Chapter 9: Second Date and Ice Skates

"We're being called back home?" Mousse asked, turning his thick spectacles to look at Cologne as the ancient woman put down the phone receiver. Beside him, Shampoo froze in shock, dropping the pork bun she'd just been cooking over the stove. It sizzled in the pan, protesting and burning as she stared at her elder.

Cologne nodded gravely. "The war with the Musk Dynasty has escalated. A total recall of our people worldwide, and a request for second and third generation Amazon descendants has been requested by the council of elders. She sighed, looking more defeated than she had since Happosai's passing. Her already weathered face seemed even more drawn. "Great granddaughter, I've done what I could to try to shield you. As the head of the council, I can take some liberties. But this…" she slowly shook her head. "We must go to the aid of our people."

Mousse reached over to grip Shampoo's hand and found it was trembling. A little more than half a year ago, she would have shrugged off the gesture at best. Now that he'd put his affection for his childhood friend into action and defeated her in battle, Shampoo had found renewed affection for Mousse that was only growing stronger with every passing day.

"It's unthinkable," Cologne said, sighing heavily. "To go from thinking the Musk were extinct, meeting their leader and discovering the civilization was thriving, and now to war. It's all too quick, too convenient…" She stroked a chin muttering to herself. "Something just doesn't fit…"

"When?" Mousse asked, interrupting her musings. "And what of the café?"

"A week. Maybe eight days. Enough to attend this and say goodbye to our friends." She held up an invitation card in the mail. "The Tendo household is holding a small Christmas party. After that, we'll board up the shop and let our regulars know of the haitus and return to China."

"Stupid Musk…" Shampoo said between grit teeth. Angry and frustrated at having her reasonably comfortable life interrupted, there was a slight trembling in her eyes. She was a warrior, but this was the first time she'd been called to war.

"They won't win," Mousse assured her softly, putting the burner on low heat with his non occupied hand before giving her his full attention. "And I won't let anything happen to you."

Sensing the mood, Cologne grabbed her staff and stepped outside to get some fresh air. She still wasn't entirely used to the relationship between Shampoo and Mousse. The two had a history together and he had won against her fairly, so there wasn't much she could say or do that wouldn't cause an unwanted rift. The best thing to do now was to give the young Amazons some time alone to process this unfortunate news. A walk would do her some good as well.

In the kitchen of the Cat Café', Shampoo turned to face her fiancé', looking up into his eyes. Despite the coke bottle thick glasses, his eyes showed a strength that overshadowed their genetic weakness. "Mousse?"

"I was too impatient to marry you before and the gods punished us with Mint and Lime. This time will be different. We will go to war together. We will return together. And when we do… I want you to marry me." A thumb stroked across her cheek. "It's always been you, Shampoo. Only ever you."

Shampoo felt a tingle of pink warm her cheeks. Mousse reached a hand up to cup her cheek and she leaned into it, nodding her head. "You fight for Shampoo more than once. You protect Shampoo. Always there for Shampoo, taking Shampoo abuse. Then you defeat Shampoo and prove strength and manhood."

Realizing she was still speaking Japanese, the purple-haired girl marveled at how used to life here she'd become and switched her own dialect of Chinese. "You have done everything for me. Won me fair and square. Though I am scared for what the future brings, I know we will go to war together. We will come back together or not at all." Her eyes hardened with conviction for a moment before softening again. "And I will be your wife. Where you go, I will go."

Mousse smiled, also switching to his native tongue. "I don't care if I must face Herb himself. The Musk won't touch a hair on your head. And they'll absolutely rue the day they crossed us."

Shampoo's eyes widened a little. Given his extreme near-sightedness and sometimes goofy antics, it was easy to forget that Mousse could be so damn cool sometimes. The words he spoke weren't a boast. They were a promise to keep his lover safe. What could she say to that? A moment passed and she realized there was nothing she could put into words to convey how much he meant to her. So she didn't try with words. Raising up on her tiptoes, she brought a hand to hold the back of Mousse's hair and tugged him down, pressing her lips to his. Her breasts, large for her smaller height, pressed into his chest. She felt the spike in his heartrate as she assertively stole his lips.

She had such a blatant passion to her soul. It was just one of the many things he adored about her.

They kissed in front of the stove now simmering on low heat. The food was forgotten for now as the two Jusenkyo-cursed martial artists experienced a rare moment to be alone. Processing the fears of the war they were about to join would come later. They would be together then as they were now. It would be alright.

