Modu annyoung,
Here's the next part of "Lonely Souls," which will
also be going up on FF.net and MediaMinder. Enjoy!
Fred
=====
Fred Herriotfherriot@yahoo.com**** **** ****"Fanfiction IS Real Life!"**** **** ****
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-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
-- File: LoneS-06.txt
-- Desc: LoneS-06.txt
Somewhere in Tomobiki, after dawn...
"You realize what you did was wrong, don't you?"
The blonde woman with the evergreen streak in her hair and the
red star tattoo on her right cheek looks up from her kitchen sink,
then turns back to cleaning the dishes. "Was it really?" she
wonders. "I thought we agreed long ago that if a clear case of child
abuse was detected among any citizen of the Republic, it would be
dealt with right away." Her eyes, the shade of burning chestnuts,
then focus on her visitor, an eyebrow arching. "Shouldn't that apply
to the Daimon'cha and his Other?"
"So you finally admit to THAT, too," the visitor, a woman with
long, straight, red-brown hair and eyes whose shade matched her
host's, muses, her own eyebrow arching in return. Taking a moment
to scratch her cheek over the music note-and-dagger tattoo etched
there, she nods. "Then again, it wouldn't really matter these days,
ne, given what happened to them both after we brought Ataru-sama
to Sagussa the first time..."
"Agreed," the blonde nods, then sighs. "Well, it doesn't really
matter now. Given what the SCAA told us about all the criminal
charges which could've been brought against Genma Saotome, we pretty
much spared the local taxpayers a ton of money in court costs."
The other woman blinks, then smirks. "True. Not to mention
give a noteworthy contribution to the local zoo's panda collection."
Both laugh...
* * *
"Lonely Souls"
by Fred Herriot <fherriot@yahoo.com>
**** **** ****
Based on "Urusei Yatsura" and "Ranma 1/2" created by Rumiko
Takahashi; and "Sister Princess," created by Naoto Tenhiro and
Sakurako Kimino. This story is set after the end of the "UY" and
"Ranma" manga series.
**** **** ****
NOTE: The writer's notes are at the end of the Prologue.
**** **** ****
THE SIXTH PART - DANCE TO THE WIND
Nerima, Okonomiyaki U-chan's, breakfast...
"Ohayou, Ataru-sama. Doozo."
Ataru nods, sitting at the counter as Konatsu continues
preparations for today's business. Since Ukyou had to maintain
her business atop going to school, most weekdays for the chef and her
assistant often began at the proverbial crack of dawn. Plus, if
Ukyou had time (or if Ranma had been forced to flee the Tendou dojo
on threat of consuming Akane's cooking), the odd patron could get a
piping-hot okonomiyaki served fresh off the grill.
Atop both his briefcase and Ranma's, Ataru has brought Ranma's
school uniform in a carryall bag, plus a large military-style
duffelbag done up in a autumn woodland camouflage scheme. "Domo,
Konatsu-san," Ataru nods thanks as the kunoichi prepares a plain
okonomiyaki. "Are they up yet?"
Konatsu glances toward the ceiling, then nods. "Hai, they're
washing up now," he nods. "It's good that Ukyou-sama and Ranma-sama
are trying to maintain some type of relationship even now. She needs
him."
"Just as long as she realizes that Ranma isn't a toy to play
around with," Ataru cautions, then nods as Konatsu sets up a plate
with trimmings before turning his attention back to the okonomiyaki
on the grill.
"I think Ukyou-sama understands that," Konatsu muses, then
stares at the transplanted Tomobiki resident. "Is it true?"
"What is?"
"About..." Konatsu's voice falters, then he clears his throat.
"About what might happen to Ranma-sama because of Jusenkyou?"
Ataru blinks, then nods. So Ranma had dropped that little
bombshell on the chef, eh? "Yes, it's true," he sips some water.
The kunoichi considers that, then shakes his head. "It just
seems wrong," he muses. "Ranma-sama always carried himself as the
epitome of 'manliness' even when he was forced to wear a woman's
body. Now to realize that he will literally become a 'she' before
long..."
His voice trails off. "Fate's like that," Ataru shrugs, then
turns as footsteps herald Ukyou's descent from the bedroom. "Ohayou,
Ukyou-san."
"Oh, Ataru-kun, ohayou!" Ukyou gives the okonomiyaki cooking
on the grill a critical once-over, then notices the plastic-wrapped
girl's uniform atop Ataru's other belongings. "Oh, brought it,
didja?! Great!"
She picks it up, then races upstairs. By then, Konatsu is
moving to put the okonomiyaki onto Ataru's plate. Two minutes later,
Ranma and Ukyou descend together, both dressed for school. "Hey,
Ataru!" Ranma smiles as she sits beside Ataru, her hand giving his a
warm squeeze.
"Missed you last night," Ataru winks at her.
"Sorry," she flusters.
"Oh, relax, I forgive you," he gives her a squeeze in return,
then turns to start with breakfast. "Just don't be surprised
if I chain you to the house after we get out of school tonight,"
he adds with a wink.
"Slave-driver," she barbs, then notices the duffelbag. "Oh,
jeez, you're bringing everything with you today."
"Well, that's what bokken-for-brains is going to get when I face
off against him at lunchtime," he shrugs, turning back to his
breakfast.
Ukyou, now busy preparing some okonomiyaki for Ranma, glances
over, then gives Ataru a curious look. "So what's in there, sugar?"
"Oh, what I used when I was busy killing bad guys during my
training time in Sanctuary," he shrugs. "Didn't want to give the
Onis any clue that it was actually Lum's 'darling' who was killing
off every Imperial-leaning scumbag trying to push them on to overcome
the Noukiites."
"Why?" Konatsu wonders.
"What better way to keep the Onis from ever contemplating
another attack against us?" Ataru winks, then turns back to his food.
Ukyou's eyes widen, then she shakes her head. "Well, you're
damned lucky that girl's dead, sugar. I'd hate to see what she
might've done to you if she learned you were stabbin' her people
in the back. Shit, she proved how much she *cared* for us back at
the Second Tag Race, right?"
"Hai, true, true," Ataru nods, his eyes narrow. *Though even
if she did know, she still won't have much of a chance to hurt us
again...*
* * *
A half-hour later, Ataru, Ukyou and Ranma depart from U-chan's
for Furinkan High School. It is still early in the day, not even
past eight o'clock. Few students are on the streets. Soon, the
three encounter a gaggle of girls in Furinkan High uniforms. Among
them, to Ranma's delight, is Kimiko Ikeda. "Ohayou, Kimiko-chan!"
Ranma waves.
Kimiko looks, then smiles, waving back. "Ohayou, Ranma-kun!"
she shifts over to slip her arm around Ranma's. "How are you today?"
Ranma blinks, then pats Kimiko's hand. "Pretty okay. Lot
better than I was this time yesterday, I'll admit," she reaches
over to draw Ukyou over, wrapping her free arm around the chef's.
"How about you?"
Kimiko notices whom Ranma is also holding onto, then smiles.
Like most of the people in the class, she was aware of Ukyou's true
gender and how and why she had been forced to dress as a boy for so
long. "I'm okay. Ne, Ukyou-chan, we're having a slumber party over
at my place on Friday. Would you like to come along? We'd love to
have you there!"
The chef blinks surprisedly, then nods. "Okay, I'll be there.
Ran-chan told me about what you did for her yesterday, Kimiko-chan."
She draws her arm away from Ranma's grasp, then reaches past her
former fiancee's back to give Kimiko's shoulder a thank-you squeeze.
"Thanks."
Kimiko smiles. "She deserves it."
Ranma blushes, then gently grasps Ukyou's arm again. A new
voice then calls out, "Ohayou, Ataru-kun, minna-chan!"
"Ohayou, Chigaiko-chan," Ataru hooks his arm out for Chigaiko
Inu to gently grasp it, then he leans over to gently peck her cheek.
"How are you feeling today?" he reaches down to gently squeeze her
hand.
"Oh, I've got a doctor's appointment this afternoon," she sighs,
a shallow breath escaping her. "Can't seem to shake off these damn
night sweats I've been experiencing for the last month or so."
"Why didn't you ask Onee-chan to look you over?" he wonders.
Chigaiko blinks, then gives Ataru a confused look. "She's a
martial arts master, Ataru-kun, not a doctor," she reminds him.
"Oi, having a thousand years of knowledge also includes all
sorts of neat medical knowledge," Ataru chides. "Bet you didn't
know Onee-chan's a certified MD, not to mention a naturopathic
and chiropractic doctor, too."
"She IS?!!" Chigaiko's jaw drops.
"She is," Ataru nods. "Matter of fact..." he pauses, then gazes
at her. "When's your appointment anyway?"
"Oh, about five-thirty."
"Back in Tomobiki?"
"No, Shinjuku."
"Okay," he nods, then holds up a warning finger. "After school,
go to Onee-chan and ask he to give you a once-over before seeing
your doctor, just in case. I'm not knocking down how smart some are,
but there're some things that just can't be detected by modern
technology."
She considers that, then nods. "Okay..."
"RANMA!!!"
"Oh, here we go again," Ataru mutters, then glances over his
shoulder to see an angrily shivering Akane Tendou glaring lethal
daggers at Ranma.
Who totally ignores her. "So what sorta food do we gotta bring
to one of those slumber parties, Kimiko-chan?" Ranma wonders.
"Oh, you can bring as much as you want," Kimiko smiles, then
hums. "As a matter of fact, given the way I've seen you eat at
times, it'll be only fair to the rest of us if you bring your own
food, Ranma-kun."
*Ring-ring!*
Ranma nods. "Okay, okay..."
*Ring-ring!*
Akane is silent, stunned that Ranma hadn't responded in ANY way
to her shout. Quivering indignantly, she feels Mallet-sama
appear in her hand, then screaming out "RANMA NO BAKA!!!!" she
charges...
*Ring-ring!*
*WHUMP!!!*
"Ni hao, Airen!!"
Everyone stops, turning to see that for once, Shampoo's infamous
"bicycle of death" has planted its tire into the back of AKANE's
head, not Ranma's. A satisfactory grin is etched on the
warrior-maiden's face as she guides the bicycle off Akane's back,
then she moves to walk beside Ranma for a bit. "Shampoo lucky she
spot Violent Kitchen-Destroyer before she try to make new boo-boos
on Airen's head with her mallet," she re-mounts her machine.
"Shampoo bring good lunch for Airen today! Bai-bai!!"
The Nyuchezuu warrior races off. By then, Akane has recovered,
murder burning in her eyes. "This is all YOUR fault, Ranma!!"
she spins on her ex-fiancee, drawing Mallet-sama once more. "Now
hold still and...!"
*WHACK!!!!*
Down Akane goes again, this time thanks to Ukyou's battle
spatula. "Hold still and WHAT, sugar?! Ran-chan just stands there
and lets you finish the job that jackass Genma started?!! Not a
chance!!"
With that, Ukyou returns to Ranma's side. Akane groans, then
staggers back at her feet. Shaking her head clear, she notices
that Ranma STILL hasn't acknowledged her; the pseudo-girl was still
chatting with Kimiko and her friends. Quivering as a storm of
conflicting emotions rage through her heart, she then breathes
out as another burst of anger allows her to call forth Mallet-sama
yet again. Before she could move to attack anyone, a hand then grabs
her shoulder. "Hold on there, Akane-chan...!"
Screaming, Akane spins around, dropping Mallet-sama onto the
person who DARED try to stop her. "AKANE-CHAN!!!" Sayuri screams
out.
"***MOUKO TAKAIBISHA!!!***"
*WHOMP!!!*
Akane kisses asphalt yet AGAIN, this time courtesy of an
elbow-blow on the back of her neck delivered by Ataru. Ranma is also
there, having yanked Yuka clear of the mallet's path, disintegrating
Mallet-sama along the way with a chi blast. Ranma turns to Yuka,
the latter now shivering as the shock of the moment overwhelms
her. "Yuka, you okay there?!"
"Get her to school," Ataru orders.
"Right!" Ranma scoops Yuka into her arms, then with a spring
to the nearest telephone pole, races off to Furinkan High.
The other onlookers are silent as Ataru slings his duffelbag
over his shoulders, then he reaches down to yank the dazed Akane onto
her feet by the collar of her blouse. "When you decide to be a REAL
martial artist instead of a bully, Tendou-san, tell us, okay?!"
Ataru snarls, then with a heave an Olympic-class shotputter would
admire, sends her flying through the air towards Furinkan. "Anyhow,
your fans await!! Have fun!!!"
Akane screams as the pitch sends her right to the front lawn,
where well over twice the number of boys from yesterday presently
await her...
* * *
A minute later, Furinkan High...
"Saotome-kun, what happened to Tokoro-kun?!"
Ranma looks up from a shivering Yuka to gaze into Hinako's
worried eyes. Ranma had brought Yuka into their homeroom as soon as
she arrived. "Akane's mallet almost happened to her, Hinako-sensei,"
she sighs, then draws the still-quaking Yuka into her arms. "There,
there, Yuka-chan! It's gonna be okay! She isn't gonna hurt you!
It's okay, it's okay..."
Yuka mutters something unintelligible, then starts to cry as she
buries her face into Ranma's blouse. Hinako blinks, then moves to
squeeze the weeping girl's shoulders before staring at the martial
artist. "What happened? I'd never think Tendou-kun would ever
strike out at a friend."
"Neither did I, but accordin' to Negako, Yuka was hit by that
mallet three times before I came to town," Ranma sighs, then jolts
on hearing dozens of boys outside scream out "***AKANE, DATE
ME!!!!***"
Hinako shivers, then runs to the windows to see a massive gaggle
of young men charge one woman. To the child-teacher's surprise,
Akane seems unable to put up her usual vigourous defence against
the Horde. Sighing, she moves to race outside when Ranma's voice
calls out "Sensei?!"
"Hai?" Hinako stares at her.
Ranma shakes her head. "Don't bother interruptin' that. Maybe
that idiocy outside is what Akane needs to learn some humility."
"Maybe," Hinako takes a deep breath, then moves to leave. "But
not on school time, Saotome-kun." With that, she races off.
Ranma watches her go, then sighs, holding onto Yuka as the
latter continues to weep. By then, some of the others stream inside,
including Daisuke and Hiroshi. "Oi, Ranma, what the hell happened
to Yuka?!" the former demands as they move to stand beside the
shivering girl.
"It's a long story," Ranma sighs...
