Ranma/ Hannibal
'Mind Games'
"Couldn't this wait, Kuno?" Ranma asked in a practiced rough and irritated tone.
"NAY!" Kuno shouted, pointing the end of his bokken towards Ranma, it is my just duty, foul knaive, that I challenge this travesty towards my love, Akane Tendou!"
"i don't know how you found out about that," Ranma stated, ignoring the shocked gasps and hurried whispers of his fellow classmates for his confirmation; he would allow Akane to deal with them, "but it's not any of your business. Besides, we're both against it as much as you are!"
"What? You say?" Kuno was derailed for an instant, but quickly rerouting his thoughts to blame it as a truthless denial; who would not want the lovely youngest Tendou's hand in matrimony?
"It's our parent's idea! They made some deal before we were even born that they would marry. As nice as Akane is, she ain't gonna appreciate being pushed into something she has no control over, or be bothered by a guy that she barely knows, much less pushes her into it." In a low voice, realizing he had most of the classe's attention, he continued, "I ain't gonna upset a friend just for some misplaced honor. She's free to choose who she likes." Akane had stopped her heated denials of the engagement to classmates who wanted details, turning to Ranma with a surprised expression.
Kuno stood frozen, considering the point. After several moments, he nodded, and put away his bokken, "Perhaps my sources were in error. I was told that you and Akane had pointed intrest in one another, by some common intrest."
"Well, we're both martial artists, but that's about it, really," Ranma replied, "but I still haven't even chose any of Akane and her sisters, since I don't know if they like me or not. I guess Nabiki failed to tell you that I was kinda engaged to all of them until I picked one?"
"Indeed she did," Kuno replied, relaxing, "Forgive my interruption, continue with your studies. Saotome, Tendou, fair educator." Kuno turned, and prepared to leave the room.
"Oh, Kuno, if you would be so kind as to bring this note to the vice principle, please? I would greatly appreciate it," said fair educator asked, handing the penalty slip to the young kendoist.
"If that is your request, I shall make the delivery post haste," Kuno bowed again, and left. Once Kuno was gone, Ranma leaned towards Akane.
"You certainly have some novel characters that attend this school."
____________________
Without further incident, Ranma made it through the first day of school. "Hmm, something troubling you, Akane?"
"Well," Akane started, being shaken from her turmoiled pondering, "It's wierd. You're the first person, boy or girl, who ever stuck up for me like that."
Ranma smiled internally, "I know how it is to not fit in. Nobody really makes the effort to know what you're going through, and you often get blamed for it indirectly. Then it becomes a problem with relating to others, and even if they consider you their friends, they're applying the term rather loosely, if they can't see your point of view."
Akane thought deeply on that. It sounded true, regardless of what she thought about her two best friends Yuka and Sayuri, or of her sisters. They tended to offer her advice that was directed at her, usually along the lines of restraining herself. It wasn't her fault that she's good at martial arts, so Kuno decided that he was the best match for her, in turn bringing every guy in school in on it. She was a tomboy, so? She didn't know how to cook.. well... or that she participated in more masculine physical activities. Why should she change? They should be fine with how she was in the first place, not trying to make her be someone else in order to solve her problems. "I never thought of it like that."
"That may be the reason I have so much trouble making friends, myself. I'm always looking for someone who can understand me, who I can depend on to not aways question my motives, and is willing to be a friend. And if I ever need something, they wouldn't hesitate to give a hand." Ranma sighed, as if he was considering the unobtainable, "I guess I just don't understand people. Maybe I'm just too optomistic in what I want out of a friend."
"I... I don't think that's too much to ask," Akane timidly spoke. Ranma blinked in feigned confusion, turning to the girl. Once she had his attention, she grew more conviction in her tone, "Ranma, I can't promise that I'll always understand you, but I can promise that I will try as hard as I can." With a nod, she stuck out her right hand in offering, "Would you like to be friends, Ranma?"
