Where In Japan Is Saotome Ranma?
Chapter 1 - A New Day
Life of Chaos - Furinkan Part 1
Most of the characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Communication,
and some other companies. Used without permission. I'll return them as
soon as I finish my other series, and... well... that might take a
while. I lent Ryoga's mom a copy of story plots and well... she's a
Hibiki... it'll take some time before I see her again and find out what
she did with them.
I suggest reading Life of Chaos - Prologue: An Insane Day before reading
this part. I have referenced the important information, but it would
make more sense if you have read the prologue.
---------------------
He woke up to find something large and warm nestled close to him. That
was unusual, but it had happened before. This time was unique, however,
since the warm body wasn't covered in fur or clothes, but was mostly
bare skin. He wasn't wearing any clothes either. He opened his eyes and
saw a girl nestled against his chest. "Wah?!" He jerked away from her
and fell off the bed.
The girl yawned, sat up, and stretched. "Good morning, Ryoga."
Ryoga couldn't stop blinking. She sat before him completely naked and
unashamed. He could see everything and he wasn't fainting or bleeding
out of the nose. He could remember some of last night, but nothing
beyond the thought of, 'Why am I holding her shirt.' A lot happened
after that, but he couldn't remember THINKING at any time between then
and falling asleep. It had been like he was on autopilot but with her
leading every step of the way.
"Something wrong?"
"No, n-nothing wrong." Ryoga couldn't think of why it would be wrong if
she wasn't upset.
"Then why did you fall out of bed?"
"I rolled over and fell?"
"Oh." She then looked at the clocked. "Manure! We forgot to set the
alarm. We're late!"
"Akari-chan, wait!" Ryoga called out as she grabbed his arm.
Akari pouted at her lover. "What is it?"
"I... ah... well... forget it."
"You want to say something, anata. You can tell me. Is it about last
night?"
"Well, yes. I just don't know what to say. That was so sudden.... Give
me some time to sort my thoughts so I can say what I want. Okay?"
Akari nodded nervously. <Did I move things forward too fast? I hope
not.>
---------------------
Nabiki watched Ranma and Akane prepare for school. They were still
nervous. Something was definitely up, and she would find out eventually.
She always did, and made a profit selling what she discovered.
Nabiki couldn't help but notice Kasumi and Nodoka were uneasy. She
suspected Kasumi was in on what was going on between Ranma and Akane,
but apparently so was Nodoka. The more people who knew, the easier it
was for someone to slip and reveal this new secret.
Sighing, Nabiki stood up and left for school. As much as she wanted to
know what this secret was, she didn't know its worth or how much time
would be involved in finding out. Better to go to school early and make
some money through the proven routes now, and come up with plans to get
that information out of Ranma and Akane at school or Kasumi and Nodoka
after her classes ended.
---------------------
Shampoo glared angrily. This simply wasn't working. Every attempt was
coming up fruitless. There had to be a way to do this. She threw her
hairbrush in disgust. She just couldn't get her hair to look as full as
she wanted. Konatsu was going to die slowly for cutting her hair.
Shampoo eyed the ribbon a girl from Furinkan had given her. She picked
it up and tied her hair into a pony-tail. She tested the look by
throwing her hair around a little. The look was almost right. Shampoo
then grabbed another ribbon and tied it at the bottom. She shook her
head, and smiled slightly at the way her hair moved like a tail.
Shampoo preferred her hair to be long, but a pony-tail was kind of nice.
It made her look a little older and had it's own cat-like qualities. She
wished her beloved Ranma had never had the Nekoken training, cats were
great and noble animals. She hoped Ranma would overcome his fear of them
so that they could be together.
---------------------
Tsubasa wasn't nervous about returning to school; he was scared
shitless. However, when his mother was pissed, she looked like the grim
reaper. If he skipped again, he would wish he were dead. At least she
was happy that he was wearing a boy's uniform now.
"Kurenai-san." Chibi-Ms. Hinako pouted at her student. "Do you have any
excuse for missing the afternoon classes?"
Tsubasa looked at his teacher with wide eyes and pale complexion. When
he shook his head, it was barely noticeable.
"You've been a very bad delinquent. Happo Go En Shatsu!" Ms. Hinako
casually readjusted her clothes. "Wataru, see that he makes it to
class."
Ayashi scowled. "Rumiko, this is all your fault."
Rumiko shrugged. "If you didn't want to be class-rep, you should have
declined."
"What's today's bet?" Daisuke asked.
"Who will fall into the swimming pool, and how many times, before four
o'clock this afternoon. Jumping in intentionally doesn't count, of
course," Nabiki answered. "There is a new ongoing bet as well. Who will
have sex first: Ranma, Ryoga or Mousse."
