Meeting Later - Chapter 4.
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended. All spelling is pretending to be Australian.
Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favourite authors. Tom has given me the honour of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work. To view more of his work, which I personally recommend, his web site is http://www.geocities.com/twrensch
Last Updated: 13/12/05
*****
The large recreation hall was filled with people watching the dozen or so fights going through the preliminaries on open mats for evaluation by the judges. All were vying for the final slots in each of the thirty-two male and female line-ups for the televised tournament. Ranma and Akane, dressed in casual clothes, walked around and between the fights. It didn't take very long to work out the contenders from the punching bags. Ranma was on a first name basis with many of them anyway.
"Lot better quality opponents this year. Hell, last year they only had twenty six guys and thirteen girls, this year they're paying to get a shot at the preliminaries." Ranma noted over the din.
"I guess they think it's a real event this year. What's the prize money?"
"Don't know, have to check it later. Hey, there's Konatsu!"
Weaving through Akane saw a very attractive woman in a kimono facing off against young man with short hair in an embossed Dojo Gi. He had a tonfa (very similar to a police stick) held in his right hand, the bar extending back down his forearm.
"I thought this wasn't mixed sex fighting?"
"It isn't, she's a he. Don't worry, he's actually a pretty cool guy, he was just raised as a woman."
Akane glanced at Ranma, his tone had changed mid sentence as if he felt bad about something. She thought briefly about how Aunty handled things like this, and gently probed, "And?"
Ranma took his eyes off the preparations to glance at Akane. Before looking back to the starting fight. "He's entirely devoted to Ucchan. While she's still after me, we can't really be friends."
Akane nodded returning her gaze to the fight. She knew Ranma valued friendship highly and had few close friends.
The fight lasted less than the time needed for the judges to state the rules. The young man attacked with a kick and a quick follow up jab with the tonfa. Without adjusting her... his posture, Konatsu smacked the kick to the side with a closed fan before opening the fan in front of the jab. The fist and tonfa stock tore through the paper of the fan but was locked by the snapping shut of the fans arms around his wrist. With strength belying her...his build Konatsu tossed him off the mat.
"Point two. Kenzan, winner."
Ranma stepped over to the cross dresser as he bowed to the judges and his opponent. "Hey Konatsu, you didn't have to be so hard on the poor guy."
Konatsu smiled brightly and spoke in very feminine tones, "Just perfecting some options, Ranma-san."
"Train while you can, the preliminaries are good for that since it's not lose and you're out."
"You're not competing?" He gestured to the causal dress of the pair, but he knew Ranma had done more than his share of fighting in his Chinese clothes, though Akane was in a skirt and blouse.
"Nah, Pop and me were given slots straight to the finals, but Pops' away, so we got 'em to let Akane have his slot."
"Ah yes, Akane Tendo. Pleased to meet you, I'm Konatsu Kenzan."
Akane smirked at Ranma's ashamed look after forgetting to introduce them. "Hi, pleased to meet you. You've heard of me?"
"Ukyo-sama has mentioned you... on occasion, down at her restaurant."
The girl winced a little at the memory from nearly two weeks ago. "Yeah, Ukyo and I didn't meet under the best circumstances."
The waitress’s gentle smile was strangely relaxing to Akane. "I believe Junko's next fight is up soon, I will have to relieve her. This way please."
Akane saw a strange expression brush over Ranma's face at the mention of Junko. Not fear or anger but something much... sadder.
As they moved through the mats they saw several more fighters that both would consider contenders in the finals before coming to an athletically built young woman quickly pouring, cooking and giving away free Okonomiyaki orders from a portable grill. The smell of the grill set off a loud growl from Akane's stomach, yet everyone looked at Ranma as the source. Fortunately for Akane, he ignored them, his mind not in the moment.
Akane saw Ranma grimace at the other food vendors, all from Shishimi franchises, giving away free food as well, but this young girl was the only one with a queue of customers. Although Ranma obviously didn't like seeing these other food vendors, he also seemed a little reluctant to look at the girl.
Dressed in a dark Kimono, with the Ucchan's Okonomiyaki logo on the back, the girl kept at least two bases on the hot plate constantly, pouring the next as she flipped a completed one onto a waiting paper plate before passing it to whoever was waiting. Her dark hair was held up in an intricate flowing form on her head while her blue eyes were intently watching her cooking, one hand flipping the latest batter while the other wrote in sauce over the topping, 'UCCHANS on Shizawa Street'.
Konatsu crouched behind her and opened a small cooler, washing his hands in the water within. Finished he wiped his hands and closed the box. He manoeuvred gently behind Junko, careful not to disturb her and whispered to her before beginning a steady clapping. The young woman didn't seem to react until suddenly tapping matching beats on the grill. On the third beat she tossed her spatula in the air and flipped up from her kneeling position, backwards over Konatsu. Konatsu came down from his crouch to take her place kneeling and caught the falling spatula, taking over her cooking without missing a beat. There was some light clapping from those watching.
"Hey Junko, How ya doing? You seen Ucchan?"
"Hi Ranchan! Now what did you just call me? Hmmm!"
Ranma's wince made Akane giggle "Hey 'Junchan'."
Junko's smile increased, "That's better. I'm fine, Ukyo had to dash back to the store but should be here any second. Who's this? Oh I know, it's Akari from your martial arts school, isn't it, I'm right aren't I?"
Akane blinked before catching up to the high paced girl's conversation. "Hi, Aka*ne* Tendo of the Tendo School of Anything Goes."
"Junko Kosin... formally of the Kosin Martial Arts School." Junko's face and posture fell just after stating her name. Ranma's hand immediately shot out to rub her shoulder and Konatsu slowed down his cooking paying careful attention to the girl.
