Thanks to everyone who contributed comments.  I've done my best to change what needed improvement. ^^

Vocabulary:

baka = stupid
hai = yes/right/etc.
obaa-san = aunt (respectful)
sayonara = goodbye (formal?)

Hopefully, I didn't leave anything out.


O-tomodachi  --  Friends


Written by Irene Ying


*** = change of scene marker
~~~ = dream/flashback marker


Chapter One


"Ranma!" Akane screamed as she ran after him.  Ranma was, almost literally, running for his life--an event that had become annoyingly common since his move to Nerima.  He looked back every now and then.

"What did I do now?!" Ranma demanded as he ran atop the fence, out of her reach.  She wielded a bokken and reminded him of Kuno, which was not a good thought.  Akane ran faster alongside the fence, swinging the sword in clumsy fury.

"Take back what you said!" She shouted.  Ranma bent back to dodge a sweep of the blade.  "Take it back!" She considered jumping onto the fence to run behind him, but decided that in wooden sandals, it would be unwise to do so.  She settled for wide sweeps with her wooden weapon.

"If I knew what I said, I might be able to!" Ranma retorted, running faster.  He wasn't sure exactly how mad she was at him.  Maybe he could calm her down before any physical harm to him occurred.

"So you've trained longer than I have!  That doesn't give you the right to make fun of me!"

"What?" Ranma tried to remember the events as he ran.  Oh, yeah.  They'd been practicing in the dojo and Akane had smashed several blocks.  Right. . .and then what happened?  Ranma had, per usual, said something insulting to Akane.  Now, if only he could recall the words.

"How dare you say that I better stick to jogging!" She yelled, reminding Ranma of his crime.  "I was working hard, you know!  Just because I can't beat you doesn't mean anything!"

"You're jogging now!  And doing a very good job of it!" Ranma smirked.  He stuck out his tongue and turned up his speed by several notches.  Akane gritted her teeth and tried several slashes, all of which missed.  "See?  Told ya!"

"Wait a minute, _what_ did you say?!" This was altogether too much for Akane to take.  Now Ranma was adding insult to injury.  "DIE!"

"I said--" Ranma was cut off as the sword made contact.  "Hey!" He yelled.  Contrary to his expectations, the blow had actually hurt.  For a moment, he considered taking back what he'd said.  Then he noticed Akane fuming.  She swung the bokken again.  Ranma cringed and waited for contact.  He opened his eyes to see the sword broken in two.  Akane had missed and hit the fence.  Not being Kuno, she didn't slash through it.  She stood, gripping the hilt, glaring at him.  Ranma could see the hot, blue aura surrounding her.

"I'm outta here," he thought.  Not a moment too soon, for Akane came after him again.  Unwisely, Ranma stuck out his tongue.  "Can't catch me, baka manuke," he shouted back to her.  Being called a stupid idiot did not sit very well with Akane.  Ranma sensed this, and invoked the Saotome Special Attack: running away.  With a little ki boosting his speed, he took off.  Akane ran faster after him, only to see him speeding away in a blur.

Akane slowed and tried to get her breath.  There was no way she'd catch him now.  She balled her hands into fists and groaned.

Never mind, she thought.  I'll get him later.

***

Ranma was still running, not taking a single look back.  He was too afraid that Akane might be still on the chase.  Buildings and parks whizzed by him, as though he were on a train.  He looked around and realized that he couldn't see the river anymore, and that had been his primary landmark.  After a few more minutes, he slowed.  The fence ended ahead, so he jumped down.  He stopped to rest, but heard something thumping behind him.  It was only a garbage can falling, but he thought it was Akane again, maybe with a metal sword this time.  He didn't bother to consider anything, and started running.  Hoping to lose her, he dashed down a small side street, took several turns, and ran like crazy.

Had he been looking, he might have noticed several town signs passing him, but he was going too fast.  He looked around and noticed that wherever he was, he sure wasn't in Nerima anymore.  The houses looked different.  They were newer, and a fair bit larger. Ranma had had enough.  He noticed that he was next to a small park, which seemed to have a mini soccer match going on between two kindergarten-aged boys and a little girl.  As the luck of all Jusenkyo victims goes, there was a shout.

