Chapter 8: Kisses and memories...
	It was a week later when Ranma and Kodachi decided to have a more or less
private dinner at one of the local teahouses. Actually, they hadn't
intended for it to be private, as Kodachi's team had just won a rhythmic
gymnastics match against the St. Hebereke team and they wanted it to be a
celebration, but everyone had declined graciously, more often than not with
a wink and a nudge in the ribs. Unbeknownst the two, a few of the
Kodachi/Ranma in bed photos had found their way into Furinkan High School's
market, through the assistance of Akane and quite frankly, the two were
regarded as THE hot couple of campus. Of course there were the new and
rather persistent rumors of Tatewaki and Nabiki's sudden change in
behavior... but people were keeping their eyes on that and betting well. Of
course, neither of the two knew about this. They were too busy spending
quality time together.
	Ranma smiled a little, looking at Kodachi, "So, you want to go ice skating
afterwards?"
	Kodachi smiled back, "Sure. Sounds great."
	Ranma's glance stole lower down from her face and he seemed thoughtful...
	Kodachi blinked a little at his behavior and blushed.
	"Are you finishing that?" Ranma asked, as he eyed her plate.
	Kodachi's blush deepened slightly as she realized she THOUGHT he was
staring at something else. "Uh... sure... sure, go right ahead."
	He smiled at her once more and gave her hand a little squeeze, "Thanks,"
before he began transferring her leftovers onto his plate.
	Kodachi rolled her eyes a little, then smiled at him, "I thought you were
looking at something else."
	Ranma said as he stuffed his mouth, "During mealtimes, one eats, time
enough to look at a pretty girl later."
	She blinked at him and blushed slightly, "You really think I'm pretty?"
	"Course," he mumbled as he dabbed at his lips with the napkin, "I think
you're very pretty, haven't I ever said so?"
	"Not really."
	"I think you're gorgeous," Ranma said with some authority.
	Kodachi could only blush.
	"You could've said something like that before you know," she chided him.
Ranma looked surprised, "Sorry, I just assumed you knew, so it was kinda
unnecessary to tell you."	
	"Well, it's always nice to hear it," Kodachi added with a small blush.
	"Alright," he smiled, "I'll make sure to tell you once in a while then."
	"Good," she grinned.
	"Ranma!" a perky girl's voice suddenly cut across their conversation as a
speeding blur ran across the tea house. Ranma managed to sputter, "Wha?!"
before his capacity for conversation was cut off... he was powerfully
glomped from the side, and as he turned his face to see who was doing the
glomping, a pair of lips found his and kissed him passionately.
	Kodachi stared as Ranma engaged in a prolonged lip lock with a rather
petite brunette. Her expression moved from surprised horror... to cold fury
as they continued to kiss for more than thirty seconds. Ranma had made
several attempt to push her off of him during that period, but whoever the
girl was she wasn't having any of that, and had subsequently managed to
slip into his lap and was pressing quite close against him.
	"Ranma," Kodachi said in a flat cold snarl, "Who is this?"
	The girl was rather cute. Her long, light brown hair was tied off in a
long ponytail which sent it cascading down her back. She was slender and
the very short, very revealing little black dress flattered her quite well.
She was wearing a few small items of jewelry, nothing overdone, but mostly
served to impress upon anyone looking the high degree of taste and expense
which had gone into the selection of the items.
	Ranma with some effort finally managed to dislodge the girl. His face was
deeply flushed and he looked very embarrassed, "Er... ah..."
	"Oh, those lips..." the girl murmured swooning in his lap, "Just like I
remember them, those wonderful kisses!"
	"Ranma..." Kodachi's voice had taken a dangerous edge to it.
	"Ahh... er, Kodachi... this is... Azusa... she's um..."
	"Mmm... why so shy all of a sudden, loverboy?" the girl asked playfully,
pulling him closer against her, "We used to be a pretty hot item."
	"Azusa! We were not an item! Never were, never will be!" Ranma spoke
heatedly, obviously scandalized at the thought, "That's all a delusion of
yours!"
