Chapter 6: The Fox and the Viper.

"Push! Push! Push!"

Ranma pumped his body up and down, doing pushups in the middle of the dojo floor as Kurumi sat perched on his back, giving him encouragement as he worked to build up his body. It was just the latest training exercise used in days that had mixed into school, training, eating, sleeping, followed by a repeat. The days of the week were starting to merge to the point that he wasn't sure what the date even was.

While he hated the mundane days of attending class during the day and training at night, there was a certain amount of comfort taken in the familiarity of it. School was a irksome chore, as it always had been, a necessary duty. High school wasn't obligatory in Japan, but Ranma had absolutely no intention of following in the footsteps of his father. Genma had never finished high school. That fact alone gave Ranma the determination to get through it. If he could set himself a step ahead of his father, this was worth it. Besides, he'd promised his mother he'd finish. A promise made to the mother he'd not seen for most of his life wasn't something he ever intended to break.

On the plus side, training daily was making him stronger. His body was, and always had been toned and lean, but the definition of strength showing in his muscles was starting to become more pronounced. He had worked his way up to over 200 hundred push ups in a single session. The taxing work of building his body also gave an outlet to the lingering frustrations regarding the loss of Happosai. When he trained, there was no need to think. His muscle memory was soaking up every punch, jab, and kick until he could do it without thinking.

Yes, the physical aspect of training was the highlight of recent days. It was the moment of quiet before bed or when he was sitting in class, daydreaming instead of focusing on a teacher's lesson, that he truly disliked. That was when his mind was most active and, unfortunately, focused on a loop of past events with Happosai at the center. It was a little ridiculous in a way. The diminutive master had been an absolute pain in the ass with his panty thieving and lecherous advances on every attractive woman in sight. Each incident ran the risk of the Tendo Dojo being involved and losing face and reputation. Ranma had lost count of the number of times he'd feared turning to a female, knowing a groping from the little pervert wasn't long in coming.

It wasn't a stretch to say that the level of good the old master had brought to the Tendo household was far outweighed by the negative. That had brought a question to his mind, one chief in his thoughts that cycled around with no answer: Why then am I so shaken by his death?

Part of it, he'd determined, was simply from losing an ally in battle. An ally that had sacrificed himself to save another. But on some level, Ranma knew there was more to it than that. He also knew that the pattern of thought on the matter wasn't leading to any real conclusions or sense of closure. The funeral and his silent, frustration and bemoaning of the recent past wasn't enough.

When would an answer come, he wondered in the unquiet center of his mind. Would he find some sense of inner peace to balance out the biting guilt and the continued sense of unease that came with every new foe that challenged from the shadows?

"Twenty more, Ranma! You can do it!" Kurumi cheered him on, raising her arms up and down while expertly maintaining her balance on his back with one slender leg crossed over the other.

Ranma nodded as sweat pooled down his forehead. The droplets of spent exertion pooled onto the treated boards at his feet. His arms were shaking with exertion. Physically his body screamed for rest. Mentally, he forced denied himself and continued to push.

"That's it, soldier!" Kurumi barked out, trying to lower her voice and adding a gruff quality to it, as if mimicking a drill sergeant. "Push! Push until I get tired!"

Ranma complied, knocking out ten more and completing the set. He returned to a fully upraised position. As if on cue, Kurumi gracefully flipped forward from her seated position, spinning in midair to land on the pads of her feet. Turning, she offered her hand, helping him up with one while offering a towel with the other.

Nodding his thanks, Ranma started to wipe off his forehead, panting hard to catch his breath. Strength training wasn't something he was as used to as practicing techniques and katas, but the burning in his forearms and shoulders told him it was working.

Seated nearby on a cushion on the floor, Natsumi seemed to rise from a meditative trance that seemed to coincide with Ranma's training session. Her eyes slowly opened until they were half-lidded, giving her a contemplative look. Resting on her knees, both hands remained flat on her thighs. Her posture was perfect, though she was dressed in jeans and a short-sleeved shirt instead of the more revealing and loose attire worn during training or battle. The fabric of her top did little to hide the generous curves that even he found hard to ignore.

"You're getting stronger," she said, the words stating the obvious while conveying a note of praise in the tone of her voice. "But you must not forget about finesse along the way."

Ranma wiped his face one more time before letting the towel hang down over both shoulders. He thought of the mid-air board breaking exercise he'd been trying the other day. A warrior of his skill should have been able to chop it as finely as if it had been cut by an ax. The breaking he'd delivered had left both ends jagged. Her observations rang true.

