A Kiss to the Victor
A Ranma 1/2 fanfic by Hound & Cabbit Productions (David "Fido"
Lindquist [fido@rma.edu] and June "KaraOhki" Geraci
[karaohki@snet.net])
March 7, 2000
Ranma 1/2 was created by Rumiko Takahashi. We're just borrowing
her characters for a little while. Special thanks to our
prereaders Gary Kleppe and DFRoeder. Enjoy!
Earlier chapters can be read at
http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/rothko/228, or www.karaohki.com
Chapter 4
Ranma finished his lunch and put the bento away. Then he noticed
the time.
"Damn! I'm going to be late for gym!"
He stood up to leave the room, but the sound of many angry voices
coming from the open window distracted him. He immediately recognized
the loudest as Akane.
"Get that pervert!"
"It's gotta be Happosai," muttered Ranma as he ran down the stairs
to assist Akane.
By the time Ranma got out of the school, Happosai was nowhere to be
seen.
"Now where..."
>From the other side of the school grounds he could see a large
angry mob going around the corner.
*There he is,* he thought, sprinting toward the group.
He caught up with them easily enough, then began to hop the
rooftops in an effort to get ahead of their target. However,
Ranma stopped when he saw a familiar face.
*Ryoga?*
Before he could do or say anything, Ranma saw Happosai bounce
off his rival/friend's head. Ryoga, surprised by the attack, was
knocked down, but before he could recover, the mob that was chasing
the old freak ran over him and stopped.
After watching the scene unfold, Ranma chuckled.
*Never catch a break, do you P-chan?* he thought.
***************************
Ryoga blushed as Akane helped him to his feet. Then he
looked around, and realized he was surrounded by girls, all of whom
were carrying various items of sports equipment. It didn't take much
for him to realize that they were meant to be weapons. The javelin
especially made him shiver.
"Um, what's going on, Akane?"
"Happosai got into our locker room."
Ryoga didn't need any more explanation.
"Where is he?" he roared.
"The little creep got away," Akane replied. "But next time we'll be
ready for him. Right, girls?"
The entire group of girls began shouting things like "Yeah!" and "Damn
straight!"
"Come on!" one of them said. "We need to start planning so we can make
sure the old freak gets a VERY warm reception next time!"
As they left, the girls started talking about what they could do to
protect their locker room. Akane stayed behind.
"You girls go on," Akane said as the others walked away. "I want to
make sure Ryoga's okay."
Akane didn't see Ryoga blush, but someone else did....
---------------
>From his vantage point on the roof, Ranma frowned as he watched the
other girls leave.
*Why didn't Akane go with them?* he asked himself.
For some reason the idea of them alone together made Ranma very
uncomfortable. He continued to watch as Ryoga and Akane talked. The
longer they did though, the more uncomfortable he became.
It was at that time he noticed that Ryoga had started to fidget.
*What the..?* Then Ranma realized what he was doing. *He..he's
trying to ask her out!!*
The rest of the thought was replaced of images of Akane and
P-chan, her holding the piglet to her bosom, doting on him. Then
the final image of Akane taking him to her bedroom and sleeping
in the same bed together.
Ranma's fingers began to twitch.
*How DARE he!!!* he thought as a white hot rage began to boil inside
of him.
----------------
"THIS IS FOR YOU!"
As Akane accepted his gift, Ryoga felt miserable. *I can't believe
I'm such a coward!* he thought. *I can't even get up enough courage
to ask her out!*
Akane thanked Ryoga for the soba, but he didn't hear her. He was too
busy trying to figure out why he felt such a strong sense of danger.
*Where, who?* He looked behind him, and then his eyes were drawn up.
There. Ranma was sitting on a nearby roof. The look on his face was
one he'd hadn't see before on his rival. It sent a slight shiver of
fear through him.
*What's with him? Why's he so angry?*
Before Ryoga could draw any conclusions, Ranma moved. Without
taking his eyes from Ryoga, he descended from the roof and ran
towards them.
---------------
*Why was that so hard for him?* thought Akane. *I know he's shy,
but he's an extreme case.*
The sound of running feet made Akane spin around and assume a combat
stance. When she saw Ranma, all the events of the past two days came
back to her. She started to feel giddy, but stopped when she saw his
face. He was angry. No, not angry. He was MAD! It instantly made
her blood run cold. She'd never seen him like this! Ever!
"R-Ranma! What are you doing here?"
"Making sure you're okay," he replied, his eyes never seeming to
leave Ryoga.
"I-I'm fine."
"You sure?"
"O-of course I'm sure! You think I wouldn't know if I'm okay or not?
I'm fine!"
Despite her annoyance and concern over the way Ranma was acting, a
part of her mind was overjoyed that he was there.
*He came to check on me! He wanted to make sure I was okay!*
Ranma had done this sort of thing before, but this time Akane
felt differently about it. Instead of resenting it, she was glad
he was there. To her great embarrassment, Akane found herself
blushing. Unfortunately, the reddening of Akane's cheeks gave
Ryoga a different message.
"Saotome! Why are you bothering Akane?"
"None of your business, P-chan!" Ranma growled back.