"Hey, Junko your fights up soon, let’s go show 'em what ya got." Ranma's obviously awkward statement seemed to cheer her right up and, after a quick wiping of her eyes, she led them over to one corner of the hall, where one of the full fight rings from the actual tournament had been set up.
After speaking to the judges, she was about to flip into the ring when Ranma stepped up to her and whispered something in her ear. After a quick smile and a 'high five', she flipped up into the ring. Shucking off her Kimono she revealed a tight tank top knotted high on her midriff and Lycra bike shorts, both in a dark blue.
The sudden crowd of males around the ring attested to its... public appeal.
As Ranma stepped back to stand with her, Akane could see the odd look in his eyes as he watched the girl. Glancing around to make sure no one would hear, he leaned down to her. "Don't worry, that wasn't your fault with Junko. Nearly six months ago her father was killed in a challenge fight by a Dojo Destroyer using a technique my father made. I managed to beat him. He's in jail now, and I got him to swear to never use the technique again, but because Junko wasn't ready and there were no other masters', her family school had to be closed. Her Mom blames my family for the death because Pop made the technique, so we can't really be friends. She's been working for Ucchan and things have been much better between us since then. She occasionally challenges me to test moves she's been redeveloping from some family scrolls."
Akane nodded taking in this and added it to memories of Ranma's behaviour. She could now easily pick the strong guilt he was giving off from the moment he saw Junko. She found Aunty was right in Ranma needing a close friend. The pig tailed boy had a lot pent up inside and she really didn't mind if he would occasionally share a little with her. The trust they were developing was really nice... but in a way she couldn't pin down it was very different to the trust she had had with her old school friends. The only real problem she had was every time he brought out another one she felt a little guiltier over leaving her family over a problem that was seaming more and more trivial compared to his. She could sympathise with him from the insanity in her own life, from the Kuno family and others, but his life was more insane and there was more of it.
Ranma's posture changed and the tone in his voice changed to that he used when he was explaining a move to her when they were training together. "This is one of the rings they use in the actual tournament. Two things to watch for, the tension on the ropes and the mat level."
Immediately in a more professional mind-set, Akane swept her eyes over the orange red mating taking in the layout. The ring was six sided with posts at the six corners. The floor itself was slightly inclined from a flat circle in the centre towards the outside edge. The whole thing was a good thirty-five feet across with the centre depression about ten feet. The posts were the same as those found in a boxing or similar ring each holding three ropes at even height to the next post all the way around the ring.
"The ring is very tough, last year I couldn't even break the posts. The uneven floor isn't good for fighting with grounded styles, since the angle of the flooring can weaken ya stances, but it's great for aerial and fast acrobatic styles like Junko's and Sakura's. The trick of it is the centre floor height is adjustable but the ring is made as an eye trick so ya can't pick when it's changed, also pipes rise to touch the canvas from underneath so the outer mat may spring you back or be very solid."
"And Sakura's people control the height, so they change it at her direction."
"Bingo. First rule is to avoid the edge of centre, lots of ankles were twisted last year after a height change. And the ropes have a control that adjusts their tension. So when a moment ago it was tight and strong, next time it'll have a lot of give."
The two of them discussed points of the ring while the second competitor stepped in with Junko. Announced as Desaku Misu of the Asiko Dojo, a tall, heavily built woman, with grossly large thick lips, in her early twenties straddled the ropes as she crossed into the ring. She wore the same type of embossed gi as worn by the man in Konatsu's fight. As she strode over she winked and blew a kiss with her oversized lips towards Ranma before turning to face Junko. Her turning away caused her to miss Ranma's face turn white, and his eyes popping wide with fear.
Junko was trying to maintain her loose casual stance, but the giggling at Ranma was ruining the image.
"Another fiancée?"
"Nope, not mine Akane, I don't even know her."
"By your stories, that doesn't seem to matter."
"I hope not Akane, I hope not."
The match began with Junko acrobatically dancing and flipping around Desaku launching lighting fast kicks and sweeps. Those that connected didn't do much, but Akane couldn't tell if it was lack of power or the resilience of the opponent. Desaku seemed to lumber after her faster opponent reaching out with meaty hands to snag her but Junko kept well back.
Without taking his eyes from the fight Ranma lent down to Akane's head height and spoke in a low voice. "Junko doesn't have much in close and anyone with trained upper body strength can pin her without to much trouble. But if she's been practicing her throws she'll do good."
"She looks like she's already incorporated more than a few Saotome moves into her family style."
"Not as many as you'd think, a lot of her moves are just similar to it. Her style is more flips and spins, trips and leg throws, but closer to the ground rather than the Saotome leaps."
Just as they finished Junko jumped forward, legs first, and locked her feet onto Desaku's waist. From standing on her enemy's hips she let gravity pull her down without releasing her grip. Rolling her back on the mat she lifted her larger opponent with her legs and executed a full hip twist to spin and launch Desaku up and over the ropes.
Ranma calmly reached out and caught the larger girl as she flew up and over him. Using the girl’s own momentum, he spun and placed her feet first on the edge of the ring. The last of the momentum pushed her back up to standing.
Desaku's mind just caught up to realise she'd been thrown out of the ring and missed an opportunity to steal a kiss from the most desirable hunk in Juban. 'Damn!'
"Point Kosin." A sidelined man in a black and white ref shirt called.
Desaku climbed back into the ring and looked towards the grey haired man in an Asiko Gi. Master Asiko nodded and gripped his wrist. Desaku nodded back and assumed a ready stance against Junko who had returned to the relaxed stance Ranma often used.