When Shampoo broke the kiss to take a breath, Mousse gripped her shoulders and pushed Shampoo against the nearby wall. Gasping against his lips as he went on the offense and stole her lips, Shampoo was content to wrap both arms around his neck. She felt the power in his body beneath the oversized white and black robe as he pressed against her, leaving no room to pull away, as if she wanted to.

"It's been a while since you've come to my room at night," she whispered between kisses against his lips. "You need to fix that. Once we return to Nyucheizu, I doubt we'll have much of a chance to… play." She nibbled and tugged at his bottom lip before releasing. Her eyes shone as she focused on her passions, pushing the fears of going to war back from her mind. They still had time to live free and she intended to make the most of every second.

Moussed nodded, a slight coloring appearing on his cheeks as well. He pushed the glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "We'll have to try to keep the noise down this time."

Shampoo wrinkled her nose. "You speak of modesty? You know very well that I don't care about that."

"But we could wake you Grandmother…"

"I'll come to your room then."

Mousse opened and closed his mouth and found there was no counterpoint to make. "Well, alright then."

He wondered if the others were progressing in their relationships in the same way. They hadn't had sex yet, but heavy petting and foreplay had most certainly been on the menu for the hot-blooded Amazonians. If anyone else found out how far the two had progressed in their relationship, it would certainly be the shock of the community and a source of envy for Ukyo as she endured her own roadblocks to relationship bliss.

Mousse released his hold on Shampoo and pointed towards their now overcooked food on the grill. It was almost time to open the restaurant. "Let's get back to it. Now we cook. Tonight…"

"Tonight, you're mine," she finished decisively, winking with a mix of playful innocence and mischievous promise.

It was, without a doubt, the longest workday Mousse had ever endured.

Sunday had come at last. Between her classes and attending to her brother and whatever this mysterious ailment was, Kodachi was sorely in need of a break. That left Mikado in the unfortunate position of needing to really bring his A game, as far as she was concerned. A simple luncheon wouldn't be enough this time around.

He'd called her twice more throughout the week to chit-chat and set up the meeting place for their date. This time, she met him near a bus stop located near Nerima's eastern boundary. She was dressed to combat the chill of winter this time. Black boots, black tights, with a dark skirt falling to just above her knees complimented a dark red sweater with a long black sleeve shirt beneath. She had a dark purple scarf around her neck.

As she waited, her hair swayed in the wind. She'd once again gone without the side ponytail she often wore, thinking it would make her look too juvenal. The dark locks danced in the wind, catching Mikado's eyes as he approached, prepared this time around. He brought no flowers, only a warm smile.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kodachi."

Kodachi gripped one wrist with her other hand, behind her back and shrugged. There was something about that smile that disarmed her. It was hard to fight. "I only waited a few moments."

"You dressed perfectly for the occasion." He gave her outfit a once over, still smiling. "You look lovely in that outfit."

"What, these old rags?" Kodachi tugged slightly at the sleeve of her thick sweater, entirely unable to keep a pleased look from showing on her face. She had, in fact, bought that outfit from a high end department store specifically for their date today.

"I have something fun for you to try today. Shall we go?" Mikado turned and Kodachi moved to follow, taking in a very good eyeful of his body hugged in the blue jeans adorning his lower half.

By the gods… he looks positively delicious.

Widening her steps to catch up and walk beside him. A cold chill blew by, and Mikado zipped up a light blue jacket over the long-sleeved collared shirt beneath. "I do hope the festivities will be indoors today."

"Fear not, my dark rose," he assured her with a wink. "Before I plan anything, I take the weather forecast into account.

Kodachi couldn't help but zero in on the word "my". It made her tingle in the pit of her stomach and left her heart pounding harder than it did following an intense gymnastics workout. Wrestling with these feelings wasn't easy, nor was the guilt she felt, as though she were betraying Ranma somehow. That was a thought she tried to shove far from her mind, at least for now.

The pair only traveled about a block or so before he moved to open a glass door for her. Kodachi stepped inside the building and looked around. It was cold inside, though no more so than outside. A young woman behind a nearby counter smiled, accepting payment, and handing over rented ice skates to people in line.

"Ice skating? Well, you weren't wrong. It's certainly not something I'd ever done before. It should be a quaint enough diversion for the afternoon, I imagine. Shall we get in line?"

Mikado kept walking, waving to the woman behind the counter as he passed. "No need. The owner of this place is a fan."

"But I need ice skates."

"Indeed you do. And I have those ready in my personal locker. I came here thirty minutes before our date. Everything is prepared."

"Quite commendable," Kodachi said, admiring his confidence even as she felt an urge to deflate it a little. A slight smile touched her painted lips. "You're forgetting one small trifle though, sir. You don't know my shoe size."

