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-- File: aa14.txt

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Ranma 1/2: Another Approach
Part 14
By Jack Staik, Bookkeeper-At-Arms
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"Are you sure, Akane?" Ranma asked.

"I'm fine!" she insisted. "A quick spar before we eat, 
that's all."

Ranma nodded. He needed to guage the effects of the Touched 
Soul, anyway. "First fall?"

"HA!" Akane barked. "That's for wimps! All-out, until one of 
us begs off - or Kasumi serves lunch."

Ranma nodded. "Fair enough. Let's go to the dojo."

Akane smiled and waved her havd toward the door, inviting 
him to go first.

As soon as they stepped outside, Akane leapt toward him, 
feet first. "YAAAAAHHHHH!!!"

Nabiki came out to see what the noise was, then just sat 
down and stared.  

Akane and Ranma didn't land and jump, they almost bounced, 
sailing into the air, defying gravity as the two of them 
traded blows over the koi pond.

Akane's moves echoed Ranma's; smooth, graceful, fluid. Her 
hands blurred as she blocked a blow and returned it.

Ranma sped up, having to exert himself somewhat to block 
her. She began blocking his more casual attacks, so he made 
his blows stronger and faster. Her defense still had holes, 
but she was changing her defense quickly enough to minimize 
her exposure.

They briefly landed on the same side of the pond, and Ranma 
sent a combination series of blows at her head and 
shoulders. Akane twisted out of the way, using a perfect Ja 
Jinku defense, then sent a series of rapid-fire snap-kicks 
at Ranma's head.

Akane felt wonderful.

Her timing was better than ever; her balance and grace was 
amazing. And her speed shocked even her. 

She *felt* the life-force flow within her, directed it 
without thinking. Before, she'd have to focus to perform 
leaps or the Stone-breaking Fist or the Ja Jinku. Now, they 
just happened, as much a reflex as breathing. 

Now, she *knew* for the first time in her life, what it was 
to truly be a martial artist. This was the reward; union of 
body and soul, the feeling of grace and power ... nothing 
was *ever* like this!

"UGH!" Ranma exclaimed as her fist hit his gut.

A quick flip, and Ranma plummeted into the pond.

Akane landed on a rock in crane position, then began hopping 
up and down.

"YAHOO!! I DUNKED HIM!! I DUNKED HIM!! YIPPEE!! YATTA!!"

A splash of water covered Akane, making her gasp and 
sputter.

Then Ranma-onna leapt out of the pond and began delivering 
blow after blow at blinding speed (but barely enough force 
to push her a few inches), driving Akane backwards.

"Yow! Hey! Help!" Akane cried. "Stop! I surrender! Wait!"

Akane fell backwards, hitting the ground with a thud.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, "you cheated!"

"How?" Ranma-onna asked.

"I dunked you!"

Akane's sensei shook her head. "We didn't make any rules, 
remember? All-out sparring, until one of us begged off."

"But -" she began, only to have Ranma-onna's delicate foot a 
millimeter from her face.

"No 'buts'. Don't get mad just because someone else doesn't 
play the same game you do - sooner or later, you'll always 
run into someone who doesn't play."

"I *don't* play!" Akane snapped.

"Then stop acting like a spoiled child because I don't roll 
over and let you beat me."

"'SPOILED CHILD'?!?" Akane swung her mallet up from the 
ground ...

... only to find herself in the pond, not exactly sure how 
she got there.

"You're better, Akane-chan," Ranma-onna commented, twirling 
the mallet in one hand, "a *lot* better. But you're still 
teishi, and I'm still sensei."

Unseen, a shadowed figure perched upon the roof, watching, 
appraising. Akane Tendo had improved greatly, but the red-
haired one was just as good, if not better. Certainly more 
cunning.

As Ranma walked up to the porch, Kasumi watered him and 
changed him back.

"YIPE!" a strange voice cried in surprise, falling from the 
porch roof.

In an instant, Ranma was on the figure, pinning him to the 
ground.

The identity of the figure surprised him.

"A ninja?? A really short and ugly one, too."

"Thank you so much, that is *so* good for my ego - GET OFF 
OF ME!!"

"Ranma-kun," Nabiki said. "This is Sasuke. He's a retainer 
to the Kuno family."

Ranma nodded. "So, Kodachi sent you to spy on us?"

"No!" Sasuke protested. "Master Tatewaki sent me! With a 
message!"

Ranma let him up. The ninja then handed an envelope to 
Nabiki.

Nabiki opened it. "Well, it seems that Kuno-baby's as good 
as his word this time."

"What is it?" Akane asked.

"Notes on Kodachi's strategy for the match."

Ranma shook his head. "That ain't exactly honest -"

"'Poisoned spikes'?" Nabiki exclaimed.

"WHAT??" Akane and Ranma said, snatching the letter away.

"Poisoned weapons - explosives - bribing the officials - 
having her team move the ring *during* the match - " Akane 
was appalled. "This is the most crooked match in history!"