This fight took a lot longer with Desaku keeping her attacks close in and more defensive. Ranma and Akane both quickly picked up on her attempts to get a grip on Junko's body during her attacks. After a few minutes Desaku was obviously getting upset at her lack of success and tried a fist to Junko's face. Unfortunately she over reached the lunge for Junko, and knew she was out. Junko griped the arm and rolled backwards bringing her feet up to launch Desaku up over the edge. Six high school boys admiring Junko's... technique were suddenly the landing mat for the larger woman. With a loud kissing sound the smallest of the boys brought his face out of her lips.
One of the judges came into the ring with a scrolled up paper. "Miss Kosin, you're in the finals. Go see main admin."
"Oh thank you! Yes!" With a quick bow to him she turned and gave a quick 'V' with her fingers to Ranma and Akane, who smilingly returned the gesture, before grabbing her Kimono off a post and dashing for the Admin desks at the front of the hall.
As they walked back towards the cooking areas, Ranma and Akane began talking again. "Some of the judges are actually producers from the TV network, so looks add to eligibility for the finals."
Akane felt her anger rising. "Perverts, looks don't matter to skill."
"No argument there but there's some clause in the entry that they can adjust outfits. What they tried to get my girl form into last year was skimpy to say the least."
"Did you wear it?"
"Nah, two broken noses later they agreed with something Mom made."
Akane's giggle was interrupted by two young men in suits, one ill fitting grey business suit and the other an ugly purple leisure suit, suddenly appearing before them. The purple suited one held a large video camera over one shoulder and directed it to put the other man, who held a microphone, and Ranma in shot, keeping Akane out of shot to the left. The camera had 'Property of Bokuto High' in black marker on masking tape on the side.
"And here we have last year’s winner, Mr Ranma Saotome of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts, checking out the competition. Mr Saotome, with all the rumours of your improvement over the last year, do you see yourself in comfortable standing to win this years competition?"
Akane watched, as Ranma seemed to grow in stature and exude an almost palpable confidence with the camera on him. "There ain't no one here with half a chance of beating me."
"That's a bold statement Mr Saotome, are you sure there's no doubt of your victory?"
"I don't lose."
Akane watched as this posturing for the camera went back and forth between the egotist and the wannabe journalist.
"What of the talk of this second Anything Goes Martial Artist taking your fathers place in the tournament? Rumours are this Mr Tendo has at least one victory over you. He's not going to put a cramp on your victory declaration?"
Akane decided she deserved a little thunder, and spoke over Ranma. "Since Ranma and *I* won't be competing in the same divisions, that should not be a problem. And to set the record straight, although Ranma has an edge in experience and training, I have beaten him once a day, every day, for the last two weeks."
The sudden silence of the spectators around them spread till the hall was silent. Akane suddenly decided she could live without her own ego boasting.
"Mr Saotome, is Miss Tendo telling the truth? Has she defeated you every day for the last two weeks?"
Ranma was stuck. He wanted to refute that it doesn't count since it is just breakfast fighting, but the fact that it was something that was so minor made it even more important people didn't know about it. The fact was, that between himself and his father, the Saotome name had become legendary for eating in Juban.
Hanging his head in shame he acknowledged his defeats. "Yeah, it's true." A lone cricket croaked from the halls ceiling. His head came up quickly "But it's only sparring and we train a lot! It ain't like there's only one fight a day. I beat her heaps... defeat, defeat her heaps!"
"RAANNNMMAA!!! You cheat on Ukyo and then beat up on this other girl! I'll send you to Hell!!"
Akane turned to see a boy in a dirty yellow shirt with his hair held by a dirty bandanna wading through the crowd, dragging several boys who seemed to be trying to hold him back. She recognised the boys as Toko and his friends.
"Ryoga you pervert, you dare try to defend my honour after what you did. Pork Okonomiyaki coming right up!"
Akane and the crowd were getting whiplash as their heads jumped from Ranma, to the now pale faced Ryoga being dragged back by the group of boys, to Ukyo stomping through with her great big spatula ready to flatten the bandanna wearing boy.
A shrill whistle blasted through the hall. Standing on the admin table was a short balding older man in a ref’s uniform. "All right, any fighting in here not part of the competition, you're out of the whole damn thing. That includes you Saotome. Now let's keep this going."
The crowd went back to what it was doing before and the reporters moved on to find out the reactions of the other women competitors to this new contender. Akane watched as Ranma wiped his face with his hands. "Sorry."
He looked over at her with a grin. "Don't be, I'll reclaim breakfast soon enough. But you can expect some dirty tricks to start soon, that big mouth of yours has got ya in trouble this time."
Akane went red-faced, as she knew he was right. "Big mouth? It's hardly as bigger deal as 'I am Ranma Saotome, I am invincible' is it?"
His grin increased. "Yeah, but there's a difference. I am invincible."
The sudden clearing of individuals around the pair revealed an angry Ukyo with spatula ready. Akane began to wonder if the nice friendly Ukyo that Ranma had once spoken of was actually someone else. "Tell me exactly how many times these victories included any kissing!!"
"None, honest Ucchan, it ain't what you think."
"Ukyo, I have only ever kissed Ranma once, on the cheek and you saw it."
Ukyo ignored Ranma's prattle and glared at the shorter girl. She decided the formality in the voice was enough to prove it and let it slide... for now. Placing her spatula back on her back she eyed the pair. "So you two went straight in to the tournament? Congratulations."
Akane forced hostility out of her voice "Thanks. Your friend Junko got in, too."
Ukyo appraised her. "I know, so did I. Is it true you beat him every day?"
Ranma stepped up and whispered in hopes of saving his reputation in Ukyo's eyes. "It's only really sparring, not straight up fighting."