"Ah, but I do." Mikado spun on his heels to face her, crossing his arms, and smiling in a way that left her equal parts delighted and frustrated. "You are approximately 161 centimeters. Your shoe size is about 22. When it comes to ice skating, I know foot sizes. Finding you a pair wasn't at all a problem."

"Astute of you. I do hope that's all those eyes are sizing up."

"My locker is right this way," he replied, ignoring her words. As they walked to the left of the ice rink, Kodachi saw various people trying their hand at the sport. Some were just starting out and trying not to fall over, sticking to the edges where there was a half wall they could hold onto. The more experienced skaters took to the middle, dancing and weaving about on the ice. A man and a woman, clearly a couple, were trying out a few moves together, skating in sync. While nothing close to pro, there was a beauty to their movements that made her want to get out on the ice and see what she could do as well. After all, she reminded herself, there wasn't a sport that existed that a Kuno couldn't master.

There was a members locker room in the back. Putting in the locker combination, Mikado opened the metal drawer and pulled out two pairs of ice skates, handing the smaller set to her. "Here you are. We'll put these on just outside the ice."

Kodachi had to begrudgingly admit, as she put the ice skates on, that he'd been right on the money in terms of the size she needed. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of admitting it, so when she'd properly laced and latched the ice skates to her feet and ankles, she quickly stood up, intent on moving to the ice. She almost lost her balance and fell over. Fortunately, Mikado was there, holding her around the waist and steadying her. Glancing down, she saw he already had his skates on.

He moved that fast… and we're not even on the ice yet. Impressive.

"I've got you," he said, keeping her steady as she touched one blade onto the ice, then the other. She almost toppled over on the spot if not for his grip on one arm and the death grip she had on the half wall with her free hand. Her cheeks absolutely burned with embarrassment. "I…"

"Everyone has trouble at first," he assured her, cutting off whatever excuse she was going to offer. "Even me. I've bruised my behind more times than I can count."

Yes. That firm, muscular behind…

Putting aside the mental image of his butt framed in those jeans, Kodachi slowly released the wall, assured by Mikado's hold that he'd not let her fall over. He didn't give any real instructions at first, offering the gymnast the chance to feel out this new experience for herself. She was able to go a few feet before her legs started to wobble. Each time Mikado acted as an immovable rock for her to hold onto, saving her from one potential spill after another. Aware of their surroundings, the experienced ice skater kept them away from the throng of others green to the sport, affording Kodachi the space she needed.

"They teach the basics here," Mikado said into her ear as they scooted along at her pace. "Believe it or not, they even teach you how to fall, so that there are no injuries. But you have me here. I won't let you fall."

Kodachi fought the urge to openly swoon. "I- I have no intention of falling either!"

"If you want to stop, push your feet apart while skating and stick one skate out sideways," he coached.

Kodachi did as he instructed. The metal blade cut some frost off the ice, bringing her body to a halt. The fragments glistened in the light, spraying around her legs before landing back on the ice from whence they'd come. She looked up at him with a proud little smile on her face.

"You're a natural," he praised. "I'm going to let go of your arm now. You're going to try gliding for now. Focus on balance and keep your feet closer together for now. If you start to fall, I'll be there to catch you. But first, watch my feet."

The touch of his body vanished as he skated ahead a few paces and spun to face her then showed her just how to glide. Kodachi started to mimic him, though her balance was unsure. She wondered if this was how a newborn deer felt learning how to walk for the first time. Beside her, a young girl no older than six skated on by with no trouble at all. It was enough to make the raven-haired girl grit her teeth.

"Hey," Mikado said, just loud enough to snap her eyes up and stare into his. "It's only you and I out here. Don't worry about anyone else. Just focus on what you can do. Take it easy. Like I said, it's all about balance."

"Balance…" Kodachi whispered the word. She looked around for a moment then straight at him. Realization flickered in her dark gaze. Balance and control were key to gymnastics as well. It gave her an idea to try out. Slowly closing her eyes, she reached out with her honed martial arts senses, standing still on the ice.

"Kodachi?" Mikado asked, cocking his head a little in confusion.

She paid him no heed. She felt the vibrations on the slick ice as skaters went by. She took stock of her balance as it stemmed from her taunt legs. She was moving too swiftly. Skating should be like a dance in motion, just as her actions were on the vault or the beam. The ice wasn't in control. She was. Confidence flooded through her, though the younger Kuno did her utmost not to let it shift to overconfidence. That would surely cause her to fall. She wouldn't let herself fear falling, just refuse to let it happen.

