Ranma 1/2 A Saiyan tail.
part 4
Kuno's declaration of love.
Ranma glanced at Akane nervously, she looked angry again. He
wasn't sure if he did something to her or not at the moment. "Maybe it
was Nabiki?" he wondered to himself. She brushed her hair off her
forehead and glared at the front of the room. "I guess she's cute and
all, but I still don't see what the big deal is."
"You know, you looked smaller on TV," said one of the boys
sitting behind Ranma.
"Huh?" gasped the boy looking startled as he turned his attention
towards them.
"On TV, you know, when you fought in the Tenka ichi budokai?"
"Oh, I grew up allot since then," muttered Ranma as he looked to
see most of the boys had gathered around him.
"But it was just last year," said one of the other guys.
"Pop says the same thing happened to him, he shot up like a weed
when he turned eighteen," said Ranma looking thoughtful. "Maybe it's one
of those genetic things the Biology teacher was talking about?"
"I don't buy it, that kid looked to be about ten years old when I
saw it, no way it could have been you," muttered one of the boys in the
front.
"You don't believe me? I have a picture of me with my mom and pop
after I won," said Ranma as he reached over and lifted his bag. He
rummaged around for a moment and came out with a small photo of him in
his orange tunic with the turtle sign embroidered on it. He was being
held on his father's shoulder and his mother was standing next to them
with a tight smile. She looked happy, but very reserved and formal.
"Wow! That's your mom? She's a babe!" said one of the nearer
boys.
"Uh, thanks?" muttered Ranma unsure of what to say. "I never
really thought about it, but I guess she is pretty."
"It really was him? I thought he was just jerking Kuno's chain!"
exclaimed another of the boys.
Ranma lost interest and looked at his fiancee again. She was
still fuming over something, "If I think about it long enough I'm sure
I�ll figure it out."
"What is he staring at?" growled Akane as she stared ahead as
hard as she could.
"I wish he'd look at me like that," sighed one of the girls next
to her.
"Yuka!" exclaimed the other girl sitting with Akane.
"Sorry Akane, but it's true. He's a real catch. Good looks, great
body, he's sweet, modest, and he's rich," said Yuka with a giggle.
"He's not rich, he's freeloading off my family!" growled Akane.
"Akane don't be stupid, he's the champion of that stupid
tournament my brother watches every couple of years. The cash prize for
that is enormous! He's got to be loaded!" said the other girl.
"That doesn't make him any less of a jerk Sayuri," replied Akane
curtly. It was strange that her father had not said anything about them
not paying rent or even griped about a bill since they arrived. There
would be no real reason to tell her if they were paying to stay. She
quickly pushed the thought out of her head and glared at her giggling
friends.
"What do you mean? Are we talking about the same Ranma? He's so
sweet it's impossible for him to be a jerk! I wish anyone would look at
me the way he's looking at you now!" said Sayuri almost angrily.
"What is he looking at anyway?" muttered Akane as she spared
another angry glance back at him.
"Geez Akane, if you have to ask..." said Yuka looking jealous.
"What the hell were you looking at all day?!" growled Akane as
they walked home.
"Huh? Nothing, I was just wondering what I did to make you mad at
me again," said Ranma as he walked along the fence mimicking Akane again.
"I was angry because you were staring at me!!!" yelled Akane.
"Oh, that's kind of funny then isn't it?" said Ranma with a
pleasant chuckle. "I'm sure glad I didn't do something dumb again."
Akane stopped and looked at him in shock, he always apologized
and listened to her when she blamed him for something. She did it all the
time since his arrival a few weeks ago, but she didn't realize just how
serious he had taken it. Not until right at that moment.
"Hey Akane, are you OK?" said Ranma as he noticed her sudden
stop.
"It...wasn't your fault. You were just worried about me," she
said with a small smile.
"What wasn't my fault?" said Ranma questioningly.
"Dummy, when I was angry earlier. It wasn't your fault," said
Akane a little impatiently.
"Oh, OK," replied Ranma as he continued to walk.
"R..Ranma? Why do you want to marry me?" asked Akane suddenly
after they went on for a moment.
"Huh? I donno, I just do I guess," said Ranma after a moments
thought.
"I mean, are you doing this just because of the agreement?" asked
Akane.
"Well, yea. I wouldn't even know you if it wasn't for that;
right?" replied Ranma without a moments thought.