Ignoring him, Ukyo watched Akane for a minute before stepping into her face. "Akane Tendo, I want to win this tournament. It doesn't matter how good you are. I want to win more. Ranma is my fiancé!" Her face changed as she turned and gave Ranma a forced smile before leaving.
Ranma watched in silence, normally Ukyo was nice and friendly around him, even in the face of the other fiancés, but she obviously didn't like Akane.
Akane wasn't intimidated by Ukyo. If anything she felt a bit more pity for Ranma's plight when Ukyo was the best choice of the three fiancées. Being dragged off to China seemed less insane.
"Ah sorry, Ukyo's under a lot of pressure with her..."
"It's okay Ranma, It's not your fault she's like that."
"Yeah, but it's me that the anger is about. Although I didn't think she was in trouble with the business enough to need the prize money, why she wants t..." Ranma paled slightly before rushing into the crowd. Akane had to rush to keep up as Ranma began shoving through towards the administrator’s table. "Hey, Ref Hebner, ya know what first prize is?"
The short man looked up in his black and white stripped shirt, appraising the young man before him, before letting loose a light chuckle and handing a pamphlet to him.
The shorter Akane had to stretch to read over his shoulder and hadn't gotten any details before his shoulders slumped and the pamphlet fell from his hands. Snatching it from the air, she read it over. First prize is one million yen and four days at an exclusive ski lodge and hot spring. Same prize for both winners, male and female. Very nice for what she had thought was a small time tournament.
"What's up Ranma? It's odd to have equal prizes for both sexes but if Sakura put this together that isn't surprising, and besides the cost of a trip to an exclusive ski resort for four days could be worth more than the cash prize."
"The trip is for one person."
Akane suddenly realised why more than a few girls were making eyes at Ranma, the girl in Junko's fight had blown him a kiss, and Ukyo's declaration. After all the perverts she'd known in Furinkan, here was a guy who had the girls lining up to spend a sordid week with him and he wasn't even thinking of how good staying in the resort could be. She tried to hold it back, but started giggling anyway. "I guess being invincible isn't all it's cracked up to be."
Ranma shot her a dirty "Oh laugh it up."
*****
Desaku Misu stepped out of the rec hall mopping some left over moisture from her hair with her towel. She smiled at a joke one of her team-mates made as the group made their way to the car park to return home. She turned quickly at the questioning voice.
"Miss Misu?"
Desaku looked down at the small fifteen year old boy she had kissed the face of earlier when she had lost to Junko Kosin, looking up hopefully offering up a bouquet of yellow flowers and stammering out a request to see her later. She reached up to rub her temples trying to figure out how to let him down easy and ignore the murmurs and giggles of her friends looking over at the two of them.
*****
Akane was really beginning to hate that Bokuto, and Juban in general, had a lot more traffic than Nerima, and these drivers were far less considerate than she remembered at home. She didn't even have to cross one major road in the two-kilometre trek from her family Dojo to Furinkan High, but here there were two main roads and a train line between Auntie’s and Bokuto High. Coming home from the water tank after training was worse with a water canal and more roads.
Watching another train at the crossing, she leaned on a railing. There was no pedestrian bridge at this small crossing and the two waited beside the short line of cars and a motorbike for the boom to be raised. Normally Ranma would lead them up onto a series of fences and up onto a metal bracing crossing above the track. Being Sunday though, their training session had been much longer then their after school ones, and Ranma was happy to stroll back rather than push it. Finding the last few minutes of silence depressing, Akane decided to ask about the boy with Toko and his friends who had threatened him at the tournament preliminaries.
Ranma looked over with a frown. "Ryoga Hibiki. He and I went to the same junior high. I remember us being friends but when he found out I was leaving for China, he challenged me over something I did ta him. Problem is, he's got no sense of direction and after three days of waiting at an abandoned lot for the fight, Pop dragged me off and we went to China. He decided I had dishonoured him again by not waiting and came after us. He finally caught back up with us... at Jusenkyo."
"The same place you were cursed? Does he have a curse?"
The trains passed and the booms rose letting them and the cars begin to cross but still they walked slowly. Akane could see his guilt face, the similar to that he had for Junko earlier today. "Before we found out we could change back from our cursed forms, I was so mad, I must a chased Pop around that valley for hours. I never saw Ryoga, I guess I was too mad. He claims he was knocked off a cliff by a red haired girl chasing a Panda. He fell into the spring of drowned pig, so now he turns into a little black piglet."
Akane absorbed this with a bit of shock. She already thought the Jusenkyo Curses were bad but the thought of turning into something so small and helpless chilled her.
"He caught back up with me here at school, then later at home. It was a rainy night, and after he got wet and changed, he hid inside. Mom had just tossed Pop out of the house over hearing about another stupid thing he'd done and she found him hiding in her room. Deciding she wanted a pet, she kept him, and took him to bed with her. Next morning she decided he was dirty and cleaned him, in hot water. Afterwards, when we figured out the full story, Mom calmed down enough to ask him to leave and never return. He would show up every so often afterwards at school to challenge me, but never at home."
She absorbed this quietly trying to figure it all out. "So how does Ukyo fit in?"
His face took on an odd look, like it couldn't decide how to feel on a subject. "When Ucchan arrived here she was out to kill me for dishonouring and leaving her ten years ago. The very next day, Ryoga shows up screaming about my actions against her. A couple days later Ucchan worked out what Pop had done and decided the engagement was back on, then Ryoga shows up the next day trying to beat me up for taking her from him. Thing is, she claims to never have met him. It went on for weeks until this cheating gambler took our house and we stayed with Ucchan. While there, we found a little black piglet called 'Spats' in her bedroom, seems he'd been with her for months."
