A small white archway marked the entrance of the school.  Ranma stared
skyward, peering at the emblem boldly emblazoned upon the crest of the arch.
Glancing at his ring, the one he always wore now, he noted the similarities.

"Heh," he chuckled to himself.  He realized that a rose was only a rose.
Just because this ring, the only thing of substance he had from that meeting
a lifetime ago had a rose seal, it meant nothing concrete in his search.  It
was a plus though, and told him that this might be the place he had been
asked to come too, the same school his mother had attended.  He might have
mis-remembered the name of the campus, it might be pure coincidence that the
sculpture over the arched entranceway matched the rose on his ring, but he
believed he had finally found his destination, Ohtori.





To Save A Prince
Ranma/Utena
By KPJAM


Ranma is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Video.  Utena is the
property of Chiho Saito and Kazuko Tadano, I'm not sure who owns their US
rights, but it's not me.

Thanks for help on this part go to Bjorn, Ladegard, TonyLoco, and Corwin.



Chapter 1:  The Rose Bride


Ranma walked onto the campus grounds, the months of searching behind him.
It felt lighter, a little happy as he finally arrived.  It should have been
easier to locate this place, would have been, if he had taken advantage of
the wonders of modern society instead of the directionless meandering he had
done.

Eyes wandering, he took in the lush feel of the campus entrance as he walked
under the arched gateway treading slowly down the main walkway.  He was
awestruck by what he beheld, his vision absorbed the majestic beauty of the
manicured floral arrangements and he felt like he had entered another world.
Gulping, he remembered he had to breath as he walked erratically down the
beautiful walkway that was composed of white marble and lined by a small
brick wall that seemed to hold back the teeming mass of white and pink
flowers beyond.  The flowers were in full bloom, beautiful pastel colored
petals that overlapping each other gave the impression of a lovely picture
as they completely covered the life-giving soil that would threaten their
beauty with the damp, dark, ugliness below.

Slowly making his way to the campus proper, he spied small hills and trees,
and the occasion knot of people talking in small groups.  The beauty of the
place never relented; full green trees and grassy knolls interspersed
themselves between numerous flowerbeds that seem to make up this place.

Slowly people began to interpose themselves in landscape.  Small groups of
two or three, all dressed in similar uniforms that appeared to blend into
the background, adding a little variety to the scenery without ruining the
overall surreal feel the place elicited in him.   As simple brush strokes in
a picture, is how they appeared, all pretty and uniform while staying
undefined.  A continuation of the manicured landscape that must have been
painstakingly maintained, unreal and untouchable as if they existed within a
pretty painting, or beautiful dream that he feared ruining with his touch.

Eventually he made it to a walkway that was covered with intermittent, but
even placed white marble arches.  He had trouble interpreting how the entire
place made him feel.  Looking at it caused a longing deep inside him he was
unaccustomed to, and ill prepared for.   The beauty was inviting,
transfixing, and ultimately compelling.  It made him want to be worthy,
worthy of his promises made, and worthy of himself.  Unfortunately, in
contrast he felt small, inadequate, ugly in comparison to its proud and
unparalleled beauty.

Coming to a central plaza, he stopped and looked around, searching for any
indication of where he should venture to, where he could find his entrance
into this world, if there was any for him.  He would need to enter this
place, if he were to conquer it and prove himself worthy of his promise.

"Hiya."  He stopped a pretty girl and her friends with his greeting.  They
were wearing the school uniform; an aqua-colored skirt, a white blouse with
a collar that matched the color of the skirt, and a red tie.  They stopped
and stared at this obvious outsider, their contempt for his appearance
evident as they made no attempt to cover up the looks they were giving him.

He had stopped at a bathhouse in the morning, before his short trip here,
but the months on the road still showed heavily upon him.  His clothing was
matted and travel stained and lacked the pristine shine of these uniforms.
Not to mention, that even he realized how out of place his Chinese styled
shirts and pants were in society, especially a school campus were conformity
was in such apparent display.

