For What You Dream Of
By Kyle Emmerson
Ranma 1/2 and all of its characters and situations are
the creation and property of Rumiko Takahashi. I use
these characters and situations without permission.
Part Two: A Matter of Honour
****
"Hello?" somebody called from the entrance, ringing the
bells. "It's Dr. Kadowaki!"
Ranma quickly ran to the door to let the doctor in. "Hey,"
he said to the doctor. "She's in the bathroom."
Dr. Kadowaki made her way into the house, and followed Ranma
into the bathroom. "I don't normally make house calls," she
mentioned. "But it seemed urgent, so I came right over."
Ranma nodded. "Yeah, thanks a lot 'doc. I did as much as I
could to fix up her wounds. She's awake now, but she'd
complaining that her chest hurts."
"You say you found her in an alleyway?"
Ranma nodded. "Yeah. She's been beaten badly. Bruises. Cuts.
I'm pretty sure one of her ribs is broken."
Dr. Kadowaki made her way into the bathroom and knelt down
near Akane.
"Hello, Dr. Kadowaki," Akane greeted.
"Hey there, Akane. How are you feeling?" she said, pulling
out several instruments from her bag.
"I could be better," she said.
"I see Ranma's taken the initiative here, right?"
"Umm," Akane began, blushing. "I... uhh..."
Dr. Kadowaki laughed. "I meant about treating the wounds."
"Oh, yes," Akane said, trying to recover. "He did."
"Well, he's done a good job. Let's have a look at your
chest, now, shall we?"
Akane nodded and began to take the blouse off of her chest.
Before she could finished, Ranma turned around and said,
"I'll... uhh... wait out here."
Akane blushed lightly and continued to remove her blouse.
Dr. Kadowaki then unwrapped the bandage and began her diagnosis.
"Well," she said. "It's not broken, but it's heavily
bruised."
"So, it'll get better."
"Of course," she replied, smiling. "This time tomorrow, this
will be a dull ache. I'd be more worried about the black eyes
than anything else."
Akane smiled. "So it won't be long until I get back in the
swing of things?"
"Well," Dr. Kadowaki said, hanging on the one word. "I'd
still feel better if you waited two or three days before you did
anything physical."
"Can I go to school tomorrow?"
"Oh, sure. That'll be no problem. Just keep away from
heavily physical activities. Sports, martial arts... Also
more... intimate activities should be held off on for a few
days."
Akane blushed a deep red at the mention of the more intimate
activities.
Dr. Kadowaki had to smile. "Here," she said. "There isn't
much more I can prescribe other than this." She reached into her
bag and pulled out a small vial of pills. "These are Tylenol
Three's. Take two pills, twice a day, and you should have no
problem with the pain."
Akane took the pill. "Thanks."
"Now, I think we should wrap that bandage back up."
"I thought you said it was only a bruise," Akane replied.
Dr. Kadowaki nodded. "It is, but if Ranma found out about
that, and that it wasn't necessary to wrap you up... Well, it
WOULD be rather embarrassing, wouldn't it?"
Akane just nodded.
"You should be all cleared up within a week. The Black eye
will turn yellow in a couple of days, and the cuts will be taken
care of by tomorrow. You'll be fine," the doctor smiled.
"T...thank you, Doctor."
"No problem, Akane. My pleasure," she said, getting up. "Now
you take it easy, okay?"
Akane nodded.
"I'll send Ranma in to help you up. It's best that you put
your blouse back on for now, allright?"
Akane smiled and nodded.
****
Soun was upset.
Actually, he was more than upset. First, his daughter was
most likely going to be moving out from the only home she had
known in her life.
And second, he comes home to this. A beaten and battered
Akane. If it wasn't for Kasumi being there to calm him down, he
most likely would have tried to hurt Ranma in any way he could.
But after the story was explained to him, he calmed down.
But not much.
As it was, Soun was currently bawling two ways from Sunday.
"You wanted to talk to me, Auntie Saotome?" Akane asked,
groaning in pain as she sat down at the table.
"Yes, Akane. As you know, Ranma and Genma will be moving
back to my home with me in two days, upon it's completion."
