Magical Interludes:  December's End
Fanfic by J.K. Hayashi 

Chapter 4:  New Starts - Part III

Akane smiled happily as she walked to school hand-in-hand with 
Ranma.  Anyone who saw them would have mistaken them for 
young lovers; well, perhaps not mistaken as the engagement ring on 
her hand would attest.

Slightly ahead of them were Nabiki and Ranma's 'daughters' (or 
'cousins' to everyone else).  Akane supposed that she should get to 
know them better, but she had been spending most of her free time 
with Ranma; a fact not lost on the three as they continued to tease 
both her and Ranma outrageously.  Akane admitted to herself that 
maybe it was because she (in a parallel universe) hadn't been any of 
their mothers, but were Nabiki, Ukyou, and Shampoo.  Still, she 
reminded herself, it was her that Ranma asked to marry just last 
night.

Akane looked at the three and shook her head; they were only a year 
younger than Ranma, really.  And they all, like Ranma, had decided 
not to wear the Furinkan High uniform but instead were dressed to 
accent their individuality.

Nabiki and Keiko were talking together, probably about that 
calendar they were putting together.  Keiko was tall and thin, and 
she had braided her waist-length red hair.  Her gold-rimmed glasses 
gave her face an almost innocent-like look that Nabiki had lost long 
ago.  She wore what was probably a business suit, with gray slacks 
and coat and a white blouse, though she had added a white scarf tied 
around her neck and a black beret.

Midori, like her eyes and name, was dressed in a green blouse 
accented by a black belt that almost seemed to hang from her hips.  
She wore a pair of black tights underneath a green skirt that had 
been slit on the side and refused to give up the bandoleer of spatulas 
that had been her mother's or the arm guards like Ranma's.  Her 
shoulder-length black hair fell freely around her head and was 
reinforced by the black shoes that she wore.  She giggled with Ayuki 
as they walked along,

Looking at Ayuki almost caused Akane to frown.  She could have 
almost been Ranma's female double except for the purple hair, 
which she had unbraided from its usual style.  It was her clothes that 
were a slight touch immodest; a too-tight blue chinese-style top 
combined with, of all things, a pair of blue jeans that hugged her 
hips and legs.  Around her waist was a blue and purple tie-died scarf 
that served as a sash.

Akane sighed.  It really wasn't any of her business what they wore.  
She wondered if her children would grow up to be independent, then 
blushed as she realized what she had been thinking.  For a moment, 
she got a sense of something, not quite danger but definitely 
somebody watching her.  She could see by the reaction of Ranma's 
'daughters' that they could feel it too.  It lingers for a second or two 
and then disappears.

About a block from the school they see Ukyou running toward them.  
She explains that there are a bunch of students in the schoolyard 
who were planning to fight them.  She told them about Kuno yelling 
something about "defeating them in battle" the day before and that 
everyone had taken this to mean if they could defeat them they could 
ask them for a date.  Midori snorts and asks why they don't just ask; 
Ranma comments that they're too young to start dating.  Everyone 
stares at him in shock and he retracts the statement.  A little.

The group reaches the Furinkan High gate and see a crowd of male 
students rushing toward them.  Akane and Ranma sigh while Nabiki 
looks disgusted.  Keiko smiles and whispers something to Ayuki, 
who steps forward and speaks to the crowd.

Ayuki:  "Please, don't make us kill you."
Keiko:  "Hurt you."

The onrushing crowd quickly stops.  Midori and Ukyou look like 
they're about to burst out laughing, though no one notices as their 
attention is completely on Ayuki.

Ayuki:  "Hurt you."  (to Keiko)  "I don't get to kill them?"
Keiko:  "That would be wrong, Ayuki."
Ayuki:  "But they're blocking our way, Keiko."
Keiko:  "Couldn't you just... break their legs?  Something non-
	lethal?"
Ayuki:  "I'll try."  (to crowd)  "Please leave so we don't have to kill 
	you."
Keiko:  (elbowing Ayuki)  "Hurt you."
Ayuki:  "Hurt you."

The schoolyard is suddenly empty of students, so everyone walks in.  
The three girls, Ukyou, and Nabiki are laughing.