"You aren't wrong," he agreed with a soft, relenting sigh. His chest rose and fell as he exhaled lingering tension and pain from the workout. "Also, I should be careful not to sacrifice the speed I've built up. Even a pound of muscle could throw certain techniques off."

"Quite so," she said, rising to her feet. The long trail of brown hair snaked down over one shoulder and down the curve of one of her breasts and cascaded the length of her body. The tip came to just below her knee and swayed as she approached him. The more serious of the two sisters, Ranma was starting to learn he could always count on Natsumi to give him the hard truth as she saw it. She certainly did not disappoint today. "The problem is the level of training you seek to put yourself through is more than this dojo environment can handle." Natsumi waved one hand, palm up, in a sweeping gesture to the side for emphasis. "It's perfect for training classes and what not, but for the skill you are looking to hone, this space is no longer enough."

Ranma grunted in acknowledgement. It was an enclosed space and more than a little restrictive. If he wasn't careful, a punch or kick could send a foot through the floor or a hand through the wall. Training in the yard wasn't much better. It was large by Japanese standards but the property wall and the Koi pond ate up much of the space. He was like a lion craving action but being enclosed in a cage.

"What I need is a large area to train. Somewhere I can cut loose without a problem." Looking down at his hand, Ranma curled the fingers into a fist. The audible pop filled the space between the trio for a moment. It was a problem he'd have to think about later, in addition to everything else. It wasn't like he could just go off on a training trip. Leaving everyone else would have been irresponsible. Every fiber of his being told him dangers were still out there.

"Just don't push yourself too hard!" Kurumi chimed in. Unlike her sister, she wore the usual pink robe and training attire with matching red bows in her hair and around her waist. She gestured wildly with both hands between the pair, trying to instill a bit of levity into the serious tension around her. "Akane's been really worried about you lately! And we have too! And it's almost the holidays! Don't forget to relax a little! And besides…"

She leaned forward for emphasis and pointed one finger at him. "Being too serious puts you on the naughty list! Santa won't like that!"

It was a silly display to be sure. But the sheer emphasis Kurumi put into cheering him up tugged a slight smile from Ranma's even lips. His eyes flicked over to Natsumi, and he saw the corners of her mouth were turned upwards as well. It seemed that even a lifetime spent at her younger sister's side didn't rend her immune to her sister's enthusiastic charm.

It was moments like this, as well as the earlier incident with Kuno and Kodachi coming over to the dojo that reminded Ranma of the chaotic yet simpler past from a year ago, before everything changed. He missed that a little. Plus, it made it easier to be himself and forget his heavy mental burdens for a little while.

"Christmas is just two weeks away, huh?" he said, holding onto the two halves of the white towel around his neck. "Maybe we should have a party or something. What do you think?"

"It would be a good time for it. You have winter break starting the day after, right?" Neither sister attended high school, but it was well known that students were awarded time off from about December 26th to January 6th.

Kurumi's mouth opened then closed. She'd been on the verge of suggesting a get together. When Ranma beat her to the punch and showed their thoughts were aligned, she gave a little hop and thrust a fist into the air. "Yes! A party! That's just what we all need!"

Ranma gave a lopsided grin, feeling more and more like his normal self in the moment. "Well, who can argue with that? I'm down."

"We'll have drinks! Punch and eggnog!" Kurumi called out.

"I think we could all use a break," Natsumi agreed, subtly nodding her head at the idea. "A sort of healing balm for everyone's souls."

It wouldn't hurt to take a break now and again, especially given how hard he'd been training. Kasumi's good with making invitations with fancy calligraphy and planning parties and stuff. I'll ask her."

"And we'll have to do present exchanging! Maybe a secret Santa thingy? Natsumi and I can decorate the dojo with bows and stuff. Kasumi told me about the big party you all had last year. Maybe something a little smaller this year would be better?"

"Sure, sure," Ranma huffed a little in amusement, patting the girl's brown hair and tousling softly. This must be what it felt like to have a younger sister. These two sisters certainly evoked different emotions than Kasumi and Nabiki did. He paused in mid head pat to sniff at the air as a delicious aroma wafted into the room. "I think I smell dinner. Let's go eat."

In the background, Kurumi was still talking excitedly, filling the air with a gleeful chatter. As much as she liked to eat, it was inevitable that the excitement of the party would lead to talk of food. "We can have a turkey, and ham!" Like a cute little puppy, she followed Ranma and her sister out of the training hall. "And cookies and cake! We can't forget the cake! Everyone likes cake!"