Ranma shook her hand, "I would like nothing more, Akane."
Perfect.
____________________
"Welcome home, Akane, Ranma," Kasumi greeted, meeting Akane's beeming smile with her own, "It's good to see you returning from school a little more cheerful, Akane-chan."
"Thanks," her younger sister replied, before walking past.
"Ranma, if you would meet me in the living tea room, please." Ranma had a few ideas, but he was curious as to what Mr. Tendou wanted.
"Sure, lemme take my shoes off, first." Shortly, Ranma was sitting across the dining table, patiently awaiting Soun, as he took a drag from his cigerette.
"Ranma, do you think you could contact your father now? I am glad to have his son as my guest, but I rather miss my old training partner. I don't suppose something has become of him, has it?"
"Uh, nope, Pop's is just staying at a hotel nearby," Ranma scratched his head, sheepishly, "I kinda wanted to make sure he wasn't trying to pull another scam with this marraige thing. It wouldn't be the first time, ya know?"
Soun stared blankly at Ranma, not sure what he meant, but nodded, nonetheless, "Understood, if you like, you can use the phone in the hall."
"Alright, he'll probably be here by tonight, then, assuming he hasn't gotten fat off the hotel, and decided to take up residense there."
"Heh, that would sound a great deal like the Genma Saotome I know," Soun said with a robust chuckle. Ranma gave a small one of his own to humor the man, and left to make a call. He had used the large sum of wealth he amassed through the dicipline he earned from one of his more favored mentors to put his father up in one of the most posh hotels he could find in the area, ensuring his father wouldn't be in a hurry be on his way. He was partially truthful in saying that he wanted to ensure his father wasn't pulling another scam, but he hadn't known about the engagement until last night when he arrived. Plus, he had intended to, shall we say, survey the playing field, before he allowed his father to interfere with anything he could come up with. Genma wasn't very bright, but he had a knack for meddling in things, and causing Ranma all sorts of duress. Unfortunately, it was necessary to keep him around.
"Hey, Pop?"
"Boy! So I can assume you have a fiancee, now?"
"Funny, Pop. Mr. Tendou wants to see ya as soon as possible, I think he misses ya."
"Fine, I'll be there in a little while... you paying for the room, right boy?"
"It's already taken care of," Ranma said with an irritated tone, "just get your butt down here, old man."
"You need to learn some respect."
"Ya gonna teach me?" Ranma replied in challenge.
Genma said nothing, instead choosing to hang up. Ranma expected tomorrow morning's training to be somewhat interesting, as he walked back into the tea room. "Pop'll be on his way shortly. Can ya tell me when Nabiki'll get home?"
"Hmm?" Soun perked up, "Have you taken some intrest in her? I hear she is also pretty popular with the boys at school."
"I can say honestly that there are a few things I would like to discuss with her," Ranma replied, being careful not to let his irritation known.
"She usually arrives about thirty minutes after Akane does, so it shouldn't be long." Ranma nodded, and decided to wait outside for her.
____________________
"Welcome home, Nabiki." The girl stopped, just shy of pushing the gates to her home open, and looked from her outreached hand to see Ranma reclined on top of the wall to her right. Ranma hopped down, and walked up close to her. his eyes were at a slight level higher than hers, but it felt as if he was looking down at her. She also noted the slight glimmer of amusement with a touch of reproach in his eyes.
"Hello, Ranma, couldn't this wait until I was in the house? I'm not sure to how you did things on the road, but that's how it's usually done in civilization." Nabiki drawled, deciding that mocking him would take him down a bit.
"Charming," Ranma replied, not taking the bait, "Allow me to walk you to the door."
Nabiki frowned, as Ranma pushed the gate open for her, "What's with the prime and proper? I hope you're not trying to sound smart for my benefit."
"Oh, nothing like that, I just wanted to discuss a few matters on a level that is more befitting of your mental capacity. I rather enjoy not having to indulge the less, mentally exercised, as it were, with improper speech habits. I think I would enjoy conversing with you."