Akane looked towards the floor. "Yes," she said, audibly
depressed by the news.
Nodoka smiled. "I assume you don't like the idea?"
Akane shook her head. "It's not that, Auntie... It's just
that... Things will be different, and Ranma promised he'd train
me. It'll be harder if he's living with you."
Nodoka nodded. "I understand, Akane. But I'm prepared to
make you an offer. You may refuse or accept as you see fit."
Akane looked up at Nodoka. "Offer?"
"My home is built upon expensive land. A lot of expensive
land. It is a four bedroom house, with plenty of extra space.
What I am going to ask you," she said, looking up towards Akane.
"Is whether or not you wish to move in with us?"
Akane was speechless. She was being asked if she wanted to
move in with Ranma.
Deep inside, she knew the answer. Of course she would! But
bringing that answer up would take some work.
"What about school?"
"You will still be enrolled at Furinkan," she said. "The
commute will be slightly longer, but completely possible."
"My father--" she looked over towards Soun, who was still
bawling.
"Your father has already given consent, Akane. It is up to
you."
Akane sighed, then looked over at Ranma, who was currently
fighting a losing battle with his father at the Go board. She
could live with him. Away from her sisters. Away from her
father.
True, Auntie Saotome and Genma would be there, but it was
still...
"Remember, Akane. This is open ended," Nodoka said. "If
you'd like, we can have a trial run. One week in the home, and
if you like it, you may stay, or leave at your discretion."
Akane sighed.
"Allright," she said. "I'll do it."
Nodoka smiled. "You've made a wise decision, Akane, dear."
****
The night went by without any further troubles. Soun
continued to cry for a few hours, stopping only to sit and eat
dinner. Akane was carried to her room not by Ranma, but by her
sisters, at the stern objection of Ranma.
And everyone slept through the night, even Akane, who was in
more pain than she cared to share. It rained that night, a heavy
rain that seemed endless, until the next morning, when they left
for school.
Even the school day went by without a problem. Ukyou was
quite wisely keeping her distance from Ranma and Akane,
especially after the several dirty looks she got from the two of
them. Shampoo hadn't shown up at all, and Ranma had a feeling
she was keeping her distance as well.
Kuno, on the other hand...
****
"Akane!" Sayuri exclaimed, running up to her friend as fast
as she could. "Are you allright?!"
Akane smiled. "I'm fine," she said. "Just a little sore."
"Hey, look. I'm sorry me and Yuka ran away like that. We
were--"
Akane shook her hand. "Don't worry about it, Sayuri. I
understand."
Yuka was the next to appear next to Akane, showing up on the
opposite side, between her and Ranma. "Are you allright, Akane?"
she asked meekly.
Akane nodded. "I'm fine. Sorry I couldn't talk to you guys
earlier, but the counselor wanted to talk with me."
"The counselor?"
Akane nodded. "Yeah, they thought it was problems at home. I
just told them I ran into some trouble on the streets, and she
gave me an anti-gang pamphlet, then let me go."
Sayuri nodded. "Big surprise there."
"But there's some other news," Akane said, smirking.
"Oh?" Yuka asked.
"What is it?" Sayuri followed.
"Well," Akane asked. "Looks like I'll be moving."
"EH?!"
"Moving?!"
"Where?!"
Ranma couldn't help but laugh.
Akane smiled. "Not far. I'll still be attending Furinkan,
but I'll be moving in with Ranma's mother."
Sayuri and Yuka stood there, blinking.
"Oooooh," Yuka taunted.
"With Ranma's MOTHER," Sayuri continued, jabbing her elbow
into Akane's ribs. "I see..."
Akane just blushed.
"Anyway," Sayuri said, running a bit ahead of them. "Yuka's
mother needs us to do some work for her, so we'll see you later,
Akane!"
Akane smiled and nodded. "See ya!"
"Bye Akane! Bye Ranma!" Yuka said, running off.
It was no sooner that the two of them had left, than another
interruption appeared.
"Saotome!" Kuno called, running up to Ranma. "What have you
done to Akane?!"