Kodachi left school the next day in a brisk hurry. Normally she took time to mingle on the way out of the school grounds with her peers. Today she made a beeline for the gate and headed home at a speed rivaling an Olympic race walker. She didn't run though. A lady never ran if she could help it. Besides, it wasn't as if she was excited about her first date in…. well, ever. It was just she'd proposed the idea and had no intention of being even a moment late.

The night before had seen an explosion in her room. But it wasn't due to battle or a grenade or anything like that. Rather, it had been an explosion of cloth as dresses were taken from the closet, tried on in front of a mirror, and subsequently thrown off to the side. By the evening's end, dresses, and articles of tried on clothing were draped over her chair, desk, bed, on the floor and even the overhead ceiling fan. Nothing besides the right dress would do. Not because she cared about wowing the young man. That was preposterous. It was simply that a girl of her standing had to make a proper impression!

In the end she'd decided to forego flashy and alluring clothing for the old tried and true: her collared, long sleeved white shirt with an accompanying ankle-length black skirt with matching shoes. It was practical, modest, and just a dash regal looking, she decided. It was perfectly fitting a girl of her station.

The tsunami of clothing to clean up and rehang fell on Satsuki. Unfortunately for the little ninja manservant, that wasn't a task to complete on the spot. Kodachi had him sit on the floor in front of her, using his ear to listen as she voiced her various concerns.

"Satsuki, I know you know little of worldly things, but I simply must give vent to things eating at my very soul!" Standing in the middle of the room, she clutched at her chest, feigning a pose that was nothing if not overly dramatic. "It's not like I can ask my dolt of a brother, so beggars can't be choosers. Not that I'm a beggar. It's just an expression, you understand."

"Yes mistress Ku-"

"What keeps me awake at night is the idea that this date, casual though it certainly will be, is some sort of betrayal of my one true beloved!" She went on, interrupting him. It was also full of melodrama. She'd slept fine the night before, Satsuki knew. Worldy though he wasn't, the ninja wasn't a fool. Countering her wasn't a good hill to die on.

"I've been nothing but loyal to my darling Ranma! I've not even laid eyes on another man. But my patience and devotion hasn't been rewarded at all. Shouldn't I, a girl her prime of life, be allowed to enjoy herself a little without the black jaws of guilt eating at her very soul?!"

Satsuki had to admit she was correct. She'd barely even spoken to boys her age. Part of that was because she went to an all-girls school. The other half came because she was absolutely obsessed with the boy. To a very, very unhealthy degree. "Well, I think-"

"Oh, but you're right! Why am I worrying about It? It's more of an outing than a date, surely. And it isn't like any other man can hold a candle to my darling Ranma. Although…. this man's eyes are simply dreamy…" She scooped up the pillow on her bed and cuddled it to her black sleep gown-covered chest. Her hips swayed back and forth casually. "He is a simply delicious specimen of a man. So tall and with broad shoulders. You know I do so like broad shoulders. But he's nothing compared to Ranma, you understand!"

A sweat drop dripped down Satsuki's face. "Quite."

"I'll simply use this 'outing' as a chance to gather experience!" She declared triumphantly. "When Ranma finally dumps the bowl-cut tramp that is Akane Tendo and comes to me, I'll better know how to entertain him in a social setting. It's perfect really! I'm a nexus of genius and feminine wiles, truly!"

She started to laugh at that. It was the hysterical cackle that generated noise complaints in the neighborhood. Dogs started to howl from yards beyond her bedroom window. Satsuki looked from Kodachi to the window, and back again, with chagrin. "Perhaps I better close the window?"

But the laughter didn't abate after a string of "o ho ho ho"s as it used to. Arching her back, Kodachi clutched at the pillow, digging her nails into the fabric by reflex, tearing at it until bits of feather started flaking out into the ground. Her entire body seemed to convulse backwards, making use of the flexibility honed years of gymnastics. The cacophony of laughter rose in pitch, as did Sasuki's despondency to the situation. He had served the family for most of his life. He'd seen their father's descent into madness and watched it start to taint the siblings as well, Moreso of late, since they were approaching full adulthood. If her laughing fit went on much longer, the girl risked hurting herself. That left the manservant with little choice.

"Mistress, if Ranma happens to call while you're away, should I tell him you're on a date? Er, I mean, on an outing with the young man?"

The sudden question did the trick. In a second's time Kodachi went from cackling to full stop. Her angular chin turned down to stare daggers at him. It was if he'd just uttered the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard. Where madness had glinted in her eyes a moment before, now there was only sharp anger focused entirely on him. It was enough to make the little man squirm in place.

