Wild Stallion and The Mist

A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction

By Layabout Thomas

Based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi


Author's Notes

It's been a long wait, hasn't it? Anyway, big thanks go to Rewind Gone Nuts for helping me with this chapter and a big thank you to those who followed and favorited this story. Praise and criticisms are welcome.

One final note: this is only part 1 of this story as the chapter was running a little bit long. Part 2 will be coming soon. Anyway, on with the chapter!


Chapter 3: A Rematch Set and a Close Call


Tatewaki Kuno had arrived at Furinkan High early in the morning, dressed in the school's uniform with a book bag in hand. When he had arrived, the members of the Kendo Club were there to greet him with bow and Kuno had only responded with a smirk. Despite what had happened to him the day before, he still had the respect and fear of those who he commanded. Wordlessly, Kuno led his club to the gym and once inside, his fellow clubmates filed into the boys locker room and dressed in their kendo uniforms with the captain himself going into his private chambers and got into his kendo uniform himself. Once he was ready and saw that the kendo club was ready, Kuno commanded them to pair up with another member and practice. As he observed them, the kendo captain felt a sense of satisfaction that they were giving it their all, owing it all to his great leadership and strong will that his position demands.

Unfortunately for Kuno, the previous day had weighed heavily on his mind. He had been curious about the newcomer Ranma Saotome and wanted to know if he was somebody to be reckoned with. Though Kuno felt reluctant, he went to Nabiki Tendo to see if she could sell him information on this new face that could challenge his position of power or yet, challenge for the hand of Akane Tendo. What he got for his money was something he wasn't prepared for as Nabiki told him that Ranma was not only the heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, but that he and his father were living under the same roof as Akane Tendo. If that weren't enough of a twist of the knife, Nabiki added that her father and Ranma's father had promised long ago that their martial arts schools would be joined through marriage. In his mind, Kuno had heard enough and began his search for Ranma in order to let him know of his place in things, as a fighter and a suitor to Akane Tendo.

It had not been long since word of Akane Tendo's abilities as a fighter had reached Kuno's ears. Through word of mouth he had heard much of the Tendo heir, from her strength, tenacity and short temper. She had also become a school idol with both the boys and girls for those very same reasons. He even heard that she took on several of the fighting club captains and beat them with ease and not so much as breaking a sweat. Kuno had become curious and had decided to observe her himself, hearing that Akane was taking on the judo captain in a rematch. What he saw didn't do the words of the other students justice as he saw the combination of power and beauty in action, like that of conquering tigress. It's as if she had no equal among the strongest fighters in the school. Kuno had felt captivated by Akane Tendo, enamored with her and felt that no other girl...no other woman, could compare to her. In his mind, that girl was his and no one else's.

Though he had bought pictures of Akane Tendo from Nabiki, it wasn't enough for Kuno to just see her in action. He had to experience it himself and show her his strength with the bokken. But he was also aware that the male population was infatuated with Akane and to him, it only seemed fair that those be given a chance for her hand. He had called a meeting to the other school clubs and declared that if they wanted to have a chance for Akane's hand, then they had to challenge her strength as a fighter, no exceptions and no other terms will be accepted. It amused him that these boys took him up on it as they fell to Akane's power, he challenged her himself. He was beaten, but felt no regret as he had finally experienced her power and beauty firsthand. Afterward, it had become the new normal for the mornings of Furinkan High for Akane Tendo to fight off hordes of boys fighting for their chance to be with Akane, no matter how many of those fell like flies. As for Kuno, he couldn't be happier to experience Akane's abilities again, again, and again.

Kuno's mind drifted back to Ranma, the one he felt was a threat to his power as well as potential suitor to Akane. He had finally found him on the roof and in the company of a woman. That woman, Kasumi Tendo, Akane's eldest sister, claimed that she was engaged to this Ranma and had the gall to ask him to leave. While he didn't doubt that Kasumi was Akane's sister, Kuno didn't feel that this woman couldn't hold the attention of a fighter for long and let her know about it. This earned him a punch to his face and the fight was on. There was no doubt about it that Ranma was definitely a fighter and someone who could challenge his power. He was fast and he got a few hits in, but the kendo captain was undettered and unleashed his strongest attack on him. Kuno continued chasing Ranma and he had him cornered when he fell into the pool. He dove in after him. Ranma would not escape him and victory would be his.

That's when Kuno felt the unmistakable feeling in his hand. It was a girl's breast. From a girl similarly dressed as his opponent. She also had her hair done in a similar style as Ranma but the girl was a fiery redhead. Before he could process what had happened, he was knocked out. His world went black and he wouldn't wake up until hours later.

Kuno had woken up in the nurse's office where his fellow club members had informed him of his defeat. He didn't take it very well and he let his club members know that the whole fight was a sham, that a pig-tailed girl had felled him and Ranma had run out of the fight like a coward that he was. The kendo club looked at him like he had gone mad, but he shouted that it was the case, causing the other members to fearfully agree with him. Kuno had been so livid that he walked out of the nurses office and cursed Ranma's name until he got home...then cursed Ranma again until he went to bed and fell asleep.

'Ranma Saotome...a coward of the highest order,' Kuno thought, seething in anger as he paid no mind to the other club members. 'You have fooled everyone at this educational institute...fooled them into thinking you felled the great Tatewaki Kuno. But I know better. I know what I saw in the pool. I know who felled me. Mine eyes are not easily fooled.'

"Stop!" Kuno commanded, the club members seizing their practice. He then pointed his bokken to one of the club members and bellowed, "You there! Show me what you have! Show me that you deserve to be in this club!"

The kendo club members moved out of the way, leaving Kuno to square off against his chosen opponent. Though his opponent was only a few feet away, Kuno could tell that his target was frightened, trembling as he held his bokken. The kendo captain smirked, amused that his opponent was trying to put on a brave face. He knew that this wasn't even going to be a challenge, but he had an example to set.

As soon as the opponent charged with an overhead strike and let out a scream, Kuno dashed towards him and unleashed his attack, slashing his opponent's uniform into pieces, leaving him in only his underwear. For emphasis, he bonked him over the head with the butt of the bokken, knocking him out. The other club members gasped at this but felt no doubt in their mind who was the strongest amongst them.

"Who is your captain!?" bellowed Kuno.

"You are, Captain Kuno!" responded the other club members.

"Do you question my strength!?"

"No, Captain Kuno!"

"Do you question my prowess!?"

"No, Captain Kuno!"

"Do you question my sanity!?"

The room became quiet as the other club members looked at each other, unsure on how to answer that.

Growling, Kuno shouted again, "I say again, do you question my sanity!?"

"No, Captain Kuno!" the club members answered fearfully.

"Know this, kendo club," Kuno began to address. "I am the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High! I am the undisputed champion of this school! Save for Akane Tendo, I have no equal! No rival! And Ranma Saotome did not vanquish your hero! I will prove that to you, my brothers! I will prove to you that Tatewaki Kuno is not someone to be made a fool of! Of this I swear, just like I swear that I Ranma Saotome will fall at my feet!"

For emphasis, Kuno raised his bokken aloft, his head tilting upwards with a stern look on his face.

'I swear to the heavens above...Ranma Saotome will meet his end,' thought Kuno with conviction.


A little later in the morning...


With the Saotomes staying for an undetermined amount of time at the Tendo residence, Kasumi, along with the rest of her family, were experiencing what is becoming a new normal in the mornings. Much like the day before, Genma had abruptly woken Ranma for early training exercises by throwing him out the guest room window, a fight ensuing afterwards. While this wasn't a problem for Kasumi as she was the early riser in the family due to having early morning responsibilities, it had become a point of complaint for her father and her little sisters as they needed their sleep. Because of the two houseguests waking, they had to bathe before Soun and his two other daughters could get to the bath, though Kasumi had to remind the Saotomes to put up an occupied sign to avoid any embarrassment. Breakfast, aside from having two more mouths to feed, was relatively normal, though Kasumi did notice Ranma giving his father a wary eye as he ate, as if he was expecting Genma was going to steal his food. It was a new dynamic around the Tendo home and the residents were just getting used to the changes.

Ranma was also experiencing a bit of a new dynamic as well. Because he and Kasumi had gone clothes shopping the evening before, Ranma had come down to breakfast wearing a Furinkan High School uniform, which felt very strange to him as he hadn't worn a school uniform in years. He had made it known to Kasumi that the uniform made him look like a dork, but Kasumi insisted that it made him look respectable and handsome, which quelled any more complaints from him. Soun and Genma gave their words of approval as well and even Nabiki whistled her approval, though Ranma gave her a sour look and ignored her. Akane only scoffed and looked away. All in all, with Kasumi's words of encouragement, Ranma looked over himself in his white collar shirt and dark pants and couldn't help but smirk, agreeing that he did look good in his uniform, though it was something he had to get used to.

