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Ranma 1/2: Another Approach
Part 14
By Jack Staik, Bookkeeper-At-Arms
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"Are you sure, Akane?" Ranma asked.
"I'm fine!" she insisted. "A quick spar before we eat,
that's all."
Ranma nodded. He needed to guage the effects of the Touched
Soul, anyway. "First fall?"
"HA!" Akane barked. "That's for wimps! All-out, until one of
us begs off - or Kasumi serves lunch."
Ranma nodded. "Fair enough. Let's go to the dojo."
Akane smiled and waved her havd toward the door, inviting
him to go first.
As soon as they stepped outside, Akane leapt toward him,
feet first. "YAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
Nabiki came out to see what the noise was, then just sat
down and stared.
Akane and Ranma didn't land and jump, they almost bounced,
sailing into the air, defying gravity as the two of them
traded blows over the koi pond.
Akane's moves echoed Ranma's; smooth, graceful, fluid. Her
hands blurred as she blocked a blow and returned it.
Ranma sped up, having to exert himself somewhat to block
her. She began blocking his more casual attacks, so he made
his blows stronger and faster. Her defense still had holes,
but she was changing her defense quickly enough to minimize
her exposure.
They briefly landed on the same side of the pond, and Ranma
sent a combination series of blows at her head and
shoulders. Akane twisted out of the way, using a perfect Ja
Jinku defense, then sent a series of rapid-fire snap-kicks
at Ranma's head.
Akane felt wonderful.
Her timing was better than ever; her balance and grace was
amazing. And her speed shocked even her.
She *felt* the life-force flow within her, directed it
without thinking. Before, she'd have to focus to perform
leaps or the Stone-breaking Fist or the Ja Jinku. Now, they
just happened, as much a reflex as breathing.
Now, she *knew* for the first time in her life, what it was
to truly be a martial artist. This was the reward; union of
body and soul, the feeling of grace and power ... nothing
was *ever* like this!
"UGH!" Ranma exclaimed as her fist hit his gut.
A quick flip, and Ranma plummeted into the pond.
Akane landed on a rock in crane position, then began hopping
up and down.
"YAHOO!! I DUNKED HIM!! I DUNKED HIM!! YIPPEE!! YATTA!!"
A splash of water covered Akane, making her gasp and
sputter.
Then Ranma-onna leapt out of the pond and began delivering
blow after blow at blinding speed (but barely enough force
to push her a few inches), driving Akane backwards.
"Yow! Hey! Help!" Akane cried. "Stop! I surrender! Wait!"
Akane fell backwards, hitting the ground with a thud.
"Hey!" she exclaimed, "you cheated!"
"How?" Ranma-onna asked.
"I dunked you!"
Akane's sensei shook her head. "We didn't make any rules,
remember? All-out sparring, until one of us begged off."
"But -" she began, only to have Ranma-onna's delicate foot a
millimeter from her face.
"No 'buts'. Don't get mad just because someone else doesn't
play the same game you do - sooner or later, you'll always
run into someone who doesn't play."
"I *don't* play!" Akane snapped.
"Then stop acting like a spoiled child because I don't roll
over and let you beat me."
"'SPOILED CHILD'?!?" Akane swung her mallet up from the
ground ...
... only to find herself in the pond, not exactly sure how
she got there.
"You're better, Akane-chan," Ranma-onna commented, twirling
the mallet in one hand, "a *lot* better. But you're still
teishi, and I'm still sensei."
Unseen, a shadowed figure perched upon the roof, watching,
appraising. Akane Tendo had improved greatly, but the red-
haired one was just as good, if not better. Certainly more
cunning.
As Ranma walked up to the porch, Kasumi watered him and
changed him back.
"YIPE!" a strange voice cried in surprise, falling from the
porch roof.
In an instant, Ranma was on the figure, pinning him to the
ground.
The identity of the figure surprised him.
"A ninja?? A really short and ugly one, too."
"Thank you so much, that is *so* good for my ego - GET OFF
OF ME!!"
"Ranma-kun," Nabiki said. "This is Sasuke. He's a retainer
to the Kuno family."
