C&A Productions Presents

                     A Work of Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction


                           The Ties That Bind

                      Chapter 5: Ace in the Bokken
 

                         Written By Chris McNeil

              Original Concept Provided by Robert Morrison



The morning sun fell through the window, bathing Ranma Saotome's
face in its dappled light.  With a groan, he turned away from the glare 
and blinked his eyes open.  As he strained to focus through the spots 
blurring his vision, he noticed the empty futon next to him.  Panma was 
gone.

Sitting up, he rubbed the back of his head and looked around
blearily, but his brother was nowhere to be seen.  "That's weird," he
mumbled.  Panma wasn't much of an early riser.  After pulling on his
shirt and pants, Ranma stumbled out of the bedroom.  On a hunch, he
headed down the stairs and towards the practice hall, inhaling with
great appreciation as the smell of Kasumi's cooking wafted by him.
"Oh man, she's one heck of a cook," he thought, and then wondered
if his supposed fiancee Akane was as good.  After a moment, he decided
against it.  A tomboy like that probably thought cooking was too womanly 
or something.

As Ranma stepped into the dojo, his suspicions were confirmed as
he spotted Panma near the opposite wall, smashing away at a training
dummy with an intense look on his face.  Immediately Ranma knew
something was wrong, since Panma almost never did training with dummies.

"Yo bro," he said cautiously.  "Up awfully early, aren't you?"
Panma grunted and delivered one last strike to his target before turning 
to face him. "What about it?" he growled.  "SOME of us martial artists 
think there's more to training than lounging in bed and stuffing our 
faces."

Suspicion confirmed.  Panma wasn't the most cheerful of guys, but
he didn't normally say "hello" with a tongue-lashing, either.  "What's
wrong, bro?" Ranma asked.  "When you came home from meeting Kunou last
night, you looked like you wanted to kill someone."  At the mention of
the name 'Kunou', Panma's fists clenched and he turned an interesting
shade of purple.  Ranma backed away, holding his hands up defensively.
"Whoa now, I'm not the enemy here.  Something happened at that meeting, 
right?" Suddenly, Ranma's eyes widened.  "He didn't -beat- you, did he?"

With an obvious effort, Panma got himself at least partially under
control and barked out a shot, sharp laugh.  "I don't -think- so, dear
brother.  That clown couldn't beat an egg.  No, he's just a..." Panma
looked away, and his fists clenched again. "Never mind.  It's not
important."

Ranma opened his mouth to ask another question, but then he heard
Kasumi's pleasant voice call "Breakfast is ready!" and all interest in
the subject of whatever had happened vanished.  "Well, if you say so
bro.  Have fun!"  And with that, he ran out of the room and towards the 
kitchen, fast enough that Panma was mildly surprised he didn't leave a 
dust cloud in his wake.

"You're Dad's son, all right," he muttered, shaking his head.  Ranma and 
Genma had had impromptu matches over who would get the most food for as 
long as Panma could remember.  He'd almost expect them to fight to the 
death over dessert one day, if it weren't for the fact Genma was far too 
big a coward for that.

Panma shrugged, turning back to the dummy.  At least Ranma's gluttony 
had spared him from having to explain what had happened the night 
before.  Even as his thoughts returned to it, Panma gritted his teeth 
and hit the training target again.  If he never saw Kunou again, it 
would be too soon.  That lousy, stupid, sickening ego-bloated... 
suddenly he blinked as his hand met no resistance, and looked down to 
see he'd punched a hole right through the dummy.  He shook his head, 
chastising himself.  What kind of self-control was that?  No matter what 
had happened-still the memory made him steam-he needed more
discipline.

"Well, better go grab some breakfast before Ranma and Dad take
everything," he muttered.  Kicking the damaged dummy back in the corner, 
he walked out towards the kitchen.

********

Akane ran through the gate to Furinkan High School, fists coming up to 
meet the first attackers...and stopped, gaping.  After a moment, Ranma 
casually strolled in behind her, and also blinked in surprise at the 
scene of carnage before them.