There was also one more new dynamic and it had been something of a shock to the younger Tendo sisters. After Genma and Soun had left the Tendo home, Kasumi had insisted on joining Ranma, Akane and Nabiki on their walk to school, which seemed like a reasonable request until the pigtailed martial artist picked her up and carried her bridal style and jumped on top of the entrance wall. Akane and Nabiki were speechless, reacting only when Ranma walked off with Kasumi and jumped to the neighboring fence.

"What do you think you're doing, pervert!?" Akane shouted angrily at Ranma. "Put Kasumi down right now or so help me-"

"Oh, lay off, Akane," Ranma cut Akane off nonchalantly. "Kasumi's in good hands and I'm not doing anything she doesn't want to."

"Is this going to be a thing with you two?" inquired Nabiki as she looked up towards Ranma and Kasumi with a bit of amusement.

"It's a bit of a compromise between us," Kasumi responded with a smile. "I keep Ranma company on his way to school and he can keep up with his training. I have to say that I'm really surprised that he can mind his balance and keep me safe from falling."

"Hey, I'm just that good," Ranma said with a bit of a smug tone. He then gave Kasumi a reassuring smile and added, "Besides, I wouldn't let anything happen to you, so don't worry your pretty little head about it."

"Eyes forward, young man," Kasumi said as she pointed her finger to the front.

"Oh, sorry, ma'am," Ranma laughed nervously as he moved his head forward.

'How sickeningly adorable,' Nabiki thought as she rolled her eyes,

"Ugh, just keep your hands where I can see them," groaned Akane as she kept a suspicious eye on Ranma.

Kasumi sighed at Akane's mistrust as it reminded her of some of the issues that needed to be ironed out between Ranma and the rest of the Tendo household. It was clear to Kasumi that she was the only one making Ranma feel welcome while Akane continued to give him a dirty eye and Nabiki's exploitation of him that basically ruined a lunch date had soured things. Not too mention that her father and Genma may have their own plans to push the engagement along, which might lead to Ranma doing something rash or saying something that he would regret later. To Kasumi, it felt like she was the sole light in the middle of Ranma's troubles and it made her feel a bit humble.

"Well, I'll be damned," Ranma spoke. "Hey, pops! How's it going!?"

With her attention diverted from her thoughts, Kasumi turned her head and saw what would have been an unusual sight for her had it not been for certain events from the last few days. It was a giant panda sweeping the outside of the local clinic with a broom. She looked on in both amusement and amazement, thinking that, for all of Genma's faults, the Saotome patriarch had gotten used to his cursed form well.

"I thought you were pulling my chain when you said that you found a job," Ranma laughed.

Genma pulled up a sign that read, "You underestimate me, boy. It just so happens that Doctor Tofu has a use for a man of my talents."

"Good on you, then," Ranma said with mild surprise. "Does it require you to be a panda, though?"

Genma flipped the sign that read, "The doctor found out by accident when he splashed a cup of cold water on me. Took it well. He also said that my panda form can entertain the children while they wait their turn."

"I guess I can't worry about the expenses too much," Nabiki commented.

"Doctor Tofu must be more understanding than I thought," Akane said with a smile.

Genma, wanting to change the subject and noticing Ranma carrying Kasumi, flipped the sign again that read, "I see you're taking the engagement seriously. Good on you, boy."

"Hey, don't get any ideas, old man!" Ranma shouted in protest. "This is just training and keeping friendly company!"

Genma flipped the sign again that read, "A good basis for a lovely relationship."

"Aw, stuff it!" Ranma shouted again.

"Is there someone out there, Mr. Saotome?" a man spoke from inside the clinic.

The man emerged from the entrance of the clinic with a curious look on his face. The man was a bit tall, well built and was wearing a dark grey gi. His brown hair was done up in a small ponytail and he was wearing glasses. The man also had a model of a skeleton in his arms and a damp cloth in one his hands.

"Oh, Ms. Akane and Ms. Nabiki," greeted the man while lifting one of the arms of the skeleton. "Good morning to you both."

"Oh, go-good morning, Doctor Tofu," Akane greeted and bowed rather bashfully with a blush.

'Well that's different,' thought Ranma as he observed Akane's reaction.

"Morning," Nabiki greeted, casually waving.

"I haven't seen you since last week, Ms. Akane," said Doctor Tofu pleasantly. "No new injuries, I hope."

"None to report," Akane responded with confidence, pumping her fist. "Can't keep the heir to Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts down."

"Glad to hear that," Doctor Tofu said with a smile. Realizing something, he gestured towards Genma and said, "Oh, this is Genma Saotome. He's going to be my assistant starting today. I know, it's strange having a panda for an assistant but a splash of hot water can fix that."

"We've met," Nabiki said flatly. "In fact, he and his son are living with us for the time being."

"Is that a fact?" wondered Doctor Tofu. He then looked at Genma and said. "You didn't mention you were staying with the Tendos, Mr. Saotome."

Genma lifted up a sign that read, "Didn't seem important to mention."

"Good morning, Tofu," greeted Kasumi pleasantly, waving her hand.

What happened next came as a shock to Ranma and Genma, though Akane and Nabiki reacted like this was an expected occurrence. Doctor Tofu's glasses had fogged up, impairing his sight and he started to laugh a bit nervously. He even started waving his skeleton's arm in a greeting gesture. Ranma could only look at the doctor in disbelief, seeing his attitude change from a level headed man to that of a nervous teenager. It was also a bit of a surprise to hear Kasumi giggling at this. Genma's reaction was just looking at the doctor strangely and lifting up a sign with a question mark on it. As for Akane she just sighed in resignation while Nabiki rolled her eyes and shrugged.

'Oh here we go,' Akane thought as she placed her hand on top of her face.

'This should be interesting,' Nabiki thought as she smirked, looking between Ranma, Kasumi and Doctor Tofu.

"Ms. Kasumi, good morning!" Doctor Tofu greeted rather loudly, though his voice sounded shaky. "How have you been!? You're looking well today! Betty, isn't she looking well today!?"

'He's not even looking up!' Ranma thought warily, observing the odd behavior of Doctor Tofu. 'And who the hell name's their model skeletons?'

"I'm doing well, Doctor," Kasumi giggled at the doctor's antics. "I'm glad that you gave Mr. Saotome a job and I'm sure it will keep him out of trouble."

Genma gave Kasumi a hurt look as he lifted another sign that read, "That stings, young lady!"

"Oh, I'm sure Mr. Saotome will make a fine assistant," Doctor Tofu assured, though he still felt nervous. He then adjusted his glasses and asked, "Um, Ms. Kasumi...where are you? I didn't see you with your sisters just now."

"I'm up here on the wall," Kasumi answered.

"On the wall!?" Doctor Tofu gasped, looking worried. "Why are you up there!? Don't tell me you've been taking balancing lessons!"

"She's with me, doc," Ranma said rather annoyed.

Upon hearing another male's voice in the same vicinity as Kasumi, Doctor Tofu immediately took off his glasses and used the cloth in his hand and wiped the fog off. Putting his glasses back on, Doctor Tofu looked up and was shocked to see Kasumi not only on top of the wall, but also in the arms of a high school boy that was keeping his balance quite well. On top of that, he saw that the boy was carrying her bridal style and Kasumi looked very happy and she didn't seem even the least bit frightened. In fact, she looked rather comfortable being held by the boy.

Shaking his head, Doctor Tofu looked intently at the young man and inquired, "I would have your name, young man."

"Ranma Saotome, heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts," Ranma responded. "Pleased to meet you."

"I see," Doctor Tofu said calmly as she turned his attention towards Genma. "I'm assuming that's your son. Why is he carrying Kasumi like that?"

Genma responded by lifting up a sign that read, "That's because they're engaged to be wed. Don't they look like a happy couple?"

At reading those words on the sign, Doctor Tofu became speechless. He frantically looked back and forth between Genma and Ranma carrying Kasumi. The only thing that was going through the doctor's mind were the words "Ranma and Kasumi are engaged" along with "happy couple". He didn't want to believe it, but Doctor Tofu's heart kept sinking. It didn't help that Kasumi seemed happy being carried but Ranma. Then there were questions he kept asking himself about the nature of this engagement, like how did they meet and how long have they known each other and other questions he feared the answers to. Doctor Tofu felt crestfallen and heartbroken as he hunched, slowly walking back towards the clinic and paying no mind to the onlookers.

