Travels, Training and Trials
A Ranma 1/2 fanfic by June "KaraOhki" Geraci
karaohki@snet.net
January 9, 2000
Ranma 1/2 was created by Rumiko Takahashi, and its characters belong
to her. I'm merely borrowing them. The story below is for
entertainment purposes only, and may not be used commercially.
Note: [ ] indicates thoughts
earlier parts of this story are at www.karaohki.com
Chapter 4
After finishing their ice cream, Ranma and Akane spent the rest of the
day together. They walked all over town, talking. Ranma amused Akane
with tales of the places he and his father had visited, and she told
him what it was like to live in the same house her entire life. While
Ranma envied her for that, Akane found herself wishing she could have
visited some of the more exotic places Ranma had found himself in.
Eventually the school day ended and they returned to Furinkan High to
retrieve their bags. A couple of students were cleaning the classroom
when they entered it. They stared curiously at Ranma as he picked up
his bag, and he could hear them whispering as he left the classroom.
"He doesn't look like a girl to me."
"When did you believe anything Kuno had to say?"
Ranma waited to speak until he and Akane were back out in the hallway.
"You heard?"
"Yes."
"They're going to think I'm some sort of freak."
Akane instinctively reached for Ranma's hand. "I don't." Then she
realized that she was willingly touching a boy. She fought the desire
to pull her hand away, realizing that Ranma might think she was
rejecting him. Ranma was just standing there looking at her, and she
couldn't help wondering what he was thinking.
*****
[If she doesn't stop touching me I'm going to have to kiss her. She's
just too damn cute! Besides, if I kissed her she'd probably freak
out.]
Ranma reined in his impulses and settled for squeezing Akane's hand
and thanking her before he let it go.
They set off down the hallway. As they passed the rest room the
sounds of scrubbing and complaining were coming through the doorway.
Ranma stopped to listen.
"Is that Kuno?"
"Yes, and he doesn't sound happy."
"He's not, Akane."
They turned around. Akane's friend Yuka was standing in the hallway,
a broom in her hands.
"Ranma, this is my friend Yuka."
Yuka looked at Ranma, then walked around him.
"Why are you doing that?"
"Kuno says you're a monster that turns into a girl. Is that true?"
"He's not a monster, Yuka!"
Akane's sudden leap to Ranma's defense surprised and pleased him. He
gave her a grateful look before answering Yuka.
"I'm not a monster, but I do turn into a girl. I fell into a magical
spring in China, and got cursed."
"That's...weird." Yuka giggled, and stopped very fast when she saw
Akane's annoyed expression. "But I guess if Akane likes you anyway, I
can give you a chance." She looked at the broom, and back at Ranma.
"If I don't get the hallway swept I'll never get home! See you guys
tomorrow."
*****
After the madness the day had brought Akane looked forward to getting
to the sanctuary of her home. However, this time she didn't get to
enjoy the peace and quiet she was accustomed to finding.
The moment Akane walked in the door her father ran up to her and
embraced her, babbling incoherently. The only words she managed to
understand were "happy" and "wedding".
Ranma's father grabbed him and slapped him on the back. "Very good,
boy! I knew it wouldn't take you a month to decide."
"Decide? What makes you think--"
Nabiki interrupted.
"I saw you this morning. You defeated Akane in the schoolyard. So
that makes you her boyfriend, right?"
"I--ahhh--"
Before Ranma could regain his ability to speak, Kasumi added her bit
of ammunition.
"And I saw you this afternoon in the ice cream shop, holding hands
with my sister."
Ranma realized he'd dug himself into an extremely deep hole. There
was a possible way out of it, if he chose his words carefully, and if
Akane would take his cues.
"Nabiki, you think I challenged Akane to be her boyfriend?"
"Well, yes! What other reason would you have for it?"
"Akane told me this has been going on for months. Don't you think she
might be getting a little bit tired of it?"
"Well...I..."
Before Nabiki could gather her thoughts, Ranma turned on Soun.