What seemed like most of the male population of the school was
strewn across the grounds, some in positions that defied several
conventions about how joints were supposed to bend, and all of which
looked extraordinarily painful.  "What happened here?" Akane gasped.

"Panma," Ranma shrugged, and then continued walking forward.

Akane stared after him.  It was true Panma had left early that morning, 
saying he had to let off a little steam, but she hadn't exactly expected 
THIS.  Taking a closer look, she recognized most of the boys as her 
usual attackers, and nearly smiled.  It seemed Nabiki's plan had some 
positive side effects.

As she hurried to enter the school, a boy with sandy blonde hair
scurried out from behind a nearby tree and approached her.  At first she 
thought it was some idiot who had escaped, but then recognized him as a 
boy who shared some of her classes.  "Hiroshi, isn't it?  What
happened?"

"Uhh...hi," the boy said in return, looking nervously at her reflexively 
raised fists, which she quickly lowered.  Noticibly
relieved, he continued, "Umm...it was that new guy...his brother, isn't 
it?" he said, indicating Ranma, who was examining some of the fallen 
forms ahead.  Akane suppressed another smile.  It HAD been Panma.  
Things were working out perfectly.  "Anyway," Daisuke continued, "we 
were coming in for class, and those guys were gathering here like 
they...uhh...usually do, and suddenly that guy..umm..."

"Panma," Akane supplied.

"Right...that guy, Panma, walked in the front gate and just looked
at all of them.  And then he said something like 'Haven't you idiots
figured out that when a woman says no, she means it?' and then, well..."

He spread his hands.

Akane felt an uneasy queasiness in her gut at Daisuke's words.  She 
crushed it down, but still, suddenly she found she didn't feel nearly so 
proud of the success of her sister's plan. "Why are you still
here?" she asked quickly.

"Well, I was with my friend Hiroshi.  We both made a run for it
when Panma started pounding those guys, but he didn't quite make it."
He indicated another fallen form-which was moaning softly-on the ground 
nearby.  "I'd been trying to help him up, but when you guys showed up I 
wasn't sure what you'd do, so I hid."  He suddenly started as he 
realised who he was saying this to.  "Uhh...that is...what I meant..."

"Hey, that Kunou guy's not here!" Ranma exclaimed.  Akane turned and 
walked over to him, glad for an excuse to break off the conversation 
with Daisuke.

"What do you mean he's not here?"

Ranma waved his hand vaguely at the front grounds.  "He ain't
here.  At least, I don't see him."

Akane looked around, and indeed, if Kunou had been here to fight with 
Panma, he was nowhere to be seen now.  "Weird.  He's usually one of the 
first to arrive."

"Ahh, maybe Panma beat him up too bad last night."

"Maybe."

********

The day passed fairly normally, if you didn't count the simultaneous 
absence of most of the school's male population.  Not, Akane thought, 
that that was something to be complained about.  This tally included 
Kunou, who Yuka and Sayuri confirmed as having not arrived.  They had 
also witnessed Panma's little demonstration, much to Akane's 
discomfiture.  "Oh Akane, you should have seen it...it was GREAT!" 
Sayuri gushed at lunch.  "He just walks in the gate, folds his arms, 
says 'When a girl says no, she means it' and..."

"I heard," Akane muttered.

"What a gentleman!" echoed Yuka enthusiastically.  "None of that
posturing like Kunou-sempai.  And he's good-looking!  A little pretty,
but I like them that way."  She giggled.

"Oh, I don't know," Sayuri said thoughtfully.  "That other one-you
know, I heard they're BROTHERS, is that true Akane?-he's pretty good-
looking too.  Red is DEFINITELY my colour, and those muscles..."

"You couldn't afford to feed him," growled Akane, and stalked
off...only to find herself heading straight towards the table where the 
brothers sat.  Unwilling to change her direction suddenly, she continued 
forward with a mental "baka!", and flushed as she heard giggles from 
behind.

