Ranma of St. Bacchus, Chapter 42

By Chaos Orchid

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"All challenges are wagers!"

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(she), (her), etc. are to indicate that while Ranma physically feels she is in a female body, psychologically (she) doesn't feel convinced she is female. Unparenthesized, it means her gender dysphoria has slipped down on her list of current concerns.

'She', 'her' means Ran's more accepting about being a girl.

She, her means she has fully embraced being a girl.

He(?), his(?), him(?) means he is mostly comfortable in the male body, but is uncertain about gender identity

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The bodies of high school boys and girls and their gear and tools lay strewn about two girls. The more noticeable was a short, voluptuous redhead in tight bloomer shorts but a tee that had two loose hemispheres moving beneath it. The other was a little taller, a little more average in her proportions and a t-shirt constrained by her dōgi with the red belt. She ran her fingers through her long, crow hair to untangle it from the action and sweat that had come from her and the others. "Hoo! That felt good. I don't remember battling any girls who've given me a real challenge before!"

The redhead smiled at her, "And I don't remember fightin' guys." Literally. Any time (she) had reached for some memory connected with her identity, it slipped further away from (her)(!)

Akane frowned, remembering what kind of girl she was talking with, "So you don't fight off guys?"

"I wish I could. But I've been stuck in a boarding school. You know, with only girls."

"So when you get out, you party(!)" she crossed her arm in judgment.

"Party?" the redhead looked back at her with innocent, ununderstanding eyes.

They were interrupted by a male voice, "How pitiful: A damsel worthy of a fairy tale who has never been to a ball!"

Akane, "Kunō! Stay out of this!"

Yet he rushed towards the other girl, a knee falling as one about to make a proposal.

'Ran's' knee connected with his chin, sending him meters away from (her).

Akane, "I could teach you how to punt."

"Punt?" Then 'she' remembered Kodachi's brother, Kunō, being slammed against the school wall from the start of the school gate. 'Her' eyes lit up: "Okay!"

"Fine, fine!" Nabiki broke in. "The two groups of bettors are recovering. Now these battle junkies should be even more interested in finding out which of you is the best!"

Akane, "I only agreed to battle her, Yamada-san…"

"Ran!"

"...I didn't agree to put on a show.

"Are you willing to come to the Tendō dōjō for a private battle, Ran-san?"

"Hai!" 'she' smiled. And for a moment, (she) was smiling.

"And you can call me…," she hesitated. But bowed in greeting, "Akane." And the redhead gave her 'her' bow.

Nabiki's mind worked scenarios in seconds, "As Ran-sama's personal assistant, I'll set up the appointment."

"Nabiki's your personal assistant?(!)" Akane wondered if there was a way to help Ran escape from her sister's schemes. She lowered her voice, "She's honest, but you can't trust her."

"I know."

Akane remembered the perverted blackmail pictures Nabiki had of Ran and almost had another mood swing. She didn't really know what her reactions should be. Yamada (Ran?) had skills maybe as accomplished as her own. Up until now, she hadn't paid attention to martial arts rhythmic gymnastics. It had sounded too weird and niche. It looked to be a handicap for the cute, curvy redhead. Judging by the other Hebereke girls in their swank outfits, the redhead was already too sheltered too understand what could happen to girls out in the real world if they flaunted their sexuality. Akane couldn't sense in her any feminine modesty.

Nabiki, "Attention! Attention, Hebereke, Fūrinken! The Battle of the High School Battlemaidens is merely postponed! A raffle will determine who will be the witness for their school when the showdown occurs!" Though, with the right scheming and luck it would be where an audience would generate side bets. The money spent by the rafflers would count as bets.

Katai, too, was satisfied. "MĀRG-ka! Tell the girls who left for the day or hadn't heard about the battle of true intent!" She and Nabiki and their bookmaker assistants now had more days to collect more money! Of course, her patron, Tantō-dono, would be profiting much more than the commoner from the poorer school.

