Ranma: The Mazoku Factor

Part 2

Ranma Saotome's great Revenge!

+++++++++++++++

Ranma stood in front of his class smiling cheerfully at the
students gathered there.

"It seems that you've been in China until recently," said the
teacher as he read the file he'd been given from administration. "Take
your seat please."

"Of course," replied the boy as he walked into the crowd of desks
and sat down a little to the right and in front of Akane.

The girl glared at his back for a moment with a small frown on her
face, but didn't speak.

The ponytailed boy appeared to ignore her as the teacher began his
class, but she was off in her own world for a bit.

"Who is this guy? How good is he?" she thought with a little
uncertainty. "Most of all, what's he up too? Something isn't right
about all this."

+++++++++++++++

"Fiance?" muttered Kuno as he stared at Nabiki for a moment.

"Uh-huh. My daddy and his dad decided that he was gonna marry one
of us. Akane was already in love though, so he was forced to pick me
instead."

"I see," muttered the boy as he frowned at her.

"He's just using me to get closer to her though," continued
Nabiki. "She's the one he wants to marry. Daddy seems to be agreeing
with him too..."

"The foul demon! I cannot permit this!" growled Kuno as he made an
unpleasant face.

"Kuno! Go stand in the hall!" snapped the teacher.

++++++++++++++++++

Within moments, Tatewaki Kuno was rushing down the hall with a
pair of buckets in his hands. He was wearing his Kendo uniform and had
his bokken strapped to his back. "I forbid it!"

+++++++++++++++++

Inside his classroom Ranma cocked his head as the sound of running
came from the hallway. "Hmmm?"

Akane turned to look at the door as it burst open, the teacher and
a majority of the students all looked at Kuno dumbly.

"Ranma Saotome! I shall not allow your fiendish plot to continue!"

The boy in question merely smiled at the newcomer and continued to
sit calmly. "Which one?"

"You know of what I speak demon!" snarled Kuno.

"Demon?" muttered the boy as his smile faltered a bit. "Well,
maybe...just a little." Ranma stood to his feet and ignored the rest
of the room as he stared at Kuno. "Which fiendish plot were you
talking about in particular. There are several after all..."

Kuno paused; the boy wasn't even trying to deny any of his
accusations. He shook his head for a moment trying to clear it of the
confusion. "Dog! I shall not allow it!"

Ranma sighed. "Can't this wait until later? I've got class."

"Justice waits for no man! Have at thee!" cried Kuno as he charged
forward.

Ranma blocked the wooden sword with his staff again. His gaze was
calm still and he shoved the offending weapon aside. "Are you sure you
want to do this right here?"

The older boy glanced around and frowned. "Very well. Come, we
shall settle this elsewhere!" He dashed out the door and left the boy
standing there.

"Actually I meant later," said Ranma as he calmly walked out after
Kuno.

The students in the room gave a collective blink and turned too
look at each other. The last thing the teacher remembered before
seeing nothing but a huge dust cloud was the sound of chairs and desks
squeaking against the floor.

"Take your seats please," he muttered lamely at the empty room.

+++++++++++++++++++

Ranma smiled as he walked out the front door of the school and
into the open field outside. The pair was standing in front of the
school gates with Kuno being the only one in a combat ready stance.

"What's this about? I'd really like to know what you're so upset
about. It's not every day I get to annoy someone this much," said the
ponytailed boy as he watched Kuno cheerfully.

"Your fiendish plot to ensnare Akane Tendo's heart through
subversive means!" cried Kuno.

"Akane?" Ranma blinked at this. "I'm not engaged to Akane."

"Ha! Foul demon, I shall not allow you to use the heart of Nabiki
Tendo to woo her sister! I shall destroy your base desires and send
you on a path with destiny!"

"In other words, you think I'm trying to use Nabiki Tendo to get
to Akane?" replied Ranma as his smile actually faltered a bit.

"Verily!"

"Can't you just say yes?" said Ranma as he continued to grin
again.

"You seek to extend your fate by speech? Coward! Fight and die!"

Ranma sighed as he casually blocked several super fast strikes
with his staff.

Kuno continued to attack as if it was not happening, searching for
a hole in the boy's defenses.

"Really. Akane Tendo isn't my type," said the ponytailed boy as he
spun his staff into a circle and forced Kuno to step back for a
moment.

"What?" growled the older boy.

"Nabiki Tendo, what an interesting person. I haven't known her two
days, and she's already trying to stab me in the back!" Ranma actually
looked somewhat pleased by this.

Kuno's form shifted a bit and he frowned even deeper. "You do not
seek to wed Akane Tendo?"

"Good heavens no! She's a bit rough for me actually," said the boy
cheerfully. "Nabiki on the other hand..."

Kuno frowned as he followed the boy's gaze up to the school
building. There was a large crowd in the windows watching the battle
from above. "So, it seems that we are not enemies."

"For the time being, no. That may change later, but why bother
with details?" said Ranma as he calmly lowered his staff and started
to walk towards the building.

Kuno was unfazed by this and nodded once as he shouldered his
bokken. "Indeed."

++++++++++++++++++++

Nabiki growled as she watched the exchange. She hadn't heard a
word of it, and the pair was too far a way for her to read their lips.
Ranma had managed to calm Kuno down. That was something she didn't
think was possible once the boy got into one of his thick headed rants
and fits of violence. From her experience, nothing short of him giving
the offender a good beating would satisfy him. She turned on her heels
and walked back into the classroom before the crowd even started to
disperse.

++++++++++++++++++++

Tatewaki Kuno was frowning at Nabiki with his eyes narrowed for
about ten minutes. The teacher's lesson had ended about five minutes
ago and he allowed them free time after the assignment was finished.
Both of them were also finished.

"What are you glaring at?" she hissed angrily.

"Ranma Saotome, he claims that he does not lust after your
sister," said the boy as he turned his head away.