	Kodachi leaned forward, her eyes gleaming dangerously, "Oh, do tell."
	"Yes..." Azusa sighed, melting against Ranma once more, "It's been three
long years without my honey-pie, and I've missed him so MUCH!"
	"It's... not what it looks like, Ko-chan! I can explain."
	"Don't you Ko-chan me, you two timing pervert!" Kodachi snapped at him.
	"But..!"
	Azusa giggled cutely, nipping at Ranma's neck as Kodachi watched, her face
blushing in embarrassment at being seen with such a... demonstrative
couple. One of whom was her... well... her Ranma!
	Another voice suddenly called out, "Azusa, where did you wander off to
this ti... Tendo!" the last was more a snarl than anything else.
	Ranma looked up to find a rather handsome boy of about sixteen who looked
halfway scandalized and halfway furious. He was impeccably dressed and wore
his clothes well.
	Ranma was still about half a conversation behind, "Wha..? Who..?"
	"Ranma Tendo! It is you! After all these years!" the boy said heatedly.
With a visible effort he managed to control himself. He took a deep breath
and said in a far more relaxed, though forced tone, "If you would kindly
unhand my partner, we shall be on our way."
	"I'm not being unhanded by anybody! I'm staying with my Ranma!" Azusa
replied with a sniff.
	"Sanzenhin? Is that you, man?"
	"Yes, It is I, Mikado Sanzenhin, now release Azusa before I..!"
	"I'm not holding her!" Ranma shouted back at him, "You tell her to let go
of me!"
	Kodachi sighed in confusion, "Look, Ranma... you seem to be having a lot
of fun over there, I'll just go home on my own, alright? I don't think
anything else needs to be explained."
	"But I can explain! Honest!" Ranma cried to her.
	Azusa went back to snuggling with Ranma, punctuated with soft giggles.
	Mikado's attention was suddenly drawn to Kodachi, and an eyebrow raised in
interest, "Ahh... a young lady taken in by Tendo's wiles? Has he once again
cast his evil spell upon some virtuous maiden?"
	"I don't cast evil spells, you moron!"
	"Don't give me that Tendo!" Sanzenhin snapped back, "Ever since our duel,
Azusa's been utterly useless as a skating partner! She may have had her
faults before, but you've made them worse!"
	"It's not like I did it on purpose, you know!"
	"Duel?" asked Kodachi who was now feeling rather baffled by the entire
conversation. She was still quite upset at Ranma. Not quite mad at him per
se, but definitely miffed.
	"Nothing of consequence, fair lady..." Mikado smiled at Kodachi, taking
her hand, "I am Mikado Sanzenhin, and I would be terribly honored if I were
to make your acquaintance."
	"Hey, Mikado! Get your slimy paws off Kodachi! She's not interested!"
Ranma called out.
	"Oh, stop worrying about that girl, Ranma-sweetie," Azusa said as she
snuggled up to him even more, "You've got your loving Azusa-chan right here
for you! Anytime!"
	"Will you get offa me?!" Ranma said, pushing her away again.
	Kodachi blushed slightly at Mikado's opening line but her attention was
called back to Ranma by his cry. She frowned at him sternly for a moment,
as he was still in the process of extracting himself from Azusa's arms,
then composed her features into radiant calm and smiled brightly at Mikado,
"I am Kodachi Kuno, pleased to meet you."
	"The pleasure is all mine," the boy replied, as he bent down to kiss her
hand.
	Ranma, who had finally managed to get Azusa off of him, snapped out his
hand catching Mikado's hand by the wrist, "Lay one lip on her and you
answer to me, Sanzenhin," Ranma said coldly.
	Mikado frowned at Ranma, "Is she something to you?"
	"She's... we're..." he glanced helplessly at Kodachi who looked back with
cold disdain. 
	Kodachi gave an injured sniff and pointedly looked away from him.
	"Give it up Mikado... you know he's a better man that you are," Azusa said
with a faint giggle.
	"I will not accept that!" Sanzenhin shouted at her.