Ranma chuckled at the look on Akane's face. "That's the same face Mom had when we saw him in Ukyo's bed, then she went mental, trying to dice him with the family sword. Ucchan tried to protect him and they had a big fight that Mom hasn't really forgiven Ucchan for. Then I poured hot water on 'Spats'. I've never seen Ucchan so angry. He was after me, Mom and Ucchan were hitting him, Pop was eating Ucchan's food, it was chaos."
"I'd be upset if I found out a pet I loved, told all my secrets and even slept with turned out to be a pervert." Akane just couldn't believe anybody was that perverted.
Ranma just shrugged "He grew up all alone, his parents have just as bad sense of direction as him, and then I go and get him cursed. He found someone to love and who loved him, even if it was only as a pet. I don't think he did it to be a pervert. He still claims he loves her."
Frowning, Akane absorbed his words before answering, "Just because you feel guilty over cursing him doesn't mean he should be let off the hook, he had no right to do that."
He just nodded in answer but Akane could see he had already forgiven Ryoga. Giving up, she continued her original thoughts. "Does he normally hang out with Toko and those jerks from school?"
"Nah, I guess they're out to make me lose the tournament, they're probably keeping him at one of their houses till then. Heh, he's probably the only one with a chance of beating me."
"What, he's only just shy of invincible?"
Ranma's grin matched Akane as the last of the train moved past and the boom gates began to rise.
*****
Kenji Morisato was most pleased with this plan. Opportunity had knocked and he had sold it to Mistress Shishimi well. This was his ticket to a raise and possibly a real position outside the 'Delivery Boys'.
Kenji was heavily built for his five foot two frame and proudly wore his dark 'Shishimi' logoed suit. He was one of the current six members of Mistress Shishimi's 'Delivery Boys'. Sakura Shishimi had brought them together when she had fallen for Ranma Saotome and found the way blocked by competition. In a move the Yakuza would be proud of, she'd hired several money hungry martial artists to put a damper on the competition, primarily the Chinese staff of the Cat Cafe and the 'red headed slut'.
The Chinese were found to be incredibly tough, managing to break and drive off repeated attacks. Only one potentially successful mission was noted against the purple haired waitress, but after she had been subdued using her own curse against her, she was freed by the appearance of the old granny owner of the shop. The members of that team still had no form of bladder control and no Doctor could explain it.
The red head was eventually revealed as the Mistress Shishimi's love under the effect of a magic curse, but not before he had hospitalised several members.
Currently, Kenji was rumoured to be the twenty-fourth actual member of the 'Delivery Boys', although Miss Shishimi had never kept on more than six at a time.
To his mind though, Kenji had something all the other 'Delivery Boys' didn't. Ambition. This was a stepping-stone to greater things.
He had anticipated Mistress Shishimi would want to know about this Akane Tendo and brought her a fool proof plan before she could make a foolhardy plan of her own for the team. Renting a back room of a neighbour, which faced towards the rear of the Saotome home, he set up the expensive listening gun on its tripod and aimed it towards the house.
This was just the first step, next would come the thermal camera but that needed a lot more money which Mistress would only give out if she got results.
Setting the headphones on his head, he checked that the feed was being sent directly to the Mistress who was waiting by in her limo in anticipation of this success.
*****
Sakura sat alone in the back of the limo waiting for Kenji to signal his success. She straightened the tight white dress she wore again, wishing she could wring Tendo's little neck.
'I can’t believe that bitch Nodoka did this to me! ME! Can't she see I'm obviously the best woman for her son and let me have him? Obviously she had brought in this little tart to win him over, but the stars had already foretold my union with Ranma. The sooner these fools realise it the better.'
The memory of overhearing about Nodoka's little whore was now the favourite to win the tournament flashed again through her mind and she angrily open the little heating cabinet in the limo's bar and began to drink direct from the sake bottle. 'The little whore is trying to steal MY fiancé and MY tournament!!'
She had to know more about this little tart. She had people already looking into her past, but this idea of Kenji's would be best. Let the little bitch tell her own weaknesses in an unguarded moment.
A red light began to glow on the transceiver unit sitting on the seat opposite her, "Finally!"
Turning the sound up, she quickly made out the voices of her love and the whore.
"Gently Akane, you don't want to bruise it."
"Like this?"
"Yeah that's it, just relax and loosen up. We can take our time."
"You like this don't you?"
"Yeah, I do. I use to do it heaps while training but since I came home it's only really been at the Ucchan or Cat Café, and it's hard to really enjoy it like this when the girls are trying to make me marry 'em."
"I can imagine."
"Here shift around a little... that's better."
"For you maybe, shift back."
"Okay, I suppose the guest always comes first."
"Oh ha..."
Sakura had heard enough as she kicked the limo door open and got out. She stormed straight into the Saotome house.
*****
"Oh ha ha, I'm enough of a fixture here I may as well call you big brother."
"Okay little sister."
With much eloquence, Akane replied with a 'red eye', lowering her lower eyelid with a finger in a childish rebuttal. It quickly degenerated into stuck out tongues and other facial manipulations as the two now giggling teenagers continued to peel vegetables, huddled in aprons, over the kitchen sink.
Both swung quickly at the sound of some howling beast storming into the house and up stairs.
By the time Ranma and Akane reached the top of the stairs they could see the battered in doors of the guest and Ranma's bedrooms.
Stepping out of Ranma's doorway, Sakura laid eyes on her prey. "You!"
Akane found herself faced with the last angry glare of the Ranma Saotome fiancée set, at least till her view of the golden haired woman was blocked by Ranma's shoulder as he stepped between the two women.
"Hey Sakura, something wrong?"