"What's the odds on Mousse's challenge?" Hiroshi inquired.
"Ranma 5 gets you 7, Ryoga 5 gets 10, Mousse 5 gets 50."
"I'll put 100 yen on Ryoga." Hiroshi placed his bet.
"Why Lost Boy?" Daisuke asked.
"Better winnings and you know he's living with Akari alone."
"Point." Daisuke turned to Nabiki. "I'll go for 200 yen on Ryoga and I
want a bet slip for the pool."
Hiroshi sighed. "Why don't you just give her all your money and save
yourself the hassle. You might try saving some of that money."
"But think of all the money I could win."
---------------------
Ryoga sighed again as he rode on Katsunishiki's back. He still couldn't
figure out why he had done what he had done last night. He wished he had
fainted or that his nose had gushed blood, but that wasn't the case. He
had been more excited than he had ever felt before and lost all
conscious thought instead. He had just followed his instincts and
Akari's lead. Now they weren't virgins.
There was no point dwelling on what they had done. Ryoga wondered what
they were going to do now. He knew Akari had always considered him her
fiance, but he had only thought of her as his girlfriend. But last night
changed things, Akari should at least be his fiancee, if not wife. Ryoga
shuddered. It was too soon to think of that.
Akari sat in front of her lover as they rode her pet sumo-pig to school.
She didn't like the way Ryoga kept sighing, or the shudder. Everything
last night had been perfect, but now he was all depressed. Why would
making love last night depress him? "Ryoga?"
"Yes, Akari-chan."
"Do you regret last night?"
"N-no. Not at all. W-why?" Ryoga stammered nervously.
"It just that you're so depressed. I thought you would be happy."
"I am happy, but I'm also scared."
"Scared?" Akari turned toward Ryoga.
"Well, yeah. Last night changes things. We aren't just dating now, we're
l-lovers and you're my fiancee. I don't know how to deal with that. I
don't know how to be a husband."
Akari's features softened. "Is that what's troubling you?"
Ryoga nodded.
Akari faced forward and snuggled against Ryoga. "I guess I understand.
I've been afraid you didn't love me, that you didn't want me. Now
there's no denying how you feel."
"Yep, no denying it," Ryoga nervously chirped. <I do love her, don't I.
Maybe that's why I had sex with her.>
Ryoga sighed. He couldn't let anyone know about this, since that would
ruin her honor. After what they had shared, he couldn't do that to her.
Nothing could make him, even if it did cost him the challenge.
<The _challenge_?!> Ryoga paled. <Shit! If Akari finds out about that,
she'd be devastated. She would think I only had sex with her to win.>
Akari running away from him with tears in her eyes flashed through his
mind. <No! She can never know about the challenge. What we shared was
beautiful. I should've never accepted the challenge. But, I couldn't
back out with Ranma competing. It's all Ranma's fault. If I lose Akari
because of this, I'll kill him.>
Ryoga looked down at his lover. <How can I make sure she never....> His
thoughts were interrupted as Katsunishiki suddenly stopped at Furinkan's
main gate.
"Unryu-san, I challenge you for Charlotte!" Azusa announced.
"Why should I accept? Ryoga is mine." Akari squeezed Ryoga's hand
affectionately.
"He is not!" Azusa yelled cutely. "Charlotte belong to Azusa, and I
won't let a violent maniac like you take him from me!"
Akari glared at the buriko girl. "Ryoga was never yours to begin with."
"I don't care! I want my Charlotte!"
"Your 'Charlotte' isn't a virgin." Akari pressed her hand to her chest.
"He's my lover."
Ryoga fell off the sumo-pig.
A fair number of students joined Ryoga on the ground in massive
face-faults.
Once Azusa picked her jaw off the ground, she shouted, "That's a lie!
Charlotte would never do that!"
Ryoga looked up at Akari. "Why did you tell that to the whole school?"
Akari giggled a little nervously. "Got carried away. Besides, I don't
want her or anyone else getting any ideas about you."
Azusa growled like a bear cub and charged.
Akari noticed her coming and that she was wearing roller blades. Unryu
signaled Katsunishiki to get ready.
Azusa launched into a kick and heard Akari call out, "Rush!" Before
gaining much height, the pig rammed into the skater. She bounced and
flopped down the sidewalk before crashing into the door.
Azusa dizzily looked up. "Oh, look at all the cute little piggies." She
slumped to the ground.
Hiro flicked up Azusa's skirt to see what color panties she had on
today. He frowned when he saw that she was wearing shorts under her
dress.
"Mariko-san," Kodachi said simply.
"My pleasure," Mariko replied. She then enlightened Hiro on why not to
be a pervert, through very painful means. Particularly since she was a
bit upset that she hadn't gotten to place her bet.