"And you! Did you know this was going on? How could you LET your
daughter be harrassed like that?"
Ranma kept his satisfaction well-hidden as Soun stared at him. It
looked like Mr. Tendo was having a hard time accepting the fact that
Ranma had just attacked him.
"Ranma, watch the way you speak to me! That was good training for
her! It's very important to be able to fight off multiple opponents."
"Forget I said anything." Before Ranma could move on to Kasumi, Akane
did it for him.
"What exactly were you doing walking by the ice cream shop anyway,
Kasumi? You should have been on campus. Were you cutting class to
see Tofu again?"
Kasumi turned red. "Well...I...Excuse me! I have to start dinner.
Tofu is coming!" Kasumi jumped to her feet and ran into the kitchen.
Ranma pointed after her. "No way would I want to marry a girl who
would sell out her sister that way." Then he pointed at Nabiki. "And
that goes for her too!"
Genma folded his arms and smiled. "Then it seems you have chosen
Akane, after all."
"Why, Pop? You think I'd want to be married to a loud-mouthed,
hot-tempered tomboy?"
Akane stared at Ranma and began to seethe. How dare he insult her
like that! Then he glanced at her, and she caught something.
It was a wink. The same wink he'd given her that morning when he was
complaining about school. Part of their morning conversation came
back to her. Ranma acted one way around her, and another around his
father. If she couldn't find a way to cooperate with him they were
going to be married very quickly.
"No more than I'd want to be married to a perverted freak!"
Ranma got close enough to Akane to shout in her face, and in the split
second that he blocked Akane from the view of everyone else she winked
back at him.
"I've got a curse! I'm no pervert!"
"I wish you'd NEVER fought me this morning! Now everyone at school is
going to think I'm engaged to a monster!"
Akane drew back her hand and slapped Ranma, trying to hide the fact
that she was not hitting him full force. Ranma snapped his head back
as if she had and glared at her out of narrowed eyes.
"Stupid tomboy!"
He stomped outside and disappeared. Akane stood there with her fists
clenched for a few seconds after which she grabbed her school bag and
ran upstairs.
Genma and Soun looked at each other in despair.
"This is not working well, Saotome."
"No, it isn't."
Genma sat thinking for a few minutes, and then smiled. "I've GOT it!"
*****
Dinner that evening was less than comfortable for anyone. Kasumi and
Nabiki wouldn't look at or speak to Ranma. Tofu wondered whether or
not it had been a good idea to accept the invitation. Ranma and Akane
spent most of the meal glaring at each other. The only ones at the
table who smiled at all were Soun and Genma, and everyone else was too
busy being angry (or pretending to be) that they missed it altogether.
After they finished eating Kasumi got up and smiled at Tofu. "You
promised me a walk after dinner."
"Of course."
The two walked out hand in hand, and then Nabiki rose. "I've got
homework to finish. Looks like it's your turn for the dishes, Akane."
Genma and Soun had already moved to the side and begun to play one of
their endless games, so Akane shrugged and began to gather the dishes
together. From past experience she knew that trying to get Nabiki to
help out would be a waste of time and getting upset about it wouldn't
make it better.
"Would you like a hand with those?"
The fathers' heads turned at Ranma's words. He felt the pressure of
their stares, and his hand went to the the back of his head.
"Um, look, Akane. I feel like a freeloader. At least let me help
wash."
Akane looked at Ranma very suspiciously before she replied. Soun and
Genma saw her expression and their smiles faded.
"Fine. Just keep your distance."
*****
Once in the kitchen they counted on the sound of running water to mask
their voices.
"Now what?"
"I'm not sure, Akane. I have a feeling that our fathers are up to
something."
Akane handed Ranma a dish to dry. "Maybe. Daddy was looking at us
funny during dinner."
"Yeah, so was Pop. Hey, if they try something we could always have
another fight. I'll wink at you."
Akane couldn't help but smile. "That was fun. I didn't hit you too
hard, did I?"