"And you believed him? Idiot!" snapped Nabiki harshly. "He's just
trying to get you out of the way!"

Kuno's forehead furrowed at the thought. His eyes went wide
suddenly and he gasped. "Can it be?"

"Idiot," grumbled Nabiki with a false looking frown on her face.

+++++++++++++++

"Ranma Saotome!" cried Kuno as he opened the door to the
classroom.

Ranma turned his head and blinked. He wasn't expecting too see the
older boy until at least lunch. "Hello."

"Fiend! I shall not be fooled by such obvious trickery! Have at
thee!"

"Can this wait until lunch?" asked Ranma calmly as he repeated the
same defense as before.

"Honor waits for no man! I shall see your lies uncovered!"

The pigtailed boy sighed and nodded his head. "All right. Same
place as last time?"

"I shall meet you!" agreed Kuno firmly.

The class looked at each other and the teacher didn't even bother
to speak this time as his entire room vanished in a rumbling dust
cloud.

+++++++++++++++++++++

Ranma stood off against Kuno in the same relaxed position as
before. His cheerful smile grating on the older boy's nerves. "You
take this lightly?"

"Of course. It's obvious you've been tricked again," said the
ponytailed boy as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Foul dog! You would have me believe that Akane Tendo is not your
true beloved? That you would choose her sister over her?"

Ranma nodded. "Of course. Nabiki Tendo is more my type."

Kuno stared at the boy. "Nabiki Tendo? Your type?" He seemed
utterly confused. "What of Akane's beauty? What of her fierce
prowess?"

"What about it?" said the younger boy.

"You claim to prefer Nabiki Tendo, over such beauty and purity?"

"Actually, I never cared much for purity. Not a quality I look for
in a woman," replied Ranma with yet another shrug.

Kuno wasn't sure what to do. So he just attacked, that always
worked in a pinch. In the end, he'd be right like he always was.

Ranma blocked with a casual twist of his wrist, causing his staff
to intercept the weapon. "Really Kuno. Where else am I going to find a
girl with such admirable qualities?"

The older boy jumped back. "Admirable?"

"She's tried to have you kill me twice in one day! Her own
fiance!" said the boy. He didn't look all that upset at the moment. In
fact, he looked quite pleased with himself. "She's almost as sneaky
and underhanded as I am!"

Kuno's brain churned violently, trying to understand what was
happening. "You...do not seek to date Akane Tendo?"

"Why would I want to do that?" inquired Ranma.

"Her beauty is unrivaled! Her strength legendary! Her purity..."

"What about it?" said Ranma as he looked away in disinterest.
"She'd make a terrible wife for someone like me anyway. I mean, what
with my fiendish plots and all..."

Kuno stared at him for a long moment. "I see. Please forgive the
confusion." He turned back towards the building again and scratched
his head.

Ranma merely smiled. "Shall we play another volley of Kuno Pong,
Tendo?" he asked as he turned to look up at the windows of the school.

Nabiki had obviously not heard him, but glared at him for a moment
before turning back into the building. Ranma shrugged and smiled too
himself as he turned towards the entrance as well.

++++++++++++++++++

Three hours, and several volleys later...

Tatewaki Kuno sat huddled in a corner. He was clutching his head
in frustration and confusion with tears running down his cheeks. "I
cannot take this! Does Ranma Saotome have a fiendish plot to ensnare
Akane Tendo or not? How can he resist her beauty? His words ring true
though! How can a man such as him love anything but someone as
underhanded as Nabiki Tendo!?"

He looked up at the ceiling and cried out in anguish. "Alas! I
cannot decide! Nabiki Tendo, who's words are laced with half truth
that must be so! Ranma Saotome, who does not deny he is a fiend of
darkness, and yet speaks the truth so readily! I cannot bear this
burden! May the gods..."

"Kuno, school is over," said Ranma as he looked down at the older
boy that was cowering in the corner with his usual grin.

"Hold Saotome!" cried the older boy as he composed himself.

Ranma was about to walk away and paused. "Yes?"

"I would speak with you again!" said Kuno angrily.

Ranma merely nodded.

The older boy calmly turned away and led him out into the
courtyard. Ranma looked neither surprised, nor like he was expecting
it when Kuno did not draw his bokken. The students who had gathered
quickly dissipated as they realized there would be no fight.

"Nabiki Tendo, she tells me that you pine for her sister in
secret. She tells me that your only desire is to use her for your own
perversions and then take my beloved as your own. She does not speak
lies to me often Saotome."

Ranma nodded. "Perhaps more often than you think."

Kuno growled, but didn't argue. "Perhaps it is so. I am of a
trusting nature, but a just will."

"Tachi," Ranma walked towards the boy with his arms spread in an
open gesture. "Maybe you're just not seeing the real truth here?"

"What do you speak of villain?" growled Kuno.

The boy's grin suddenly didn't look very false at all. "Why, she's
jealous of course."

Tatewaki Kuno stared at the boy for a long moment. "Nabiki Tendo,
pines for my prowess?"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," said Ranma as he wagged his finger in
the boy's face. "It's much more complicated. She's skilled enough that
if she really wanted you, she could have had you by now." Ranma's eyes
opened halfway as he realized that he could see Nabiki in the crowd a
short distance away. "The truth, is always more sinister than the
lie."

Kuno looked extremely wary of what the boy was saying. "Speak
demon!"

Ranma chuckled. "Nabiki Tendo, does not wish for her younger
sister to have a better husband than her own."

Kuno's expression at that announcement was worth all the trouble
that Ranma had gone through to get to this point. His jaw literally
dropped and his eyes went wide.

"So, you begin to see it." Ranma smirked at the girl as the
kendoist slowly turned his head to look at her. "All this time, and
it's really been her who's been keeping you away from Akane. Her base
jealousy of her sister's good fortune too much for her to handle. Such
a cold hearted girl."

