Only a few of more scenes.  ^_^

***

	"Forget it pop!  You're not going to take me down today."  said
the young man confidently as he countered an inside snake strike to his
abdomen.  "You've been using that variation too often for me to fall for
it." 
	A handsome man in a dark, almost black gi answered him with a
smile, "Son, you've got to start thinking of various possibilities instead
of only a small number of circumstances.  As the sole heir to the
Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu, you have to be ready for anything." 
	Tendo Soun then reached in again with the snake strike, but with a
small nerve variation that allowed him to grab his son's gi between his
thumb and forefinger, allowing him to pull his son slightly off balance
for a quick inside strike to the underarm for the take down.  "Kaneda, you
may be the best martial artist of your generation, but you are still too
damn overconfident.  Remember that each variation can have a thousand
different endings." 
	Groaning from where he was on the tatami, Tendo Kaneda, sole heir
to probably the greatest school of the martial arts replied, "OK pop. 
Point well taken." 
	Soun smiled as he thought of all that he had put his son through. 
While it was difficult initially, Kaneda had surpassed all expectations
and had become a great martial artist.  The only problem he had was the
tremendous ego.  Hopefully, there would be someone who would undermine his
son's overconfidence before it became a deadly weakness. 
	"Father, you have a phone call" came a female voice from the dojo
entrance. 
	Soun looked up, "Thank you Kasumi-chan.  I'll be right there." 
	Looking at his son, he said, "Practice the seventeenth Kata for
the next hour." 
	Kaneda groaned as he thought of the seventy five moves in that
Kata. 

	Soun picked up the receiver.  "Moshi, moshi.  Tendo Soun." 
	The voice answered, "Moshi, Moshi Tendo-san.  This is Saotome
Nodoka, and it is time." 
	Soun's eyebrows raised, "You mean you are bringing her by today?" 
	Nodoka answered, "Yes, it is time for old promises to be
fulfilled." 
	Soun smiled, but he answered in a neutral voice, "Nodoka-chan, the
agreement was between Genma and myself in order to continue the school. 
Are you sure you want to subject your daughter to this, especially since
you have told me she doesn't really know much about the martial arts?" 
	Nodoka's voice replied, "Yes.  It was my husbands wish that our
families be united in fact as well as in feeling." 
	Soun nodded to himself, "I understand, and his wishes shall be
honoured.  May I suggest something more however.  No matter what happens,
will your daughter and yourself move into our home.  I have always felt
bad that you would not accept our proposition before, and I know it must
be hard on you and Ranko.  Since we are now uniting the families, I must
insist you accept this." 
	The woman on the other side of the phone said, "I will accept
Tendo-san.  We will close the house here and after my daughter and myself
move in, we will arrange to rent it out to provide income." 
	The man looked sad, "As you wish Nodoka-chan, but that is
unnecessary.  We are family." 
	Nodoka's voice became firm, "I insist on this.  The children will
need some form of income until they can marry and take over the school. 
We will arrive this afternoon." 
	Soun hung up the phone after the good byes and went to the dining
room table to remember his old friend and training partner.  A brother
that had died almost ten years before.  "I wish that your wife would have
accepted our offer old friend.  It would have made life easier on her as
well as providing a burden of relief for me.  I have worried about both
her and your daughter since you passed on to the next life." 

Ranko's Life: 

Chapter One: 

Who is this girl...??? 

A fan fiction based on Takahashi Rumiko's Manga series, Ranma 1/2

Saotome Ranma, Saotome Genma, Saotome Nodoka, Saotome Ranko, Tendo Soun,
Tendo Kasumi, Tendo Nabiki, Kuonji Ukyou, Kuno Tatewaki, and Tofu Ono
Sensei are copyright 1987, 1997 by Takahashi Rumiko. 

Tendo Kaneda are copyright 1997 by unknown

Publishing rights:

Japan:		Shogakukan Inc. Tokyo
Hong Kong:	Jademan (Holdings) Ltd.
North America:	Viz Inc.