*********************

The main topic of the conversation at the school seems to be a 
warning to not mess with the Saotome 'cousins'.  Around lunch the 
three 'cousins' again get a cold chill of the feeling of someone 
watching them.  They look at each other.  It doesn't seem that 
anyone else feels what they do.  The feeling disappears, only to be 
followed a few minutes later by yells of  "Who took our gymshorts?" 
and "Get that old freak!"  Midori looks at Keiko and they both show 
each other something in their schoolbags.  They smile and go back 
to studying.  For Ranma the yells make him groan and put his head 
in his hands.  Ukyou looks sympathetically at him.  She takes a 
quick look at Akane and notices the gold ring on her finger, then 
slips from her seat onto the ground.

Ukyou:  "When..."
Ranma:  (sees Ukyou staring at ring)  "Oh... well... last night."

By now everyone is paying attention to Ranma and trying to figure 
out what's going on.  Akane walks over,  not hiding the ring.  
Everyone notices and starts talking all at once.  In a moment Ranma 
is surprised, wet, and female as Happosai splashes him with water.

Happosai:  "Darling Ranma-chan!"
Ranma:  "You old letch!"

Happosai jumps at Ranma's chest, but is hit back just before he gets 
there.  He gets up and shakes his head; he can't quite believe it as 
Ranma has never been able to stop him before.  He tries again and is 
hit back again.

Happosai:  "Oh, to never touch my sweet Ranma-chan's bosom 
	again.  You would do this to your master?"

Happosai again leaps at Ranma, but this time is diverted to the roof.  
As he starts falling to the floor, two quick blurs intercept his body 
and a yell of  "Saotome Mummy Attack" is heard.  For the few 
seconds only the sound of ripping can be heard, then everyone sees 
an immobile gray mummified Happosai on the floor with Keiko and 
Midori standing above him holding four cardboard rolls each.

Ayuki:  "So that's why you bought all that duct tape yesterday."
Midori:  (to Ranma)  "You're faster than I remember."
Keiko:  "I'd expect you to reimburse us if I didn't know you were 
	broke, cousin."

Akane smiles at how much Keiko sounds like Nabiki.

*********************

Akane and Ranma are leaving the school hand-in-hand and are 
suddenly attacked by Kuno and Kodachi.  All of a sudden a yell of 
"Baby Tiger Roar" comes from behind them, and Ranma suddenly 
pulls Akane down to the ground.  A huge blast of energy electrifies 
the air above them, slamming into the pair of attackers and hurling 
them into the wall where they hang for a couple of seconds before 
they fall to the ground.

Ranma:  "Ayuki, are you all right?"
Akane:  "Ranma, what was that?"
Ranma:  "Just another of the old ghoul's techniques."
Ayuki:  "Why are you so worried, da... Ranma?"
Ranma:  "Aren't you drained of energy?"
Ayuki:  "Oh!"  (realization) "No, I modified it so that I only throw a 
	quarter-level blast."
Keiko:  "That was a quarter-level?  Yikes!"

Keiko, Midori, Ukyou, and Nabiki catch up to Ayuki, Ranma, and 
Akane.  At the wall, both Kuno and Kodachi have regained 
consciousness.

Kuno:  (on sidelines)  "Oh no, the fair Akane Tendo is slipping from 
	my grasp!  But wait, now the pig-tailed goddess will be free 
	of his grasp!  But how can I give up Akane Tendo!  And 
	Ayuki Saotome, so beautiful and so capable..."
Kodachi:  (attacking Akane with her ribbon)  "Get away from my 
	Ranma, you hussy!"
Akane:  (grabbing the ribbon out of the air)  "Why should I?  Ranma 
	is my fiancee!"
Kodachi:  "Unwilling fiancee!"
Akane:  "You think so?  Look at this!"

Akane lifts her left hand and shows off her engagement ring.  
Kodachi falls to the ground stunned.  Kuno doesn't notice as he is 
still pontificating on the side.

Midori:  "Who is that, anyway?"
Kodachi:  "I am Kodachi Kuno, the Black Rose of St. Bacchus High 
	School!"
Midori:  "Pompous, isn't she?"
Keiko:  "Most martial artists with nicknames like that are... Kodachi 
	Kuno?!"

Keiko bristles and goes into an attack stance.  Ranma quickly steps 
between her and Kodachi.

****************************End Chapter 4, Part III