CONTINUED FROM PART 4 PAGE 1 of 2
Akane sighed inwardly as she examined Gosunkugi's dolls.
She had intended to leave school right after the bell in order to find
out why Ranma had never come back to school, only to be held up
by Gosunkugri. She tried to brush him off gently but he had been so
eager to please she didn't want to hurt his feelings and decided to
give them a brief look before she left.
"Do....Do you really like them?" Gosunkugri nervously
asked.
Akane looked them over. They all looked the same but she
had to admit they had a certain....charm to them.
"There're very sweet, Hikaru. Thank you." Akane replied.
"She called me by my first name!" Gosunkugri thought to
himself with glee, his heart soared. "I'm so glad you...."
Gosunkugri sentence was rudely interrupted when someone
suddenly grabbed him from behind and spun him around.
Gosunkugri found himself face to face with an enraged Tatewaki
Kunou, bokken drawn and pointed at his throat. A look of rage
adjourned his face.
"S...Sempai....?" Gosunkugri tried not to show fear, and
failed miserably.
"How DARE you presume to speak to my darling Akane!
You, who is not worthy to lick the pond scum off the bottom of her
shoes! Remove yourself from our presence, less I have to soil my
hands with your lesser blood."
"I....I was just trying...." Gosunkugri stammered.
"Do your ears fail to grasp the simplest of truths?
BEGONE!!!" Kunou pressed the tip of his bokken against
Gosunkugri's throat, causing him to flee for his life and out of the
classroom.
"Hikaru! Wait!" Akane called out after him, to no avail.
Then she turned back to Kunou, a blue aura beginning to form
around her as Kunou gazed at the door where Gosunkugri had
retreated, a look of utter contempt on his face.
"Hmph. The lesser that tries to imitate his betters only
proves himself the lesser of them all." Kunou arrogantly
proclaimed as he dismissed Gosunkugri with a wave of his hands
and turned his head to face Akane....
Who at this moment was now emitting a great deal of
ki-power, all directed at him. Sure, Gosunkugri could be annoying
sometimes, even a little scary, but Kunou had NO RIGHT
whatsoever to do what he just did and Akane wasn't going to let him
get away with it, not this time.
"How dare you! Get this straight Kunou, I am NOT, repeat,
NOT your Akane! I belong to no one! Second, Hikaru Gosunkugri
is my friend and if I choose to speak to him, that's MY choice, not
yours!" Akane retorted hotly as her fists trembled from her rage.
"But my love, surely you do not wish to lower yourself to a
level that you rise above every day with the very essence of your ever
blossoming beauty?" He gestured towards her desk at the straw dolls
Gosunkugri had left behind. "Such a low-born creature as he, who
would create abominations such as these....things....is unworthy of
your attentions." Kunou finished in a tone usually reserved for an
uncooperative child, enraging Akane further.
"I'd choose to talk to him over a pompous ass like you any
day!" Akane was shouting now. "You're nothing but a egotistical,
self-centered, perverted fool with about as much sense as a head of
cabbage! You say you love me, yet you made all the boys attack me
before school every single morning, just to satisfy your ego! And
your poetry is terrible! TERRIBLE!!! I *HATE* YOU! I HATE
EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU!!! YOU....MAKE....ME....SICK!!!
Akane shook with rage, years of anger at his treatment of
her finally rising to the surface. Kunou looked truly shocked and
hurt by her words and to the amazement of the class, tears begins
to roll down his cheeks. Then Kunou suddenly fell to his knees and
held out his sword down in front of him with both of his hands.
The class stare at him with curiosity as he speaks in a soft voice to
Akane, who is perplexed to say the least.
"When I first saw you, I swore upon my sword to give up
on all other women and with all my love commend me to you
forever. Then the pig-tailed came and I did the same for her."
Kunou lowered his head in shame. "I now know I have
wronged both of you and for that I can never apologize enough.
I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry...."
Tears stream from Kunou's eyes. The class is stunned.
Akane feels a pang of regret at her outburst and wonders if Kunou
truly isn't a complete idiot after all.
"Had....had I known that Saotome had driven you both to
such a wretched state...." Kunou's voice was filled with grief.
"WHAT?" The entire class yelled as one, including Akane.
"Oh my love, I know you do not mean what you just said.
I know the evil Saotome has twisted your love and the love of the
pig-tailed girl against me for his own dark purposes and I forgive
you. I have been and always shall be yours. The needs of the one
outweighs the needs of the few...."