"You utter dolt! Have you lost all your remaining sense? Of course not!" She hurled the torn pillow down, striking him in the forehead. He sat there and took it, hardly moving as it flopped off his face into his lap. "Men are such jealous creatures! Ranma would misconstrue my noble intentions! That could wreck everything! It would be an utter disaster! No, no! Tell him a little fib. Just a harmless little fib." She snapped her fingers as a thought came to mind. "I know! Tell him I'm at a gymnastics match!"

Ranma had never called for her on the telephone. But the question had done the trick. "Y-yes! Of course, Mistress! Just a little harmless fib!"

This seemed to placate Kodachi a little and she sniffed, turning her head to the side as if looking at him was now beneath her. "Yes, of course it is. I just said as much. But enough of this prattle. I tire. Clean this mess up so I may go to bed. You don't want me to have bags under my eyes for the outing tomorrow, do you? Oh, but of course you don't! Hop to it!"

When Kodachi bed down in her queen-sized bed crowned by a fresh pillow and pillowcase, she did so with butterflies in her stomach and a pounding heart. It certainly wasn't because the first boy to ever pay her a bit of attention had agreed to go out with her. No, it was certainly because this was a new experience! Those were always exciting. If nothing else, tomorrow would prove educational. Closing her eyes, she buried her face into the pillow and giggled a little. Were anyone present, they might have sensed a tint of madness clinging along for the ride.

Arriving promptly at the spot where they'd met before, as per the agreement, Kodachi stood on the sidewalk and looked around for Mikado. A gust of playful wind tugged at the bottom of her outfit, causing the black to flap around her knees like the pedals of a flower. A moment passed as did several people. None of them were Mikado. When she raised her wrist to check the small golden watch fastened there, she saw one minute had stretched to five.

"He's late. If he stood me up…" Anger started to fester in her posture, causing her shoulders to tremble. What sort of man kept a lady waiting for even a moment? She watched the second hand tick around the circle of time until six minutes had passed.

"It's absolutely a lovely afternoon! But it isn't nearly so lovely as you are."

Kodachi's eyes widened, and she looked up suddenly. Mikado had separated from the crowd crossing the street at the crosswalk and walked up to her with a dozen red roses draped in soft plastic. The look of surprise quickly shifted as one delicate eyebrow quirked. Red roses? That was the allure of choice used by her brother. It was, in her opinion, in gaudy taste. Still… he had come to her with a gift so that afforded him some points for effort. That pick-up line though… that was bad, even from her lack of romantic experience point of view.

"Your line was terrible, and I loathe red roses." She announced, folding her arms across her chest. She held the pose for a minute, punishing him for the six minutes of tardiness until his confident expression fell a little. "But the effort was… nice." She held out her arms for the flowers. Mikado's spirits suddenly lifted, and he passed her the bouquet.

"Here you are, miss Kuno. I just wanted to be fashionably late; you see. Plus…"

The charming smile on his face lasted only a moment longer. It melted like a snowflake in a volcano when he watched her turn and toss the flowers into a nearby wastebin.

"There. That's better. Alright, Mr. Sanzenin-"

"Call me Mikado."

Kodachi's eyes widened again. He dared to interrupt her?! Still… his words, they were demanding and devoid of request. It made her heart flutter a little. "T-then you shall call me Kodachi. Let's suspend any further pomp and ceremony, yes?" She tilted her head a little to the side. "Now then, what do you have planned for us?"

The young man adjusted the dark sports coat draped over his torso. Beneath that was a long white sleeve shirt that further helped keep the December chill away. Non-pleated dress slacks dark tan in color adorned his legs along with dark leather shoes. The irritatingly handsome smile reappeared on his face as he leaned in just a little. "I was thinking of taking you to Paradise."

Her eyes narrowed. "We've only just met and you dare to boldly-"

"It's a restaurant. Quite upscale really. I know the owner. He's a fan of ice skating."

A flush appeared over the bridge of Kodachi's nose. "Oh. Yes. I've uh… heard good reviews. I will allow you to take me there."

This woman is insufferable! Mikado hid his rising vexation behind the smile and moved to walk beside her down the sidewalk towards a chain of shops and restaurants that dotted the area just outside of Nerima. He'd only agreed to date because it seemed like a challenge. Short of Akane Tendo, no woman had ever resisted his charms. Even the feisty red-headed girl had succumbed to his lips. Seducing a girl had never been a challenge. If not for the terrible end of his match against Ranma Saotome, an ungraceful defeat that had somewhat marred his reputation, then he surely would have more than surpassed his goal to kiss one thousand girls. As it was, Mikado was right where he had been, toeing the line at 999.