Meanwhile, Kunō's ninja manservant had been bowing on his knees, begging his master to listen to him. "Patience, Master. Please be patient! Tendō-san Nabiki has said that in return for providing a proper late-afternoon meal in the French style, she would return the favor.

"She assures me it will be one you will appreciate!"

Kunō, "Though I and my classmate are not simpatico, we have an established business relationship. Would that she were my client. My status would provide her with substantial greater remuneration in commissions than she receives now."

Sasuke, "Yes! And add to your own funds!"

"Aye! Assets out of reach of Kodachi, my wayward sister."

Still, Kunō and the hordes from Fūrinken and Hebereke were disappointed and unhappy with not being able to see the champions of their two schools determine today which was the best. Pride of Social Class was on the line. Just the thought of it was elevating Yamada Ran. She was champion, despite the fact the redhead had yet to win against Captain-general Black Rose or any of her captain-lieutenants; she was of upper class, despite the fact she was orphaned from the social registry of the elite – despite the fact she obviously lacked even the behaviors and speaking-skills of the o-kumi-sama, upper class young lady(!)

Well, the last could be bullied into her. What mattered was Yamada Ran represented the honor of their institution! Such a very Japanese attitude.

"Now you can come back to St. Hebereke with us, Yamada-san!" ; "We will protect you from the hooligans!" ; "Don't follow us, Fūrinken. You don't belong."

'Ran' hesitated. There was something about Akane that…interested (her). But 'she' had no excuse to not join 'her' schoolmates.

Or was there: The Chinese girl with the too long bangs had a cheongsam bag that showed the shape of what was inside – A thermos! Warned, (she) noticed other evidence of hot and cold water containers! And (broken) cameras. Having come to the park, 'she' knew exactly where they could ambush (her). They still didn't want others to know there was a male body hidden in the dorms.

But they themselves didn't – yet! – know (she) was cured of the hair curse: What little peace they gave 'her' would be gone when they would be free to go after him(?)! (She) could see (both 'Rans') becoming their plaything(s)!

Junko came to the rescue, "We'll protect Ran-kohai! As a member of The Sunlight Team, she is our responsibility!"

Yuna, "And we see no one here who outranks and can overrule Team Coach Maruyama-senpai Junko."

Mao smiled, "Even if there were, the school rules says if somebody with a higher rank challenges and loses to somebody with the lower rank, they become her kohai!"

Noa, "Really!?(!) No more kohai of kohai?!" Then she remembered how terrible she was at combat.

'Ran's' eyes lit up, "I can become everybody's senior!?"

Yuna, "Only by first defeating me, then Junko."

Junko, "Are you ready to be take on the responsibility (Mao, "No fun!") of a dorm leader and a coach?"

Mao, "Coaches have to think more than battle."

'Ran', "Oh." (Her) body wanted to battle! And without a past, 'she' wasn't sure if (she) could think as strategically as good as Yuna and Junko.

Akane threatened her own schoolmates, "You, too, scat! I didn't get my chance to fight you, yet!"

The boy horde grumbled, but headed away from her and the girls. "See you tomorrow, Akane!" ; "At the gate!" ; "Red's given us a good practice!" ; "Hey! She's not as good as our Akane!" ; "Show school loyalty!" ; …

"Honestly!" Akane cried in frustration. "Won't they ever give up?!

The girl horde were also grumbling as they headed back toward the sakura trees. It was hanami time, but no romantic connections had been made this day.

"Akane, uh, um…," 'Ran' had something important to say to her. What it was, (she) wasn't sure. If 'she' had been thinking of it, (she) could have possibly recognized a blockage in 'her' chi flow. All that 'she' was aware of was the feeling she had for the other girl was…odd. "...you showed real skill! And against MĀRG-ka!"

"Mārugu-ka?(?)" But she did give a smile of, "Thanks."

Kunō, "There was no doubt in my heart that the vivacious Moon Goddess of the Hunt would prove to be victorious once more!"

Nabiki, "Hold it, Kunō, you've already fought Akane today. And Ran-sama has also won against you. Don't put them into any further debt to you."