"Hey!  Watch it!" The girl waved and yelled.  Ranma turned around and was greeted by a soccer ball in the face.  It bounced away, and Ranma landed in a nearby pond.

Spluttering, Ranma climbed out, feeling her clothes soaked with scummy water and dripping with algae.  She grimaced as she pulled several lotus plants off her clothes, which were also slimy from the underwater habitat.  Ranma wrinkled her nose and groaned.  She took off her outer jacket, leaving on a white tank top.

"Baka," she thought.  "Now I don't even know where I am." She looked around, and everything was unfamiliar. She saw several students walking, and their uniforms were not the same as those of Furinkan High School.  That confirmed it.

"Darn it, I'm turnin' into Ryoga," Ranma thought angrily.  "Oh, well, guess I'll find a bus and go home on that. . .if I have any money." She searched through her pockets and found a single ten yen coin.  "Or I won't do that.  Guess I'll ask someone the way home." She looked around for anyone to ask.

"Are you okay?" a voice asked behind him.  Ranma turned around and found herself facing a girl.  Her face was slightly pretty and a delicate heart shape.  At the moment, her cheeks were lit up.  Her hair was dark black, with glossy, golden-brown highlights where the light struck the long locks.  Her eyes were dark blue, the same shade as Ranma's.  Her figure wasn't as well-endowed as Akane, perhaps, but she was more slender.  He could see that she had a small-hipped, willowy figure.  The red and orange sunset illuminated her face shades of gold and cream.  In her left hand, she carried a blue-and-white plastic thermos.

She was smiling sweetly and in concern, but her look turned to surprise when she saw Ranma's clothes and hair.  "And, um, not to be rude or anything, but. . .you have some duckweed on your head."

Ranma reached up and plucked it off.  "Oh, thanks.  Um, yeah, I just. . .um, fell.  I lost my way. . .do you know where I am?"

"Sure!" The girl nodded.  "You're in the Minato district of Tokyo." She glanced at Ranma.

"I'm. . .Saotome Ranma," she said lamely and gave a deep bow.

The girl hesitated.  "Ah, well. . .I am. . .Takeno Himeko.  Umm. . .nice to meet you." She returned the bow, very stiffly and not very deeply.  "What. . .what happened to you?" Himeko asked, trying to distance herself.  Ranma guessed that it was the smell of pond scum.

"I fell.  Long story." Ranma said stonily.  At least the girl could try to be a bit more helpful.  It wasn't _her_ fault about the stupid pond.

The girl instantly turned sympathetic.  "Oh, so you're not. . .never mind.  You're all wet.  At least it's not too cold out, considering that it's November." She looked around, and held up the thermos.  "I have some hot chocolate, but I don't have a cup.  You'll have to use the cap."

Ranma was shivering a bit.  "Sure, that sounds great." He--or she--generally liked hot chocolate anyway, especially if Kasumi had made it.

Himeko took off the cap and started to pour the hot liquid.  "You might want to wash those clothes when you're done," she said with a laugh.  "Sorry about what I said.  I don't exactly see this kind of thing every day." She caught herself.  "Um, not to be mean or anything."

"Ups and downs, huh?" Ranma thought dryly.  Just then, there was a thump.  Ranma looked up to see a soccer ball coming at them, and the same yell.  "Watch out!"

The projectile struck Himeko in the head.  She fell over, released the cup. . .which splashed all over Ranma.  As Himeko cried out and fell, Ranma automatically went to catch her. . .

. . .Himeko opened her eyes to find herself looking at a very handsome, very well-built young man of sixteen years.

He was dressed in the same fashion the red-headed girl had been.

She wanted to scream and slap him.  How dare a boy grab her like that?  And this was a public park!  She couldn't believe it.  Her whole body was reacting.

But as she looked up at him, it was all forgotten.  His hair was black, tied into a thick braid.  His eyes, looking at her in concern, were a beautiful shade of deep, dark blue.  His face was too beautiful to be true.  Himeko had never fainted in her life, but all of a sudden, she felt dizzy and lightheaded, as if something was about to happen. . .