* * *
Hinako bursts onto the front lawn, her ready 50-yen coin in hand
as she moves to disable the Horde o' Hentais en masse. "You stop
right this instant!!!" she takes a stance, then chants,
"***HAPPO-GO-JUU-E-...!!!***"
*WHANG!!!*
Hinako cries out as a sledgehammer slams into the back of her
skull, sending her face-first into the front walkway. "Not THIS
time, bitch!!" a nicotine-hazed voice cackles as several large
shadows cover the unconscious teacher. "This time, we're gonna have
a day -- hell, a YEAR -- WITHOUT a psycho-bitch like you suckin'
th' life outta us! Right, boys?!"
"Got that right, man!" another voice snickers. "C'mon, let's
make damn sure this chi-vamp don't bother NOBODY ever again!!"
"Right!" several other voices chant...
* * *
"Unfortunate, but necessary," Tatewaki Kunou watches as several
senior students from Class 3-D move to drag Hinako away. With that,
he turns to observe how his beauteous tiger is now fairing...
* * *
"Boss, this isn't what's supposed to be happening!!"
Nabiki's teeth grate as she watches a small crowd of seniors,
all of whom even the "Ice Queen" of Furinkan knew to avoid, drag
Hinako towards the side entrance leading into the northwest wing.
Another glance to the front lawn reveals that Akane, now getting
her second wind after nearly being beaten down by the Horde, was
lashing out with her usual panache.
What had caused her sister to be so off-form today?
"Yeah..."
* * *
Within a minute, Hinako has been dragged into a secluded area,
where certain members of Class 3-D often located themselves whenever
they became bored sitting through classes which really didn't matter
to them in the long term. The leader of this group, an acne-scarred
lad named Takuma Dan who had already been earmarked by the local
Yakuza as a potential street soldier, smiles as the child-teacher's
arms are weighed down by the feet of two classmates. "Now, we're
gonna make sure this vamp ain't gonna bother any of us again," he
reaches into his jacket to draw out a surplus K-bar knife. "Let's
see her pull that trick when she don't have HANDS to do it!"
"I don't think so, gentlemen."
The small crowd spins around to see someone standing four metres
away, a sheathed sword in hand. "Who the fuck...?!" Shinken Wada,
one of the boys holding Hinako down, blinks, then his eyes widen.
"Moroboshi?!"
"Get lost, jerk!!!" Takuma snarls, bracing himself. Even if he
personally knew this jerk wasn't a martial artist like that
transgender freak Saotome or the rest of that crowd, a sheathed
sword wasn't something to sneeze at. "This ain't any of your fuckin'
business, so scram!!!"
"Too bad," Ataru calmly swings K'ut't'irak around to partially
draw the five century-old blade, folded twenty million times, from
its scabbard. "I just decided to make it my business. Now, you've
got one chance. Back off now and crawl back into whatever shithole
you came from, or..."
"Or what?!!" Shinken spits out, smirking.
A pause.
"Or die," Ataru grins.
The eunuch's blade leaps from its scabbard, the tip coming down
to shatter Takuma's knife, then Ataru twirls to send the blade
lancing into the man's right side below the ribs. He screams out as
Ataru elbows him under the jawbone, yanking K'ut't'irak out of
Takuma's body. As the man collapses, Ataru spins on Shinken and the
other boy helping hold Hinako's arms down. Slashing jabs with
K'ut't'irak rip into the soft flesh of their cheeks, making them
stumble off the teacher's arms. The other boys stagger as Ataru
spins on them, an icy smile crossing the ex-Tomobikian's
face. "Now. Who's next?" Ataru makes a 'come here' gesture with his
finger.
The boys break off and run away, Shinken and his friend
following as they try to stem the blood streaming down their cheeks.
Ataru relaxes, then drawing out a cloth to wipe K'ut't'irak
clean, moves to stand beside the groaning Takuma Dan. A glance to
the fellow's right side reveals a puddle of dark blood forming on the
ground. Shaking his head, Ataru picks up his sword's scabbard,
then sheathes K'ut't'irak. "You've got a liver wound, friend,"
he clicks his tongue. "Pity I'm gonna be busy dealing with what you
pulled on Ninomiya-sensei to help save your life."
With that, he picks up Hinako, then with a spring, leaps for the
roof. Takuma shudders, trying to call out for help, but the only
thing that escapes his mouth is a pain-edged moan. A second later,
a shadow falls over him as a finger taps a shiatsu point to knock
him out...
* * *
Homeroom class, a half-hour later...
"Hey, Ataru, where's Sensei?!" Daisuke asks.
Ataru blinks, then sighs, slipping K'ut't'irak into his
duffelbag before sitting down. The late bell had already rung, an
exhausted Akane having arrived just before Ataru. "In the nurse's
station being helped after a sledgehammer nearly crushed in the back
of her skull," he reports.
Several students gasp. "What?!!" Ranma snaps. "Who?!"
"Some of the guys from Class Three-Dee," Ataru sighs. "One's
gonna be in hospital nursing a cut to his side thanks to my friend,"
he indicates the duffelbag. "Two more'll need loads of stitches
on both their cheeks and the rest'll be worrying if or when I might
come along and finish the job. Seems to me someone here goaded them
into putting Ninomiya-sensei out of action so the morning brawl up
front wouldn't be stopped."
People exchange looks, then glance towards Akane. The youngest
of the Tendou daughters quakes, then she squeezes her fists.
"Kunou...!" she hisses out, then she slams her hands on her desk.
"Damn him!!!"
"Most likely," Ataru rolls his eyes, then exchanges a knowing
look with Ranma. "What would one expect of the local B.A.O.C.,
ne?!"
"Got that right," Ranma snorts.
"'B.A.O.C.,' Ataru-kun?!" Chigaiko asks.
"'Big asshole on campus,' Chigaiko-chan," Ukyou translates.
People nod. The door then opens, revealing Yoshi Nagata. "Ah,
Moroboshi-kun, there you are!" Furinkan's local ko-gal infotaku
smiles as he walks over to Ataru's desk, a padded business envelope
in hand. "What you asked for?!" he hands the envelope over to Ataru.
Ataru opens it, then glances briefly at the notes written there
to confirm that it was what he asked for. "Thank you kindly, sir,"
he nods, then puts the envelope on his desk. Zipping open his
duffelbag, he draws out twenty black pocket-sized diary books, the
whole strung together by packing twine, to hand over to Yoshi. "And
these are now yours."
Yoshi places the books on the desk, then undoing the twine,
opens one book. Glancing at the pages, each matched with a
photocopied picture from a yearbook, delighted tears run down his
cheeks. "Oh, sir, you are SO kind!!" he closes the book, binds them
all up again, then heads out.
Ataru watches him go, then notices people staring at him. "So
what the hell was THAT all about, sugar?!" Ukyou demands.
"It's a surprise, Ukyou-san," he winks, then bellows,
"JINSEIKO!!!!"
"You bellowed, Master?"
People scream out, many scrambling from their chairs on seeing
the lithe raven-haired woman in the black bodysuit now kneeling
beside Ataru, her head cast down respectfully. Ataru picks up the
envelope, then hands it to her. "Project-Bee-Tea-Bee,
Jinseiko. Expedite!" he advises.
"Hai!!" she nods, then leaps through an open window and
vanishes.
Silence falls over the class, then Hiroshi stares at Ataru.
"So when did you suddenly get hold of your own ninja troupe, man?!"
"She's the chief of my grandmother's personal bodyguard force,
the Kuromoroboshi," Ataru sits. "Handy people to have around at
times."
"So what's the surprise?" Chigaiko asks.
"Well, if I told you, Chigaiko, it wouldn't be a surprise,
would it?"
"Er..." she blinks, then nods. "Right."
Snickers flow through the room...
* * *
Promised Island, that moment...
"'CHALLENGED?!?!?!'"
"Yes," Chikage sips her tea, she sitting with the other sisters
in Welcome House's dining hall. "A sword duel to be fought today
at noon."
"Then *I* should be the one who fights this battle, Chikage!!"
Haruka bolts up, slapping the table with her hands. "It's not right
to have some fool think they can go off and challenge Anigimi-sama
like THAT!!!"
"I do not believe Ani-kun would even BEGIN to enjoy the idea of
having the likes of Tatewaki Kunou set his sights on a 'beauteous
damsel' such as yourself, Haruka," the sorceress lightly smiles.
"This is the dork who started that mess with Akane Tendou that
Aneki put a stop to after she got to Nerima! Right?!" Rinrin sips
her soup.
"Correct."
Eyes turn to Sakuya. "What do we do, Sakuya-chan?" Karen
wonders.
Sakuya sighs, then rises. "Onii-sama has been challenged.
Given what Onee-sama has told us of this fool, the chances are there
that when Onii-sama defeats him, Kunou might decide to push it all
the way into a blood-feud. I don't want that and I'm sure Onii-sama
doesn't want it."
"From what Anee said, this guy just doesn't listen to anyone
but himself, Sakuya," Mamoru slurps up her fibre milkshake.
"True, so the best thing to do is present a united front to this
idiot and anyone else who'd want to come after Onii-sama," Sakuya
sighs. "We'll go to Tokyo before noon and be there for Onii-sama.
Okay?"
The others nod...
* * *
Furinkan High School...
"Ooda-sensei?! You wished to see me?"
"Oh, Moroboshi-kun, come in!" Michiko Ooda, the school nurse,
looks up as Ataru steps into the small health station located on the
first floor. A very beautiful native of Kyoto, Michiko is the third
person in the last two years to hold the position of Furinkan High's
school nurse. Presently, Michiko sits beside a diagnostic bed,
Hinako Ninomiya peacefully asleep on it under covers. A glance at
the child-teacher's head reveals a pressure bandage over where she
had been struck with the sledgehammer.
"Ambulance on the way?" Ataru asks.
"Hai, but they are taking their time," Michiko scowls, cursing
the administrators of the local health district for rating Furinkan
High School as a 'low-priority' rescue zone. No doubt, it was the
work of some fool bureaucrat in the Health Ministry who would not
shed a tear if any of the 'maniacs' haunting Nerima were to die
before receiving proper medical attention. "I put the call in twenty
minutes ago."
Ataru hums, then reaches over to gently tap several shiatsu
points on Hinako's forehead. "Well, she's got one sucker of a
concussion, but her basic life functions aren't affected. Resiliency
of having a child's body to 'fall back' on, so to speak. Look, let
me get her to my sister instead. If anyone in this whole city can
fix her up, it's Onee-chan."
Michiko blinks, then nods. "Alright."
"Denpatan!!" Ataru calls out.
"Yes, Master?"
He turns right to see a flame-haired woman in the black combat
suit preferred by the Kuromoroboshi kneeling by his feet. Orders
are given, then Hinako is whisked away. Once they are alone, Michiko
whistles. "Must be nice to have something like THAT at your beck and
call."
"If you want, I can have a girl stay close to you in case of
emergencies like this," Ataru offers.
"I'll consider it," the nurse nods, then she perks up. "Oh, I
got a call from Nerima General Hospital's emergency ward. One of the
senior boys here, Takuma Dan, was just admitted a half-hour ago
thanks to a sword wound in the liver. I assume that was something
you were involved in."
"I'd rather not say," Ataru winks, turning to leave. "He was,
after all, responsible for giving Ninomiya-sensei her delightful
headache. Oh, by the way, have two other fellows from the senior
ranks shown up sometime in the last bit with slash marks on their
cheeks?"
Michiko hums, then shakes her head. "I haven't seen them."
Ataru is nonplussed. "Probably because they were also involved
with what nearly happened to Sensei. By the looks of things, they
were prepared to either cut her hands off or mangle them as much as
they could in hopes that she could never use her chi-absorption
abilities ever again."
Silence.
"What?!" Michiko gasps. "Why?!!"
"It's rather simple," Ataru glances at her. "You see, I'm quite
used to peculiarities like that. What Ninomiya-sensei can do, in my
eyes, is just par for the course. Most other people might not feel
the same way. In fact, I wouldn't be so surprised to learn that many
people attending this school might not view Sensei as a human being
at all."
She pales. Hinako had, in the time Michiko had worked at
Furinkan High (she arrived sometime after Ranma's battle with Ryuu
Koman), become one of the nurse's closest friends. Despite her
several 'eccentricities' (as Michiko called them), there was nothing
Hinako did that would invoke any sort of racist comments. "That
can't be true," she shakes her head.
"Don't be too quick to trust in, to quote Abraham Lincoln,
the better angels of human nature, Ooda-sensei," Ataru warns.
"Especially when it comes to a country like ours. There'll always
be an underlying admiration for the social roonins that often appear
amongst us in Japan, but when it comes to a metahuman power that
could kill if it went out of control, even the kindest people can
easily reserve a small droplet of hatred in their hearts. In the
meantime, I'm heading back to my class. Ja."
He heads off. Michiko watches him go, then turns back to the
empty diagnostic bed before her. "Hinako..." she whispers...
* * *
The Moroboshi home, that moment...
"***WHO THE HELL DID THIS?!?!?!***"
Happousai burns with outrage as he stares at the prostrated
Hinako, now having the back of her head probed by Negako's fingers.
Nodoka is busy preparing first aid materials in case the ninjitsu
grandmistress is forced to alleviate some of the pressure from her
brain thanks to a blood pocket now forming under Hinako's skull.
"She was struck with considerable force by a sledgehammer,"
Negako reports. "Welded by someone who's experienced her powers
first-hand on several occasions since she came to work at Furinkan
High School. Given the nature of Hinako's power, it would not take
much to conceive that whoever did this saw her as a 'vampire'
of sorts, thus deserving outright destruction in lieu of any
respect."
Nodoka looks up from her preparations. "Do you think this is an
isolated incident, Negako-san? I am aware that Hinako-san here has
taken considerable interest in Souun-kun. I don't want to see her
killed before she could finally hope to consummate a relationship
with him."
"It depends on the overall mood of the students there, not to
mention various emotional points of influence such as parents and
peers who attend other schools," Negako reports. "After all, this
ability can become quite addictive if Hinako does not keep control
over herself. And all it takes, if you consider it, Nodoka, is one
innocent student having his/her chi absorbed..." her eyes fall on
Happousai, "...and dying as a result. You know as well as I, Happy,
that certain people with specifically-weakened constitutions
would not survive a show of Hinako's power."
Happousai blinks, then nods. "Yes, yes, I know! But at the
time I gave her this ability, she wasn't in decent shape herself,
Negako-chan."
"True," Negako admits. "I can, once the basic repairs are
complete, help modify her abilities so that any risk of her becoming
'addicted' to consuming chi energy is eliminated altogether.
In the meantime, I believe we will have to force some of the blood
away from her brain, Nodoka."
"Hai," Nodoka takes position.