"Can you direct me to the principal's office?" he asked when they failed to
respond verbally to his inquiry.

"Heh," she scoffed.

"What?  Where is it already?  I don't got all day."

"The Chancellor's office is located down that path in that building over
there," she sniffed disdainfully, flipping her head around; she looked away
and pointed towards one of the buildings visible in the distance.

"Ah. thanks," he replied hesitantly, biting back the retort in his throat
and knowing she would one day be chasing him around, like all the girls in
this school would be.

She turned back to her friends without saying a word and they continued on
their way, effectively ignoring and dismissing him.

Turning in the indicated direction, he continued on his way, making sure to
keep an eye on the building and purposefully ignoring the other students
now, annoyed with his first encounter and wary of his urge to knock the
superiority off their faces.

After a short walk, he entered the building without incident, finding the
room number and following the directions given to him by another
condescending student; he found himself on the third floor walking down an
open-air hallway.  The hallway in reality was enclosed, but the huge open
windows gave the appearance and feel of being outside, as he could easily
feel the sunlight and slight breeze upon him, and smell the floral aroma the
campus seemed to permeate.

He stopped halfway down the hall, spying a huge forest out in the distance
in back of the campus proper.  It was noteworthy in its difference.   It
appeared dark and foreboding; the dense leaves of the tightly packed
woodlands made it seem impenetrable from the distance.  An arbitrary point
marked its stark border; where the dark green and brown of the woods and the
lighter, sun illuminated green of the hillocks met.  He considered the
puzzle of the forest, what purpose it could hold that it appeared to shout,
stay away, as it stood haunting the fringes of the campus, marking its
territory plainly and daring any to enter.

Sharp footfalls upon the clear marble floor drew his attention back inside.
He turned to behold a tall, well-tanned man.  He couldn't identify it but
there was a familiarity about him, an attraction that made him slightly
queasy as he recognized it as a feeling he should only have from Akane.  His
mane was silver, and he wore black slacks and red silk shirt, that
annoyingly matched his own color combinations, although the clothing was
obviously of a much finer cut.

"Hello.  Can I help you?" he asked, stopping a few feet in front of Ranma.

He paused to consider his answer.  This man set him on edge and he wondered
if he should bolt.  It was unidentifiable, but likewise undeniable the
sexual energy that this person exuded and it creeped him out.  It wasn't the
crude overt feelings that Shampoo or Kodachi would sometimes try and employ,
nor was it the casual cuteness that he noticed from Akane or the occasional
other girl.  This was something in-between, it was more subtle, more
enticing... disgusting.

"I was looking for the Chancellor's office," Ranma answered as he held in a
shiver.

"And what for?"

"I... a... wanted to enroll here," he finally blurted out, repressing his
fear and fortifying his confidence.

"Hmm," the man purred, sending renewed shivers down Ranma's spine.  "The
term just started a few weeks ago, it's a strange time to try and transfer."

"I was on a trip and just returned.  I was trying to make it here before the
term started, but I got waylaid."

"Anyway.  You need the admission's department...  I'm sorry.  I'm Akio, and
you are?"

"Oh... Ranma Saotome... Akio?"

He believed he saw the man twitch at mention of his name, but Akio said,
smoothly, "It's not far from here, the office you need.  Let me lead you to
where you need to go."

"Okay," Ranma replied reluctantly as he began to follow the other man down
the corridor.

"Why did you want to attend?"

"Ah. My mom came here, years ago and said she loved it.  I  want to make her
proud."  He was proud of his answer, not expecting the question.

"Ah.  What was her name?  I might have known her."

"Really?  She must have attended like twenty years ago."

"I have a very good memory," he chuckled lightly.

"Oh.  Okay.  Nodoka Ayukawa," Ranma replied after a momentary pause, proud
of his ability to call up his mom's maiden name.

Akio missed as step at the mention of Ranma's mother, a small slip, but
noticeable.

"Is there something wrong?"  Ranma inquired, wondering if his mother had
some connection to this strange man.

