I think I struck a nerve.
Ye gods, I've never had so much reaction to anything I've
written before. I guess when a writer takes on such a
universal subject, it tends to have a wide appeal. (I
wasn't trying to earn a large audience, but maybe that's
why it worked, because I wasn't trying. ^_^) For all the
positive response, I thank everyone.
I _do_ plan to do a rewrite for part one when I get the
chance (real life is really being a pain lately). Sooner
rather than later, I hope.
Having said that, here's part 2 plus a little extra that
will appear with each part (including part one): lyrics
to a song that seems to fit each chapter.
Thanks for reading,
Shunsuke
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"As Fragile As Stone"
Part 2: "Rules Of Engagement"
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction
by Shunsuke -|||
============================================================
It's easy to misjudge people, their words, their intent.
People say things when they're tired or they're angry,
things they don't really mean and regret later. But then
again, goes the saying, "a drunken man's words are a sober
man's thoughts". (Unless you are a brash and arrogant
martial artist, that is.)
"Hwaaah!!!" came a voice, then a crash.
Barely minutes before her alarm clock was set to go off,
Akane was woken up by an obscenely loud set of noises. And
of course, it had to come from her own house.
Dragging herself out of bed and to the door, then angrily
walking back to shut off the alarm that sounded when she
touched the door handle, Akane went downstairs to see just
what was going on.
"Oh, good morning, Akane! How are you?"
"Fine, Kasumi, and good morning to you. Or at least it was,
until the noise woke me up. Just what's going on, anyway?"
Akane stepped into the dining room just in time to see the
doors to the engawa (*) open and two men fighting in the
morning sun, their dark silhouettes the only thing visible
as the sun rose over the neighborhood.
"Good morning, Akane," Soun Tendo said as he sat down with
the newspaper, "Feeling more enthusiastic about the
arrangement this morning?"
Akane just stood in silence for a minute watching the
mid-air combat the Saotomes were having, Soun joining in.
(I mean the viewing.)
"He's pretty good, I'd say," Akane spoke up.
"You mean his technique or his looks?" Nabiki said with a
smile, a stretch, and a soft thud as she sat down for
breakfast. "How long are you going to stand there admiring
him?" Nabiki grinned while grabbing a bowl of rice, avoiding
Akane's eyes. Akane leered at her older sister, her face
flushed with red, though whether it was embarrassment or
anger it was hard to tell. The others, Kasumi included,
laughed good-naturedly at this.
Akane was grateful for the yells and splash that came next,
interrupting her family.
"Stupid old fart, you cheated!" Ranma stormed into the
house, doused and soused, groused at her father's lack of
honour. "An' don't even think of stealing my food, or
you're gonna get pounded!"
"Not likely, boy!" said Genma's sign as he used it to flip
Ranma's bowl into the air and catch it with his mouth.
"Why you-" Ranma began, fist coming forward towards the
panda's head.
A loud smack surprised Ranma, as well as Genma, though not
anybody else.
"Not in the house, Ranma," Akane said, "Keep it outside or
in the dojo." Holding Ranma's fist in her hand a few more
seconds to make the point, and after making eye contact
with Ranma's shocked face, she finally let go.
"What was that for? You saw what he did!" But, Ranma's
complaint went unheard as everyone sat down except for her.
"What kinda tomboy are you anyway? Stopping my fist like
that, jeez..."
"You...you...! DIE, RANMA!" Akane shouted, punching Ranma
in the face, straight backward into the pond.
"Whatcha do that for?" Ranma whined as she wrung out her
pigtail while walking back to the house. Realizing that no
one was really interested in her appeal for sympathy, plus
the fact that Genma was reaching for her fish, Ranma sat
down to eat. Aside from Ranma's and Genma's personal battle
with chopsticks over particular morsels of food, it was
quiet for several minutes during breakfast.
"So, Ranma, will you be walking with Akane to school today?"
Soun spoke up in a friendly, fatherly tone. "Fiancees
should walk together, you know."
"Aw, c'mon, Mr. Tendo, school? And besides, I ain't
nobody's fiance, not for a few years anyway," Ranma replied.
Too busy eating, Ranma didn't notice Akane's silence.
* * * * *
Having grabbed their lunches from Kasumi, the three teens
(one reluctantly) made their way to the door of the house.
"We're off to school now!" the Tendo sisters called at once,
Ranma left grumbling to himself as he kicked a stone on the
walkway. Together, they walked down the street together,
the three making small talk. Once they turned the corner
and were out of sight, though, Nabiki picked up her pace.