"So it's not like your in love with me or anything right?" said
Akane with a small blush forming.
"Love?" said Ranma as he stopped and squat on the fence. "Well, I
like you. You've been real nice to me since the other day, and your
family feeds me pretty good. Pop says I have to learn to love people,
that it doesn't just happen."
Akane looked at Ranma oddly. "What?"
"That's what he told me in China," said Ranma with a large grin.
"Why would he tell you that?" asked Akane with a small glare.
"Because of Sh--" started Ranma but he was interrupted by a
bokuten slash. Kuno had rushed up behind the pair while they were
talking.
"Ranma Saotome, I would have a word with you," said the Kendoist.
"Sure," said Ranma as he floated down between Kuno and Akane in a
defensive stance.
A few yards away mere moments later Kuno stood next to Ranma and
glared at him. "I need you to deliver this important information to your
sister," said the boy looking embarrassed.
"Sister?" said Ranma dumbly.
"Yes, the fiery haired goddess, the one who floats in my tortured
dreams! I must have this delivered to her," said Kuno dramatically.
"But I don't..." stammered Ranma in confusion. Nabiki appeared
behind him suddenly and covered Ranma's mouth.
"She's staying with my family Kuno, you could have given it to
me."
"And have the vast fortune of the Kuno family lost forever on the
cost of a delivery? I think not," snorted the boy arrogantly.
"Just for that, I'll only charge you double for your prints
tomorrow," said Nabiki with a sly grin.
"As you wish, but my heart felt scrawl must still be delivered
this very day," said Kuno as he handed Nabiki the envelope with a small
roll of bills. His eye brows were twitching slightly as he said it.
"I'll make sure she gets it," said Nabiki happily.
"But Nabiki, I don't have a sister," said Ranma in confusion as
he entered the home with Akane and her sibling.
"He means your other half, your cursed side. He doesn't realize
that your the same person," said Nabiki curtly as she handed him the
letter. "And I won't even charge you for holding it."
Ranma looked at it for a moment and did nothing. Akane finally
got tired of waiting and snatched it away.
"This is a formal letter of challenge to your girl side Ranma!"
she exclaimed as she read it.
"Great, so I should go as a girl right?" muttered Ranma. "I don't
want to beat up that dope again! It isn't even any fun!"
Ranma stood in his female form in the middle of a field. She
sighed as she waited for Kuno to arrive. "Man, not this again! I had
enough trouble last time this happened." she muttered as she looked at
the sun as it began to disappear below the horizon.
Kuno appeared dramatically in the ball of light as it descended.
Ranma frowned as he walked up slowly with his head bent down and his arms
crossed behind his back. He wasn't carrying his Bokuten with him.
"All right Kuno, lets get this over with," muttered Ranma as the
boy finally stopped in front of him.
"Yes, this day is too long in coming," said Kuno as he tossed
Ranma a bouquet of roses.
"Huh?"
"Pigtailed girl, I love you," said Kuno as he turned and walked
off. Ranma just looked at him oddly.
"You mean I came all this way, and we're not even gonna fight?!"
Ranma sat at the table with Akane and Nabiki sitting around him.
Nabiki slammed her fist on the table. "What do you mean there was no
fight?! I've got allot riding on this information!"
"The stupid jerk just gave me some flowers and told me he loved
me. I didn't even get to throw a punch!" cried Ranma a little bitterly.
It was obvious he was disappointed.
"He...what?" said Nabiki as she calmed suddenly.
Akane just stared in disbelief. "This is great!" she thought to
herself.
"That jerk! I was looking forward to pounding him again. I've
never seen anyone but pop recover that fast, he could be a good sparing
partner if I get him trained a little," grumbled Ranma angrily.
"Maybe you still can," snorted Nabiki with a small smile, Ranma
didn't seem to notice.
"Akane? I was wondering if you could drop off some books I
borrowed from Dr.Tofu this morning for me?" said Kasumi at the breakfast
table.
"I don't think I can today Kasumi," muttered Akane as she turned
away from her sister with an odd look on her face.
"Why not Akane? We could stop by on the way to school," said
Ranma dumbly.
Akane snagged his arm and drug him out the door in a mad sprint.
"Come on we're gonna be late!" she growled.
"What's the hurry?" muttered Ranma as she regained her feet and
began to jog beside Akane without any trouble at all.
