-Ten-Faced Paladin
Ranma Revamped By Ten-Faced Paladin Chapter 3: I Hate Men!
The sun rose over Nerima and eveeryone rose with it. Ranma was no exception. He yawned slightly and shuffled out of the room. His dad was still sleeping and probably wouldn't be up for a few more minutes. Shrugging, Ranma left and headed for the kitchen. He was actually surprised when he saw Kasumi wide awake and dressed, already working on breakfast.
"Oh! Good morning Ranma," Kasumi smiled. "Did you sleep well?"
"Actually, yeah," Ranma replied, scratching the back of his head. "Need any help?"
"Oh my," Kasumi giggled. "You are too much. I guess some company wouldn't be so bad in the mornings."
Ranma grinned widely and started setting up the table for breakfast. It wasn't long before Akane was next to rise. She came down in jogging gear.
"Morning Akane," Ranma greeted.
"Oh, Ranma," Akane nodded a reply. "I forgot you were here."
"Oh thanks," Ranma laughed. "I fell so appreciated."
"Oh don't pout," Akane smirked.
Ranma just grinned again. Akane shook her head and headed out the door for her morning jog. Kasumi then brought out food for breakfast. Like a shot, Genma was at the table,looking like he was awake for hours. Ranma shook his head.
"That's Pop for ya," he grumbled. "More stomach than brains."
That's when Genma noticed that his son was actually helping set the table and bringing out food. He looked at Ranma with a glare before speaking again.
"Just why are you setting the table and bringing out food?" he asked."Last I checked we were the guests."
"Well Pop," Ranma sighed. "I am earning my keep. I do remember the manners that Mom had taught me."
Genma shivered at the mention of his wife. He always did. Ranma just wasn't sure why.
"Anyhow, I'm just pitching in so I can stay here. I'm no freeloader," Ranma finished.
Genma 'humphed' and just continued eating. Souns soon followed as he entered the room and took his seat. Nabiki was the last to arrive. She looked like the usual morning ghoul. She was wearing a disshelved bathrobe. One that, if Ranma looked at the right angle, he could see as much of Nabiki as he wanted. Luckily, he did no such thing.
"Not a morning person are you?" Ranma smiled.
"Guh," Nabiki groaned. "Coffee. Now."
Kasumi then entered the room with a steaming cup of coffee. Nabiki graciously took it and began drinking. After a moment, she slammed the cup onto the table with a satisifed sigh.
"That's better," she sighed. "Oh, Ranma. Good to see you. You too Mr. Saotome."
Ranma nodded and Genma grunted. The meal then continued on. After Kasumi was finished eating, she went straight back to the kitchen. She said she had to prepare lunches for everyone. Akane finally returned for her breakfast before she and Nabiki went to their rooms to change.
"Oh, Ranma," Genma spoke. "I expect you to get ready for school too."
"School?" Ranma asked, turning to his father.
"Well, we will be staying for a while," Genma shrugged.
Nabiki chose that moment to walk by. She had heard the conversation clearly.
"Yeah Ranma," she smiled. "It's the same school Akane and I go to. I'll see you there."
A thumping sound could be heard as Akane came running down the hall. She had her schoolbag under her arm and was trying to catch up.
"Wait Nabiki!" she called. "I'll go with you."
"What are you talking about?" Nabiki asked her sister. "I have to get there early to register Ranma and you have to show him the way there. He hasn't been there before, remember?"
"Oh yeah," Akane grimaced. "I forgot."
"I really appreciate it," Ranma laughed. "Just give me a minute to get changed."
"Well, hurry up," Akane frowned. "I do not want to be late."
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Soon, Akane and Ranma were heading to school. Akane was taking the usual way on the road. Ranma, on the other hand, was walking on the fence alongside her. Akane looked up at him before she finally spoke.
"What are you doing up there?" she asked curiously.
"Hm?" Ranma remarked. "Oh, this is balance training for me. I'm always doing something for training. I can teach you a few things if you'd like."
"I'm already pretty good," Akane replied with a hint of pride.
"Oh you have the potential," Ranma nodded. "Lots of it. Your only problem is that you were taught up to only a certain point and just stayed there."
"What?" Akane growled, her grip tightening on her schoolbag. "Are you saying I'm a bad martial artist?"
"No," Ranma replied, shaking his head. "You just haven't finished training. It's incomplete. I also noticed a few slip ups you made. Other than that you are really good."
"So I'm not done training," Akane repeated. That sounded reasonable to her. "What slips are you talking about?"
"Your temper for one," Ranma remarked. "The other was that you aren't used to fighting a single opponent. You seem more used to fighting a number of opponents at once."
"My temper?" She asked.
"I could see it in your eyes when we fought," Ranma explained. "If you can take a better hold on your temper then that would be taking a big step to becoming a better fighter."
"You said I needed to start training properly again, right?" Akane asked. Ranma nodded. "Well, are you interested in the job?"