"Ah... no.  Not at all.  I thought for a second I recognized the name, but I
was wrong.  Anyway, how old are you?"

"Sixteen, I'll be seventeen in a couple months."

The other man seemed to mull this over as they continued walking, pausing
for a moment at a huge double door, with a gold-plated sign that said
Administration Offices hanging on the wall next to it.  With an absent flick
of his wrists he opened the double door to reveal a large wood toned room
with three huge mahogany desks, each manned by attractive women sitting
behind them.  There was a door behind each of the desks, each marked with
their individual golden sign that guarded and proclaimed their occupants.

"Wait here please," he said quietly as he walked up to one of the desks.
Ranma watches as he talked softly to the lady sitting behind it, whispering
directly into her ear while she looked thrilled at the attention.  After a
couple moments conversation, Akio walked into the room she guarded.

Ranma stared at the woman, noting the flushed look and slightly wild eyes
and wondered what had been said.  The thought was banished when Akio walked
out again and motioned Ranma to join him in the room.


---------------------


After the protracted meeting with the administration officer, he trudged
around campus towards his dorm.  He was in, that was the overriding thought
as he was forced to sit through that hell.  "Freshman again," he muttered to
himself.

The administrator had bought his story about his records being lost on the
trip, and he had apparently had heard of Furinkan; enough to feel an
entrance exam would be more than adequate in comparison to any attempt to
get adequate records from the highschool.

The only problem was how he had done, failing the junior's test, they had
threatened to bar his enrollment. Some fast talking on his part had allowed
him to be enrolled as a freshman.  He didn't really care, if the classes
were easier, that was okay with him.  He didn't really need to tell anyone
he was a year older than his classmates either, so that was also a plus.

What bothered him was the fighting rule; it would be a shame if he was
expelled after all this for fighting.  Looking over his fellow students, he
didn't worry much about it, but he knew he'd have real problems when if his
fiancees ever tracked him down, which he had no allusions of not happening.

He had been picking up the conversations of his now fellow students along
the way.  In answer of his expectations, the conversations had not contained
anything to do with martial arts or fighting, he hadn't even heard a peep
about anything sports related.  To make matters worse, the brief snippets of
conversation seem to entail various accounts of whom was seeing whom.
Bored.  He had only been here a couple of hours and already he was sure his
life here would be the epitome of uselessness.

Finding his new home with no problems, he stopped to examine it.  It was
nestled a short distance from what he had been told were the academic
buildings.  Students coming in and out having finished their classes for the
day, and venturing on to do whatever they did.  Walking in, he noticed that
the interior, as expected,  was nice, even homey; white, tiled floor with
lacquered wood walls made up the small lobby.  It wasn't as nice as the
administration building, but it was actually nicer than a lot of the temples
he had stayed at during his travels.

A quick check of the small map on the wall, and he found himself walking
along the identically decorated hallways, followed by a couple flights up
the stairs and down the third floor hallway to his new home.  To his
astonishment, a nameplate was already placed by his door for him.

He took an obvious breath before opening the door and stepping inside.  The
room was decently sized, two dressers, two small desks, a small table, and a
set of bunk beds, adorned it.  Maple, was the wood color of choice here, as
he wondered if the entire campus was designed to pay homage to, or emulate
nature.

"Ranma Saotome," he said to the boy sitting at one of the desks.  The boy he
would spend the next school year with.  The boy who was a year his junior.

Turning, his new roommate faced him.  The boy was lanky, about five feet and
seven inches tall, and completely un-athletic looking.  He was adorned in
the same male uniform he had seen around campus and wore the same annoyed
and superior smirk that had been commonplace among those he had talked too
so far.

"Hayato Kikuchi.  I guess we'll be roommates."

"Yeah, sure.  Nice to meet you, Hayato," Ranma replied.   "Which one's
 mine?"  He pointed at the dressers while he walked towards them.

"Here, you can use this dresser and desk, and I tool the bottom bunk."  He
indicated each item of furniture as he spoke.  Ranma walked over and tossed
his backpack on his dresser, opening the drawers to ensure they were empty.

