Chapter One:  Fateful Accident

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Just let me get through this year.

I don't want to bother anyone.  I can pass without interruption.

Please, just don't let me attract attention.

Akane sighed as she pushed the trash bin to the side.  This year was not going to be easy, she decided.  But, any year at Eitoku Gakuen would be hard for her.  When you don't have the money to buy a new car every few months it was hard at Eitoku Gakuen.  She was almost finished trash duty  as her keen battle sense picked up fighting aura behind her.  She quickly stood, ready to defend herself when she saw a tall boy with jet-black hair done up in a pigtail pushing one unfortunate student to the ground.  Akane winced.

*Damn F4,* she thought.  *They think they can run the school just because they have money.*

After lightly thrashing the student down, the group started towards her way and Akane quickly turned around, not wanting to call attention upon herself. The last thing she wanted to do was make any of the F4 notice her.  Especially not Ranma Saotome, their confirmed leader.  He was the richest student at the school and she also heard his family owned a successful chain of martial arts dojou's all over the world.  Akane had taken to the art when she was very little and she was sure she could hold her own against most people.  But Ranma Saotome was different.  She heard horrible stories about him and if she could, she would stay out of his way.  The last three members of the F4 consisted of Tatewaki Kuno, a brash and loud member who was always chasing after woman with his counterpart Mikado Senzenine.  The last member who was unlike any of the others, Ono Tofuu.  She had often heard his violin while walking through the courtyard, but never had the courage to tell him about the beautiful music.  People like Akane just didn't talk to the F4.  He was probably just like the others anyway.

Of course her pride as a martial artist was hurt when she couldn't help those in need, but the last thing she needed was more trouble.

Her eyes widened as the trash bin she was working with was knocked hard to the ground by the passing F4 leader.  But, her kept walking without bothering to apologize.  Akane was almost glad, even though she had a few choice words she would have liked to have said.  She turned to pick up her lost bin when she got the shock of her life.  Ono Tofuu had already picked up the pail and gave her a quick smile before joining the others.

Akane was agast.  A member of the F4 had done something for her?  A shy smile slowly crept up the sides of her mouth.  Then again, maybe he wasn't like them.

She tried to wipe the stupid grin from her face when she was distracted by a call from her friend Sayuri who was waving from across the football field.

"AKAAAAANE!!!!" Sayuri shouted excitedly.  "Hurry up!!  I still want to go for ice cream you know!"

Akane smiled, so maybe the year wouldn't be so hard after all.  Funny thing about thinking something like that, there's always a God listening.  Unfortunately for Akane, it wasn't the God she would have hoped for.

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"...and then Daddy said I could only have 50 people there... Akane are you listening to me?!"  Sayuri said she she stuck her face into Akane's.

"I am I am!" Akane insisted, but couldn't figure out why she felt dread in the pit of her stomach.  She decided to ignore it for the moment and concentrate on her irate friend.

Sayuri smiled, "This is going to be the best year ever, Akane!  You'll see!  Daddy even said I could bring a friend along to Hawaii this summer, so of course that's you!"

Akane smiled brightly, "That's wonderful, Sayuri-chan!!  You know I can't afford anything like that..."

Sayuri patted her friend's shoulder hard, "Don't worry!!  I'll be you friend even if you ARE poor!"

"Sayurrrrrriiiiiiii!!"  Akane cried as she took off after her already retreating friend.  Unfortunately she couldn't stop Sayuri before she noticed the trash pail by the stairs.

"IYAAAAA!" Sayuri shouted as she descended, face first down the stairs.

Akane could only shake her head.  "Serves you rig..." Akane quickly stopped as she saw who Sayuri landed on.

Sayuri could only laugh at her clumsiness.  She rolled to the right and rubbed her head.  "Ittaiiiii... wow I'm such a klutz sometimes.  Listen I'm really sorry for bumping into you..."  Her eyes widened.  This wasn't happening.  This absolutely could not be happening.  "Saotome-sama...," she breathed.

The boy on the ground looked at her with hard eyes and a sore head.

Sayuri quickly got off the ground and tried to pull him to his feet, but he only slapped her hand away.

"Gomen Nasai!!  Honto ni Gomen Nasai!!  I didn't mean... It was an accident. I swear if I had known.." Sayuri spats out, the fear evident in her eyes.

Ranma Saotome pushed himself up in one deft movement and glared at the girl, ready to strike her for her insolence.

Sayuri squeezed her eyes shut.  It was better to be punished this way than be red flagged.  She awaited the slap, but was surprised to hear a collective gasp instead.  She cautiously opened her eyes to see Akane standing in front of her, holding Ranma's hand tight in her own.  Sayuri had always known Akane was good at martial arts, but good enough to catch Saotome-sama?

"Quit it," Akane spat in disgust.

Ranma's eyes were opened wide, as well as everyone else's who gathered at the scene.  That is, all except Tofuu's.

"Why you...," Ranma said ready to strike this girl instead.

"Don't you have anything better to do than strike a girl who obviously can't defend herself?!  You guys think you run the school just because you have money!  You make me sick!!"  She all but screamed.

Ranma eyed the girl over.  He didn't know her, but was very glad she had said what she had.  It was time to have some fun at this school again.

"Let's go," he said to the three that stood behind him.  They obeyed without a second thought and soon the F4 had left.

"Akane...," Sayuri said with some misery.

Akane slumped to the ground, breathing very hard.  She had just challenged the leader of the F4.  She had challenged Ranma Saotome.

So much for a quiet year.

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TBC...

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Okay, so I don't know where the heck this came from since I really don't like crossovers.  But I just couldn't get it out of my head.  this didn't take me too long to write, it just kinda fo fell out. I LOVE HYD, my fave anime along with Mosquiton and Kenshin.  I always wanted to write a fic for it but I couldn't find a good storyline since the anime wrapped it up pretty nicely and the manga is still going. So, liked it?  Hated it?  please tell me.  C&C always welcome!!
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