[Ranma][Alt][draft]Ranmage.05
09 July 2000: Ver 1.0:
Silly disclaimer:
I own Ranma - I bought him off of his father for two meat pies and a
can of coke. Negotiations with Nabiki for Akane aren't going so
well....
You don't believe me? Well, this is just a silly disclaimer after
all. The serious one can be found at the bottom of the chapter.
Previous Parts are now archived at:
http://www.geocities.com/greyman_au/Ranmage/Index.html
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--- Part 5: <I'm just no good with titles, am I?> ---
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Morning was greeted by the sound of battle as Saotome Genma and Ranma
practiced over the yard - some distance over the yard. However while
both Genma and Ranma were leaping about like hyperactive gazelle,
Ranma seemed to spend more time in the air for less effort - almost
as though he were finding footholds in mid air.
Genma was worried; his son insisted on practicing in his girl form
and, worse still, was doing quite badly. He was trying to leap
instead of hovering and, instead of blocking most of his attacks as
usual, Ranma was trying to avoid them. Trying being the operative
word.
"Boy, this is pathetic," he shouted. "You may be faster like this,
but you're still just a weak girl. Give up this idea of 'speed
training'. It's not like you'll ever get stuck in your girl form,
after all." 'And your mother will kill me if you start using it.'
"Ah, shut up old man," Ranma growled. He was bruised and battered
from where his father had broken through the holes in his defense,
but that was just the way he wanted it. "You use your panda form
all the time."
"That's different boy," Genma roared as he launched at his son and
tried to beat the idea out of her head. "I don't turn into a weak
little girl. Besides, it's not like
*I* have any choice. Use some
hot water and fight me like a
*man*, boy."
"Mr. Saotome!" Kasumi called out cheerfully. "Ranma! Breakfast!"
"Ah! Thank you, Kasumi dear," Genma waved as he deliberately fell
towards the koi pond, his legs dragging his son in a sissor lock,
ready to use his panda-form's greater strength and size to force
Ranma to turn male.
It didn't quite work that way.
Ranma's hands seemed to grip empty air but this yanked her to a stop,
which pulled her leg free of her father's hold. Forming platforms
of hardened air beneath her feet, Ranma climbed down and wished once
again that she'd actually trained with her father at Jusenkyo instead
of pausing to examine the web of magic in the spring.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Ranma paused to borrow the kettle before sitting down to eat, so his
father had plenty of time to start scarfing down his food. Ranma
growled then smiled and began to defend his meal. Unfortunately he
didn't having his ussual success since he was using speed alone.
"Mr. Saotome," Akane glared, "leave Ranma's breakfast alone!"
"It's okay, Akane," Ranma defended. "We do this all the time. It's
good speed training." He glanced at his father oddly; why was he
rolling on the floor making unussual-even-for-a-panda noises?
"But I made that especially for you," Akane complained.
"Wha-?" Soun exclaimed. "My daughter's trying to poison her
fiancee!"
"Daddy!" Akane huffed.
Ranma paused with a bite-sized portion half-way to his mouth as the
import of Soun's words reached him. Then he found himself caught in
Akane's hopeful gaze. He took a bite, chewed carefully then
swallowed. "It's pretty good."
"Really?" Akane asked. Her family stared at him in shock.
"Sure," Ranma lied and took another mouthful. 'If you can break down
the inedible parts before eating. Why are there wood chips in there?'
"It must be the life on the road," Soun perspired as he watched
Ranma. "It toughens the stomach like iron."
"Daddy," Akane wailed.
[Help!] Genma managed to scrawl before passing out.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
The dateless horde emerged from Furinikan High School yelling their
morning greetings and threats as Ranma and Akane approached. Akane
greeted them in her usual style, although it was easier than normal
because half of them had targeted her fiancee. Akane swung her fists
and her bag, while Ranma thumped them with his fists and a few clubs
of air magic.
"Hey," Akane yelled as they ploughed through their attackers. "Don't
fight my fights for me!"
"So, who's doing it for you?" Ranma replied breathlessly. 'Argh!
How does she do this without magic?' Still, it was good training,
despite seeming almost like something his father would think up. Or
was that
*because* it was like something his father might dream up?
Say what you will about Genma's training techniques, they did work;
maybe not always as expected, but they did work. Of course, that was
what had gotten Ranma into this situation in the first place....
"Saotome!" Kuno yelled as he charged. "Stay away from wiffle!"
It is quite hard to be properly threatening with a girl's foot
burried in your face, and even harder when her blow pounds you into
the pavement.