'Holy crap, it's like his whole world just came to an end,' thought Ranma as he felt pity for the doctor.

'Oh, my,' thought Kasumi as she gasped, covering her mouth.

"Doctor Tofu, wait!" Akane called out frantically as she dashed to Doctor Tofu's side. "The engagement is just some stupid idea by dad and Mr. Saotome! It doesn't mean a thing!"

Doctor Tofu stopped for a moment and looked up at Ranma and Kasumi. They both looked concerned for him but he could tell there was a hint of pity coming from Ranma and an apologetic one from Kasumi. Doctor Tofu continued his walk, cursing himself as he entered the clinic and closed the door, locking it. He then flipped the sign and it read "Doctor Out."

"Doctor Tofu, please listen!" Akane shouted as she banged on the clinic door. "The whole engagement is a farce! Open up, please!"

Genma sighed, lifting a sign that read, "I'll handle him. Get to school."

Ranma agreed, as did Kasumi, Nabiki and Akane as they quietly left the vicinity of the clinic, though Akane gave Ranma a hateful look as she walked ahead at a faster pace. For the next few minutes, no one said a word as they walked on their way to Furinkan High. Ranma and Kasumi had felt very awkward about what had just happened, with Ranma looking back briefly towards the clinic and Kasumi deep in thought. Akane felt devastated and was on the verge of crying and Nabiki had remained quiet as she felt that she didn't want to set anybody off. The tension between Ranma and the Tendo sisters was unbearable as they didn't know what to say about what had happened.

Finally, it was Ranma that opened his mouth and said, "I...guess he really has a thing for you."

"I had no idea," Kasumi sighed. "I thought Doctor Tofu was just being silly."

"Just...being...silly?" Akane said, trying to keep her fury in check, emphasizing each word. Unfortunately, she lost her cool as she turned around towards Ranma and Kasumi and shouted, "Just being silly!? Kasumi, Doctor Tofu has been crazy about you for years! Everybody in Nerima knows how much he likes you! He likes you so much that when you're around, he can't even work or act straight! It was practically a warning sign for his patients to stay away from the clinic whenever you came by! Everybody knows, Kasumi...except you. If you weren't so oblivious and trying to be like mom all the time-"

"Hey, don't be harsh on Kasumi!" Ranma said sternly.

"And you, Ranma...you didn't help either!" Akane continued to rant. "You just had to come into our lives and ruin everything! If it weren't for you, Kasumi would have a real man for herself! A man who really cares about her instead of a half-man freak she's engaged to! Doctor Tofu is a man of means, Ranma! Why don't you do us all a favor and leave!? We'll be much better off without you around!"

"Akane, stop this!" Kasumi shouted. "Don't you dare blame Ranma for what happened back there! He didn't know how Doctor Tofu felt about me...I didn't know, Akane! I was just so busy with everything else and taking care of father and you and Nabiki!"

"And just like the good little daughter, you took this engagement!" Akane cried, tears forming in her eyes. "Doctor Tofu has his faults, but believe me that he's much better than the alternative!"

Kasumi was about to say something, but Akane had dashed off angrily towards the school. Concerned for her little sister's well being, she tugged at Ranma's shirt and pointed towards the direction Akane was going. This got a nod from Ranma as he took off, chasing Akane while holding on to Kasumi. Like yesterday, the eldest Tendo daughter felt the rush hitting her face, but her heart race because of her concern for Akane as she was suredly heading into the horde of boys that were no doubt waiting for her in ambush.

"That girl doesn't have her head straight," Ranma said as he ran after Akane. "Either she's really going to kill someone in her rage or she might get sloppy and get hurt herself."

"Neither outcome is ideal, Ranma," Kasumi said fearfully. "She's my little sister and I don't want to see her like this."

As soon as Furinkan High was only a few feet away, Ranma jumped off the wall, set Kasumi down and ran through the front entrance of the school. As expected, he saw Akane fighting off the horde of boys and she wasn't exactly merciful as every blow was more vicious than the last. Ranma could also hear Akane's cries of anguish each time she landed a punch or a kick and he could clearly see that the girl was driven by sheer emotion alone. He was about to leave well enough alone until he saw Akane twist her ankle, making her fall to one knee. By then, the Tendo heiress had taken care of most of the horde, but there was one more attacker, one that was dressed in wrestling tights with face-paint on, armed with a wooden chair. Ranma wasted no time as he dashed in and kicked the attacker with a high kick to the chin. The attacker fell in a heap and the ambush was over.

Ranma breathed a sigh of relief as she looked back at the school's entrance and saw that Kasumi had already caught up with Nabiki with her. The eldest Tendo sister immediately went to Akane's side and began to examine her ankle. Ranma could see the pain and anguish on the younger Tendo's face as she tried to hold in her emotions by gritting her teeth. He was about to ask how she was faring until Akane gave him a hateful glare and decided to keep his mouth shut.

'I just can't win with that girl,' thought Ranma, letting out a breath.

"My beautiful tigress!" came a shout.

Ranma and the Tendo sister's attention was turned to Kuno who was running purposely toward them, armed with his bokken. The kendoist looked at Akane in pain and his heart ached, but it only lasted a second as he aimed his weapon toward Ranma, making the Saotome heir instinctively get into defensive stance.

"So you reveal your true self, Ranma Saotome," Kuno growled. "I should have known a coward like you would pick his spot to finally take Akane's hand for yourself!"

"Oh for crying out loud, shut up!" Ranma snapped angrily. "Akane twisted her ankle and one of those jerks was going to bash her head with a chair! I wasn't gonna let that happen!"

"I didn't ask for your help," Akane muttered pitifully.

"Akane, hush," Kasumi said soothingly. She then turned her attention towards Nabiki and asked, "Nabiki, can you take Akane to the nurses office?"

"No problem and no charge," Nabiki responded by picking Akane up, making sure her little sister had her arm over her shoulder and that she didn't use her bad foot.

As soon as Akane and Nabiki were out of sight, Kuno's attention was on Ranma once again. As much as he was looking forward to experiencing Akane's might once again, his intent was clear as he wanted to fight Ranma again and prove that his defeat at Ranma's hands was nothing more than a sham. Kuno aimed his bokken towards Ranma and got into a fighting stance.

"So it is down to us, coward," Kuno sneared. "You won't escape me this time, Ranma Saotome. Justice will prevail and the great Tatewaki Kuno shall deliver that justice!"

"I ain't no coward, Kuno!" Ranma defended heatedly. "I beat you once and I can do it again! But first, you're going to apologize to Kasumi right now or so help me, I'll beat it out of you!"

"And why should I grant the request of a liar and a coward?" Kuno laughed with a smug look. "You may have the students of Furinkan High fooled, but you cannot fool these eyes, Ranma Saotome. I know who felled me and felt who felled me. That was not the chest of a man I had in my hand but the plump breast of a red-headed pigtailed girl!"

'Guess he hasn't put two and two together,' thought Ranma as he frowned. 'Still, did this pervert have to squeeze so hard!?'

"Mr. Kuno, I know this is hard to believe for you, but Ranma did defeat you," Kasumi said, stepping into the argument. "I and everyone else in Furinkan High were witness to it. You really shouldn't be so sore about it. No one is invincible."

"Then Ranma has fooled you completely, Kasumi Tendo," Kuno frowned. "He has you believe that he truly has bested the great Tatewaki Kuno, just like he has you fooled that he truly wants you as a fiancee when he really wants the hand of the fair Akane!"

"Alright, you're going down, asshole!" growled Ranma, cracking his knuckles.

"Ranma, don't," Kasumi said, stopping Ranma as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Things won't be resolved if there is a schoolyard fight."

"He won't stop, Kasumi," Ranma said, still keeping an eye on Kuno. "Either he satisfies his ego or I beat an apology out of him. Unless I settle this, he will always be on my case and he'll keep insulting my honor...and yours."

As much as she didn't want to admit it, Kasumi agreed with Ranma. Her fiance and Kuno were going to come to blows again one way or another and feared that if another fight took place at school, then Ranma's secret would be out for every student and teacher to see. The Jusenkyo curse was still a very sore point for Ranma and Kasumi was thinking of another way her fiance and the captain of the kendo could settle things. Kasumi brightened as an idea came to her and she faced Kuno with a serious stare.

"Mr. Kuno, you will get your rematch with Ranma," Kasumi spoke up, getting Kuno's attention. "But it will be on his terms and not yours."

"And why would I agree to that, Ms. Tendo?" asked Kuno, laughing derisively.