Akane sighed. "Ranma didn't do it, Kuno. Leave us--"
"What has this vile sorcerer done to you? To beat such a
flower within an inch of her life, and then depleting her memory
of the event. Ranma, you are no man!"
"Dammit, Kuno! Get a life!"
"Saotome," he said, pointing his bokken directly at Ranma.
"I challenge you! I challenge you to a final duel! The duel to
end it all!"
Ranma shook his head. "How many 'final duels' can one person
have?"
Tatewaki growled as he charged at Ranma, sending the two of
them out of the school grounds and battling in the streets.
Ranma absently noted the cloud cover was growing, and if he
didn't end the fight soon, Kuno would be hugging him rather than
trying to kill him.
As the battle continued, they soon found themselves near the
canal. The raging water below a reminder of the heavy rain the
town had suffered the night before.
Finally, Kuno paused and raised his bokken in a threatening
manner. Also a way that Ranma had never seen before.
"A new technique, Kuno?" Ranma joked.
"Indeed. One that is guaranteed to put an end to your hold
on Akane Tendo and the pig-tailed girl," he said, raising his
bokken.
Ranma narrowed his eyes. Kuno was different somehow. Better,
though he couldn't explain how or why. Ranma could still take
him without much of a problem, but it was just taking a bit
longer than he had previously thought.
Tatewaki, however, knew how and when the change had taken
place. The day he found Jinnai Myoujin. The day he learned of
the Kamiya Kasshin school.
****
It was the day when Tatewaki had nearly snapped, following
in suit of his sister. He had gone through the shopping
district, calling the names of his loves, and cursing the name
of Saotome at every opportunity. It was the day he had been
forced to dishonour himself by the vile sorcerer.
And, if not for Jinnai Myoujin, he would have continued.
Myoujin had stood directly in front of Tatewaki during his
rampage of the shopping district, holding nothing but a stern
look and a Shinnai.
Tatewaki, quite predictably, took the challenge.
What he had not expected, however, was for Myoujin to break
his bokken in one swift move. Tatewaki was left defenseless as
Myoujin smacked him on the head with his Shinnai.
Hard enough to hurt, but lightly enough that it would not
cause damage.
And then, he spoke.
"Are you bloody STUPID?!" he called. "Running around here,
scaring people like that! You're DAMN lucky you never hurt
anyone!"
Tatewaki paused. What had he been doing?
"You think you own the place? There are other people here
too, ya know!"
"I..." Tatewaki began. "I didn't..."
"Yeah, I'm sure you didn't! Bloody idiot," Jinnai said,
turning away.
"W...Wait!" Kuno called.
Jinnai turned back for a moment.
"How did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Break my bokken with but a hand? It--"
"Technique of the Myoujin family. You really wanna learn
about it?"
Tatewaki nodded.
Jinnai then passed a card towards Tatewaki. "Go there
sometime. You'll find out all you need to know."
As Jinnai walked away, Tatewaki examined the card. Kamiya
Kasshin School. Specializing in fighting with the Bokken and
Shinnai. Established 1865.
That would place the origin near the end of the Tokugawa.
Tatewaki watched the retreating form of Jinnai, and went
home. The next day, he made a special visit to the Kamiya
Kasshin Dojo.
It was an old Dojo, obviously over a hundred years old, but
well maintained. It didn't take long for Tatewaki to learn of
Jinnai Myoujin and Kaoru Himura. Each coming from families that
had run the Dojo since it was established. Kaoru was merely 2
years older than Tatewaki, while Jinnai was 5 years older.
Tatewaki left that day a student of the Kamiya Kasshin Dojo.
The next day, he was taught the technique.
****
"Tatchi," Kaoru Himura said, lifting her bokken from a
table. "You're very dedicated to your art, is that right?"
Tatewaki Kuno nodded. "Of course."
"Why?"
Kuno paused. "Why not? I dedicate myself to get better. I
dedicate myself to prove myself to my loves."
Kaoru smiled. "But why do you REALLY dedicate yourself?
You've been training for years, and I doubt these loves have
been in your life since you were that young."
He sighed. "I... do not know why I dedicate myself, then.