Daisuke turned to Hiroshi. "Isn't that line from Star...."
he began.
Hiroshi rolled his eyes. "Kunou must be running out of
regular poetry to butcher...."
"....or the many." Kunou was nearing the end of his
speech or so the rest of the class hoped. "Do not be afraid Akane,
come jump into my arms! Be one with me! From this time forward
I shall protect you and the pig tailed girl from Saotome once and for
all! THIS I HEREBY SWEAR!"
The rumble of thunder was briefly heard outside the
classroom as Kunou's final words echo throughout the classroom.
Kunou rose to his feet, replacing his bokken by his side and released
Akane's hand, opening his arms wide to her. "Come Akane, give
me your sweet lips...." Kunou whispered softly to her.
Akane gave him a look that could melt steel as she raised her
fist to bash him into the stratosphere. Then she paused and glances
down at Kunou's sword and a strange smile came over her face.
"Okay Sempai....Close your eyes."
The entire class facefaulted in disbelief as Kunou
immediately closed his eyes, waiting for Akane to jump into his
arms and smother him with kisses as he knew she wanted to for
countless days and nights. Then Kunou shuddered as he felt his
bokken being slowly withdrawn from his belt.)
"Could....Could she be undressing me? Here?" Kunou
thought with alarm and excitement. "So bold my love! But while
spontaneity is the fruit of life, perhaps we should first retire to my
bedchambers? Kunou reached out blindly, his eyes still
closed....These cretins are not worthy to behold your lovely form....
"BEHOLD THIS, KUNOU!!!" Akane's voice was filled
with malice and sadistic glee.
Kunou's eyes popped open just in time to see his beloved
Akane thrust his bokken as hard as she could into his crotch. All the
boys in the class grimaced and averted their eyes as Kunou screamed
in pain and immediately dropped to his knees holding his most
vulnerable area and continued to scream very loudly.
"NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGHHHHHH!!!!!"
Akane dropped the splintered bokken on the ground in
disgust and left the classroom, leaving a very injured Kunou
thrashing and rolling on the floor in more pain than he has ever
been in his entire life. Akane smiled to herself at finally extracting
some small measure of revenge for Kunou's treatment of her and
Gosunkugri.
"That helped....a little." Akane thought to herself. "But
what a moron! He's as bad as Ranma! Insensitive, egotistical.... "
Akane suddenly slowed her pace as she remembered her original
concern before Kunou bothered her. "Where is Ranma anyway? I
haven't seen him since I knocked him out the window at lunch. I
hope I didn't hurt him when I....What am I saying?!" Akane
scolded herself. "That idiot deserved it! Insulting my lunch like
that! He didn't have to be so mean! Toxic waste indeed!"
With the memory of Ranma insulting her cooking, and the
recent encounter with Kunou still fresh in her mind, Akane decides
to go home and smash a few bricks while envisioning their heads in
place of them....
* * *
OUTSIDE THE UTCHAN
4:20 P.M.
It had been a long and tiring day for Ukyou Kuonji as she
made her way home. Yet she would have no time to rest as she
needed to open her restaurant for business. Sometimes Ukyou
wondered if it was all worth it....the stress of high school work, the
pressure of running a business single handed, wondering if Ranma
would ever get around to saying he loved her....
Ukyou stopped and shook her head to clear it. She
couldn't allow herself to think such things. Ranma would choose
her for his wife all in due time, she just had to been patient. "The
best things come to those who wait." she repeated over and over
in her mind.
"Ranchan...." she thought to herself. "I've waited so long
for you to admit your love for me....He HAS to pick me eventually.
Shampoo and Kodachi are too crazy for Ranma to choose over me
and Akane is too violent. I'm Ranma's only SANE fiancee." she
smiles to herself. "Not to mention the cutest."
Strengthened by this thought, Ukyou held her head up
high as she approached the Utchan.
"That's right! One day I'll be cooking in my restaurant,
Ranma will walk inside, kneel in front of me and say...."
"Ucchan!"
Ukyou snapped out of her fantasy when she noticed Ranma
leaning against the door of her restaurant, his arms folded over his
chest.
"Ranchan...." Ukyou tried to say something.
"Ucchan, I have something to ask of you...." Ranma said in
a serious tone of voice.
Ukyou's heart began to pound, her eyes grew wide and she
felt like the world had suddenly come to a halt.