"Alright," Happousai nods. "I'll be back to look on her later.
I got some things to do to make sure this don't happen again!"
He races off. Nodoka watches the grandmaster go, then turns
to Negako. "He's been acting much differently since you came,
Negako-san."
"Understandable," Negako lightly smiles. "Even now, I still
find it difficult to fully comprehend that concept you call
'friendship,' Nodoka. But I do think of Happy as a friend. Perhaps
my only friend."
Nodoka's head tilts slightly. "Obviously. With everyone
else you speak to, you always use their full given name. Not the
Master."
"Yes, that is true. Then again, should I not do it?" Negako
turns back to Hinako. "Given that his addiction to women's chi
energy and his requirement to obtain same was, in a sense, my fault."
Nodoka's eyes widen...
* * *
Furinkan High School...
"Ranma?"
Ranma blinks, then takes a deep breath before gazing balefully
at Akane. "Yes, Tendou-san, is there a problem?" she frostily
inquires.
Akane jolts, surprised by the ice in her ex-fiancee's
voice, then her fists squeeze as she asks, "What were you talking
about with Kimiko this morning when we were walking to school,
Ranma?"
Ranma stares at her, then turns back to the manga volume on her
desk. "That's none of your business, Tendou-san. We're no longer
engaged and I renounced the agreement between your family and mine
on Sunday evening. We are strangers and we'll remain strangers
until you decide to grow up and start treating me like a person
instead of your personal punching bag."
Silence falls over the class as everyone else quickly senses
the very foul mood haunting Furinkan High's most infamous couple.
Akane stares at Ranma, wide-eyed with shock, then she takes a step
back. "Ranma..."
"By the way, aren't you going to say somethin'?"
"Wh-what...?"
"Like an apology?"
Akane stiffens, then she threateningly growls, "For what?! I
don't have to apologize to a pervert like you!"
"Well, if you don't want to apologize to me, that's no problem
there since I sure as hell don't want anything to do with a spoiled
brat like you anymore," Ranma snorts, then sensing Akane tensing
herself to the point where Mallet-sama might be summoned, smirks
as she holds up an open hand. People around them gasp as a bright
chi ball appears in the palm of her hand. "Forgetting what happened
last week so soon?" Ranma wonders.
An audible gulp escapes Akane's throat as she takes another
step back, then she collapses into her chair. Seeing that, Ranma
smirks as she disperses the chi ball. "Like I was sayin', you owe
people an apology or two. Like Kasumi, for example, for breakin'
the promise you made a long time ago about trying to treat me right
after we got 'engaged,'" a snort escapes her on mentioning that word.
"Or what about Nabiki, for the shit stunt you pulled five years ago
that forced her to stop practicin' the Art? Or maybe Yuka here for
the three times you smacked her with that damned mallet when you were
beatin' up Kunou there? Three times that would'a been FOUR hadn't
I stopped you this mornin'! What about the guys in school, the ones
who try to beat you up every morning? Don't you owe them an apology,
too, for not doin' something about putting Kunou in his place?"
Akane is speechless. So are the others in the class. Ranma
sighs, then rises, closing her manga volume. "You keep harpin'
on and on all the time that I don't show responsibility for the crap
that's been dumped onta me because of Oyaji and all that. Well, the
way I see it, the only person not showin' responsibility
is YOU, Akane! You keep sayin' and sayin' that you're a martial
artist, which is the biggest load of bullshit that's ever been said!
It's the biggest LIE that's ever been said. Ataru's right, you know.
You're a BULLY, Akane! A pathetic, cowardly bully!! And there is no
way in HELL that I'm gonna associate with a bully anymore!"
With that, Ranma picks up her bag and walks out. The others
watch her, then turn back to Akane. No one says anything. No one
WANTS to say anything, not wanting to draw someone's wrath on
him/herself, especially Akane's wrath. Finally, movement from one
corner desk. People turn to see Nagao Koriko rise from his desk,
the kendoist moving to leave the room.
"Where the fuck're you goin', Koriko?!" Hiroshi then wonders.
"Up to see Kunou-*sempai* to suck up to him and cause more
trouble for Ranma, eh?!" Daisuke adds, sneering at the honorific.
Nagao turns around, his hand squeezing hard around his shinai,
the bamboo practice blade often used in the dojo. "And just what
gives you the right to judge what I do as right or wrong, Bosabosa?!"
he snarls.
"Hey, if you wanna go blab to ol' bokken-for-brains,
be our guest," Ukyou then speaks up. "But I better warn you
somethin', sugar. You blab to Kunou, then I tell Ran-chan about you
tryin' ta stir up trouble for her. I better warn you, pal: Ran-chan
killed an honest-to-goodness GOD to save Akane's skin not so long
ago! Care to see how much you'd fare?!" The chef then stands up,
moving to stand beside Hiroshi. "By the way, asshole, that AIN'T
no exaggeration. Ask Akane here yourself if you want."
Gasps escape many. Nagao pales. Akane shudders, sensing some
people staring questioningly at her. Nabiki had kept mum over the
events at Mount Phoenix, ensuring people who depended on the local
rumour mill didn't delve too much on that period in Akane's life.
Still, because she IS Ranma's friend, atop being a good friend of
Ryouga's, it was quite understandable that Ukyou would've learned
all the details of the fight with Saffron.
"Hey, Ukyou-san, maybe we should tell Ranma there about all the
times that goof out yonder's made the history teacher's life hell?!"
Daisuke then muses, indicating Nagao with a finger.
"Oh, is THAT a fact, huh?!" Ukyou's eyebrow arches, then she
turns to glare Nagao down. "This true there, sugar? You making
Kimihara-sensei's life more difficult? He happens to be my favourite
teacher, you know!"
Nagao gags. He knew he wasn't any match for the okonomiyaki
chef in a battle. "Nah, Ukyou-san, don't worry about it," Hiroshi
then chuckles. "Seems to me that Ataru-kun's got that part covered
already."
Ukyou blinks, then walks over to Ataru's duffelbag. Kneeling
down, she unzips it, then tenderly draws the sheathed K'ut't'irak
into the open. Eyes lock on the five-century old eunuch's blade as
Ukyou holds it level to the floor, then she partially draws it.
"Yeah, you got that right, sugar! Oooh, now THAT's a real sword!"
she whistles admiringly. "Man, I wish my spatulas were even a TITHE
as sharp and tough as this old girl here!!"
Mouths drop in disbelief. Nagao nearly faints, then feels the
urge to race off and warn Kunou about what he'll be facing a few
hours. He gets as far as the door before a rabbit punch puts him out
for the count. "Hey, watch where you're going there," Ataru smirks
knowingly as the kendoist drops to the floor, then he reaches down
to drag Nagao back to his feet. "You don't know what sort of people
you might run into there."
With that, Ataru flings Nagao behind him, through an open window
into the courtyard. Seeing this, everyone gasps. "Ataru-kun,
we're THREE FLOORS UP!!!" Chigaiko spins on her fellow ex-Tomobikian.
"Oh, don't worry, Chigaiko-chan..."
*BROI-OI-OI-OI-OI-OI-OING!*
Ataru's eyebrow arches. "Hmmm..."
*CRUNCH!!*
"...hit the diving board. Oh, well," he shrugs, gazing
quizzically at Ukyou. "Now, what are you doing with my sword there,
Ukyou-san?!"
The chef laughs embarrassingly...
* * *
Upstairs, sometime later...
"Hey, man, we got some words with you!"
Kunou jolts, then turns to see several of the miserable cretins
he had convinced to go after Hinako Ninomiya standing beside his
desk. "And what, pray tell, do you wish to say to the Blue Thunder,
Wada-san?"
Shinken Wada, now sporting two bandages on his cheeks courtesy
of a quick visit to a walk-in clinic near the school, scowls. "Why
don't you stuff that holier-than-thou attitude up your ass for once
in your totally useless life, Kunou," he growls, pointing to his
cheek in emphasis. "Since when does a girl-chasing loon like Ataru
Moroboshi pack a freakin' SWORD with him all the time?! You holdin'
out on us or something, pal?!!"
Kunou shudders indignantly at the disgusting language the wretch
before him had used, then his eyes widen surprisedly. That lecherous
beast Moroboshi had a sword with him today?! "And if he did?" he
wonders.
"Hey, asshole, look at my face!!" Shinken snarls, then indicates
the other one whose cheeks were cleaved by K'ut't'irak, Shirou
Nonaka. "And look here! Since when did you let Moroboshi join the
kendo club?!"
Kunou snorts, then laughs. "I would never dream of allowing
such a filthy beast as Moroboshi foul the noble dojo with his
presence! And, if indeed, he possesses a sword, it appears he is
simply responding to my demand to challenge the wretch today at noon.
Though I clearly doubt that someone of Moroboshi's character will be
able to stand up to the shining presence of the Blue Thunder of
Furinkan High, I, Tatewak-...!!"
"Okay, OKAY, we get the hint!!" Shinken snaps, causing the
kendoist to glare resentfully at him. The man from Class 3-D raises
a warning finger. "Just make DAMN sure you beat the son-of-a-bitch!
Got me?!"
"That is simplicity itself," Kunou scoffs.
"It better be! For your sake!" Shinken holds up a warning
finger. "Not to mention your sweet little sister, there. Let's go,
boys."
They storm out. Nabiki's eyes narrow, then she rises to stand
beside Kunou. "So what's your problem with those creeps,
Kunou-baby?" she crosses her arms. "You realize they just threatened
your sister there."
"Worry not about it, Nabiki Tendou," Kunou snorts. "My
delightful yet twisted sister would not allow herself to be taken
advantage of by such ruffians as those who just fouled our classroom
with their vile presence. In a way, they are as bad -- nay, WORSE!
-- than Moroboshi himself!! It is of no consequence, though, Nabiki
Tendou! Fear not, for the Blue Thunder will carry the day against
the lecherous slime as he has done before!"
Nabiki gives him a 'Yeah, right -- and what drugs have YOU been
smoking there, Kunou-baby?!' look, then jolts on hearing someone
clear his throat. "Excuse me, everyone," an aged voice then calls
out.
Girls scream out in horror on seeing Happousai sitting on an
open windowsill near Nabiki's desk, calmly puffing on his pipe.
Seeing the aged grandmaster, Kunou howls as he draws his bokken,
then charges. "You aged, evil troll!!" he bellows. "Stand still
and...!"
Happousai jumps over Kunou's bokken thrust, then lands on the
kendoist's back, tapping a shiatsu point. He drops to the floor in
an unconscious heap as Happousai lands on the teacher's desk. "As I
was about to say, I'm looking for the people who attacked Hinako
Ninomiya this morning," the grandmaster carries on. "Has anyone
seen them?!"
"Class 3-D, Ojii-chan," Nabiki advises.
"Ah, thank you, Nabiki-chan!! Excuse me, please!"
He bounds out the door, then races off to the classroom in
question. People remain still, then eyes lock on Nabiki. "What was
THAT all about, Boss?!" Chieko Fujii, one of Nabiki's helpers,
wonders.
"Dunno," Nabiki shrugs, then jolts on hearing several explosions
from the direction of Class 3-D's homeroom, echoed with the screams
of panicking students and Happousai's incensed voice bellowing,
"HURT MY STUDENT, EH?!! HOW'S THIS FOR HURT, YOU WORTHLESS BRATS?!?!
***HAPPOU-DAIKARIN!!!!***"
Smoke billows outside the window as the destruction continues...
* * *
In the library/reading room, Ranma looks up from her books as
the explosions gently rock the school, then shaking her head, returns
to her reading. By the sounds of it, it was Happousai's chi bombs
going off. Ranma knew that the aged grandmaster didn't resort to
them unless he REALLY got ticked off at someone. He certainly
didn't use them in his panty-raids except when Ranma became a little
too determined to put a stop to that.
Seconds later, a panicked third-year student races in, looks
around, then on spotting the martial artist, runs up to her.
"Ranma-kun, there you are!! Quick, you've got to come up!! That
pervert Happousai's up there throwing bombs around at everyone!!!
Please, you've got to come help!!"
Ranma sighs, then calmly closes her books. "Oh, so, now you
PLEAD with me to come bail you out, huh?" she rises. "Okay, I'll
come look!"
She follows the older girl up to the third floor, then stops
before the entrance to Class 3-D's homeroom. Glancing inside, Ranma
winces on seeing a scene straight out of World War Two, complete
with shredded desks, dazed and semi-conscious students scattered
hither, tither and yon -- and Happousai now standing atop a small
pile of boys, he shouting at one of them (said boy also sporting
two deep sword cuts in his cheek just sewn together recently,
Ranma quickly notes). Leaning against the doorframe, Ranma crosses
her arms and asks, "Hey, Jijii, what's up there?!"
Happousai stops, then looks over before smiling. "Oh,
Ranma-chan, what are you doing here?" he draws up the wounded boy's
head with one hand, another one holding a lit Happou-daikarin.
"Just wonderin' what all the noise's about. You are kinda
disturbing the other kids studyin' here," Ranma shrugs.
"Relax, my dear, it's none of your concern," the grandmaster
assures her, then blinks. "Well, actually, it IS of your concern,
I believe. See, this uncouth fellow, the ones below him and one
other in the hospital now decided they were going to try to kill poor
Hinako-chan there! Now, you really can't believe that I'd allow them
to do something like THAT to one of my students now, do you?" he
flashes Ranma a puppy-dog eyed stare.
Ranma blinks, then calmly walks into the room to take a closer
look at the fellow Happousai was holding. Recognizing him, Ranma
then grins. She had as much use for jerks like this as did most
others at the school; if they had tried to pull something stupid
against her...!
"Hey, there, Shirou-kun! Gee, you don't look so hot today!!
What'd you do to get Ataru so pissed off at you that he'd use one of
his swords to give you THESE little beauties?!" she stabs one of
Shirou Nonaka's cheeks.
The senior howls as is Ranma had stabbed him herself, then
glares resentfully at the pseudo-girl. "Saotome, you BASTARD!!
That HURT!!!"
"You didn't answer my question, Nonaka," Ranma's eyes flare in a
look that would make most people think 'total psychopath' on first
seeing it. "And if you don't wanna answer my question, then I'm
gonna walk outta here, go back to the library so I can do my studyin'
in peace and leave you and the other clowns under ya to Jijii's
tender mercies. And I KNOW he ain't gonna be pleasant ta ya! So
what the hell's goin on here, pal?!"
Shirou shudders, then tries to summon up some bile to spit into
Ranma's face. A finger taps a shiatsu point on his neck, then he
feels his whole throat start to lock up. "Now, now, that's not
allowed!" Happousai shakes his head. "No spittin' on my heir there,
friend!!"