Her eyes flicked open and suddenly she was moving across the ice, skating past Mikado's right side. It wasn't gliding, he realized with a fast turn of his head, moving to track her movements. The girl was stroking across the ice, her speed and spacing of her legs far extended from what they'd been a few minutes before as she feared falling. Her form couldn't be called experienced, but she had grace to her novice movements.

It felt so free to skate along towards the far end of the rink, as if she were gliding on top of the water. Her hands came up, partially for balance, but also to feel the wind shift past as she moved. The little girl who had skated by her before stopped by her mom and pointed at Kodachi. "Pretty."

Mikado skated up alongside her looking a little unhappy. "You were teasing me before. You already knew how to skate, didn't you?"

"I did no such thing," she retorted, turning to look at him. "This is my first time on the ice. I just realized that-" Her concentration momentarily broken, she forgot to turn and was heading straight for the wall. There wasn't time and she didn't think of his coaching from earlier. All she could think to do was put out her hands in an attempt to grab onto or brace against the wall and close her eyes.

She never made contact. Mikado took her around the waist and scooped her up into his arms as if she were a princess. Her eyes opened to the sight of him looking down at her. "I've got you."

What a man…. She couldn't resist the urge to wrap her arms around his neck and take absolute advantage of the situation. "I feel a bit dizzy," she lied. "Give me a moment, would you?"

Kodachi might very well have tried her luck and kissed him then and there, if not for the fact that a kiss was what he was hungry for. She wasn't going to make things that easy for him. Instead, she enjoyed the strength in his arms as he glided across the ice, weaving around people as her head rested against his chest. It felt like a dream. What girl of good breeding didn't fantasize about being swept off her feet? Literally, in this case.

"You have some admirable skill, for a beginner. You've done in ten minutes what took me hours of practice to learn how to do. Of course, you should make a better effort not to run headlong towards the wall."

"I wouldn't have, if you hadn't distracted me!" She pouted, puffing her cheeks. "The shock of that almost collision threw me off. I'm feeling better now. Put me down and I'll show you it wasn't beginner's luck!"

Mikado obliged, setting her back onto the ice and holding onto her shoulders until he was certain she was balanced. Watching as she skated off, gathering momentum with every passing second, the experienced figure skater followed behind, just to make sure there wasn't another incident he'd need to intervene in. Kodachi approached the wall near the far side, but this time she turned with only a slight stumble, turning left and coasting along the edge of the ice. She turned to look at him as her locks of black hair danced freely behind her.

It struck the young man to the core. Stopping in the middle of the ice, he couldn't do anything but watch her. What she lacked in grace and experience she made up for with determination and natural beauty. He'd brought her here today to test her. This sport was his life, and while he flirted and sought the lips of attractive women, 999 of them at this point, he would never have considered dating any woman who didn't either share the same passion or the gumption to learn how. Truthfully, he'd quite expected Kodachi to fail, give up, and go home. He'd been counting on it. He wanted to humble her after the haughty demeanor she'd displayed thus far.

All that went out the window as he watched her skate. She'd been beautiful before, when he'd first met her on the street and during their date at the restaurant. Here in his element, she was downright gorgeous. He realized a moment later that his jaw had gone a little slack. Clearing his throat, he glanced around, hoping no one had noticed. Fortunately, it seemed the groupies and fangirls from his school weren't here today.
On the next pass, Kodachi reached out her hand and took his, tugging him after her. Recovering himself quickly, he held onto her hand, both raising their arms and skating together across the ice. "I guess you aren't totally bereft of skill," she teased, winking.

For the first time since they met, Mikado felt a tangible pang in his chest. Had he finally found a girl worthy of being at his side, and not just as smooching conquest? Had he found a girl he wanted at his side? Someone he'd forsake his legion of fangirls for?

"Yeah, it's almost like I've been doing this for a little while or something," he replied with an easy smile. Just once, he allowed himself to squeeze her hand as they slowly glided to a stop near the edge of the ice on the far side from where they'd started. Kodachi turned a little off balance and gripped him for support.

The touch of her body against his sent an excited wave through Mikado's body. This might really go somewhere.

"Very freeing, Kodachi said. "Though I imagine certain muscle groups I don't use too often will be sore, come tomorrow."

"Just like anything, when you do an exercise more often, it'll get easier. Of course, if those lovely legs need a massage in the meantime, look no further than to yours truly."

Kodachi rolled her eyes. "Let it never be said that you don't know how to take advantage of a situation. Still… hmm. That roguish side of yours is growing on me, I think." She held fast to the nape of his neck, looking up at him. The pair lost themselves in the eyes of the other. The world faded to that small patch of ice around them. The sounds of children, scraping eyes, and the general din of conversation became little more than unnoticed background noise.