What his life needed was a challenge as he rebuilt his reputation. That challenge had, quite literally, fallen out of the sky. However, he was quickly remembering the adage about being careful of what you wish for.

Haughty little she-devil…

As they walked side-by-side but not touching, he snuck glances at her from the periphery of his sight. She was pretty enough, he supposed. Gorgeous would have been the right word if not for her high and mighty attitude thus far. Still, it was just one date. No harm in seeing what came of things. With luck, he'd charm her right off her high horse and prove to himself that he still had the charm to conquer the fairer sex.

Kodachi peeked over at him while adjusting her side ponytail over her shoulder as cover. The playful wind struck again, combing through his hair like invisible fingertips and causing his dark brown locks to flutter a little. Terrible pickup lines and choice of gifts aside….

He's simply gorgeous! Damn it!

She looked around and saw the admiring looks of other single girls and women as they passed. A few looked at Kodachi enviously. Her heart swelled with pride. That's right, commoners. He's out with me. Ah, delicious envy. I could bathe in it!

He led her down another street, though it was more like a charming hamster walking haphazardly into the waiting jaws of a snake. The figure-skating martial artist seemed oblivious to the awaiting danger. Certainly, he had everything under control. His broad shoulders leaned back. A hand touched her forearm to slow her steps. "It's right over there."

Her arms… she's got some serious muscle tone.

Kodachi felt a little explosion of excitement when his strong hand touched her shoulder. Thanks to her white top, it wasn't skin-to-skin contact, but the gesture still caused her to suck in a breath.

The arrogance! Putting his hands on a lady without permission! Glancing at him again, the hard look of a serpent eying its lunch softened. Could he hear her heart beating over the sound of passing traffic?

Paradise seemed to be aptly named. The Parisian-styled restaurant stood out from others around it. The red awning proudly displayed the fine dining establishment's name. Beneath it were some small dining tables covered in tablecloths and adorned in slender vases capped with a single fresh-cut rose. Two wooden chairs adorned each table.

Mikado moved past the tables and opened the door for Kodachi, escorting her inside. "As I said, I know the owner. There's a special table I had reserved for this occasion."

Kodachi couldn't help but smirk a little. At least he had good taste in cuisine. Mentally, she awarded him a few additional points. "A French restaurant. Bold sir. Very bold."

"Victory favors boldness, or so I'm told," he replied.

Slightly longer tables adorned either side of the restaurant's interior and continued the theme from outside with the white tablecloth. However, the similarities differed in that each table had a small candle in a glass candle holder in addition to the vase and flower. The tables were positioned far enough apart to allow easy traffic. The lighting was dim inside. Instead of direct overhead light, there were sconces on the wall. Towards the back was a bar with a wall length wine rack.

Mikado approached a middle-aged man dressed in a white button-down shirt and black pants. "I had a table reserved under Mikado Sanzenin."

The man bowed a little. "Ah, mister Sanzenin! Yes, thank you for phone in earlier. We have the table ready now."

"Is the owner in? I'd love to say hello."

"Indeed he is sir. However, he's attending to some business in the kitchen at this moment. Let me get you and your charming lady seated and Ill inform him that you've arrived!"

Kodachi felt her ego swelling. A restaurant who hired those with such fine attention to detailed truths. What a marvel!

The bartender took them to the right of the bar against the back wall and down a very short hallway to a private room. Large red drapes covered the window and the table at the room's center seemed made from dark oak, a far cry sturdier than the ones out in the restaurant proper. French paintings adorned the walls with candle sconces situated between. The ceiling was higher as well, and capping the room's ceiling was a crystal chandelier. It was a sight potent enough to even wow Kodachi's appreciation for fine décor.

The waiter pulled out a chair for Kodachi and she sat. Mikado seated himself across from her a moment later. He knew proper etiquette. She had a suspicion that if the waiter hadn't helped her into the chair that her date would have.

Damn him. Racking up the points a bit too quickly. But once we get down to brass tacks, I'll discover what kind of man he really is!

"May I get the two of you something to drink?" the waiter asked, looking to Kodachi first.

Kodachi looked pointedly at Mikado. "I insist my date order first."

Mikado shrugged his shoulders. "As you wish. I'll have ice water."

"I'll have ice water as well."