Sakura locked her grey eyes onto Ranma's for a single second before focusing on the girl behind him again and drawing chopsticks in each hand. "Out of the way Ranma dear. Your mother and this little tart think they can stand in the way of fate and take what's mine. I'll teach them they can't break us up!"
Akane tried to step around Ranma to accept the challenge. "Any time you're ready, Sakura. I can..."
"No Akane, no fighting in the house."
It wasn't Ranma's words that stopped Akane, it was his arm baring her path and holding her back. With his eyes still watching the now open mouthed Sakura, he didn't even realise he had his palm over her breast. Akane stared down at the hand on her chest dumbly, while Sakura had a more direct answer.
"You whore!!"
"STOP!! What is going on here?" Nodoka's voice thundered in the hallway of the Saotome residence. Nodoka had been out bringing in the laundry and had heard the destruction of the front door and the noise of someone rampaging through her home. Climbing the stairs, she hadn't expected to see her manly son feeling up Akane in front of Sakura. Though it did explain Sakura's anger.
Ranma looked back at his mother before flicking straight back to Akane, seeing a strange hand on her chest. He had only made the connection that it was his hand when he went backwards into the wall. Akane shoved Ranma away bodily and turned to Ranma's mother. "Aunty Saotome, it isn't what it looks like. Ranma was just trying to stop us from fighting in the house."
Any words of defence from Sakura were forgotten when her opponent opened her back to her. Seizing the opportunity she darted in with her chopsticks, aiming for pressure points that had become her favourites in the last few months.
Shaking his head to clear it after having it bounced on the wall, Ranma was just getting his bearings when he saw Sakura charging towards Akane's open back. With a shout, he kicked up at her arms, catching her nearer right arm sending it off sharply from its target.
Akane spun quickly feeling the danger before Ranma's shout but was too slow as she felt the sharp prod in her back. Pain like fire burned over her left shoulder and arm. Calming her panic and focusing out the pain she turned on Sakura ready for her next attack even as Sakura tried to move in past Ranma's kicks from the floor between them. A feint to her right was followed by a jab with the chopsticks to her left shoulder. Stepping nearer, Akane blocked with her arm only to find it failed to react properly.
Lunging up, Ranma grabbed Sakura's attacking arm, dragging her back down with him, but was caught off guard as Akane's arm lashed out erratically and caught him in the eye.
Sakura tried to break Ranma's grip on her arm but failed and fell in a tangle with his legs. Akane saw the opening and snapped of a powerful punch from her good arm into Sakura's face as she fell before her.
The blonde girl instantly lost consciousness from the blow as her head snapped back heavily with the blow, slamming into Ranma's crotch. Ranma's breath vented sharply from the pain.
Stepping back, Akane grabbed her left arm with her right, ignoring Ranma's pained groan. Hoping the pressure would lessen the pain, she tried to pull it in, only for it to shoot out again, this time putting a nice round hole in the wall. Nodoka moved in to help but Ranma was already tenderly stumbling to his feet and moving to help.
"Stop Mom, stay back. I know this one. Akane don't move ya arm, just let it dangle." He instructed in a pained voice. Akane's arm spasmed once more before it hung limply.
"What'd she do to me, it hurts like hell." Akane complained as Ranma gingerly stepped behind her.
"Pressure point. She's used it before."
The dark haired girl's breath froze as she felt her apron springs undo and her sweater and shirt rise, followed by the warmth of Ranma's rough hand sliding up her skin. His other hand gently took her wrist as she felt his hand slide under her bra strap. When he reached up near where Sakura had poked her, he pressed against her with his fingers, the pain leaving her arm in a slow wave.
Akane was letting out her breath with the pain when she felt Ranma's grip on her wrist grow, just before her arm spasmed again. Ranma was prepared for this one as her hand jerked in his grip, or at least thought he was when it sprung back on him, his elbow acting like a lever angling it back into his crotch.
Ranma groaned again and leant against Akane's back.
"Oh, sorry Ranma." Akane's voice was full of concern but she quickly concluded she should let him deal with this injury and just let him lean on her.
"Give me a sec," was his pained reply as he tried to overcome the pain he was feeling from the two blows.
It was then that the pair heard the muffled sound of a giggle from the end of the hall and looked up to see Nodoka giggling into her hand at their antics. The moment they looked up, Nodoka had the presence of mind to calm herself. "My son, you are the only one I know who could get in these situations."
*****
Akane was still rubbing some soreness from her arm as she, Ranma and Nodoka finished up dinner. Sakura had been tied up and Nodoka had asked them to go do there home work while she spoke with Ranma's fiancée. Now she had left, both were eager to know what had brought the angry woman to the house.
"Sakura has apparently been listening in on the house, and believes she has evidence of you two being improper. Could she..."
"No way! We ain't done nothing!" "We haven't! I'm not that kind of girl!"
Motioning them to quiet down, Nodoka smiled at the teenagers denials followed by sly questioning looks towards each other. "Then she can't possibly have any such evidence. Apparently Akane, you've made quite a stir, seeming to come out of nowhere to be favourite for winning the women's division in the tournament. I think Sakura was trying to make sure you didn't make it there. Do you two think we'll be having any more fights in the house?"
In that one question both Ranma and Akane got the order to keep any future fighting out of the house and both nodded their agreement. Seeing the pair got the message, Nodoka looked at Akane again. "Akane, is your shoulder still hurting, perhaps another massage would help?"
Akane didn't even try to refute the offer but it wasn't only the thoughts of her sore muscles that forced the words out but memories of Ranma's warm rough hands. "Yes please! I mean, if you want to, that is, Ranma." Akane winced at the eagerness she initially spoke with and her lame recovery, and seeing Ranma's reddening cheeks as he grunted an affirmative, she almost panicked that he knew how eager she might be. Grabbing up plates from the table she tried to rush from the table to the kitchen.