The two seemed about to have a fight...again.  Panma, holding Ranma by 
the collar, was snarling something about his lunch when suddenly the two 
noticed her.

"Hi Akane!" Ranma offered cheerfully, apparently unfazed by his 
brother's displeasure.  With a snort, Panma dropped him back in the
chair and bent back to his food, growling something vaguely resembling a 
greeting.  Akane's flush deepened, but then she squared her shoulders.  
No matter who or what Panma was, she realised what she had to do.

"Thank you."  Panma looked up sharply, and she swallowed and continued, 
"For what you did this morning.  I heard."  She gave a stiff, shallow 
bow.

Panma stared for a moment, then sighed, some of the tension easing
from him.  "Don't mention it.  I needed to work off some irritation
anyway."  One side of his mouth curled up.  "Actually, I doubt they'll
bother you again, since I made it rather clear that..."

"Hold, foul villain!"  Everyone in the cafeteria turned and stared
at the door, where Kunou stood.  At least, Akane -thought- it was Kunou, 
as the figure was covered from head to toe in heavy bandages.  The 
bandages raised a bokken, confirming its identity, and continued, "I 
shall not allow you to continue hounding the fair Akane so!"

Akane started to sigh, but then heard a low snarl beside her and
looked over in surprise.  Panma, all traces of his momentary good humour 
evaporated, was glaring at Kunou with an expression so dark Akane was 
surprised it didn't peel the paint from the walls.  His lips moved 
soundlessly for a moment, then with a single motion, he rose to his 
feet, grabbed his chair and hurled it at the kendoist.  Students threw 
themselves out of the way, but Kunou merely brought up his bokken and, 
with surprising speed-given his condition-smashed the projectile away.  
The two stared at each other for a moment.  "So," said Kunou finally.  
"I should have known.  It is YOU who retains the hold over my true 
love."

"Huh?" blinked Ranma.  "His love?  Nabiki?"

Panma's expression, if anything grew even darker, and his cheeks
flushed red.  "You...you...you...FREAK!" he growled.  "Didn't yesterday 
teach you -anything-?"

"Indeed it did, foul sorcerer."  Kunou raised his bokken and
pointed it at Panma.  "It taught me that, as I suspected, it is you who 
holds my love's soul hostage.  Well know this...until the soul of my 
blonde-haired one is free, I, Tatewaki Kunou, shall fight you to my last 
breath!"

"Blonde...haired.." repeated Ranma.  Suddenly, his eyes widened.  "Bro, 
he doesn't mean..." With a roar of incoherent rage, Panma leaped
forward, bouncing off the table and towards Kunou.  But before he could 
land, Ranma was also up and after him, grabbing his brother's arm and 
jerking him to a halt.

"Not here, bro!" he hissed.  Panma shifted his burning gaze to Ranma, 
and for a moment Akane thought he'd attack his sibling, but abruptly he 
closed his eyes, shuddered and seemed to pull himself at least nominally 
under control.  The eyes opened, colder and harder than
steel, and focused on Ranma.

"Let me go," he said in a tone that brooked no argument, and Ranma
obediently released him and stepped back.  Panma turned to Kunou.  "So
you want your 'blonde-haired girl', do you?" he snarled, his voice
clearly audible over the suddenly-quiet room. "Well forget it, 
samurai-boy.  She doesn't want to see you.  Get lost and find some other 
girl to bug."

"Fool!" retorted Kunou.  "Did you truly think that I, the great
Tatewaki Kunou, would be frightened off by so feeble a threat?  I
challenge you to prove who is more worthy of the blonde-haired one in
glorious combat!"

"I gave him a chance," muttered Panma to Ranma, who reluctantly
nodded.  Turning back, he raised his voice once more. "Fine, then!  I'll 
fight you...on Saturday, in the baseball field.  You'll be healed by 
then, so you'll have no excuses when you lose!"

"Very well," responded the kendoist.  "And when I emerge triumphant, you 
shall release your hold upon the blonde one?"  Panma nodded, once, his 
face hard.  Kunou chuckled.  "Until Saturday then, foul sorcerer."