Shirou groans, then tries again to move his arms to bash the
little pervert off his body. Unfortunately, Happousai had
effectively disabled his whole body when he stormed into the room.
Ranma gazes at Happousai, then Shirou before sighing. "Well, looks
to me, Jijii, that this bozo here's admittin' that he did try to kill
Hinako-sensei there."
"Looked that way to me all along there, Ranma-chan. What do you
recommend we do about it?" Happousai wonders.
Ranma hums, then walks to the window, leaning down as she calls
out, "Hey, Ataru, c'mon up here for a second!!"
The window to Class 2-F's homeroom opens, revealing Ataru.
"What is it, Ranma? Who's havin' the party up there, anyway?!"
he asks.
"Class Three-Dee," Ranma informs him.
"Right!"
Ranma leans back in just as Nabiki steps into the room. "My,
oh my, whatever did they do to get YOU so angry at them, Ojii-chan?!"
she tsks, crossing her arms as she examines the scale of destruction.
Happousai shrugs, drawing his pipe as he lights it. Ataru walks
in a moment later, takes a quick look around, then hums, slowly
nodding. "I take it this is somewhat tame compared to what once
happened at Tomobiki High there, Ataru-kun?" Nabiki's eyebrow arches.
"Nah!" he shakes his head. "About dead even if you ask me.
Hope you got your tape recorder on you right now," he winks, then
walks up to Ranma. "You summoned me, milady?" he gracefully
bows to her.
Sensing the hint, Nabiki reaches into her pocket to click on her
personal dictation machine, a tape recorder sharp enough to pick out
voices clearly even when screened by things like clothing and the
like. Noting that, Ranma winks at Ataru, then stiffens. Out comes
the faux-Southern belle accent again, causing all the members of
Class 3-D who are conscious to boggle at Ranma's pretty good
imitation of Scarlett O'Hara. "Why, my dear Mister Moroboshi,
I DO declare!" Ranma inhales. "I am so pleased you were able to
answer my summons so expeditiously!" She twirls around in a fret,
then gazes intently at him, her sapphire orbs sparking with passion.
"Tell me, sir, is it true that a black, honourless scoundrel named
Tatewaki Kunou has actually dared CHALLENGE a noble gentleman
such as you?!"
Ataru stiffens, then bows his head ashamedly. "Yes, Miss
Saotome, I regret to say that such a man has challenged me!" he
solemnly replies. "It is a matter of honour, ma'am. I cannot back
away from such a challenge, even if the *gentleman* so challenging
me has no honour at all!"
"How dreadful," Ranma sniffs, gently wiping her eyes as she
turns away. "For I have some awful news to pass onto you, sir."
"That being?" Ataru softly demands.
"You see, sir, the scoundrel Kunou has presumed, since the day
I was forced to make acquaintances with the villain, that he acts as
my personal champion!" Ranma sniffles, then covers her face. "Oh,
my dear sir, I was so afraid that the blackguard would use those
words against you!"
He pauses, then goes to one knee, gently grasping her hand with
his. "Now, now, ma'am, don't you fret any!" he soothes, then places
a hand over his heart. "I know the foul cretin has made such
assertions in the past! But the scoundrel doesn't know the lovely
Miss Ranma Saotome as well as a humble gentleman such as I am
privileged to know her! There are no words, NONE, Miss Saotome,
the villain can say which will sway me from the truth!"
"Oh, Mister Moroboshi, I do so worry about you!" Ranma sniffles,
then as Ataru rises, flies into his embrace. "Destroy him! Destroy
him, I beg you, kind sir, so that the wonderful people of this place
of education (especially those poor boys who have been forced by the
villain Kunou to actually FIGHT my misguided and short-sighted
friend Akane Tendou) will not be swayed by the beast from this day to
the very end of time!!"
Ataru stiffens, then turns away from Ranma. "Ma'am, you ask a
lot."
"Pray tell me why?!" Ranma pleads.
"Well, forgive me for saying this, but as far as I am concerned,
Miss Saotome, Akane Tendou is NO lady whatsoever!" he icily informs
her. "I cannot be seen as acting on behalf of someone like her, Miss
Saotome! To do so would tarnish MY honour, ma'am! To actually..."
A hand falls on his shoulder. Ranma spins around him to impale
Ataru yet again with a doe-eyed stare. "Then for me?" she pleads.
"You will fight for me against the blackguard Kunou, will you, Mister
Moroboshi?"
Ataru blinks, then solemnly nods. "Yes, Miss Saotome, I fight
for you." He holds up a finger. "And ONLY you, Miss Saotome."
Ranma sighs. "Then I accept your terms, sir," she nods in
return. "And sadly, I am glad you have chosen to take a stand
against Akane now. Indeed, sir, you are right. Akane's behaviour
is NOT that of a lady. Try as so many have to make her see the error
of her ways, none have moved her. I dare say it will come to the
point where I cannot call her a friend at all. And when that day
comes, sir, I will be truly broken-hearted."
"Indeed?" Ataru stiffens, then sighs. "And should that terrible
day comes when your heart is broken, Miss Saotome, then from that day
forth, I swear on the memory of my beloved grandmother that I will
NEVER look on the likes of Akane Tendou again as anything more
than..." he pauses, then lightly smiles, "...a woman of the town
plying her advocation."
Ranma jolts, then solemnly nods. "I accept that, Mister
Moroboshi, though you, sir, cannot ask me to like it in the least.
I pray that Akane, somehow, someway, will come to her senses
finally."
Ataru nods, then winks at Nabiki. The middle Tendou daughter
shuts off her recording device, then mime-applauds them before
approaching the pair. "Now, you mind telling me where the hell did
you two hams learn how to talk like THAT, for heaven's sake?!" she
hisses.
"I introduced Ranma to 'Gone With the Wind,'" Ataru shrugs.
"Great movie," Ranma admits. "At first, I kinda thought it'd
put me to sleep, but it really surprised me, even if it was kinda
long."
"Right," Nabiki nods, then turns to leave. "If you hear
Kunou-baby screaming for your head there, Ataru-kun, don't be
surprised."
"Just as long as he keeps his appointment, Nabiki-san,"
Ataru warns. "I'm in no mood to put up to any surprise attacks
before that."
"Right..."
* * *
Downstairs, sometime later...
"We missed you two for history class. What happened?"
"Ah, I'm sorry there, Kimihara-sensei," Ranma flusters as she
and Ataru bow to the history teacher. "I got called upstairs to find
out what was goin' on in Class 3-D and all that. Turns out Happousai
got ticked off at some of the boys there and I had to chase him off."
"And I've been busy dealing with what happened to
Ninomiya-sensei this morning," Ataru adds. "My sister's looking
her over now."
Mr. Kimihara blinks, then hums. "Your sister is a doctor?"
"Among other things," Ataru admits.
"I see. Well, you two were missed in class. I was hoping to
have a lecture like the one we had yesterday. Make sure you're there
tomorrow," the teacher smiles, then heads off to the staff room.
"Hai!" both chime, then walk into the classroom.
"Hey, Ranma, Ataru, there you are!!" Hiroshi waves them over.
Ranma is quick to note that Akane was now standing beside
Sayuri's desk, the former's body stiff with indignation. Shrugging,
she heads back to join Hiroshi, Daisuke and Ukyou, Ataru behind her.
"So what happened here, guys?" Ranma wonders as she takes her seat.
"Well, Sensei had a better time of it since that jerk Koriko
was dumped into the nursing station thanks to you," Daisuke gazes
at Ataru. "He did kinda hoped you'd be around since we were coverin'
the March First Movement in Korea and the foundin' of the Provisional
Government."
"Right," Ataru sits on Ranma's desk, then notices that Yuka was
deep in conversation with Chigaiko. "Any movement on that front?"
he whispers.
"Nope," Ukyou shakes her head. "Akane's on full-denial
mode, as usual. She must've got that from her dad, for heaven's
sake!"
"Too bad," Ataru breathes out...
* * *
Upstairs, minutes later...
"***WHAT MADNESS IS THIS?!?!?!***"
Everyone stares at Kunou. Nabiki had just played the tape
recording she made of Ataru's and Ranma's conversation to the
kendoist. The whole class is silent as Kunou's battle aura heats
the air around him. "It's what they said, Kunou-baby. Word for
word," Nabiki asserts.
"He...?!" Kunou hisses through gritted teeth, then he stares
at the ceiling, his fist shaking indignantly. "HE actually called
ME a villain?! A blackguard?! A scoundrel?! A cretin?!! A...?!
A...?!! A BEAST?!?!"
"Actually, that was Ranma who said...!!"
"***NO!!!!***" Kunou bellows, slamming his hand on his desk.
"Those were NOT the words the pig-tailed girl would say of one such
as I!! I know the truth, Nabiki Tendou!! I have ALWAYS known the
truth!!! First, it was the swine Saotome who entwined my fire-haired
damsel against her will for his perverted lusts!! Now the beauteous
pig-tailed one has been trapped by that monster Moroboshi!!!
NEVER, I say!!! The Blue Thunder will NEVER accept such an infamy
against the pig-tailed one!!! NEVER!!!!"
"I don't think so, Kunou-baby," Nabiki shakes her head.
"Oh?!!" Kunou spins on her. "And what of what the beast has
said about your very own SISTER, Nabiki Tendou?!! To actually
imply that the beauteous Akane is no lady?! To imply she is a...!!
A...! A...!!"
"'Woman of the town plying her advocation,'" Nabiki provides.
"YES!!!"
"Well, you'll get the chance to put Ataru-kun right at noon,
I guess," Nabiki throws up her hands, moving back to her seat.
"NO!!!!" Kunou asserts, pulling up his bokken as he moves to
charge out of the room. "I will fight the monster NOW...!!"
A shiatsu point is tapped, making Kunou fall flat on his face.
"You will face Ataru when it is time to face him, boy! Not anytime
before!"
With that, Happousai bounds out of the room. Nabiki watches
him go, then clicks her tongue. "Man, this is going to be FUN!!"
She heads back to her seat. Around her, her classmates
exchange worried looks. They didn't know what could actually be
worse. That Nabiki was actually ALLOWING Akane to be slandered
like THAT in public -- or to actually see a perverted creep like
Happousai acting, well, HONOURABLY!!
"It's the end of the world!" one boy moans...
* * *
Tomobiki...
"Lum-san?! Lan-san?! Are you here?!"
"Oh, Shutaro, ohayou!!" Lum waves at the scion of the Mendou
fortune steps out of his command vehicle, then gazes on the
three-floor bungalow secluded in one of the many cul-de-sacs
near downtown Tomobiki.
"A rather quaint place to live, I must confess," he muses,
stepping through the gate. This particular residence had three
separate apartments within. Lum and Lan just finished moving into
the ground floor apartment.
"It's alright," Lum shrugs; she had been waiting for him by the
door leading into the apartment. "Compared to sleeping in Darling's
closet, it's a great improvement. C'mon inside," she waves him in.
Mendou steps inside, slipping off his shoes in the genkan,
then looks around. The apartment had one living room/bedroom
space, a kitchen and a bathroom leading into the living room. Lan is
now straightening things up in the living room. "So small," he
sighs. "Are you sure you can live in a place like this, Lum-san?
I could arrange for a..."
"Please," Lum shakes her head, waving her hand in turn, though
she does smile appreciatively. "I don't like the idea of living
off other people's charity, Shutaro. Besides, if we live in an
out-of-the-way place like this, we won't be noticed as much,
especially by those who might not like us. The people in New York
are busy getting a place set up so we can dock Lan's ship and keep
it out of sight from xenophobes on the ground..."
"Much less a roving Ip'ihu patrol who might sweep past Earth
just in case someone they're after came this way," Lan adds.
"'Ip'ihu?!'" Mendou blinks curiously.
"The 'wolf people.' Noukiite renegades who've been fighting
my people ever since we were forced off their home planet," Lum
explains.
"Ah, I see," Mendou nods. "What news has come from home?"
Lum sighs, waving Mendou to a nearby coffee table with a kotatsu
underneath. They sit down, Lan heading into the kitchen to prepare
some tea. "Not good. The Noukiites've totally overrun our three
border colony planets facing them. Their navy's pretty well running
hog wild throughout Urusian space, blockading all our heavy military
depots like Toshitto from adding to home defence on Uru. No one's
sure if the Noukiites'll invade Uru or send in a demand for
surrender. But, then again..." her voice dies off. "There's no one
senior enough in authority to receive such a call."
Silence falls as Lan returns to the living room, placing a tea
tray on the table. Mendou nods thanks, then takes a sip before
nearly gagging as a bolt of searing hot pain surges through his
mouth. Lan gasps, then runs into the kitchen to retrieve a bottle
of spring water to help cool him down. "Oh, Shutaro, I'm sorry!!"
the Seishin-turned-Nendo-kata flusters. "I served you spiced tea
instead of the green tea everyone likes here!"
"It..." Mendou rasps, then nods thanks before swallowing
a glass of cold water. "It's alright!" he breathes out, then inhales
several times to get some cool air into his mouth before speaking
again. "Gods! Is that what you people normally drink when you have
tea?!"
"Hai, I'm afraid so," Lum blushes, then holds up a box clearly
marked with Japanese kanji. "THIS box, Lan!! Not the other stuff!"
"I said I was sorry!!" Lan protests.
"Ladies, ladies, please, please!" Mendou waves them down,
chuckling. "Ladies, after what you two just went through, it's not
so surprising that slip-ups like that happen! Please, it's
alright!!" *Though I wonder how many times Lum-san slipped around
Moroboshi,* he mentally adds, then he remembers something else.
*Then again, Moroboshi wasn't adverse about going to Tampopo-san's
establishment to avoid Lum-san's cooking.*
Lan moves to properly serve tea this time. Lum watches her,
then sighs. "It's ironic, isn't it, Lan-chan?"
"What is, Lum-chan?" Lan looks at her.
"Spice tea. We all know it originally came from Noukiios."
"Hai, it did, along with other things I think we could all do
without," Lan scowls. "Especially so-called 'righteous warriors'
who pop out of NOWHERE to butcher whole families without warning."
"What's this?" Mendou wonders.
"Lan's talking about a Noukiite warrior who killed off a good
portion of her extended family about a week ago," Lum reports.
"No one knows his real name, but he's called 'Brother Wind Dancer'
in the Noukiite press." She then stares at Lan. "I thought you
hated Insa, Lan-chan!"