	Azusa gave a little shrug and glomped against Ranma once more.
	Mikado slammed the table with his fist, his eyes wide and staring, "I am
better than he is! I have been practicing for the past three years and I am
better than he could ever be!"
	Ranma seemed to take offense at this, "Hey..."
	"... I'll even prove it! I challenge you to a rematch, Ranma Tendo!"
Mikado cried out, his composure totally blown to shreds.
	Kodachi blinked, interested despite herself, "A rematch of what?"
	"Er..." Ranma started to say.
	"And I'll even prove it with his girl!" Mikado continued ranting,
oblivious to the stares the other patrons were giving him.
	With a single fluid motion, Mikado's grip shifted on Kodachi's hand to her
fingertips, and pulled her up and out of her seat, into his arms. Ranma,
distracted by Azusa was unable to stop him as he pulled Kodachi into his
arms, his face inches from hers.
	"Wha--?" Kodachi started to say, but she was cut off as Mikado pressed his
lips against her and kissed her.
	It was a pretty good kiss... Kodachi continued resisting for all of a few
seconds before she relaxed into it.
	Ranma rose up with a cry, pitching Azusa off of his lap, just as the kiss
ended. Kodachi swooned back onto the chair, blinking and a little dazed.
	Mikado gave a smug grin, "Hah. I'd like to see you beat that."
	"You are dead!" Ranma growled, cracking his knuckles.
	Mikado interrupted, still grinning smugly, "Oh, certainly! All you must do
is acknowledge that I'm the better man and I will gladly allow you to
pummel me into submission."
	Ranma looked torn, but at about that point, Kodachi seemed to recover from
her shock. She stood up slowly and calmly, then with an almost leisurely
movement, slapped Mikado into the far wall of the teahouse.
	Azusa winced cutely, "Ohh! That had to hurt!"
	Mikado peeled himself off of the wall and shouted at Kodachi, "What did
you do that for!?!"
	"Pervert!" Kodachi shouted back at him, "Masher!"
	"Er..? What?" Mikado looked almost stunned by the accusations, "No! Of
course not! You were enjoying yourself weren't you?"
	Kodachi looked close to tears, "Pervert!" she shouted at him again. Most
of the other people were nodding in agreement.
	Ranma smirked, "Well, it looks like you haven't learned all that much."
	"Hah! You still haven't done anything. What's the matter? Chicken?" Mikado
taunted.
	Ranma gave a suppressed growl and suddenly took Kodachi's hand. She
blinked in surprise at him as he pulled her against his body and kissed her
as well. Kodachi's eyes widened in surprise as Ranma's lips touched hers
and she seemed to panic for a few seconds before she melted into the kiss.
It went on for quite a long time... 
	Azusa watched them for a while before she got bored and hopped over to
help the stunned Mikado up.
	And still the kiss continued.
	A few patrons alternated between watching the kiss and glancing at their
watches... and still the kiss continued... good breath control there...
	Mikado was already tapping his foot impatiently as the two continued...
	... it went on for a little while yet past that before they broke off...
Ranma still darting close occasionally to plant soft lingering kisses on
her cheek as they pulled away... Kodachi gave a faintly puzzled smile,
before she suddenly collapsed in a dead faint in his arms.
	There was random scattered applause from the teahouse patrons.
	Ranma gave them an embarrassed smile as Mikado sputtered incoherently.
	Azusa grabbed onto Mikado by his scarf and gave a sharp tug, dragging him
along after him, "Come along, Ranma-sweetie beat you fair and square
Mikado-chan! Again!!" she added in a sing-song voice.
	"No! Impossible! How could any woman resist my kisses and yet fall for
that uncultured lout's!?! They cooked this up between them! They must have!
Release me you wench--aghk!" Mikado called out incoherently as the much
smaller girl easily dragged him away.
	Azusa stopped at the door, turning to wink at Ranma who was still cradling
Kodachi in his arms, "I'll see you really, really soon, Lover-boy."
	Ranma suppressed a shudder as he wondered to himself what he was going to
do about waking Kodachi up. And what he was going to tell her.
