It's time for Kuno!

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"School?" Ranma said, not bothering to mask his irritation. It was early morning, a day or two after Ranma and his father had arrived at the Tendo Dojo and, after their regular sparring match, Genma sat him down to talk.

Nodding sagely, Genma said. "We are going to be staying here awhile. It only makes sense."

"It's the same school Akane and I go to!" Nabiki said, passing by the main room where the two of them were chatting. "We'll see you there!"

The sound of footsteps running down the hallway reached Ranma's ears. "Nabiki, wait, I'll go with you!" Akane said, gripping a school bag.

Nabiki crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "What're you talking about? Ranma's your fiancé, remember? You should walk him to school!"

Utter silence. Ranma and Akane both stared at Nabiki, wide-eyed. She was joking, right? But her face seemed deadly serious. After a good half a minute, Nabiki stuck her tongue out and smirked. "See ya!"

She left without another word, while Akane and Ranma slowly turned their heads to look at one another. Neither spoke, and neither looked happy.

The reluctant couple walked silently to school, Ranma on the river railing, Akane on the sidewalk. Around five minutes minutes passed without a shared glance.

It was Akane that spoke first. "We're not friends, you know."

"Yeah, ya made that clear," Ranma said, hands in his pockets. Wouldn't wanna be friends with a boy , afterall.

He heard a small sigh from beside him. "I just mean that I don't want you hanging around me at school."

Oh, is that all? Sneering, he said, "Don't worry, I can't stand macho chicks like you."

Out of the corner of his eye, Ranma saw a school bag racing toward him. He dodged, making a show of just how easy he found it to be. "Hah, so violent, but ya can't even touch me 'less my back's turned!"

Growling, Akane swiped at him again, which he avoided. Leaping to the ground, he smirked at her, hands behind his head. "Look, I'll even take away the height advantage, and I bet you still won't be able to do it!"

But boy did she try. Again and again she swung at him, and again and again he dodged, breaking out into laughter halfway through.

He was so wholly focused on mocking Akane that he didn't notice the little old lady watering her plants nearby. At least, not until he stepped right into the path of her ladle, receiving a cold splash of water to the face for his carelessness.

"Something wrong?" Akane said, eyebrows raised and eyes on Ranma's bright red hair. Her arms relaxed, slowly lowering the bag she'd been using as a weapon.

A shiver shot up Ranma's spine, as he pulled at the soaked fabric that clung to his skin. Even wet, the clothes were baggier now, in this smaller form. He sighed, turning around.

"I'm heading home."

"You'll be late," Akane said with exasperation.

Ranma stopped, turning his head to shoot a glare her way. "You think I wanna start school looking like this?"

Akane shrugged. "Would it be that bad?"

Turning his head away from her again, Ranma glared at nothing in particular. Of course it would! ...Probably. Of course, they'd find out about the curse anyway, right? Ranma shook his head. There was no point thinking about this.

"I'm going," he said, taking a step forward.

Fingers pushed against his shoulder, prompting him to stop. "If we just pour some hot water on you, you'll turn back, right? There's a clinic just up ahead, I'm sure they could help."

Reluctantly, Ranma turned to face her. The anger on her face from before was gone, replaced with something… softer, almost caring, despite the hint of irritation that was still there.

Ranma frowned, unsure how else to handle the complicated emotions warring in his brain. "I guess… but you talk to 'em. I don't want 'em to see me like this."

Akane waved a hand. "Fine, fine."

Just like she'd said, the clinic wasn't far. It was a quaint little place, seemingly the bottom floor of a larger building. There was a big sign out front that said "Osteopathic Clinic", with another corner sign that said "Acupuncture" on one side and "Chiropractor" on the other. Ranma leaned against the "Acupuncture" side.

Hoo boy, whatta way to start the day...Least it couldn't get any wo-

A skeletal hand fell lightly onto Ranma's shoulder with a soft 'klack.' Automatically, he leaped upward, leaving his shoes behind, hands grasping desperately at the top of the sign. Turning his head, he found behind him a person dressed in black and wearing glasses - and also holding a complete human skeleton.

"Oh, pardon me!" the person said, their voice soft and friendly. Their dark hair was kept in a short ponytail; Ranma guessed it'd be around shoulder-length if it was let down. Based on the cleavage Ranma could easily see from his current vantage point, the person was a woman.

"Nothing to worry about, dear! This is just Betty, my skeleton!" She brought the skeleton up near her own face, pressing it against her cheek as though that were in any way comforting.

Still, Ranma didn't sense any particular malice from whoever the heck this was, so he returned to the ground and slipped his shoes back on.

Akane's voice came from around the corner. "Ranma, I've got the hot-" She stopped as she came into view, a kettle in her hands. "Oh, Dr. Tofu!" Walking a few more paces forward, she bowed, forcing Ranma to do so as well by pressing the kettle against the top of his head. "G-good morning!"

"Good morning to you!" Dr. Tofu said with a smile. She bowed, as did "Betty."