"Because you fought Ranma on your terms yesterday and lost," Kasumi replied. "You will get your chance to avenge your loss but only if Ranma sets the terms."

"You expect me to believe that this peasant pretender to my throne will set any sort of terms that will be fair and just when his actions have proven otherwise?" Kuno said, continuing to laugh.

"As far as I'm concerned, Mr. Kuno, Ranma Saotome is the most honorable man I've ever met!" Kasumi frowned, glaring at Kuno. "Your actions, on the other hand, are that of a delusional little boy who seeks a girls attention by force! You're the one who proclaimed that my sister's hand belongs to anyone who could best her in combat and now Akane has to arrive everyday at school to an ambush! If anything, I question your honor, Mr. Kuno! Would a man who claims to follow the code of combat do any of those things!?"

Taken aback by Kasumi's words, Kuno went silent as he glared at her. Sister to Akane or no, this woman had questioned his honor and his motives and felt that he needed to prove her wrong. Kuno then turned his attention towards Ranma who was still in his defensive stance. The students believe that he lost to him and in doing so he had lost face and the prestige as the top fighter of Furinkan High. Kuno closed his eyes for a few seconds and then opened them again and faced Ranma with a frown, relaxing his stance.

"Name your terms, Ranma Saotome," Kuno said begrudgingly.

"You mean our terms, Kuno," Ranma corrected as she glanced at Kasumi briefly before he faced Kuno again. "I win, you tell your little pervert posse that these idiotic ambushes are off. You're also going to apologize to Kasumi for all those things you said about her. She's the most amazing woman in the world and I won't have anyone badmouth her, least of all you."

"Fair enough, scoundrel," Kuno said, eyeing Ranma warily. "But should I win, not only will you admit defeat to a superior fighter, you will acknowledge to the whole school that you lost and forfeited your first fight to me. You did not defeat me the first time and I will make sure to defeat you in our rematch."

"Sounds fair," Ranma agreed as he loosened his stance and folded his arms.

"And you will leave the Tendo home," Kuno added.

"Mr. Kuno, that's outrageous!" Kasumi protested. "The Tendo home is Ranma's home! You can't expect him to-

"Deal," Ranma agreed.

"Ranma, you can't!" Kasumi recoiled, horrified.

"Very well, then," Kuno said as he got into a fighting stance again. "Now we settle this here and now!"

The bell of Furinkan High sounded and a light breeze passed through the school. Ranma and Kuno were still in their fighting stances, though they didn't know how to react, a bead of sweat running down their heads. Kasumi sighed in relief as the fight, for now, had been averted.

"The match will take place at the Tendo home a week from now, one hour after school," Kasumi said, resigned. "You can even bring a witness."

"I guess justice can wait a week," Kuno shrugged, getting out of his stance, turning around and walking away. "Be sure to have your affairs in order, Ranma Saotome...as well as packing your belongings."

Kasumi couldn't help but cover her face and groan in disbelief. While she was glad that Ranma and Kuno didn't start the school day with a fight, the fact that Ranma put his home stay at the Tendo home on the line without a care was something that worried her. She had only known her fiance for less than two days and she knew that he can be honorable to a fault. Like yesterday's fight, there was a chance that things could go wrong, even if the fight was on Ranma's homefield, so to speak.

"Ranma, what am I going to do with you?" Kasumi said, shaking her head at Ranma.

"Uh, did I say something wrong?" Ranma asked, clueless.

"You can't just agree to things like that!" Kasumi scolded. "Honor is one thing, but not your stay at the Tendo home! You really should think about what you're agreeing to, even if it is a fight!"

"Kasumi, I'm not going to lose," Ranma assured firmly. "I'm not letting him call me a liar and I'm not gonna let what he said to you slide. Trust me on this."

"Ranma...whether or not he apologizes doesn't matter to me," Kasumi said worriedly. "My concern is that I may lose a friend over something silly as a bet."

"And you won't lose me, ma'am," Ranma replied confidently. "Ranma Saotome never loses."

As much as she believed in Ranma's confidence, Kasumi still felt worried for him. She couldn't help but think that her fiance's bravado would eventually land him in a heap of trouble one day and he would have no one to blame but himself. Which meant that she would have to be there for Ranma and make sure her new friend and fiance wouldn't do anything foolish or agree to anything that could be considered ironclad.

"Just like a young man," Kasumi sighed disapprovingly, shaking her head once more. "Impetuous, confident, headstrong and thinking that he is invincible."

"Aw, you worry too much, ma'am," Ranma said, smiling.

"And you're going to be late," Kasumi reminded, pointing her finger towards the school door.

"So I'll see you later?"

"I'll be here before the final bell."

Ranma gave Kasumi a final wave before running into the school building with the eldest Tendo daughter exiting school grounds.


Lunchtime...


Walking about the school grounds with a bread package in hand, Ranma searched for an area where he could have some privacy. Initially, he thought of having lunch on the roof like the day before, but thought better of it, thinking in the back of his mind that it wouldn't be the same without Kasumi there with him. Ranma shook his head, feeling silly as he looked back at the school roof and then at the school gate. He had half expected that Kasumi would come through the gate and join him for lunch like before so he wouldn't feel so lonely.

Ranma had enjoyed his time with her until his fight with Kuno and nearly revealed his curse to the whole school. He then remembered how Kasumi was there after the fight and how much time he spent with her shopping for clothes. Ranma had been reluctant at first, but found himself enjoying the rest of the day with her. Tugging slightly at the collar of his shirt, Ranma was reminded that he was wearing his school uniform, something Kasumi had convinced him to get. It just reminded him how much the eldest Tendo sister was doing for him and he smiled sadly, looking back at the Furinkan High roof.

'I've known her for only two days and I'm already missing her,' Ranma thought as he opened the bread package, eating its contents. 'She looked so worried this morning after Kuno and I settled on our rematch. Guess I gotta show her how good I can be...and that I'm not going anywhere.'

So deep in thought was Ranma that he failed to notice someone in front of him until he bumped into that person. He mumbled an apology and was about to move along until he was grabbed by the collar and met face to face with a boy that had bruises and bandages. He was wearing a horizontally striped shirt and shorts and was a bit bigger and more muscle bound than the pigtailed martial artist. Ranma could see the angry growling look on his face and could see that the boy was itching for a fight and could only frown in annoyance. His only reaction was to finish eating his bread, not really feeling any intimidation from this boy.

"You mind, buddy?" asked Ranma flatly.

"Oh, we do, new kid," growled the big boy.

Ranma was about to question what the boy meant by that until he heard more growls. He turned his head and noticed that he was surrounded by more boys that were from the various sports and fighting clubs of Furinkan High, all angry and armed with blunt weapons. Ranma recognized these boys as the same ones that were assaulting Akane this morning and the morning before. He tried to stow his anger, but his fists were already balled up. He may not have any love for the younger Tendo sister, but these boys assaulting her every morning because they wanted to date her was something he really didn't approve of.

"Just who do you think you are!?" shouted the big boy.

"You're wrinkling the shirt," Ranma responded flatly.

"That's going to be the least of your worries, China boy!" the big boy shouted again. "Words out that you want to ruin our chances with Akane by challenging Kuno again so you can stop our attacks on her! We're here to tell you to mind your own business and stay out of our way! Only the strongest of us can date her and we will show how strong we are for her!"

"Have you cavemen tried asking her out?" asked Ranma, raising his eyebrow. "Call me old fashioned, but I think guys asking gals out has less painful results."

"One doesn't just ask the strongest school idol out on a date!" screamed the big boy. "We have to show her our manliness and grit! Toughness is the only thing Akane will appreciate! She will not accept weaklings! There is no other way!"

'These guys honestly believe that load of crap!' Ranma thought, his expression turning incredulous.

"Besides, it's better than dealing with the alternative," the big boy continued. "Even if anyone one us looks at Akane, Kuno would know about it. He has a way of dealing with those who think they have a chance with Akane. Trust me, we would rather fight Akane everyday than dealing with Kuno! He may be a jerk and a pervert, but he has us beat when it comes to a fight!"

"Cowards, all of you," Ranma stated, unamused.

"Easy for you to say, buddy!" the big boy yelled as he launched a punch at Ranma. "You're the one hooked up with her big sister!"

In a casual manner, Ranma caught the big boy's punch with one hand and punched him in the face with the other. In almost a blink, the impact of the blow made the big boy let go of Ranma's shirt as he fell to the ground. After a few seconds, he could hear a pained moan coming from his downed opponent. With a disdainful look to the rest of the shocked onlookers, Ranma walked away wordlessly with his hands in his pockets.