By Ichinohei Hitomi

	While things had never really been better in the Tendo household,
Soun knew that some hard times were coming, especially given his son's
rather outspoken tendencies.  The boy was quite adamant about not marrying
until he found a girl who shared his love for the Arts, especially given
the type of life he wanted to lead.  Kaneda's reaction upon finding out
that he was engaged, especially to a very traditional Japanese girl, was
going to be the beginning of another war between father and son. 
	If only Kaneda was as well behaved as the girls. 
	Sighing, Soun realized that he had only himself to blame in this,
having filled the boys head with tales of past glories since he could
walk, and teaching him everything he could about the Arts in such a way
that the boy would love it.  Unfortunately, the girls Kaneda had met of
his generation had viewed the Art as a simple sport or exercise, unlike
the serious bent the family school followed.  *Perhaps I should not have
told him of his Samurai ancestors.  He is too filled with dreams of pride
and glory to be satisfied with an ordinary girl.*
	He would need his daughters help to keep his son from exploding
when told of the situation. 
	Soun started to shout, "Oi!  Oi!  Kasumi!  Nabiki!" 
	Not getting an immediate response, he went to look for them,
stepping first into the kitchen that was his eldest daughters domain. 
"Kasumi!" he said. 
	Kasumi looked up from the melon she was carving for an afternoon
snack and gazed over to her father, "Yes father?" 
	"We will be receiving guests this afternoon, and I will need help
in keeping your brother calm.  I was wondering if you could make one of
his favourite meals for lunch." 
	Kasumi looked at her father, knowing the sometimes disruptive
attitude her younger brother had.  "I take it you're going to be giving
him some bad news?" 
	Soun grimaced a bit, "It depends upon what you mean by bad news,
daughter.  All I will say until I inform all of you of the situation is
that it is a matter of family honour." 
	The eldest Tendo sibling narrowed her eyes, "I take it that
whatever this concerns, he might not be willing to go along with it?" 
	Soun sighed, "I'm afraid so.  Unfortunately, he is the only one
who is qualified to fulfill this vow." 
	Kasumi nodded to her father.  "I understand." 
	Rolling his shoulders a bit, he left the kitchen and headed up
towards his other daughters bedroom.  *At least Kasumi will be willing to
help, and with Ranko-chan here, she'll be able to get some relief from
staying home all day long.  Perhaps she'll finally go back to school and
become the doctor she always wanted to be.*
	Soun found Nabiki going over her computer records and keeping
track of the families investments.  He had been surprised at first, but
his middle child had truly found her calling in computers and finance,
being able to track ideas and possible investments to successful ends. 
While she wasn't always successful, her profits definitely outweighed her
loses.  "Nabiki.  I need to ask you if you could help me with something." 
	Nabiki looked up at her father from where she was typing, "What is
it father?" 
	Smiling a bit, he replied, "The wife of an old friend, Saotome
Genma, is coming here with her daughter.  Since he died, I've always been
worried about them, especially since Nodoka never wanted to accept any
help from us.  I was wondering if you could come up with a financial plan,
especially since I've invited them to live here." 
	Nabiki narrowed her eyes, "Daughter, eh?  I take it you've engaged
her to Kaneda and he doesn't know about it as of yet." 
	Soun coughed a bit, "Ah...Now that you mention it, yes, that is
the case.  May I ask how you figured it out this time?" 
	Nabiki smiled.  It was an old game her father had played with her
in order to keep her from falling apart after her mother had died.  It
wasn't needed now, but old habits died hard on both sides.  Besides, it
was a comfortable sort of intimacy that her brother and sister didn't
share with their father.  Kasumi was the future medic, Kaneda was the
Martial Artist, but she had always been pegged by her father as the
innovative one.  "Easy father.  You said he was an old friend, that you
worried about his wife and daughter, and that they were now going to be
living here.  If it was simply a matter of lending them room for a while,
or making sure they were safe, you would not have asked for me to help
with a financial plan." 
	Her eyes suddenly twinkled, "Besides, the only time you talk about
finances these days is when it has something to do that will make Kaneda
mad, like how you had me 'convince' him not to get a motorcycle." 
	Soun coughed again, "Well, he is a little bit reckless." 
	Nabiki laughed, "Do you want to talk about everything?  It'll make
you feel better, and allow you to get ready for little brothers rather
direct way of overcoming objections." 
	Soun laughed as well and started to talk about Genma, Nodoka, and
Ranko. 

