Chapter 5

Ranma walked along with Nabiki and Akane. As usual, he was walking on the fence while the two were on the ground. Ranma could feel Akane's glare on him but he continued to ignore her. It angered her greatly and it only increased with Nabiki's snickering. It didn't take them long before they reached the school. Ranma and Nabiki got out the way as Akane prepared to fight off the horde. All three were surprised to see that Kuno stood at the head of the horde.

The teenage kendoist stood and glared at the pig-tailed martial artist. Ranma looked confused but was not scared of him. Kuno, like yesterday, pointed his wooden sword at him. Ranma sighed and looked at him.

"Something on your mind Blue Thunder?" Ranma asked with annoyance.

"You, you will get on your knees and apologize to the fierce tigress for your vile words against her." Kuno ordered. Ranma looked at him like he was stupid. He turned to Nabiki.

"Is this guy on something?" Ranma asked her.

"Do not ignore me peasant! Now submit," Kuno was cut off when Ranma broke his wooden blade and walked pass him. Kuno was visibly red in the face. "How dare you?"

"Look moron, I am not apologizing to your girl. You may look pass the fact that she's a brat just like these other guys but I'm don't. If you believe that you can order me around, then you've got some screws loose. The next time you pull something like this again, your sword won't be the only thing that gets broken." Ranma threaten. He walked into school, leaving a lot of shocked people and two very angry ones.

Ranma again sat alone away from the crowd. He sighed as he had got no peace from the student body. They all wanted to know why he treated one of the most popular girls like that. They also told him that Kuno was speaking badly about him. It didn't help matters that Akane was always glaring at him. He just couldn't understand it. What the hell made Akane so special? He saw at least twenty girls that were much better looking than her. He just chalked it up to mass stupidity.

Suddenly, his danger sense went off. He moved out of the way as a wooden sword nearly took his head off. He dropped into a fighting stance as Kuno looked at him. He was in a standard kendo stance.

"You cur, I will not have you insult the beauteous Akane. You have embarrassed my love for the last time. I will have satisfaction." Kuno spoke.

"Are you on any type of medication? Aren't you aware that we are in modern times?" Ranma asked.

"Silence! I strike!" Kuno said and charged at him. Ranma easily dodged his attacks. His attack pattern was so simple it was a joke. From what he heard from various people, this guy was the kendo champ. Ranma was getting very bored.

"This is getting too easy. I thought you were good?" Ranma taunted.

"Fool, why should I unleash my full power on such weakling?" Kuno bragged. Ranma just smirked at him.

"Well then, I hope you don't mind if I end this." Ranma said. Ranma was quickly within his guard and blasted him with a right. Kuno staggered back and Ranma took advantage. With amazing speed, he blasted the poetic swordsman from all sides. Kuno had no chance to defend himself. With one more punch, he sent Kuno flying to the ground. Ranma dusted himself off and was about to leave when he heard Kuno stand up.

"I fight on." Kuno groaned out. Ranma was somewhat impressed.

"I guess those beatings that Akane has given you has made you have a high tolerance for pain."

"Silence cur, I strike!" Kuno came at him again. Ranma continued to dodge and counter Kuno's strikes. Like earlier, he was not having a hard time against the fool. He saw that Kuno was getting frustrated and sloppy. Ranma just kept moving around him with ease. However, Ranma had gotten sloppy and didn't notice his surroundings as he bumped into a water fountain. Kuno saw this and brought his blade down on him. Ranma side-stepped it but the power behind Kuno's strike destroyed the water fountain. Cold water hit Ranma who cursed at his luck.

Kuno, who was blinded by the spray, was widely grabbing at anything. He finally did grab something but he was very confused by how soft it was. He squeezed it again causing an enraged growl. He was suddenly grabbed and flipped overhead. He was slammed into the ground with such force that it created spider webs. He looked up to see a vision of loveliness before he was sent into the darkness.

Ranma was huffing and puffing. She covered her chest and glared down at the beaten Kuno. The damn pervert had just molested her. She was going to have to shower and scrub herself in order to get the dirty feeling off her. She quickly jumped away before anyone else saw her. What Ranma did not know was because of this day, she would have a very unwanted admirer.

Kasumi was cleaning the household as she always did. Everyone was at school and the adults were busy cheating each other at go. Kasumi suddenly appeared in front of the door where the Saotomes stayed. She steeled herself, knowing that she needed to do this. She entered the room and made her way to the father's side of the room. She began to go through his pack, feeling very guilty in doing so. She continued to look through the pack until she found it.

Fixing up his pack, Kasumi hid the journal in her apron and made her way out. She quickly made her way to her room and locked her door. She sat on her bed and pulled out the journal. She would look at it for a while. She knew that it was wrong, what she was doing. It was an invasion of pricy. This was her father's friend and training partner. Surely he could not have been that bad? Still, Ranma's vicious attitude toward his father was troubling. She had never seen such disgust and loathing for one individual. She needed to know what triggered it.

Her decision made, she opened the journal and began to read.

Nabiki was sitting alone in her room after dinner. She was surprised by how little action there was at the table. Even Kasumi seemed withdrawn. The only funny thing which happened was Ranma's complete dismissal of Akane's rematch. Well, it wasn't more of a dismissal. Ranma just laughed at her and went outside to meditate. Akane was steaming at being dismissed and quickly followed after him. It was a funny scene to watch. A knock came on her door which interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in." Nabiki called out. Her door opened and entered was Kasumi. Nabiki noticed that Kasumi looked very down. She also noticed a black book clutched in hand. Nabiki sat up and looked at her elder sister with concerned. "Is something the matter?"