Ranma looked down at his possible fiance in slight surprise, "Well, sure. I'd have to teach you Saotome techniques. I hope you don't mind."
"That's okay," Akane replied. "If the schools get united then I would have to know them both anyway."
"That's true I guess," Ranma shrugged.
"Speaking of which," Akane continued. "Aren't you upset about this? We almost had no say in this whole thing. You would have to marry one of us against your will."
"It irked me," Ranma sighed. "Pop is a real idiot sometimes. We're just lucky that Nabiki came up with that plan."
"Yeah," Akane nodded. "Now you'll only marry one of us if you want to."
"That and only if that girl wants to marry me," Ranma smiled.
"Ranma..." Akane began, becoming slightly nervous. "If you had to pick right now, which one of us would you marry?"
Ranma looked down at Akane in shock again before looking straight ahead.
"Tough choice there," Ranma replied. "All three of you are really attractive so I won't go by that. Hmm, It's pretty much a three way tie right now. Kasumi has got to be one of the kindest people I've ever met and she's an incredible cook. Nabiki is really intelligent. Not to mention she's crafty. You have that whole cute tomboy thing. You're a martial artist too so I can identify with you the most."
As Ranma got to her, Akane's face flushed red at his words. People have called her cute before, like Kuno, but when Ranma said it, she felt that he really meant it. People had called her a tomboy to insult her before, but she could tell Ranma had said it to be nice. He also respected her martial art skills, which did wonders for her confidence.
"Th-thanks Ranma," Akane smiled. "That's really nice of you to say."
"Even if it's true?" Ranma smirked.
Akane turned red again as she looked straight ahead. Ranma saw that the chain fence was ending so he leaped to the ground. He just kept silent, a kind of awkward feeling filling between them. Akane wasn't used to being honestly complimented like this and Ranma had no idea what to say next. As he went through his thoughts, he didn't notice an old lady cleaning the sidewalk. When he was walking past, the old woman accidentaly splashed him, triggering the change.
"Something wrong?" Akane snickered.
"Jeez," Ranma growled. "Time for a bath."
"But you'll be late," Akane countered.
"Well, I'm not going to start school as a girl," Ranma replied.
Akane tapped her chin before getting an idea and grabbing Ranma's hand, "Come with me!"
Akane dragged Ranma all the way to what looked like a doctor's office. She went inside and Ranma leaned against the sign. She just sighed and waited before a bony hand rested on her shoulder. She turned around and was met by the grinning face of a skeleton.
"Gyaaah!" Ranma cried as she leaped to the top of the sign in fright.
On closer inspection, the skeleton was being held by a man who looked in his late twenties to early thirties. He was wearing a black outfit and wore glasses.
"Oh, I'm sorry dear," he smiled. "This is just my skeleton Betty. Sorry for scaring you."
"Uh..sure," Ranma remarked as she climbed down. "No problem."
Akane suddenly came around with a large steaming kettle of water.
"Ranma, I got you-" she began, but she stopped as she saw the good doctor. "Oh! Doctor."
Akane quickly walked over to Ranma and handed her the kettle before bowing. Doctor Tofu quickly returned the gesture along with his skeleton.
"Um, good morning doctor," Akane spoke shyly.
"And good morninng to you Akane," Tofu smiled. "No new injuries I hope?"
"No sir," Akane replied as she shook her head. "I mean, I haven't been doing anything that would..."
Taking advantage of the distraction, Ranma slipped around the corner and poured the hot water over herself, triggering the change. As he put the kettle back down, Ranma thought about the pink tinge that had come over Akane's face.
'How's that for a twist?' he thought to himself.
After Akane finished talking to the doctor, the both of them began running towards Furinkan high. Ranma was still speeding along the fances while Akane took the ground route.
"So that Tofu guy," Ranma began. "He's a martial arts master isn't he?"
"That's right," Akane nodded in slight surprise. "How did you know?"
"When he snuck up on me he erased his presence entirely," Ranma explained. "It takes a master to do something like that."
"That's true," Akane agreed. "He doesn't look like a master, does he?"
"Yeah," Ranma smiled. "I guess you don't hate all men after all."
Akane looked at the ground for a moment, "Men I guess I don't hate."
She looked forward with a fierce dtermination in her eyes as the gates to Furinkan came into view. A large amount of shouting could be heard, drawing Ranma's attention.
"It's boys I hate!" Akane shouted angrily.
As they came closer, Ranma saw a large group of boys all dressed in various sports gear could be seen running towards them. All of them were shouting Akane's name and various other things concerning her. Ranma sweatdropped at the sight.
"You've got to be kiddding," Ranma muttered. "This is the hentai horde you were talking about?"
"That's right," Akane growled. "You just stay out of this. Remember that. It's my fight."
"Okay," Ranma replied uncertainly. "But if I see you losing for one second then I will jump in. Just remember that."
Akane wasn't really sue weither to be flattered that Ranma wanted to protect her or to be upset at the thought that he might interfere. Her attention turned back to the approaching group of boys in front of her.