Nabiki simply stared at him with wide eyes. "What?"

"Selling photographs of her in order to keep you off of her
deception was quite a brilliant cover up too." Ranma reached into
Kuno's shirt and pulled out several photographs of Akane working out.
"A plan fiendish enough to rival one of my own, but without the
ambitious scale. She might be more interesting than I'd thought."

"Nabiki!" cried the younger girl from the other side of the crowd.

The middle Tendo didn't like the looks she was getting from some
of the crowd. "Oh shit."

"Ranma Saotome, your words ring with truth. Can it be, that Nabiki
Tendo has been keeping my love from me with subtle deception and lies?
Can it be she that keeps my true love from my embrace? It has become
clear, like Morgana of legend old, she uses my heart to twist my soul
to her own desires! The lies too sweet and spoken from such beauteous
lips. I have been fooled utterly!"

"Yes, that's nice," said Ranma as he turned to walk away from the
scene. "I'll see you tomorrow then. Maybe you can work on fouling up
one of my other fiendish plans then?"

"Very well Saotome," agreed Kuno with a short nod. He turned to
glare at Nabiki.

The girl stepped back with a shocked expression on her face as he
drew his bokken and pointed it at her. "Uh-oh."

"Nabiki Tendo, the vengeance of heaven is slow but sure..."

"Kuno! You don't really believe all that do you?" she stammered as
she backed away from him. "I mean...c'mon!"

"Silence! I shall not be tainted by your lies any longer! Free my
love from this sorceress's grip at once!"

Nabiki went as white as a sheet. "Oh god no."

Kuno charged forward, and she did the only thing she could; turned
and ran.

+++++++++++++++++

Ranma smirked as he watched the scene play out before him from the
school gate. Akane was chasing after Kuno, having realized that the
boy was trying to kill her sister. Kuno was slashing wildly after
Nabiki, who was running as fast as she could with a shredded uniform
and several large bruises covering her body.

Most of the students gave the scene a large area of clearance,
especially after a few were injured by Kuno's wild swings when the
whole mess started. It had gone on for almost ten minutes when Ranma
started to realize that Tatewaki Kuno was starting to get tired. Akane
was closing in fast, but then again, Nabiki was about to pass out from
all the running that she'd been doing.

With a small sigh he raised his staff into the air and vanished
from his perch on top of the gate. None of the students noticed him do
this, as they were all watching the scene in either amusement, horror,
or just plain shock.

Kuno slashed at Nabiki a final time as the girl collapsed against
a wall and braced herself for the impact. Akane rushed up behind the
boy, but she was still too far away to stop one or two strikes from
connecting.

She was saved by the one person she never expected to see, Ranma
Saotome.

The boy appeared in front of Kuno just as his missed slash cut
through the air where he had appeared. His hand was shoving the older
boy's face back and Kuno waved his arms around wildly. "I think that's
about enough."

Kuno growled through the boy's hand and Akane gasped as she
realized what had happened.

"As much as I'd enjoy it, I can't let you harm her Kuno. She is my
fiancee after all, I am honor bound to protect her..." The boy trailed
off as he looked over his shoulder at the girl.

"We are not engaged!" growled Nabiki hatefully through her gasps.

"Really? I suppose I don't have to stop Kuno then. After all, if
we're not in agreement about this, we're not engaged are we?"

Kuno continued to try and push his face through Ranma's hand and
slashed with his bokken wildly. The strikes always narrowly missed the
ponytailed boy as he calmly held him back.

"What?" muttered Akane in shock.

"If I'm not engaged to her, I've got no obligation to protect her
at all," replied Ranma with a small shrug.

"It's a martial artist's duty to protect the weak!" snapped Akane
angrily.

"Who ever said that I was a martial artist?" replied Ranma calmly.

Akane stepped back and stared at him in shock. He opened his eyes
and looked at her for a moment with his grin becoming the sinister
leer once again. "What?" She was too shocked by the display to do
anything as his hand released Kuno's face and sent the boy charging
blindly forward.

The enraged Kendoist was beyond pissed. He simply charged towards
Nabiki as if he'd never been blocked in the first place and readied
his attack again.

"No!" cried Nabiki as she shielded herself again in the corner. "I
accept the engagement! Help me!" She suddenly realized that she hadn't
been struck and looked up.

Ranma was holding Kuno by the back of his shirt calmly. He tossed
the boy aside and Kuno rolled across the dirt. "Calm yourself."

Kuno growled and readied himself.

"Akane wouldn't like it if you killed her sister, evil or not."

The girl in question had taken up a martial arts stance between
the pair. She wasn't sure which direction to be facing. "Who? What's
going on here? What happened?"

Kuno calmed down visibly, but was still a little dazed.

"Your sister just learned an important lesson," replied Ranma
calmly.

"What's that? You almost killed her!" snapped Akane angrily.

"There is always someone better." He hadn't looked back at Nabiki
once since he'd saved her the second time.

The girl was on her feet in the corner. She had her head turned
away and was holding her elbows in a closed posture.

Ranma smirked at Kuno as the boy kept glancing towards Nabiki.
"Come now Kuno. Her deception will probably not work if you know about
it."

"Your words are lies, but laced with truth," growled Kuno
hatefully. "Nabiki Tendo, will not be able to manipulate me again."

Ranma smirked as the older boy turned away and left the grounds.
The crowd parted to allow him room as he walked off. "Perhaps she
won't, at least never as easily as before." He turned to look at the
two sisters for a moment. "I'll be seeing you when you get home I
suppose." He followed after Kuno and got an even wider area of
clearance.

Nabiki merely frowned, her rage and fear barely held back under
her mask of ice. "Damn him."

Akane turned to look at the girl as she knelt down beside her. "I
hate to say this, but you've had it coming for some time now."