"It's fun," she admitted softly.

"I had a feeling you'd like it." His voice sounded pleased.

Kodachi slowly shook her head. "It's a fun sport… but what I really meant was that being with you is fun," she articulated, her voice quiet and cautious. "The stresses of school and life all go away. I find myself enjoying your company."

"Kodachi…" Her words tugged a cord in Mikado's heart. Fan girls were something he knew how to handle, but this very earnest girl, the only one in his life, wasn't at all like the others. She wasn't star-struck or in awe of his skills. She didn't go for the flattery approach either. They were equals, just in different martial art sports. The more he looked into her eyes, the more he felt an earnest desire to truly know her. Most girls were kiss and forget in his book. But this new ground, while a little nerve-wracking, was also so very exciting.

Mikado gathered up his courage. "I think-"

"Micky! Azusa didn't know you were going to be practicing today!"

As the voice turned his blood to ice thicker than the rink, Mikado amended his previous thought. There were, unfortunately, two very earnest girls in his life. He released the hold around Kodachi's waist and turned to see the other half of the Golden Pair coming onto the ice. She wasn't dressed in her standard rink attire: pink leotard-like outfit with poofy shoulders and yellow frills flowing down the upper part of her toned thighs. Instead, she was dressed in black leggings with red socks, a long sleeved white shirt with a large panda on it speaking French in a thought bubble. A thin blue hoodie completed the ensemble. The light brown bangs and locks looked freshly brushed.

"Azusa. Good to see you," Mikado said, though there wasn't a shred of warmth in his voice. The precious moment from before had been utterly intruded on and lost.

Kodachi released her hold around his neck and turned to face the shorter girl. She pointed with one finely manicured finger. "Mikado, who is this girl? I see you know each other."

"Yes. This is Azusa Shiratori, my partner."

A dangerous glint flickered to life in Kodachi's eyes as she sized up the smaller girl. The green monster that was jealousy flared up as her tone dropped a few degrees. "Your… partner, you say?"

"My ice-skating partner," he amended, not realizing the danger his casual wording had unleashed."The two of us make up the 'Golden Pair' team representing our school. Basically, we engage in matches as a duo."

Kodachi nodded, but her mind had already fixated on the word "partner". She stepped up to Azusa, closed her eyes, and offered the sweetest of smiles. "Such a pleasure to meet you! My name is Kodachi Kuno. I'm a friend of Mikado. I do so hope we can be friends." She put a hand out to shake. Stuck in the slight gaps between her fingers, sharp tacks shone from the overhead lighting.

Azusa reached her hand out to shake then paused, looking over Kodachi's shoulders. She saw a man wearing a beanie on his head skate past and a certain glint took over her eyes as well. "Oh that hat is sooo cute! Andre! Andreeee!" Side-stepping the extended hand, the excited brunette raced off in hot pursuit of her latest acquisition.

Kodachi blinked then turned, depositing the tacks back into a jacket pocket while looking up at Mikado for some sort of explanation.

"My teammate the Kleptomaniac," he said with a mix of chagrin and annoyance. The sweatdrop on his forehead was palpable before dripping onto the ice. "I'd have gotten rid of her a long time ago if it wasn't for the cohesion we've built while training on the ice. She's a total ditz but not unskilled."

Kodachi made a contemplative sound in her throat, bringing one hand up to her lips, tapping softly. "So she doesn't have any romantic feelings for you?"

Mikado almost laughed but reigned it in at the last moment so as to not appear rude. "The only thing she loves are things she deems to be cute. Stuffed animals, statues, food items, some people, toys…"
The list went on and on. For a literal five minutes Mikado was ticking the list off on his fingers. By the end of it, Kodachi's left eye was twitching visibly. If Azusa had half as many items as he'd just accounted, it was a wonder her home wasn't declared a disaster zone or hoarder home. More importantly, it had eased the rising cloud of jealousy in her mind to a substantial degree.

"Someone get this crazy girl away from me!" In the background, the unfortunate man whose hat had been targeted for collection was frantically skating around on the ice as Azusa chased him, one hand outstretched to grab with a small mallet in the other.

"Andre! Come home with Azusa!"

"Should we-?" Kodachi pointed again.

"Get involved? No. This happens all the time. The only reason she gets away with it is because the clout our name has with the owner. She'll either get what she's after or find something else she wants more and go after that instead. It's best for us to stay away. Far away."

It took a special kind of crazy to make even Kodachi want to keep away. In this case, the situation more than qualified. "I concur."