"Wh-who are you?!" Himeko stuttered.  Her face turned a flaming shade of red.  She wanted to disentangle herself from his arms, but something in her just didn't want to let go.  His arms were actually kind of warm, and his grip was, well, so strong. . .Himeko swallowed.  She hated having someone touch her like that, but. . .somehow, she didn't mind this time.  Even with hot chocolate all over his hair, his face, and his shirt, he still looked kind of cute.  She wondered what she was going to do.  Boys never did this to her much.  Wait, boys never even _looked_ at her in that way.  She wasn't bad looking, but she certainly didn't compare to some other girls at school.

Then natural instinct kicked in.  Himeko screamed, slapped him, and jumped away.  She moved a little further away, panting for breath.  She had her arms crossed over her chest, and she'd dropped the thermos.  Chocolate was now spilled all over the front of her dress and skirt, and making a nice puddle on the concrete.  She took several deep breaths, readying to make a quick getaway.

"Ahh. . ." Ranma thought, holding his smarting cheek.  "Why does this always happen to me?  Must be a side effect of Jusenkyo." 

Himeko looked at him.  "What?  Where'd the girl go?  Is she okay?"

"Er. . .I. . .the girl.  I mean, I'm. . .um. . .cold water. . ." At least she wasn't going to hit him.  That was one difference from Akane, he thought absently.  "See here--"

"You--you--what?  I--I don't want to know any more." Himeko started backing up.  This whole day had been too weird.  She wondered if she was delirious or something.  Being grabbed by a strange guy, who chased off a girl. . .a guy who was awfully cute, too. . .

"She--she left!  Come back here!"

Himeko slowed her steps and turned slowly.  Ranma nodded.  "It's okay.  Don't worry about it.  I. . .I understand." He smiled.

She glared and walked away.  It was getting late, and the sun was starting to set over the park.  Ranma took another careful look at Himeko--this time, not just her face, but her whole person.

She was about as tall as his girl form.  She was wearing a seifuku, a sailor uniform with a blue collar, red kerchief tie, and pleated blue skirt the same shade as the collar and cuffs.  The shirt was long-sleeved and had little cuffs with thin white ribbon stripes.  The collar was similarly decorated.  The blouse ended around her waist, and when she ran, Ranma could see the waistband of her pleated skirt.  She had little pearl earrings.  She wasn't so bad-looking, Ranma decided.  Nothing like Akane, but certainly not ugly.  Pretty, in fact.  In her own way, anyway.  He thought that her blue eyes were nice.  She seemed like a nice person--where was she going?

"Wait up!" He called to her.

"Ah, well," she sighed under her breath as she turned around.  Himeko sighed to herself.  This was going to be one interesting day.  She'd embarrassed herself, insulted somebody, and made *them* feel bad.  She had no idea what was going on here, and she had a feeling that she didn't _want_ to know anyway.

"Well, I still need someone to show me the way home," he pointed out.  "Do you know the way to Nerima?"

She paused.  He was speaking to her quite nicely, actually.  He didn't sound like an idiot, or some wierdo like those at her school.  No, he actually sounded sincere.  In addition, he _was_ very cute, her brain reminded her.  She glanced at him.  Was she supposed to trust this guy?  His eyes looked at her.

"Go ask a policeman," she said, turning away.  She wasn't risking any more.

"But. . .I'm sorry, Takeno-san," he said, trying to be polite.  That didn't come too easily to him, considering his usual speech patterns.  "I. . .er, it was my fault.  It was an accident, though, really.  You fell, and I had to catch you."

"Umm. . ." she was still undecided.  Better not to trust him, she thought.  "No.  Like I said, just go ask a policeman.  Sorry."

"Please?" He said.  Turning his head, he didn't see a single policeman in sight.  Plus, if she could mistake him for a bum, probably the policeman would too.  He swallowed.  "Please?  I'm sorry."

Himeko decided to relent.  She shouldn't hold a grudge like that.

"Nerima?  You're a few precincts away. . ." she said thoughtfully.  "Yeah, I do know. I'll have to walk you a bit.  I really should get home before dark, but I guess I can point you in the right direction before then."

"No problem," Ranma replied.  "I don't mind at all.  Do you?" He looked over at her, trying to gauge her reaction.