"Why'd you transfer here?"  Hayato asked.

"Heard this was a good school," he gave his ready and terse answer.

"Oh.  Okay."  Hayato went back to whatever he was studying; which suited
Ranma fine as he quickly finished his unpacking.


----------------


Two weeks later Ranma was strolling around the campus.  Classes had been let
out for the day  and he was exploring the campus again.   His initial
impressions about his classmates had so far proved true, as he found he had
no attachments to any of the people he actually met.  Their superior manner
had been hard for him to endure, and he wished for at least one of his old
challenger to show up; which would allow him to show everyone what he could
do.


His classes were hell, as his initial showing had been poor.  An attempt at
getting aid from his roommate had proved fruitless, he had barely avoided
rearranging the boy's face to fix that condescending attitude he had.  It
had forced him to study a little more, even if it was boring, he didn't want
to flunk out, at least till he was through here.

His roommate had turned out to be a total bore, caring predominately about
scholastic work, and his social life, which Ranma found boring.  He had
tried to participate in volleyball one day, but had been asked to leave
after he had outclassed both sides.  The losers had said he was too good,
and it ruined the competitiveness of the games.  When he had tried to tone
it down, it was just way too boring for him.  He felt everything here was
just so damn boring.

That let to his daily walks after class.  After this, he would go to one of
the gyms, finding them emptier after six, and work out for a while before
returning home to study and finish whatever assignments he had.  It was a
bit of a lonely life, but after Nerima, he had thought that maybe he needed
a chance  to learn something about himself.  Unfortunately all he had
learned so far was how much he missed the struggles.

He looked into a greenhouse as he was walking passed; he was in a previously
unexplored section of campus.  Like everything else on campus, the flowers
in there depicted health and prosperity.  A multitude of different species
comprised the over-full feel appearance of the room and he thought to
himself, how even something so spectacular, has become boring and
commonplace.

Right before he moved on, the sight of a girl caught his attention. One of
his classmates was inside, watering the plants, it was the first time he had
actually seen someone tending anything here.  The fauna obscured all but her
head and the green watering jug she carried, pouring water freely to the
waiting petals.

She had captured his attention in class because she was the only one in his
class, other than himself, that seemed to lacking in companions.  She seemed
happy here, another distinction from the girl he remembered from class, who
was always serious, never smiling.  He believed her family name was
Himemiya, but was at a loss to recall what her given one was.

A full head of purple hair was tied up carefully, giving her a conservative,
reserved look, and surrounded a very delicate looking face.  Pretty, is what
she was.  She seemed fragile, but something was compelling about her,
standing there, oblivious to the world as she tended the plants.

After an undetermined amount of time watching her precise actions, he turned
to leave, running straight into someone.

"Ah. Sor..." he began to say as he stepped back and looked into the face
of... Tatewaki Kuno.  The boy seemed slightly different then he remembered
from Nerima.  He seemed to carry himself even more pompously, something
Ranma found hard to believe.  He also quickly noted that his uniform was
different than the other students, his jacket was white, with red trim, as
opposed to the blue, everyone else wore.

"Saotome!  What travesty upon my life merits your defilement of these sacred
grounds I now call home?  Tis it your meager lot in life to stand in awe of
the great Tatewaki Kuno, or have you come to challenge me, the best fighter
here in honorable combat.  But know thee this, should you challenge me here,
under the rules most noble and fair, you shall loose.  For the-"

Ranma through a punch at the other boy, the move was automatic, without
thought, and he said, "Whatever Kuno... Like I got nothing better to do than
to whip your sorry behind."


Kuno actually dodged the lazy strike, looking outraged as he replied, "You
neanderthal.  Know thee not the rules of this school?"

"I apologize to the school.  I see a punching bag, I swing at it."  He spoke
easily, happy to have some small piece of the life he had known back.
"Well.  I guess the school rules keep you alive," he said mockingly and
turned to leave, with a flip of his hair.