"Right..." Nabiki started down the stone laiden path to the front door of the household, "You can cut the act, if this is something to get me to agree with the engagement. it takes a lot more than a fast-talker to turn my attention, Saotome."
"I see, is that why you failed to inform Kuno that you were also part of the engagement?"
Nabiki stopped, and turned to Ranma with an expression of mock indignant shock, "Why Ranma, you don't honestly think that I had anything to do with that, do you?"
Ranma's expression remained serious, "I'm quite positive, yes. You're a bit of a schemer, I imagine. You probably find amusement in misdirection; garnering entertainment by playing with people like little marionettes on strings, dancing to the merry little tune of your whims."
Nabiki's face became serious, "That's an awfully big accusation to make, Ranma."
"One I wouldn't make unless I was certain, I assure you." Ranma wrapped an arm around Nabiki's shoulder, causing the girl to start to reach up to remove it. She stopped, feeling some sort of primal sense of danger, if she were to commit to the action. She then noticed the sharp, deadly, piercing aspect that was housed in his eyes, and the urgent, animalistic sense to flee grew.
"I would just like to warn you, that such actions tend to have... dire consequences." Ranma's tone remained light and jovial, as he lead Nabiki up the steps, "I wouldn't want you to get in over your head." With that, he pulled away, and started to open the front door.
"There's more to you than you're even letting on to me, Saotome," Nabiki challenged.
Ranma turned back to her with a light smile, "Well, we all got secrets, but it ain't the secrets you gotta worry about."
Kasumi had been watching from the front window, but couldn't hear anything. She was rather happy to see Ranma making an effort to court Nabiki; her sister always seemed uninterested in any of the local boys. And though Nabiki didn't seem too happy about his approaches, there had to be some intrest, since she hadn't removed Ranma's arm from her shoulder.
"They make such a lovely couple," Kasumi stated to herself, before retiring to the kitchen to start preparations for dinner.
'Mind Games'
"Couldn't this wait, Kuno?" Ranma asked in a practiced rough and irritated tone.
"NAY!" Kuno shouted, pointing the end of his bokken towards Ranma, it is my just duty, foul knaive, that I challenge this travesty towards my love, Akane Tendou!"
"i don't know how you found out about that," Ranma stated, ignoring the shocked gasps and hurried whispers of his fellow classmates for his confirmation; he would allow Akane to deal with them, "but it's not any of your business. Besides, we're both against it as much as you are!"
"What? You say?" Kuno was derailed for an instant, but quickly rerouting his thoughts to blame it as a truthless denial; who would not want the lovely youngest Tendou's hand in matrimony?
"It's our parent's idea! They made some deal before we were even born that they would marry. As nice as Akane is, she ain't gonna appreciate being pushed into something she has no control over, or be bothered by a guy that she barely knows, much less pushes her into it." In a low voice, realizing he had most of the classe's attention, he continued, "I ain't gonna upset a friend just for some misplaced honor. She's free to choose who she likes." Akane had stopped her heated denials of the engagement to classmates who wanted details, turning to Ranma with a surprised expression.
Kuno stood frozen, considering the point. After several moments, he nodded, and put away his bokken, "Perhaps my sources were in error. I was told that you and Akane had pointed intrest in one another, by some common intrest."
"Well, we're both martial artists, but that's about it, really," Ranma replied, "but I still haven't even chose any of Akane and her sisters, since I don't know if they like me or not. I guess Nabiki failed to tell you that I was kinda engaged to all of them until I picked one?"
"Indeed she did," Kuno replied, relaxing, "Forgive my interruption, continue with your studies. Saotome, Tendou, fair educator." Kuno turned, and prepared to leave the room.
"Oh, Kuno, if you would be so kind as to bring this note to the vice principle, please? I would greatly appreciate it," said fair educator asked, handing the penalty slip to the young kendoist.