"Kuno, you jerk!" Akane growled as she stormed into the school with
Ranma trailing behind.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Genma and Soun smiled as they looked over the shogi board. It was
almost like old times - except without the torturous training and
hordes of angry women, both of which, although fondly recalled, they
didn't miss much.
"You know, Tendo," Genma said casually, "perhaps we've been a bit
hasty in pairing Ranma off with Akane." 'I should have made sure she
could cook first! Unless... it couldn't have been deliberate - could
it?'
"But what about our plan to unite the schools?" Soun quavered while
Genma switched a few pieces.
"You've three lovely daughters, Tendo," Genma replied steadily, "and
the boy's still young. Maybe we should give him more time to
decide?"
Soun considered this while palming a piece and conceeded, "well, it
doesn't matter to the family which daughter Ranma marries."
"It's settled then," Genma smirked, sneaking a piece onto the board.
"Ranma shall date all three girls until he decides which one he
likes best!" 'Kasumi! Definitely Kasumi,' he thought. 'Kasumi
*can* cook.'
They missed hearing the crash of dropped pots in the kitchen.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
In room 2E of Furinikan High, Nabiki slapped something on Kuno's
desk.
"What's this?" he asked suspiciously.
"Insurance," Nabiki said cryptically. "You're still interested in my
sister, right?" Nabiki asked. "I mean, you're not going to drop her
over this engagement thing?"
"Of course not," Kuno snorted. "Akane is so pure and tidy. Ranma is
so uncouth and cowardly. How could I abandon her to him? I shall
never let her go!!"
Nabiki smiled and moved her hand. "Set of five for 6,000 yen. You
want?"
Kuno grabbed a photo and began to tremble. "Ohhh...! She is so...
so..."
"Vulnerable?" Nabiki suggested dryly. "How about, naked?"
"Don't be so vulgar," Kuno sniffed. "You are really something. I
mean, selling photos like that of your own sister."
"Just making a little money on the side," Nabiki lied, reaching for
the pictures. "Not your style?"
"Did I say that?" Kuno demanded. "These sweet treasures, I will
cherish them always."
'That's so like a boy,' Nabiki smirked. "As I said; set of five for
6,000 yen."
"Sold!" Kuno cried, tucking the photos close to his heart.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
After school, Kuno stood vigil in the school yard. "So, you have come,
wench!"
"Well, Kuno," Ranma asked as she leaned against the school building.
"What do ya want?"
"That will be 'Upperclassman' to you!" Kuno snarled as he drew his
bokken. "Insolent girl, I Kuno Tatewaki, shall punish you!"
"Pretty confident, huh?" Ranma asked. "Come on!"
"Confident enough to do this," Kuno yelled as he lazily struck with
the flat of his blade, which Ranma jumped over to kick Kuno in the
jaw.
Ranma was determined to beat him as fairly as possible and thus needed
to end the battle before it became too heated. Unfortunately, Kuno
wasn't cooperating with the plan.
"Amusing," Kuno sneered, unphased by the blow. "So you do have some
skill. Very well, if you win, I shall go out with you."
"Who's asking to go out with ya?" Ranma growled as she dodged away
from a swipe. 'Gotta get him angry enough to make mistakes - but
not too angry.' "Like anyone'd ever be interested in a jerk like
you."
"I see it now. You hide your attraction behind crude insults. Such
modesty is so unbecoming."
"Actually, I'm sincerely repulsed."
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Studying the fight from behind a pedistal, Akane frowned. "What does
he think he's doing?"
"Something wrong, Akane?" Nabiki asked from behind her.
"Ranma's holding back again," Akane replied.
"Ranma-baby will win, won't he?"
"I don't know," Akane admitted. "Kuno holds back a little when
fighting a girl, but he's still very skilled."
Unfortunately it was true and Kuno quickly took advantage of an
opening. Akane covered her mouth with her hands as she watched the
wooden blade slash against Ranma's side.
"At last!" Kuno gloated standing tall. "It is done! Now you know
never to insult me again."
"Oh, yeah?" Ranma demanded, drawing on the power then... forced
herself to let it go. "I'm not defeated that easy, Kuno."
"So, then," Kuno smiled coldly. "I will fight harder. I shall fell
you!"
"Woah," Ranma leapt away as Kuno suited his words with action. The
blade thrust through the air above her as she fell onto her back to
avoid it. Something fluttered out of Kuno's gi as he completed the
move.
Holding her hand against her side, Ranma realised that she really
wasn't in any condition to fight without resorting to magic. Was
defeating Kuno worth that?