Kettle still on his head, Ranma glanced at Akane. The meek, almost embarrassed expression she wore now was in stark contrast to any that Ranma had seen her wear before.

"You haven't been by lately," Dr. Tofu said, still all smiles. "No new injuries?"

"No!" Akane said hurriedly, only able to meet the doctor's eyes for a moment. "I mean, I… I haven't been doing anything lately that would…"

Slipping silently around the corner, Ranma poured the steaming water on himself, wincing slightly.

Interesting.

{}

"So, Dr. Tofu," Ranma said, racing down the sidewalk next to Akane, the pair trying to avoid being late for school.

"Yeah, what about her?" said Akane.

"What's her deal?"

Though she seemed confused by the question, Akane's reply was quick. "She's the local chiropractor, and an excellent doctor besides."

Ranma looked her way. "Talented martial artist too, huh?"

Eyes widening, Akane said. "Um, yes, she is! ...How could you tell?"

Feh, sneaking up on me like that? She erased all trace of her presence. Normal people can't do that.

"A martial artist can just tell," he said, looking away again.

There was no argument. "Well you're right, she's really good. Though you wouldn't guess it, just looking at her." Akane's voice grew softer. "Ever since I was little, she's taken care of me when I was hurt."

Both of Ranma's eyebrows raised, a smirk appearing on his face. "Wait, so… are you, like… a lesbo?"

Immediately, Akane took a swipe at him with her bag, which he nimbly dodged. She scowled, her cheeks flushing slightly. "No! I'm not- how dare you!?"

Still smirking, Ranma shrugged. "I mean, your sisters did mention that you hate boys."

"I just haven't met any good ones yet!" Akane shouted, almost taking another swipe but seeming to think better of it partway through. "And you're not doing anything to change that."

"Hah, like I care what you think," Ranma said, rolling his eyes.

Up ahead, the gates to Furinkan High School loomed. The big clock three quarters of the way to the top of the school entrance indicated they were still a bit early, despite their diversion.

"Akane Tendo!" shouted an unfamiliar voice.

They both came to an abrupt stop. A few meters ahead of them stood a tall person, holding a rose and a bokken, and wearing a kendogi. Their dark brown hair was short and poofy in the front, with a long ponytail to the side. Their lips were bright red, presumably via makeup.

"Might you fight with me, that I may prove to you my worthiness?" the strange girl said, flicking the rose toward Akane, then grasping the bokken with both hands.

The rose fluttered delicately into Akane's hand. She looked unimpressed. "No, Upperclassman, not today."

Ranma leaned in to mutter in Akane's ear. "Who's that, and what's up with the rose, Miss Not-a-Lesbo?"

"Shut up and stay out of the way," Akane whispered back, shooting Ranma a glare.

"You there!" said the upperclassman, pointing her bokken at Ranma. "You are acting quite familiar with Akane!"

Nudging her, Ranma said, "Hey, tell her, Akane. ...Akane?"

There seemed to be something incredibly interesting to Akane's right that Ranma couldn't see. "Tell her what?"

"Who are you, boor!?" the upperclassman shouted, anger overtaking her face. "Ah! But it is the custom to give one's own name first! Fine, then! Mine I shall give!"

There was silence. Ranma glanced about awkwardly. "Uh… sure, if you want…"

"My name," the upperclassman began, speaking as though she were beginning a dramatic tale, "is Kodachi Kuno. Senior, Class E. Captain of the Kendo Club. Undefeated new star of the high school kendo world. But my peers, they call me…" She paused, presumably for dramatic tension. "The Black Thunder of Furinkan High."

Ranma glanced at Akane, who was still stubbornly avoiding eye contact. "Um, okay… Well, I'm Ranma Saotome, and I'm staying at the Tendo Dojo-"

"WHAT!?" Kodachi charged without warning, swiping swiftly at Ranma, who flipped out of the way. "Under the same roof as Akane!?"

"Well yeah," Ranma said, still soaring through the air. "I'm heir to the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts, and-"

Kuno swung again. "You cur!"

Dodging, even in midair, was simple for someone as skilled as Ranma. "Here, hold my bag a sec," Ranma said, tossing said bag to a surprised Akane. "Look, you're a girl, so I'm not gonna fight ya. But I can dodge all day if that's really what ya wanna do."

"Wait, Ranma, stop," Akane said, gripping Ranma's bag. When she didn't receive a response, she turned to Kuno. "He's just staying with us, it doesn't mean anything."

Ranma shrugged. "She's right. I don't care a bit about that stubborn, violent chick, so if you want her, you can have her."

This only served to enrage Kuno further. "Speaking ill of Akane!? I forbid it!" She charged and swung again, Ranma dodging to the side.

"You're never gonna hit me," he said, chuckling. Kuno glared, lunging at Ranma with several quick strikes.

"HEY!" a voice called out from the doorway to the school. It was an adult Ranma didn't recognize, presumably one of the teachers, or the principal or something. "No fighting on school grounds! And get inside, class is about to start!"