Kunou turned and strode...well, waddled anyway...out of the room.
Panma turned and leaped back over the table.  Noting the absence of his 
chair, he yanked one out from under a nearby student and threw himself 
down.  Ranma sidled down next to him, looking concerned, but decided 
prudently not to speak.

After a few minutes of brooding, Panma suddenly looked up at Akane, 
serious, but with his earlier rage having diminished somewhat.  "Don't 
worry, Akane.  When I'm through with Kunou, he'll be too scared to come 
near -any- of us again."

Akane nearly flinched.  Clearing her throat, she searched for
something to say. "Umm...well, just don't underestimate him.  Kunou can 
be really tough when he's fighting for real."

Panma snorted and turned away.  "Not tough enough.  Nothing could
make him tough enough right now."

********

Kunou lowered his bokken and stepped back, smiling in satisfaction
as the dummy-garbed in a distinctive vest-toppled backwards, punctured
in dozens of places.  He permitted himself a small laugh.  Save for a
slight stiffness in his muscles, all trace of his injuries had vanished.  
His peerless skills were once more in top form, which presaged his 
victory upon the morrow.

Resting his bokken on his shoulder, he pictured himself standing
over the accursed Panma's fallen body.  From the crowd leaped the
mysterious blonde-haired girl who had captured his heart.  "Oh thank 
you, sempai!" she cried, running towards him, tears of joy spilling down 
her cheeks.  Kunou wanted to run to her as well, but he knew he still 
had a duty, so he looked sternly to the side.  Ranma Saotome cringed 
back from Kunou's glare, terror evident on his face.  "No!" he begged, 
falling to his knees.  "Spare my life, great swordmaster!"

Kunou glanced at him with a haughty sneer.  "Release your
treacherous hold over the fair Akane Tendo, vile sorcerer."

"No!" cried Ranma, this time in rage.  "She is mine!"  Kunou took
a step forward, and Ranma fell back in terror, groveling before him.
"Very well, curse you!"

Now Akane also broke from the crowd, her smile wide and beautiful.
"Oh Kunou-sempai, you saved my soul!  You're so strong!"  The 
blonde-haired girl stopped, and her and Akane stared at each other for a 
long moment.  Finally, she spoke, "But now, which of us will you 
choose?"

"Yes," echoed Akane, "which of us is worthy of your magnificence?"
Kunou looked between both of them for a moment, but he couldn't
choose.  The fiery and proud blonde-haired girl...the delicate and
graceful Akane...both were so dear to him that he could not bear to
pick, knowing the torments to which the unfortunate loser would be
consigned.

Suddenly, the solution came to him, as if by divine inspiration.
Favouring them both with a radiant smile, he spoke without hesitation:
"Fair ones, let there be no rancor between us.  I would have you both!"

"YES!" they squealed as one, and resumed their running, each straining 
to pull ahead and be the first to reach him.  Kunou laughed uproariously 
and stepped forward, arms outstretched to catch both of his true 
loves...

"OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!  Does your training always consist of such 
amusing antics?  Perhaps I should watch more often!"  

His fantasy-no, prophecy-so rudely interrupted, Kunou turned and scowled 
at the irritating newcomer.  "So, my sister, what brings you
here to so uncouthly disturb my meditation?"

Kodachi was leaning against the wall, casually twirling one of her
gymnastics ribbons.  Holding a hand to her mouth, she laughed again in
that irritating manner she had.  "Is that what you call it, dear
brother?  Amusing.  And whom would this 'blonde-haired girl' you speak
of in such rapt tones of adoration be?"

"It is none of your concern."

"Finally given up on the Tendo wench?  Ah, but I think not, as I'm
certain I heard her name mumbled as well."

Kunou was growing irritated at her chatter.  "I said it was none
of your concern, woman.  Must I repeat myself?"