"This...isn't over, new kid!" one of the other boys called out screaming. "We'll teach you to get into our business! Just you wait!"

Ranma groaned, rolling his eyes as he paid the boys no mind.


Classroom 2-E


"Nabiki Tendo, I would speak with you," Kuno said, approaching Nabiki at her desk.

Looking up from her desk, Nabiki eyed Kuno with interest. As much as she didn't want to be interrupted during lunch, business always took priority and Kuno was always good for her business. He had always wanted something from her, be it pictures of Akane or information, she would always provide him with what he wanted if the price was met. While she would offer a fair price to anyone in need of her services, Nabiki had special prices when it came to Tatewaki Kuno, knowing how rich his family is. To her, Kuno was a whale with money and there was no job too big or no fee too big.

"And just what can I do for you, Kuno baby?" Nabiki asked, smirking.

"I need proof of life," Kuno responded.

"So you need me to investigate that someone exists," Nabiki said, intrigued.

"Ranma Saotome did not defeat me, Nabiki Tendo," Kuno growled. "He ran from me and a redheaded pigtailed girl was the one who landed the blow that felled me. I need proof of her existence so that I may confront her."

Nabiki's interest peaked at what Kuno was requesting of her. Kuno had obviously seen Ranma's cursed form during the fight but hadn't put together that the pigtailed girl and Ranma were the same person. In her head, Nabiki was weighing her options which will be more profitable to her. She could charge Kuno for information that she already knows about Ranma, but remembered that what Kuno wanted was proof that the pigtailed girl existed, which meant photos and photographic evidence was something she could charge more for. There was also the fact that Ranma wouldn't expose himself willingly for this, so she would have to be sneaky about it. She also had to consider Kasumi as she knew she wouldn't like her fiance being exploited, so she had to be extra sneaky.

"It's going to cost you, Kuno baby," Nabiki responded.

"Price is no object," Kuno said.

"You always know what to say to me," Nabiki smiled wickedly.


The Tendo Home, some time later...


"My poor little girl!" Soun bawled, a waterfall of tears coming from his eyes.

"Father, for the last time, Akane is alright," Kasumi assured, patting Soun gently on the back.

"But my sweet little, Akane…," Soun lamented. "I've tried so hard, Kasumi...but I'm a failure of a teacher and a father! Your mother would be so ashamed of me!"

'Honestly, father...you're a grown man,' Kasumi thought, shaking her head.

It had already been a few hours since Kasumi had arrived home after leaving Ranma and her younger sisters at school. She had quickly walked back to the Tendo household as she had a couple of things to tell her father about, like Akane's ankle injury and Ranma challenging Kuno. No sooner did she arrive home that she heard the unmistakable crying and lamentation of her father. She had found him holding the phone, weeping and on his knees with the Furinkan High nurse on the other end telling him what had happened in the morning fight no doubt. Soun had been inconsolable that Kasumi took the phone from her father's hand and talked to the nurse. She was relieved to hear that Akane was going to be fine, but had to use a crutch for some time and stay off the foot. As for Soun, he couldn't stop crying and Kasumi had to drag him to his room so he could cry in peace. In the meantime, Kasumi had busied herself with the chores of the household but her father continued to cry and sob for the well being of her youngest daughter.

By lunchtime, Kasumi was at the table, drinking tea and snacking on crackers while reading one of her novels. She had been so busy blushing at the activities of the characters that she almost failed to notice her father coming down the stairs. Kasumi had frantically looked around for a good hiding place for her book and settled for the kitchen cupboard. While there, she got some crackers and an extra cup for her father and dashed back to the table. Soun was already there, sitting at the head of the table with a calmer expression. Kasumi poured him the tea and smiled when he thanked her. She was about to sigh in relief when Soun started bawling again, which made Kasumi groan in disapproval as she went to Soun and comforted him.

"Father, it could have been worse," Kasumi reminded. "Had it not been for Ranma, Akane could have been in worse shape."

"Genma raised such a fine boy," Soun sniffled, wiping away his tears. "You did well in choosing him for your fiance. He'll make you a very happy wife."

"Father...there's something else," Kasumi said with a bit of hesitation. "That Kuno boy, the one that's been hounding Akane, is coming over here in a week to challenge Ranma."

"Really...you don't say," Soun perked up, his expression changing drastically. He then stood and said, "It has been a while since we've had a proper match here at the Tendo Dojo. The honor of the Saotome and Tendo Schools lie heavily on his shoulders and Ranma must be ready."

"Yes, Ranma has been carrying a lot on his shoulders, hasn't he?" Kasumi commented worriedly.

"Oh, you really shouldn't be worried about your fiance, Kasumi," assured Soun, approaching Kasumi and kneeling down beside her. "Genma has raised a fine martial artist. I'm sure he can beat this Kuno boy."

"He's not just fighting for the honor of the schools, father," Kasumi started to explain. "He's fighting for his right to stay here, to get those silly boys that try to beat up Akane at school to stop ambushing her every morning and...to defend my honor. I feel like he's doing more than just fighting a match, father."

"Yes, Akane did say Ranma was adamant on getting that Kuno boy to apologize to you yesterday," Soun contemplated. He perked again with a smile and said. "I'd say he's taking this engagement to you seriously. Ranma must be really taken with you."

"Father, Ranma needs me as a friend," Kasumi reminded Soun.

"So be there for him, daughter," Soun urged. "Genma could only do so much as a martial arts teacher. Maybe you can be Ranma's guide to a more grounded life."

'Mr. Saotome should have been a better father,' Kasumi thought sourly. Her expression then changed to a more pleasant one and said as she nodded, "I'll do what I can, father."

"I'm sure you will, Kasumi," Soun said as he continued drinking his tea.


Dinner time...


"Are you sure you want me to?" Ranma asked hesitantly.

"Yes, Ranma," Kasumi affirmed, giving Ranma a nod. "You can sit by me tonight."

Kasumi didn't have to wait long for Ranma's response as he took his place next to her at the table. Everyone, including her fiance, was a bit taken aback at her request, Genma and Soun were the first ones to react as they encouraged Ranma to take Kasumi's offer. Akane had only responded with an angry glare at Ranma as she took her seat next to Nabiki, who only gave Kasumi a curious look. Genma himself sat next to Akane and Soun sat at the head of the table. With everyone in place, members of the Saotome and Tendo families all said "Let's eat!" before digging into their meal, which was a simple gyudon dish.

It hadn't been long since Kasumi brought her sisters and Ranma home from school. She didn't have to wait long as she had arrived just in time to see them arriving at the school gate. When she saw Akane walking with a crutch, Kasumi asked her if she was alright, to which she had said that she was, though her tone was dejected. Kasumi had decided not to pry any further and give Akane her space, but kept an eye on her. She did speak to Ranma about his day and was glad that his day was generally boring, though she did express concern about his scuffle with a student during lunch. After arriving home, Kasumi told her sisters and Ranma to get straight to their homework, though Ranma was a bit reluctant as he wanted to get to training for his match with Kuno. She had to remind him that training the mind was just as important as training the body and she didn't want the teachers at Furinkan High to think of him as a lazy delinquent. Ranma had agreed with her on that as he had to admit that he had enough to deal with. After that, things got relatively peaceful until dinner time, though Kasumi had to drag her father away and stop him from emotionally pestering Akane about her injury.

As she ate, Kasumi glanced at Ranma and caught him looking at her. The young man noticed this and quickly turned away, going at his dinner a bit more intensely. Kasumi smiled curiously at Ranma, wondering what could be going on in his head. She noted the embarrassed and awkward look on his face and decided not to ask what he wanted at the moment. Still, Kasumi wondered if Ranma had anything to say about the meal, how was her day or compliment on her looks or…

'Does he really mean those things?' Kasumi asked herself. She chuckled and thought, 'Maybe he's just being nice. I'm not much to look at and Ranma has probably seen lots of girls in his travels. I've always been a regular woman, nothing special. I'm no martial artist like Akane and I'm not a businesswoman like Nabiki. I don't see why anyone would find me…'

Kasumi stopped her line of thinking and thought back to what happened in the morning at Doctor Tofu's clinic. She had always found him to be a silly person to be around and it amused her that the chiropractor would behave that way when everyone sings his praises at being good at his job. Then we she saw Doctor Tofu look at her and Ranma and how Mr. Saotome just blurted out the engagement...she saw the heartbreak resonate throughout his body language. It was like seeing a young boy lose all meaning in life after seeing his crush with someone else. She had to admit that she did feel sorry for the doctor and felt like an idiot for not noticing he had feelings for her.