- - -
	At around the same time, Akane was walking home, alone. She'd put in a bit
of extra time at her 'office' just to have something to do.
	She knew Ranma had a date with Kodachi and while she didn't begrudge the
two of them their time together, she was starting to miss having Ranma's
undivided attention. Or Tatewaki's for that matter. Since her last argument
with Nabiki, he'd been spending an awful lot of time with Nabiki... her
people had even reported that he'd brought her flowers a few days ago.
Either he was starting to really take the engagement seriously or something
else was up. She'd have to look into that. Purely for professional reasons,
of course, she reasoned to herself... she had to know what was going on. 
	Regardless of what it was she felt very isolated and lonely. She'd be
happy if she could even see Ryouga. But he still hadn't come back for his
stuff, which was still at the Kuno Mansion. No one to talk to, no one to be
with... she sighed heavily, and didn't notice as a car speeded past her,
running through one of the common puddles and splashing her with water. She
winced at the water a little but barely noticed as her body shifted into a
perfect duplicate of Ranma's. 
	"Ranma! Ranma!" a voice called out behind Akaru. Akaru blinked looking
around for his brother... only to realize that he was probably who the
person was addressing.
	He turned and found just behind him was Ryouko who was smiling happily.
She looked somewhat travel worn and bedraggled. Still in the same outfit
she'd worn when she'd gotten lost a week ago.
	"Oh, hey, Ryouko," Akaru gave a wan smile.
	"Hey, you okay?" Ryouko asked, looking somewhat concerned.
	"Nah, I'm fine, just thinking of some things," Akaru answered easily.
	Ryouko glanced around, "So what're you doing in Okinawa?"
	Akaru blinked then stifled a giggle, "We're in Nerima, Ryouko."
	"We are?" Ryouko blinked, "Oh. Yeah. I knew that."
	Akaru smiled, "Come on... you thirsty?"
	"I had a soda two days ago I think." Ryouko replied thoughtfully.
	Akaru chuckled, "Come on. I feel like having something," then almost as a
slightly unpleasant afterthought, "My treat."
	Ryouko smiled brightly, "Sure!"
	They walked easily down the street, chatting of nothing much in
particular. Mostly about where Ryouko had been the past week or so. Every
so often Akaru had to gently put a hand on Ryouko's shoulder and gently
steer her towards the right direction. After a while, Akaru tired of this
and simply took Ryouko's hand to make leading her around easier. Ryouko
noticed but didn't seem to comment. For some weird reason neither could
pinpoint, this seemed to be almost entirely familiar.
	"So," Ryouko asked finally as they were getting close to the restaurant,
her voice a tentative and a little uncertain, "How's Akane doing?"
	"Oh? Um... she's fine... she's alright..." Akaru sighed slightly. This was
the problem when you had no one to talk to. He took one look at Ryouko's
earnest smiling face and softened slightly, "Well... she looked kinda down
when I saw her earlier."
	"Oh. What's wrong?"
	"She's just... lonely, I guess."
	Ryouko blinked thoughtfully, "She misses Ryouga?"
	"Well... yeah... and then there's Tatewaki and Nabiki..." Akaru continued
distractedly.
	"What about them?" Ryouko asked.
	"Oh, I guess she must be feeling a little jealous... I mean he used to
spend all of his time with Akane... so..."
	"Well, what about Ryouga?"
	Akaru gave Ryouko a small smile, "Well, it's like this... me and... Akane
are still fairly new to this area. We've only been here about a month or
so. Akane still barely knows anyone, she's been spending so much of her
time wrapped up in... moneymaking she's forgotten how to make real friends
anymore..." Akaru's voice grew sadder as he tried to speak as objectively
as possible about his own life, "Aside from Ranma, Tatewaki was practically
the only reasonably intelligent company she'd found... and sure there's
Ryouga and she DOES want to see him again, but it's... he's always missing!