"Yes, whelp.  Hide thy tail between thy legs and flee openly for all to
 see."  Kuno raised his bokken into the air, making a wide arc behind him,
pointing out the small crowd that had gathered to watch and snicker.  "Like
the lowly cur thou art," the last was delivered with a loud sneer, ensuring
those who had missed the beginning of his speech, heard the last part
clearly.

"Anytime.  Anywhere, Blue Blunder!"

"Alas, There shalt be no fighting here.  I cannot in good conscious meet out
thy most deserved punishment for thy vile debasement of the Pig Tailed Girl
and Akane Tendo.  This place has seen the wisdom of the way of the samurai
and has prohibited the base fighting in the gutters that you are prone too,
where your foul magics can aid you in you most ignoble victories.  I would
be loath to go against the rulings of such an institution and defile it's
hallowed walkways with the blood of someone that art as lowly born as thou
surely art.  They have decreed that only those of noble standing and
heritage may partake in the great struggle to wrest from heaven its devine
blessing.  "

"So where and when then," Ranma ground out, temper rising, even though he
wasn't sure what Kuno was talking about.

"This crest was bestowed upon me to sanctify my acceptance as one of
nobility and upbringing that shall be allowed to partake."  He thrust out
his bokken wielding hand to display a signet ring with a rose crest upon it.
"But!  If thou shalt find another of my noble brethren that shalt take up
thy cause and champion thee, let mineself know, so that some redress might
be found for the crimes thou has committed.  Even in that instance it shall
not avail thee- -"

Finally having enough of the windbag, Ranma interrupted the other boy by
shoving his fist into the other boy's face.  "You mean this ring?" he asked
behind clenched teeth.

Kuno blinked, closely examining the ring, before exclaiming. "Thief!  Thy
must have come upon this Signet Crest of the noble warrior by foul and
treacherous means!"

Ranma opened his mouth to retort, only to be interrupted as Kuno continued.

"But wait!  I was informed that a new challenger would be arriving today.
So it is my old rival the fiend Saotome who has come to challenge me as the
most noble 'Ends of the World' hast proclaimed.  No matter, it is a boon for
me then.  I shall now be able to defeat you and prove thy incompetence."

Assuming a ready stance, Ranma called the hot winded boy on with his hands.
"I'm ready now."  He was ready to unleash some of his frustration and
boredom on the silly kendoist.

"Halt, base hooligan.  The fight of nobles is held in the specified area.  I
shalt await thee there, in the forest, at eight.  Upon that yon forest," he
pointed towards the forest, visible from where they stood, "thou shalt find
the entrance and the place of thy righteous punishment," he finished with a
huff and turned to enter the greenhouse and called out as he was entering,
"Lest you forget, the weapon of nobility is a blade!"

Ranma watched for a millisecond before turning to leave, he balled his hands
into fists as he stalked away.  He smiled as he thought about the chance to
beat on Kuno a little.


-----------


A velvet white curtain covers a small stage.  Outlined behind it is a large
animal sitting on a stool.

"Have you heard!  Have you heard!"  A cat burst from the left had of the
stage, behind the curtain, holding a bullhorn to her lips.

"What?! What?!" An answering call ccame from the other side of the stage, as
the outline of a pig is seen running on stage.

The cat leaps and lands on the bear, raising a hand over its brow, it starts
scanning the room.  "A fight!  A fight!  A fight for the Bride!"

The pig comes to a stop, looking up at the cat.  "Really.  Who?"

"A new challenger comes for the bride!  He's cute and he fights.  Will he be
the promised Prince."

"Let's see."

The Bear take a swipe at the cat, batting it off stage, where it came from.
He proceeds to stand and walk off the other side fo stage, stepping on the
cat.


---------------------


Ranma made his way along the worn path through the oppressively dark forest.
The trees were ancient, but were spaced well enough apart to allow for this
path.  He had queried his roommate about the things Kuno had said, but
received weird glances and shrugs for answers.  The other boy knew nothing
about the rose crested ring, a tournament between nobles, or nobles for that
matter.  He had said that a few of the students he knew were the progeny of
influential people, some were the descendants of noble houses, but he knew
of no duels.