"STOP CALLING ME P-CHAN!!!!" Ryoga screamed, and threw a punch.
Akane barely had time to get out of the way before the two martial
artists started fighting. The kicks and punches were flying so fast
that she couldn't even begin to keep track of them. However, almost
as quickly as it began, the fight was finished when Ranma punted his
rival into the stratosphere.
"Ranma, was that REALLY necessary?"
"HE started it!"
"I don't care WHO started it! Can't the two of you ever get along?"
"We do get along! I just don't like it when he takes advantage of
you!"
"When he what? Ranma, Ryoga doesn't take advantage of me. What on
earth makes you think that?
"Well, you'd think it too if--" Ranma stopped himself just in time.
*If you knew he was P-chan,* he mentally finished. He stood there
stunned. He had almost revealed Ryoga's secret.
Akane stood there waiting for Ranma to finish his sentence. Instead,
he stood there looking very embarrassed. Then she thought of a reason
why he looked that way.
*He can't be jealous of my friendship with Ryoga, can he?*
Inside, she was rather pleased; however, she wasn't about to let Ranma
know that. Instead, she put her hands on her hips and glared at him.
"You don't have an explanation, do you? I think you owe Ryoga an
apology!"
Ranma's expression changed from embarrassed to annoyed. What? Me
apologize to him? When pigs fly!"
"Ranma, you jerk!"
He was surprised to find himself flying into orbit.
---------------
Kasumi had been working hard all afternoon, and was treating herself
to a cup of tea on the porch when something landed in the koi pond.
*It must be Ranma,* she thought, and got up to see. To her surprise,
P-chan crawled out of the pond.
"You poor thing! Let me dry you off, and you can wait for Akane to
come home."
All P-chan could do is let out a small 'bwee' before passing out.
---------------
As Ranma sailed through the sky, he was deep in thought.
*I'm sick and tired of Ryoga sleeping in Akane's bed. But what can I
do about it? He never listens when I talk to him.* Then he got an
idea. *I only hope it works.*
Ranma looked down as he began to descend. *She sent me back to the
dojo.* Then he realized where he was going to land. *Not the pond!*
---------------
Kasumi was inside, drying the piglet off, when a second splash
occurred. Seconds later, Ranma stood on the porch, wringing out her
shirt.
She spotted P-chan in Kasumi's arms, and thought quickly. "Kasumi, I
need a hot bath. Why don't you let me take P-chan with me?"
Kasumi looked at Ranma doubtfully. "Are you sure, Ranma? P-chan
doesn't like you very much."
"Don't worry, I can handle him." Ranma took the pig from Kasumi and
headed for the bathing room, dragging a damp backpack with her.
*Man, I hope nobody's using the furo,* thought Ranma.
The bathing room was empty. Ranma tossed Ryoga's knapsack
against the wall as she dumped the pig into the tub. Ranma was
unbuttoning her shirt when she noticed that a folded paper had fallen
out of the knapsack.
"What's this?"
"SAOTOME! GIVE THAT BACK!" shouted the now-transformed
Ryoga.
The lost boy lunged at his nemesis in an effort to grab the paper but
was stopped short by a foot to his face. With Ryoga subdued, Ranma
looked at the paper. When she realized what she was holding, she
looked at Ryoga in disbelief.
"R..Ryoga! Do you know what this is?!?"
"Of course I do! Why do you think I didn't want you to see it!"
Ranma sat down on the floor, her shirt half unbuttoned and
completely forgotten. How on earth had Ryoga gotten his hands on a
map to a Japanese nanniichuan? Then something hit Ranma--Ryoga had
been trying to keep the map a secret! Ryoga
was going to cure himself and allow Ranma to stay cursed.
"So, you were going to let me suffer with my curse, right?" The tone
of her voice was as cold as ice.
Ryoga's eyes showed a small bit of guilt before he smothered it with
anger.
"Give my map back!" he repeated.
"No. Look, you are going to need help finding it"
"I DON'T NEED..."
"Yes you do! You couldn't find your way out of a closet! In the
morning, we are going to follow this map to the spring, and then get
our cure!"
"I don't--bwee!??!"
"I'm soooo glad you agree with me!" Ranma smiled as she put down the
empty bucket.
---------------
By the time Akane got home, Ryoga had changed himself back. She
immediately invited him to stay for dinner. When they sat down to
eat, she began to regret issuing the invitation. Ryoga sat on her
right, and Ranma on her left. All they did during the meal was glare
back and forth at each other.
*There they go again,* Akane thought. *I wish I knew what was wrong
with them!*
Unfortunately, Akane didn't have a clue on what to do
to make then stop, so she tried, rather unsuccessfully, to ignore
them. As soon as dinner was over, she jumped up from her place
on the floor.
"Kasumi, let me help you clean up."
Akane gathered a stack of dishes off the table and ran into the
kitchen as if someone was chasing her, leaving the two combatants at
the table staring at each other. However when she came back into the
room for the rest of the dishes, they were gone.
---------------
Ranma let go of Ryoga's shirt after they landed on the roof. He
couldn't afford to have their conversation overheard by any of the
Tendos, especially Nabiki. The very thought of her knowing about
something as big as Ryoga's curse scared him half to death.