The pleasant atmosphere built up before had been inexorably shattered. Kodachi sighed, feeling a little vexed as she started to skate again, keeping the length of the ice rink between her and the hyperactive klepto. Her movements were smoother now, but compared to Mikado, she had a long way to go. Eager to recapture some semblance of the mood before, Mikado took Kodachi's hands in his and spun them around in a circle, drawing a surprised breath from her lips followed by a slight, amused smile.

"Now you're just showing off."

"Guilty as charged."

"If you can keep up with me off the ice, then I'll be impressed."

"A challenge?! How refreshing. I accept, of course."

The pair shared a little laugh as they skated. Kodachi dashed away and Mikado chased, almost like a game of tag. For the first time in perhaps forever, the laughter coming from Kodachi's lips weren't tinted with madness. She sounded like a girl having fun on a date, further drawing Mikado in. There would be no further interruptions this time. He had to know if what he felt was just jitters, or if things were really going to go somewhere.

His mind quickly summed up a list of attributes. She's beautiful, rich, well bred, dignified, and a skilled martial artist. On the other hand… she's somewhat arrogant and sometimes standoffish.

The cons didn't diminish his interest. It was time to up the ante and see how she reacted to something more spontaneous. He skated around in front of her and took hold of her hips, lifting her up in the air overhead. Quickly adapting, Kodachi struck a pose. Bending forwards, she placing her hands on the back of Mikado's shoulders and curled her legs upward until her skated feet faced up towards the ceiling.

A collective "Oh!" came from onlookers who approached to clap and take pictures with their cellphones.

Holding the pose for a ten count, Mikado slowly lowered Kodachi back to the ground, though his hands remained on her hips. Her hands shifted from his shoulders to once again wrap around his neck as she looked up into his eyes.

"They look so charming together!" Someone from the crowd said.

Mikado wasn't listening. He was focused on Kodachi. He felt her well rounded hips beneath her clothing, saw the searching look in her eyes as she tried to piece together what this was developing between them. Once again, he opened his mouth to speak. "I think-"

"MIKADO!"

A deep voice boomed out around them, muffled but powerful. On reflex, Mikado stepped in front of Kodachi and turned to face the voice. Twice now he'd been interrupted. His patience, epically crafted from so much time spent around Azusa, was fraying and on the verge of snapping.

A massive figure towered before him. The steps taken onto the rink to reach his position closer to his target had left blade rivets chipped into the ice due to his weight. He seemed dressed for battle, or rather, dressed for a hockey match. Padding covered his black and white uniform with the number 13 displayed prominently on his chest. In his hands was not one but two hockey sticks held at the ready to each side.

"Casey," Mikado said, narrowing his eyes. "I've told you before. If you want to fight, challenge me properly."

"I care nothing for these rules," Casey bit back, his eastern European accent coating the words. "Today, I break you."

"A new challenger?" Kodachi asked.

"Casey Kaminisky? Ha. Hardly! I've beaten him three times already. He got sore when a girl he had been dating fell for my lip- er, started rooting for me at my matches instead of his! Still, I haven't seen him wield two sticks before. This could be interesting."

Case shook his fully masked head in disapproval. "Do your little girly gossiping later! Fight now! After beating is being given, I will take your woman after!"

"Transfer students…" Mikado brushed at his bangs and sighed. "An ineloquent challenge, Casey, but I will accept." Mikado gestured for Kodachi and the others to move off to the side, giving the pair room to fight. The rink went quiet, save for the screaming man and Azusa somewhere off in the distance.

As if from thin air, the towering brute produced a hockey puck and dropped it onto the ice. It bounced once before he swung the right-hand stick, sending the projectile screaming towards Mikado. Bending backwards, it flew half an inch above his clothing, impacting against the far wall, imbedding into it.

"Too slow," Mikado said evenly, righting his posture.

"We is only just begin!" Casey roared. This time, he dropped three pucks, firing them off one at a time.

With no wasted motion, Mikado side-stepped the oncoming projectiles with a single step to either side, arching his torso until the curve of his back was gently arched. The thump, thump, thump of vulcanized rubber imbedding into wall echoed out as sharply as gunshots.

"You'll have to be faster than that, I'm afraid."

"Cocky punk!" Even with his face covered, it was evident Casey was steamed. "We see how you like new move!"

Mikado arched his eyebrow in question but said nothing. His eyes were glued to his hulking opponent, watching carefully for any movement. His battle against Ranma Saotome had taught him to be more attentive to the unknown.