Ranma nodded. "So, Kodachi sent you to spy on us?"
"No!" Sasuke protested. "Master Tatewaki sent me! With a
message!"
Ranma let him up. The ninja then handed an envelope to
Nabiki.
Nabiki opened it. "Well, it seems that Kuno-baby's as good
as his word this time."
"What is it?" Akane asked.
"Notes on Kodachi's strategy for the match."
Ranma shook his head. "That ain't exactly honest -"
"'Poisoned spikes'?" Nabiki exclaimed.
"WHAT??" Akane and Ranma said, snatching the letter away.
"Poisoned weapons - explosives - bribing the officials -
having her team move the ring *during* the match - " Akane
was appalled. "This is the most crooked match in history!"
Ranma nodded. "It would normally be dishonest to have an
informant tell you your opponent's strategy before the match
like this - but this is an exception." He turned to the
small ninja. "Thanks, buddy."
Sasuke smiled and bowed. It was nice being treated so
informally, after the stuffy scorn of the Kuno household.
"Just one question, young master-"
"Ranma, okay?"
"Ranma, then. What I saw before. When Miss Tendo poured that
water on you -"
"It's a curse," he explained. "I change forms when I get
wet."
"So - Young Master Kuno is actually having romantic thoughts
about a man?"
Ranma grimaced. "Don't remind me."
"BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!"
The Tendos and Ranma looked on as Sasuke laughed himself
sick.
* * * * * * * * * *
After dinner, Nabiki took Akane up to her room.
Nabiki sat Akane down on the sleeping mat and looked her in
the eye. "Are you alright, Akane-chan?"
"I'm fine, Nabiki! In fact, I'm better than I've ever been
in my life!" From a sitting position, Akane hopped two
meters straight up, flipped backwards, and landed on one
hand. "See?" Akane asked, smiling and upside-down. Then she
flipped back into the air and landed in a sitting position
again.
Nabiki was impressed as hell. "You certainly seem more ...
well, everything ... than you were before."
"Yeah!" Akane said, grinning.
"But what about the rest of it? The way you were acting
earlier?"
Akane looked confused. "Earlier?"
"Tofu-sensei said that you'd be acting a bit strange for a
while afterwards."
Akane concentrated for a moment, then shook her head. "My
memory seems ... a bit blurry. Did something happen after I
woke up?"
"Three thousand yen," Nabiki said, smirking.
Akane sighed and paid out the money. "Okay, what happened?"
"Before or after you called Kasumi an ambitionless, air-headed pansy?"
* * * * * * * * * *
Ranma was punching an exercise post in the backyard when the
cry came from upstairs.
Ranma hopped up to Akane's window and rushed in. "Everything
alright?"
Akane blushed and turned away from him.
"Just filling her in on this morning," Nabiki said,
smirking. "She had a bit of a memory gap."
Ranma sat down besides her. "Embarassed?"
" ... " Akane replied.
"It could have been worse."
Akane turned to him. "HOW?? I insulted Kasumi-chan, I chased
around Tofu-sensei like a common *whore*, I *belched* out
the national anthem, I made a complete *ass* out of myself -
how could things have been worse?!?"
"Well, there was this time that Oyaji ..."
[Approximately 35,000 words omitted in the name of good
taste and international relations.]
Akane and Nabiki were rolling on the floor in hysterics.
"Oh dear god!" Nabiki gasped. "That is the *worst*!"
"I'm surprised they let you and Genma leave Korea!" Akane
agreed.
"Leave, yes - but if we ever go back, we'll probably be
executed!"
A fresh round of laughter started.
Soon, the three friends had exhausted themselves, and sat on
the floor of Akane's room in a companionable silence.
"Well," Ranma commented, "you did do one nice thing while
you were 'under the influence'."
"What?" Akane asked.
"You said I was your best friend."
Akane looked at Ranma, then thought about it.
"I must have been *really* out of it," she commented.
"Definite case of temporary insanity. Rest assured, I'll
never say *that* in my right mind."
"Oh," Ranma said, a note of disappointment in his voice.