"Ranma! What are you doing dragging me up here?!"
"I got something you have to hear, Ryoga, so just shut up and listen!"
Ryoga folded his arms and glared at Ranma, but didn't make any
move to leave. "Whatever it is, say it already!"
"Okay, I will! I don't want P-chan sleeping with Akane any more!"
"What gives YOU the right to say that?"
"Because I know who P-chan is and I'm sick of you dishonoring
her!"
Ryoga was completely taken aback. "D-dishonoring her?"
"Yeah! What do you think you were doing, sleeping with her like
that?"
"But, but!"
"But what? Are you THAT dumb? DAMN IT! Do you know how
she'll feel if she ever finds out?"
"She'll never want to see me again," he said.
"Probably," Ranma replied, "but then she'll be heartbroken, and if
that happens..."
The lost boy involuntarily took a step away from his rival. Ranma
seemed to radiate anger.
"I will make you wish you were dead."
"H-how dare you threaten me!" Ryoga stammered. He
immediately threw a roundhouse kick at Ranma. Unfortunately
for Ryoga, Ranma easily sidestepped it then gave him a light
shove during his follow through. That was all it took for Ryoga to
fall off the roof.
SPLASH!
Ranma's anger immediately dissipated into a sigh. He dropped down to
the ground just as the black piglet climbed out of the koi pond.
"So," he said, "do you understand?"
The piglet looked up at Ranma, who could see tears in its eyes as it
nodded. The pigtailed martial artist fished Ryoga's clothes out of
the pond, then picked up P-chan.
"Look at it this way, after tomorrow you won't BE P-chan any more!"
The piglet seemed to perk up a little at that.
---------------
Ranma headed for the house with P-chan, hoping to get him to
the furo before anyone saw him. He was on the porch when he saw
Akane's silhouette through the screen, and realized he couldn't
get away with it. *I've gotta hide these clothes,* he thought,
and put the piglet down while he stashed the clothing under the
porch.
Unfortunately, during the few seconds P-chan was out of his sight,
Akane found him.
"P-Chan! Where have you been? I haven't seen you in a while!"
*Oh no!* thought Ranma as he dashed into the house. Akane was
already heading for the stairs.
She turned and smiled, and cheerfully waved a hand at him.
"Good night, Ranma!"
Akane was halfway up the stairs when she turned around.
"Where's Ryoga?"
"Oh, he's around. You know him--he'd get lost in a broom closet!"
P-chan let out a snort, then glared at Ranma.
Akane looked at Ranma rather suspiciously. "Well if you see him, tell
him good night for me."
*Why does she want me to say good night to Ryoga for her?*
A wave of jealousy swept over Ranma, and he struggled to suppress it.
*Aw, she's probably just being nice. I hope.*
"Ranma, what's the matter with you?"
"Nothing!"
"Fine, don't tell me! I'm going to bed!"
Ranma watched Akane turn around and continue up the stairs. He didn't
know what to do, or think. After what he'd said earlier, was Ryoga
going to allow Akane to take him to bed? He got his answer seconds
later.
"P-chan! What's wrong? If you don't quit squirming I might drop you!"
Ranma's concern lessened upon hearing that. *I don't have much choice
but to trust him,* he thought.
---------------
"There's something going on," she said aloud. "What do you think,
P-chan?"
Akane jumped. Had P-chan just nodded at her? No, of course not.
Akane sighed and got into bed. It had been a long day, and her
imagination was getting away with her.
"Come on, P-chan," she said, holding her arms out for her pet. The
little black piglet started to walk towards her, then stopped.
"What's the matter, baby? Come to Mama!"
P-chan turned slightly and hopped up onto the foot of her bed. He
then curled up at her feet and lay there.
Akane stared at the piglet. P-chan stared back. *He looks so sad.*
She reached for her pet, only to have him move out of the way and
settle back near her feet again.
Akane sighed. "All right, P-chan. If that's where you want to sleep,
that's fine with me."
Once she settled into bed, Akane let her mind drift to the day's
events.
She tried to think about school, or the traps they'd set for Happosai,
but no matter what she tried to focus on all that kept popping into
her mind was what had just happened on the stairs. Ranma had been
acting very strangely. Then Akane gasped and sat up.
*Of course!* she thought. *He's jealous!*
Everything seemed to fall into place for her. Ranma's attitude
towards Ryoga. The glaring contest at dinner. All of it.
Akane became aware that P-chan was sitting up and staring at her. He
actually looked concerned. "It's nothing, P-chan. Go back to sleep."
She watched the piglet, who performed what looked like a shrug before
he lay down again.
*Sometimes he acts so human.*
*So, he's jealous of Ryoga.* She thought about it for a few minutes
before she came to a decision. *I have to tell him that he has no
reason to be. At least he won't be picking on Ryoga as much!*
Having made that decision, Akane found it easy to lie down and get
comfortable again. Her thoughts remained with Ranma. She wondered if
he would repeat what he'd done that morning--hold her hand under the
breakfast table.
*I could get used to that,* she thought. *His hand was so warm.*
The memory of Ranma's hand on hers was so strong that Akane could
almost feel it. The sense of warmth and security soon sent her off to
sleep.