"Nah. I was prepared when you winked at me!"
The smile Ranma got was too much for him to resist. He reached out
and grasped Akane's hand. She jumped, but did not pull her hand out
of his.
"Don't be afraid of me, Akane. I'm not asking to be anything more
than your friend."
"I know, but I can't help it. I'm sorry."
"Ranma, Akane! Are you nearly done in there? We need to talk to
you!"
The linked hands pulled apart.
"A few more minutes, Daddy!" Akane turned back to the sink before
whispering to Ranma. "What are they up to?"
"Damned if I know."
*****
When the pair emerged from the kitchen they discovered Kasumi and
Nabiki already seated at the table with Soun and Genma, who waved them
to their places.
"What happened to Dr. Tofu?"
Kasumi frowned.
"Daddy asked him to leave. He told him we had to have some kind of
family meeting. We're here now. What did you want to tell us?"
"Saotome and I have been thinking. Ranma has made too many
assumptions about you girls, and we feel that the best way for him to
get to really know you is for him to spend some time with each of
you."
The three pairs of suspicious eyes made Soun's voice dry up in his
throat, so Genma had to continue for him.
"My son is used to constant training in the Art. I usually go with
him, but for the next three weeks he will have different company.
This coming Saturday Kasumi will go with him on an overnight training
trip. The following week Nabiki will join him, and the final week
will be Akane's turn."
"WHAT!" was the first sound emitted by all four young people.
"Pop! You can't expect me to take a girl on an overnight trip!"
Genma tilted his head at his son. "Does that mean you can't be
trusted, Ranma?"
"Um, er, that's NOT what I mean!"
"Then close your mouth and obey me! Either that or Tendo and I will
pick your wife for you right now!"
Ranma sat back and closed his mouth. None of the girls spoke a word.
Soun got up, a stern expression on his face.
"That's settled. Three weeks from now you'll have to make up your
mind as to which of my girls you want."
He walked outside and sat down by the pond. The girls took that as a
signal that the meeting was over and retreated, leaving Ranma alone
with his father. Genma waited until their footsteps died away before
his expression changed to one that made Ranma very suspicious of him.
"Listen to me, Ranma. I know you don't like this, but look at it this
way. How many boys your age get permission to be alone with a pretty
girl, let alone three of them?"
"Pop!"
"I'm not telling you not to be a gentleman, but you can get to know
them somewhat better. You do find them pretty, don't you?"
"Well yeah, but--"
"And don't tell me you're not interested in girls! I remember
Midori!"
All Ranma did was growl, and walk out. Seconds later he was on the
roof, and once more he found Akane there.
*****
Akane looked out at the setting sun and sighed. The next three weeks
were going to be so hard to bear.
She had taken Ranma at his word when he said he wanted a friend. From
his stories she could tell that there had been very few opportunities
for him to make friends while traveling so much, and as far as she was
concerned...
She needed a friend too. The girls at school were nice enough, and
she was close to a couple of them, but Akane had been teased too much
about her boy problems to be able to confide in any of them. Ranma
was nice enough, and seemed to be non-threatening...
Except that whenever they touched she got the strangest feelings.
Akane couldn't figure out just what they were. Was it fear, or
attraction, or both?
Ranma's appearance on the roof beside her answered the question.
Attraction. She felt somewhat nervous and breathless as he sat
beside her.
"I don't know what to do, Akane. I promised Tofu I wouldn't get in
his way--now he's going to think I'm a liar."
"What if you tell him about it?"
"Tell him?" Ranma looked at Akane and smiled. "Wait a sec! What if
I ask him to come with us?"
"Our fathers would have fits if they found out!"
"Then we'll have to make sure they don't. I get the idea your sister
would go along with it. What do you think?"
Akane shook her head. "She'd use it against us, unless you can figure
out a way of holding it over her head. Let me think." She turned
away from Ranma, unable to concentrate with his intense gaze on her.