One day, I just picked up my mother's bokken, and began."
"So your mother was a kendoist?"
Tatewaki sighed. "There... Is not very much that I remember
of my mother. I was very young when she died. I know she
practiced Kendo, and I know she was very good at gymnastics,
much like my younger sister."
"I'll tell you what, Tatchi," Kaoru said, practicing a few
flashy moves with her bokken. "I'm going to teach you a move.
This move can prove fatal for anyone on the receiving end. The
Chimei-teki dageki technique."
Tatewaki gasped. "The... Chimiei-teki Dageki technique?"
Kaoru nodded. "If this technique is ever used with a real
sword, it would be an actual death blow. However, with a bokken,
the technique would be crippling, perhaps even fatal, under the
right circumstances."
Tatewaki sighed. Did he really want to learn a technique
like that?
"What do you say, Tatchi?"
Tatewaki sighed. "Teach me," he said, his eyes closed.
****
Kuno lowered his gaze, pointing his bokken directly at
Ranma's throat. The storm cover was moving over them quickly. In
a few moments, it would begin to rain.
"Well, Kuno?" Ranma asked, standing in front of the chain
link fence. "What are you waiting for? Let's see this new
technique."
Tatewaki smiled. "See it is the last thing you shall do,
Saotome!"
And then he attacked. Leading forward with the left foot,
the speed increase would be enough to kill, even with the blunt
end of the bokken.
Ranma, however, saw it coming. He saw it all coming, and
ducked under the attack, punching Kuno in the stomach, causing
him to stumble forwards. If not for the increase in speed, Kuno
might have been able to stop. As it was, it managed to knock
both he and Saotome through the chain link fence, and into the
raging waters of the canal below.
"Ranma!" was the last thing Tatewaki heard before falling
face first into the water.
****
Ranma sputtered about in the water, trying to keep his head
above the water.
Dammit, he thought. He was now a her.
With Ranma's strength, even in girl form, it would be easy
for her to pull herself out by grabbing hold of something.
However, she was moving so fast, that was the hard part.
Grabbing hold of something. She reached around frantically,
only partially aware of Akane chasing after her, yelling.
Finally, she got hold of something. The concrete ledge
above. She got a good hold of it, only sliding a few feet from
the current of the water. She grit her teeth as she felt the
concrete grind into her skin, but she managed to stay put.
And then she pulled herself out, hopping over the fence and
landing the the ground on the other side.
"Ranma!" Akane called, running up to her. "Are you
allright?"
Ranma nodded, trying to get a few breaths of fresh air.
"Yeah," he replied.
Then suddenly, something clicked.
Kuno was still in there. Ranma turned around, her eyes
scanning the surface of the flooded canal. He had to be...
There.
About twenty feet away, moving with the current, also trying
to keep his head above the water, splashing around
ineffectively.
Kuno didn't have the strength that Ranma possessed. Not by
far. Kuno wouldn't be able to pull himself out like Ranma could.
Ranma grit her teeth again. Her only chance was to reach him
somewhere and grab hold of him, but where...?
There. Further down the canal. A bridge. Ranma could hang
off of the bridge, get ahead of Kuno and pull him out.
Yes. He could pull it off. But he'd have to hurry.
The rain started to patter down harder as Ranma started her
way towards the bridge. The fences would be too slippery to
try jumping. Ranma didn't want to risk falling in again.
Faster. The current was already moving at an intense rate.
She had to be faster.
Finally, she was even with Kuno, which gave her a window of
five seconds once she got to the bridge to grab him.
Reaching the bridge, she quickly jumped onto the outer side
of the fence, hooking her feet in the chain links, and reaching
down for Kuno.
And she missed. She MISSED.
Thinking quickly, Ranma moved to the other side of the
bridge the fastest way she could, by going underneath. It was a
heavier risk, and there was no guarantee she'd reach Kuno, but
it was either that or let him drown.
Hooking her feet on the bottom of the bridge and reaching
out at the same time, she finally had success. Holding Kuno by
the collar and hefting him up, she noticed he was unconscious.
Damn. Akane had better get here quick, she thought. Akane was
the only person he knew who knew CPR. Ranma could treat wounds,
but CPR was another matter.