---------------
P-chan grunted slightly as he pulled Akane's door closed. Getting
away from her had been a lot easier than normal. Of course that was
due to the fact that she didn't have him in her usual vise-like grip.
A part of the piglet missed the way Akane held him, but then he was
hit with the thought of the dishonor that would cause her.
*I can't think about that any more! Just focus on getting the map
from Ranma and getting the cure and then...maybe I'll have a chance
with Akane!*
For once luck was with the cursed lost boy, it only took him twenty
minutes to find his way to the furo.
* Finally. Now to change back." The piglet quickly turned on the hot
water. Once the tub was full, he jumped in and transformed back to
human. Momentarily blinded by the water, he stretched out his arm in
an attempt to feel around for a towel.
"Where's that towel? I've got to get that map and get out of here
before Saotome finds out!" he mumbled irritably.
"Here you go," a voice said in response.
"Thanks," Ryoga said. Then he realized who had handed him the towel.
He also noticed that Ranma looked less than friendly.
"Thinking about leaving me behind?"
Ranma held up Ryoga's clothes, his backpack, and the map.
"You won't get very far without this stuff."
"Damn you, Saotome!"
"Look Ryoga, this is our chance to get rid of the curses once and for
all. Don't screw it up by being pig-headed about it!"
"That map is MINE!!" Ryoga shouted. "IT WAS YOUR FAULT!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah....it was my fault you are cursed...whatever."
"AARGH!" Ryoga flew out of the tub, arms outstretched for Ranma's
neck. "DIE!!!"
Ranma deftly sidestepped Ryoga's attack. "So you wanna get dressed or
are you going as is?"
Ryoga turned several shades of red, and grabbed his clothes and
backpack. He thought about trying to take the map also, but decided
against it. As much as he hated to admit it, Ranma was right about
him needing help finding the spring. By the time Ryoga finished
dressing he looked somewhat calmer, though nowhere near happy.
"Let's get the hell out of here."
"Hey, P-chan! The door is this way."
---------------
Nabiki observed Akane closely as she ate her breakfast. They'd sent
her upstairs to call Ranma, but he wasn't there.
Akane kept glancing to her side, seemingly confused about Ranma's
absence.
They gathered their lunches and bags and set off for school. Again,
Nabiki observed that Akane was looking for Ranma. She kept glancing
up at the fence, as if she expected to see him walking beside her.
*I'm not going to get a better chance to do this,* she thought. "So,
Sis, where's Ranma?"
"How should I know?" Akane replied. Her voice was a mixture
of irritability and worry.
"Seems to me the two of you are getting along a little better these
days."
Nabiki watched all the color drain from her sister's face.
"W-well, he's been less annoying than usual, that's all."
"Could that possibly have anything to do with the play? You spent all
that time together...supposedly rehearsing."
"WE DID REHEARSE!"
Nabiki didn't think it was possible for Akane to get paler, but she
didn't respond. She gripped her schoolbag tighter, and quickened her
pace.
*I do believe I've struck a nerve," she thought. *I'll let it rest,
for now.*
---------------
Ranma never did show up for school. Akane gave the teacher a
half-hearted excuse about a bad cold, and spent the rest of the
morning brooding over his absence. By the time lunch came, she was
starting to get worried.
*Is Ranma in some kind of trouble? Why didn't he tell me?*
On top of that, Akane had to deal with Shampoo, who'd arrived with
lunch for her "airen".
"What you mean Ranma no come to school today?"
"I mean he didn't come! Is that so hard to understand?"
Shampoo looked around suspiciously. "You hide Ranma. Shampoo
find!"
Akane was relieved when Shampoo took off to search for Ranma.
*Thank goodness she's gone!* Then she quickly stood up. *Oh no! I
forgot to check the traps by the gym!*
---------------
The sun was shining brightly as Ranma and Ryoga made their way along
the street. The bickering had almost stopped between them for one
simple reason.
They were close.
Very close.
All Ranma could think of now was the cure. *The first thing I'm gonna
do is go for a swim and then...then I show Akane.* He wasn't sure
what her reaction would be but he hoped she wouldn't get upset at him
for not telling her about it.
"How much farther?" Ryoga asked.
"Not far at all, just around this corner and look for the last marker
and we'll be there."
"Good."
Ranma was so intent on the map that he never noticed the evil grin on
his companion's face.
---------------
Akane and her friends were changing into their gym clothes when they
heard the sounds of fighting outside.
"Give that back, you idiot! You're going the wrong way!"
Akane frowned slightly. *Is that Ranma's voice?*
"EEK! The pervert is back!" one of the girls shrieked.
"Akane! What are we going to do??" another girl asked.
"Huh?" she replied. "Oh, that. We aren't going to do anything."
"What? There's a..."
The rest of the girl's words were drowned out by a loud "SPROING"
sound.
"Remember the traps?" As if on cue, the sound of the other traps
filled the air.
CRASH! Tinkle...BOOM!
"We caught him!" "It worked!" "Let's go get him!" the girls shouted
as they started to run outside.
"Hey!" Akane shouted just before the girls left. "Don't you think you
all should get dressed first?"
