Old Ghoul and Shampoo keep talking about?" Ranma asked.
"Well that's rather complicated," Eugene answered. "The initial Kiss of Death is now void as well you're a guy. The Kiss of Marriage on the other hand is still valid. Both are actually very old laws. And while the law changed from being mandatory to being up to the Amazon…"
"Wait!" Ranma interrupted. "You mean to tell me that Shampoo didn't have to give me them?"
"Yeah," Eugene answered.
"Then why'd she do it?" Ranma asked.
"A mistake on several people's parts," Eugene answered. "Yours, Genma's, and Cousin's to be more precise."
"What do ya mean it's my fault?" Ranma asked rather indignant. "I ain't done nothing!"
"Oh, weren't you the one that ate her prize at the Village Championship and then challenged Shampoo to a match?" Eugene asked rhetorically. And before Ranma could object Eugene continued, "Like I said it is not all your fault. Some of the blame can be put on your father and Shampoo. She overreacted to loosing, letting her pride and the perceived insult you gave her override her common sense. After she gave you the Kiss of Death however she was honor bound to carry it through." Eugene then shook his head, "Then after she gave you the Kiss of Marriage, again caused by an overreaction, she is once again honor bound to follow threw with it. And with Grandma now involved it just makes things trickier. It's really too bad that you're the way you are really."
"What do ya mean?" Ranma asked.
"With your skills, talent, sense of honor and kind nature there is not way Grandma will ever nullify the Kiss Marriage," Eugene replied.
"You mean the Old Ghoul can do that?" Ranma asked very surprised.
"Of coarse," Eugene responded. "She's the Matriarch of the village and head of the family. Under either authority she could do just that. But like I said she won't, because she thinks you would make a fine addition to Amazons. Especially after you master Hiryü Shöten Ha, even I'm still learning to do that right."
"Yeah great addition, nothin' but breeding stock," Ranma grumbled.
Eugene looked totally surprised, "Where on Earth did you get that idea?"
"Well don't they treat all the men like slaves or somethin' and not let them learn the Art?" Ranma asked.
Eugene gave Ranma a look that said he just asked the stupidest question in the world. "If that was true then how do you explain me, my Dad and Mousse? All the Amazons are is a female dominated society. That doesn't mean they repress men."
Ranma could not really think of a reply now that he thought about it. Proof against what he thought of the Amazon's had been staring him in the face ever since Mousse arrived. After all at the time Mousse was actually a challenge meaning he was and still is pretty strong. Then there was Eugene and his father, if what Happosai, Genma and Soun said was true, they were considered some of the best fighters among the Amazons. Then there was what Cologne had done herself in teaching him some her techniques that were extremely powerful. "I guess yer right," Ranma admitted. "Other wise Old Ghoul wouldn't have taught me her techniques."
"Glad to see you're finally using your head as something more than just a target Son-in-Law," Cologne said from the edge of the roof.
It was at this time the bell rang ending lunch for the day and Ranma had to leave. Ranma gave the two Amazons a glance of contemplation before leaving the roof. After Ranma left Eugene turned to his Great Grandmother, "How much did you here?"
"All of it," Cologne replied with a knowing smile. "You probably just gave Shampoo an edge over the other girls, you know."
"I know," Eugene said. "So why you here? I thought the restaurant would be packed at this time of day."
"I came to deliver a message to you actually," Cologne answered. "Your parents are on their way here and they're bring the twins and Liner."
"Great!" Eugene smiled. "I'm getting tired of hearing those two idiots prattle on about all three schools being joined. Dad ought to set them straight, at least when it comes to me."
"After dealing with them personally I can assure you that they won't give it a rest," Cologne said. "Soun is so obsessive in the notion of joining the schools that he ignores just about all else and if the Schools don't join Genma will have to work for a living."
"Gotcha, one can't deal with reality and the other is too lazy and selfish meaning both won't back down," Eugene summarized.
"Correct," Cologne nodded. "Now come on we could use the help back at the restaurant."
After the school day ended Ranma was walking back to the Tendo Dojo with Nabiki and Akane. As he walked he could not help but think about the talk he had with Eugene, "I guess I owe the Old Ghoul an apology." He was brought out of his thoughts however when a rock hit him on the head knocking him into the ditch. "Hey you Uncute Tomboy what was that for?"
"That's what you get for ignoring me!" Akane yelled.
"So what'cha you want?" Ranma-chan asked getting out ditch.
It was unfortunate for Ranma-chan that the wind picked up lifting the two girls skirts a couple of centimeters. Now this actually did not show anything except for a little more leg even from Ranma's point of view, but Akane being already mad at Ranma let her temper take over yet again. "YOU PERVERT!" she yelled hitting Ranma-chan off into LEO.
As she was flying through the air Ranma-chan asked herself, "What'd I do this time?" From her point of view all she did was try and get out of the ditch and for some reason Akane found that action perverted and hit him with her mallet again.
After a few minutes flying and then falling Ranma-chan saw that she was about to land in the middle of the street. Seeing that no one was around nor were there any cars on the street Ranma-chan made no move to alter her path and landed with a small grunt in the middle of the street. "Stupid Tomboy," Ranma-chan muttered, "Maybe I should take Eugene's advice and start dodgin' her."