'With me concentrating on taking care of the home, shopping and making sure father and my little sisters are taking care of, maybe I didn't notice something so obvious,' Kasumi thought, reasoning to herself. She frowned and continued, 'Still, a respected man like Doctor Tofu behaving like that just because he likes me...I mean, in comparison to Ranma who acts so casual with me and compliments me, I think that for a young man, he can be…'

Kasumi paused as she continued to glance at the Ranma. It humbled her when Ranma complimented her for looks and even called her an amazing woman. She's only known him for only a bit over two days and she already liked having him around. Only two days and she already had a lunch date with him where her honor was defended. Before she could continue her line of thinking, Kasumi calmed herself before chiding herself.

'It's little soon to be thinking of such things,' Kasumi thought as she closed her eyes. 'Ranma may find someone else along the way. We are just friends, after all…'

Setting her bowl down, Kasumi opened her eyes and turned her head towards Ranma and asked, "Ranma, is there something you wanted to ask me?"

Ranma almost choked on his food but was able to swallow it. He looked at Kasumi rather embarrassed and grinned like a goof.

"Ranma, you really shouldn't eat like that," Kasumi chided. "Now, was there something you wanted to ask me? You did look like you had something on your mind."

"Oh, I just...well…," Ranma began rather awkwardly. "I was just wondering if everything you cook turns out so well."

"Oh, it's nothing really," Kasumi responded. "I'm just doing my best to keep everyone happy."

"You really shouldn't be so humble, daughter," Soun said cheerfully.

"You said it, Tendo," Genma agreed. He then looked down at his bowl and gave Kasumi a bit of a flat look and said, "Though I noticed I didn't get the same amount as my boy here."

"I'm concerned for your weight, Mr. Saotome," Kasumi pointed out. "I thought just a bit would help your health matters and I wouldn't want you to be overstuffed."

"I can work it off, Ms. Tendo," Genma retorted flatly, narrowing his eyes.

"He's been saying that for years and he still has that gut," Ranma laughed.

"Don't push it, boy," Genma warned dangerously.

"And how was work, Mr. Saotome?" Kasumi asked, wanting to change the subject.

"Tense," Genma responded. "Doctor Tofu was really out of it for about an hour after you, Ranma and your sisters left the clinic. Had to entertain the patients for a bit before Doctor Tofu got on the ball."

"That poor man," Kasumi sighed sympathetically.

"He just needs to understand what's at stake here," Genma said with a shrug. "The Saotome and Tendo martial arts schools need to be joined to form a strong fighting style. Besides, the doctor should have said something about his feelings. Keeping it all bottled up can cost you."

"Not everyone can express their feelings so easily," Akane fumed as she slammed her bowl on the table, getting everyone's attention.

"Akane, manners," Kasumi chided.

"Can I be excused!?" Akane snapped.

There was an awkward silence before Kasumi nodded. Getting up, Akane grabbed her crutch and hobbled up the stairs, but not before she gave Ranma a glare. After a few seconds, the rest of the family heard a loud door slam and couldn't help but cringe.

"I think she's more broken up about the doctor than she outta be," Ranma commented.

"Gee, you think?" Nabiki said sarcastically. "Can't say I blame her. She's been crushing on him for years."

"It would seem so," Kasumi said. Wanting to change the subject yet again, Kasumi turned to Ranma and asked, "Was there something else you wanted to ask me?"

"Yeah, I do," Ranma admitted. "You really think we should have the match here, Kasumi? You saw the damage Kuno can do with that stick of his and I can't imagine the fight to just be confined to the training hall."

"Not to mention the eventual property damage and the high cost of fixing it," Nabiki pointed out. "Still, we can always blame Kuno baby for it and stick him with the bill."

"It is something I've been thinking about," Kasumi said. "Honestly, I wanted you to be on familiar ground for this. That and there is less of a chance your curse can be discovered by outside parties like what almost happened at Furinkan High."

"It almost happened because the boy didn't mind his surroundings," Genma said disapprovingly.

"Like I had time to walk around school to get to know the terrain, Pop" Ranma argued.

"The point is, boy, is that you can't just concentrate on your opponent," Genma countered. "Fortunately, you have a whole week to get to know the Tendo home and the best way to avoid any mishaps."

"He is right on that, Ranma," Kasumi agreed. "I'll be sure to give you a tour around the property."

"Such a dutiful daughter I have!" Soun cried.

"Yep, a good fit for my boy," Genma nodded sagely.

"We're just friends!" Kasumi shouted.

"Don't you two ever stop!?" Ranma also shouted.


Tendo Home, six days before the match...


A bleary eyed Nabiki, with her window open and a camera in hand, waited for the Saotomes early morning workout. She had woken earlier than usual, though she made sure that Kasumi was already downstairs in the kitchen. Her older sister had become protective of Ranma and she didn't want Kasumi to suspect that she was using the Saotome heir for financial gain again, lest she wanted to lose any more money because of it. Still, Kuno was paying her handsomely for getting a picture of Ranma in his girl form and there was no risk too great when it came to money as far as she was concerned.

Nabiki didn't have to wait long as she heard a distinctive scream of a young man coming from the guest room. She then saw Ranma tossed out of the window which, to her amazement, managed to land on his feet in a fighting stance. Out of that same window, Genma jumped out and attacked Ranma with heavy punches and kicks. For Nabiki, it was almost impossible to keep up with the attacks both father and son were doing as they were moving so fast. Ranma was mostly dodging and deflecting the attacks, but Genma didn't let up. Both combatants were moving all over the Tendo property, attacking each other and jumping all over the place. Admittingly, Nabiki was rather impressed, but shook her head as she had a job to do.

'Ranma is leagues above what Akane can only dream of,' Nabiki thought as she aimed her camera at Ranma. 'Wonder how much the girls at Furinkan High would pay to see Ranma in that top and boxer shorts. Kinda want a photo for my personal collection.'

Chiding herself for being unfocused, Nabiki continued to keep an eye on Ranma. She pouted when the pigtailed martial artist and his father moved out of focus. Seconds later, Nabiki heard a splash coming from the koi pond and smiled wickedly. No sooner did that happen and Ranma, now in his girl form, was on the offensive as he attacked Genma with a flurry of angry punches and kicks. With the two fighters now back into focus, Nabiki kept her sights on Ranma and cheered internally as she saw the soaked form of Ranma's girl form as he jump up and prepared to attack his father.

'Hold that pose, Ranma baby,' Nabiki thought as she pushed the button on her camera.


Classroom 2-E, Lunchtime


"I knew it!" Kuno growled as he held the picture of the pigtailed girl in his hand. "Proof that Ranma didn't best me that fateful day!"

"Proof that was well worth the money, I hope," Nabiki said as she sat on top of her desk, cross legged and counting her money.

With a smug expression and a feeling of vindication, Kuno continued to hold and observe the photo in his hand. Indeed it was the redhead pigtailed girl that he encountered inside the pool...and the one that felled him in one punch. Nabiki had promised him proof when she met him in the classroom in morning and she came through for him by lunchtime. Kuno couldn't help but rub his chin at the memory of the blow the pigtailed girl gave him, recalling the amount of power the girl had. It fascinated him that this girl, curiously dressed in a men's top and boxer shirts, could beat him as easily as Akane Tendo had done for what seemed like a very long time. It exhilarated him to experience such a blow and it made Kuno all the more curious of the girl's identity.

'I have the proof of the pigtailed girl's existence that I can confront that coward with,' Kuno thought before shaking his head and gritting his teeth. 'No...he will only deny it, even when confronted with the truth. I could always show it to the rest of the student body, but they would only question my sanity.'

Tracing a finger on the photo, Kuno sighed. He found himself experiencing the blow again, again and again and it made him smile. He then recalled his experiences with Akane, how each of his fights with her made him feel excited. Kuno loved strong women as no other kind of would satisfy his thirst. This pigtailed girl could easily be in Akane's class in combat, maybe more. He needed to know more and he needed to experience more.

"I don't suppose you could provide me with more photos of this girl," Kuno wondered, facing Nabiki.

"For the right price, I could get you a set," Nabiki smiled sweetly.

"You have yourself a deal, Nabiki Tendo," Kuno agreed with determination. "As for the pigtailed girl...I shall deal with her myself."


Meanwhile at the Furinkan High Gym...


"You've got to be kidding me," Ranma groaned with a half lidded stare.

Ranma had not started the school day well. While he wasn't a big fan of sitting inside a classroom listening to teachers drone on until he was asleep, Ranma was at least looking forward to having a relatively peaceful day as he didn't have the misfortune of running into Kuno or the horde of hormonally charged boys. Unfortunately, once he got inside the classroom, every student fell silent and stared at him. Ranma found this unsettling, but continued towards his desk. What he found was a note taped there, written in red ink, complete with each character bleeding.