Procuring a bokken had been no problem, he had borrowed one from the sports
center.  They had a few small dojos around for the various teams the school
sponsored, something he was unwilling to become a part of.

Rounding a bend in path, he noticed the road changed form dirt, to old stone
before he came upon an impressive stone staircase a few meters away.  Each
step was easily ten feet wide, and as he approached he could see the many
chips and holes that denoted it's age and use.  He felt compelled to stop
and wonder at its venerable appearance and wonder at the difference between
this structure and the others he had seemed on campus, which all looked
brand new.  He wondered momentarily, then,  if he was still on campus.

"Hope this is the place," he said to himself as he mounted the first step
into the tree tops.

He reached the top in no time, and walked down a long stone walkway.  It was
lined with troughs, something he found extremely peculiar, although not an
expert on design or implementation, he could discern no reason a walkway
would require gutters.

The path opened up into a large square reception area in front of what he
assumed was a gate, where he was forced to stop and stare in wonder. Looking
up, he took the design wall in full view.  The wall was composed of white
stone, unremarkable for that, but the designed that comprised the structure
is what drew Ranma's attention.  A circular carving comprised the center
most block; one indenture spiraled to the edges and formed a weird
whirlwind type picture.   On either side of the circular patter was a
carving of a rose that seemed to live.  He had to restrain himself from
bending over and smelling it, so real and precise was the carving.  Finally,
a bas relief of a large bird surrounded the aforementioned pieces; large
wings extended above, joined by a neck that extended upwards to lift its
beak to the heavens, this he could resist touching as he traced the sleek
curve of its wings as high as he could reach.  He stared up at the
impressive relief, feeling small in size ad stature.  Exhaling through
barely moving lips, he whistled in appreciation of the impressive sight as
he stepped away again to figure out an entrance.

An intricately carved, stone handle protruded from the center of the
structure.   He reached out and grasped it, knowing that such a fragile
looking and small device couldn't possibly move this massive structure, but
unable to think of anything else to do.  He tugged to know avail, and
Grasping the handle he tugged, to no avail.  "Sheesh.  I wonder if Kuno has
finally lost it.  Challenging me and then giving me these faulty
 directions."

Just then a splash of could water hit his knuckle.  He jumped back as a low
rumbling was heard, followed closely by the sound of pouring water behind
him.  He turned and witnessed huge amounts of water gushing into the troughs
he had wondered about earlier.  Backing up slightly, ever wary of water, he
bumped into the handle.

Which quivered at his touch and then moved.  Spinning around again, he
watched as the structure split down the center and rose out of view,
revealing a small archway with a huge rose sculpture over the entrance.
Beyond he could see a spiral open staircase.  Looking up he, he was
intimidated by it's grandeur, and his inability to see where it ended.

"Maybe this is the place."  So saying, he walked purposely forward, and up.


-----------------------


After an intolerably long walk he finished the last of the steps he walked
out onto a huge platform, suspended apparently by staircase he had just
used.  Looking up into the night sky, he blinked twice and still was left to
doubt what he saw, a large castle, suspended upside down in the sky and
slowly spinning.

"It seems thou are enamored by the work of gods."

Ranma turned quickly, and found Kuno standing there dressed in his school
uniform, not the samurai robes that Kuno had usually fought in.

They have blessed this place, clearly, by their display of fine power.  Thy
castle, you so admire is their home, and tis said that those most noble, who
doth prove their nobility upon this battlefield shall be touched by them, by
their lowering of yonder castle, and granted their hearts desire.  Thus, I
have come to prove my prowess and receive thy blessing."

"Anthy!  Prepare us!"  He ordered.