"Nabiki, wait up!" Akane called, but her sister pulled away.
"Sorry, sis, got a little business to take care of! See you
after school!" she called out before running off.
"Typical," Akane said, noting with a little surprise that
Ranma had started walking on the fence. "Hey! Do you
always do that?"
"Yeah, it's training. I try to put some in wherever I can."
"Huh, sounds like an idea. Here, give me a hand," she said,
jumping up toward the fence. Ranma was a little surprised,
but grabbed her hand and helped her up onto the fence.
"Thanks," Akane said, focusing on her footwork instead of
Ranma's face.
Ranma kept quiet for a few seconds while Akane gained her
balance. He was not going to baby her, but was "So you
study the art, huh?"
"Yeah, dad started teaching me when I was little. I was
more into other types of martial arts, but dad said this is
our family's style, plus he thinks it's better for girls,
something to do with defending yourself, since people don't
usually carry weapons in self defense."
"Makes sense, I guess. There won't always be a guy around
to protect you."
"What did you just say?" Akane said, coming to a stop in
anger and losing her balance in surprise. She grabbed Ranma
as she started to fall, as had she not been concentrating on
landing on her feet, would have taken the opportunity to
slug him. "Listen, jerk, I can get a boyfriend whenever I
want! I don't need some loser forcibly engaged to me!"
"C'mon, that ain't what I said," Ranma said defensively, "I
just meant that girls need protectin', that's all."
"So you think all girls are weak and helpless," Akane
growled at him. "Forget you, then," she spat, aiming a
punch at his head.
A smack, just like the one at breakfast, cut the air.
"You ain't the only one who can do it, Akane," Ranma said
with a grin.
"You think I can't take care of herself? I'll take you on
anytime."
"Forget it, I don't fight girls."
Now Akane was _really_ mad. "Fine. After school, in the
dojo, if you've got the guts." Picking up her bag, Akane
ran off toward school.
"Hey, waitaminit!" Ranma yelled, trying to keep up.
"Typical boy!" she hmphed to herself, "Forget you and the
engagement! Who needs you anyway? I hate boys!"
"She hates boys?" Ranma thought to himself, "I don't think
that explains why she hates the engagement." Ranma kept
chasing her toward the school, not wanting to be left behind
since he didn't know where the school was. Even more
important that he get there before it started raining. At
least, he thought it was rain when droplets hit his face.
A look of anger crossed Akane's face as the school came into
view. "You're just like them, Ranma. Those stupid jerks at
school...to hell with all of you!" she said before running
onto school grounds full speed ahead.
Inside the school yard, students were coming in for classes,
heading toward the doors at walking pace until someone
sounded the alarm.
"Everybody take cover! Stampede!" Boys started running
for dear life, some girls too, but all too late.
Akane waded into the crowd with kicks and punches flying,
just like the students. Male bodies flew so fast Ranma lost
count of them, and lost sight of Akane until she had mowed
down the first group. He hopped to the top of the fence to
get a better look.
Grabbing the boy who yelled the warning, Akane looked in his
eyes and said "Stampede, huh? Were you insinuating I'm a
cow?" She punched him into unconsciousness before he could
reply. "Creep."
The second group stood together like a phalanx, waiting for
Akane to attack. She stood there looking at them, a smile
on her face as she decided where to begin.
Ranma jumped down from his perch and walked up beside Akane.
Ranma did not say it aloud, but he was impressed. Not as
fast as him, but she definitely had talent. Maybe he would
change his attitude to sparring with her...maybe.
"Jeez, you sure are popular," he said.
"POPULAR?" shouted a boy wearing field hockey gear, pointing
at Akane. "That butt ugly tomboy?" Ranma decided not to
agree with him, but his curiosity did make him ask the
obvious question.
"So what's this all about anyway, Akane?"
"Ask those jerks! Everyday, calling me names behind my
back, treating me like dirt! It's the only way to shut them
up!"
"Hey, you bring this on yourself, y'know! Why don't you
just transfer to another school, you ugly hag?" This time,
it was a girl from a school window yelling at Akane.
All Ranma could do was stand there with a "What have I
gotten myself into?" look on his face.
"You...you witch! Just wait until lunchtime!" Akane shouted
before starting for the doors. She stopped when a short
wooden spike landed and embedded itself in the ground inches
in front of Akane's foot.
Turning his head, Ranma saw another student enter the school
yard, a boy dressed in samurai clothing. Now he was really
sure this school was screwy.