Loud laughter, like that of a crowd, broke out. Ranma glanced up at the school, only now noticing that what seemed like the entire student body was looking down at him and Kuno from the windows above.

Tossing Ranma's bag back to him, Akane sighed. "Idiots." Then she turned and marched into the building. A moment later, Ranma and Kuno reluctantly followed suit.

{}

At lunch time, Ranma went right for Akane, ignoring her glares.

"I told you we're not friends."

"I know, I know," he said, sitting nearby. Two other girls sat with Akane, and they both looked surprised to see him. They had brown hair, but for one of them it was longer, a bit below shoulder length, and for the other it was cut well above the shoulders. The one with shorter hair also had bangs, which she was rocking, admittedly. He immediately chastised himself for the thought.

"This that Ranma guy you were telling us about?" the one with bangs said.

Akane sighed. "Yeah, this is him. Ranma, Yuka. Yuka, Ranma."

"And I'm Sayuri," the other girl said with a smile.

Giving a small, insincere grin, and a smaller wave, Ranma turned his attention back to Akane. "So seriously, what's up with Kuno?"

"I do not want to talk about this right now," Akane said, opening her homemade bento box.

"I do!" Yuka said with a smirk. When all she got from Akane was a shrug, she turned her gaze to Ranma. "Kuno's head-over-heels for Akane, and decided that if she can defeat Akane in combat, that'll somehow prove she's worthy of Akane's love."

Hitting his fist lightly against the palm of his hand, Ranma said, "So she is a lesbian! I knew it!"

Yuka and Sayuri both laughed.

"What clued you in first? The jealousy, or the rose?" Yuka said.

Ranma waved a hand. "I meant Akane."

He immediately received a strong flick to his forehead.

"Stop saying that," Akane muttered, staring at her food instead of him. Ranma couldn't help but notice a strange look pass between her two friends.

Leaning in toward Akane, he said, "Hey, so, you ever fought her?"

Sayuri nodded. "She has! A couple of times. Kuno's never won."

"I don't understand why," said Akane, actually meeting Ranma's eyes, confused and irritated. "I've seen her practice with the kendo club. She's good. But she's never gotten close to beating me."

Pointing a finger toward Akane's nose, Ranma said, "I mean, if she likes you, it makes sense that she wouldn't fight as hard as she usually would."

"But she wants to beat me!" said Akane.

"Still," Ranma said, shrugging. After a beat, he added, "Why don't you just date the crazy chick and get it over with? Then she'll stop bothering you, even if you break up, right?"

Akane glared. "One, that's a terrible reason to date someone, and two, I'm not a freaking lesbian!"

Again, Ranma caught Yuka and Sayuri sharing a glance.

"Hey, but, what's with that "Black Thunder" thing?" Ranma said, giving Akane a break and directing the question toward Sayuri.

She shrugged. "Dunno, I've never heard that name before."

"Never, Ranma Saotome!" shouted a loud, booming voice, one Ranma was already irritatingly familiar with. Kuno had entered the room, and was shouting at Ranma from the doorway.

Quickly getting to his feet, Ranma sighed and crossed his arms. "What is it now, Upperclassman?"

Jutting a finger Ranma's way, Kuno shouted, "I shall never accept your engagement to Akane!"

Ranma's eyes went wide, just as the whole room, minus Kuno, Akane, and himself, took a collective gasp.

"Engagement!?" Yuka said. Sayuri's mouth was a perfect circle.

"And you said you despised men!" shouted another girl in the classroom, laughing.

The sound of a chair scraping against the floor pierced Ranma's ears as Akane bolted to her feet. "W-wait! It's not true! Who told you that!?"

"None other than Nabiki Tendo!" Kuno declared.

This seemed to put Akane at a loss for words.

"Look, our parents decided!" Ranma said, cheeks red. "We never-!"

Dodging quickly to the left, Ranma barely avoided Kuno's charging attack. There was a loud 'krak!' as her practice sword hit the wall so hard that the concrete buckled.

Damn. I don't think even a teacher is gonna stop her right now.

Running for the exit into the hallway, Ranma called out, "This is no place for a fight! Follow me!"

"That I shall!" Kuno cried, giving chase.

Passing a few classrooms and an angry teacher that futilely told them not to run in the hall, Ranma spied an open window and went right for it.

"Let's take this outside!" he said, launching himself through.

Kuno didn't hesitate in following.

"Ranma!" Akane called from down the hallway. "This is the third floor!"

As the two students began to fall, Ranma smiled. Being on the third floor was no big deal. He'd fallen from much greater heights without a scratch. He was a great martial artist, afterall!

Looking down, he felt his heart suddenly plummet a hundred times quicker than the rest of his body. Below him was a swimming pool, full of shimmering, undoubtedly cold water.

Up above, Ranma heard someone say, "Boy, they're sure lucky there's a pool down there!"

"Lucky," Ranma muttered, right before his body hit the water.

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This was a cautionary tale; look before you leap, kiddos.