"Very good. Ill be back presently with some freshly baked bread." The waiter bowed crisply and left the two alone.

No sooner were they alone than Kodachi leaned forward a little. "Water is a bit of a boring choice. Why did you ask for that?"

He chose not to counter by pointing out that she had ordered the exact same thing. "I'm not old enough to drink yet and ordering something like juice seemed rather infantile. Besides, it's important to stay hydrated. Even in winter."

Kodachi nodded and sat back in her chair. "Very pragmatic. That's exactly why I ordered water too."

"Mm. I have no doubts." Truly, he had a load of them at this moment in time. "Now then, would you do me the honor of telling me more about yourself?" Mikado folded a thick cloth napkin out onto his lap then gave her his full attention, only barely nodding when the host returned with their glasses of ice water.

"I'm the female heir to the Kuno estate. My father is the principal of Furinkan High School. My brother is a senior there, set to graduate and matriculate to Tokyo University next year." She paused a moment before sitting up a little straighter. "My father has a…. kind heart. That's why he chose to preside over a common school rather than a private one."

Mikado met her gaze evenly. "Fascinating. But I want to know more about you, Kodachi. Not your family. At least, not yet. We can get to that later. Won't you indulge me a little?"

"Oh… well…" Kodachi felt her eyes shifting under the heat of his gaze. "I'm a junior at Saint Hebereke's private school and I'm captain of the Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics team." Under the intensity of his blue eyes, she felt compelled to continue. "A-and I enjoy baking and cooking as well."

"I remember you telling me about your… particular brand of martial arts. You are a well-rounded woman partaking in both sport and feast," he said admiringly, laying on a little thick. A hand reached across the table. For a moment she thought he meant to take a piece of bread from the basket but instead he reached to touch her hand. Another jolt traveled up her spine and she almost pulled back. His hand was so strong and smooth… and warm.

"And you?" she managed to ask. Her tone sounded a little too meek and that irked her for some reason.

"Well, as I said the other day, I'm a modest practitioner of Martial Arts Figure Skating. I attend Kolhotz high school. My goal is to go pro."

Modest. Right. Something tells me modesty goes with this man like oil to vinegar. Still, Kodachi didn't pull her hand away. The flush to her cheeks was back with a vengeance. It was clear from the vexation in her soft gray eyes that she didn't like showing visible weakness, embarrassment, or discomfort.

Mikado basked in the sight of Kodachi navigating this unfamiliar situation, wearing the mask of a smile on his face. It seemed pleasant enough on the surface, covering the more vindictive smile he wore in his mind. It served her right as far as he was concerned; she'd come off as far too bossy and controlling for his taste. The sign of someone from old money who thought themselves better than others.

On the other hand,…. He'd dated enough girls to spot a novice from an experienced dater. If simply touching her hand had been enough to get her flushed, then it was no wonder she'd so vehemently turned down his bold request for a kiss a few days before. The grin in his mind grew. The field was ripe for a game of taking the entitled girl down a few pegs. It wasn't a game he often played, since most girls he engaged with were fan girls.

Alright, Kodachi Kuno. I choose you. You will be my 1000th kiss conquest. I'll thaw that little snooty heart of yours and leave you begging for more on your knees! Then, after you submit to me, I'll dump you by the wayside and-

"Why figure skating?"

Mikado was so lost in his little revenge fantasy that it took him a moment to fully register her question. He blinked once and sat up straighter in his chair. "Beg your pardon?"

"Why did you chose to pursue figure skating?" she asked, expanding on the question a bit. She rested her chin on one palm. One might have taken the posture as a sign of boredom, but the intense look in her eyes showed a true desire to understand. A younger man, clearly intent on taking their order came into the room and she cast a glance at him, shaking her head. She'd look at the menu later. The man nodded and left the pair to their conversation.

"Well… no one has ever asked me that before," he said with begrudging respect. The question had caught him off guard. He was used to being praised for his skill and eloquence on the ice. No one had ever broached this kind of question before. "I suppose…" he paused again, thinking for a moment. "It's true freedom," he added a moment later.

She cocked one eyebrow. "True Freedom?"

He nodded his head emphatically. "Martial arts Figure Skating is life! It is like soaring in the clouds, only on ice instead. There's grace and power mixed in harmony. A combination of dance and martial arts. My mother enjoyed skating on occasion. She first took me when I was only three years old." He chuckled shortly, recalling memories from his past. "Admittedly, I fell a lot at first and ended up with more than a few skinned knees. But that did little to smolder my growing passion for the sport. From that tender age, as I learned to glide across the ice like a comet streak through the heavens, there was never a question in my mind as what I wanted to do."