Flipping Kuno onto the bridge path, she followed in quite a
similar way, landing on her feet beside him. She immediately
bent over, to check his breathing.
Thank God. He was still breathing. He must have just blacked
out.
"Ranma!" Akane yelled, finally catching up. "Is he
allright?"
"He's breathing," Ranma called back. "But we've got to get
him someplace warm!"
Akane nodded. "Let's bring him to the Dojo."
****
"Oh my!" Kasumi exclaimed, seeing the unconscious form of
Tatewaki Kuno carried in by Ranma's girl form. "Did you hurt
him, Ranma?"
Ranma shook her head. "No, he was being his usual self, and
he ended up falling into the canal."
"Aren't they flooded?"
Ranma nodded. "Yeah, the damn fool is lucky I went back in
after him. He woulda died if I hadn't."
Kasumi quickly brought some cushions and a blanket and set
the down on the floor near the stairwell, just in time for Ranma
to drop him on it. Akane came up quickly behind and placed the
blanket over him.
"He's just unconscious right now," Ranma said. "Hopefully
he'll wake up soon and get the hell outta here."
"What happened?"
"Ahh, the jerk tried to use some boneheaded technique. All
he did was almost kill himself," Ranma replied. "Seriously,
you'd think he lost twenty IQ points while we were in China."
Kasumi shook her head sadly. "That's not very nice, Ranma."
"Who needs to be nice to this jerk?! He's just damn lucky I
saved him!"
Kasumi just sighed. "Would you like to change back?"
Ranma nodded. "Yeah, I'd rather fight the guy than get
hugged by him."
Kasumi disappeared into the kitchen for a moment. After a
quick run of water, she returned with a glass.
"Here," she said.
Ranma took the glass and poured it over himself, feeling
himself revert back to normal. He didn't even notice the slight
twitch Kuno made as it happened.
"I'd better get back to making dinner," Kasumi said. "Akane,
you and Ranma should change."
Ranma nodded. "Akane, you go up and change. I wanna keep an
eye on Kuno here."
Akane nodded and left to go up the stairs.
"Saotome," Tatewaki said, propping himself up against the
wall.
Ranma spun around, meeting his gaze.
"So you're awake," he said, bringing his hands in front of
him in a defensive manner. "We can continue this right now, if
you're up to it, Kuno!"
Tatewaki rose to his feet and fetched his bokken. He smirked
slightly as he looked at Ranma.
"No, Saotome. Enough has been done for this day," he
replied, then walked out towards the front door.
"So you're just going to go? Jeez, Kuno... If I didn't know
better, I'd say you were getting smart," Ranma quipped.
Kuno sighed. "Perhaps," he said, opening the door and
stepping outside.
"What was that about?" Akane asked as she came back down the
stairs, watching Kuno walk out into the rain.
Ranma just shook his head. "Your guess would be as good as
mine."
****
Tatewaki walked down the streets aimlessly. He wasn't sure
if he wanted to go home or just wander, but it didn't matter, in
the end.
He never once pointed his gaze above the street. He was too
deep in thought and remorse to do so.
Was it true? What he had heard? What he had SEEN with his
own eyes? Was the vile, wretched Saotome really... His
pig-tailed girl?
It made no sense. How could it have been possible? Yet, he
had seen it with his own eyes. He pretended to be asleep, hoping
he would be able to surprise Saotome, and then saw it.
Kasumi Tendo had given his pig-tailed girl warm water, and
she soon became a he.
There were things that never made sense. But then there were
things that fit perfectly. The hair. The clothes. The fact that
they were never in the same place as the same time, yet one
could always be found if you found the other.
"One body, one soul," Nabiki Tendo had said.
And the canal. Tatewaki surely would have died in that
canal, yet his pig-tailed girl rescued him. Something Saotome
would never have done.
It was so confusing. Tatewaki needed clarity. He needed--
Clarity. No sooner had he thought the word than the answer
came to him.
When Saotome had first appeared at the school, Nabiki Tendo
had tried to explain it. Even Saotome himself had tried,
eventually giving up.