She just wants someone who's going to be there for her! And she... she's
just so lonely!" Akaru bit off his last words. It was getting difficult to
talk, the lump in his throat had grown and tears were starting to form in
his eyes... he didn't even know why he was telling all of this to Ryouko of
all people, but it just started pouring out... 
	Ryouko put a hand to Akaru's arm smiling gently at him, "Come on... let's
have that drink. You need to sit down and have a bit of a rest..."
	Akaru nodded slowly and did his best to smile back, knuckling the tears
away ineffectually. He said in a quavering voice, "Scuse me... got
something in my eye..."
	 Ryouko smiled sympathetically, pulling him into a seat... which as a
result of the fact that she was leading they ended up in the next
restaurant over a small teahouse.
	Akaru smiled weakly, "I'll... order us something okay?"
	Ryouko nodded, smiling at him.
	The rest of the teahouse was suddenly abuzz with rumors as they settled
down into their seats. "Hey, wasn't that the guy who was making out with
those two girls?", "Wow, a third one? This guy's some sort of Casanova",
"Who cares, he kisses well enough to make that girl faint, I want some of
that...", "Such scandalous behavior!", "Where does he get the energy for
it?", "You could always ask him.", "I want to know how come none of the
girls seem to mind...", "What a man!", "Wanna find out what his secret is?"
	Akaru pushed his glasses up in confusion as he managed to pick up some of
the conversations. Ryouko simply blinked at the other patrons in confusion.
Most of whom were staring, right up to the point that they noticed either
Ryouko or Akaru staring back. Akaru took his time, slowly scanning the
other patrons and seeming to memorize their faces. Most turned away under
his intense glare, others stood up hurriedly to leave. There was a certain
something behind those eyes which promised swift and just retribution.
Adding to this fact was Akaru's obvious upset. 
	The waiter passed their table carrying two cups of tea for a couple on the
next table, but as luck would have it, one of the patrons intending to
hurry away from the intensity of Akaru's stare collided with the waiter,
sending the two cups flying... sending them, and their hot contents
splashing all over Ryouko and Akaru.
	There was a moment of stark crystal clarity as the waiter turned to
apologize profusely to the boy and girl who'd been sitting at the table...
he was pretty certain that the boy had been wearing the glasses and the red
silk Chinese shirt and that the girl had been in a yellow tunic and had the
bandanna... not the other way around.
	Akane stared at Ryouga. Ryouga stared back at Akane.
	"That was you?!" they both shouted at the same time.
	"I'm terribly sorry about that, sir, ma'am..." the waiter started to say.
	Akane turned her fierce glare at the waiter and said in a low controlled
voice, "You'd better clean this up and give us both complimentary cups
unless you'd like me to have a word with your manager. I can get you fired
for this you know."
	The waiter squeaked and scuttled off.
	Ryouga blinked in confusion, and began to pat himself down, the shock of
the transformation not only surprised him, it was like having a cloud
lifted from his mind... or at least turning the lights on in a room, "I...
I'm a guy? I'm... hey, I'm Ryouga Hibiki! I gotta kill Kuno!" he added in a
furious voice, then his face became puzzled as he remembered their earlier
conversation, "Erhm... okay, so maybe I don't..."
	Akane looked at him, "You'd forgotten?"
	Ryouga nodded a little sheepishly.
	"That bump on the head... and..." she looked at him closely, "you've got a
Jusenkyo curse." 
	Ryouga nodded miserably, "Yeah. I followed you and Ranma all the way to
Jusenkyo, but I kind of slipped and fell into spring of drowned young girl.
So... how about you?"
	"I jumped into an unpatterned spring after Ranma did." Akane answered, "So
I turn into him whenever I get wet."
	"But Ranma really is around, right?"
	"Yeah, I didn't mean to fool Ryouko... that is you... I just got splashed
before I noticed it," Akane replied.
	"Oh... I... I'm sorry. Didn't mean to fool you either, I just forgot I was
me..." Ryouga looked really embarrassed.
	Akane sighed and leaned back, "Well..."