Himeko didn't know what to make of this.  Well, if he tried to do anything crazy, she could try running and screaming.  "All right then.  It's this way."

Himeko, he thought, running the name over his tongue.  Hime meant princess, take meant bamboo.  He looked at her.  Well, she kinda sorta looked like a princess all right. . .he noticed that her long, silky hair went nearly to her waist.  It was tied at the base of her neck with a wide blue ribbon.  Her glossy locks were fluttering behind her as she walked.

Ranma wasn't sure what to say.  They walked in silence for a while, then Himeko turned around.  The sky was darkening, the orange colors changing into darker blues and violets.  He could see a single star.  The sky was beautiful, but it also signaled that darkness was fast approaching.  He didn't like the idea of a girl walking home, alone, at night.

Himeko evidently didn't share the same concern just yet.  She kept walking, taking glances every now and then to make sure she was going the right way.  "We're supposed to turn in a few blocks. . .I hope I don't miss it."  Looking around, she beckoned for him to get off the fence.  They turned down several streets, and Ranma found himself looking at the river.

"We're here," Himeko announced unexpectedly. Ranma looked around.  Finally, things were looking familiar.  There was that river, and he knew some of the houses.

"You're just about in Nerima, but I don't know where you live.  Nerima's a big place.  Two more blocks and you're there," she said with a pretty smile.  Her eyes were gazing at him earnestly, smiling gently.  "I. . .I'll be going home.  Have a good evening." She bowed and turned to leave.

"Hey, wait," Ranma said.  "It's getting really late.  Sorry it took you so long. . .Should you come over for a bit? I don't know if Akane's home. . ." If she was, Ranma thought, he would be recovering from several hammer blows very soon.

Himeko shrugged.  "Who's Akane?"

"My fianc�e." Ranma glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes.

"Oh." Himeko said.  Sixteen or so was a bit young, but she shouldn't be judging. Disguising her surprise, she tried politely to decline. "I'd rather not stay.  I mean, I don't want to impose on you any longer."

Ranma looked around again.  He was in Nerima again.  That was odd, he could have sworn his run took much longer.  Maybe he'd taken some turns before Minato.  Then he turned his attention to what she had said. What was it with these stupidly polite people?

Aloud, he only said, "All right, if you're sure you don't want to come over for a bit.  But it looks like rain.  Can I at least get you an umbrella or something?  Don't want you getting soaked. . ."

Himeko shook her head.  "No, I'll be fine." She smiled at his concern.  He was nice after all.

"But it's getting dark out," Ranma pointed out.  "It gets dangerous."

"I can take care of myself," she replied coolly, but her face softened into a gentle, sweet smile.  "Thank you for the offer."

"Do you want to call your parents from the house?" Ranma asked.

"No, my aunt's not going to be home tonight."

"Aunt?"

"Hai.  I live with Obaa-san." She spoke quickly, giving him a cursory glance.

Ranma barely had time to digest this fact when he saw Akane running in the streets, evidently searching for him.  She was wearing a pink sweater and some white shorts.  When she saw him, her face lit up.  Then her expression turned a little darker, upon seeing a girl next to Ranma.

"Ranma!" She called, irritated.  "Hey, I was worried about you!  What's going on?  And who's. . .she?  And why is your shirt all--um--stained?"

"Is that Akane?" Himeko asked.  Ranma nodded.  "Tendo Akane."

Himeko walked up and bowed.  "You are Tendo-san?"

"Um, y-yeah.  How'd you know?" Akane sounded rather surprised.

"Ranma told me about you," Himeko said with a little smile.

Akane blushed.  "Oh, is that so. . .hey, it's going to rain.  Come on in for a bit.  We can take you home later."

"No, I'm going.  Sayonara." Himeko turned and ran off.

It was getting darker by the minute.  Squinting, Akane could barely make out Himeko's rapidly retreating figure.  She heard a faint tapping of heels on concrete, and then no more.

"Let's go, Ranma.  Kasumi has dinner ready." Akane nudged him and tapped him on the shoulder.  "Hey, are you there?"

"Oh, ah, thanks," Ranma said mindlessly.  "OK, let's go."

Akane stared after him.


End of Chapter One


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