"I don't care who you best friend is, Ranma-kun, as long as
long as I'm still your girlfriend," Nabiki said.
Ranma smiled. "Sure, Biki-chan."
* * * * * * * * * *
The next morning, Akane and Ranma walked along the top of
the fence to school, while Nabiki walked alongside.
Occasionally, Ranma would do a leg-sweep on her, and she
managed to dodge half of them. The ones she didn't avoid,
she managed to get her balance in mid-air and bounce back to
the fence.
She sent a kick to his face, which he blocked with his own
kick.
Nabiki looked on with admiration for both Ranma's skill and
Akane's improvement.
And a bit of fear.
For the first time in her life, she was in love. She was
honest enough with herself to admit that she cared about
him.
But she knew that no explanation would be enough to cover
what she did to him. Once he found out the truth, she'd
loose him forever.
There was only one thing she could do.
She would wait until after the Rhythmic Gymnastics match to
do it. It might damage Akane's performance to do it right
away.
She gazed at him, let herself be drawn to him. She'd let
these last few days be ones for the record book, ones she'd
treasure.
Before she lost him forever.
"AKANE TENDO!!"
Ranma and Akane, seeing Kuno waiting by the gate, hopped off
the fence.
"What is it, Kuno?" Akane asked, boredom and annoyance in
her voice.
Kuno looked stunned. "You no longer call me 'sempai'?"
"That was then - this is now," she said brusquely. After all
the suffering she'd just gone through for the Art, she was
damned if she'd refer to this *hobbyist* as her social
superior! "What do you want?"
Recovering his equilibrium, Kuno put his bokuto in position.
"I have come to challenge you! And when I have won, I claim
the right to date with thee *and* the fair Ranko!"
A cold look passed over Akane's face. "'When you've won'?"
she said in a hard voice, full of ice and menace.
Kuno cried and struck at Akane's leg, at the spot where
she'd been injured.
Akane brought her foot up and stomped down, jerking the
weapon out of his hands.
Kuno looked at her in shock. He was *disarmed*??
Akane grabbed the front of Kuno's tunic and pulled his face
to within an inch of hers.
Her face had absolutely no expression on it, and her eyes
were cold and heartless as she drew her fist back.
"Akane Tendo doesn't lose."
Her blow broke Kuno's nose with an audible crunch, and sent
him flying back, tearing his tunic where she held on, and
shattering the schoolhouse door as he flew through it.
Akane snorted in comtempt as she wiped Kuno's blood from her
hand with his own torn clothes.
Nabiki and Ranma looked back and forth from the unconscious
Kuno to Akane and back again.
"Wasn't that kind of excessive, Akane-chan?" Nabiki asked.
"He challenged me!" Akane said defensively.
Nabiki reviewed what she just saw.
Akane was always competitive. She always wanted to be the
best at anything she did. Grandfather used to say she was
filled with 'conquering spirit'.
The Touched Soul. The technique that had turned a stern and
unemotional Soun Tendo into a blubbering wreck, his emotions
unleashed; that had made Tofu-sensei into a babbling loon
whenever he was around Kasumi, his love and desire
unleashed.
If she was right, the technique had unleashed Akane's
'conquering spirit'. Every challenge, no matter how trivial,
would be met as though it were a duel to the death. Akane
would win - or die trying.
Nabiki felt chills go up her spine.
* * * * * * * * * *
(That evening ...)
"Nabiki-chan!" Kasumi said in prim shock, making Nabiki's
hair stand on end in surprise.
Nabiki turned and smiled weakly. "Hi, Kasumi. What are you
doing up this late?"
"I was using the facilities when I saw you. I know you and
Ranma are close, but entering a boy's bedroom unchaperoned
is ... improper. *Especially* at one in the moring!"
"Hardly 'unchaperoned'," Nabiki pointed out, "his father
sleeps in there, too."
"Still -"
"And I'm not going in there to do anything naughty," she
clarified. "Ranma wouldn't like that - you know how he is.
I'm just trying to ... help him."
Kasumi just piku-pikued.
"Don't tell anyone this - he'd be so embarassed," Nabiki
explained, "But Ranma suffers from chronic nightmares. I
just want to try to ... help him."