Nabiki glanced at her for a moment and stood up, dusting the
remains of her uniform off. There were only a few tears in it, and it
was still decent. "Who the hell are you to talk about that?"

Akane gasped and stared at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"If you have to ask, you'll never know," replied the older girl as
she walked towards the crowd. They didn't part for her and she
growled. "Move now."

The students parted like the Red Sea.

From the top of a nearby tree, Ranma Saotome watched the scene
play out before him. "Well Tendo, let's see how you handle this one."

+++++++++++++++++++++

"Ranma?"

Ranma Saotome was in the dojo with his father. Both of them
standing on their heads with their legs crossed as if sitting upside
down. It was fairly obvious that the boy was having an easier time of
it, as he was also playing with a portable video game system while he
was doing the exercise.

"Yes?"

"I heard you had a bit of trouble in school today," said Genma
calmly.

"Yes I did. Nothing too bad though. Oh! I've got good news. Nabiki
Tendo accepted the engagement at school today. That means your plans
are probably going rather nicely."

Genma blinked, he wasn't sure what to make of that. "Uh, very good
boy."

"I thought you might be pleased to hear about that," agreed Ranma
cheerfully.

+++++++++++++++++

Akane Tendo walked out of the bathroom and blinked. Ranma was
standing outside with his bath supplies, waiting patiently. They were
in the hall together, and she was far from indecent, but it struck her
as odd for him to be standing there like that.

"You should remember to put up the occupied sign since you have
guests," he commented calmly. "I might not have heard you in there."

She blushed and nodded. "Sorry. I'll remember that."

Ranma grinned at her and walked into the room behind her.

"I don't think I've ever noticed him taking a bath before,"
thought Akane as she cocked her head as she walked into her room. She
quickly dismissed it though. The boy had only been there a few days
anyway. She probably just hadn't noticed yet, and he seemed clean.

++++++++++++++++

Ranma dropped his tub of toiletries aside with a snort and looked
up at the ceiling for a moment. "Ah. There you are! Did you acquire
what I wanted?" Opening his palm, the crystal dropped into it from the
ceiling and flashed once. Ranma smiled and stuck it into his pocket.
"Excellent."

++++++++++++++++

Nabiki Tendo frowned as she glanced up at Tatewaki Kuno. The boy
was calmly sitting down at his desk and said nothing to her. She
shoved her nose into her magazine a little deeper and tried her best
to ignore him.

She'd taken the seat so that she could be close to him. He was
something of a friend, and at the very least an excellent source of
income. Now he was more than that, she had good reason to be very
nervous at such close range. No one else wanted to sit near him
either, so she was basically stuck. "Shit."

"Did you speak Nabiki Tendo?" asked the boy calmly.

"No," she growled impatiently.

"Ah," said the boy as he nodded calmly.

+++++++++++++++++++++

Three days later...

"What?" said Nabiki as she stared at Kuno.

"I have refused your offer," said the boy as he nodded calmly.

"These are good pictures!" snapped Nabiki as she laid them all
down on the table. "Three thousand yen is a steal!"

"That may be Nabiki Tendo, but I have no use for such..." Kuno
paused and looked down at one of the photos. "Well, perhaps this
one..."

"It's a set, you want one, you gotta take em all," said Nabiki
sourly.

"I have little need of these," said Kuno as he glanced at the pile
for a moment.

"What? Why is that? You're not dumping Akane are you?"

"Dumping her?" asked Kuno as he looked at the photos and pulled
out a small wad of cash.

"Why so prissy about the photo's then? You've always bought them
before," snorted Nabiki.

Kuno frowned at her. "Alas. I have only two thousand yen with me
today."

Nabiki stared at him as if his head had just fallen off. "What?"

"I shall buy this photo of Akane Tendo alone, for one thousand
yen, or you will have to wait until tomorrow for payment."

"What do you mean you've only got two thousand yen?" she growled
as she grabbed him by his collar.

"It was earlier today. I came upon an offer I could not refuse!"
said Kuno as he puffed himself up.

"Right," grumbled Nabiki. "Three thousand yen, tomorrow." She
shoved the photographs into his face and turned to glare at the front
of the room.

Kuno watched her for a moment and sighed. He pulled a small
crystal from his pocket and put it over his eye.

Nabiki turned to stare at him for a moment in confusion. "What the
hell is he doing?"

Kuno got a huge grin on his face, his mouth opened and he started
to drool.

"Kuno? On drugs?" she muttered as she stared at the crystal for a
moment. She was surprised that even someone as dumb as he was would be
so blatant about it. That was when she realized that there was
something moving inside the small clear crystal. She peered at it a
little closer and gasped. "What the hell?"

Inside the tiny shard, was an image of her sister taking a bath.
She was currently in the middle of washing herself.

Nabiki snatched it away from the boy and stared at it inside her
palm in shock. "Where the hell did you get this?"

Kuno stared at her for a moment and shrugged his shoulders. "The
foul sorcerer, Ranma Saotome, he sold me this gem for a mere ten
thousand yen."

"Ranma?" growled Nabiki dumbly. "What the hell is this thing? How
did he manage this? How the hell am I supposed to compete with this?"
She put the crystal up to her eye and realized just how hard competing
with something like this was going to be. She could zoom in, and even
change the angle of the crystal clear image moving in front of her. It
was right about this point that she realized that she had no idea how
the hell this thing was working. "This is impossible!"

"Yes, a wondrous thing, is it not?" agreed Kuno as he took it back
and placed it inside his pocket.

Nabiki frowned as the teacher entered the room and class started.
"This is going to take some looking into."

++++++++++++++++++

It was early morning at the Tendo dojo. Ranma Saotome smirked as
he launched himself into the air at his father. It seemed almost as if
the boy was actually flying off the ground as he charged headfirst
into the man that was jumping above him. Genma cried out in an angry
yell as he met his son's charge.