"I did!" Lan asserts. "But I didn't expect the creep to come
along and wipe out her whole family along the way!! Not to mention
what the creep did to the Skelads, the Pochiks and a few others,
too!! I mean, surely not ALL of them are guilty of what those
bone-heads're callin' 'war crimes' and 'crimes against Noukiite
society' and all that!!!"
Mendou's eyes widen. "Forgive me for asking this, Lan-san,
but how long has this -- animosity -- between your peoples have
lasted?!"
The expat Urusians consider his question, then Lan sighs.
"Well, I suppose it all really started five hundred years ago with
the Eo. They were exiles from the old Empire who decided they would
go into piracy to survive. They were living on Machibusu at the
time. They not only raided the Urusian colonies closes to them, they
also raided Noukiios. The Noukiites ended up destroying them finally
about forty years later."
"Things calmed down afterward, but it didn't take long for the
Emperor's court to start coveting Noukiios as a future colony world,"
Lum adds. "We ended up subverting their whole government about three
centuries ago, then took the planet over pretty quickly..."
A knock is heard at the door. "Mendou-san?! Are you here?!"
Shinobu's voice echoes from outside.
"C'mon in, Shinobu!" Lum calls out.
The door opens, then Shinobu walks in, accompanied by
Ryuunosuke. "Hey, nice place you guys got here!" the tomboy takes
a look around, then places herself down beside Mendou. Lan stands
to make some more tea. "So you guys're settlin' in okay and all
that?" she looks at Lum.
"Hai, we are. It is very nice here, I admit," Lum stares out
the window at the small courtyard, divided from the street by a high
brick wall. "We haven't seen many people we'd recognize from
Tomobiki High. By the way, when does school start up again?"
"You want to come back to school?" Shinobu blinks surprisedly.
Lum stares at her former rival, then sighs. "You don't think
it's a good idea, do you?" she lowers her eyes.
"I..." Shinobu shudders, then shakes her head. "No, no, if
that's what you want, then it's okay! I just wonder how some of the
people there are going to react if they learn who you really are,
Lum."
"Well, that's easily taken care of," Lum asserts. "The MiBs
felt it was only right and proper for Lan-chan and I to get new names
if we're to stay on Earth. They're working on that right now, plus
establishing new identities for us. It'll be all ready by Thursday
at the earliest. I suppose if we want to go to school again, it
could be easily arranged."
"What will you call yourselves?" Shinobu asks.
"Well, we decided to take a little inspiration from Japanese
history," Lan replies, stepping back into the living room with more
tea. "We'll be sisters now. Our family name will be Izumo."
"Ah, the legendary actress of Kabuki!" Mendou nods. "Very
inspired given what you have to do now to live safely here, Lan-san."
Shinobu and Ryuunosuke chuckle. "Well, then you'll really like
this," Lan smirks. "Lum-chan'll use the name 'Seiko,' borrowing
the 'sei' from Shoonagon Sei-sama. She wrote the story 'Makura
no Sooshi' back in the Heian period. I'll be 'Sakiko,' borrowing
the 'saki' from..."
"Shikubu Murasaki-sama, the composer of 'The Tale of Genji'
and, as I recall, a court rival of Sei-sama's," Mendou finishes,
then bows his head. "Very noble -- and ironic -- choices, Seiko-san,
Sakiko-san."
The Izumo 'sisters' laugh, then blink as Shinobu's cell-phone
rings. "Hai, Miyaki desu," she pulls it out, then holds it to her
ear. Her eyes then widen as she recognizes the caller. "Momoe-san,
what is it?!" As everyone's eyes lock on her, Shinobu nods, then
cries out, "WHAT?!?! When did you hear this?!!" A pause, then,
"Hai!! Um...! Y-yes, I'd want to know that!! When's this going
to happen?!" Another pause, then Shinobu's jaw drops. "Today?!
At NOON?!! Hai, thank you very much, Momoe-san!!"
She cuts the link. "What is it?" Ryuunosuke demands.
Shinobu blinks again, then sighs. "Ataru-kun's attending
Furinkan High School in Nerima. Some fellow named Kunou, a
third-grader, just challenged him to a fight. It's going to be today
at school." She looks on Mendou. "Do you know of this person,
Mendou-san?" she wonders.
"Kunou?!" Mendou blinks, then nods. "Hai, Shinobu-san,
I do know of him. Tatewaki Kunou to be exact. The captain of the
Furinkan school kendo team. He's descent of a noble lineage that
first arose at the end of the Muromachi Shogunate. I also know he's
an avowed rival of Ranma Saotome."
"And Moroboshi and Saotome seem to be pretty good friends these
days," Ryuunosuke sighs. "Oh, fuck! What's going to happen now?!"
Eyes fall on Lum. The expat Oni now calling herself 'Seiko
Izumo' blinks, then looks at a wall-clock. 10:55 AM. Sighing,
she rises. "I'm going over there," she announces, heading to the
entranceway.
"Lum!!" Ryuunosuke calls out.
"What?" Seiko stops, then glances over her shoulder before
lightly smiling. "I shouldn't go there because Darling hates me now?
Is that what you were going to tell me, Ryuunosuke?"
Ryuunosuke blinks, then rises, walking over to gaze into the
other woman's eyes. "You're wastin' your time there, ya know."
Seiko blinks, then shrugs. "It's my time to waste."
She turns to slip her shoes on. Shinobu then rises. "Let's
go, everyone!" she waves the others with her.
Sakiko moves to put the tea away as Mendou moves to stand beside
Ryuunosuke. "If you wish to know, Ryuunosuke-san, I do agree with
you," he tells her before moving to slip on his shoes...
* * *
The Moroboshi home...
"Hello? Is there anyone here?! Hello!!"
Nodoka steps into the living room, then stops. "Oh,
Kodachi-san, there you are! Come in, please," she waves the gymnast
inside.
Kodachi's eyes widen surprisedly. "Mrs. Saotome?!" she gasps,
then looks behind her to see no one there. "Eh?! Where did...?"
"They have proceeded on their next assignment," Negako announces
as she joins them. "Hinako is asleep now, Nodoka."
"Who...?!" Kodachi stares quizzically at the newcomer, then her
eyebrow arches before she turns back to Ranma's mother. "Mrs.
Saotome, what is going on here?" she crosses her arms. "I was told
that I had to come here because of something my idiot brother did,
but the kunoichi who accompanied me gave me no details as to what
happened."
Nodoka sighs. "Come with me, please, Kodachi-san," she waves
the gymnast with her. "I want you to see something first."
Kodachi falls in behind Ranma's mother to a guest room, where
Hinako Ninomiya now lies on a futon, white towels splattered
with dried blood piled up in a nearby garbage can. Seeing Hinako's
pale, clammy skin, the gymnast kneels beside the child-teacher,
then quickly notices the smaller towel folded on the back of Hinako's
head. "What happened to her, Mrs. Saotome?" Kodachi stares at Nodoka
as the older woman sits beside her.
"She was attacked this morning by several thugs attending
Furinkan High School," Nodoka reports. "Hinako-san was trying to
stop the insanity your brother recently re-instigated against Akane
Tendou -- and nearly paid for her 'interference' in your brother's
affairs with her life."
Kodachi takes that in, then sighs. "I don't really care too
much for my brother, Mrs. Saotome, much less the goings on at
Furinkan High School. Given that -- that DEVIANT I am forced to call
a father is the principal there, I am quite fortunate that I attend
Saint Hebereke instead."
"I suppose I cannot blame you for feeling that way, child,"
Nodoka assures her. "However, since people now believe the thugs
who hurt poor Hinako-san acted at your brother's behest, you should
be warned that legal action will be taken against him. Negako-san's
brother," she indicates the ninjitsu grandmistress, now standing
at the doorway, "...will duel your brother today at noon. It is
Ataru-kun's intention to provoke your brother into publicly admitting
his complicity in the attack on Hinako-san here."
"I do not believe that will work, Mrs. Saotome."
"Oh? Why do you say that?"
A mirthless cackle escapes Kodachi's lips. "Do you truly
believe my father would tolerate having the police sniff too deeply
into affairs at school, Mrs. Saotome? Of course not. If the police
launched a determined investigation, my father would most likely
face an avalanche of charges stemming ALONE from the mistreatment
of his students. Believe it or not, there've been times when other
parents have tried to bring the police in to help stem the insanity
at Furinkan High. Given our wealth and status in this community,
it only takes one call from my father to the head of the ward council
to have such investigations halted in their tracks."
"And what of those who try to stand against him?" Negako asks.
"Surely, you can surmise their fate," Kodachi snorts. "The
parents who dared to challenge my father would be warned to not do it
again less considerable harm befell their children. And, of course,
if the parents try to have their children transferred to another
school, my father would block it in an instant. The only truly
successful method of escape from my father's grasp is to move the
whole family clear of Furinkan High. In effect, he has subverted
the whole district to his control."
Nodoka considers that, then stares at Negako. "Then the only
way to put Kodachi-san's brother out of commission is to..."
"Forever eliminate Pauline from the equation," the grandmistress
finishes. "I will appraise Ataru of the situation now."
She heads off. Kodachi watches her go, then turns to Nodoka.
"Mrs. Saotome, who is she talking about? I don't know any
'Pauline'..."
"That's your father, child."
Kodachi blinks, then her eyes widen. "That...?!" her jaw flaps
open and closed several times, then another shrill cackle escapes
her lips...
* * *
Furinkan High, before the start of the last morning class...
The Principal sighs, sitting under the straw thatch hut he had
built on the roof of the northwest wing as his private meditation
area. As soft music drifts past him, he tries not to frown. After
all, it was a nice day even if the dope he was forced to call a son
was acting like a fool. Jeez, starting up that morning bru-ha-ha
with Akane Tendou again, then even going so far as to sic some of the
idiots from another senior class to knock his chief disciplinarian
out of action. Not that he didn't understand why some of the keiki
here didn't like Hinako. Her chi-absorption abilities were too
freaky for the Principal himself to take at times -- and he was the
one who had brought Hinako to Furinkan High in the first place! But
still...
His frown deepens as the image of another disobedient keiki
flashes through his mind. Ataru Moroboshi. MOROBOSHI of all
people!! Sheesh, that just took the poi, didn't it?! He couldn't
get into enough trouble over in Tomobiki High School, so he came to
Furinkan High to stir things up here! Cripes, the brothers and
sisters here had ENOUGH trouble keeping all the local keiki like
Saotome in line to worry about this girl-crazy import from across
Nerima! Even more so, he came in parading with a BEARD and
MOUSTACHE, not to mention PONYTAILED hair that went to the middle
of his BACK, of all things!! And he even went out to say that the
Principal's own rules about hair were WRONG! Said they were ILLEGAL
since those doofuses at the Education Ministry supposedly had final
say on things like that!
Like HELL!! This place was the Big Kahuna's school! His word
was LAW here and there was just no way he was going to let that
Moroboshi...
Eh?
The Principal blinks as a shower of colour forms the end of a
rainbow on the roof near where he was sitting. Blinking confusedly,
he watches as a young girl in a white-and-yellow dress with petticoat
and bonnet lands. She is followed by some girl from England or
France or some place. Jeez! Wasn't the little wahini HOT wearing
all that lacy stuff?! Then a girl in a seifuku with cheerleaders'
pompoms. Then a girl with glasses, a big golden retriever beside
her. Then a girl on a skateboard. And a girl with a big black bow
in her hair. And a girl with a camera and magnifying glass yelling
"Checky!!!" Then a girl with braided brown hair. Then a girl with
goggles. Then a girl in a hakama with her hair in a LONG ponytail.
Then a girl with TWO ponytails sticking out from behind her ears.
Then a freaky looking girl in solid black, crosses tattooed on her
upper arms.
"We're here!!" the littlest wahini calls out, then looks at the
freaky chick. "Where's Onii-tama's homeroom anyway, Chikage-chan?!"
"That way, Hinako," the freak waves her hands, making the
rainbow disappear before she faces the others. "It's still another
hour before Ani-kun has to fight this Kunou fellow."
"You mean when Onii-sama totally TROUNCES this Kunou creep,
right, Chikage?" the girl with two ponytails smirks.
"Hai, Sakuya, you are correct about that," the freak nods.
The Principal jolts. Wait a sec'! Hold the pineapple here!!
These wahines were talking about Tatewaki's fight with Moroboshi!
And they were ALL calling Moroboshi 'big brother?!' What the HELL
was this?! Since when does ANYONE get TWELVE sisters, especially
when they sure as hell don't look alike?!! Geez, what type of dork
was Moroboshi's old man, anyway...?
Wait!
These were Moroboshi's sisters, huh?
Smirking, the Principal yanks out his handy shears, his eyes
locking on the tall, skinny wahini with the two long ponytails.
Well, if he couldn't force Moroboshi to get a buzz cut...
...then his little sisters'll get bowl cuts!
"WHA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA...!!!"
*WHOMP!!!!*
Oh, man! Where did all these stars come from...?
* * *
"Who's this creep?!" Rinrin demands.
"Tatewaki Kunou's father, Rinrin. He's also the principal
here," Chikage announces. Haruka had spotted the fellow lunging
at Sakuya with a buzzing pair of barber shears, then whacked the rude
fellow unconscious with the blunt end of her naginata. "It appears
he was attempting to force the 'traditional' Furinkan High 'bowl cuts
for girls' on us."
"Eh?!!" all the girls with long hair -- Karen, Sakuya, Marie,
Haruka, Yotsuba and Aria -- cry out, several reaching for their heads
to ensure things were still in their proper place.
"But we don't come to this school!!" Marie protests.
"He doesn't care," Chikage shrugs.
"Oh?!" Rinrin's eyebrows arch, then she notices the tiny palm
tree growing on the Principal's head. "What does he give boys,
Chikage?"
"Military-type buzz cuts," the sorceress reports.
"Izzat a fact, huh?!" the teen scientist smiles, then glances
up at Haruka. "Hey, Haruka, how good are you with that gunsen of
yours?"
"My gunsen?" the martial artist blinks, then her eyes widen as
she realizes what Rinrin is harping on. "Oh, I suppose I should
practice some more," she draws out a glittering war fan, the edges
of each fan leaf VERY sharp. "Now, hold the rude fellow still for a
moment, Rinrin."
"Right," Rinrin forces the unconscious Principal to sit up.
Haruka poises herself, then screams out as the gunsen goes to
work...
* * *
A minute later, the Principal jolts awake. "Hey, what
happened?!!" he snaps, then jolts on feeling a VERY cold draft atop
his head.