"It's all true. Everything he said, it's all true. How could a man do that those things to his own son?" Kasumi said.

"What are you talking about Kasumi?" Nabiki asked in complete confusion. Kasumi handed her the book and sat down in the corner. Nabiki sat down and began to read. She was shocked to know that this was Genma's journal. She briefly read the first page and was appalled. Granted, she had done some things that were very questionable but what Genma was doing was just inhuman. She looked at her sister. "Where did you find this?"

"I was curious about Ranma's behavior and I wanted to see that if everything he said was true. I went through Genma's things and found the journal. I read the whole thing." Kasumi admitted.

"Wow, this explains a lot. If I found out about this, I would be pissed off too." Nabiki said. She then looked at Kasumi. "So, what are you going to now that you know about this?"

"What should I do Nabiki? I don't wish to disappoint father but Ranma is right. His father broke the agreement and we have the right to annul it. Then again, father has his sights set on this merger of the schools." Kasumi explained.

"Yeah, that is a problem. Once daddy has his mind set on something, it's not easy to persuade him to do otherwise." Nabiki said. The two stayed in silence for a while before Nabiki spoke again. "Hey, maybe this is what you need to get on Ranma's good side."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Talk to him and present the journal. You can get your foot in the door. If anything, it may get him to stop calling you Ms. Tendo." Nabiki said with a chuckle. This put a smile on Kasumi's face. She decided to do as Nabiki suggested.

Kasumi exited the house and made her way to the dojo. When she was half way there, Akane came storming out. She was muttering the word 'jerk' as she stomped into the house. She continued on into the dojo to see Ranma about to meditate. When he saw her, she saw that he was immediately on the defensive. Kasumi sat down in front of him and produced the journal which surprised him. He looked at her and then to the journal.

"I thought the old man would have gotten rid of this when I learned about everything. Where did you find this?" Ranma asked.

"I… went through your father's things." Kasumi said with some guilt.

"May I ask why you would do that?"

"I just wanted to know the reason behind everything. I thought that maybe you were mad over nothing but after reading the journal I realized that you have every right to be angry with your father. He used you and kept you ignorant about things. I understand that you have every right to dissolve the engagement but I must warn you that my father with not budge on the issue. Even if some of the people come and demand that you satisfy the agreements that your father made, my father will fight for his agreement to be fulfilled."

"So even if I show him this journal, he'll still push the engagement to Akane?" Ranma asked.

"Yes, he will." Kasumi answered. She then took a deep breath before speaking again. "I know that you and I have not had the best of beginnings, most of it being my fault, but I would like to start fresh. I know that you will not immediately trust me or that we will begin speaking like we are friends but I don't want us to be sour toward one another." Kasumi said. The two stayed quiet for a while. Kasumi nodded and stood up. As she made her way to the door, Ranma finally spoke.

"Kasumi, I'm sorry about how I've spoken to your father. I will try my best to be civil."

"That is all I ask." Kasumi said and left. Ranma smirked and went to work on his meditation.

Ranma walked on the ground with a scowl on his face. He gave a dirty look to Nabiki who was holding in her laughter. Three days ago, Kuno appeared before him in his cursed form. He assumed it was for a fight but he was instantly surprised when he threw a bouquet of flower toward her and told her that he loved her. It took a minute for it to register before she attacked him. He didn't know how Nabiki found out about it but she had been teasing him about it.

"It isn't funny Nabiki. I so don't need this right now." Ranma scowled.

"Oh come on, it's a little funny. I mean, you've just solved Akane's problem. Where is she anyway?" Nabiki asked.

"She's probably at school now. Stupid girl didn't even wake up this morning. Luckily Kasumi did." He said.

"I'm glad that you two are on good terms. Kasumi may be homely and the prefect daughter but she is a very nice person." She said.

"I know that and I'm glad that we are at least talking." The two entered the grounds. Suddenly, Ranma grabbed Nabiki and moved out of the way as two kendo sticks nearly hit him. He placed Nabiki out of harms way before facing a group of kendo fighters in full gear. Pissed off at the fact that they included an innocent, Ranma dashed at them. The fight did not last long as Ranma laid them all out.

"It would seem that you are not as weak as I first thought." Kuno said. Ranma turned to face him.

"You've got a lot of balls to include an innocent bystander in your un-honorable scheme." Ranma said.

"What would you know about honor cur? You who insults my beauteous Akane and has enslaved the water-sprite girl should not talk of honor." Kuno spoke.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"My fierce tigress has told me of your transgressions against her. She has also told me that you hold the red-haired angel to yourself. I, the Blue Thunder, will free them both of you and rid them of your evil deeds." Kuno said. Ranma looked to his left and saw a smirking Akane. He turned back toward Kuno.

"It isn't my fault that the heir of the Tendo School is so weak that she needs an equally weak swordsman to fight her battles. As for the 'water-sprite girl', she had informed me of what you did to her. I assure you, she doesn't date molesters." Ranma insulted him. Kuno was red in the face and students were moving away from Akane's battle aura.

"I strike!" Kuno said. Ranma just slipped into a familiar stance.

Authors' Notes: New chapter, new chapter, here's the new chapter. Well, things are picking up with everybody. Ranma and Kasumi are at least talking to each other and Akane is being a bitch. I never really liked her as I thought she was very irrational. Anyway, enjoy the chapter.