	"Er... yeah," Ryouga's face suddenly clouded again as he remembered the
night from the week before, "I can sort of understand your being lonely and
all... I felt that way the whole time I was looking for you," he added
accusingly, "But you knew I was looking for you and you were still sleeping
with Kuno."
	"I thought he was Ranma," Akane shrugged, getting back in control of
herself and the situation. It was all well and good if she let others see
her lose control while a guy... but not as herself... it just... would not do.
	Ryouga's eyes bugged out, "You..! And Ranma?! Sleeping together?! I'd
think you'd've noticed the differences! I mean with your brother! That's
scandalous1 that's... that's... that's... really bad!"
	Akane seemed a little off put by Ryouga's reaction, "Oh for goodness sake
Ryouga, I was only with Tatewaki for an hour or two, I managed to get to
Ranma later that night, why are you so surprised... I mean you knew Ranma
and I slept together."
	"No... not like you and your brother sleeping together back when you were
staying with us," Ryouga blushed deeply, "I mean, sleeping together
sleeping together!"
	She gave him a level look, "Are you talking about sex?"
	"Yes!" Ryouga sputtered, his blush worsening.
	"I didn't have sex with him!" Akane shot back, trying to remain calm but
her fists had clenched, How dare he make such accusations!
	"That's not what it looked like to me!" Ryouga replied heatedly, slamming
his fists on the table.
	"Oh you were watching were you?" Akane asked him sarcastically.
	"No! I mean yes! I mean..! what the heck else could it have been, I mean
you were on top of him and he was saying your name over and over and..."
	By this point in time it should be noted that people had already begun
keeping notes... this was getting REALLY juicy.
	"Will you keep your voice down?" Akane asked him pointedly.
	"Er... I... that is..."
	"First of all," Akane said coolly, "I just met him again a few months ago.
I like him, but I don't like him THAT much. Yet. I don't know what you
think of me, but I am most certainly not just going to do THAT with anyone
just at the drop of a hat!"
	"That's not what I meant..." Ryouga began to say defensively.
	"Second," she said, reaching across the table and collaring him, dragging
him closer to her face, her lips nearly touching his ear, "Didn't I promise
you once that as long as we were an item, I wanted my first time to be with
you?" she said continuing in a softer tone, "Have you EVER known me to
break a promise?"
	Ryouga gulped nervously at their proximity, "I... yes, you did promise,
but... that was two years... I mean, no you've always kept your wo--"
	Akane continued to murmur into his ear, "And third, we NEVER officially
broke up Ryouga... we're still an item. Don't you forget that."
	Ryouga stammered incoherently, the scent of her hair, her shampoo... the
spilt tea... it was all beginning to overwhelm him, he felt himself getting
dizzy.
	Akane kissed him softly on the cheek, "I still love you, you big dope..."
she released his collar allowing him to flop back into his seat, she
continued in a normal speaking voice, but there was an undertone of sadness
to her words, "But I don't know if I want to stay in a relationship with
someone who I can't rely on to be there when I need him."
	"A-Akane..." Ryouga stared helplessly at her, "I still love you too... I
can change! I'll be there for you! I promise! I'll... I'll learn how not to
get lost! I will! I promise."
	She sighed, "Oh Ryouga... I wish I could believe that. I really do. It's
just, I know you'll eventually manage to wander off somewhere again, and
get lost for who knows how long... I'm not sure I want to have to keep
waiting for you."
	Ryouga slipped out of his seat quickly kneeling next to Akane. He held her
hands clasped in his, "Please! One more chance! I beg of you..! I followed
you all this way... I've spent the past two years of my life just searching
for you! I won't give up without a fight! I won't!"
	A nearby little old lady prodded Akane, "I'd go for it, dearie... you
don't usually get 'em that passionate nowadays."
	Akane blinked as the lady passed by, then looked back at Ryouga. She
smiled gently at him. Despite herself she found herself being swayed by his
enthusiasm. Tatewaki had been great company for a time... but, Ryouga's
devotion called desperately to her, and she could feel it beginning to work...
	She smiled brightly at him then said, "Oh, get back in your chair you look
ridiculous," her tone was half teasing, half playful, and Ryouga knew what
it meant when her eyes lit up like that.