***

	Ranko sighed to herself as she packed up the last of her skirts,
dresses, and uniforms that she was going to be taking with her to her new
home.  She looked around her room for what might be the last time,
especially since she was about to meet her husband.  Although Ranko had
known she was going to be married to one of the sons of Tendo Soun, a man
she had never met, she was still a little apprehensive at the thought. 
	Honour was everything however, and Saotome Ranko was a child of
honour. 
	She went to her shelf and took down a couple of her favourite
stuffed toys and hugged them to her.  "Well guys, I suppose this day had
to come.  Mothers been preparing me for this ever since I was a little
girl, and now I'm about to meet the man I'm supposed to marry.  I just
hope he's kind and understanding, especially since I don't know that many
boys." 
	Nodoka chose that moment to look in on her daughter, the bright
spot of her life since her husbands death almost ten years before, and
smiled.  *She's still so innocent in so many ways.  Genma, I know that we
have to honour the agreement between our family and the Tendo's but I also
don't want her to lose that innocence when she grows up to be a young
woman instead of my little girl.  In a way, I wish this day had never
arrived.*
	Ranko opened her eyes, a small smile on her face, and turned to
put her dolls into one of the cases.  "Don't think I'm going to leave you
two behind.  I'll need someone to talk to in a house full of boys." 
	Nodoka walked into the room, "It will be all right Ranko-chan. 
We're going to be moving in with them this afternoon, and then we'll get
everything packed up and moved over to your new room." 
	Ranko looked up from her packing, "You mean you're moving in with
me mother?" 
	Nodoka's smile widened at that, "Of course I am.  After all, you
still have to finish school before you're married, and I don't think you
really want to be all alone in a house full of men." 
	Ranko hugged her mother, glad that she understood her fear.  It
wasn't that she didn't like men, but having gone to an all girls school
she was unused to mixing in with boys on a social basis.  The idea of
being around a man in a social situation was scary enough, but suppose he
learned her secret!  "Mother, are you sure we shouldn't tell them
everything that's happened?" 
	Nodoka hugged her daughter to give her confidence, "I'm sure, my
child.  If they find out, then so be it, but until they know you, I do not
think it would be wise." 

