This revisions is an attempt to get Ranma a little more in line with
character.  However, please remember that this is set with a Ranma that is
4 years younger than normal, and as such hasn't developed as completely all
of his traits.  It probably won't be the last major revision of this part.
Another scene with Sensei Ogawa will be added, but at present isn't done.
In fact, I'm looking for suggestions on what the Sensei should say about
Ranma taking over teaching her class.  Part 4 should be ready soon.

So, here is the revision of part 3 of

A Little Earlier.

Part 3: Gymnastics. 

What has gone before:
	Part 1: Akane meets Ranma at age 12.  They spar.  Akane walks in on Ranma
	Part 2: Ryoga first appears.  Ranma shows off in Gym class.  Ranma is
challenged to teach the class gymnastics.  Ranma walks in on Akane.


	Akane stood bellow the uneven bars, spotting for her friend Yuki.  Today's
task on the uneven bar, was to switch between the bars.  Nothing fancy,
just switch back in forth between the bars.  Well, Akane had thought it was
simple.  Yuki missed again, and Akane caught her, breaking her fall.
	"You can do better, Yuki," Akane said, as Yuki climbed out of her arms.
	"Sorry, Akane," Yuki replied, returning to the side, so the next girl
could try.
	"Problem, Akane?" Ranma said, coming over from his station by the rings.
	"Yuki can't seem to grasp ever make the switch," Akane said.
	"Yuki, try again," Ranma asked, motioning his classmate to the bar.  Once
again, Yuki missed the bar.  "I see what's wrong.  Yuki, you need to grab
the moment you feel that bar.  If you wait, you'll just keep falling.  Try
again."  This time Yuki was successful.
	"Good job, Yuki!" Akane said, as Yuki finished.  Ranma had already moved
to the next problem.

	Sensei Ogawa relaxed in her office.  Every once in a while she'd look out
at her forth period class.  In the past week Ogawa had gradually retreated
as Ranma showed his talent at teaching.  She had expected the young boy to
quit and declare that he couldn't do anything with the class.  After all,
this class had some of the worse students she'd ever seen.  But when Ranma
had taken over, he was getting more out of them, somehow.  He still had
lots to learn though.
	Ranma said that he wanted to become the best martial artist of his
generation.  Ogawa was fine with that, but she had other objectives for the
young boy.  After all, what good is being the best martial artist if you
can't pass it along?  She knew Ranma's father from back when he was still
dating Nokoda.  How Gemna Saotome had managed to teach Ranma up to this
point was a mystery to Ogawa.  Gemna Saotome had to be the craziest teacher
she knew.  Well, aside from Mr. Kuno.

	Ranma was sparring with Akane in the Tendo Dojo.  Akane had lots of power,
but very little finesse behind it.  She tended to follow the forms a little
too closely.  Ranma was trying teach her a little more variety. 
	"Akane, if you try that combination one more time, I'm going to put you on
the floor," Ranma said.
	"Oh? Let's see you try," Akane replied, launching the combination.
	Ranma slid down, launching a kick at her feet.  Akane fell.  She rolled
out of it, knocking the hand that Ranma had used to balance himself for the
kick lose.  As a result, Ranma fell on her.  It was at this point that
Nabiki made her presence know, with a flash of her camera.  The picture she
took would later make it appear that Ranma was just about to kiss Akane.
Akane's gi had opened up as a result of her roll, and Ranma had chosen to
practice in just shorts.  They separated quickly.
	"I see martial arts isn't the only thing you two are practicing," Nabiki
said, as she leaned against the Dojo entrance.
	"We fell, Nabiki," Akane said.  "I hope you get a boyfriend soon.  You
need something to take up more of your time."
	"A boyfriend is a waste of money," Nabiki said, turning to leave. 
	"Great," Akane said in a dull tone.
	"What was that about?" Ranma asked as they resumed their sparring.
	"Nabiki likes to embarrass me," Akane said, beginning a new attack  "She
takes pictures of me then says she'll spread them around school."
	"You shouldn't let her do that," Ranma said, dodging, and returning the
attack, before Akane got a hit in.  "That was good.  You can get her to stop."
	"Not really," Akane said, building on her success with a flurry of
attacks.  "She's really sneaky.  I liked it better when she practiced the
art a couple years ago.  Then a sparring session could settle it."
	"Was she any good?" Ranma asked, turning the battle back in his favor.
	"We were about equal," Akane said.  "It wasn't Nabiki's favorite thing to
do, but she wanted to impress Dad."
	"Why doesn't she do it anymore?" Ranma said, suddenly on the defensive again.
	"Dad lost interest in teaching when Mom got sick," Akane said,
concentrating more on pressing her attack than what she was saying.  "I
don't think Dad noticed when she stopped practicing.  Nabiki took over the
money matters, so she still gets some attention from Dad, not that he does
much more than cry now."
	"Well, if she publishes the picture, let's invite her for a little
sparring session," Ranma said.  "Time to stop."
	"Agreed," Akane said.  "Who gets the bath first?"
	"Your turn," Ranma said.  "You're getting better."
	"Thanks, but I don't think I'm pushing you yet," Akane said, as they
walked to the bath.
	"Akane, I spent the last three years in intensive training," Ranma said.
"You shouldn't be doing as well as you are against me."
	"I have a good teacher," Akane said, entering the changing room.

	Ranma was doing a kata when Akane's voice called out, "Your turn, Ranma."
It had only been five minutes.  He quickly entered the changing room and
undressed.  He opened the door to discover Akane just getting into the furo.
	"I'm going to kill her," Akane said.  "This is what, the tenth time she's
done something like this."
	"Sorry," Ranma said, embarrassed.
	"Go ahead and shower, Ranma," Akane said.  "It's not like we haven't seen
everything thanks to Nabiki."
	"We really should do something about her," Ranma said.
	"What can we do?" Akane said, relaxing in the furo.
	"Well, we can make impossible for her to pull this trick on us again,"
Ranma said.  "Whose place do you want to study for the Math test?"
	"Yours," Akane said.

--
Stephen Ratliff

FAQ & Index Maintainer for Alt.StarTrek.Creative
http://www.runet.edu/~sratliff/FAQs
http://www.runet.edu/~sratliff/ascindex