"Foolish boy! You can't counter a mid air kick with your arms that
way!"

Ranma merely slid sideways in mid air and punched at his father as
the kick missed. "Can't I?"

"No!" replied Genma as he grabbed the offending arm and pulled his
son down with him.

Ranma's eyes went wide as he realized that they were plummeting
towards the Koi pool.

"Ranma! Mr. Saotome! Breakfast!" called Kasumi.

"Oh! Thank you Kasumi dear!" said Genma as he neared the surface
of the water with his son in his grip. Ranma was flailing his arms as
they descended, it seemed as if they were falling a little slowly
actually, but not so much that it was really noticeable.

With a mighty splash, both combatants were submerged for a moment
in the shallow pool..

++++++++++++++++

At the breakfast table, Ranma sat with his father, who was in his
panda form. Ranma seemed dry, if not for the slightly damp state of
his hair. No one seemed to notice or care as they started eating.

"Starting today, I have a part time job," said Genma's sign.

Ranma smiled cheerfully at the man and nodded. "For a zoo? I have
heard that they've been having trouble breeding pandas lately. That
should pay quite well."

Genma glared at the boy and held up a sign that said "Wrooonnng!"

Nabiki scowled at her fiance and picked at her breakfast. "So what
is it then?"

"I'll tell you," started Genma's sign.

"For three thousand yen," said the sign Ranma placed in his
parent's hand.

Akane had to suppress a giggle at the sight of it and Nabiki
frowned sourly.

"I don't want to know that bad."

Kasumi spoke up with her face brightening up a little. "Oh, by the
way Akane. On your way home from school, could you stop by Dr.
Tofu's?" I borrowed this book from him and I'd like you to return it."

Ranma arched his eyebrow as he noticed the title, 'Human pressure
points'. "What would she need with something like that?" he thought
privately.

Akane suddenly looked uncomfortable, and she disguised it poorly.
"Could you, um, do it yourself Kasumi? Today's just...Uh...not too
good for me."

Kasumi frowned slightly. "Really? I guess I'll have to."

"Don't be silly, Akane would love to see the good doctor again,"
said Ranma as he put down his bowl. "It's obvious she has quite the
cr..."

Akane glared at him and jerked at his ponytail violently. "Come on
Ranma. We're going to be late!"

"No we aren't, in fact, we have plenty of time to stop by and
see..."

"Shut it and move!" snapped the girl as she pulled him along
behind her by his hair. Ranma ignored this and simply crossed his arms
and waited as he was pulled through the streets of Nerima. After about
two minutes he decided that she wasn't going to stop on her own.
"What are you so heated up about?"

A familiar sensation ran across his body as they passed the old
woman's home. Once again he had been the target of her ladle. His body
slammed into the ground for a moment and jerked Akane back off her
feet as she tried to press forward.

The girl blinked in surprise and turned around. Ranma was getting
too his feet with a slightly uncomfortable look on his face. "They
aren't going to overhear me now."

The girl growled as she forgot about what had just happened to her
and spun on her heels. "Listen! You'd better keep your mouth shut!"

"About what?" said Ranma as he obviously feigned ignorance.

"I mean about Dr. Tofu and..."

"Ah! So it's true is it?" replied the boy simply as he grinned at
her. "I thought something was up the other day." The boy had turned
away from her and put his fingers up to his lips in a contemplative
gesture. "That's interesting. It also explains how you were so easily
defused."

Akane stared at him for a moment. "What? What the hell are you
talking about?"

"It's nothing. That doctor of yours is an interesting man. I
should meet him again sometime."

The girl felt somewhat repulsed by the very idea of the boy
meeting Tofu, and she wasn't sure why.

"Come on. We're almost there anyway," said Ranma as he started
forward again.

++++++++++++++++

"Get out of my way!" screamed Akane as she charged into the crowd
of boys.

Ranma hung back and let her handle it as he strolled around the
long way and skirted along the edge of the skirmish. He paused in
front of a tree and leaned against the front of it. "Good morning
Kuno."

"'Tis a fine day indeed Saotome," said the boy's voice from the
other side.

"She's almost finished, almost time for you to appear," commented
the ponytailed boy casually.

"True, she grows stronger with each passing day. She does in mere
moments what she used to take minutes to do," said Kuno.

"You're still holding back," commented Ranma.

"Do you not have other places to be this morning?" growled Kuno.

"Sorry, didn't know it was a sensitive spot," replied Ranma as he
started towards the building.

++++++++++++++++

Physical Education, Ranma hated the class, the name, and
everything it represented. Still, it was far from difficult. That
didn't mean he was going to stand for it long. "No."

"What?" growled the large coach that oversaw the class.

"You want me to perform acrobatics, in order to impress you by
slinging myself around a metal pole at high velocity?"

"That's right!" snapped the man angrily.

"I think I'll pass, thank you anyway," replied the boy as he
looked at the set of iron bars that loomed over them.

"Think you'll get hurt?" prodded the man.

"Of course not, but I might get dirty," replied Ranma calmly.
"Besides. I don't have another set of clothes for later. If I get
these all sweaty, I'll have too stink for the rest of the day. What
would my fiancee say?"

The coach grumbled and looked down at his clipboard. "Fine. You
fail then."

"Very well," said the boy as he turned back towards the group of
students. That would definitely get the old man's panties in a bunch,
bringing home a failing grade from P.E. would drive his father
completely up the wall.

He sat down in a loosely spread out group of boys and watched as
the other students struggled with the bars. One or two could get a few
spins off of it, but most couldn't even perform a pull up.

"Wow. I've never seen someone with enough balls to tell Coach
Tanaka no," said one of the boys who moved up to Ranma's side. There
were two of them, Ranma recognized them as Hiroshi and Daisuke, two
members of his class.

"So I've heard," he replied calmly.