Tatewaki laughed. He was the one who needed clarity.
That was it. He was sure of it. Tatewaki Kuno, Age 17, was
the mistaken one.
Dishonour. The word hung above him like Death's sickle.
Pausing in his walk, he knelt to the ground, trying to control
his emotions. They were wild and raging, like he had never
experienced before. He needed relief. He needed...
He needed to change. He looked up, hoping to find an answer
for anything. What he saw was no more an answer than a cruel
joke. As if nature itself had been making fun of him.
It may not have been an answer, but it was a good place to
start. Getting up, Tatewaki walked through the front doors of
the Kamiya Kasshin Dojo.
****
"Ahh, Tatchi!" Jinnai smiled, patting Tatewaki on the
back. "How's it going?"
Tatewaki closed his eyes. "Mr. Myoujin, Miss Himura... I
must decline further lessons... I have... caused myself a
great dishonour."
Kaoru narrowed her eyes. "You've used the Chimei-teki
dageki technique, haven't you?"
Tatewaki lowered his gaze to meet the Dojo floor. "Yes. I
have no excuse for my dishonour."
"What?" Jinnai yelled, wide-eyed. "From the way you're
acting, you'd think you actually KILLED someone with that
technique!"
Kuno looked up in disbelief. "What makes you assume I
hadn't?"
Kaoru laughed. "Quite simply, Tatchi... The Chimei-teki
dageki technique is flawed. It has been flawed for as long as
we've had the technique."
Tatewaki laughed under his breath. "Of course. Another
reason so that I may be made a laughingstock. It does not
matter," he said, getting up.
"Wait," Jinnai said, putting his hand on Tatewaki's
shoulder. "Though the technique itself was flawed, it was
modelled after a technique from the Hiten Mitsurugi School."
Tatewaki paused. "The... Hiten Mitsurugi School?"
Jinnai closed his eyes. "It was the school of the
Hitokiri Battousai, back at the end of the Tokugawa."
Tatewaki narrowed his eyes. He'd heard stories. Mere
rumours of his strength. His speed was said to have surpassed
that of any man. But that's all they were. Rumours.
"The Hitokiri Battousai is a myth," Tatewaki said. "Even
if there was one, it's doubtful he was as strong as the
legends say."
"Tatchi," Kaoru said. "You said you dishonoured yourself,
right?"
Tatewaki nodded.
"Tell us."
Tatewaki sighed. "I... meant for the blow to be fatal.
Instead, I endangered myself more than my opponent. Only to
be rescued by my opponent, who nursed me back to health."
Kaoru nodded. "Indeed," she said. "So he is no longer
your opponent, then?"
"I still have much to think of. I do not know whether or
not he is as evil as I had thought him to be. He had ample
chance to kill me, or leave me to die... But he rescued me
from a drowning death."
"Tatchi, I'd like to show you something. It's an heirloom
of the Kamiya Kasshin school. It was given to my great-great
grandfather by Kaoru's great-great Grandfather, and has been
passed down in the Myoujin and Himura families ever since that
time."
Tatewaki shook his head. "I have not the time. I shall
not return here again."
"Tatchi, wait," Kaoru said. "You've dishonoured yourself,
and that's fine. But let us tell you a story about a man who
had done the same thing. He used his sword to kill."
"But that's what a sword is for," Tatewaki replied.
"Killing."
"Now, Tatchi. What is the first thing we taught you when
you came to this school?"
"That the sword trained by the Kamiya Kasshin school is a
sword that protects life."
"That's right. This man killed for years using his sword,
until one day, he gave it up. He gave it up for this," she
said, looking towards Jinnai, who was holding an old sword,
still in the sheath.
Tatewaki narrowed his eyes. "A katana. What difference is
there? It kills."
"Not this one," Jinnai said, unsheathing it. "See?"
And Tatewaki saw. Though at first glance it seemed a normal
sword, upon closer inspection, he realized the bladed edge was
on the wrong side of the sword. There was no way, unless the
person who wielded the sword did so in reverse, it could have
actually killed someone. Suddenly, it made sense to him.
The sword that protects life.