"Y..Yes?" Ukyou replied weakly, hoping against hope.
"Could I hang out here for a while? I'm kinda in trouble
with Akane right now and going back could be bad for my health if
you know what I mean." Ranma pleaded.
Ukyou blinked. Then forced a smile on her face to hide her
immense disappointment.
"Sure Ranchan! You're always welcome here! Is Akane
cooking again?
"Um....not exactly." Ranma sighs. "It's a long story."
"Well come in and tell me all about it!" Ukyou quickly
unlocked the door of the Utchan and ushered Ranma inside. She
turned on the lights and walked over to the grill as Ranma took his
usual stool in front of the counter. As Ukyou started to heat the grill
and pull out the till, she noticed Ranma seemed to be in a state of
enormous depression.
"You okay Ranchan? You look like Ryouga over there
sulking and sighing like that." Ukyou noted.
"Yeah." Ranma muttered. "Whatever."
"Come on Ranchan, you can tell me what's wrong. I'm
your fian....your best friend after all." Ukyou grimaces at having to
omit the fiancee tag but she knows it would only make Ranma even
more uncomfortable right now.
Ranma looked up at Ukyou, and saw genuine sincerity in
her eyes. After a long moment, Ranma decides to level with her.
"Okay, but you have to promise not to overreact or take this
the wrong way, okay?" Ranma said cautiously.
"Ranchan, Akane may not believe a word you say but I do. I
know you get into a lot of weird situations and I know they're not your
fault...." Ukyou tried to reassure him.
Ranma smiled briefly at that. "Thanks, I really appreciate
that Ucchan....a lot."
"Always, Ranchan." Ukyou smiled back at him. "Now
what's so bad, you're afraid to talk to me about it?" she inquired
lightly.
"Well....I've got a date with Shampoo tonight."
Ukyou blinked again. Ranma suddenly realized how blunt
he sounded and winced, expecting her kick-ass spatula to whack
him one in the skull. He is surprised when nothing happens and
sees Ukyou smiling at him without a trace of anger.
"Go on...." Ukyou said in a sweet voice, her hands, unseen
by Ranma, were twitching, aching to grip her spatula. She forced
them to remain by her sides by sheer force of will, determined not to
appear jealous and violent like Akane in front of Ranma.
Ranma suddenly felt safer and his shoulders relaxed slightly
as he continued. "Well, after Akane punched me out the window I
got knocked out for a little while. Then, Shampoo came by and
said she saved me from being kidnapped by Kodachi and got
injured in the process."
Ukyou frowned inwardly at the thought of Shampoo
performing such a selfless act without a motive involved. Her
suspicions are confirmed as Ranma continued further.
"Then it rained, turning me into a girl and her into a cat.
I woke up, freaked out and ran inside to change back into a guy
and then....uh...." Ranma pauses as he considers omitting the part
about the shower then decides that since he's gone this far.... "I
changed back into a guy in the shower but Shampoo followed me in
and tried to....um....make love to me."
Ukyou gaze darkened. Ranma winced again, sure he had
said too much and was about to pay the price....
"How dare that chinese bimbo do that to you!" Ukyou
shouted with barely controlled rage, rage that she could now release
verbally in the form of her hatred for Shampoo. "Can't she take a
hint? What kind of girl climbs into the shower and tries to seduce
you against your will?! I'd never look at a guy when...." A sudden
vision of a naked Ranma in the locker room appeared in her mind's
eye, causing her to blush deeply. Fortunately for her, Ranma didn't
notice.
"Yeah well, she managed to get me under the shower head
and threatened to turn into a cat if I didn't do what she wanted...."
Ukyou was definitely steamed now. "I managed to escape but I had
to promise her a date. I didn't want to but I had no choice." Ranma
sighed again and wondered what he had done in a past life to get
saddled with this one.
"Is that why you seemed so nervous when I saw you...." she
blushed hard again as the memory of the nude Ranma came back.
This time Ranma did notice the blush and figured out what it was
from, his own ears turning red with embarrassment. "....I mean,
walked in on you while you were getting changed."
"Yeah, Shampoo was naked in one of the lockers and I was
afraid you would have pounded me and jumped to the wrong
conclusion like Akane always does...."
"You didn't have to worry about me Ranchan, I trust you
completely." Ukyou replied with a tight grin. "Though it was
probably a good thing I didn't know she was in there otherwise I
would have kicked her butt all the way back to China for pulling
such a nasty stunt on a sweet guy like you."