A sudden movement caught the corner of his eye.  Turning he noticed his
classmate, the one he had seen earlier today in the greenhouse, Anthy
Himemiya, walk forward.   She was wearing a gown!  A dark red one, with
wide-hooped bottom, and vest-like top.  The vest was sleeveless, adorned
with gold over her shoulders, and trimmed with green tassels at the bottom
and shoulders.  A pair of dark red gloves covered her hands and she
protectively carried a blue and white rose with her, pressed against her
breast.

Silently she moved and placed the blue rose upon Kuno's breast with a
minimum of movement, she turned and approached Ranma.

"Anthy, what are you doing here?"  He said as she stepped closer to him.

"It's the bride's job to prepare her lord for righteous battle.  As a mere
courtesy, I allow here to place the rose upon your breast as well," Kuno
answered.

"Bride?"  The concept wasn't foreign to him, he just thought that maybe she
had better tastes than Kuno.

Kuno heard his words, and proceeded to answer in his own way.   "Yes, she is
the chosen bride of the champion, and therefore she is here attending me.
Though she lacks the spirit of Akane Tendou or the Pig-Tailed Girl, she is
to be my first, and most dutiful after I have received the true blessing of
heaven, those other two shall join me in my victory!"

Ranma was about to scoff when a scent met his nose, the scent of flowers
that came of the rose that had been placed upon his chest.  He looked down
at it in wonder, as it tickled something in his memory, something about her,
the girl that had rescued him, whom he was supposed to rescue now.

The smell, forced him to look harder at Anthy, wondering if maybe she-

"If the rose is knocked off your chest, you loose the duel," she replied,
smiling up at him, "Good luck."

Ranma stared at her quizzically, trying to recall more of the memory, a face
if at all possible, but only the smell came to him.

She turned to depart, but before she made her step away, a stinging slap was
heard and she fell to the floor.  Kuno was standing right there, glaring
down at her.

"You are my Bride!  How dare you bestow blessing upon mine opponent!"

"Lay off, Kuno!"  Ranma shouted before leaning down.  "You alright?"

"I'm fine.  Forgive me, Kuno, my master," she said in a supplicating manner,
that enraged Ranma.

"Apologizing to him!  Are you nuts!"  Ranma continued to be confused by the
deference this woman paid this buffoon.

"He is the current champion, so I must obey his every wish," she said
softly.

"What?  You're not his wife?"  This was getting weirder and weirder, and he
no longer cared.  He stood and advanced on Kuno.

"Wait!  You must honor the rules of the challenge," Anthy called from her
semi-prone position.  He grunted in frustration, his honor and beliefs in
answering the letter of the challenge stopping him from beginning the
pummeling now.

"Let's begin, I've waited too long for this moment to be delayed by her
misconduct!"

Ranma growled in frustration and walked back towards Anthy.  "Fine, Kuno.
Prepare to be beaten, again."   He helped Anthy to her feet, before walking
away to stand a good ten feet in front of Kuno.  Anthy, stood and walked
over to him, when he noticed for the first time that Kuno carried no sword.

"Where's your weapon, Kuno?  I thought one was needed?"  He indicated his
bokken when he spoke.

"Anthy, my weapon!"

Anthy had moved to stand between the two, and began to move her hands around
in front of her breast, "Rose of the Noble Castle."  A incandescent ball of
light formed in front of her between her hands, in front of her breast.

The light became blinding as a wind began to pick up.   Partially shielding
his eyes, he watched as the light continued to intensify.

"Power of Dios that sleeps within me.  Heed your master and come forth!"
She chanted as she let her hands fall to her side, shooting her shoulders
back as she began to lean backwards.

Then Kuno was there, catching her before she fell, and leaning in, as if to
kiss from some old fashioned American movie.  He reached into the ball of
light, that had thankfully begun to subside, and slowly withdrew a sword.
"Grant me the power to revolutionize the world!" He shouted as he held the
sword aloft.

>From the distance, Ranma tried to examine the sword.  It was a western one,
with a gripped handle and a straight blade, unlike what he expected the
other boy to wield.  The blade shown brightly, duplicating the brightness of
the ball of light it was pulled from.