A shudder runs through him as he reaches up to feel his skull,
then a hollow cry of pain escapes his lips on feeling the mere
STUBBLE someone had made of his hair. His hand then drifts to the
top of his head, then the cry becomes a howl of anguish as he feels
the small indent on his skull where a tiny palm tree had been planted
back in Hawaii.
"***NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!***"
he screams out loud enough to cause people to throw open windows
floors below to look up. "***THE BIG KAHUNA'S TREE IS GONE!!!!!!
WHAT CREEP TOOK THE BIG KAHUNA'S TREE AWAY?!?!?!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!***"
Bounding the several floors to the diving board on the ground,
the Principal scrambles off in a big cloud of dust...
* * *
"Thank you, Haruka!" Marie sniffs the tiny tree in her hand,
now implanted in a small ball of dirt Chikage had fetched for her.
"This should become a very nice tree when I plant it in my garden."
"I'm just glad I could draw it out intact," Haruka flips open
her gunsen, then waves it before her face. "I am clearly improving."
"Where's Onii-chama's classroom, Chikage?!" Kaho wonders.
"Third door on the right, Kaho," Chikage points.
Kaho, Hinako and Mamoru scramble for the door. After a quick
mock-fight to see who would actually get to open it, Hinako shoves
the door open, then calls out, "Onii-tama!!! We're all here!!!"
It is ethics period now for Ranma's and Ataru's class. The
teacher is one of the older ones on the facility, she having a very
low tolerance for the tomfoolery that haunted Furinkan High School.
"Young lady!!" Ms. Tokutomi puts fists to hips as she moves to glare
Hinako down. "Since when do you just throw the door open and barge
in on the middle of class?!!"
Hinako blinks, then impishly shrugs. "They do it all the time
at my school!" she tilts her head, her smile rising into the
"mega-cute" range.
"And what 'school' is that, pray tell?!" the teacher huffs.
"Promised Island Hoshimiru School!" Hinako declares.
Silence.
Ms. Tokutomi blinks, her eyes widening, then she gasps. "You
go to Hoshimiru?!!" she kneels to stare directly into Hinako's
eyes.
"Actually, Tokutomi-sensei, they all do," Ataru stands.
The girls spin around on hearing that welcome voice, then scream
out as they bound over people's desk to subject Ataru to the infamous
"Little Sisters' Mass-Hug of Big Brother" manoeuvre -- in effect,
a huge dogpile of ultimate cuteness with the poor target (Ataru)
at the bottom.
Chikage doesn't participate in that.
But that is Chikage for you.
She has her own way of demonstrating her affection for Ani-kun.
The teacher watches as the girls finish greeting Ataru, then
sighs. "Moroboshi-kun, I trust you have an explanation for this?!"
"Um, it's kinda complicated, Sensei," Ranma rises, holding
up a finger. "You see, all these girls here and Chikage there,"
she points to the sorceress, standing by the doorway, "...are Ataru's
half-sisters."
Silence.
"HALF-sisters?!" Ms. Tokutomi sniffles indignantly.
"Um, yeah!" Ranma scratches the back of her head, chuckling.
"Turns out the bakayaro who was Ataru's dad was even a worse hentai
than what they once accused Ataru of bein' over at Tomobiki High."
More silence.
"Oh, I see," Ms. Tokutomi nods, then stares once more at Hinako.
"So what brings you kids all the way here from school?!"
"Oh, it's okay! School don't start for us until Monday,
Sensei," Rinrin explains. "We're here 'cause Aniki's gonna be in a
fight against some creep named Kunou in an hour or so. We're gonna
cheer Aniki on!"
"I STILL say I should be the one who fights this honourless
lout!" Haruka sniffles indignantly, then she drops to her knees
beside Ataru, her hands clasped pleadingly. "Anigimi-sama,
PLEASE let me fight him!!"
Ataru balks, then sighs. "Haruka, I was the one challenged!"
he rises, brushing his shirt off, then patting his pants before
sitting down.
"But still, Anigimi-sama, to actually let someone of such LOW
moral character as he to confront you on a field of honour!!"
Haruka protests.
"Haruka-chan," Ataru crosses his arms. "I don't want this dork
to trap you the same way he trapped Akane with his warped attitudes!"
"Anigimi-sama...!!"
"Haruka-chan, Ataru's right," Ranma appears beside Haruka,
placing a hand on the latter's shoulder. "Trust me on this one.
Kunou considers every pretty girl that he falls in 'love' with as his
personal possession. You don't need to put up to a headache like
that! Trust me!! I don't think you livin' on Promised Island's
gonna save you from him, especially if you beat him in a fight! And
I KNOW you can clobber him good!"
"Anegimi-sama...!"
"Haruka-chan. Please," Ataru stands, clapping his hands
together in a pleading gesture before his sister.
Haruka shudders, then sighs. "Oh, alright!" she relents.
Ataru breathes out, then turns to Marie, noticing the small palm
tree in the girl's hand. "Hey, Marie-chan, where'd you get that?!"
he points.
People look, the other students quickly recognizing the
bespectacled girl's prize. "Hey, that's the Principal's head-tree!!"
Hiroshi declares.
"What the hell happened?!" Daisuke demands.
"Oh, this dork on the roof tried to give us all bowl cuts, so
Haruka sharpened her ol' gunsen on the dork's head," Rinrin reports.
Silence.
"You -- CUT -- the Principal's -- palm tree?!"
Eyes turn to Ms. Tokutomi, everyone surprised to see the look
of sheer DELIGHT on the ethics teacher's face. "Hai, I did," Haruka
nods.
"I take it Haruka's actions will lead to much good around this
school," Sakuya stares knowingly at Ataru.
"I guess so," Ataru shrugs.
"'GOOD?!?!'" Ms. Tokutomi shrills, then shakes her head. "Bite
your tongue, young lady!! We are talking a total MIRACLE here!!!"
"We are?!" Haruka blinks confusedly.
"Of course!!" the teacher starts to weep with joy. "With that
tree gone, the Principal will want to go grown a new one on his
head!! And for him to do that, he...!! Oh, he...!" she starts to
sob.
"Will have to proceed to Hawaii for the indefinite future?"
Eyes lock on Chikage. Calming herself, Ms. Tokutomi walks up to
the young sorceress. "How on Earth did you learn that, young lady?"
"It's a talent I possess," Chikage lightly shrugs.
"Oh!"
Silence falls, then Hiroshi bolts up. "Hey, what're we just
sittin' here for?!! The Principal's gone!!! GONE!!! LET'S
CELEBRATE!!!!"
With that, the members of class 2-F explode with cheers and
screams of delight, causing the whole building to shake. A second
later, the door flings open again, revealing Mr. Kimihara (he had
been teaching next door in Class 2-D). "WHAT ON EARTH'S GOING ON
HERE?!?!" he demands.
"The Principal's gone back to Hawaii, Sensei!!!" Yuka races over
to swamp the history teacher with a warm embrace. "Ataru-kun's
sister Haruka chopped off his palm tree and chased him off!! Isn't
it wonderful?!!"
Mr. Kimihara blinks, then turns to see several students pointing
to the small prize in Marie's hand. Realizing that a truly wonderful
event has occurred, the history teacher whoops with delight, then
bounds off to his own classroom to pass on the news. Students
from other classes appear at the hallway windows to get the skinny
from their friends in Class 2-F, then race off to spread the news
further. Inside the class, Ms. Tokutomi is twirling around in a
waltz, a madly giggling Hinako in her arms. Other students come up
to shake Haruka's hand or embrace her in thanks.
Nearby, Ataru and Ranma exchange a knowing look, then the former
turns to Rinrin. "Rinrin-chan, would you be a dear and call
Onee-chan, please? Tell her what's happened here. She wants to
know."
"Right, Aniki," Rinrin draws up her cell-phone, then makes the
call. She didn't understand what this was all about, but if it was
something that Aniki and Aneki liked, then it had to be good, right?
"So what now?" Ranma wonders.
Ataru sighs, then turns to his duffelbag. "I prepare for a
fight."
"Right..."
* * *
Upstairs, minutes later...
"My father has fled the school?!"
"Yep. According to what I heard, one of Ataru-kun's sisters
chopped your old man's little tree off the top of his head," Nabiki
stands cross-armed beside Kunou's desk. The sounds of an impromptu
school-wide party echo through both the hall and outside windows.
"People're saying he'll be heading back to Hawaii sometime real soon,
most likely to try to grow back that tree. You think that's what
he'll end up doing, Kunou-baby?"
"Most likely," the kendoist scoffs. "His infatuation with those
islands knows no bounds, Nabiki Tendou. Indeed, to have actually
SUCCEEDED in allowing that little tree to grow on his forehead
was, in his eyes, the culmination of his quest to make himself 'truly
Hawaiian.'" Snorting, he rises. "In the meantime, a most pressing
matter faces the Blue Thunder within the next hour. If you will
excuse me, Nabiki-san."
He walks out of the room. Nabiki watches him go, then sighs
before noticing Chieko Fujii staring wide-eyed out the window. "What
is it?!"
Chieko waves her over. "Boss, you gotta come see this!!!"
Nabiki walks over, then looks outside before her jaw drops.
"What the hell...?!" she exclaims, eyes wide. "That's Auntie
Saotome, Kodachi and Negako-san, but who the hell's the monk with
them?!"
"Someone else is coming in," Chieko points.
Nabiki looks, then her jaw drops. "Oh, man!! Not THOSE loons!"
"You recognize them?"
Nabiki hums, then nods. "Yep. At least three of them. The guy
there's Shutaro Mendou. Ataru-kun's old sparring partner from
Tomobiki High. Brown-haired girl there's Shinobu Miyaki, Ataru-kun's
ex-girlfriend (though I think these days, Ataru-kun would deny having
ANYTHING to do with her!). The tomboy's Ryuunosuke Fujinami.
That poor girl's got an even bigger gender-identity problem than
Ranma-kun or Ukyou Kuonji does. Don't recognize the other two.
Maybe Chigaiko-san might recognize them."
"So who'll they be rooting for?" Chieko asks.
"Hard to say..."
* * *
By the front gate...
"Ohayou, Negako-san."
Negako blinks, then looks over as the five from Tomobiki walk
up. Her eyebrow arches, then she sighs. "I see both of you have
adjusted well to the new bodies the Great School were so kind to
present to you."
Seiko and Sakiko blink surprisedly as they recall the memories
gifted to them two days ago, then the former asks, "You know of them,
Negako-san?"
"Yes, I do. Now, perhaps both of you will better appreciate
what your immature behaviour inflicts on others," Negako smirks.
"Now, see here, madame...!" Mendou flusters.
"Lad."
The Tomobikians stop, then look up into the rough-hewn face of
the tall man who had accompanied Negako, Nodoka and Kodachi from the
Moroboshi Home. Despite the alien symbols on his belt (not to
mention the stencilled phoenix tattoo on his right cheek), most on
Earth would quickly think him to be a Christian monk thanks to his
homespun dark brown robes. Seiko and Sakiko know better; this man is
a Zephyrite monk, most likely a member of the Protestant Reformist
Church of Zephyrus. "It would be wise to keep in mind, son, that
Negako here knows over two hundred ways of killing you from standing
where she is now," he warns. "I do not think antagonizing
her further is contusive to the continued maintenance of your good
health."
Mendou pales, overwhelmed by the severity of the monk's speech.
Shinobu stares at Negako. "Who is this person, Negako-san?"
"This man was Nagaiwakai's chief Zephyrite spiritual advisor,
Brother Darklight Sunfire," Negako replies, then glances at the alien
monk. "By the way, Darklight, if Shutaro ever came close to actually
antagonizing me, he would be dead long before he realized the error
of his ways."
With that, she steps out towards a clear patch of ground at the
southwest corner of the Furinkan High property, a place where many
students were now starting to gather. Brother Sunfire sighs, then
after nodding pleasantly to Nodoka, follows. "Ya ever get the funny
feelin' that since Moroboshi left town at the end of last term, every
question we ask about him generates ten more?" Ryuunosuke sighs,
crossing her arms.
"Well, maybe, young lady, if you learned there are always two
sides of a story instead of jumping to conclusions like you always
did, Ataru-kun these days might not be so inclined to treat you like
burakumin," Nodoka calmly observers, then turns to Kodachi. "Coming,
Kodachi-san?"
"Of course, Mrs. Saotome," the gymnast nods, heading off with
her.
Three pairs of dropped jaws echo Nodoka's words. Though raised
in a different social environment than their Terran friends, the
Izumo sisters are quick to sense what Nodoka's words had done to
them. "Who was that rude bitch in the first place?" Sakiko huffs
indignantly.
"I believe that was Ranma Saotome's mother, Nodoka," Mendou
sighs. "An insufferably proud one, or so my agents have
discovered...! Eh?!"
"What?!" Ryuunosuke stares at him, then follows his stare to the
area of the school front doors. "Who the...?! Holy!!" she cries
out.
"What, Ryuunosuke?" Seiko wonders.
"That girl there!" the tomboy points. "She used to be in our
class back at Tomobiki!! Oh, shit, what was her name...?!" she bites
her lip, snapping her fingers in some hope of stimulating her memory.
"Oh, yes, I remember her!" Shinobu nods, then jogs over, waving.
"Hey!! Hold up there!! Excuse me, please!!"
Chigaiko stops, then spins right, her eyes wide with shock,
then her face twists into a veneer of hate as she looks away from her
ex-classmate. Shinobu slows down, surprised by the other girl's
vile look, then jolts as Chigaiko picks up her pace. "Wait!" Shinobu
calls out again, then yelps as a hand snares hers, yanking her back
from further pursuit.
Shinobu spins around to see Seiko staring at her. "Don't,"
the expat Oni shakes her head. "She doesn't like you, Shinobu."
"But..." Shinobu stammers, then looks back to see Chigaiko
standing beside several other girls, giving her a look so filled
with disgust, it makes Ataru's ex-girlfriend want to hide. "I don't
understand..."
"I don't, either," Seiko shakes her head. "But it's better
to not provoke something until you understand what the real situation
is, ne?"
Shinobu blinks, then nods, drawing her arm away from Seiko's
hand, straightening herself. Noticing this, Chigaiko snorts, then
walks away, heading to where Negako and Brother Sunfire stand.
Shinobu watches her go, trying to keep her stomach from reacting
too much to the other girl's vile stares. "I don't understand.
Why does she hate us?"
"I don't know, but I think it's got something to do with
Darling," Seiko closes her eyes. "Let's worry about that later,
okay?"
"Er...! A-alright."