"Look just stay out of this!" growled Akane as she turned her
head away from him.
"Great now what did I do?" muttered Ranma as they passed the old
lady who promptly splashed Ranma right in his face. "Hey wait!" he
muttered as he lost his balance and was drug along my Akane again.
Inside the gates of Furinkan the usual crowd stood waiting. Akane
barged through the gates and pushed Ranma against the wall surrounding
the court yard. "You don't need to go blabbing your big mouth!" she
growled angrily.
"What are you talking about Akane?" said Ranma in confusion.
"I mean about me and Dr....when did?!" said Akane as she finally
noticed Ranma's condition. She opened the pigtailed girls shirt just to
be sure.
"I told you to wait, we could have stopped by that Dr.Tofu's on
the way and got some hot water," muttered Ranma a little bitterly.
Akane realized that the school was staring from behind her and
quickly stood between them and Ranma.
"All right I'm ready!" she cried angrily as she turned to face
them. She stopped when she realized that they were all crying.
"Akane Tendo, we have decided to swallow our pride and accept
your engagement to Ranma Saotome," said one of the boys near the front.
"Kuno was the greatest fighter at Furinkan high!" said one of the
other boys. "No way could we ever beat Ranma."
"Uh, yea," said Akane nervously.
"So, you have all heard this rumor...this falsehood that Ranma
Saotome has bested me in combat? I Tatewaki Kuno shall never accept
defeat!" growled the angry Kendoist as he walked up behind the crowd.
"Hey! I beat the crap out of you fair and square!" cried Ranma
angrily.
"Ranma!" said Akane in a warning tone.
"Oh yea, and so did my brother!" said Ranma unconvincingly.
"My love! How I have longed to see you!" cried Kuno as he rushed
to embrace the young girl. Ranma floated up out of his reach and turned
to face him. The school gasped collectively.
"She's Ranma's sister all right," muttered one several of the
students. "What a babe!" and "I wonder if she's dating anyone?" were also
common amongst the boys.
"What the hell are you doing?! I thought you liked Akane!" cried
Ranma as she glared at Kuno.
"I do," was the reply.
"Well, she's right there!" growled Ranma as he pointed at Akane.
The girl had her own idea's however. She put on her best
disappointed gaze and turned away. "Upperclassman Kuno, If you truly love
this girl...I won't stand between you," she gasped dramatically as she
started off.
"AHH! Such a noble act! Pigtailed girl, so full of healthy
beauty! Akane Tendo, so pure and demure! Both so dear to me, I cannot
bear to part with either!" cried Kuno as he looked back and forth between
the pair and pulled at his hair. "I would date with both of you!"
Akane punched Kuno and sent him to the ground hard. Ranma landed
and was crowded by a large number of boys. She glanced around in
confusion as she was bombarded with questions. "Huh? Wha?"
Nabiki quickly took control of the situation. "Gentlemen, please.
I have vital information and statistics for the lovely Miss Saotome right
here, for only ten thousand yen," she called with a megaphone over the
crowd.
�Why would they want information about my mom?� wondered Ranma
aloud.
Akane sat and stared at the spectacle in disbelief. Kuno stood
and shook the blow off. He turned and stormed next to Nabiki and snatched
the microphone away from her. She smiled and allowed it. "Allow me to
make this proclamation! If you wish to date the Pigtailed girl...You must
defeat her in combat! I, Tatewaki Kuno, will permit no other terms!" he
was belted by wads of paper and shoes from the crowd as they groaned
collectively. Nabiki shoved one of the information folders at Ranma and
winked at her.
Ranma floated above the mess and landed next to Akane just
outside the mob with the folder tucked under her arm. "What was that all
about?" she muttered in confusion as she walked towards the building.
Akane smiled and produced a tea kettle with the word 'Janitor' written
across the front of it.
"You'll find out tomorrow."
TBC...
About two or three more parts until the big confrontation with
Ryoga. Then I'll turn my attention towards Permanent for a few chapters
of that. After that I'll finish Spirit within 2, and then go to Spirit
within 3 for a while. The first part of the MGFlash re-write should be
appearing today. The first chapter is considerably longer this time.
Everything will be posted with the previous parts being re posted
with them. So don't worry if you haven't read these stories yet.
Next time, Ranma-chan; Wo dai Ailen?!
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