---------------
Ranma and Ryoga were barely able to get out of the traps and hide
before the girls came out of the locker room. The girls ran all
around the area searching for them while the boys watched them from a
high branch in a nearby tree.
Eventually they gave up and went back inside. Up in the tree, Ryoga
glared at Ranma.
"Are you SURE you read that map right?"
"Damn it, LOOK at it! It's gotta be right under the floor of the
locker room!"
Ryoga turned a little pale. "But, but the girls are in there."
"Gee," Ranma replied sarcastically, "what was your first clue?"
"T-that means we can't go in there. A-Akane might not be, I mean,
she's probably..."
Ryoga didn't have to finish his sentence for Ranma to get a vivid
mental picture of Akane in her underwear. The image brought him very
close to a nosebleed.
*We can't go sneaking in there,* he thought. *The girls'll kill us,
and I don't want Akane getting mad at me.* He sat in the tree and
tried to come up with a way to get in the locker room. They were so
close!
Ranma brooded for a bit. Each plan he came up with was immediately
shot down for one reason. Akane.
Then it hit him.
*Of course,* he thought. *We'll wait `til she comes out and have her
help us!* The idea was perfect except for one small detail.
*How am I gonna explain why Ryoga has to come with me?*
He was deep in thought, trying to figure out what to tell Akane, when
he caught something moving out of the corner of his eye. Ryoga caught
it too, and elbowed him in the side.
"Look there," he whispered. "Happosai."
Ranma nodded. "You think he's going after the girls again?"
Ryoga stared at Ranma. A look of total shock was on his face. A few
seconds later, Ranma realized exactly what he had just said, and hung
his head in embarrassment.
"Well, THAT was a stupid question," he muttered, then raised his head
up, a determined expression on his face. "Let's get that freak!"
---------------
Creeping silently through the brush, Happosai imagined what he would
see in the locker room. *All those young women, and panties! And
they are all going to be MINE!*
Happosai started to move forward, but found his progress impeded. He
looked over his shoulder. Ryoga and Ranma were holding onto his
shirt. He pulled free, and glared at the two young men now standing
in front of him.
"Can't you let an old man have his fun? Go away!"
"You ain't going in there, freak!" growled Ranma.
"I won't let you near Akane," cried Ryoga.
Happosai merely chuckled. "Sorry, boys, but it will take more than
the two of you to stop me!"
Ranma's reply was simple.
"Wanna bet?"
---------------
The sounds of battle penetrated the locker room. Akane pulled on her
shirt, and headed for the door.
"He's back! Let's GET him!"
The sight that met their eyes when they got outside made them all
stare. Happosai was being chased by two guys. They were moving so
fast that it took the girls a few seconds to realize it was Ranma and
Akane's friend Ryoga. Almost immediately, Akane started chasing after
the old pervert. It didn't take her friends long to join her.
Happosai soon realized that this was NOT the right day to raid the
locker room, and he disappeared.
After he left, the girls stared at the other two martial artists.
Ranma could hear some of the girls whispering among themselves.
"Why are they here?" one said.
"Maybe they wanted to peep on us?" another said. "After all, Akane
always calls him a pervert."
"I do not!" A familiar voice called out.
The girls stared in surprise at Akane.
"But Akane," one said, "you do!"
"W-well, maybe I was wrong! Let's see what they want."
Ryoga started to talk but Ranma spoke first.
"We were walking by when we saw the pervert hopping the fence and we
decided to stop him."
That comment made all of the girls smile. They showered Ranma and
Ryoga with thanks, making the martial artists go red with
embarrassment.
Their thanks was cut short by the bell.
"We're gonna be late!" one of the girls said.
They all took off for the volleyball court, but Akane remained behind.
*Perfect!* thought Ranma. *Maybe I can get her to help us.*
His thoughts were interrupted by Akane's voice.
"Where were you this morning?"
Ranma knew that tone instantly.
*If I don't say the right thing, she's gonna clobber me.*
"I-I was looking for a cure."
"A cure?"
Ranma silently held out the map. Akane looked at it suspiciously.
"Under the floor of the locker room? Where did you GET this thing?"
"I didn't! It's Ryoga's!"
To Ranma's amazement, Akane dropped the map and hugged Ryoga.
"Thank you! Ryoga, that's the nicest thing anyone has EVER done! You
found a cure for Ranma!"
Ryoga looked absolutely panicked when Akane glomped onto him. He
turned white, then red, and then a thin trickle of blood ran from one
nostril.
Ranma felt his anger rising at the scene before him. This needed to
stop, and stop right now.
"Hey, we ain't got TIME for this! We hafta get into the locker room
before the girls come back."
---------------
Akane stared at Ranma. He was so angry she could feel the heat
radiating from him.
*Why is Ranma so upset...oh yeah! He's jealous again! Maybe I
shouldn't have hugged Ryoga.*
"Will you help us, Akane?"
Despite her growing feeling of affection, a bit of suspicion crawled
into Akane's mind.
"Help you?"
"Yeah, Ryoga's gonna help me find the spring. Can you be a lookout?"
*But it's the girl's locker room. Should I be helping him?*
She was about to refuse out of sheer reflex when she remembered why
Ranma wanted to get in.