"Debt!?" Akane cried.

'Ran', "Yeah! What she said!"

Nabiki, "In dates owed. By my calculations, my sister has defeated you at least a haiku of 17 times, and that's counting the three times she did it today. Suisha Katai told me how my client, Ran-sama, defeated you and the match that is being arranged to make it official. More official than any of Akane's, in fact."

"Hey! Like I thought I had to make it official!"

"Then let's make it official: We'll have a match between you and Ran-sama as a preliminary to Kunō's. The winner gets the chance to be his girlfriend."

Akane, "The winner would be the loser!"

'Ran', "Aw, man! I'm trapped! I gotta find a way to get outta that 'fate-worse-than-death' match!" Junko, Yuna and Mao continued making sounds of agreement. Nao was trying to follow along, wondering if the difficulty was her poor Japanese. It was a language of where context could change everything. ("Your bell sounds beautiful" could easily become "Your dog barks loudly".)

Nabiki, "There are two outs. One: Let him defeat you."

Akane, "Never!"

'Ran', "Yeah! What Akane said!"

"Two: Pay off the debt. Date Kunō."

Akane, "I'm not dating him just because he says a girl has to date him if she beats him! That's stupid!"

Nabiki, "And it is. Let me enlighten you to just how much.

"Kunō, a girlfriend of yours would have to first sign, call it, a pre-betrothal agreement. Correct(?)"

"Unfortunately, in the interest of the interests I hold as heir to and current head of the Kunō clan, the legalities must be observed, lest our repute be dragged into question in a court of civil law."

'Ran', "What did he say?"

Nabiki, "He's rich and doesn't want to be sued by a golddigger."

Akane, "I'm not a golddigger!"

Nabiki, "Now for the cherry on top. Kunō, my sister, Akane, and my client, Ran, will not sign your agreement. In fact, they can both sue and have you arrested for physical assault without battery."

Akane, "I wouldn't do that. I think."

'Ran', "Me, too. I think."

Nabiki, "There! Their battle will determine which of them will vow not to sue you or have you arrested. You, then, will be free to court only that mademoiselle." And if it wasn't Akane, her little sister would owe her a huge favor! Though little sis would regret losing a regular 'sparring partner'.

Kunō pondered on it. For a while. For long enough to bring out comments. "He's not moving" ; "Maybe his mind broke." ; "He's obviously not used to thinking." ; "Master?"

At last he spoke, "I must insist on two conditions."

Akane, "Insist?! I could have you in jail tonight!"

Nabiki, "And his lawyers would have him out in minutes." Once they were involved, the threat would be turned back onto them. "Let's hear what he has to say."

"The first condition is that the one who becomes my one-and-only intently intended must be the loser."

Akane and 'Ran', "Loser!?"

"It must be a majime-shōbu: A battle of true intent! It would be to nobody's honor if a girlfriend candidate were to default or not invest all of her available energies in the prospect."

'Ran', "But the winner would only be second best!" (She) needed to be the best!

Akane, "What she said!"

Kunō, "I have observed both of my goddesses of battle in battle, and simultaneously, side-by-side, as it were. I am confident that "Second Best" will be that in title only."

'Ran', "I don't want the title!"

Akane, "Me, either!"

Nabiki, "Point made. For an idiot, he's set a smart condition. And your second condition, Kunō?"

"That the slate that has kept the score of our past encounters be erased. But for that to be honestly accomplished, our honors must be restored to the base line."

"Meaning?"

"As you have said, Tendō Nabiki, there is still the debt of dates owed. I will never be able to cancel what is so rightly due. I can, however, forgive for a fraction of the cost if I receive a proper token of contrition."

"What!?"

Before the two girls could react any further, Nabiki cried out, "You have your date with Ran-sama!"

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NOTES:

Nabiki had set up the battle between Akane and Ran as a gamble that her little sister would lose and Kunō would pursue the girl she was blackmailing. There would be more profit in it