The note read: Hope you enjoy your last lunch, Ranma Saotome. Meet us at the gym and come alone.

While he had rolled his eyes at the melodramatic tone of the note, Ranma was not one to pass up a challenge. Once lunchtime had arrived and after he bought himself a bread package, he headed straight for the gym where two tough looking students were waiting for him at the entrance. They had opened the door for him with a snicker, though Ranma felt more annoyed than intimidated as he went in. His annoyance only multiplied as he saw many tough looking students from different school clubs inside, all jeering and calling him out for a fight. Ranma also noticed a fighting ring in the middle of the gym and letting out a breath, made his way towards it. Once near the ring, Ranma made a high jump and landed at the center, earning a few gasps and more jeers from the students.

Ranma looked around and noted that the students didn't waste any time surrounding the ring to prevent any sort of escape. He even saw the two students that were waiting for him closing the doors. He could tell for certain that these students wanted to send a message and make an example of him. They were all itching for a fight as the students who were nearest to the ring began to bang on the edge of the canvas with their hands in an effort to intimidate Ranma.

'I almost feel sorry for these jerks,' Ranma thought with a smirk. "So...do I pick one of you or will one of you volunteer?"

The students surrounding the ring stopped banging it as one of them slid under the ropes. The student wore trunks, boots, boxing gloves, a sleeveless shirt and headgear, all dark blue. The boxer waved to the students as they cheered him on. The boxer then faced Ranma and pointed his gloved covered hand at him before showing off with a series of jabs while dancing around him. The speed of the boxer's jabs increased and he let out a yell as he ended the flurry with an uppercut. He laughed at Ranma, though he growled when he saw that the Saotome heir didn't look impressed. The boxer let out a scream when he charged at Ranma with a punch. Ranma only tilted his head to dodge the strike and punched the boxer square in the face. The boxer fell on his back and let out a groan before falling to unconsciousness.

The next opponent, a rotund sumo wrestler wearing a white mawashi, entered the ring with a bit of a swagger, looking at Ranma with a smirk as he chuckled. He wasted no time showing off his size to his opponent, clearly towering over Ranma by a few feet. The sumo wrestler bent his knees and was instantly on the attack as he tried to grab Ranma, but to non avail as the Saotome heir jumped up and landed on top of his head. The sumo wrestler got angry and grabbed one of Ranma's ankles and threw him towards the ropes. He was surprised to see his opponent use his feet to spring from the middle rope and sling himself towards him. What happened next happened very fast as Ranma connected his fist to the sumo wrestler's head, which sent the big man staggering backwards towards the ropes. Ranma wasn't done as he jumped and attacked the head again with a spin kick, tilting the sumo wrestler over the ropes. The big man groaned as he saw stars going around his head.

Ranma didn't have time to rest as another attacker came at him from behind, this time from a young man in gi. The attacker didn't last long as Ranma casually kicked him in the chin, sending him over the ropes. Another attacker came, this time it was the rugby player from the day before. Ranma dodged his charge, grabbed his shirt and sent him out the ring. He then heard a noise from behind and saw a small ball headed towards him. Ranma caught it and saw a baseball player coming towards him with a bat, ready to swing. Ranma stopped him by throwing the ball to head, knocking him out. He then heard a scream from above and saw three students armed with volleyballs and spiking said balls towards him. Ranma countered by spiking the balls back and connecting the students, sending them falling to the floor. Seconds later, two more students charged in, but Ranma quickly knocked them out. Not a second later and the pigtailed martial artist heard a collective yell as the rest of the students that surrounded the ring charged in and attacked. With a smirk, Ranma dodged and attacked his opponents, each one falling with one blow. Not even a minute passed and every one of Ranma's attackers were defeated, all of them groaning in pain on a pile.

'Well...that wasn't much fun,' Ranma thought with a shrug as he leapt out of the ring and began to walk casually.

Unfortunately, Ranma heard a blood curdling scream as a student, dressed in what seemed to be riot gear, emerged from the pile of students and aimed what seemed to be a plastic blaster towards him. Normally, wouldn't have paid no mind except that on the helmet of the student read "Furinkan High Water Sniper Team". Ranma's eyes widened as he was about to run but the sniper hit with a stream of water coming from the blaster. Ranma held his position stiffly as she cursed his luck as he felt his body change from boy to girl. Once the blaster ran out of water, the student fell to canvas, unconscious. Ranma, frantically looking to make sure that everyone of his attackers were knocked out, ran to the nearest exit. Once outside, Ranma had to adjust his clothing as it felt loose on him. Worse yet, since he was wearing his school uniform, Ranma's breasts could be seen through his white shirt and undershirt. He instinctively put his arms around his bust and frowned.

'I gotta get out of here,' Ranma thought frantically. 'There's gotta be some hot water around...'

Ranma realized something and put a hand over his face. He looked back inside the gym and the students were still unconscious. Looking around, he saw the men's locker room a few feet away.

'Guess I'll just have to make do,' Ranma thought as he was about to walk back into the gym.

"So we finally meet again, pig tailed girl," a voice spoke.

Ranma's eyes widened as he turned around to see Kuno just a few feet away. As soon as the kendoist made his way towards him, Ranma ran until he disappeared into the corner of the gym.

"Pigtailed girl, wait!" shouted Kuno as he ran after Ranma.

Kuno made his way to the corner where Ranma disappeared into. He looked frantically for his target and went around the gym. He growled in frustration as the girl he was looking for escaped him again.

"I know that you are real, pigtailed girl!" Kuno bellowed to the skies. "And I know that I am not mad!"

Kuno then felt something on the back of his head hit him with such force that it knocked him to the ground. A few seconds later, Kuno got up, rubbed his head and spotted a rock on the ground. He picked it up and noticed that there was a note attached to it with a rubber band. Kuno took the note and discarded the rock and unfolded the note. Kuno growled as he read the message on it.

The note read "Yes you are, you pervert!"

Kuno let out a frustrated scream so loud that every student around the school heard it.


The Tendo Home, a few hours later...


"You're lucky no one else saw you, boy," Genma said sternly. "But that Kuno boy has discovered your cursed half once again and he will not stop until he finds out the truth. Once again, you were careless! I thought I trained you better than that!"

"Yeah, like you're an expert on keeping a Chinese curse under wraps, pops," Ranma scoffed. "Besides, how was I supposed to know Furinkan High had a club that used water guns?"

"I also didn't raise you to make excuses!" Genma countered.

"Hey, it's your fault I had to run from Kuno in the first place!" Ranma argued. "You and your damn ideas about training in that cursed place! Now I have a secret to keep because of you!"

It had not been long since the school day had ended. Like the day before, Kasumi had waited for her sisters and Ranma at the school gate. She had noticed a frown on her fiance's face and had inquired what had happened. She was shocked to hear that the boys that normally attacked Akane, plus a few others, had challenged Ranma and tried to overpower him. She was relieved to hear that Ranma had beaten them easily, but gasped when she heard that one of them shot him with a water gun in what could be described as just someone not willing to go down without a fight. Unfortunately, Kuno had arrived and gave chase, but Ranma had managed to escape and gave himself enough time to get his hands on some hot water. Seeing Ranma curse himself made Kasumi try her best to assure him that at least that Kuno boy hadn't put two and two together and that his secret is safe.

Unfortunately, once arriving at the Tendo home and Ranma telling his father what had happened, Genma wasted no time angrily dragging his son to the training area. Kasumi followed them and once arriving at the training area, she could hear Ranma and Genma bickering about whose fault it was about what had happened. She waited at the entrance and saw that the argument got more heated. It got to the point where father and son started hurling insults towards each other and it hurt Kasumi to see them not finding any common ground. She could only imagine the years of animosity these two had and she suspected that what happened in China only magnified things.

Thankfully, the argument ended when Genma decided to storm out of the training area, waving off whatever Ranma had to say to him.

"You deal with him, Kasumi," Genma said as he passed Kasumi on the way out.

"Hey, I'm not through with you, old man!" Ranma called out as he went after Genma.

"Ranma, don't," Kasumi said as she grabbed Ranma's arm. "He's just trying to get a rise out of you."

"I just can't stand him, Kasumi," Ranma seethed. "He puts me through hell and expects me to take responsibility for his own failings."

"I know, but you really shouldn't let him get to you like that," Kasumi said as she urged Ranma. "What's done is done and you should move past this. Besides, you need to focus on the match."