"It ends now!" Kuno cried, pressing the point of his blade against
Ranma's throat. "Yield to my superior might."
Ranma snatched a flesh-toned image and her eyes bulged as she
confirmed that it was a snapshot of Akane undressing before her
window. "What's this? You... pervert!"
Ranma glared and ignited the wooden blade with an intense flare of
fire magic. "What trickery is this?" Kuno demanded as he stared at
the seared remains of his bokken. Ranma guestured with a backhanded
sweep of her arm and Kuno felt something slam him into the nearest
wall - hard.
"How did...?" Nabiki asked in shock. "He didn't even touch him."
Her eyes widened as she saw the remains of the bokken. 'Burned?
Then that flash... what was it?'
"Oh my," Akane gasped as she ran up to Ranma. "Are you alright,
Ranma?"
"Hmm?" Ranma asked distracted as she lay still and probed the injury
with earth magic. "Uh, I'm fine." 'I can't believe I nearly lost
it like that. Using fire in anger - what was I thinking?'
"What do you mean? You took a hit, didn't you?"
"Oh that," Ranma dismissed. "It's nothing. Kuno only used the flat
of his blade after all."
"What are you talking about? It hit a vulnerable spot, didn't it?
Right here."
"Carefull." Ranma pulled Akane's hand away, not wanting her to
examine the area too closely and realise that it didn't hurt at all.
Akane moved to help Ranma up, then spotted the photographs and
dropped her again. "Wha-! Why do you have nude photos of me!?"
Since Ranma had been still open to the ambience, the flare of Akane's
anger was almost painfull to her awareness. "Hey! Kuno had these!"
she defended and automatically blanketed Akane with spirit magic.
"Really?" Akane relaxed and suddenly became embarassed. "Uh, well...
That is... Wah! I'm so sorry!"
"Gah!" Ranma tried to pry Akane loose. "Akane! Woah! Calm down.
Leggo! Argh! Hurts!"
"Ah! I'm sorry! Where does it hurt?" She loosened her hug and
started poking Ranma.
"Heh, I'll be alright," Ranma pulled away, worried by Akane's
mood swing more than the sore ribs. "Just take it easy, okay."
"Okay," she smiled back shyly. "Um, about those photos. I guess you
can keep them, if you'd like?"
"Hey, why would I want pictures like that?" Ranma demanded.
Kuno erupted out of the wall. "I see it all now, witch!"
"What are you...?" Ranma demanded.
"Silence fiend!" Kuno yelled. "Using your foul sorceries to enslave
Akane to your perverted ways; how terrible. Fair Akane, I shall free
you!"
"Get a grip," Akane demanded as she stood protectively over Ranma,
who'd gone quite still at the accusation.
Kuno, however, had come to the realisation that he was without a
weapon. "Fear not Akane, I shall return!"
"What was he babbling about?" Akane wondered.
"I've no idea," Ranma laughed nervously and looked for something to
distact her. The first thing that came to mind was, "did you know
that blue panties really don't suit you?" He cringed.
Akane just looked down at Ranma and frowned. "Do you really think
so?"
"Yeow!" Ranma screamed.
"Sorry, Ranma," Nabiki appologied as she stood over him, with a
kettle over her shoulder, "too hot for you?"
"What'cha do that for?" Ranma exclaimed as his head cleared. "Oh,
right."
Kuno ran back around the corner waving his replacement bokken and
took in the scene. "Saotome, where is the pony-tailed witch? Does
she think I'll be fooled by her trickery?"
"Listen Kuno, that girl..." Ranma considered, "forget her. Trust
me, you'll probably never see
*her* again."
"What do you mean?" Kuno demanded. "Never see her again? Saotome
you fool, do you think you can vanquish her so easily? Never fear,
Akane. I shall not let go of my vigilance! I shall find her."
"What in the world?" Nabiki asked as they watched Kuno leave
searching the bushes and trees as he went.
"Heh," Ranma tugged his pony-tail and changed the subject. "Anyway,
I wonder where Kuno got these photos?"
Akane snarled. "He must have been spying through my bedroom window.
I can't believe he'd stoop to peeping."
"Um," Nabiki hesitated, getting Kuno was hospitalised didn't fit her
plans. "That doesn't sound like Kuno; he probably just bought them
off of someone else."
"Don't worry Nabiki," Ranma assured her, catching the flash of worry.
"I'll find the pervert who took them and make them pay!"
Nabiki began to sweat. "Thank, Ranma-baby. That makes me feel
*so*
much better."