By then, Nabiki Tendou has come out of the building, making
her way to where Negako and Brother Sunfire now stand. A quick
conference between the middle Tendou daughter and the ninjitsu
grandmistress results, then Nabiki draws out a bullhorn to calm the
crowd down. "Your attention, please?!" she calls out. "Could
everyone please draw back beyond the white circle etched in the
grass, please?! Kunou-baby and Ataru-kun'll need some room here when
they mix it up and we don't want anyone getting hurt!!"
People shift around, creating a circular space ten metres wide,
plus putting in another metre or so for an extra safety margin.
Nabiki looks around, then nods before noticing that Ataru's sisters
were filing out, they sitting down as a group by the south end of the
circle. All sitting save Kaho, that is; the would-be cheerleader
is now unfurling a white flag with a heart on it, the whole
emblazoned with I LOVE ONII-CHAMA. Seeing that, Nabiki suppresses
a giggle, then calls out, "Kaho-chan, please put that down! We all
know how much you love your big brother!!"
Laughter echoes from the others from Promised Island as Kaho
gives Nabiki a resentful look, though she does comply. Across the
circle, the Tomobikians blink surprisedly. "That girl is Ataru-kun's
SISTER?!" Shinobu cries out. "But...! That's impossible!!
Since when did...?!"
"It is possible, Shinobu."
Eyes lock on Seiko. "Lum-san?" Mendou whispers.
"It's true. That girl and the eleven others who came with her
are ALL Darling's relatives," Seiko keeps her voice very hushed,
her eyes narrowing. "They all have the same paternal DNA as Darling
does, but different maternal DNA. They're all Darling's
half-sisters."
"Half-...?!" Shinobu blinks, then peers closely at the girls
seated across from them before shaking her head. "I can't believe
that."
"What do you mean?" Ryuunosuke asks.
"Mr. Moroboshi never struck me as the type!"
The others jolt, then hum in wonderment. Mendou then stares
at Seiko. "How is it you could tell?" he wonders.
"It's a..." Seiko pauses, then smiles. "Talent I inherited
from the one who saved my life, Shutaro. I'll explain it later...!
Who?!"
She turns as the loudspeakers suddenly blare a triumphal
fanfare, something befitting a cinematic performance of one of
Shakespeare's plays. Hearing this, Karen wails, bolting to her feet.
"Oh, that's not FAIR!!! Onii-chan deserves to have entrance music,
too!!" she groans.
"Relax, Karen-chan! I already arranged something," Nabiki
winks.
Karen blinks, then nods, sitting down. "Entrance music?!"
Nodoka sniffs, clearly disapproving. "This is a formal duel, not a
wrestling match! What other lows is that fellow going to stoop to?!"
"Yes, it is distracting, I do admit," Kodachi shakes her head
as a cheering crowd of kendoists escort the team captain to the
circle.
"Actually, ladies, among several cultures in the local cluster,
the playing of music before duels of this nature serve to calm
whatever spirits might be close by," Brother Sunfire notes. "After
all, a clash of arms is, in the realm of the metaphysical,
a very disturbing event."
Nodoka gazes at the monk, then sighs. "Well, if you believe
so, Your Grace," she relaxes, then hums, gazing at the circle before
them. "I just hope Ataru-kun has the right sort of music for an
affair like this."
By then, Tatewaki Kunou has stepped into the circle, his
teammates forming a cheering section at the north end. The kendo
club captain is quick to notice his blood-relation off to one side.
"Greetings, dear sister," he nods to Kodachi. "What brings you here
today?"
"Oh, some trivial things, brother dear," Kodachi covers her
mouth in a polite laugh, then absently twirls her ribbon. "I trust
you've heard the very good news about that dullard we must call a
father."
"Indeed I have. One truly joyous event for all of us here
today," Tatewaki nods, chuckling, then noticing the megaphone
in Nabiki's hand, walks over, his hand going out. "May I, Nabiki
Tendou?"
"Go ahead," Nabiki hands it over.
The kendoist pats the mouthpiece to test the reception,
then calls out through it. "Rejoice, fellow students and teachers
of Furinkan High School!! No doubt, you all have heard the wondrous
news concerning our principal and his sudden urge to leave our home
islands for the heathen land of Hawaii not an hour ago!!! Let us
wish him well, my friends, in hopes that he NEVER returns to haunt
us anew!! BANZAI!!!"
Everyone quickly chants in. "BANZAI!!! BANZAI!!!!
BANZAI!!!!!!"
As people take their seats, many laughing, Kunou hands the
megaphone back to Nabiki, then assumes his place, drawing out an
ornate katana from under his hakama robes. Kodachi is quick to
recognize the weapon. "Why, brother dear, you are not using the clan
honour blade this time?!"
"Of course not, dear sister," Tatewaki assures her, smiling
proudly. "I would not consider sullying our most prized blade with
the blood of an honourless, lecherous monster like Moroboshi!"
Hearing that, Seiko shivers indignantly. Even Shinobu scowls.
But their reactions pale to the voices from the south side of the
circle. "Gee, asshole, it sure takes one to know one, eh?!!" Mamoru
barbs.
"Yeah!!" Rinrin adds. "And you call yourself a paragon of
virtue when you sick a hundred idiots to beat up one girl, all to
show that you love her?!! Gee, pal, you sure are an expert at THAT,
huh?!!"
Kunou sputters, then stares intently at the small crowd giving
him such dirty looks. "And who, pray tell, are you to say THAT of
me?!"
Haruka instantly rises, then marches over to gaze intently
into the kendoist's eyes. Kunou is surprised by the advance of this
raven-haired beauty in the pink-and-black hakama. Why, she even
travelled with an ornate naginata! Well, to believe there are...!
*WHAP!!*
Ow.
And she has a gunsen, too.
"We, Kunou-*san,* are the half-sisters of a kind, noble and
loving GENTLEMAN named Ataru Moroboshi," Haruka closes her war fan,
Kunou nearly staggering from the blow delivered to his cheek. "A
gentleman, I must add, who has better things to do with his time than
to answer challenges from honourless BOORS such as you!" With that,
she turns around, then takes three steps before stopping, giving
him a scoffing look over her shoulder. "You should know, Kunou-san,
that Anigimi-sama will kindly offer you a chance to withdraw your
petty challenge. I advise you take it."
She returns to her place. Kunou shakes his head clear, then
moves to answer Haruka's words when a soft fanfare plays over the
speakers. "Well, sounds like Ataru-kun's on time," Nabiki turns to
look towards a clear path leading to the southern end of the combat
circle. "Better get ready to dance to the wind, Kunou-baby,"
she winks at the kendoist, then backs away.
Appearing at that moment is Ranma, she leading a cloaked figure
to the fighting circle. People turn to look, then some rise, their
eyes widening on seeing that the cloak is done in woodland
camouflage, something one might expect on a modern soldier. The
cloak is hooded, keeping all but lips, moustache and the lower part
of his beard hidden in darkness. Under the cloak is a
jacket-and-trouser combination similar to a karate-ka's fighting
gi, though this is coloured in a homespun butternut shade. A line
of alien letters, similar to Korean han'geul, parallels the outer
flap of the gi jacket, that done in emerald green. Under the jacket
and pants is a black bodysuit complete with gloves and soft-soled
boots. A sword belt finishes the ensemble, the sheathed K'ut't'irak
on Ataru's left side.
Taking this all in, many are stunned silent, especially
the small crowd from Tomobiki. However, two of that number are
pale-faced, they both instantly recognizing the dreaded uniform
often worn by the infamous Ip'ihu, the Wolf People of Noukiios.
And they both also happen to know that one particular Ip'ihu warrior
wearing a uniform like this one was responsible for the deaths of
many people on Uru over the last two weeks.
Two of those victims were Insa and Popok Aruka, kinsmen to Lan
Aruka.
"Lum-chan, that CAN'T be...!" Sakiko hisses.
"It is," Seiko sadly nods.
Mendou looks at the two expat Urusians-turned-Nendo-kata,
then back to Ataru. "Oh, gods..." he hisses, shaking his head.
Stepping into the circle, Ataru pauses for a moment as his
sisters rise up, cheering wildly. Quickly enough, many from Class
2-F join in the cheers. "Whip his ass good, Ataru-kun!!!"
Ukyou hoots.
"Teach the son-of-a-bitch a lesson he won't forget!!" Chigaiko
adds.
Ataru nods, then undoes his cloak, allowing it to fall away from
him. He hands that to Ranma, then unhooks K'ut't'irak from his sword
belt. The belt also comes off, revealing a green cloth belt with a
clasp topped with a green dragon snaking around a white sun. Once
ready, Ataru walks over to Brother Sunfire, the Zephyrite monk rising
in turn as he offers his hand. To one knee Ataru goes, he grasping
the hand, then kissing the jewel ring on the monk's finger. Brother
Sunfire performs a quick prayer in his native tongue for his late
mistress' grandson, then returns to his place as Ataru steps back
into the circle, he taking his place opposite Kunou. Holding
K'ut't'irak before him, right hand grasping the helm, Ataru stares
directly into the kendoist's eyes. He then glances down at the
katana Kunou is holding. "Nice sword you got there, friend," Ataru
smiles.
Kunou stiffens, then quickly steadies himself, ready to launch
into the pre-duel 'stare down,' hoping to achieve the superior
position before their blades clashed. "My sword is called
'Asatsuyu,' Moroboshi. It has a very noble lineage, far more that
I suspect your odd blade might have."
Ataru's eyebrow cocks. "'Morning Dew,' is it now? I see," he
clicks his tongue. Unlike the kendoist, the ex-Tomobikian
seems as passionless as an American football fan watching two losing
teams in a duel that would not affect the outcome of the January
playoffs. "A nice name, indeed. It's a lucky thing I didn't choose
my other blade; she is called 'Tears of the Morning Dew.' Tell me
this, then. How long was your sword in forging? How many times was
the blade turned before she was considered finished?"
Kunou blinks surprisedly. This oaf knew things like THAT?!
Quickly, he recovers, then lightly smiles. "Asatsuyu was forged
over a period of ten months and turned five hundred times," he
proclaims.
"I assume, then, your blade would be seen as exceptional."
"It is," Kunou smiles.
A pause.
"For an Earth katana, that is," Ataru smiles in return.
Kunou's smile slips. "As you might guess, my friend, the blade
I have for today's fun is not from this planet," Ataru evenly
announces. "On a planet named Yehisril, the average gilpiv'm is five
YEARS in the making and turned an average of ten THOUSAND times
before it is accepted by its master. Your little 'penknife,'
as most there would call your blade, would be seen by most
swordsmiths there as a shoddy piece of formed steel."
Kunou jolts, then shivers. "And what of your blade, Moroboshi?"
Ataru lightly shrugs. "Oh, you mean my lovely friend here,"
he holds K'ut't'irak to shoulder level, then draws it out, he handing
the scabbard to Ranma as the blade lowers to parallel Ataru's leg.
"Well, on Noukiios, even the best Yehisrite blades would be seen as
shoddy pieces of steel. You see, my companion here was forged over
a period of FORTY-SEVEN years and turned twenty MILLION times before
she was given up to her first owner on the deathbed of her forger.
And that was five hundred years ago.
"Along the way, my sword was buried with her first owner after
he fell in battle defending his people from a pack of honourless
Oni pirates calling themselves the Eo. Then, two hundred years
later, his grave was ransacked by those selfsame Onis when they
conquered Noukiios at a time of weakness. My blade was then kept in
the possession of a clan known as the Aruka House until two weeks
ago, when I stumbled onto her.
"Of course, the worthless bitch who saw herself as my blade's
'true' owner didn't like the idea of me taking 'her' prize possession
away from Uru. Fortunately, though, grave robbing IS a capital
crime on Noukiios, so I decided justice was long overdue. I then
dismembered the bitch's own son before her eyes..." he then gazes
intently into Kunou's eyes.
"Then I beheaded her with 'her' own sword."
Silence falls as people take those words in, some giving Ataru
very wary stares. Kunou remains rock-still, though his eyes seem to
twitch. Ataru closes his eyes, then looks away. "I give you once
chance, friend. Withdraw your challenge now and I will not hold it
against you. I believe that for a warrior to call himself
'righteous,' then he must accept as fact that offensive war itself
is NOT righteous whatsoever." He then smiles. "And since you are
challenging me, you are in the offensive position."
Kunou jolts, then sneers. "Who makes a lecherous beast like you
think he can judge someone such as I?" he snarls.
"You tell him, Sempai!!" Daikun Takuichi calls out.
Ataru sighs. "Fine, then," he waves Ranma out of the circle,
then glances at Brother Sunfire. "Your Grace, you will bear witness
to the fact that I DID grant this man a final chance to withdraw
his challenge."
"I will," the monk nods.
Ataru smiles. "Thank you. Mrs. Saotome, you and your family
have been offended more than people should bear by this man and his
flat-out refusal to accept reality. Would you like to start the
party?"
Nodoka nods. "I would, Ataru-kun," she marches into the circle,
then takes the referee's position. "Assume!" she calls out, raising
her hand.
Kunou draws Asatsuyu, tossing the scabbard aside as he takes
a ready stance. Seeing the kendoist ready, Nodoka drops her hand.
"Hajime!!"
Everyone's jaw hits the ground as Ataru lunges, K'ut't'irak's
blade making a shrill whizzing noise as he zeroes in on Kunou like
a runaway freight train. Nodoka is able to get clear in time. Kunou
is stunned by the burst of speed, but gets Asatsuyu up to block.
The eunuch sword comes around to bat the katana out of the way, then
Ataru spins around.
*WHACK!!!*
Kunou gasps, considerably stunned as the back of Ataru's left
hand explodes on his cheek. He staggers as Ataru draws back,
K'ut't'irak drawing up to shield his right arm. Shaking his head
clear, Kunou roars, then goes for a do strike to Ataru's right side.
Ataru twirls right, using his sword to bat Asatsuyu clear, then he
lunges down. Kunou screams out as Ataru's blade rips his hakama,
scoring a knick on the right shin. Ataru twirls around to Kunou's
right and rear, drawing K'ut't'irak to a shielding position as the
kendoist spins around, snarling, "Bastard!!!"
Ataru lunges in, his sword catching Asatsuyu in a rough tsuba
zeriai block. Throwing his weight into it, Ataru shoves Kunou's
sword clear, then his left land lashes out again to score another
hard backhand blow on the latter's cheek. Kunou staggers, stunned
both by the strength Ataru put into the slap and the fact that Ataru
had slapped him in the first place. That hesitation allows Ataru
to back away, he moving K'ut't'irak from right to left hand as he
puts himself into a crouching stance.
"Maybe if you'd decide to cut it out with the insults, I might
be so inclined to stop slapping you," Ataru then barbs before
smirking. "Then again, as far as I'm concerned, you don't deserve
any respect at all."