Mariko had noticed Akari's change in address for Ryoga. From using
'sama' to none at all, showed a drastic change in relationship. Akari
now considered Ryoga to be very familiar to her, like family. If Mariko
started calling Kuno-sama, Tatewaki, there would be little doubt to her
that her virginity had ended. Unfortunately, Nabiki hadn't missed that
either and stopped taking bets then.
"All right, ladies and gentlemen," Nabiki called out. "I will honor all
bets when I can confirm that Ryoga is indeed the victor. Mousse...." She
looked at the male Jokensuko warrior who seemed to be cursing in
Mandarin. "...obviously hasn't won. There is a chance Ranma beat Ryoga
when he disappeared with Akane for a couple hours. Besides, I haven't
verified that Ryoga has had sex with Akari. Once I am certain of the
winner of that challenge, all bets will be paid."
Mousse's features lightened immensely when her heard what Nabiki said.
Maybe Ranma had won. But even if he hadn't, spending a few hours alone
with Akane would help to gain the same end, Shampoo no longer bound to
marry Ranma. Once, Ranma has made his intentions clear, preferably after
sleeping with Akane, Shampoo wouldn't have to marry him. True, she would
be dishonored, but there was no way she could avoid that- at least in a
way to Mousse's liking. And with the end of Shampoo's 'marriage' to
Saotome, she would be free to pursue a relationship with him.
Nabiki eyed Mousse critically. Figuring the entire challenge was not an
attempt for the duck to prove he was better but to get Ranma to sleep
with Akane. He probably didn't care if it was any girl except Shampoo.
<Clever,> Nabiki mused. <So the waterfowl does have a brain. Scary thing
is I don't know yet if it worked. Ranma and Akane were awfully nervous
and doing the deed would explain it, as well as Kasumi's unusual
behavior if she knew about it. Don't know why Auntie Nodoka would be
worried, she would be happy.> Nabiki thought for a second. <It wouldn't
be because she's afraid Akane will get pregnant. Akane shouldn't have
been fertile yesterday and Auntie probably would be delighted to be a
grandmother.> Nabiki shrugged. <It's a working theory, might as well try
it and see what I find.>
Shampoo glared angrily. The placement wasn't right. A little to the
left, a bit closer. There! The Jokensuko warrior launched herself from
the tree, sword in hand.
Ukyou's eyes widen in shock as Shampoo flew out of the tree sword raised
to kill.
Konatsu pulled something out of his school shirt and threw it over his
shoulder.
Shampoo couldn't dodge in time. Her target had been talking to the
stupid spatula girl and shouldn't have been able to detect her presence,
but somehow he had. The thrown object struck her in the face and
exploded. Being a water balloon, the warrior turned student was now a
cat. The sword landed a foot shy of Shampoo's prey.
Konatsu calmly turned around and pulled the cat out of the wet clothes.
"Please, Shampoo-san, I do not wish to fight you. I will gladly talk
about any compensation you would like, but I'm afraid I'm not willing to
pay with my life or do anything that would injure those I care about."
The cat clawed Konatsu's wrist and was promptly dropped.
Konatsu held his bleeding injury. "I beg you reconsider." He then joined
Ukyou and they walked into the school.
"Konatsu-chan, why don't you just defeat her," Ukyou suggested. "It
would stop her from trying to kill you."
"But I have no intentions of marrying her."
"Neither does Ranchan, and he'll eventually find a way out. And when he
does, you can use it too. Besides, what would you rather have: Shampoo
trying to kill you or sleep with you?"
<Is that a trick question?> Konatsu wondered. He certainly didn't want
to wake up to Shampoo, he wanted to see Ukyou's face every morning. If
he defeated Shampoo, wouldn't her attempts to marry him hurt his chance
to be with his beloved Ukyou-sama?
"I, Kuno Tatewaki, the Raising Dawn of Furinkan High, once again impart
the worthy challenge to you. Whoever defeats the glorious and fierce
Tendo Akane or the maidenly wild flower that is the pig-tailed girl,
shall win a date with the one you defeated!"
"I'd rather take out the Chinese babe with the pony-tail. I'd get more
than a date from her!" a freshmen replied loudly.
"He's nuts. That Tendo girl kicks like a mule, and that 'pig-tailed
girl' is supposed to be better than she is."
"Yeah, I'd rather be in class than the infirmary."
The various male freshmen dispersed.
Sayuri blinked. "I think we should consider dipping into the freshman
class for dates."
Yuka nodded. "They actually have intelligence."
"Hey!" Hiroshi and Daisuke shouted at the girls.