Kasumi pondered this. She hadn't known about the nightmares;
and, having had to awaken the panda, Kasumi knew that being
with a sleeping Genma was the same as being unchaperoned.
"Well, since you have a chaperone," she said, "I suppose
there's nothing wrong with your comforting him."
Nabiki smiled. "Thank you, oneechan," she said gratefully.
"Don't tell anyone, okay?"
"Not a word," Kasumi promised as Nabiki went in.
Kasumi listened briefly at the door. She heard Ranma
whimpering, then Nabiki saying something in a soothing
voice.
<Leaving two teenagers virtually unchaperoned, clad only in their night-clothes, in a private and highly emotional situation - shame on you, Kasumi Tendo,> she said to herself, smiling.
As she went to bed, Kasumi wondered what she should do after
Nabiki and Ranma married; should she apply to a college, or
apply for that job she'd had her eye on? She sighed. Decisions, decisions.
* * * * * * * * * *
The next few days went by in a blur.
Akane and Ranma trained like maniacs. In record time, Akane
mastered the basic skills of Martial Arts Rhythmic
Gymnastics. To counter Kodachi's dirty tricks, strategies
were prepared (with Nabiki's assistance, who had a feel for
that sort of thing).
Tatewaki Kuno came by once, bearing a five-meter-wide
arrangement of roses for Ranko and Akane, as well as a
string quintet backup so he could sing of his love for his
'Two Goddesses', only to receive an aerial tour of Nerima.
Since the custom-made arrangement had depleted Nerima's rose
supply, Nabiki re-sold the roses for a sizable profit.
Meanwhile, Nabiki and Ranma dated, went to the movies, went
on a picnic, and even went swimming together. Ranma finally
understood why people went on dates - he genuinely enjoyed
himself, and enjoyed seeing Nabiki smile.
Nabiki tried to soothe Ranma's nightmares, and Ranma often
awoke to find Nabiki's arms around him, making him feel
rested and safe. It was ... nice. His nightmares became less
troublesome, and the late-night talks the two would end up
having let both Nabiki and Ranma unburden themselves.
If Genma and Soun noticed Nabiki's midnight excursions, they
gave no sign - except a tendency to smirk.
* * * * * * * * * *
The day arrived.
At St Hebreke Girls School auditorium, all and sundry had
gathered.
The St Hebreke audience was looking forward to a real
competition, rather than just an exhibition of Kodachi Kuno
performing.
The Furinkan High School audience was looking forward to a
victory against the undefeated St Hebreke team, as well as
some payback for what had happened to their original team.
Assorted others were looking to see the conflict between two
styles of Martial Arts. (Especially one large gentleman with
an odd complexion and dojo signs around his neck. But that's
another tale.)
Akane and Ranma-onna were in the Furinkan corner, doing
warmups. Various Furinkan students were cheering them on,
leering at their bodies in the tight leotards, or both.
Hiroshi leaned down from the stands. "Hey, Ranko-chan! Your
brother said you'd give me a kiss!"
Ranma-onna picked up a bench and slammed it over his head.
"Pervert," she spat.
"Yeah," Akane agreed.
In the Furinkan corner was not only the coach of the
Furinkan team, but Soun Tendo, Genma Saotome, and the other
Tendo daughters.
Kuno stepped up to Akane and Ranma-onna. "My fair maidens!
Today, I do cheer for thine victory, even though you face
mine own sister. When her madness and treachery threaten to
overwhelm you, let the mighty and majestic love of Tatewaki
Kuno, the glorious Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, fill thy
bosoms with hope!"
Nabiki made gagging sounds.
"Aren't you able to speak without referring to our 'bosoms',
you sicko?" Ranma-onna said scornfully.
"Leave, Kuno," Akane stated flatly. "We got fighting to do,
and you'll only get in the way."
"Ah, the fierce tigress seeks to protect her mate!" he
sighed. "At last, the manliness of the Blue Thunder doth
begin to find the True Woman within, and make thee set aside
thy unnatural infatuation with the no-less-than-lovely
Ranko! Now the two of you can know the bliss of my manly
love!"