"O-okay...I suppose I can. But you have to hurry. The janitor is
coming to work on a broken shower."
"That's why you have to be a lookout!"
Akane led the way to the locker room, then went partway outside.
*I should be able to see or hear anyone coming from here.*
---------------
Inside, Ranma studied the map, while Ryoga looked over his shoulder.
Ryoga looked up and pointed across the room.
"I think it's down here."
"No way, P-chan! It's this way!"
"Quit calling me P-chan!"
"I won't be able to soon, right?"
Ranma stopped short.
"And you won't be able to sleep with Akane any more, will you?
Exactly where DID you sleep last night?"
"By her feet!" Ryoga replied indignantly. "Unlike some people, I keep
my word!"
Ranma ignored the insult. The argument was getting them nowhere.
"Look, let's just find the spring, okay?"
"Yeah," muttered Ryoga.
---------------
The girls finished warming up, and were choosing the practice groups
for their volleyball teams when they realized one girl was missing.
"Hey, what happened to Akane?" asked Yuka. "We can't practice without
our captain!"
"You don't think she went after Happosai, do you?"
"I'll bet she's waiting to ambush him in the locker room! Let's go
help!"
---------------
"This is the spot. I'm sure of it." Ranma knelt down and ran his
hand over the floor. "If you use your Breaking Point technique right
here, we should uncover the spring."
"Are you sure it's there?"
"Yeah."
"Good."
Ranma's combat sense screamed an alarm. He was just barely able to
dodge the lost boy's punch.
"Ryoga! What are you doing?!?"
"That cure is going to be mine, Ranma! All mine!"
Ryoga started throwing punches and kicks at Ranma and soon the two
were locked in a furious battle. The two of them became so engrossed
in their fight that neither one noticed when Akane ran in.
"Ranma! Ryoga! The girls are coming back here!"
They both froze.
"T-they are coming here?" Ryoga blurted out.
"We can't get caught in here!!!!" Ranma yelled. The fight forgotten,
the two boys began to run around the locker room searching for a place
to hide.
If Akane wasn't so worried about getting caught, the sight of the two
panicked boys would have had her falling down laughing.
*I can't believe this*, she thought.
"In here!" she shouted. Akane grabbed Ryoga as he ran by and shoved
him into her open locker. Then she slammed the door. "Stay in there,
and be quiet!"
After she shut the door, both she and Ranma began trying other locker
doors. Unfortunately, all of them were locked. Ranma looked like he
was about to panic again, and Akane suddenly realized what kind of a
position they were in.
*They're going to catch us alone. They're going to think...oh my
goodness." Her panicked mind couldn't come up with a way to solve the
problem, and she knew Ranma wouldn't be of any help. *Are they going
to think I was helping him steal panties?*
Then Akane got an idea. *I don't have much choice.*
The handle of the locker room door began to turn, and Akane grabbed
Ranma. "I hope this works."
"Wha?" was all Ranma could say before Akane's lips met his.
---------------
The girls were stunned by what they saw. Akane was locked in a kiss
with Ranma. A very passionate one, from the look of it.
"A-Akane?!" one of the girls cried out. "What are you doing?"
"Looks like she's rewarding her hero to me," Yuka remarked as she
watched the couple pull apart and step away from each other.
"Hero?" her friend responded.
"Sure, Ranma chased that pervert away, didn't he?"
Yuka watched Akane closely as she replied. "Well, yes." Akane paused
and looked at Ranma, who hadn't moved. "I figured this was the best
place to get him alone...guess I was wrong."
Akane blushed and turned her head. Most of the girls felt a twinge of
sympathy for their friend. If any of them had been caught there with
a boyfriend, they would have died of embarrassment. As it was, Akane
looked like she wanted to do just that.
She grabbed Ranma's arm and tugged on it. "Let's go, Ranma!"
"Huh?"
"Ranma, you can't hang out here all day! Now come on!"
"Huh?" he repeated, still in a daze.
Irritably, she grabbed his shirt and dragged him outside.
As she passed the girls, they heard her mumble "Idiot!"
to which Ranma replied "Huh?"
Akane dragged Ranma around the side of the building, and sat down in
the grass. Ranma collapsed beside her, still looking stunned.
"Hey, Ranma?"
"Ummm?"
"Would you PLEASE snap out of it!"
When she got no response from her fiance, Akane walked over to the
outdoor spigot, then filled a punishment bucket with water.
*Sorry, Ranma, but I have no choice.* Taking the bucket in one hand,
she emptied the contents over Ranma's head.
"Gaaah!" sputtered Ranma-chan. "What did you do that for?"
Then she noticed her surroundings.
"How did we get outside?"
"I'll explain that later. Now go change back and wait for me, okay?"
"Sure," Ranma replied. She watched her leave the grounds. Once Ranma
was out of sight, Akane couldn't help but grin.
---------------
Ryoga sat inside the locker, his ear pressed against the door. Were
the girls going to be in here all day?
"Hey, Akane, it's about time you came back!"
"Sorry."
"We've got to get SOME practice in!" complained another girl.
Ryoga held his breath. *Yes! They're FINALLY leaving!* He was
getting very uncomfortable. Ryoga listened closely as the footsteps
retreated, and slowly opened the door.