"So. Level with us Saotome," said Hiroshi as he edged a bit
closer. "How far have you gotten with Nabiki anyway?"

"Don't play dumb with us. She's your fiancee right?" agreed
Daisuke.

Ranma merely looked at the pair for a moment. "Pardon me?"

"Come on, you must have #%* by now! Have you ~@&?"

The boy's grin never faltered. "Now that...is a secret."

"My god! He has done it!" muttered Hiroshi in awe.

Ranma's head whipped around and he stared at the boy. The entire
class was now circled around him, asking for details, explanations,
and a rating. "I never said that I did," he replied calmly to the
group.

There was a collective muttering from the group.

"Heh. I also never said I didn't. It wouldn't be very much fun if
I just told you would it?"

The glances of confusion he got from that were enough to keep him
satisfied. The boys lost interest, figuring Ranma was just pulling
their chains, which he was. He wasn't going to great lengths to
disguise that fact either.

"Man. I bet you wish you could have gotten Akane instead,"
muttered Daisuke.

"Not really," replied Ranma with a small shrug.

"What do you mean? Akane's a total babe!" cried Hiroshi dumbly.

"Maybe she is, but she's already got someone," said Ranma as he
smiled at the boy.

"Sh-she does?" muttered Daisuke.

"Of course. I wonder how much Kuno would pay me to find out about
this?" commented Ranma too himself.

"Akane has a boyfriend?" stammered Hiroshi.

"I wouldn't call him that, no," replied Ranma with a small shrug.
His tone implied something more though and he smirked at the wide-eyed
glares of everyone around him.

"Who is he?" demanded one of the boys nearby.

"Yeah!" agreed another student.

Ranma smiled at the angry mob forming around him. "Who is he?
Well..."

Tink!

Splat.

Ranma was laid out on the ground with a baseball stuck deep into
his cheek.

"No!" cried one of the boys. "We've got to find out who this guy
is!"

"Damn it! Wake up Saotome!" agreed another student.

The group began to slap the unconscious boy across his face and
shake him violently.

Ranma, who was neither knocked out, or in all that much pain,
despite the ball and the rough handling, was thoroughly enjoying this
little twist of fate.

+++++++++++++++++++++

"I'm sorry. Does it still hurt?" grumbled Akane.

Ranma, true to form, was making a large show of how much pain he
was in. He was leaning against his staff and staggering down the
street with a painful expression on his face. "It's nothing, barely
feel it."

The pair paused as the sound of sweeping filled the air. They
turned their heads in unison and stared at Genma Saotome, in his panda
form, sweeping the front door of the local acupuncture clinic.

"Hey," said the boy as he nodded at his father. Akane didn't
notice him completely forget that he was supposed to be in pain
though.

The panda growled and looked at them in a friendly manner.

The door opened and the man Ranma had seen on the street earlier
stepped out. "Oh! Akane. I wasn't expecting to see you today."

Ranma nodded his greeting and the pair looked at each other
wordlessly.

"You owe me an introduction," said Tofu cheerfully after several
moments.

"Ah. So I do. I am Ranma Saotome, it seems you have my father
working for you now."

"Really? I don't see the resemblance," said Tofu cheerfully.

"I get that a lot," said Ranma cheerfully.

Genma wasn't sure if he should be upset about it or not. Tofu
ended that train of thought when he spoke up again though. "Why don't
you come inside and have a cup of tea?"

+++++++++++++++++++

"What happened to your face Ranma?" asked the man as he noticed
the large bandage over the boy's cheek.

"Just a little baseball accident," replied the boy with a shrug.

"Well. I have a balm that works wonders!" chimed Tofu. "Back in a
jiffy!"

Ranma frowned slightly at this. "Jiffy?"

The phone rang suddenly and Tofu called from the back room. "Dang!
Could you answer that Mr. Saotome?"

Genma waddled over to the phone and picked it up. He stood there
for several moments just staring forward.

"AAARRRGGGGHHHH! Panda's can't talk!" lamented Genma's sign.

Akane walked over and took the phone from him.

Ranma looked into his cup of tea as if nothing happened. "Hmmm.
Tofu and Kasumi make a similar cup of tea. Subtle flavorings, this is
Ginseng and oddly enough, rose petals if I'm tasting right." He nodded
too himself. "Very good for circulation."

"Hello? Can I help you?" muttered Akane as she gave the boy an odd
look. She paused for a moment and let the other person speak. "Yes,
yes I see. Okay, bye." Without another word she turned towards the
door. "Okay. I'm going home now."

Ranma looked at her for a moment and sighed. "Is something wrong?"

Akane was obviously lying when she spoke again. "No. Nothing like
that."

"Why rush away then? Don't feel like fighting for your man?"

Akane turned around to slap him, but paused at the rather serious
looking frown on his face.

"What would you know?" she snapped as she looked down at the
floor.

"About something like love? Nothing really, not my cup of tea," he
replied with a small shrug. "I'm probably the last person you want to
go to for advice on that." Ranma's mind worked as he turned the
situation over in his mind carefully. This could be loads of fun.
Especially if the other party involved was who he thought it was. He
so wanted to see a crack in that cheery personality.

"Shut up," growled Akane as she put her hand over his mouth.
"There's a girl, that Dr. Tofu likes."

Ranma resumed his normal expression, but couldn't smile with her
hand over his lips.

"That was her on the phone, she's coming right over."

The door opened behind them and Ranma stared forward. "Well, I'll
say something for him..."

Akane turned to glare at him as a little old woman walked into the
office.

"He certainly can pick them."

"That's not her!" growled Akane.

+++++++++++++++++++++

"Out shopping Kasumi?" asked the largish man poking around a
vegetable stand.

The girl was walking by him in the street and she turned to smile.
"No. Just visiting Dr. Tofu."

The man nodded cheerfully and smiled back. As soon as she was
gone, his smile turned into a frown. "Put out the word quick!"