"OHOHOHOHO!  If I am not gravely mistaken, my dear brother, you just did 
that."  She smiled, but Kunou refused to rise to his sister's
bait.  Abruptly, her expression shifted from amusement to curiousity.
"And so, who is the young man you intend to duel?"

"Spying again?  Such a lowly occupation ill-befits a heir to the
noble house of Kunou, my sister."

She laughed again, setting Kunou's teeth on edge.  "Now brother dear, if 
I took it into my mind to spy, why -ever- would it be on such an 
uninteresting target as yourself?  No, before you ask, it is no
sorcery either.  Simply the fact that you have been in here practicing
for most of this week, added to those injuries you took earlier and your 
sudden 'new love', making the conclusion was fairly simple."

Kunou nodded in reluctant acknowledgement.  "It is as you say, my
sister.  Tomorrow I meet with the forces of evil on the field of
valour."

"And would the forces of evil have a name?"

Kunou sighed.  Did the woman know no boundries of propriety?  Still, 
better to answer her questions, as then she might depart and leave him 
to his training.  "The cur's name is Panma Saotome, a vile sorcerer who 
holds my beloved blonde one's heart in thrall.  His brother Ranma I also 
suspect of some evil hold on the fair Akane, but I shall
settle with him in due course."

Kodachi's lips pursed.  "Saotome...I haven't heard of these ones
before."

"Nay, they are but recent transfers to Furinkan...a condition which 
will, of course, be rectified once I deal with them."

"Of course," purred Kodachi, smiling.  "So, a mysterious sorcerer
who has you in such apprehension that you train every day, eh?"

"I have no apprehension of such a pitiful opponent.  I was simply
making sure to work out all lingering effects of my regrettable
injuries."

"And -who- gave you those injuries, I wonder...the pitiful
opponent of whom you fear nothing, or the girl who so obviously returns 
your love?"  Kodachi laughed again, but Kunou loftily ignored her.  "In 
either case, I think this match may be interesting.  I believe I shall 
attend."

Kunou blinked.  "Nay, my sister, I would advise against such a
foolhardy course. For, with the presence of such a multitude of vile and 
dishonorable sorcerers, thy safety may be imperiled.  Who knows to what 
lengths they may sink to gain an advantage over me?"

Kodachi smiled wickedly.  "I can take care of myself, my dear brother. 
Besides," she added with yet another laugh, "with you around what need 
have I to fear?"

"Nothing of course, yet still..."

"As I thought.  Then I shall be there tomorrow to lend my support
to your glorious victory.  OHOHOHOHOHOHO!"  With that last, nerve-
jangling laugh, Kodachi strode out of his training area.  Kunou sighed.  
Indeed, had any hero of yore faced such trials and hardships as did he?

********

Panma finished the combination with a slashing snapkick.  The dummy, now 
headless and sporting holes in about two dozen vital areas, fell over 
with about as much sound as he expected the real Kunou to make, which 
was to say no discernible breathing, much less cries of pain.  After 
staring down at the battered training object for a moment, Panma smiled 
grimly and shot a savage kick between its legs, sending the
hapless dummy flipping into the wall.

"Don't you think you're going a bit overboard, bro?" came a voice.
Without hesitation, Panma turned and hurled a convienent barbell at his 
brother. Ranma smoothly flipped out of the way and landed in a defensive 
position.  "Oh, wanna go for three-two-eight-six, huh?"

"Forget it," Panma snorted.  "You fight me now and I won't be
holding back.  I don't want to hurt you."

"Sure," replied Ranma, starting forward and rolling his eyes.
"I've heard it all before..."

Panma held up a hand to cut off his brother; when he spoke again, his 
voice was quiet.  "I mean it.  It's pathetic, but I lost control a
couple of times earlier and a fight is NOT what I need now.  Just need
to calm myself with katas and practice."

As he stepped to the wall and retrieved another dummy-the Tendo's
were going to need to buy some more after this week-Ranma sighed and sat 
down crosslegged.  "Aren't you even a bit over that yet?  I mean, yeah, 
sure it sucks that Kunou's such an idiot, but I mean, if you think about 
it, it's kinda funny..."