Ryoga caught a quick glimpse of the custodian and quickly closed the
door. *Damn. Why does he have to choose NOW to come here?* Through
the slits in the door, Ryoga watched in frustration as the custodian
began to work on a shower head. *I can't get out of here now!* Ryoga
thought as he shifted slightly in the tight enclosed space as the
custodian began to work on a shower head.
The heat and cramped position were making Ryoga more and more upset.
But he knew exactly who was to blame.
*This is all Ranma's fault!*
---------------
Ranma leaned against the wall as he waited for Akane to come back. He
still couldn't figure out how he got outside.
*Man, did I get knocked out?* he wondered. *Now what's the last thing
I remember?*
His mind replayed the events up to all the way from when they entered
the locker room up until the moment Akane grabbed him.
Then he remembered what happened next...
*S-she kissed me!* His eyes widened as he thought about it. In fact,
it was less of a memory than a re-experiencing of the kiss. He could
almost feel Akane's lips on his. It was instinct that made him kiss
back. It had to have been because he couldn't remember doing anything
afterwards.
*Wow...* was all he could think.
After a few minutes, Ranma looked at the locker room.
*I wonder what's keeping Ryoga? There's no way he could have gotten
lost.* He then shook his head sadly. *If there's a way, he would
find it,* he sighed. *I hope he finds his way out soon.*
---------------
"Akane, do us a favor, would you?" asked Yuka, as the girls walked
back to the locker room after practice.
"What's that?"
"DON'T kiss Ranma before our next match. We'll lose for sure if our
captain can't play!"
Akane blushed, and couldn't think of anything to say in response.
The girls had nearly reached the locker room when one of them walked
up beside Akane.
"Hey, Akane! Your fiance looks like he wants to talk to you."
She pointed over to the side of the building, where Ranma stood,
waving his arms at her.
*Now what?* Akane wondered, then she took off towards Ranma at a run.
She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of sight behind the
building.
"What?"
"Ryoga never came out of the locker room!"
"WHAT????"
"He didn't come out! Jeeze, what's wrong with your hearing?"
"But--but the girls are changing in there, and Ryoga's locked in with
MY clothes!"
"I guess we'll have to wait until the girls leave, then."
Akane thought about what he had said. *I don't have a choice,* she
finally concluded.
Ranma sat down on the grass and patted the space beside him.
---------------
"I always thought those two liked each other more than they admitted
to."
"Yeah, and now we have proof! That was SOME kiss!"
One of the girls looked toward the door before she spoke.
"Akane's still out there with him. You think they're kissing again?"
Another giggled. "Probably. Want to go peek?"
Yuka then spoke up. "No. Just leave them alone."
The girls heard Yuka's tone of voice and realized she meant business.
They quieted down, and continued changing their clothes.
---------------
Inside the locker, Ryoga couldn't believe his ears.
*A-Akane and Ranma kissed?!*
It had to be the truth, because all of the girls were talking about
it, but how could that happen?
Ryoga was devastated. He had dreamed about kissing Akane, and now she
had been kissed twice by a two-timing idiot who didn't know what love
meant.
*Poor Akane...I bet she hated it.* he mentally sobbed.
He sat there in the locker, trying not to think about the kiss.
Instead, he looked around himself in the dim light, trying to find a
distraction. Seconds later his eyes were squeezed tightly shut. *I
will NOT stare at Akane's underwear.*
Then the silence in the locker room was broken by a comment from one
of the girls.
"Akane sure looked like she was having a good time, I'll tell you
that."
Another sighed.
"I wish it was ME!"
Ryoga's heart fell down to his toes, and stayed there. He was so
devastated that he barely registered the sounds of the girls leaving
the locker room.
Mechanically, he opened the door and stepped out of the locker,
stretching his stiff limbs. He sat on the floor, head down, trying to
come to terms with what he had heard.
*They can't have been right. Akane couldn't possibly have enjoyed
that kiss.*
Then a terrible idea struck him.
*Ranma had to have forced her! I'm going to KILL him!*
In a rage, he slammed his fist into the floor, cracking the tile and
hitting something metal. The anger was instantly gome from his face
and replaced with fear as he felt the metal pipe give way.
All he could say before he was hit with the geyser of cold water was
"Oh boy!"
---------------
Ranma and Akane sat in the grass, not looking at each other or
speaking. Each of them was too busy thinking.
*I wonder what she's thinking about,* Ranma thought. *Is she happy
I'm about to get cured?*
*I wonder what he's thinking about?* thought Akane. *His cure? I've
never known Ranma without a curse...will he be different?* She
reached out and placed her hand over his. *I like him the way he is.
I hope this doesn't change him much.*
*Ohmygod she's holding my hand. Now what do I do?*
Ranma was spared the agony of making a decision when they both noticed
the last of Akane's classmates leaving the locker room.
"Umm, I-I think the room's clear," he said.
They both stood up, neither one letting go of the other's hand, and
started running for the locker room door. They hadn't gone more than
a few steps before the roof of the building gave way to the force of
the geyser beneath it.
"What the?" gasped Akane.