After that momentary hesitation Kuno instantly rushed him, striking killing
blows, that seemed to come at a speed Cologne would be proud of.

Ranma was placed on the defensive, forced to parry,  as he waited for his
chance to strike.

"You brought a bokken, here.  Do you mock my skills so much!"  Kuno shouted,
as the fury of sword actually increase, forcing Ranma to give ground.

Ranma's unfamiliarity with the forms that Kuno was using, plus his initial
lack of focus preventing him from reciprocating his attacks.  Just then he
was forced to parry a strike, and the awkward defense was too much for his
bamboo blade as it snapped.  Jumping back, he decided to reset and regroup.

"Coward!"

"I've got you now, Kuno!"  Ranma ran forward.  A move that was mimicked by
Kuno.

The two ran at each other, a bestial growl came from Kuno, as Ranma ran
silently forward.  Looking for an avenue to attack the boy who was aiming
his sword directly at Ranma's heart and protecting his rose at the same
time.

The met in a flash, Ranma dodging at the last minute, protecting his rose,
and his head, while at the same time flicking out at Kuno's.

The after slowing he turned back to Kuno, delivering a contemptuous smirk at
the boy.  He looked back at him, eyes locked on the white rose that Ranma
still bore.

Ranma snickered and pointed hi broken bokken at his competitor.  "I think
you lost something there," he chuckled lightly.

Kuno looked down, collapsing to the floor, before uttering a gut wrenching
howl, "Nooooooo!  Impossible, I lost!"   He looked around, and finally his
gaze settled on Anthy.  "How can this be?" he whined.

"Cheer up, Kuno, my school mate," she said in a voice devoid of any emotion.

"See ya, loser." Ranma yelled over his shoulder as he started heading back.

"Stop!  What trickery did you use here, in this holy place?!"

Ranma turned to regard the boy.  "Nothing.  Not now, not ever.  Face it.
You.  CAN'T.  BEAT.  ME!"

Kuno, enraged, scrambled to his feet and rushed the pig-tailed boy.

"Kuno!"  Anthy called delicately.

Ranma waited for his moment, and countered.  He sidestepped the rushing boy
while leaving his knee in place to deliver a devastating blow to thee boys
gut.  Kuno was winded and hurt, but just right for Ranma to have a little
fun with.  The ensuing battle, while allowing Ranma to vent his pent up
frustrations, was ultimately disheartening to the boy, who wasn't
challenged.  He looked at the dented man, huffing in annoyance at his lack
of challenge, and turned to leave.

"See ya," he called to the now stunned Anthy and bounded back down the
stairs.


-----------------


On what appeared to be an old castle's wall, a woman lowered her binoculars.
Her brown shoulder length hair was wavy and curled up at the ends.

"So, the new challenger is here," she mused to herself.  "And not bad
looking at all."

She watched as he descended the stairs until he was covered by the forest,
she would have to talk to Kuno tomorrow.  The game had taken a new turn.
Shiori Takatsuki, turned and walked away.


--------



"What a weird day," Ranma muttered to himself.  It was full night now,
having dallied around one of the little parks thinking, as he was still,
about the strange duel and things Kuno had said to him.

Just then Anthy walked out from behind one of the columns that decorated the
school.  He paused as she approached him, dressed in her school uniform
again.

"I've been waiting for you, Lord Ranma," she said, as she shrugged her
shoulders and a small smile appeared on her lips.  "I am the Rose Bride,
from this day forward I belong to you."



---------


Fin, chapter one.


Author's notes.  I'm not completely happy with this, but it's time to move
on, as chapter 2 is half written and the rest of the plot is coalescing in
my head.  Enemies of the Crystal state, continues to take up the bulk of my
attention, so don't expect this or any of my other stories to be updated
much.  I do jump around from scene to scene, so there is no schedule, except
the next chapter of Enemies is done, it just needs to be revised, and I'll
do that sometime soon.

Http://kpjam.anifics.com  And I love mail noirchloe@nyc.rr.com  ^_^



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