Kunou recovers, then glares at Ataru. "I will make you respect
your superiors, Moroboshi! Where the noble people at Tomobiki
High failed, I vow that I, Tatewaki Kunou, the Blue Thunder, will
succeed!!"
A snort escapes Ataru's nose. "Rules've changed, Kunou. You
don't have Daddykins to hide behind this time. Without Mr. Coconuts
there, you won't be able to treat everyone here like your prize pets
anymore." He then shifts himself to sodome, an iaidou stalking
manoeuvre.
Seeing this, Kunou scowls. So this fool HAD been trained in
some basic swordsmanship drills. Well, made for a more interesting
contest. "I do not need my father to obtain what I want, Moroboshi!"
The two start to slowly circle each other, their eyes drawing
in their opponent's every move to seek out weaknesses. "Oh, you
might say that, but deep down, you appreciated having your father
be not just the richest man in the district, but ALSO be the
principal here. After all, that kept the teachers in line every time
you decided to act the fool AND made sure the ward council would stop
every attempt by the police in Nerima from putting your ass into jail
for shit stunts like what your pals from Class 3-D pulled on
Ninomiya-sensei this morning!!" Ataru taunts.
Kunou jolts, then roars. "I DO NOT HAVE TO ANSWER TO THAT!!!"
He lunges in a storm of thrusts, Asatsuyu's tip lancing for
Ataru's head. In an application of the Wind Fist to the defence,
K'ut't'irak's honed edges catch the katana every time. Along the
way, Ataru steps back in a staggered withdraw, varying his speed to
throw Kunou off. The latter follows his ninjitsu-trained
opponent, but is unable to time Ataru's dodges and feints. Ataru
twirls to Kunou's right, then drops to a crouch. As expected,
Kunou spins on him. Ataru rises in a well-timed uke nagashi cut,
swinging K'ut't'irak into catching Asatsuyu at the latter's helm.
Kunou's wrist is nearly twisted off by the force of the blow, then
Ataru bodychecks him, sending the kendoist sprawling into the centre
of the fighting circle.
Ataru tsks. "You concentrate too much on using your sword,
Kunou. So single-minded," he drops into a deep crouch, K'ut't'irak
pointed skyward as Kunou stumbles back to his feet. "But then again,
you've always looked on life the same way, ne? Not bothering
to change, not bothering to see what the world around you's really
like. How pathetic!"
Kunou's vision clouds over, then he screams, "VERMIN!!!!"
Asatsuyu becomes a blur as the kendoist zeroes in on Ataru with
another storm of blows. Unfortunately, Kunou doesn't see his
opponent leap above him, then with a somersault, land behind the
kendoist. K'ut't'irak rips down, scoring a dozen hits as Ataru
twists and turns his sword like a snake slithering down a cliff.
Kunou cries out as he nearly falls to his knees, Ataru backing off as
he takes up another defensive posture. Kunou staggers back up, then
turns. Ataru lunges at that moment, using his sword to bash aside
the kendoist's katana as his free hand lands another slap on Kunou's
cheek. Kunou drops down again, trying to shake his head clear.
"Yeah, I know your type anywhere," Ataru snorts. "If you don't
get their respect automatically, you bully them into bowing to you.
If you can't bully them, you try to destroy them. That's the reason
you don't like Ranma Saotome! After all, Ranma bows to no one and
you just can't stand the fact that there's SOMEONE who won't worship
at your altar!!"
Kunou blinks, then haltingly steadies himself, keeping Asatsuyu
in front of him. Ataru begins to pace around him, K'ut't'irak
to his right side, staying three metres away from his opponent.
"I bet it must've bothered the hell outta you when you heard that
Ranma was engaged to your delightful Akane," the latter smiles,
eyes widening in mock-realization. "Oh, did it really bother you at
ALL, I wonder?! After all, you've been pining for Akane for who
knows how long now, ne?! You weren't going to let someone like Ranma
keep you away from your true love, eh?!"
"Of course not," Kunou snorts, relaxing himself. Clearly,
the lout before him wanted both a duel of words and weapons. Very
well, then. He would wait for Moroboshi to make a mistake, then the
Blue Thunder would surely cut him down. "My love for the beauteous
Akane Tendou will not be interfered with by either the sorcerer
Saotome OR you, Moroboshi!"
"Oh, believe me, you have no worries there," Ataru chuckles,
shaking his head. "Personally, I wouldn't want anything to do with
someone like Akane. I wouldn't want someone who reminds me too much
of Shutaro Mendou, much less Lum! Hell, I can't understand why is it
so many guys in this place LIKE a girl like that! Someone who's so
fuckin' full of herself, she wouldn't dare DREAM of allowing any
ORDINARY person into her hearth!"
"HEY!!!" Akane bolts up. "Who the hell...?!"
A naginata blade suddenly appears under the youngest Tendou's
throat, causing her voice to dry up in the blink of an eye. She
shakily glances to the right, seeing Haruka there, the other girl's
gunsen out and splayed. "Sit down and keep your peace,
Tendou-*san,*" Haruka's scorn comes through loud and clear to Akane.
"When Anigimi-sama is finished thrashing that lout out yonder, you
can then try to challenge him. Not before."
Akane blinks, then jerks as the naginata tip lightly bites into
her skin before scrambling to her seat again. Haruka draws back her
weapon, then calmly returns to her sisters' side. Seeing this, Kunou
growls, then glares at Ataru. "If Akane Tendou is hurt,
Moroboshi..."
Ataru shakes his head. "I personally don't give a shit about
what happens to her," he braces himself. "If she lives or dies, I
won't give a damn. That's just one less arrogant asshole to worry
about. Good riddance to bad rubbish. That's all I'd say. Hell,
I only wish that everyone else here'd clue in to what she's REALLY
like, then walk away! You'd like that, I think. After all, if no
one else is paying attention to her, then she might finally decide
to give you the chance you've wanted for so long!!" He slowly
advances on Kunou, drawing K'ut't'irak before him to clash once more
with Asatsuyu. "Or is that what you wanted all along, I wonder?"
Kunou roars, then lunges. Again, K'ut't'irak catches every
attempt the kendoist makes to score a hit with Asatsuyu. Ataru
remains very calm as he parries each thrust or cut, he keeping his
eyes locked on Kunou. The harsh clanging of tempered steel rings
through the schoolyard for another minute or so, then Kunou draws
back, visibly panting from his exertions. To the awe and shock of
all the onlookers, Ataru is still quite composed.
"Yeah, I bet that IS what you wanted all along, eh?!" Ataru
assumes an on-guard stance as he moves to circle around Kunou. "I
kinda wondered why is it you allowed almost a hundred people to try
to beat her up every damned morning -- then and only THEN, did you
put in your own appearance." He then shrugs. "Well, it makes sense
to me. You want to make sure that anyone who'd might be able to
actually get past you and score with Akane was dealt with first BY
HER before presenting yourself to her. I wonder, I REALLY HAVE TO
WONDER, how your fellow kendoists, much less the other guys who fight
Akane every day, would react if they knew how much you LAUGHED at
them all every time they got their butts whipped by her!!"
The onlookers blink, especially some of the kendo club members.
"Is that the way you REALLY think about them, Kunou?!" Ataru smirks.
"Is that the way you see these people who call you 'sempai' when you
sure as HELL don't deserve that type of respect?! Is it?! Are they
all just a bunch of mindless TOYS to you?! To use and throw away at
your convenience?! You wouldn't give a shit if they all wound up
crippled for life at Akane's hand just so you can get your fuckin'
jollies seeing a bunch of love-starved boys who don't better make
FOOLS of themselves all the time!! IS IT?!!"
Kunou shudders, then roars as he attacks. Ataru seems to relax
as he parries the blows, then he throws his weight into knocking
Asatsuyu aside before delivering YET another slap to the kendoist's
cheeks. That blow sends Kunou to his knees as Ataru backs away,
keeping K'ut't'irak at the ready in case the former finally lost it
and went berserk. "You hate Ranma because you can't manipulate
him like you could everyone else here. He wouldn't be your toy like
your pals there," he points to the kendoists off to one side, then
he indicates Ranma. "Hell, I bet that's why you love trying to glomp
onto Ranma when he's forced to become a girl! What is it, anyway?!
Are you bisexual?! You can't be THAT much of an idiot! You've seen
the damned transformation happen before your eyes HOW many times?!
Is that what you thought?! You can't use Ranma as a toy when he's
a boy, so you'll treat him as a SEX DOLL when he's a girl, right?!
Eh?!! RIGHT?!!"
A scream escapes the kendoist as he leaps at Ataru, Asatsuyu
lashing out for the latter's neck. Ataru bashes the katana aside
with K'ut't'irak, then scores ANOTHER blow on Kunou's cheek, this
time with a FIST! As Kunou drops to the ground, Ataru backs away,
then holds out his hand. Ranma tosses K'ut't'irak's scabbard to her
friend. He sheathes the blade, then tosses it back to her. People's
jaws drop in shocked surprise as Ataru poises himself in front of
Kunou, unarmed. The kendoist staggers up to his feet, then roars,
lunging at Ataru to deliver a straightforward shoomen uchimen
down-cut strike at the top of Ataru's head. Before the katana could
even get close, Ataru's hands stops Asatsuyu by the palms.
* * *
Nearby...
"I was wondering when he'd finally do that," Mendou chuckles.
"Yeah, he's had loads of practice with you," Ryuunosuke
snorts.
The other Tomobikians snicker...
* * *
Ataru smirks. "I was right, you know."
A blink. "Wh-what...?" Kunou stammers.
"This IS a shoddy piece of steel," Ataru draws his hands back,
then connects with one finger to the doomed Asatsuyu's side.
"***SHINZOU BAKUHATSU SHOKU!!!!***"
Kunou's blade explodes in a shower of twisted steel, the bits
ripping into the ground a safe distance from any of the spectators.
Ataru then grabs Kunou's arms, hitting shiatsu points to freeze his
fingers in place. Grabbing Asatsuyu's helm from the kendoist's
unfeeling hand, Ataru throws it aside, then steps back, crossing
his arms. Stunned that he had been disarmed so easily, Kunou does
nothing save stare at his empty hands.
"You know, despite all your failures in bringing Ranma to heel,
you DID succeed!" Ataru holds up a finger, then indicates Akane.
"You managed to help make Akane into YOUR type of person. An
arrogant, single-minded THING who can't find it within herself to
take any responsibility in her life!" He rattles off on his fingers.
"You never ONCE fought her with ALL your skill as a REAL martial
artist should when challenging another martial artist in an
honourable duel! You never tried to demonstrate that her skills
were lacking in a LOT of places! Then again, that was everyone's
fault in the long term, I suppose! And you never ONCE showed her any
RESPECT!! And -- Surprise! Surprise! -- look what happened?!"
Ataru mock-gasps as he claps his hands over his heart. "'Oh,
no! It's not MY fault!! It's RANMA'S fault!'" he twists his voice
into a parody of Akane's, causing a lot of people to laugh, though
many quickly clam up on sensing Akane glaring at them. "'He's the
sex-changing pervert with all the fiancees! The arrogant jerk who
thinks he's the best martial artist in Nerima! That's not true!
After all, I know *I'M* the best martial artist in Nerima! I beat
him all the time with my mallet and I once beat a hundred boys every
morning who wanted to date me! See?!'"
Then Ataru drops his arms to the side before waving Kunou
towards Akane. "Well, there she is, pal! Ranma doesn't want her
anymore! I sure don't!! And I think after today, a lot of folks
here are going to realize what's going on here and they'll all decide
that they don't want anything to do with her, either!! She's all
yours, pal!" He then turns his back to the kendoist. "After all,
you two arrogant assholes DESERVE each other!!"
Kunou blinks, then he screams out, bolting to his feet as he
whips one of his bokkens from under his robes. "DIE, MOROBOSHI!!!!"
"ANIGIMI-SAMA, LOOK OUT!!!!" Haruka cries.
"***KONTOU!!!!!!***"
Chi warps into an energy blade as Ataru spins on Kunou.
"ATARU, DON'T DO IT!!!!" Nabiki screams.
"DAMN YOU, MOROBOSHI,
DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE...!!!!"
Ataru performs a standing roundhouse jump kick to shatter the
bokken, then the blade flat comes down on top of Kunou's head!
"***AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...!!!!***"
Ataru drops down again, swinging the soulsword clear of anyone
as Kunou, his face white with horror as his voice looses all its
strength, drops to his knees before collapsing to one side. The
kendoist jerks several times as his brain and nervous system short
out, then all the strength in his muscles fail. Ataru then disperses
the soulsword before looking to his right as a small crowd approaches
from the front gate. Students quickly get out of the way on seeing
that most of the crowd are uniformed police officers. A plainclothes
lieutenant leads them, his identification book with the chrysanthemum
badge out to make everyone see who he is. "Excuse us!!" he calls.
"We're looking for Tatewaki Kunou!"
Kodachi stands. "May I ask why you want my brother?"
The lieutenant lowers his ID book. "He's wanted as an
accomplice in the attempted murder of Hinako Ninomiya! We got a
report an hour ago that some of the students here tried to cut off
her hands this morning!!"
"You have proof of this, I hope?" Kodachi sniffles.
"We have a confession from one of the kids who was directly
involved in the attack, Miss Kunou," the lieutenant sneers. "Your
brother goaded them into doing it, promising them a chance to date
you and several of your classmates at Saint Hebereke as 'payment'
for their services."
Kodachi jolts, then sniffles. "I see. Well, then, do what you
must do, Lieutenant," she waves to the unmoving form on the ground,
then she stares quizzically at Ataru, she lightly smiling. "I trust
you haven't permanently damaged my witless brother there,
Moroboshi-san?"
"Oh, no, ma'am, he's not dead. But believe me, when the
soulsword's effects wear off, he'll wish to heaven he was," Ataru
smirks.
The lieutenant tenses. "What was going on here, anyway?!"
"It was an honour duel, Lieutenant," Nodoka sighs.
"Kodachi-san's brother challenged Ataru-kun to a swordfight.
When he was disarmed, that *man* there..." distaste drips from her
voice as she indicates Kunou with a harsh nod, "...tried to strike
Ataru-kun down from behind!"
"He did?!" the police officer glances around.
Suddenly, someone stands up. It is Daikun Takuichi. "That's
what happened there, Lieutenant. You got us all as witnesses."
Seeing all of the other people around him nod, the lieutenant
hums, then nods in acceptance. "Alright, then. We best call an
ambulance..."
* * *
To be continued...
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