"The way of the sword is one of courage and honour, of inner
peace and solitude," he began while walking toward Akane.
"Cease thine actions, Akane Tendo. Behave with honour and
concern for the physically weak, and I shall spare thee the
punishment a senior should mete out to his junior."
"You punish me, Kuno? Ha!" Akane stood up, dusting her
hands off with a clap, "The day you can punish me is the day
you grow a brain and let me into the kendo club!"
"Silence, girl! Your habitual violence does not befit one
who claims the honour of a martial artist. Learn from your
betters, 'tis not the place of a woman to study the arts."
Holding the bokken in both hands and making a few practice
defensive swings of the sword, Kuno appeared competent, if
unspectacular, to someone of moderate skill.
To someone of Ranma's skill, he wasn't that impressive.
"Who is this blowhard, Akane?"
Slowly and with a touch of anger on his face, Kuno turned
toward Ranma and pointed his bokken at the newcomer.
"Blowhard, you say? How dare such a peasant as yourself lay
such disparaging remarks at the feet of one of such noble
blood as I? I, a true descendant from the lines of samurai,
should not be-"
Ranma had cracked his knuckles and loosened up while Kuno
blathered on, but was cut short by surprise.
Within one second, Kuno's bokken was knocked out of his hand
and held by Akane. Within three seconds, Akane has swung
the sword six times. After four seconds, Kuno was in the
air on his way to a hard landing.
"You were fighting me, remember, stupid?" Akane said in
disgust before shoving the sword into the ground beside
Kuno, tip first about two feet into the dirt.
"I guess I ain't gonna see what he can do," Ranma thought to
himself, looking at Kuno's prone and unconscious form. With
a shrug of his shoulders, he ran after Akane into the school
just before the rain began.
* * * * *
"So, Kuno baby, how goes the battle?" Nabiki sat beside the
infirmary bed as Tatewaki came to, her chin in hand, elbow
on knee, and legs crossed, one foot lightly kicking the air.
The clink of ice cubes against each other in the bag on his
head let Nabiki know her classmate could move. "She really
did a number on you this time. Just what exactly did you
say?"
"It was not mine own words that upset her, Nabiki. I merely
attempted to explain the rules of the Kendo club. It seems,
however, that some cowardly cur she was in the company of
attacked me without provocation, though I am still uncertain
as to how. Perhaps he is a dabbler in some dark sorcery."
"'Fraid not, Kuno baby, it was my little sis that tap-danced
on your skull."
"Lies you tell me, Nabiki Tendo," he said with a wave of his
hand to her, "No mere girl could smite the countenance of
the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High. Why, the very idea of a
girl being anything other than demure is fodder for the
writer of a comedic play."
"Yeah, whatever, Kuno-baby," Nabiki said, rolling her eyes.
"Look, I'm going to class. I don't think you're up to it so
I'll take notes for you okay? I won't charge too much for
'em. See ya later," she said with a wave, the rest or her
already out the door.
As much as it pained him, Kuno groaned a small "farewell" to
his classmate. Once she was gone, he allowed himself a
small smile, even though it hurt to do that too.
"'Tis good to know a good student such as her," he thought
aloud. Deciding the pain felt a little better when he did
not have to feel it, Kuno decided to sleep. (Or, he fell
unconscious again. Take your pick.)
============================================================
End
"No One Is To Blame"
Written and recorded by Howard Jones
You can look at the menu, but you just can't eat
You can feel the cushions, but you can't have a seat
You can dip your foot in the pool, but you can't have a swim
You can feel the punishment, but you can't commit the sin
And you want her, and she wants you
We want everyone
And you want her and she wants you
No one, no one, no one ever is to blame
You can build a mansion, but you just can't live in it
You're the fastest runner but you're not allowed to win
Some break the rules, and let you count the cost
The insecurity is the thing that won't get lost
And you want her, and she wants you
We want everyone
And you want her and she wants you
No one, no one, no one ever is to blame
You can see the summit but you can't reach it
It's the last piece of the puzzle but you just can't make it fit
Doctor says you're cured but you still feel the pain
Aspirations in the clouds but your hopes go down the drain
And you want her, and she wants you
We want everyone
And you want her and she wants you
No one, no one, no one ever is to blame
No one ever is to blame
No one ever is to blame
============================================================
--
"Hey, don't hurt yourself! I want to do it for you!"
- Ryoko, Tenchi Muyo! OAV 1