Ranma blush deepened at the compliment as Ukyou giggled
to herself and then looked sympathetic. "So this is what's got you so
depressed? Dating Shampoo?" Ukyou inwardly breathed a sigh of
relief. At least she now knew for certain that Ranma had no interest
whatsoever in Shampoo....
"It gets worse....Much worse." Ranma replied glumly.
"Oh....?" Ukyou braced herself for the worst. "How so?"
"Nabiki took pictures of me and Shampoo in the shower and
she said if I don't do what she says for a month, she'll show the
pictures all over Nermia and have people screaming for my blood
within the hour. THAT'S why I'm so depressed. A slave to the most
heartless, merciless, greedy girl in the world for 30 days! This day
keeps on getting worse and worse...." Ranma's voice trailed off.
"Why didn't you just take the film from her?" Ukyou asked
Ranma. "Surely, you could have gotten it without hurting her?"
"She didn't have it. She sent it off to be developed."
"You mean she hadn't developed the film yet?" Ukyou
exclaimed, excitement creeping into her voice."
"Nabiki was in the shower room with us. She couldn't
leave until we did without being spotted by Shampoo and me, so she
must have given it to her friend shortly before she came to the
Nekohanten to let me know she had it."
Ukyou was silent for a long moment and then she stood up
and walked around the counter and placed her hands on Ranma's
shoulders.
"Ranchan, Do you think you can watch the restaurant for me
for a half hour?"
"What? Um....I guess....why? Where are you going?"
Ranma asked Ukyou as she walked towards the front door.
"I have some business to take care of. I'll be back in a little
while okay?"
Ukyou quickly left the restaurant and Ranma behind as she
headed down the street at a quick pace. "Trying to use my Ranchan,
are you Nabiki?" Ukyou thought to herself with anger. "Ranchan
may not be able to do anything but I can!" Ukyou then looked up
at the sky and prayed that Nabiki's consort had waited until school
was finished before developing the pictures, otherwise it would
be much harder to get them back from the source.
Ukyou continued to run down the street until she spots the
local photomat. She walked inside and glanced around until she
found the person she was looking for, one of Nabiki's flunkies who is
waiting in line to develop the pictures. Ukyou had seen her hang
around Nabiki enough times at school to know she was one of
Nabiki's right hand women. Ukyou briefly considered the best way
to handle this and decides on getting it over with quickly as she
slowly sneaked up behind the girl....
The girl waited impatiently as the line in front of her seemed
to move backwards. She had been given the weekly roll of blackmail
film to be developed by Nabiki. The moment school ended she headed
over here to have them developed as soon as possible only to be
delayed by this stupid line....
Suddenly she felt a tight pressure on her shoulder and she
yelped in surprise. She glanced behind her to see Ukyou gripping her
shoulder with a look of anger on her face as she leaned in close and
whispered in a cold voice.
"So, still doing Nabiki's dirty work for her, are you?" Ukyou
hissed in her ear. She tried to make a break for it but Ukyou had an
iron grip on her shoulder and she knew she was trapped.
"Don't even think about it girl!" Ukyou warned.
"Let go of me or I'll scream." The girl warned Ukyou.
"Go right ahead. All I want is the film. You can either give
it to me now or I'll just take it. Your choice."
The girl's eyes darted to the right and left, looking for an
escape but finding none she slumped her shoulders in defeat, reached
into her schoolbag and pulled out several rolls of film. Ukyou
snatched them from her hand and then whispered in her ear again.
"Tell your boss that if she ever tries something like this
again, she'll answer to ME, got it?" The girl nodded in fear and
Ukyou released her shoulder and walked out. The girl swallowed
hard and rubbed her shoulder while thinking to herself.
"Nabiki's not going to like this...."
* * *
Ukyou walked out of the photomat, an expression of
triumph on her face.
"I did it! Now Ranchan won't have to be a slave to
Nabiki!" Her eyes sparkled as she dreamed of how Ranma would
repay her for getting him out of trouble....
Ukyou dreams of handing the photos to a grateful Ranma....
* -- Dream Sequence
*"Thanks a lot Ucchan! You're a real lifesaver!" Ranma
said with joy as he embraced Ucchan with a big hug....*
"Hmmm....That's not bad...." Ukyou blushed.
Ukyou dreams of another scenario, same situation....
