Ryoga P Hibiki wrote:
Ruroni Ranma
Chapter 2
The soul of the true samurai.
Ranma sat across from Soun Tendo, the three daughters had recently gone
to sleep while the men sat together in the living room around the table
talking. Soun relayed old stories about the boy's father while Ranma
recounted a few tales from China. He skirted around the years they had
spent in battle. Soun let the matter pass; Ranma would reveal those
things to him when he felt comfortable with it. After a long moment,
around eleven o'clock Ranma suddenly became serious.
"Tendo, I'm sorry to say this, but I'll be leaving tomorrow," he bowed
politely and sat with an almost rigid position across from the man.
Soun's face fell as he looked at the boy in shock. "Pardon?"
"I said I'll be leaving tomorrow in the morning," repeated Ranma simply.
"Why? Where are you going? When will you return?" said Tendo as he did
not quite understand what the boy was telling him.
Ranma took in a deep breath and hung his head. "I won't be coming back,
it is obvious to me that none of your daughters desires this marriage. I
Really? What's Nabiki's problem with him? He's attractive, polite, she gets the
property...
will not force myself on any of them, even as a last request from my
father."
"You have my gratitude," said Soun with a relieved sigh. "Now, it's
getting pretty late, you do have school tomorrow do you not Saotome?"
Ranma blinked. "Oro, I suppose you're right."
Doesn't strike me as a natural use of "Oro".
The next morning Ranma stood waiting for Akane outside the dojo. The
girl came running out and stopped cold as she saw him standing there.
"What do you want?"
"Your father thought it might be a good idea if we walked together
Akane," replied the boy simply.
She looked him up and down and frowned when she realized he was wearing
the same kind of clothes he was wearing the day before. They were
slightly different, a flame pattern was dyed into the sleeves and waist.
He should probably get a uniform.
He smiled at her and started walking. "Why don't you just go by yourself?
I don't want anything to do with you."
Ranma didn't turn to face her, he merely stopped and spoke to her. "One
month."
"What?" said the girl in confusion.
"I told your father I would remain one month, if you still wish me gone
a month from now I will leave without question," Ranma started to walk
towards the school once again; suddenly he stopped and looked thoughtful.
"Oro...I just realized I don't know where this school is at. Perhaps you
could show me?" When he turned to face her the smile was there again as
if it had never left his face.
Nabiki sat and watched the exchange from her usual place in the window.
She was about to call out to Ranma when she realized that he was watching
the tree. Kuno stood in waiting just behind it patiently. She frowned and
realized that there was no way he could see the boy from the angle he was
standing at. Still, he sat and waited. "What's he up to?"
"What was that boss?" asked one of her associates.
"Nothing," replied Nabiki calmly.
Akane finished up the last of her opponents and panted while remaining in
a ready stance. Her hand darted up in time to catch a single rose that
had flow into her hand.
"What fools these mortals be, they seek the honor of your company on the
eve that they might defeat you," said a voice as a tall almost bishonen
Comma after "tall"
looking boy emerged from his cover and stepped out.
"Now, might you spar with me?" the boy chuckled to himself as he held his
bokuto up towards her.
Um...that doesn't work because he's actually talking to Akane.
Akane was about to answer the challenge when a new voice spoke up. "I
think I've seen about enough."
Kuno turned and saw the strange boy leaning against the wall with his
head bent down. He growled when he noticed the sword hanging at his side
and his familiar dress. "Who might you be?"
Ranma looked up at him and smiled. "Just a vagabond whose found a place
to stay for a while. I must say your technique is cowardly."
"Who are you to speak of such things?" snapped the boy as he diverted his
attention from Akane for a moment.
Ranma ignored him. "Using weaker opponents to wear her down, so that you
can take advantage of her weakened state and defeat her easily. A
masterful plan, but hardly the way of a true warrior. If you truly wished
to test your own strength you'd do it without all this pageantry."
Hmm. Good point. That Akane won versus Kuno even after the first brawl suggests
that she was doing pretty good even if he was holding back.
"Who are you boor? How dare you speak so to one such as myself!" snapped
Kuno as he stepped towards the boy.
"As I said, I'm just a vagabond, nothing for you to concern yourself
with. Let her go peacefully, otherwise she might be late for class,"
replied Ranma simply.
Kuno looked like he was about to burst a vein. "How-how dare you! A
lowborn fool like yourself cannot begin to comprehend the honor of this
battle! Do you know who it is you address? I am the mighty True Battosai
of Furinkan High! The rising new star of the high school fencing world;
Tatewaki Kuno!"
"For one with such a sharp name, you sure are dull," retorted Ranma
That line does not ring true.
coolly as his hand met the blade at his side. For the first time Kuno
seemed to notice it.
Ranma was having a bit of a difficult time in his battle in the hallway.
The narrow space didn't give him much room to move around and he didn't
really want to hurt this boy now. He turned away and jumped out of the
path of another strike. "This is not the place to fight Kuno."
Comma after "to"
That stopped the upperclassman for a moment. "I see, lead on then!"
Ranma looked back at the room and turned away leading Kuno down the
hall. He smirked as he jumped out of an open window and noticed the
student body closing in behind them.
Akane rushed forward as Kuno followed and snapped at Ranma angrily.
"This is the third floor fool!"
"Oro?" said Ranma as he balanced on the top of a flagpole just outside
the window. Kuno was face down in the pool three stories below. "I was
going up to the roof, but I guess he couldn't keep up with me..." he
looked a little ashamed and stepped back into the building.
"Why didn't you just take the stairs!?" snapped the girl angrily.
"Oh, yea..." Ranma turned his head and looked at the flight of stairs
that wasn't even ten feet away from him.
Akane merely hung her head and sighed.
Kuno walked out of the pool and shook off his arms as he turned towards
the building and glared upwards in anger. "Ranma Saotome, I shall not
forget this offence! Be ready for my challenge!" He sat down there on the
pavement and fished a soaking wet notepad and pencil from his shirt.
"You will suffer for this humiliation!" he started to laugh to himself
as he scrawled, or attempted do considering the condition of his
utensils.
TBC...
Next time: Kuno strikes back.
C&C to: Carrotglace@juno.com
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