Ranma didn't really notice Akane rush off. When his mother had suggested it he had tried to focus on anything else but Akane, especially an undressed Akane. When she had asked him if it was okay he lost control, as his mind demanded he agree, his lost thoughts bringing a blush to his cheeks.
Nodoka watched with interest before leaning towards her son. "Is there a problem Ranma?"
"Ah, no, not really. I... I just... I think Shampoo put one of her weird drugs in that Ramen last week cause I just been dreaming... stuff... about Akane."
Ranma’s mother smiled gently knowing Cologne had forbid Shampoo using any of those drugs after the last time, that poor Hibiki boy still didn't know why he had started kissing her husband, and Genma was still very worried about the boy. "Well, if Akane doesn't go through with her engagement, you can always try and get her to be your mistress."
Nodoka couldn't stifle the laugh as her son's face flashed with emotions and colours at her teasing. "Oh, my manly son."
*****
Ranma slipped into the kitchen, inhaling the scents of his Mother's cooking. He looked over the preparing breakfast, his mouth watering.
"Good Morning, Ranma."
"Morning Mom, need any help?"
"That would be nice. Could you set the table for me?"
"Sure thing." Ranma began grabbing some chopsticks, place mats, and clean bowls. Taking them through and setting them up on the table, he heard the sounds from the bathroom, and shook his head trying clear a quick fantasy that popped up. Damn he was thinking about Akane a lot.
Returning to the kitchen, he shifted his thoughts to the coming breakfast battle. He just couldn't figure out how she could do it. She wasn't as good at him at defending her food, but her food just vanished, even after one time when he broke her chopsticks. He knew she had done some speed training, but doubted she could match him in using it, except when using that infuriating martial arts dining style.
He'd even talked to Doctor Tofu about techniques to widen the mouth to match Akane's biggest advantage, but after Mom had caught him in the bathroom trying to yank it wider, he'd given up that plan. Coming back into the kitchen he grabbed the orange juice from the fridge and began pouring three glasses, but when he was putting the juice bottle back his eyes caught on a small satchel pack of wasabi with the Shishimi logo on it. For an instant he had a moral dilemma over such a petty cheap shot before he remembered the name of the game, Anything Goes.
Plucking the satchel from the fridge shelf he went over and picked up the completed plates of breakfast from where his mother was cooking and took them out to the table. With a quick move he liberally applied the hot green paste to a dumpling and replaced it paste down on the plate, careful to make sure the plate was angled have the dumpling closest to Akane.
He just finished as Akane entered from the hall and his mother from the kitchen. The two teenagers traded looks as they faced off over the table, but before the battle could begin Nodoka interrupted.
"Before you begin, I think that if Sakura and others may be watching us, I have to insist on the end of the breakfast fighting."
The two began to protest, Akane to keep her one form of victory over Ranma and Ranma cause he hadn't beaten her yet, but were silenced when Nodoka continued. "To that end, after today you may only challenge on the first of the month, the winner to be declared champion of breakfast till the next month."
The two looked at each other, protests forgotten in a desire for the title.
"Fine with me."
"I'm in."
Nodoka smiled before holding up a napkin. "Then for the title of Champion of Breakfast till the end of the month, ready... begin!"
As the napkin fell the two teenagers went at it hard chopsticks dancing faster than the eye. Nodoka took a demure bite of her own food as she watched the piles of food vanish.
Akane was impressed by the sheer speed of Ranma's hands but she had this one in hand. "Done!"
Choking on the food in his mouth, Ranma looked at the 'Champion of Breakfast' across the table. 'How the hell does she do it?' Finally swallowing his food and pride. With a nod, he paid his dues, "All hail the Champion of Breakfast."
Ranma found himself choking again at Akane's bright smile at his sarcastic toned acknowledgment.
"You two had best get ready for school." said Nodoka as she began picking up the plates.
The two nodded and stood, Akane rushing up stairs to get the last of her stuff while Ranma went and picked up his book bag.
As Ranma bent over to grab his bag, he had an epiphany. Well, actually it was a belch from gulped down food, but it brought him the missing clue in Martial Arts Dining.
Suppressing the belch, her felt the heat rush over his tongue. 'Whew, that wasabi is still hot when down... wait a minute, Akane had the only wasabi...the only way I could have it is if she gave it to me...' The floodgates opened to the single glaringly obvious point he had missed on martial arts dining. He never attacked. He defended, he ate, but he never attacked. He was so used to stealing his pop's food and defending his, he never considered giving it to Akane. Akane was shifting her food to his plates and even force- feeding him as he sat there trying to out eat her with speed. That's why she was still hungry and he was full.
With a triumphant look up towards the ceiling at where Akane should be in the guest room and smiled. "Enjoy your title Akane, next time it's mine."
*****
Ryoga Hibiki cursed as he dragged his pants and pack around the corner of the store, giving cursing 'bwees' the whole time. Cautiously he made sure he could look either way, fearful of someone who would look at his tiny black body as a potential main course.
Ever since that bastard Ranma had pushed him into the Spring of drowned Piglet, he had been at the mercy of fate, never knowing when it would steal his life with a splash, like the truck's tire hitting a puddle just as he walked past. His only joy came from those wonderful days he had spent with his darling Ukyo, even if it was just as her pet. Once again Ranma Saotome had stolen his happiness and now actively tried to keep him apart from getting Ukyo to hear him out with that cross-dresser Konatsu keeping him away.
The tiny piglet jumped when he saw the two approaching schoolboys, and made to run for cover when the tall brown haired one spoke. "Hibiki, is that you?"
Turning around Ryoga looked up from his four-inch height to look at the boys.