"If that is your request, I shall make the delivery post haste," Kuno bowed again, and left. Once Kuno was gone, Ranma leaned towards Akane.
"You certainly have some novel characters that attend this school."
____________________
Without further incident, Ranma made it through the first day of school. "Hmm, something troubling you, Akane?"
"Well," Akane started, being shaken from her turmoiled pondering, "It's wierd. You're the first person, boy or girl, who ever stuck up for me like that."
Ranma smiled internally, "I know how it is to not fit in. Nobody really makes the effort to know what you're going through, and you often get blamed for it indirectly. Then it becomes a problem with relating to others, and even if they consider you their friends, they're applying the term rather loosely, if they can't see your point of view."
Akane thought deeply on that. It sounded true, regardless of what she thought about her two best friends Yuka and Sayuri, or of her sisters. They tended to offer her advice that was directed at her, usually along the lines of restraining herself. It wasn't her fault that she's good at martial arts, so Kuno decided that he was the best match for her, in turn bringing every guy in school in on it. She was a tomboy, so? She didn't know how to cook.. well... or that she participated in more masculine physical activities. Why should she change? They should be fine with how she was in the first place, not trying to make her be someone else in order to solve her problems. "I never thought of it like that."
"That may be the reason I have so much trouble making friends, myself. I'm always looking for someone who can understand me, who I can depend on to not aways question my motives, and is willing to be a friend. And if I ever need something, they wouldn't hesitate to give a hand." Ranma sighed, as if he was considering the unobtainable, "I guess I just don't understand people. Maybe I'm just too optomistic in what I want out of a friend."
"I... I don't think that's too much to ask," Akane timidly spoke. Ranma blinked in feigned confusion, turning to the girl. Once she had his attention, she grew more conviction in her tone, "Ranma, I can't promise that I'll always understand you, but I can promise that I will try as hard as I can." With a nod, she stuck out her right hand in offering, "Would you like to be friends, Ranma?"
Ranma shook her hand, "I would like nothing more, Akane."
Perfect.
____________________
"Welcome home, Akane, Ranma," Kasumi greeted, meeting Akane's beeming smile with her own, "It's good to see you returning from school a little more cheerful, Akane-chan."
"Thanks," her younger sister replied, before walking past.
"Ranma, if you would meet me in the living tea room, please." Ranma had a few ideas, but he was curious as to what Mr. Tendou wanted.
"Sure, lemme take my shoes off, first." Shortly, Ranma was sitting across the dining table, patiently awaiting Soun, as he took a drag from his cigerette.
"Ranma, do you think you could contact your father now? I am glad to have his son as my guest, but I rather miss my old training partner. I don't suppose something has become of him, has it?"
"Uh, nope, Pop's is just staying at a hotel nearby," Ranma scratched his head, sheepishly, "I kinda wanted to make sure he wasn't trying to pull another scam with this marraige thing. It wouldn't be the first time, ya know?"
Soun stared blankly at Ranma, not sure what he meant, but nodded, nonetheless, "Understood, if you like, you can use the phone in the hall."
"Alright, he'll probably be here by tonight, then, assuming he hasn't gotten fat off the hotel, and decided to take up residense there."
"Heh, that would sound a great deal like the Genma Saotome I know," Soun said with a robust chuckle. Ranma gave a small one of his own to humor the man, and left to make a call. He had used the large sum of wealth he amassed through the dicipline he earned from one of his more favored mentors to put his father up in one of the most posh hotels he could find in the area, ensuring his father wouldn't be in a hurry be on his way. He was partially truthful in saying that he wanted to ensure his father wasn't pulling another scam, but he hadn't known about the engagement until last night when he arrived. Plus, he had intended to, shall we say, survey the playing field, before he allowed his father to interfere with anything he could come up with. Genma wasn't very bright, but he had a knack for meddling in things, and causing Ranma all sorts of duress. Unfortunately, it was necessary to keep him around.