Then inspiration struck, and she whirled, a huge smile on her face.
Ranma returned her smile, which struck her dumb for a few seconds.
Akane got the uncomfortable feeling that she probably looked like a
fish, with her mouth hanging open. It took her a few seconds to
regain her composure enough to tell Ranma what she'd come up with.
"Don't tell Kasumi. Have Tofu meet you wherever it is you're going.
Then you can tell her that if she doesn't keep quiet about his being
there you'll tell Daddy it was her idea."
"Would your father believe me if I had to do that?"
"Sure! Kasumi's been getting into trouble for the longest time
because of Tofu. He really liked her, but was too shy to do anything
about it, so Sis was the one who did all the chasing. Daddy didn't
like it, and he still gets mad when she cuts class to see him."
Ranma couldn't help grinning. It seemed that the youngest Tendo
daughter could be as sneaky as her older sisters. "Thanks, Akane. I
like it. I'll stop and talk to Dr. Tofu tomorrow after school. But
what about Nabiki? Got any ideas?"
"Not yet."
"Okay."
The two sat there watching the sky grow darker. Akane kept glancing
over at Ranma, who appeared rather distracted. She wondered why he
hadn't asked about the trip they were supposed to take together. Did
he assume that she wanted to go? Perhaps if she got really lucky
she'd catch a cold and get out of it. Then again, three weeks from
now she might not want to get out of it.
*****
Ranma was having an argument with himself. Why did it annoy him when
Kasumi and Nabiki were devious, when the same behavior in Akane amused
him? The only answer he could come up with was that Akane was working
with him, sort of like a partner. Either that or he could forgive her
anything because she was so cute. If he liked her this much after two
days, how was three weeks topped off by an overnight trip together
going to affect him? Ranma felt himself blushing, and was grateful
for the darkness. Sitting in one position for a long time was making
him stiff, and he got up to stretch. As he did so he inadvertently
brushed shoulders with Akane, and once again felt dangerously
attracted to her.
"I gotta go, Akane. See you in the morning."
*****
Despite the sour faces on both of her sisters, Akane smiled through
breakfast. The thought of being able to get through the school gates
without a fight made her want to sing. She was in such a good mood
that she hopped onto the fence behind Ranma and kept pace with him all
the way to school.
Her mood took an immediate nosedive when she discovered that the usual
group was there waiting. For the first time in months Akane
discovered that she was unwilling to fight them. Fortunately for her,
they weren't there to fight her, but Ranma.
As Akane approached, the boys silently moved aside, allowing her a
free pathway to the school. However, once she entered that path it
closed behind her, cutting Ranma off.
"Ranma?"
Akane couldn't see Ranma, but his voice carried over the heads of the
crowd.
"Go ahead without me, Akane. I'll be there in a minute."
The growl from the crowd made Akane shiver as she ran into the school.
She had no need to worry, though. Shortly after she arrived in the
classroom Ranma followed.
"What happened?"
"Heh. They had the idea that if they defeated me they could go back
to bothering you. I think I changed their minds."
Akane looked out the window. The boys were picking themselves up and
limping into the school. Then she noticed someone was missing.
"What about Kuno?"
"What about him?"
"He didn't show up?"
"No, Akane. Did you expect him?"
Akane was stunned. Kuno had been there every day without fail. "Yes.
I can't believe he wasn't there!" Then she realized that what she'd
just said sounded as though she was disappointed that Kuno hadn't
turned up. "That is...I mean...maybe you scared him off?"
Ranma never got to answer the question, because the teacher walked in
and the class came to attention.
*****
Kuno wasn't afraid. He was angry. His vantage point on the roof had
given him a perfect view of the battle between Akane's admirers and
Ranma.
His rival was good. Very good. However, that fact didn't give him
the right to claim Akane.
"Just wait, Saotome. After what I do to you today you won't be able
to hold up your head in Nerima, let alone in this school."
thanks to Robert, Vince, Brad, Andrew for putting up with me while
this was being written