"But if he killed for years. How could he use this sword
and not kill? Certainly there would be those who would want
him dead. He can not protect himself without killing."
"But he did," Kaoru said. "Him, his friends, and his
love. He protected them all."
"His technique was only taught to a select few. He once
had sworn that it would die with him," Jinnai said. "But the
Myoujin and Himura families each learned a bit of it."
"But the Myoujin and Himura schools only fight with
shinnais and bokkens."
"There is another part of the Kamiya Kasshin school that
incorporates his style, which uses a katana. More
importantly, THIS katana," Jinnai said.
Kaoru nodded. "The Hiten Mitsurugi School."
Tatewaki paused. "The... Did you not say that school
belonged to the Battousai?"
Kaoru nodded. "Of course," she said. "He was my
great-great-grandfather."
Tatewaki gasped. "But I though he was a myth!"
"No, he was quite real," Kaoru said. "That was his sword.
And this was his school."
"Now, Tatchi... We now know you're a man driven by
honour," Jinnai said. "So we have something to offer you."
Kuno narrowed his eyes.
"We would be willing to teach you what we know of the
Hiten Mitsurugi school, under the condition that you swear
upon your honour that you will NOT use it to kill, but only
to protect."
Tatewaki took a deep breath. He couldn't believe what he
was hearing. To be offered this was like winning some insane
lottery. It was--
But he had dishonoured himself. He couldn't do it with a
clear conscience.
"Tatchi,' Kaoru said. "Kenshin Himura was able to redeem
himself after killing countless hundreds. You can do the same
after dishonouring yourself."
Tatewaki let his breath out. "I... give my word that I
shall use the sword to protect life."
Kaoru and Jinnai smiled. "Well, then. It looks like we've
got an heir to the school after all!"
****
Ranma stretched as he jumped off of the chain link fence
to get into the school grounds.
"You ready for after school today?" Ranma asked. "We've
got a lot of stuff to move."
Akane nodded. The swelling in her black eye had gone
down, and was beginning to settle to a yellowish colour. Give
another week or so, and she'd be able to walk around without
the embarrassment of so many visible injuries.
Either way, she just wanted to get to training.
As the two of them walked into the school yard, they were
greeted with a sight to behold.
Tatewaki Kuno stood a mere twenty feet away from them, a
stern look on his face, and a bokken in his hand.
"Oh, great," Ranma said. "Just what I need."
"Saotome!" Kuno called, pointing his bokken towards him.
"What now, Kuno?!"
Tatewaki walked up to Ranma, keeping an even speed and
stride. As he got closer, Ranma motioned for Akane to get
behind him, and put up a defensive stance.
"So you still don't learn, eh?"
Kuno stopped three feet from Ranma and held his bokken by
both ends.
"It ends here, Saotome," he said.
Ranma looked at him appraisingly. "That's what you said
yesterday."
"True, but this time I mean it," he said, then brought
the bokken down, and snapped it in two on his knee.
Ranma dropped his stance almost immediately. "Kuno?"
Tatewaki took one of the broken halves and placed it into
Ranma's unresisting hand. He held the other himself.
"Never again shall these two pieces meet in combat,
Saotome."
And with that, Tatewaki Kuno turned and walked to class.
****
Author's Notes:
Well, I got that chapter out fairly quickly. I want to give
a big thanks to my pre-readers, who helped me out tonnes with
this chapter. (Even the ones that didn't get back to me in time
for the post, which was because of my own impatience. ^_^)
Also, I'd like to get some feedback of my use of Rurouni
Kenshin elements in this fic. ^_^
Anyway, here's the next part. Hopefully my next part will
come out soon. ^_^
Ttyl,
Kyle.
-------------------------
| The TydRipper | "Tyd, you need a smaller
| | .sig. :-)"
| Master of the Tides, | - Gary Kleppe, FFiRC
| Devourer of noodles, |
| Writer of the Fanfic, |
| Baka to the end... |
-------------------------
Questions? Comments? Flames? Email Me.
~ The TydRipper
http://www.ryo-oh-ki.net/tydi-oh-ki
kyle_emmerson@geocities.com