***

	There was a slight rumble of thunder and rain began falling
lightly over the Nerima district when a shout could be heard coming from
the Tendo Dojo.  "ARE YOU NUTS POP!!!  WHO THE HELL SAID I WANTED A
FIANCEE?!?" 
	Yes, a normal day at this particular residence. 
	Tendo Soun, owner and master of the Tendo Dojo, sighed again as he
looked over at his son.  "This has nothing to do with wanting a fiancee
son, it has to do with the honour of our families.  My old training
partner, Saotome Genma, and I decided to unite our families before you
were born.  To unite those families, it was decided that our children
would marry and carry on the Art.  Unfortunately, Genma died before he
could have more than one child, his daughter, Saotome Ranko." 
	Kaneda was about to raise a rather loud objection, which was to be
concluded with his throwing his idiot of a father out of the door and into
the rain when he caught Kasumi's frown.  Gritting his teeth, he kept his
voice down and his body from reacting as he said in a very low growl, "You
could have told me about this sooner, such as a couple of years ago.  At
least given me time to get used to the idea.  But no....My father, the
master of Musabetsu Kakutou, decides to forgo the niceties of letting me
be prepared for having a wife.  Well, since I have no _choice_ in the
matter, you had better tell me all you know about her." 
	Soun gulped a bit, this would be the tricky part.  "Well, as I
said, she is the daughter of Saotome Genma and Saotome Nodoka.  From what
I've been told, she is a very nice and polite young lady who has been
trained in all the traditional duties.  She is accomplished in the tea
ceremony, has been taught how to prepare most foods and dishes..." 
	Kaneda slammed his hand down on the table.  Hard.  "Father....That
is all fine and good, but how about some information.  Such as how old is
she?  Have you ever met her?  What is her personality like?  Does she like
martial arts?  That sort of stuff." 
	Nabiki started to grin a little, enjoying the spectacle of her
little brother getting the better of their father.  It was rare, but when
it happened the situations were classic.  It was especially funny when you
considered that Kaneda was a cross between modern and feudal Japan. 
	Soun cleared his throat.  "To answer your questions in order:  I
do not know, I have never met her, all I know of her is what her mother
has told me, and she has not been trained in the arts." 
	Kaneda's face started to get red.  Not only had his father engaged
him to a very traditional girl from the sounds of it, but he didn't know
the first thing about her!  *Damn him!  I already told him I didn't want
to get married to a traditional girl!*
	Just before he could explode, a voice was heard to call from the
walkway.  "Moshi, moshi!  Is anyone at home?" 
	Soun got up, "That will be Nodoka and Ranko-chan.  I want you on
your best behavior Kaneda." 
	Growling under his breath, Kaneda followed his father and sisters
out front to greet their guests.  *If he thinks for one minute that I'm
gonna agree to this marriage, he's got a screw loose.  I ain't marrying
anyone but another martial artist.*
	When he got to the front door and managed to look out, he saw two
people there with a cab behind them.  One a beautiful woman in a formal
kimono and obi holding an umbrella over her and the young girl beside her. 
Unintentionally, his eyes wandered over to the girl and the first thing he
noticed was how cute her face was.  Long black hair with a reddish tinge,
perfect complexion, not much makeup, and a very nice figure which was
shown perfectly by the conservative, yet flowing dress that she wore. 
	Kaneda quickly shook his head.  *What the hell am I thinking
about?  This girl is probably the fiancee pop arranged for me, and she
doesn't look as though she would be able to fight her way out of a sack. 
Definitely not someone I could take on the road with me while I look for
exciting adventures.*
	Soun came forward and bowed.  "Welcome Nodoka-chan.  It's been a
long time since we last saw each other." 
	Nodoka and her daughter bowed perfectly in greeting.  "Hello
Tendo-san.  It has been a very long time, and we have much to discuss." 
	Soun gestured, "While my son, Kaneda gets your luggage, let us go
inside where my daughters and I can talk." 
	Kaneda turned to his father, fuming at the old man for having made
_HIM_ the one who was the baggage carrier for a girl he didn't even want
to get to know.  If it wasn't for their guests, he would have expressed
himself as he usually did; by hitting the offending object a good five to
ten metres away. 
	So he missed the wide-eyed, surprised look that Ranko had and the
quick pull she did on her mothers Kimono.  He also missed the quick and
hurried, yet quiet, conversation that Ranko had with her.  As far as
Kaneda was concerned, the sooner that he got this...this weight away from
around his neck, the better. 
	Kasumi and Nabiki noticed this however, and also noticed how she
blushed and tended to stick close to her mother.  Apparently Ranko was not
only a very well brought up young lady, but a somewhat nervous and shy one
as well.  Both of their instincts screamed at them to protect her at much
as possible. 
	Nabiki's instincts also said that she could have a lot of fun,
especially pestering and deflating her stuck up younger brother. 
	Nodoka spoke up, "Ranko, while we talk, you will hold the umbrella
for Kaneda-kun.  He should not get wet for being gentlemanly enough to
help us with our luggage." 
	Ranko's eyes quickly glanced at Kaneda, who had already walked
over to the taxi, and she blushed.  He was definitely cute, and a lot of
her girlfriends would go for a guy like this in a minute, but she still
couldn't really feel much for him.  *Well, as mother said, give it time
and I'll eventually learn to love him.*
	Nabiki grinned as she noticed the girls expression as she rushed
to Kaneda with the Umbrella.  Ranko was shy, nervous, and definitely
without much experience around men.  She was exactly what he needed to
deflate that overly large ego of his, or at least bring it down to size. 
	Nodoka smiled as she looked at her daughter, "Let us go inside,
and allow them to get to know each other." 
	Soun chuckled a bit at that as he looked at Kaneda, manfully
trying to carry all the luggage at once next to the frail young girl
blushing and trying to hold the umbrella over both of them. 

***

	Kaneda kept his mouth shut. 
	He knew that he had taken on too much at once, but he was damned
if he was going to let himself be humiliated in front of this girl.  Ranko
had politely tried to tell him that he was trying to lift too much at
once, and had asked him if it wouldn't be better if they made three or
four trips instead like she and her mother had, as if he wasn't able to
handle something correctly.  And to top it off, she was so damn shy, her
voice quiet, her face usually down and blushing, and always ready to defer
to him in any way. 
	Kaneda would have preferred her arguing with him over carrying so
many cases at once to her demure acquiesces to his will.  If Ranko was
going to be like this for the rest of their lives, it would be a living
hell for him.  He had to try and give her some backbone at least.  He
paused as he entered the house and shuddered, *What the HELL am I
thinking?!?  There's no _way_ I'm gonna marry this girl.  Anyone who gives
into something that easy will not be suited for traveling around for a few
years.*
	Ranko looked at Kaneda once more after she had shaken the umbrella
outside and blushed again.  Whatever else could be said about Kaneda, he
was handsome enough to make her feel nervous around him, not that it was
hard given that this man was going to be her husband.  As she took off her
shoes, she quietly said, "Kaneda-kun, please let me help you with that. 
I...I don't want you to be hurt because I packed too many bags." 
	Kaneda, who was already walking down the hall to the stairway, was
startled enough so that he tripped.  While most of the luggage fell
forward, one particularly heavy bag fell on his head stunning him for
about a minute.  When he finally regained his senses, he realized three
things: 

	One:  Ranko was above him gently wiping his brow and gently saying
his name. 
	Two:  His head was in Ranko's lap. 
	Three:  Having her here was going to be trouble.  For him. 