"Young lady are you alright?" A woman walking past asked Ranma-chan.
Ranma looked at the woman that asked her and saw that she was an elegant middle aged, yet young looking woman with dark red hair wearing a purple kimono. "Yeah I'm fine," Ranma-chan answered. "Nothin' I can't handle. Thanks for worrin' though…"
"Nonsense you should be checked out by a Doctor at once," the woman replied. "Even if you don't feel anything is wrong a fall like that could seriously hurt even the most experienced Martial Artists."
"How'd you know I was a Martial Artist?" Ranma-chan asked, usually people thought she was a demon or some kind of alien when she fell from the sky like she did.
"Oh well I met my husband, who is also a Marital Artist, in a similar fashion to you," the Woman answered. Ranma-chan had by this time made it over to the woman as she continued her story. "Now come along I'll take you to the local Doctor and we can make sure you are well." The woman then began to drag Ranma-chan off down the street not waiting her to respond.
Back at the Dojo Akane was in side the dojo itself break bricks and pounding on practice dummies in order to relieve some of her anger from the day. "Hiya!" Akane yelled out smashing seven brinks in one punch. When she stood up she noticed the Eugene was standing in the door way watching her workout, "What do you want pervert?"
"Why do you insist on just breaking bricks and hitting practice dummies?" Eugene asked. "That really doesn't help you progress in anything more than power. Breaking bricks doesn't help in speed, stamina or defense."
"What would you know?" Akane yelled. "The last time we fought you only won because you cheated!"
"You actually think that?" Eugene asked.
"I'm the best Martial Artist in Nerima," Akane boasted.
"Even if you were, which you're not," Eugene replied casually, "Nerima is a small part of a very big world. I've trained with fighters all over the world that would beat you without breaking a sweat."
"Why don't you try me and see how good I really am?" Akane challenged. "This time I won't go easy on you and you won't be able to cheat like last time."
"Very well then," Eugene went to the center of the Dojo and waited for Akane to follow. "Just to prove my point I'll use standard moves only, I won't even use any Ki to enhance my body in anyway." He got into a stance that was a slight adaptation of standard Karate and Akane went into her standard Kempo stance, "Anytime your ready Akane."
Akane's answer was a charge while drawing her fist back and preparing to strike with all her power. Eugene casually brushed the punch aside and spun out of the way. Akane turned around as quickly as she could and threw another punch and again Eugene dodged it. After the second punch Akane was getting angry and started to throw out as many punches and kicks as she could. Finally after thirty seconds of none stop punches and kicks and stopped breathing heavily while Eugene looked he had just been standing around all day. "Stand still so I can hit you!" she panted.
"You say that like you expect me to do that," Eugene replied. "You are no where near fast enough to hit me. And while you're strength is good, if you can't actually hit your target your strength is meaningless." He took a couple of steps back and went into another stance, "And you attack in the same pattern over and over again making you way too predictable."
Hearing Eugene berate her skills as a Marital Artist Akane became furious and charged him. As soon as she through out her punch Ranma caught it and threw her over his shoulder causing her to land on her back rather hard. After standing up she glared at him, "You cheated! You said you would only use standard moves and you used a that trick!"
"Trick!" Eugene yelled back. "That was a standard Judo shoulder toss! A beginner would have been able to do the same thing with that wild charge you do!"
"Why you…!" Akane started to see red once again.
"Face it!" Eugene ignored the building battle aura Akane was forming. "You do not have control, speed, timing, stamina or skill to be even half the Marital Artist you claim to be!"
"AAARRRGGG!" Akane yelled charging blindly with her Mallet in her hand at Eugene.
Eugene stood still and when Akane was close enough he spun and kicked her in the stomach knocking the wind out of her forcing her to drop her mallet and drop to the Dojo floor. "You always want the other to take you seriously as a Martial Artists but the truth is you don't deserve to be called one. You're nothing but a spoiled little girl with just enough skill to hurt people who can't fight back. You know what that makes you, I bully and a coward." With that Eugene walked out of the dojo leaving Akane on the floor still holding her stomach.
Back with Ranma-chan she and the woman had just arrived at the Doctors Office that was close by. "Look Miss I don't mean to be rude but I'm fine really," Ranma-chan protested as she was dragged inside.
"Now dear even the best at the Art need to make sure they have not taken injuries," the woman countered. When the woman came up the receptionist's desk she asked, "Nanako is Dr. Yoshima in?"
"Yes Nodoka?" Nanako, the receptionist answered. "Are you injured?"
"No but this young woman?" gesturing to Ranma-chan, "Fell from a rather great distance and needs to be check out to see if she is alright."
"I'm fine really," Ranma-chan said for the twentieth time after meeting Nodoka.
"We'll let the Doctor be the judge of that," Nanako said. "Now what is your name Young Lady?"
Signing Ranma-chan answered, "Saotome Ranma."
"Nodoka why didn't you tell me she was your relative," Nanako said. "Though I should have guessed she looks just like you." She then turned to the pair of red heads and saw both staring at each utterly speechless frozen in place.