"Puck Barrage!" With his arms a blur of motion, Casey started firing multiple hockey pucks at once. He seemed to have an inexhaustible supply. As he shot them, some from midair and some from the ice itself, they fired like machine gun bullets at Mikado's torso. Due to the volume of flying projectiles, single step dodges were no longer possible. This time, Mikado took off, weaving and in some cases jumping skyward as the hurled pucks tracked in the wake of his movements.

As fast as the black disks flew, Mikado was faster, skillfully dodging without going close to any of the lingering bystanders. Spinning, twirling, dodging, weaving, he was everywhere at once. But for all his speed and skill at dodging, Casey seemed to have an endless supply up his sleeves, and his frenzied arm swings seemed to show no signs of fatigue.

Behind the mask, Casey gritted his teeth in frustration as his agile opponent literally skated past the damaging attacks with only a hairsbreadth to spare. It wasn't just the ease of his evasions either, it was the placid look on his face, as if this was just a casual skate around the rink. It was maddening! Infuriating even! By chance, Casey's eyes flicked to the left and he spotted the girl closest to Mikado.

His woman? They were standing rather close together before. An idea struck him, a deliciously devious idea that turned the scowl on his face into a wild grin. It would have absolutely televised that something nefarious was coming… if not for the fact that he was wearing the mask.

Hurling another storm of pucks at Mikado to keep him busy, he wound the right stick back a little higher, waiting a second with it held high, then sent the latest puck screaming right for Kodachi. "What you do now, Mikado?!"

Mikado saw the high angled stick held in place for a moment and guessed his opponent's intentions. He dashed across the ice as fast as he could, putting every bit of speed his legs could dish out. "Kodachi duck!"

But there wasn't time. The screaming puck was slower than the others, purposely so, but it was still faster than Kodachi, unused to moving on the ice, could effectively dodge. There wasn't any time to pull her out of the way. Mikado reached his right hand out as the puck aimed for her midsection. It struck his intercepting wrist as Mikado's reach arrived just in time. Gritting his teeth as an explosion of pain rode up his arm to the shoulder, he batted the puck away to the side, coming to a halt in front of Kodachi.

"Targeting a bystander? That's a new low, even for you, Casey."

"Ha. I knew you would shield girl. All part of plan."

"A plan that resulted in nothing," Mikado fired back.

Behind him, Kodachi looked to his wrist. The blow had been a hard one. The skin was already starting to turn a darker shade of color. At best it was a sprain. At worst, it was dislocated or broken. His left hand was balled into a first whereas the right was limp and hanging slightly back, clearly favored.

Casey noticed it too. "Nothing, you say? I think it be a big something."

"Mikado, call this off. This instance!" Kodachi ordered, gripping his left bicep. "You're hurt."

"He won't stop until I knock him out cold," Mikado said, not so much as turning his head away from larger young man in front of him and shrugging off her grip. "Besides, he aimed for you. Whether or not he intended to truly hit you doesn't matter. I'll make him eat ice. Face down. Back away."

"I know what you try to do now, Mikado! Dance of Death! But move not working so well with only one arm, me thinks." Casey brought both of sticks up into the air and dashed forward on the ice. "Not that it matter! I won't give time to set move up!"

His hockey sticks may as well have been swords. The speed and strength he could swing them could cleave the ice half a meter deep. Roaring in triumph, the beastly hockey player swung his sticks down, aiming for both of Mikado's shoulders.

Mikado didn't move. Instead, he looked right up into the mask of his opponent. "Dance of Death. Expeditious!"

Somehow, he spun around twice in a quarter of a second. By the time the sticks were in position to strike him, Mikado had already built up just enough speed to bat them away with the centripetal force. Staggering back a step or two, Casey tried to get out of Mikado's range, clearly having come up against this kind of move before. Like a spinning top, Mikado followed, drawing the brute up into the small whirlwind.

"No! Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Notttt againnnnnnnn!" Casey cried out, caught up in the attack as it lifted him off the ground. His size and strength wouldn't avail him in this kind of situation. The padding he wore offered some protection, but Mikado wasn't aiming for those spots. Instead, he aimed for his opponent's midsection, right around his naval. The padded hockey pants offered some protection, but one hundred or more blows in the same spot, even from just one arm, was enough to settle things. The cacophony of punches sounded out all around the rink.

Mikado continued to spin for thirty seconds longer than usual; such was his anger at the sneak attack from before. When he brought his right foot down to stop spinning, Casey was thrown away at an arc. He fell on his back and skidded across the ice until he hit the rink wall, crashing right through it. The stick in his left hand went flying across the ice.

"Oh, that hockey stick is cute! Sophie will come home with Azusa!" Humming happily as she held the captured hat in one hand and the hockey stick in the other, Mikado's partner skated off the ice.