	Getting out of her lap, he shook his head to clear it and said,
"OK, tell you what.  How about we start taking your bags up to your room,
and then I'll show you around the place." 
	Ranko smiled sweetly, and literally bounced up to answer, "That
would be so nice Kaneda-kun!" 
	Kaneda kept a smile frozen to his face at this.  *Sugary sweet,
polite, doesn't argue, cute, and extremely feminine.  This girl is
definitely going to be trouble.*

***

	"I noticed Ranko is very shy Aunt Saotome"  Kasumi said as she
poured the tea. 
	Nodoka smiled at Soun's oldest child, "I think it has a lot to do
with your brother, especially since she hasn't been around boys very
much." 
	Nabiki raised an eyebrow, "How inexperienced is she with boys?" 
	Nodoka frowned a little, "Well, she doesn't know any except in
passing at the stores.  Is there some sort of problem that I should know
about?" 
	Nabiki shook her head, "Not really.  It's just that she's a very
beautiful young lady, and if she's going to be attending school at
Furinkan like you and father plan, then I'm wondering how much I'm going
to have to protect her.  She's never been to a mixed school before has
she?" 
	Ranko's mother responded in the negative.  "I've been sending her
to a private academy so that she would be able to maximize her learning. 
She's spent more time studying than socializing." 
	Kasumi looked up at her new aunt, "Didn't she have many friends?" 
	Nodoka's smile seemed to widen slightly as she said, "Quite a few. 
She makes friends easily, just not with boys.  When she was six, Ranko
found out she was going to marry Kaneda-kun, and avoided almost every boy
that came her way since." 
	No one noticed, but Nodoka winced internally as she made that
statement.  While it wasn't exactly untrue since her daughter had tended
to avoid boys at every instance, Kaneda was not the reason for it.  It had
more to do with the honour the young girl had, and since she became a
teenager, her sexual preference.  Nodoka was hoping that it was because
her daughter had avoided almost every man that even seemed to enter her
life rather than something that was truly a part of her.  She did not want
to see Ranko hurt, but Nodoka knew ties of honour were far above personal
happiness. 
	Soun smiled, and a few tears came to his eyes.  "To be so
dedicated to an ideal from such a young age.  You must be proud to have
such an honourable daughter." 
	There was genuine pleasure in Nodoka's voice as she replied in the
affirmative. 