He gestured with one hand, far more animatedly than before. "It's the ultimate form of expression. Gliding and dancing with absolute freedom."

Kodachi felt herself leaning forward, engrossed in his words and the earnest passion in which he addressed his sport. For the first time since they'd met, she saw a naked earnestness to the young man. The flirty bravado seemed to have been cast to the wayside.

"I feel the same way about Rhythmic Gymnastics," she said after taking a hearty gulp of water to cool down a little. "Though, it started out as a chore rather than a choice at first. Father insisted I take up the sport not just for exercise, but also for self-defense. I loathed practicing for the longest time. But the more I delved into the sport, the more I felt…" she paused and looked at him before shrugging slightly. "Free, I suppose."

Mikado took the measure of that final word and nodded. He understood. A young rich girl has her family's image to upkeep. His family was fairly well off, so he could understand to a degree. She had certain social responsibilities and, most likely, her life was rarely her own. Her outlet had been in gymnastics the same as his had been in figure skating. He felt a twinge of begrudging respect forming as they explored common ground.

"And you compete in martial arts matches as well as doing general figure skating events?"

"Quite so. Most of the time I seem to spar against hockey players looking to sharpen their team skills and reaction times. But there are opportunities to fight worthy opponents. I almost always win too."

"Almost always?"

Mikado's genuine smile brought on by recalling the passion of his sport soured a little. "I lost an informal match to an insufferable pony-tailed buffoon. And then, during the formal match, when I was on the verge of total victory….," he exhaled a moment. "The match was interrupted by two newcomers." The handsome young man paused, tapping one cheek with his index finger, giving vent to the soured over frustration. "Come to think of it, that was the craziest match I'd ever had."

Kodachi made a dismissive gesture with one hand. "It happens to all of us. I lost a gymnastics battle to a pony tailed hussy once as well. Narrowly. By the skin of my teeth. But alas, a defeat all the same. I'm over it now though. Mostly. Probably."

Mikado stared at her a moment in silent contemplation. He'd half expected her to brighten out her superior attitude again and pounce on his defeat by landing some snide remark. Instead, she was trying to make him feel better by admitting her own sore memory? Perhaps he'd initially misjudged her. Picking up his glass of water, he held it across the table towards her.

"A toast then. To overcoming vile pig-tailed opponents." The dash of charm was back, though not as forced as before.

Kodachi smiled a little and chinked her glass against his. "Overcoming and surpassing," she added, taking a sip.

It was then that she realized his hand was still touching hers. It was all she could do to swallow her water and not spit it out like some sort of fountain. "I…"

"Bonjour! Monsieur Mikado!"

For a moment Kodachi thought another waiter had come to take their order. She turned her head up to see a man in a white suit and a red bow tie approaching their table. He was startling handsome, she realized with a start, her posture more tense as he came to stand beside their table. With blonde hair much the same style and shape as Mikado, the pair were like yin and yang personified. The older man seemed ready to say something else to his friend when those dark blue eyes turned to Kodachi instead.

"Mademmoiselle! Welcome to Paradise! I have not seen you here before. Ah, we are truly excited to have you with us! This setting fits you, no? Such a strikingly gorgeous woman. Your hair is like the petals of a dark rose in full bloom. Simply beautiful. Magnifique!"

For some reason, any joy at seeing his restaurant-owning friend was diminished by another rising wave of vexation at such honeyed words aimed at his date. She was his conquest! And… was she blushing again? There was an unspoken rule in the men's code about inserting oneself into a romantic setting and disturbing things! The owner should have known that! Or maybe he intended to steal Kodachi for himself?

He cleared his throat to draw attention back to himself. "Kodachi, allow me to introduce Monsieur Picolet Chardin. He's the heir of the La Belle France School of Martial Arts Speed Eating as well as the busy owner of this fine establishment. I'm sure he's quite busy with work, though I'm glad he stopped over to say hi.

Kodachi blinked, then blinked again. "Martial arts…. Speed eating?"

Picolet gave a shake of his head and spread both hands widely to either side. "Nonsense! Nonsense, good sir! I'm never too busy to visit a friend and a lovely lady! Have you two decided what you want? Shall I make some suggestions?"

"We have everything well in hand, monsieur," Mikado said with a tight smile.

It was then that Picolet saw Mikado's left hand on hers. A look of surprise came over his face. Or rather, that's what Kodachi supposed the expression was. His mouth widened into an obscenely large "O". "Oh mon Dieu! My apologies! I didn't know the lovely rose was your woman!"