Kodachi ran up to Mikado and took hold of his shoulders. "Are you alright?"

Mikado winked at her, sporting a small mark on his cheek where Casey's stick had glanced against the skin. The fact that he wasn't dizzy after an attack like that stunned her for a moment. Remembering his hurt hand, she looked around for a first aid kit and spotted one on pillar outside the rink. "Come, let's get your arm bandaged up."

Leading him gently to the edge of the ice, the pair sat down to take their skates off. Someone still on the rink cried out in surprise and pointed to where Casey was. Stirring with a groan, his mask was knocked off center, revealing one brown eye that zeroed in on his target.

"M-mikado!" With all his remaining strength, he threw the stick at his target. Mikado started to rise, but off the ice he was just another normal person. He wouldn't be able to get out of the way in time. A part of him shouted to duck, but doing so might put someone else in danger. If a young woman got hurt because of a duel he participated in, it would be utterly unforgiveable. There was little to do besides take the blow, or perhaps catch it.

Spinning around, Kodachi drew her gymnastics ribbon out from one of her pockets, swinging the pommel and causing it to extend. She deftly caught hold of the hockey stick, wrapping the cloth around it's midsection and drawing it back in an arc. The stick and the ribbon wrapped around Casey's neck.

"Witless buffoon! Know your place!" Giving a hard tug, she pulled the man forward. He went from laying on his back to being slammed face first into the ice where he lay twitching on the cold surface. The area of ice around where his mask had impacted was cracked in several directions.

"Hpmh. Barbarian. Kodachi flicked her hair back behind her as a sort of dramatic flourish.

This time, Mikado was the one to stare. Kodachi turned back to face him, retracting her ribbon and giving a little shrug of her shoulders as she quickly started to fold the ribbon back up in her hands. "You promised he'd end up face first in the ice. I was just helping to keep that promise."

Mikado sat back into the chair he'd been sitting and breathed a sigh of relief. A moment later, he reached up sharply, clutching her hands, and the ribbon between them, in his larger grip. "Kodachi! Date me!"

The words came out quickly and ineloquently. He'd been interrupted twice so far today, so perhaps it was excusable that his desired request came out in a tactless rush. He looked up into her eyes with such desire. Never had he asked a girl to go steady or to spend time together. It had always just happened. It was a very odd, new situation. The only thing he was certain of was that he had to see where this went.

She blinked in confusion. "We're on a date already."

"No," he said, moving to kneel before her, still holding both of her smaller hands in his. He gave them an earnest squeeze. "Date me. Go steady with me."

With a crowd of onlookers watching in the background, Kodachi finally registered what he was asking. He knew this because her cheeks flared red. "My dear Mikado, are you asking me to be your girlfriend?"

"Yes!"

"After just our second date?"

"Yes!"

"Bold aren't you?" Kodachi smiled and gave a tug on her arms, encouraging him to rise to his feet. No one had ever fought for her like that before. Not her father, not Ranma, not even her brother. As her heart pounded, she took a careful breath, staring up into his eyes. She nodded slightly, a pleased smile on her lips. "I'll be your girlfriend."

"You mean it!? I'm so-!"

A finger touched to his lips, silencing his ebullience. "But you owe me for saving you back there. Take me out on Tuesday. We can discuss the details over lunch. How does that sound?"

It was a cunning plan. She had absolutely no experience with dating. The only man she'd been into had spent most of his time trying to run away when she came calling. Though it wounded her great pride, facts were facts. She needed to change up how she interacted with a boy she adored. Perhaps chasing after one was a turn off of sorts? There were books to read on the subject and internet sites to search. By Tuesday, she should have enough information to know what to do. Hopefully.

"Fantastic! It's a date then." He started to lean forward, looking to seal the arrangement with a kiss.

His new girlfriend though she was, Kodachi had no intention of making things easy. She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed until he was once again seated. "Your exhilaration is charming, darling. But do sit down. We'll get your hand bandaged then take you to a clinic. I hope we won't have to put your hand in a cast. Not because of me." There was a brief moment of vulnerability on her face as she bit her lip. Then it was gone, replaced with the commanding elegance he'd seen before. "I'll be but a moment."

Leaning back in his chair, Mikado watched as Kodachi went to retrieve the kit. Despite the pain in his arm, he grinned like a loon, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe any of this was real. "A formidable girl indeed…"

Kodachi snorted a little with amusement as she pulled the kit from the wall. "Flattery, darling. Remember what I said about flattery."

Still, she rewarded him with a blown kiss over one shoulder. He'd earned that much.