***

	Kaneda had shown Ranko around the entire house, and he was quickly
getting sick and tired of her quiet, demure, and absolutely dedicated
attitude towards him.  It was nerve wracking to have a woman that was so
dedicated to him and to marriage.  He got the feeling that she had been
taught that her entire life revolved around her marriage to him. 
	Ridiculous! 
	Leading her out into the yard now that the rain was over, he
motioned to the Dojo.  "Well, I suppose you better learn what I spend most
of my time doing." 
	Ranko's eyes suddenly gleamed, and her voice took on just the
slightest bit of excitement, as she grabbed his arm suddenly.  "What a
lovely dojo!  Let's go take a look at it.  You do know how to do the Art
don't you?" 
	Kaneda, for his part, was stunned.  Up until this point, she had
been the perfect Japanese woman; a quiet, monotone voice without much
emotion, not touching him unless he was injured in some way, always
keeping a proper attitude and letting him virtually dictate her every
move.  To have her suddenly touching him, and pulling him towards the dojo
was unexpected!  "Well...uh...I...I've been practicing the Art since I
could stand.  Why?" 
	Ranko then noticed what she was doing, blushed, and looked back to
the house quickly.  Not noticing anyone, she leaned in close, cupped a
hand to his ear and whispered, "I want to spar against you, but I don't
want mother noticing.  Except for some training with a sword, she doesn't
think it's proper for a woman to practice the Art.." 
	Kaneda coughed suddenly as he led her automatically into the dojo. 
*She likes the Arts?  Well, she's probably like all the other girls who
practice it, not really dedicated to what it actually takes.*
	As he let her hand go, Ranko took off her slippers and bowed
before entering.  She quickly read the motto on the wall, smiled and then
paced the outside rim of the practice area, her eyes taking careful note
of the floor.  After she went around it, Ranko went towards one side and
then motioned for him to stand opposite her.  "Come on Kaneda-kun.  Let's
have a small practice match." 
	Kaneda suddenly had a coughing fit at the sight of a cute girl
standing there in a very pretty dress acting like it was normal for her to
challenge a man.  The way she stood there, it was obvious that she wasn't
actually trained in the Arts, at least not properly, and that she would
probably get hurt if they did anything too strenuous.  "Ahh...I really
shouldn't fight you when you're wearing such a nice dress.  Besides, a man
shouldn't fight a woman unless his life is in danger." 
	Ranko pouted, "Please?  Just a short practice match?  I promise I
won't hurt you." 
	Kaneda almost choked on his laughter.  Ranko?  Hurting him?  She
wasn't even in a proper stance!  "OK, one quick practice match.  What
style do you study?" 
	Ranko flushed, "Um...any I guess.  I sort of read all of it in
books." 
	Kaneda was now having a very hard time holding in his laughter,
and forcibly cleared his face.  "Right.  Let's see what you can do.  You
may attack first." 
	At that statement, Ranko grinned and came at him quickly, striking
out with a simple punch.  As he dodged, he noted that although it was
quick, it was significantly under powered.  He frowned, however, noting
that the style was similar to his own, but with an unusual variation to
it.  If she picked up that from only reading a book, then it was possible
that she actually had the potential to become a good martial artist. 
	Frowning a bit, and concentrating more, he decided to try to push
her as close to her limits as possible, forgoing the immediate win he had
been thinking of.  IF she had potential, then perhaps he could use that to
give her a little bit of a backbone.  Besides, she did say she wanted to
practice.  He struck back with a combination quarter speed punches which
she managed to avoid.  He was struck by how Ranko's movements were both
graceful and unusual. 
	Ranko was actually enjoying herself.  This was the first time
since her father had died that she had actually practiced hand to hand
combat against someone else instead of just shadow practicing when she
thought no one was watching her.  It was fun to have an opponent to try
out what she had let herself learn by reading books over the years.  She
tried a quick side quick which missed, and then tried to punch him in the
stomach. 
	*She's great!* Kaneda thought to himself as he fought back, not
really putting his whole effort into it and guiding her into various
actions and reactions.  Her moves were all basic, stuff he learned when he
was a child, but with a few variations that didn't look a thing like
martial arts.  It almost looked like she was dancing rather than fighting. 
	That's when she came in with a quick kick, which he leapt above. 
Unfortunately, that wasn't the completion of the move since she continued
spinning and managed to kick him in his chest with her other foot.  While
it didn't have any power to it, or at least not power to him, the move was
totally outside anything in the Art as far as he knew. 
	He was gratified for some reason, and let the battle continue for
another twenty minutes before he ended it by catching her arm and gently
taking her to the floor.  As he lifted her up, he asked, "What was that
kick that you used earlier?  The one with which you managed to hit me
with?" 
	Ranko had the grace to blush.  "Um...Actually that wasn't martial
arts...It was...Well...I sort of took that from a combination of
gymnastics and figure skating." 
	Remember what his father told him about variations earlier that
morning, he started to laugh openly until he noticed the disappointed
expression on Ranko's face.  "Sorry.  I wasn't laughing at you, but
myself.  The great and wonderful Tendo Kaneda hit with a skating move!" 
	Ranko started to giggle at that.  "Well, before he died, father
was trying to teach me about the Art, and I remember quite a bit of it.  I
really enjoy doing it, but mother doesn't like me doing it since it isn't
'lady like.' I really wish I knew more, but I didn't want to disobey
mother." 
	Kaneda's eyes narrowed a bit, "You really mean that, don't you?" 
	Ranko's eyes flamed a bit, but it didn't show in her voice.  "Of
course I do." 
	Kaneda shook his head at how very behaved and controlled Ranko
was, "I didn't mean anything by that.  What I meant to say is that since
you are supposed to be...staying here, it would be better if you learn the
Art.  I'll start teaching you and if anyone say's anything against it,
I'll tell them it is only proper that you learn.  We'll do some more
later." 
	Ranko's eyes lit up at that, "Really?" 
	At his nod, she leapt up slightly, a large smile on her face and
impulsively kissed his cheek.  While he remained in shock at that, she
said, "Thank-you Kaneda- kun!  I'm going to go inside now and change!" 
	Kaneda stayed like that for about a minute after she left before
he put his hand to his face and slowly sank to his knees, now completely
baffled at the young lady he was supposed to marry. 

***

Hitomi

Ichinohei Hitomi
Hitomi@terminal.autobahn.mb.ca
http://204.112.189.3/~hitomi
"The beginings of wisdom is the ability to always ask questions."