Ranma frowned, but Akane's insitant tug on his arm drew his
attention. "Come on, Ranma, let's get you to the clinic."
It was Ranma's turn to persire. "No! I'll be alright. I -uh- heal
pretty fast."
Akane's expression made it clear that she wasn't going to take 'no'
for an answer. "Come on, Tofu's a great doctor."
"Oh," a look of understanding crossed Ranma's face, remembering that
Akane had a crush on the doctor. "Alright then, I guess."
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
"Dr. Tofu!" Akane called as she dragged Ranma into the clinic. "A
patient for you!"
"This is astounding," the doctor scratched his head after examining
Ranma. "I can't find any sign of the sword's impact and these ribs
look to have been fractured by lateral pressure. It's like you've
been squeezed by some brutal thug."
Akane knotted her fingers and looked abashed; she had no idea what
had possessed her to give such a passionate hug.
"Heh," Ranma said nervously, "that's wierd."
"Hmmm, you're Ranma, right?" Tofu asked as he bandaged Ranma's ribs.
"I hear that you're Akane's fianc�e."
"It's not true," Ranma asserted. "That's what our parents decided,
not us."
"Well, it's too early isn't it? You're still children after all."
"Yes, doctor," Akane sighed whistfully. 'Ranma didn't have to deny
it so quickly.'
"Anyway, I understand that you're supposed to be a martial artist."
"Yeah, I... what do you mean 'supposed to be'?"
"Your aura is healthy, but nowhere near as strong or focussed as,
say, Akane's."
"Oh, that..." Ranma tugged his ponytail. This was getting close to
something he didn't want discussed. He'd foregotten that Tofu was a
martial arts master as well as a doctor. "...uhm, I can hide my ki
pretty well and it's second nature...."
Unfortunately he could tell that Tofu wasn't buying it and recalled
the way the doctor had tried to sneak up on him earlier; Tofu
obviously knew how to conceal his aura.
"He's really very good," Akane interjected, "you should see some of
his special techniques."
'That's all I'd need,' Ranma blanched. "Um, Akane, there's a reason
they're called 'secret' techniques. Anyway, we better get going.
Thanks for patching me up, doc. See ya."
"Just a moment Akane," Dr. Tofu grabbed the girl's shoulder. "You're
a really sweet girl and, fiance or not, it's good that you're trying
to get along with Ranma, but there's something strange about him."
"There is isn't there," she agreed carefully, wondering if -and how-
Tofu had noticed the curse. "He's not like other boys."
"That's not quite what I meant," the doctor sighed. "I think he's
hiding something."
"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about," Akane assured him.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Ranma was walking on the rail of a fence. If anyone had really been
paying attention they might have noticed that his feet didn't quite
touch the surface or bend the way they should. Akane, however,
wasn't concentrating on his feet.
"So, what were you talking about?" Ranma asked nervously.
'Is he jealous?' Akane wondered. "Nothing. We were just taking."
"Oh, I see," Ranma sighed; relieved but not quite believing.
The walked in silence for a few minutes.
"What are you doing up there?" Akane asked at last.
"Uh, ballance training," Ranma dredged up an explanation for avoiding
her. "The fight with Kuno made me realise I need more training."
'Among other things....'
"Idiot," Akane snapped and reached for a hose. "You were a girl at
the time."
"What's that go- yow!" Ranma's support vanished as his concentration
was broken by his curse's activation. "What did you do that for?"
Ranma demanded as she rubbed her derierre.
"You move differently as a girl, right?" Akane pointed out. "So you
have to train in your girl form. Didn't you even realise?"
"You know," Ranma pouted, "sometimes you can be so uncute."
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
End Part 5;
Coming soon (or maybe not):
Hiroshi found himself picked up by the lapel of his shirt. "Wha-?
What do you want?"
"Where Furinkan High School?"
"Say what?" Hiroshi pointed out the sign right next to him.
"So? Where Saotome Ranma?"
Hiroshi pointed in the other direction; towards Ranma who suddenly
had a feeling of intense foreboding. Hiroshi was dumped; which
Daisuke thought was something of a record - picked up and dumped in
under a minute.
"Ranma! I kill!"
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Serious Disclaimer:
The characters and situations of "Ranma �" are the creation of
Takahashi Rumiko and is published by Viz Communications. This fan-
fiction is produced purely for entertainment and should not be
reproduced in any form for profit. It may be archived or posted on a
free site, so long as this disclaimer is attached.
Any C&C is appreciated.
Graham Kemp
gj_kemp@hotmail.com
http://www.geocities.com/greyman_au/
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