	All but stumbling on his own feet, Ryouga managed to get back to his feet.
	Akane held up a finger, "Alright. One chance. I'm giving this one last
chance..."
	"That's all I'm asking for," Ryouga beamed happily.
	"Oh, shut up," she said lightly, collaring him once again, but this time
pulling her towards her into a passionate kiss... There were cheers and
applause from their audience.
	Ryouga managed to return the kiss for a few seconds, before he fainted
from sheer happiness.
	Akane sighed happily, playfully mussing his hair as he lay sprawled and
unconscious on the table, "Okay, so maybe it's not such a bad idea..." she
said softly.
- - -
	Kodachi awoke slowly. She was fairly comfortable. Obviously she'd been
lying on something soft. She opened her eyes fully to see Ranma kneeling
next to her as she lay on a futon. His expression seemed to be torn between
worry and happiness. She didn't recognize the room, but realized after a
moment that it was the Tendo house. The living room... then she remembered
why she'd been unconscious. She quickly got up, moving into a kneeling
position, not looking directly at Ranma. She blushed furiously and several
emotions were duking it out for a chance to be featured on her face.
	"Um... sorry about that, Ko-chan... I... well, I kinda lost my head there
and wasn't thinking clearly."
	Kodachi turned towards him slightly, her head still low, she glared at him
through her bangs, "You'd better be able to give me a satisfactory
explanation for your behavior and who those people were or I will do
something very unpleasant to you... then when I'm done, I will tell my
father... and he will tell your father... and they will BOTH do unpleasant
things to you."
	Ranma gulped nervously, "Okay... explanation... alright... it started
about three years ago. Akane and I were staying in Tokyo, not too far from
here. Anyway, we'd been kind of living off of our savings at the time, but
we didn't have anywhere to sleep, so we were camping out at a vacant lot,
except that isn't really all that important to the story... anyway...
	"Akane decided she wanted some ice cream and drags me along... she conned
this guy who was about a year or so older than us into buying the ice cream
for her, only problem is that when he does buy her the ice cream he says
he'll take payment back and kisses her without warning. And it wasn't even
a cheek thing, full on mouth with tongue and all.
	Kodachi blinked, "That was that Mikado person?"
	"Precisely. He was kinda weird even back then. Anyway... after he finishes
the kiss, Akane gives him this look... like he's the lowest scum on the
planet, I think you know what I mean..."
	"Yes," Kodachi agreed.
	"Pretty intimidating, I ought to know," Ranma continued, "She used to
practice that on me. Then she says to him quite clearly and loud enough for
everyone in the restaurant to hear that her brother could kiss better than
Mikado could."
	Kodachi blinked, "What?!"
	Ranma nodded, "Yup... so Mikado starts ranting and screaming about how no
one could possibly out kiss him, how she was lying yadda-yadda-yadda. Next
thing I know, Akane was there grinning like a shark and I've been
challenged to a kissing challenge. In a week's time, there would be three
girls, we kissed each of them once... whoever the majority of the girls
preferred would be the winner."
	"You agreed to THAT?!" Kodachi sputtered.
	"Akane's really persuasive..." Ranma replied sheepishly, "Anyway... a week
passes, we go to the designated spot, and find that Mikado's brought in his
skating partner, Azusa, as one girl, and this cheering squad bimbo who he
knew had the hots for him... and somehow, I'm not sure, Akane got the third
girl he brought in ruled out and herself included."
	"I see..." said the faintly puzzled Kodachi.
	"So we both kissed the three girls once each... he started. Turns out he
was bribing Azusa with a teddy bear or something to vote for his kiss and
she had no idea WHAT was going on... the other girl was pretty much
guaranteed to vote for him, and Akane was pretty much in my corner... they
all get kissed by him, he gets a 'not bad' rating overall, but mostly
because Akane was being really critical, then I took my turn..."
	"And..?" Kodachi prodded.