Kasumi could see that Ranma was struggling to keep his anger in check. She could tell that Ranma really wanted to tear Genma apart and while her fiance could do so, she knew that a fight wouldn't solve anything. Kasumi was relieved that Ranma had managed to calm down and loosen up.

"Forget you, old man!" Ranma yelled, though Genma was nowhere to be seen. "I could pound you whenever I want, but I got more important things to do!"

"That's better," Kasumi brightened. "Now...I believe I owe you a tour around the home. Walk with me."

For the next half hour, Kasumi gave Ranma a tour of the Tendo property. She had started with showing Ranma around the home so he could get his bearings. Kasumi first led Ranma to the living room, which was also the dining room where family meetings also took place. She then led him to the kitchen and spent the next few minutes gushing about how well kept and organized it was until Ranma peeking inside the refrigerator and had to admonish him about spoiling his dinner. Next up was her father's room, which was a fairly spacious bedroom and next to it was a tiny guest room, which was currently empty. When getting to the baths and laundry room, Ranma had insisted on doing his own laundry, to which Kasumi responded good naturedly with a thanks and something about guests not troubling themselves. It ended with Kasumi showing Ranma how the washing machine and dryer works. The tour had started without a hitch and Kasumi was glad problems had arisen yet.

Kasumi then led Ranma upstairs and just gave him a quick run through on which room belonged to who, indicating the signs on the doors. Ranma muttered about what rooms to avoid and Kasumi was reminded that her fiance and her sisters weren't on good terms, to which she led him to the balcony to avoid any unpleasant conversations. Once out on the balcony, Kasumi took a deep breath and let it out before resting her arms on the rail. She spent the next few moments admiring the view of the training area as well the feeling the light breeze coursing around her body.

"I like to come here on light windy days," Kasumi spoke, sighing. "Honestly, it's my favorite part of the house. Good view and during a clear night, I can see the stars shine at night. I even sing a good night song for Furinkan. One time, I even saw a meteor shower with my mother a few years back. I sometimes envy Akane for having easy access to this part of the house. Don't you think it has a great view, Ran..."

Kasumi had trailed off when she turned to face Ranma and found that she was no longer beside her. She blinked before looking around to see where Ranma had run off to until she heard him clearing his throat. The sound came from above her and she looked up to see Ranma's impishly smiling face sticking out from the edge of the roof. Before she could ask Ranma what he was doing, her fiance stuck his arm out, hands opened.

"Want to get a better view?" asked Ranma mischievously.

"Ranma, I am not going up there!" Kasumi shouted.

"It'll be fun," Ranma assured. "Just like walking on the fence."

"The roof is not a fence, young man!"

"Do you trust me, ma'am?"

"What?"

"Do you trust me?"

As much as her mind was telling her that Ranma had just lost his mind, just seeing his mischievous yet confident face made her think that he can keep her safe. Kasumi, as she was looking at an expectant Ranma, mentally debated his offer, going back and forth and trying to come up with reasons why she should or shouldn't go on the roof with him. It had taken a lot of courage on her part to let this young man carry her on the fence not too long ago and kept her safe, even when he was running. She admitted that she enjoyed it, but being carried on the roof? Kasumi shook her head, still thinking that this was madness and should just tell Ranma to come down so they could continue the tour like normal people and afterwards, lead him to the guest room so he can do his homework like a good little boy.

In the end, Kasumi sighed and stuck her arm out towards Ranma. The part of her mind that screamed at her for taking this risk died in favor of spending more time with Ranma. Kasumi let out a gasp when Ranma took a hold of her hand and pulled her up. In seconds, Ranma was carrying her bridal style and heard his feet running up the roof. Kasumi felt her heart race as she shut her eyes, her body tensing up. She whimpered, thinking only on high up she was with Ranma and she didn't dare to open her eyes to find out. Kasumi still didn't want to open her eyes when the footsteps on the roof tiles stopped. All she could feel was being secure in Ranma's arms and the cool breeze she felt on the balcony.

"You're missing a great view, Kasumi," Ranma said cheerfully.

Slowly, Kasumi opened her eyes. After adjusting her vision, she looked to see where she was. Kasumi could see that she was on the edge of the roof facing the main gate. Her gaze moved to face the buildings outside the Tendo home and beyond. Kasumi It was like seeing an neverending number of buildings, each a home to someone and their families. She turned her head and could see Furinkan High in the distance. Kasumi then turned her head skywards and saw the stray clouds passing by. Seeing this made her heart go a bit slower and calmer. She had almost forgotten that she was on top of the roof and she felt very safe in Ranma's arms.

Kasumi turned her head to see that Ranma was looking around the property and assumed that he was getting to know the lay of the land, no doubt trying to form a strategy for his fight against the Kuno boy. This reminded her of why Ranma was fighting. As much as she didn't want Ranma to get hurt or worse, she understood that this was the way things had to be settled. She only hoped the Tendo home could survive this fight.

Kasumi felt Ranma move to get into a sitting position on the edge of the roof. The young man still held her and found herself sitting on his lap. This made Kasumi blush as she rested her head on Ranma's shoulder.

"So...how long has your dad had this place?" asked Ranma.

"Oh, father has had the property for a long time," Kasumi began to explain. "He told me it was just a vacant lot when he bought it with the money he won at a local tournament. He said it was a good location to build the school because there were so many with the potential to become martial artists living in the neighborhood, especially the teenagers from Furinkan High who were eager to learn how to fight.

"At first, what he planned was just a simple dojo and smaller residence. Then he met my mother, Kimiko, a lunch lady making her rounds in the area. Father described her as being strong of body, big hearted and with a good head for business. The two hit it off instantly and courted each other for a year before they got married. She also had a hand in helping my father in constructing the dojo with minimal costs and made some design changes for the house to accommodate a large family."

"She sounds like a wonderful lady," Ranma said truthfully.

"She was," Kasumi sighed sadly. "Father misses her so much and everything on the Tendo property reminds him of her. He's put his all in raising my sisters and I that he hasn't had time to take in any students. Father didn't have the heart to move on from mother and quite frankly, I wouldn't want him to."

"Isn't that kind of selfish of you?" Ranma asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Ranma, father loved mother very much until her dying day," Kasumi said to Ranma with conviction. She then shivered and muttered, "Just the thought of him sharing his bed with another woman...the same bed he shared with mother for many years…"

"Alright, I get it," Ranma said, trying to change the subject. "So this place means a lot to your dad...to you…"

"And to Akane and Nabiki, even if she won't admit it," Kasumi reminded. "I would be a shame if something bad happened to it."

"Trust me when I say that nothing will happen to the dojo, Kasumi," Ranma assured.

"That's because it's your home, too," Kasumi said with a beaming smile.

The two remained silent as they looked over the horizon, feeling the cool breeze. Kasumi didn't feel envious about Akane having access to the balcony anymore as Ranma had given her a better view. She was glad that her fiance was able to share this with her, even though she was hesitant at first. After a few minutes, Kasumi checked her watch and knew that she had to go over what to prepare for dinner.

"Ranma, we need to get back," Kasumi reminded Ranma as she tugged on his shirt.

"Got sick of the view?" Ranma said.

"No, but I have things to do and you need to get your homework done."

"Can't make a man do what he doesn't want."

"Then I'll have to give your dinner portions to Mr. Saotome. I'm sure he'll be more than appreciative."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me."

Though it started with him just joking around, Ranma could tell that Kasumi was being serious about this. He could see that Kasumi took her duties to the household very seriously and would do anything to fulfill those duties. Ranma couldn't help but give Kasumi a smile in admiration. Kasumi had a lot of responsibilities at the Tendo home. She wanted everyone to be happy, including him. Still, Ranma's expression turned into a playfully smug one as he leaned his face a bit closer to Kasumi's.

"You know, your father would be shocked to know that underneath your disguise of the ideal Japanese woman...lies the heart of someone very wicked," Ranma teased.

Kasumi, knowing Ranma was just being playful, gave him her best wicked smile and said, "My father and my sisters wouldn't believe you. I'm their devoted angel and nothing will change their mind about that."

"I could expose you."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me."

"Kasumi!" Soun called out from somewhere down below. "I need your help with something! Where are you!?"

Kasumi and Ranma, realizing how close their faces had become, turned away in embarrassment, their faces a deep shade of crimson. Worse, they spotted Soun right below them and Ranma lifted Kasumi up and walked back towards the balcony, feeling very awkward.

'Geez, what was I thinking!?' Ranma thought, chiding himself.

'He's your friend, Kasumi!' Kasumi thought as she berated herself. 'Friends don't tease each other like that!'

To be continued...