Mikado didn't seem to react to seeing the strange contorting of the blonde man's face from handsome to something akin to a feeding whale. Kodachi leaned back, eyes widening in morbid curiosity. Was his face made from molding clay or something? "I…."

Mikado looked around the room then back to Picolet. His body language seemed to say "I'm in a romantic, private setting. How could you have not been clued in here?" "Our first date," he said simply.

Kodachi quietly slid her hand out away from his, still feeling the warmth of his touch as her cheeks continued to burn red. "I'm not his…" she said in a quiet defiant tone.

To his credit, Picolet looked properly chagrin. But he bounced back a moment later. His face returned to the same shape as normal with a small smile. "Ah! You came to the right place for a first date. We are so honored. The setting is wonderful, no? Parfaite?Wait… there's no music! This will not do! Allow me to serenade you with a song! La Vie En Rose, I think. Yes, this will do nicely."

Clearing his throat, he started to sing. To his credit, Picolet wasn't a bad singer. Far from it in fact. The problem was that he was stealing the spotlight away. To someone with Mikado's thirst for attention and admiration, this was a sin that couldn't go unaddressed. Halfway through the third line Mikado reached over and took hold of the man's wrist and gave a slight shake, getting his attention and interrupting the melody.

"We greatly appreciate your hospitality, Monsieur," he said, stressing the word. As Kodachi watched across the table, she saw a hardness in his eyes as if daring Picolet to challenge him further. "But I think we'd like to chat a little and figure out what fine food to order. So… some privacy please? I would so love to give this fine dining establishment a five-star rating online. I've been meaning to leave a review."

Kodachi felt her heart skip a beat as he politely suggested the boisterous blonde take a hike. No one had ever truly fought for her attention like that before… and certainly not so eloquently. Beneath the table, she gripped at the white tablecloth. At this rate that blush on her cheeks was going to take up permanent residence.

Picolet seemed to gather the meaning of Mikado's words, at least to the extent that he was trying to woo Kodachi in private. He winked one blue eye. "Of course! I shall disappear! Please take your time and enjoy!" Dashing over to the door, he was halfway outside before he turned back, leaning his head in. His mouth drew closer to the pair, until he resembled an aardvark. "And I would highly suggest the boeuf bourguignon. Délicieux! Ta-ta!"

His "snout" retreated along with the rest of him and the two were once again left alone. Suddenly the room seemed even quieter than it had before. The budding atmosphere of two martial artists sharing their passions for their particular brand of martial arts was gone. Midako floundered, opening his mouth as if say something or apologize before stopping again. How could he properly explain or address what they'd just seen? How could he recapture the moment from before?

Kodachi giggled behind one hand, a soft sound far different from her normal cackling display of glee. The sound left her date looking a little dumbstruck, at least for a moment. "I suppose we got a little deep into things before," she said, picking up the menu. "Let's order something and then I'd love to hear more about your adventures on the ice."

Mikado exhaled visibly before a slow, thankful smile appeared on his face. "That sounds lovely. And you can educate me on the particulars of gymnastics," he said, picking up his own menu and trying to tear his gaze away from her face and down onto the page of text. It was no easy feat given the small smile that continued to grace her lips. It was a far cry more lovely than the snooty look he'd seen on her face the other day.

Suddenly, it was far easier for him to smile naturally. Maybe, just maybe, this won't be so bad after all.

Author note:

Good lord... it's been 9 years since I last uploaded a chapter. So many things have happened since then. I'm 41 now, married, a new job... Where have the years gone? I'm so very sorry!

I saw a kind soul had favorited this story and feeling a sudden grip of curiosity, I came onto and saw there were a number of comments on this story from people who enjoyed reading it. I want to take a moment to thank all of you for every comment. Regardless of the language, whether it's just praise for the story or a form of constructive criticism, I appreciate it all. All of you have inspired me to finish what I started. Thank you all! I'd always intended this series to be five main stories. We're on number four now. It's time I buckled down and got back to it!

Please feel free to leave comments, suggestions, observations, and what not going forward. I hope this latest chapter shows a more developed style of writing with fewer mistakes than before. Even more importantly, I hope you all see the renewed passion I have for writing this series. I love Ranma 1/2. I admire and support every fan around the world who shares that love for this anime. My fanfiction isn't perfect, but it's my homage to the top anime on my list, 20+ years and holding!

See you next chapter. I promise you won't be waiting 9 years. Or even nine days!