	"Azusa and the other girl, Mariko... they... um... fainted. Akane swayed a
bit... so I got a really good overall rating... and I won."
	Kodachi took a deep breath. If she hadn't actually felt the impact of his
kiss, she would've doubted the truth of that... but she knew what it felt
like... and nodded, "What I would like to know is where you learned to kiss
like that..?"
	Ranma looked definitely embarrassed... "You promise not to laugh or get mad?"
	Kodachi gave him a faintly puzzled look, "Alright, I won't..."
	"Um... well, I spent the week between the challenge and the actual fight
learning how to actually kiss..." Ranma said sheepishly.
	Kodachi blinked, "Learning?"
	"Yeah, Akane found me all of these manuals and I kinda treated it like
learning a new martial arts technique... so I kept practicing with Akane
for the week... I mean, I didn't have anyone else to practice with... and I
had NO idea what I was doing half the time..."
	Kodachi looked at him coolly, but her blush totally ruined the effect,
"You were kissing your sister... like you kissed me?"
	"Um... yeah... although I gave you just the basics, because I was trying
to keep you from fainting..." he added, "Guess it didn't work. And anyway,
it was like a fighting technique, only... well, it was a lot more fun to
practice..."
	She raised an eyebrow, "Do tell... this still doesn't explain Azusa..."
	"Oh, that. Well, after the competition, she kinda... erhm... attached
herself to me... so did the cheerleading girl..." he said worriedly, "One
kiss and they kind of... you know... um... wanted me. Me and Akane had to
clear out of the neighborhood..."
	"Your lips are dangerous weapons then..." Kodachi said firmly.
	"Um... sorta..." Ranma nodded miserably.
	"Well," Kodachi said sternly, looking him straight in the eye now, the
flush on her cheeks not receding at all, "There's only one thing to be done
then..."
	"Wha--?"
	She reached a hand out, and pressed her fingers against his lips, she had
a slightly wicked smile on her face, the blush only making her look all the
more beautiful to him, "That being the case, then, I'm claiming these lips
as mine... make certain to use them wisely and only on my direction... do
you understand me?"
	"Um... no."
	She gave him a fierce look, collaring him and pulling him a little closer.
She was surprised by her own boldness... but thought of having to share
those kisses with ANYONE was jarring, "Kiss anyone but me in that way again
and I will kill you," she said sweetly. 
	"Um... I can... live with that..." Ranma said smiling sickly... this is
why he didn't go around kissing more women... they always ended up acting
strangely afterwards.
	"Good," Kodachi smiled as her blush deepened, she averted her gaze from
him, "Now perhaps... I should start for home..."
	"I'll walk you there... I'd've brought you all the way home, but the dojo
was closer, and I didn't want to have to explain to Aunty and Uncle why you
were out cold."
	Kodachi giggled, "I suppose not. Although I've spoken to mother and she
would have absolutely no objection to the idea... of... you know... us."
	Ranma looked at her thoughtfully as they rose to their feet, "Think we
should try to make it more official?"
	Kodachi held Ranma's hand and they looked at one another. They both smiled
at the same time, "Why not?" then laughed merrily.
	Kodachi got a playful gleam in her eye as a thought occurred to her, "By
the way Ranma... does Akane still have those books you used to train with?"
	"Um... no, we sold them after that. Why?"
	"Because I thought perhaps I could learn how to do that... I think perhaps
you might enjoy that..." Kodachi said, blushing shyly.
	"Well..." Ranma smiled back, "I could always teach you personally...
	"Do tell..."
- - -

=====
TimeRunner's Page:
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/7482

icq: 7153134 (Keiichi)
=====

"The story grew in the most convoluted way, as many people will be
surprised to learn. Writing episodically meant that when I finished one
episode I had no idea about what the next one would contain. When, in the
twists and turns of the plot, some event su
ddenly seemed to illuminate things that had gone before, I was as surprised
as anyone else."

--- Douglas Adams, "A Guide to the Guide"

"Mos people who want to be writers don't really want to be writers. They
want to HAVE BEEN  writers."

--- James A. Michener