"Akane! Look out!" Ranma immediately threw himself on top of her.
*I can't let the water touch her!* Then he felt a familiar feeling,
one he didn't think he'd ever feel again. He was changing. Seconds
later, he was soaked and female, while Akane was merely soaked.
"It-it didn't work! It's just WATER!"
"Oh, Ranma..." Akane said. "I'm so sor-what's that?"
"Huh?"
Ranma looked up in time to see a little black piglet falling out of
the sky.
"P-CHAN!" his fiancee yelled, as she ran to catch her pet. "What were
you doing up there?"
*Well, how about that? I've finally seen a pig fly,* Ranma thought.
*But how come we didn't change and where is that spring?*
Almost as if on cue, Ranma was hit on the head by another object.
"Owww," she groaned, as she reached down to pick up whatever had
beaned her. It was a large pot.
*Flying pots? And I thought pigs were strange.*
Ranma looked at the pot, wondering where it had come from. It
certainly looked quite old. Then it developed a long crack in its
side, and fell into two pieces. A rolled up scroll fell out.
"What's that, Ranma?"
"I dunno, Akane. It flew through the roof with the water."
The two unrolled the scroll on the grass. It was covered with
writing, and Ranma read it aloud.
"Thank you for your continued patronage. Unfortunately, the Japanese
Nanniichuan has closed. Please visit the original Nanniichuan at
Jusenkyo in mainland China."
Akane watched with concern as Ranma's head went down, and she covered
her face with her hands.
"All that for nothing. Why???"
Akane put P-chan down on the grass and put her arm around Ranma's
shoulders.
"I wish I knew. I'm so sorry!" She accompanied the words with a
little hug, and was glad to see Ranma respond to it. She uncovered
her face, and looked up at Akane with a weak smile.
"You know something? If that was the spring, you'd be a guy right
now."
"EEP!" For a second, it looked as though Akane was going to pass out.
"I could have been cursed to turn into a GUY?"
She looked so horrified that Ranma couldn't help but chuckle.
"What a pair we would have been! Me with no curse, and you with a
brand-new one. I guess I'm kinda glad it was plain water after all."
Akane's expression softened, and her hand went to Ranma's cheek.
"You're not sorry?"
The other girl shrugged. "Hey, just because this didn't work doesn't
mean there's not a cure out there somewhere."
Ranma noticed that Akane looked thoughtful.
"Ranma," she said quietly, "why didn't you wait until after school to
go to the locker room? It would have been empty then."
"I don't know," he replied. "I guess I was in such a hurry to get
cured that I didn't think."
"Dummy," she replied affectionately.
Ranma was too surprised at Akane's tone of voice to respond.
"Come on, I need to get out of these wet clothes and you need some hot
water." Akane picked P-chan up, and stood. "Let's go ho--"
Akane was interrupted when P-chan flew out of her arms and latched
onto Ranma's hand.
"Hey, get offa me!"
Ranma shook her hand violently, trying to dislodge P-chan, who was
holding on with his teeth. Akane grabbed the piglet and pulled.
"Stop that! Don't bite Ranma!" Akane pulled the piglet loose, and
held him up to her face.
"Why are you biting Ranma? BAD, BAD P-chan!"
Ranma's eyes bugged out, and she stared at Akane.
"All the times that pig attacked me and you tell him he's bad now?"
"Well, the other times you deserved it for picking on him!"
Ranma felt it was wiser to keep her mouth shut than to argue the
point.
---------------
Akane sent Ranma down into the wrecked locker room to search for Ryoga
while she stayed outside with P-chan. After a few minutes, he
returned alone.
"I can't find him, Akane. He must have gone home."
"I hope he's okay!"
"Oh, I have a feeling he is," Ranma replied.
After Akane got a new uniform from the school and Ranma changed back,
they started for home.
The three traveled in silence until they were about halfway there.
"I just want you to know," Akane said, "the only reason I kissed you
was because I didn't want to get in trouble."
"I kinda thought it was something like that," Ranma lied. *It didn't
FEEL that way to me.*
"But Ranma?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you for telling me about the map."
The pigtailed martial artist just shrugged. "Didn't have much
choice."
"Yes, you did."
"Huh?"
"You could have done something stupid like try to sneak in but you
didn't, which I consider a minor miracle for you."
Ranma looked indignant.
"Hey!"
He would have said more, but the soft smile on Akane's face made him
stop. The rest of his words died at the beauty of that smile.
"Thank you for trusting me," she whispered.
Their eyes locked, and the distance between them closed. As the space
between their lips grew smaller, the air seemed to be charged with
electricity.
*It feels so right,* Ranma thought as he closed his eyes. *It
feels...*
CHOMP!
"...like I just got bit!"
"YOWWWCH!!!!"
Ramma glared at the piglet, and was reaching for him when Akane
grabbed his arm.
"Don't hurt him, Ranma."
"What?"
"I think he was defending me. He must have thought you were going to
hurt me."
"Stupid pig!"
"He's just a pig, Ranma. Don't pick on him. Let's go home."
-------------------
Comments are welcome
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www.karaohki.com
"Karaoke? Sounds like a dessert." - Wakko "Or a disease." - Dot