"Out of my way!" she shouted.
Ranma leaped onto the top of the brick fence and Akane engaged the group. She went straight in while taking out a boxer and a karate guy in the process. She was soon engulfed in the mob and was pounding away at all of them. Not a single one of them managed to land a blow on her. Ranma had suspected that her specialty was in group combat, but it was no surprise that she was if she had to go through this every morning.
'Too bad none of those pervs are actually skilled or else Akane could actually get some training done,' Ranma thought bitterly to himself.
Above all the action, Nabiki and several other girls from her class were watching.
"And so it begins again," one girl sighed. "Your poor sister."
Another girl looked to the fence and noticed Ranma crouching on the ledge, "Hey, who's that cute guy over there?"
The girls all concentrated their attention to Ranma. Each of them liked what they saw and looked to Nabiki for answers. Nabiki took a good look and started waving.
"Ranma!" she called. "Over here! get inside this building right now!"
"Huh?" Ranma spoke, looking up to Nabiki. "But what about-?"
"Akane'll be fine!" Nabiki interrupted. "Come on!"
Ranma looked back to the brawl and found that it had already ended. Akane stood in the middle of sea of broken sports equipment and beaten boys.
"Every morning," Akane sighed. "They just don't learn."
"Okay," Ranma sighed. "That is no way to ask a girl out. Which one of these clowns is that Kuno guy anyway?"
"He's not-" Akane began, but she was interrupted.
"Not among this boorish lot," someone finished.
Ranma and Akane looked to a nearby tree and saw a boy donned in samurai robes and holding a bokken walking towards them in dramatic grace. Ranma just thought it made him look rather stupid.
"So it seems that those who wish to date you could not defeat you today either," he spoke.
He then tossed a red rose to Akane, who caught it. She sighed in annoyance before looking back at the swordsman.
"Good morning upperclassman," she huffed.
"Indeed," the swordsman smiled as he raised his bokken. "And now, Akane Tendo, would you perhaps do battle with me?"
"What's with this guy?" Ranma muttered to Akane. "Is he crazy?"
"Sometimes I wonder," Akane replied. "Just stay out of the way. You'll just get hurt."
"I doubt that," Ranma smirked confidently.
The swordsman then turned and pointed his weapon at Ranma. He seemed to dislike Ranma's presence around Akane.
"You there!" he spoke sternly. "You are being quite familiar with Akane!"
"Well duh," Ranma snorted. "Of course I am. We're friends after all. Tell him Akane."
"He's right upperclassman," Akane nodded. "He is a friend of mine!"
The swordsman didn't really seem to hear her. He just continued to glare at Ranma.
"Just who are you boor?" he shouted. "Ah! But it is the custom to give one's name first! Fine! I shall then give mine!"
'Oh yeah. He is nuts," Ranma thought. "Uh, okay. Go ahead."
"Very well!" the swordsman spoke. "I...am Tatewaki Kuno! The rising star of Furinkan high. I am also known as the Blue Thunder!"
As he finished his statement, a thunderbolt cracked through the sky waith a huge crash. It left Ranma wondering just how he managed to time his speech like that.
"Blue Thunder?" asked one of the girls next to Nabiki. "Does anyone call him that?"
"News to me," Nabiki sighed with a smirk.
Ranma stared down Kuno with a rapidly growing sense of disgust.
"So, you're the pervert who came up with that stupid rule about dating Akane," Ranma growled. "So I guess fighting you won't be a bad thing after all."
"Ranma?" Akane asked uncertainly.
Everyone was crowding on the balconies to see what they were hoping to be an impending fight. The girls around Nabiki were already trying to pry information out of him.
"Just who is that guy?" one asked.
"He's so cute!" another squealed. "Is he single?"
"He's so brave, standing up to Kuno," another sighed. "Is he always like that?"
"Well girls," Nabiki smirked. "Any and all information on him is at my usual price. Five thousand Yen for all information on him."
She couldn't help but smile when all the girls began forking out cash to learn about the new guy.
Below, Ranma smirked as he looked at Kuno.
"Well, I guess it's my turn to introduce myself," Ranma spoke in an even tone. "To begin I am currently living at the Tendo dojo."
"What!" Kuno shouted raising his weapon. "Living under the same roof as Akane! I forbid it!"
He slashed at Ranma, but missed the boy in question. As Ranma flipped backwards, he slipped off his backpack. He then threw it to Akane, who caught it easily. He just continued on with his introductions.
"I am the heir to the Saotome school of Anything Goes Martial arts," Ranma continued with a smirk as he started comingn down to the ground.
He then landed on the ground with a smirk on his face, "My name is Ranma Saotome, and I accpet your challenge Tatewaki Kuno!"
To Be Continued
A/N: There. Chapter three is finished. Now we get to the fights. I decided to let the hentai horde get their fight in one chapter and then Kuno will get his in the next. I am trying to write updates to most of my fics, but sometimes it's hard. I hope you guys can just be patient until I can. I haven't let you down before have I?