Ranma-onna and Akane looked at each other and nodded. Then
they reached for Kuno.
<WHAM!!> <POW!!> <THUD!!> <WALLOP!!> <HIT!!> <FOLD!!>
<SPINDLE!!> <MUTILATE!!> <RIP!!> <SHRED!!> <TEAR!!>
The audience winced at the sight of the two pretty girls
performing hideous and unspeakable acts upon the helpless
idiot.
"Ite ..." Kuno commented before losing consciousness.
"They're getting ready to announce you," the coach said.
As the pair stepped up to the ring, there was no sign of the
St Hebreke team.
Ranma-onna turned to Nabiki and nodded.
Nabiki nodded in reply, signaled her minions, who got into
position.
A fanfare of trumpets, a dimming of the lights, and a sudden
spotlight heralded the entry of Kodachi Kuno.
A trapeze bearing Kodachi lowered to the floor from the
ceiling, a Western march playing. Kodachi was garbed in a
western-style wedding gown, holding a bouquet of black
roses.
Soun cringed. The Tendo girls (all three) emitted visible
battle auras.
"Nice entrance," Ranma-onna commented.
As the lights returned to normal, Kodachi pulled out a
microphone. "I wish to announce that I do this not just for
my school, nor for my Art, but for the love of my future
husband, and father of my children - SOUN TENDO!"
As a spotlight illuminated the amazingly-embarassed form of
Soun, the sound of a thousand-person facefault filled the
stadium.
The whispers were loud enough to be clearly heard;
"He's old enough to be her father!"
"Isn't that Akane Tendo's father?"
"He's dating a sixteen-year-old??"
"What a pervert!"
"What a stud!"
"What a scandal!"
"Poor Akane - having to call a girl her own age 'mother'!"
Nabiki leapt up, mallet in hand, only to be restrained by a
flying tackle of Furinkan girls.
"LEMME GO!" she cried. "I'M GONNA KILL HER DEAD!! LEMME GO!!
DIE SLUT DIE!! SNARL!!"
"Nabiki's taking this better than I am," Kasumi commented,
taking a swig out of her flask.
"What the hell did you do to her, Oyaji?!?" Akane hissed.
Soun blushed. "Well, nothing, really. That is, nothing
major. I didn't actually - well -" Soun got flustered. "She
kissed me! I didn't kiss her! I was drugged!"
This started a new round of whispering in the crowd.
"We'll deal with *you* later," Akane hissed. "Right now,
there's a match to win."
Ranma-onna and Akane stopped on the edge of the performance
area. Nabiki slipped a charm bracelet onto Akane's wrist,
the same one she'd worn on the night of her Touched Soul
training. "Go get her," Nabiki whispered.
Akane smiled and walked toward the middle of the ring,
Ranma-onna at her side.
As they went, Nabiki called out, "And remember - kick her
when she's down!"
Kodachi had changed to her trademark leotard by the time
Akane got to the middle of the ring.
Akane had changed, too. Not her clothes, but her attitude.
She went from aggravated and anxious to cold and precise.
Even Kodachi felt a chill looking into her opponent's eyes.
The referee introduced the 'teams' to each other and the
audience, and explained the rules of the match; one-on-one,
contact with tools only, anyone touching the floor outside
the circle would be disqualified.
Kodachi held out her hand in a friendly gesture.
Akane looked at the hand coldly, but Ranma-onna took it.
Only to find a manacle on her wrist, attached to a length of
chain to another manacle on Akane's wrist.
"Now, the two of you can truly be together!" Kodachi
cackled.
At the edge of the ring, Kasumi asked Nabiki, "What just
happened?"
"Kodachi's got an edge," Nabiki reported. "Now Ran ... ko
can't leave the ring. But the rules say one-on-one. If
'Ranko' makes a single move that could be interpreted as a
fighting move or giving assistance to Akane, Furinkan loses automatically.
"So Akane has to fight - with a fifty-kilo dead weight on
one arm."
Kasumi looked worried.
But not as worried as Soun.
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To Be Continued