"Hey, Pop?"
"Boy! So I can assume you have a fiancee, now?"
"Funny, Pop. Mr. Tendou wants to see ya as soon as possible, I think he misses ya."
"Fine, I'll be there in a little while... you paying for the room, right boy?"
"It's already taken care of," Ranma said with an irritated tone, "just get your butt down here, old man."
"You need to learn some respect."
"Ya gonna teach me?" Ranma replied in challenge.
Genma said nothing, instead choosing to hang up. Ranma expected tomorrow morning's training to be somewhat interesting, as he walked back into the tea room. "Pop'll be on his way shortly. Can ya tell me when Nabiki'll get home?"
"Hmm?" Soun perked up, "Have you taken some intrest in her? I hear she is also pretty popular with the boys at school."
"I can say honestly that there are a few things I would like to discuss with her," Ranma replied, being careful not to let his irritation known.
"She usually arrives about thirty minutes after Akane does, so it shouldn't be long." Ranma nodded, and decided to wait outside for her.
____________________
"Welcome home, Nabiki." The girl stopped, just shy of pushing the gates to her home open, and looked from her outreached hand to see Ranma reclined on top of the wall to her right. Ranma hopped down, and walked up close to her. his eyes were at a slight level higher than hers, but it felt as if he was looking down at her. She also noted the slight glimmer of amusement with a touch of reproach in his eyes.
"Hello, Ranma, couldn't this wait until I was in the house? I'm not sure to how you did things on the road, but that's how it's usually done in civilization." Nabiki drawled, deciding that mocking him would take him down a bit.
"Charming," Ranma replied, not taking the bait, "Allow me to walk you to the door."
Nabiki frowned, as Ranma pushed the gate open for her, "What's with the prime and proper? I hope you're not trying to sound smart for my benefit."
"Oh, nothing like that, I just wanted to discuss a few matters on a level that is more befitting of your mental capacity. I rather enjoy not having to indulge the less, mentally exercised, as it were, with improper speech habits. I think I would enjoy conversing with you."
"Right..." Nabiki started down the stone laiden path to the front door of the household, "You can cut the act, if this is something to get me to agree with the engagement. it takes a lot more than a fast-talker to turn my attention, Saotome."
"I see, is that why you failed to inform Kuno that you were also part of the engagement?"
Nabiki stopped, and turned to Ranma with an expression of mock indignant shock, "Why Ranma, you don't honestly think that I had anything to do with that, do you?"
Ranma's expression remained serious, "I'm quite positive, yes. You're a bit of a schemer, I imagine. You probably find amusement in misdirection; garnering entertainment by playing with people like little marionettes on strings, dancing to the merry little tune of your whims."
Nabiki's face became serious, "That's an awfully big accusation to make, Ranma."
"One I wouldn't make unless I was certain, I assure you." Ranma wrapped an arm around Nabiki's shoulder, causing the girl to start to reach up to remove it. She stopped, feeling some sort of primal sense of danger, if she were to commit to the action. She then noticed the sharp, deadly, piercing aspect that was housed in his eyes, and the urgent, animalistic sense to flee grew.
"I would just like to warn you, that such actions tend to have... dire consequences." Ranma's tone remained light and jovial, as he lead Nabiki up the steps, "I wouldn't want you to get in over your head." With that, he pulled away, and started to open the front door.
"There's more to you than you're even letting on to me, Saotome," Nabiki challenged.
Ranma turned back to her with a light smile, "Well, we all got secrets, but it ain't the secrets you gotta worry about."
Kasumi had been watching from the front window, but couldn't hear anything. She was rather happy to see Ranma making an effort to court Nabiki; her sister always seemed uninterested in any of the local boys. And though Nabiki didn't seem too happy about his approaches, there had to be some intrest, since she hadn't removed Ranma's arm from her shoulder.
"They make such a lovely couple," Kasumi stated to herself, before retiring to the kitchen to start preparations for dinner.