*"YES!!! I'm off the hook! Thank you! Thank you! Thank
you!" Ranma leans forward and gives Ukyou a big smooch on the lips
before bouncing around the Utchan, delirious with happiness....*
"Even better...." Ukyou rested her cheeks on the palms of her
hands, her face blushing furiously as she pursued her fantasy....
*"U....Ucchan...." Ranma looked at her with tears in his eyes.
"You're so kind to me! Marry me Ucchan! I love you and only you!"
Ranma quickly embraced Ukyou and covered her face with kisses,
then he cleared off one of the tables and threw Ukyou onto it, resting
his own body on top of hers as he continued to pleasure her in ways
she couldn't even....*
Ukyou shook her head violently. "Yeah right! Dream on
Kounji!" Ukyou chided herself but couldn't resist smiling.
"Still.......He WILL be grateful...."
Ukyou suddenly felt an urge to quicken her pace as she
headed back to her restaurant and fiancee....
* * *
THE TENDO DOUJOU
4:45 P.M.
"I'm home!"
Kasumi looked up from her ironing and smiled. "Welcome
home Akane, did you have a nice day at school?"
Akane ran the events of the day over in her mind for a
moment before answering. "Okay, I guess. Did Ranma come home
by any chance?"
"No, I thought he came home with you." Kasumi said
confusingly. "Why do you ask?"
"I punched him during lunch period and he never came back
to school." Akane replied, a touch of worry creeping into her
voice.
Kasumi frowned. "You really shouldn't have done that...."
"But Oneechan, he insulted my cooking! He compared it to
toxic waste." Akane protested.
"Your lunch still tasted bad? Even after all the bridal
training I gave you to properly prepare a meal?" Kasumi's voice was
soothing rather than harsh.
Akane winced at Kasumi considering her desire to learn to
cook as bridal training for Ranma. She wasn't doing it for him!
Akane fumed to herself. She truly wanted to make nice things for
her family. She only let Ranma taste it first because she wanted to
show him that she *could* cook something good. It had absolutely
nothing to do with trying to be a better fiancee for Ranma....not at
all....
"Did you hear me, Akane?"
Akane looked up to see Kasumi staring at her, disrupting
her train of thought. "I'm sorry Kasumi, what did you say?"
"I said maybe we should start at the beginning again. Why
don't we try that curry recipe you were looking at earlier." Kasumi
offered.
"Okay! That's sounds great." Akane replied excitedly.
"Yeah! I'll show you who's dinner is toxic, Ranma!" she thought
to herself. Then she quickly added. "And my family of course....I'll
show them all!"
"So where do you suppose Ranma's gone off to?" Kasumi
hummed.
"Last time I saw Ranma, he was chasing Happosai out of
the city for splashing water on him. I don't think we'll be seeing
him for dinner tonight." Nabiki muttered as she came down the
stairs upon hearing Akane's voice.
Akane groaned while Soun and Genma glance at each
other.
"Did she say the Master and Ranma were seen leaving
town....?" Soun said, puzzled. "I thought he was still in his room?"
"Perhaps he healed the girl he brought and left through the
window? Maybe we should investigate...." Genma suggested.
They both look towards the stairs, the need to discover the
truth weighing against the possible consequences of disturbing
Happosai's slumber....
"Then again...." Soun started.
"Perhaps we should mind our own business this once, eh
Tendo?" Genma whispered back so Soun's daughters wouldn't hear
him.
"Yes, perhaps that is best for now. At least he's quiet."
Soun pointed out.
Both men looked resolved as they returned their full
attention to their game of Go. Meanwhile Kasumi is folding laundry
and Akane notices a familiar looking shirt in the pile.
"Hey, isn't that Ryouga's shirt?" Akane asked Kasumi.
"Yes, Dr. Tofu found Ryouga unconscious on the street
today and he and Father helped carry him to the clinic." Kasumi
replied.
"Is he okay?" Akane said with a worried expression.
"I'm not sure. Dr. Tofu stripped him down to his shorts
in order to get his body temperature down and I offered to wash his
clothes for him, since he's a friend of yours. Dr. Tofu said Ryouga
was suffering from heat stroke and exhaustion." Kasumi finished.
"Poor guy....He must have been walking for a long time to
get that tired. I think I'll give him a call and say hello." Akane
decided.
Akane walked over to the phone and dialed up Dr. Tofu's
clinic....
TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 4 PAGE 3 of 3 COMING SOON....