"Hey Ryoga, it's us. Don't you recognise us?"
Ryoga bwee'd questioningly at the much shorter boys words..
"No, he doesn't, do you Ryoga?” He backed up a step as the taller one knelt, a large smile crossing his face, one hand out to the little piglet. “Well Ryoga, how would you like a hot bath and to humiliate Ranma Saotome before all of Japan."
Jiro Ohata smiled grandly as the black piglet virtually jumped into his arms. The Kami were most certainly smiling on him.
*****
Kasumi shuffled nervously as she smoothed her dress again. She took another sip of her tea but it failed to relax her. Ever since Akane had written her that she had found Doctor Tofu she had been thinking about the handsome doctor she thought she had lost forever. But when the Doctor's sister Sena had called the night before and asked if she could come over and chat... she could barely keep calm, she had been up half the night cleaning the house over again because she couldn't sleep.
Hearing the knock at the door she gulped down the last of the tea and made her way to the entrance. Opening the door she smiled taking in the beautiful woman before her, marvelling at Sena's obvious resemblance to her brother. Sena wore a long dark dress and light coloured blouse, a white hat was held idly in one hand, her dark hair running down her back in plats. The pair bowed to each other as they traded introductions.
"Good Morning, Ono-san. I'm Kasumi Tendo, thank you for coming."
"Thank you for seeing me Tendo-san, and Sena is just fine." Sena replied before changing her shoes for house slippers.
Kasumi led Sena through the house to the main room before leaving to get tea from the kitchen. Sena was mildly surprised to see the familiar Panda playing an older man at a game of Go.
"Hello Mr Saotome, I didn't expect to see you here."
Genma tried to keep one eye on the game board as he whipped out a sign for Sena. [Hello Sena.]
Soun knew he had already fallen far behind in this game, and attempted to use the newcomer as a distraction to sway the balance. He looked away from the board and looked over Sena, "Why hello there Miss, I'm Soun Tendo."
"Hello Tendo-san, I'm Sena Ono, the sister of Doctor Tofu Ono."
Soun could be as oblivious as Kasumi acted at times, but by some miracle he actually jumped to an accurate conclusion. He had long considered Doctor Tofu already claimed as a son in law, but his disappearance had come as a shock and disappointment. But if Kasumi was talking to his family there was still hope.
"Oh really? A pleasure to meet you. I always considered your brother the son I never had. He was a great friend to my family." Soun smiled when he saw in Sena's eyes she had gotten his subtle message (it was back behind the overwhelmed expression) and turned to his friend who sat eyeing him trying to figure out how Soun intended to use this to shift the game back into his favour after he had added all but the winning tile for his side.
"Come Saotome, we can continue this in the Dojo and let the girls talk." Before Genma could answer, Soun had picked up the board and was walking quickly across the yard to the Dojo.
Kasumi was still in the hall holding a tray of tea and trying to control her blush at her fathers embarrassing behaviour. What would Sena think of her and her weird family? 'Nothing if I'm not there to think about.' Steeling herself she stepped into the room and over to the table.
Sena was still looking out into the yard, blinking several times. She certainly hadn't expected Kasumi's father to be offering his daughter up so fast. Seeing Kasumi coming in she looked back but was distracted by the sound of many chipping sounds from out in the Dojo.
"Oops, sorry Saotome, I tripped. We'll have to call that one a draw."
"Grrr"
Looking back at her host, Sena saw the redness in Kasumi's cheeks and tried to get a conversation going. "I didn't expect to see Mr Saotome here. Is he staying with you?"
Kasumi leapt at the chance to get into a conversation. "Yes, he and father used to train in martial arts together and haven't seen each other in years." Pouring cups for each of them, she offered Sena some tea.
"Hmmm, this is very good."
"Thank you."
Sena took a second sip when her brow furrowed. "I thought Aunty Nodoka said something about her husband seeing the family of another of her son’s fiancée’s..." Sena pulled the cup from her mouth as she rose slightly in her posture, several ideas clicking together. "Is your sister Akane another fiancée to Ranma?"
"No..." started automatically. Kasumi didn't like to think about the near deceit Aunty Saotome was propagating to give Ranma and Akane a chance to be together, but she wasn't going to start with her potential sister in law with a lie. "... not until he chooses her. There is an agreement to unite the families but Aunty made sure he gets the choice of which one of the Tendo daughters he wants."
Sena smiled wickedly. Aunty Nodoka had been friends with her family for a long time while her son and husband where away, and she had a great deal of respect for the woman, even if she did have some old fashioned attitudes. "And Akane and Ranma don't know about this, do they?"
"No, that's why Mr Saotome is staying here. Aunty kicked him out when father and he decided Akane was the best choice and tried to force it on her. Akane hasn't made the connection that Ranma's father was trying to get her to be his daughter in law yet. Nodoka wants to give Ranma and Akane the chance to be friends before they know about the engagement."
"Don't worry, I wont tell them. Ranma's a sweet boy and his current fiancée’s don't deserve him."
"He seems like a nice boy, and Akane seems really happy to be there with him. Perhaps it will all work out."
"Perhaps it will." Taking another sip of the tea she looked Kasumi over again. "But that's not why I'm here." Seeing Kasumi's posture stiffen, she smiled slightly knowing Kasumi really was interested. Completing her promise to mother to find her brother a good wife was as good as done.
(To be continued)
I also apologise for my erratic use of honorifics, I don't think in those terms so I can't write naturally in them.
Special thanks to MwhaleK, Michael Ahlf, and Sakurabana for proof reading and advising.
Thank you for reading.
Trent O'Donoghue
[email protected]
http://www.geocities.com/odonoghuet/index.html