Another man who stood at his side nodded and rushed away.

+++++++++++++++++++

"Kasumi you say?" said Ranma as he looked at the girl. He tried
his best to fake surprise, well not really, but that was half the fun.

Akane didn't notice this and continued. "Yes. Dr. Tofu likes her
doesn't he? The way he looks at her..."

Tofu poked his head around the corner after them. "What are you
two doing?"

"Discussing life, love, and all those important matters," said
Ranma cheerfully.

Akane nodded slowly and looked uncertain.

"Ah! I see!" said Tofu as he grinned at the pair. "I'll see to
that wound now."

Ranma nodded and followed after the man. Akane walked in after
them and picked up her tea. It was still hot and she blew some of the
steam off of the top. "I should have left."

Ranma took the bandage off of his face and looked at the man.

"Hmmm. The impression of that baseball; Akane hit it right?"

The ponytailed boy didn't have to fake being surprised. "Huh?"

"With an impression that deep, a bruise that big, who else?" said
Tofu.

Ranma turned to glare at Akane for a moment. "It was rather
painful."

"It was your fault for not paying attention!" she said as she
blushed.

Tofu looked somewhat surprised himself for a moment. "You
mean...Akane really did hit that ball? I was...I was just joking!"
Akane looked ashamed and the man walked over to pat her on the back.
"But what's wrong with being active?"

"True. It would keep a place like this in business," agreed Ranma.

"But, but..." muttered the girl.

"It just means you're healthy!"

"Even if the rest of Furinkan isn't," agreed Ranma.

"Would you shut up! That's not my fault!"

"I never said it was," replied the boy calmly. "Still, it doesn't
change the facts."

"Hold still, I have to apply this disinfectant," said Tofu.

The pair moved up close to each other for a moment. Tofu paused at
the expression on the boy's face. He was actually looking at him
directly and had a shady looking grin on his face. Tofu gently grabbed
the boy by his head and turned him so he could see the wound clearly.
His eyes narrowed as he rubbed some of the ointment on.

"So, that's your game is it?" said Ranma calmly.

"I should have known," grumbled Tofu as he realized there was no
wound at all.

"Mandrake?" whispered Ranma. "Haisefu, Chlrolista, and I believe a
touch of Oregano? Who are you trying to kid Tofu?"

Tofu would have stepped back with a shocked expression on his face
if he had heard him. He'd have been wondering just how the boy knew
the exact contents of the balm. Even more, he would have questioned
why the boy was faking an injury like this, even going so far as to
actually create a fake imprint and bruise. He would have realized that
something was up, if Kasumi Tendo hadn't walked into the room at that
very moment.

Krak!

"Uh!" Ranma's eyes went wide as he found himself looking at the
world sideways. His neck was twisted at a ninety-degree angle so that
his head was sideways, and he couldn't move it back.

"K-k-k-kasumi!"

"What the?" Ranma's eyes went wide as he saw the reaction the man
got when he saw the woman.

"Um, I thought I just heard something!" muttered Kasumi.

"Yes, my neck," replied Ranma sourly. "Um, if you don't mind..."

"Are you all right?" asked Kasumi as she approached the boy.

He shied away from her uncomfortably and looked up at Tofu.
"Great. He's gone."

"Oh! Ranma isn't entirely human! I wouldn't worry about it," said
Tofu as he patted Genma on the nose.

"Pardon?" said Kasumi as she stared at him for a moment.

The pigtailed boy's eyes went wide as he stared forward. "Huh?"

"Not, human?" muttered Akane as she looked at him.

"Does he always get this way?" muttered Ranma as he looked up at
Kasumi.

"Oh yes! He's very amusing don't you think?"

"Very," replied Ranma as his cheerful expression returned once
again. "In fact, you've just made my day!"

"Oh! Doctor! I almost forgot! I brought these for you!" said
Kasumi as she held out a covered plate.

Tofu took the towel that covered the cookies and put it over his
face. "Oh! How nice! A mask!"

"Um, that's not what I meant..." said Kasumi as she smiled and
blushed a little.

"Very tasty!" said Tofu as he ate the plate.

"Um. That's the..."

Ranma was on his feet and standing at the door despite his neck.
He reached into the pouch at his side and dug around while all this
was going on, coming up with a small jar of some sort of balm. He
opened it and put it on his cheek where Tofu had applied the balm.
"That takes care of that!"

"Dr. Tofu is so amusing isn't he?" asked Kasumi as she leaned in
to her sister.

"He's never like this when you're not around," said Akane as she
smiled at him.

"That's because her pure aura disrupts his chi field. He's
allergic to her, but he does love her. He'll have to choose between
you or his art."

Both girls looked up at the boy standing beside them.

"How ironic, trained his whole life in the mystic arts to become a
better healer, and because of it he can never have what he truly
wants. Sad isn't it?"

"What?" stammered Akane as she looked at him oddly.

"It's nothing," replied the boy calmly. "It's obvious he's not
entirely there anymore. I doubt if I'll get anything useful done. I've
counteracted the balm he tried to use on me anyway. The fool, he knows
what he's doing though. Might be useful in the future. I believe he
thought I was possessed at first. Ah well."

Akane looked at him oddly. "I'd ask you what the hell you were
talking about, but I think it's best if I just go."

Ranma nodded and continued to watch the doctor stumble about. It
was quite entertaining really.

"Oh my! I wonder what's wrong with her? We could have gone home
together."

"I suppose you could have," replied Ranma calmly. The doctor was
now tormenting his father, it was getting better and better.

"I suppose I should leave too."

"Why? She'll be all right," said Ranma. He didn't want the source
of such interesting scenes leaving just yet.

Kasumi ignored him and left.