Kuno was undaunted by the lack of support for his cause. He had gotten
used to that last year after his fellow comrades had fallen to the lies
that Ranma and Akane were to be wed. He stood steadfast to his position
at the front gate, waiting for when he would once again fight for his
loves. He ignored his sister, Mariko and all other distractions.
The final bell rang to begin class and Kuno still stood his ground.
A block of the sidewalk lifted a few feet in front of Kuno. "Oh, Keiki.
You should be in class, not out here loiterin'. Da big Kahuna no can
allow that, especially from one a his own."
Kuno maintained his focus to the point that he didn't recognize his
father existence. He stood resolute, waiting for his rival and his
loves. Nothing else mattered to him.
The principal glared at his son and tossed a few pineapple bombs towards
his son's feet. They exploded, Tatewaki was launched into the sky and he
crash-landed into his classroom.
Ms. Hinako considered draining Kuno, but decided Principal Kuno's
punishment was enough. She then frowned looking at the class. "Does
anyone know where Ranma or Akane are?"
The class shook their heads, giving the general consensus that no one
had seen them.
---------------------
The morning classes surprisingly passed with little incident.
Tsubasa was too scared to even look at Ukyou in fear of what Konatsu
might do to him.
Konatsu wondered where his friends were, but wasn't too concerned. He
kept an eye on Tsubasa to make sure he behaved himself.
Ukyou wasn't aware anybody existed in class. She couldn't take her eyes
off the vacant chairs that were supposed to be filled.
Shampoo stared at the seat in front of her. Her beloved airen was
supposed to be sitting there, but he wasn't. Worse she couldn't leave to
go find him. Cologne had warned Shampoo to stay out of trouble, because
if she were expelled she would have to go back to China. Furinkan seemed
to prefer odd punishments, but she didn't want to risk being forced away
from Ranma.
Mariko tried to flirt with Kuno, but was ignored even after he had
awakened.
Kuno meditated on the absence of his loves and his rival. He came to
many possible conclusions, but none that he could truly act on without
raising Ms. Hinako's ire.
Mikado spent most of his time glaring at Kodachi, and she often glanced
at him like he was a lowly insect. Sanzenin was thankful that his
make-up covered up the various ink marks that he had received from
Kodachi, Azusa, Hiroshi and Daisuke.
Ryoga agonized on how to keep the challenge that Mousse had made a
secret from Akari.
Akari wished Ryoga wasn't so depressed. Did he have to worry about every
thing? Why couldn't he just be happy that they shared their love? She
really wanted to know, so she could make him happy.
Azusa pouted. Her beloved Charlotte had... gotten dirty. He wasn't as
cute. He had slept with a pig farmer. A statement like that should be an
insult, not the literal truth. What was she to do now? Well, there was
that cute boy sitting in the back row. Maybe he would be interested in a
nice cute girl.
The rest of the class, more or less, behaved themselves and kept their
mind on what the teacher said. Well, as much as any normal student,
which wasn't really saying much.
Lunch arrived and most of Class 2-D swarmed Nabiki, eager for
information on Akane and Ranma. They didn't like what they got, nothing.
Nabiki had known that both Ranma and Akane hadn't shown up at school
yet. She couldn't figure it out. They had gotten ready for school and
should have arrived with plenty of time to beat up Kuno. Attempts to
call home had gotten her nothing, just her father saying Kasumi and
Nodoka were out- probably shopping. Nabiki suspected that was false, but
she couldn't figure out where they were except that Ranma and Akane were
probably with them. The middle Tendo promised herself that she would
find out what was going on as soon as she got home.
Ukyou sagged after finding out that Nabiki didn't have any information.
She then went over to a tree and slumped under it. She picked at her
lunch. She had wanted to eat with Ranma, but he was missing with Akane.
Probably some bit of insanity struck after Nabiki left and she'd just
get the story from Akane later. It was nothing to worry about, they'd be
back soon enough.
---------------------
School ended and half of Class 2-D migrated toward the Tendo home. A
stunned Nabiki and a nervous Kasumi greeted them at the gate.
The students began to ask various questions about Ranma and Akane.
Kasumi cleared her voice, and the students went quiet. "My, so many of
you want to know what happened to Ranma and Akane. Well, this morning
they eloped. They'll be wandering around Japan for at least the next
couple months as a honeymoon. Isn't that nice?"
>From space a mighty and chorused shout of "WHAT?!?" echoed despite the
vacuum.
---------------------
Author's Notes:
Toward the beginning of his second year at Furinkan, in his fight with
Ranma, Kuno gave his name as the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High. Which
was a new 'nickname,' considering Nabiki didn't even hear of it. (A
nickname is supposed to be made up by the student's classmates.) He has
used it only a few times since. It is now a new year, and it is possible
that he would take a new name, thus Raising Dawn.