"Funny?  FUNNY!?" Panma whirled, eyes blazing.  "You wouldn't think it 
was so damn 'funny' if it was happening to you, brother!  You can't 
possibly imagine, possibly understand, how...how SICKENING it is to have 
that...-freak- looking at me, giving me roses, saying..."

"Roses, yet?" said Ranma, grinning.  "He really has it bad."  Growling, 
Panma hurled another barbell, which Ranma deftly dodged. "Hey, maybe you 
can get a honeymoon in China and give him a BIG
surprise."

Panma stared at him for a second, than started laughing despite himself.  
Ranma laughed too, and silently breathed a sigh of relief...for a 
moment, he thought Panma was going to go for his throat.  His brother 
just took things too seriously at times, always wanting to have things 
so, and so, just like he planned.  Throw him for a loop, and he tried to 
beat everything back into shape, and usually got more and more irritated 
if it didn't work.

Ranma preferred a more easy, laid-back approach...if things didn't go as 
planned, he just tried to see what was good about the current
situation and go with the flow.  Except for the fiancee thing.  Ranma
winced.  NOTHING could possibly be good about getting engaged to some
psycho tomboy.

Panma shook his head with a final chuckle.  "I don't know why I let you 
get away with it.  If anybody else said that to me, I'd rip
their tongue out."

"Maybe 'cause I'm your brother?"

"Why should that entitle you to special treatment?"

"Hey, you've always treated me better than Pop!"

"I treat vermin better than father."

"That's probably because they smell nicer and eat less."

"Huh."  Panma grunted and turned back to his dummy.  Ranma hid a smile.  
That was more like the old Panma.  Now, maybe that Kunou guy would get 
through the fight more or less intact.  Not that he'd likely ever thank 
Ranma for it, but hey, somebody had to keep his little
brother from crippling his schoolmates.

********

Nabiki casually walked towards the gymnasium.  Although she looked
to all the world as if she was merely taking a casual stroll, in reality 
her sharp eyes flicked back and forth, scanning the area.  She smiled.  
Neither Ranma nor Panma was to be seen.

>From under a nearby tree, a red-haired girl quickly stood up and
made her way over, carrying a long, paper-wrapped bundle.  "It arrived," 
she said in a low voice.

"So I see.  Nobody noticed it?"

The girl shook her head.  "No, they were late for school today."
Nabiki nodded, smiling again.  Probably the sudden rainshower this
morning.  Even the weather was helping her out.

"He's in there?"

"Yeah, training against the club.  By the sounds of things, tho,
he'll probably be done soon."

Nabiki took the package from the girl.  "Good work.  I'll see you
later."  The girl nodded her head and quickly ran off.  Nabiki held the 
bundle and waited patiently...as her classmate had predicted, it was not 
long before Kunou walked out of the gymnasium, bokken over his shoulder 
and a sneer of triumph on his face.  From behind him, various groans of 
pain indicated that the Kendo club had obviously gotten the worst of 
their training session.  "Phase four," she whispered softly, and then 
moved towards him, holding the package.  "Kunou-sempai!"

He looked over as he sensed her presence.  "Eh?  Nabiki Tendo?  What 
wouldst thou wish of me?"

"Well, sempai, I heard about the fight this afternoon.  Of course
you'll win..."

Kunou nodded.  "Naturally.  Ah, so you have come to lend your support. 
Most commendable.  Let no fear intrude itself upon your maiden's heart, 
for know that the fair Akane shall soon be freed from the vile clutches 
of Ranma, who shall no doubt cower in fear once Panma has fallen before 
my might."

Nabiki stifled a snicker, barely holding the 'frightened supplicant' 
facade up.  Akane'd soon be free of Ranma's 'vile clutches' all right, 
but for a very different reason than Kunou suspected.  Looking up at 
him, she forced a small, brave smile onto her face, then immediately 
looked serious.  Time to go to work. "Ah, but I heard of your horrible 
accident the other day..."

To be continued...




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