Ranma sighed and turned to follow her. He didn't really want to be
around when the doctor recovered and discovered that his plan to
'exorcise' the demon inside him had failed. Still, that balm had
burned, it was a good thing he had something to neutralize it on him.
This wasn't the first time something like this had happened too him.

"The little love triangle is breaking up. Tofu might actually have
a chance of being happy with Akane, so I guess it's for the best
anyway that she gets over him." He turned to look back at the building
for a moment and his cheerful grin returned. "I'm sure I can find
other ways to amuse myself."

+++++++++++++++

Nabiki Tendo watched her fiancee calmly walk into the home and
stroll by her. She didn't even blink as he turned the corner and
ignored her completely. The entire time, his head was cocked sideways.
"Is there something wrong with his neck?"

+++++++++++++++++++

Akane was sitting in a pile of debris. Her face was contorted in
frustration. She stood up and put her hand against the wall as she
struggled with her emotions. "I can't let it hurt me." She hung her
head and closed her eyes.

When she opened him, she realized that Ranma was staring at her
about two inches from her face. "You know. Your doctor friend is quite
an interesting man."

"Gah!" She slammed his head into the ground. "What do you want?"

"You didn't seem upset enough, so I thought I'd come by and help,"
replied the boy with a shrug.

"..."

"What?" Ranma looked at her for a moment and grinned cheerfully as
normal. He seemed to realize that his neck wasn't turned anymore
suddenly and tested it a bit. "Hey. I'm cured."

"In that case, do you have a minute?"

The boy turned to look at her in confusion and pointed at himself.

"Yes you. Come on."

He wasn't sure what to say or do, so he simply followed.

+++++++++++++++++++++

Akane growled as she kicked out at Ranma as fast as she could. The
boy was gone and appeared elsewhere around her. He didn't even look
like he was sweating at all.

"This is quite interesting and all..."

"It wouldn't be so boring if you'd just fight back!" snapped
Akane.

"I could be hurt though," he said as he vanished again and
appeared behind her. "Besides, anger is good and all, but all the
time? Maybe you should try something new. I know! How about
depression, or something? Just for a change of pace?"

The girl spun around and struck at him with her fist again. He
appeared behind her as usual, but it was anticipated this time and she
kicked out at him. He dodged easily by leaning back and shifting
around the other strikes that followed. "Is this any better?"

"No! I can't work off my stress if you don't fight me!"

"Why would I want you to do that?" he replied cryptically.

"What's with you?" she grumbled as she paused and stared at him.

"Me? Nothing. In fact, I have no regrets, how about you? You'd be
a lot happier and smile more if you didn't. You're not all that bad
looking I suppose."

Akane blinked. "Huh? What's that mean?"

"Blew it!" said Ranma cheerfully as he poked her in the forehead
and sent her too her rear.

"What? That was dirty!"

Ranma merely smiled at her flushed expression.

++++++++++++++++++++

Akane flopped down on her bed after coming out of the bath. She
was dressed for bed, but the boy's words irritated her for some
reason. "You're not all that bad looking I suppose."

"That jerk! I am cute damn it!" she muttered to herself. It wasn't
really all that much of an insult really. It certainly didn't sound
like one anyway, she could never be sure with him. "Well, at least
he's Nabiki's problem."

Thinking about it again she sighed. "Do I have regrets?" It was
something to think about later. She walked over to her desk and picked
up a mirror. She smiled into it just to see. "I don't get it."

When she looked up, she was halfway expecting to see him there
with another smart-ass comment. He wasn't though, she merely looked up
at the moon and turned off the light. "I'll deal with it tomorrow."

+++++++++++++++++

A few days later...

"A wild boar!"

"On a rampage!"

The tiny burg of people deep within the wilds of Japan bustled
with activity as the giant beast crashed through the small crowd of
residents. It squealed angrily as it tore through carts of food and
shoved people aside carelessly. Charging down the street, it moved
towards a single figure wandering down the road.

A few of the men who had managed to escape the path of the animal
called too him. "You there! Get out of the way ya dang fool!"

The boy turned too look at him, a bandana covered most of his
forehead, despite it his hair hung almost below his eye line. He had
no bags, no supplies and his clothes had seen better days. The only
thing on his face, was a sinister looking grin as the animal charged
forward. He raised his hands and put it up in a halting gesture.

The animal ignored him and his grin widened a bit, revealing two
fangs that protruded over his lips. "Get out of my way." His words
were quiet as he stood his ground as the boar neared him.

Finally they seemed to meet, the boy appeared to actually fade out
of existence for a moment and turned his head back to look at the
animal that had passed by him. He raised his hand and shook it off
casually, splattering the dirt with blood as he did so.

The creature fell forward onto the ground dead. Its entire skull
was caved in from a blow to the front, and it's intestines were
hanging out of several more along its side. They appeared to have been
ripped out rather forcefully.

"What the?" stammered one of the men as he shook his head to be
sure of what he'd just seen.

The villagers stepped back away from him as he approached them.
With a fluid motion he pulled a small piece of map from his pocket.

The crowd gasped and jerked back fearfully. He didn't seem to care
at all.

"Where is Furinkan High School?"

One of the old men spoke up in confusion. "Furinkan High School?"

Another old man moved up to look at the small map as the boy
handed it too them. They handed it back and looked at him rather
dumbly. "Ain't this Tokyo?"

"That's five hundred miles north of here!"

The boy nodded. "I see, forgive the commotion." He turned and
started walking away.

"Ya suppose he's lost?" asked one of the old men.

That was the last thing the boy heard from the villagers as he
continued to search. "Ranma Saotome! Prepare to meet me again! Because
of you, I can never see hell! I shall destroy you for that!"

Ryoga Hibiki growled angrily as he continued to search for his
rival, sooner or later he'd find him. Then he could finally find
peace, if not death.

++++++++++++++++++++++

TBC...

Heh. Take that! I'm so evil it's scary sometimes! ^_^