Ranma nodded. "It would normally be dishonest to have an 
informant tell you your opponent's strategy before the match 
like this - but this is an exception." He turned to the 
small ninja. "Thanks, buddy."

Sasuke smiled and bowed. It was nice being treated so 
informally, after the stuffy scorn of the Kuno household.

"Just one question, young master-"

"Ranma, okay?"

"Ranma, then. What I saw before. When Miss Tendo poured that 
water on you -"

"It's a curse," he explained. "I change forms when I get 
wet."

"So - Young Master Kuno is actually having romantic thoughts 
about a man?"

Ranma grimaced. "Don't remind me."

"BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!"

The Tendos and Ranma looked on as Sasuke laughed himself 
sick.

 * * * * * * * * * *

After dinner, Nabiki took Akane up to her room.

Nabiki sat Akane down on the sleeping mat and looked her in 
the eye. "Are you alright, Akane-chan?"

"I'm fine, Nabiki! In fact, I'm better than I've ever been 
in my life!" From a sitting position, Akane hopped two 
meters straight up, flipped backwards, and landed on one 
hand. "See?" Akane asked, smiling and upside-down. Then she 
flipped back into the air and landed in a sitting position 
again.

Nabiki was impressed as hell. "You certainly seem more ... 
well, everything ... than you were before."

"Yeah!" Akane said, grinning.

"But what about the rest of it? The way you were acting 
earlier?"

Akane looked confused. "Earlier?"

"Tofu-sensei said that you'd be acting a bit strange for a 
while afterwards."

Akane concentrated for a moment, then shook her head. "My 
memory seems ... a bit blurry. Did something happen after I 
woke up?"

"Three thousand yen," Nabiki said, smirking.

Akane sighed and paid out the money. "Okay, what happened?"

"Before or after you called Kasumi an ambitionless, air-headed pansy?"

 * * * * * * * * * *

Ranma was punching an exercise post in the backyard when the 
cry came from upstairs.

Ranma hopped up to Akane's window and rushed in. "Everything 
alright?"

Akane blushed and turned away from him.

"Just filling her in on this morning," Nabiki said, 
smirking. "She had a bit of a memory gap."

Ranma sat down besides her. "Embarassed?"

" ... " Akane replied.

"It could have been worse."

Akane turned to him. "HOW?? I insulted Kasumi-chan, I chased 
around Tofu-sensei like a common *whore*, I *belched* out 
the national anthem, I made a complete *ass* out of myself - 
how could things have been worse?!?"

"Well, there was this time that Oyaji ..."

[Approximately 35,000 words omitted in the name of good 
taste and international relations.]

Akane and Nabiki were rolling on the floor in hysterics.

"Oh dear god!" Nabiki gasped. "That is the *worst*!"

"I'm surprised they let you and Genma leave Korea!" Akane 
agreed.

"Leave, yes - but if we ever go back, we'll probably be 
executed!"

A fresh round of laughter started.

Soon, the three friends had exhausted themselves, and sat on 
the floor of Akane's room in a companionable silence.

"Well," Ranma commented, "you did do one nice thing while 
you were 'under the influence'."

"What?" Akane asked.

"You said I was your best friend."

Akane looked at Ranma, then thought about it.

"I must have been *really* out of it," she commented. 
"Definite case of temporary insanity. Rest assured, I'll 
never say *that* in my right mind."

"Oh," Ranma said, a note of disappointment in his voice.

"I don't care who you best friend is, Ranma-kun, as long as 
long as I'm still your girlfriend," Nabiki said.

Ranma smiled. "Sure, Biki-chan."

 * * * * * * * * * *

The next morning, Akane and Ranma walked along the top of 
the fence to school, while Nabiki walked alongside.

Occasionally, Ranma would do a leg-sweep on her, and she 
managed to dodge half of them. The ones she didn't avoid, 
she managed to get her balance in mid-air and bounce back to 
the fence.

She sent a kick to his face, which he blocked with his own 
kick.

Nabiki looked on with admiration for both Ranma's skill and 
Akane's improvement.

And a bit of fear.

For the first time in her life, she was in love. She was 
honest enough with herself to admit that she cared about 
him.

But she knew that no explanation would be enough to cover 
what she did to him. Once he found out the truth, she'd 
loose him forever.

There was only one thing she could do. 

She would wait until after the Rhythmic Gymnastics match to 
do it. It might damage Akane's performance to do it right 
away.

She gazed at him, let herself be drawn to him. She'd let 
these last few days be ones for the record book, ones she'd 
treasure.

Before she lost him forever.

"AKANE TENDO!!"

Ranma and Akane, seeing Kuno waiting by the gate, hopped off 
the fence. 

"What is it, Kuno?" Akane asked, boredom and annoyance in 
her voice.

Kuno looked stunned. "You no longer call me 'sempai'?"

"That was then - this is now," she said brusquely. After all 
the suffering she'd just gone through for the Art, she was 
damned if she'd refer to this *hobbyist* as her social 
superior! "What do you want?"

Recovering his equilibrium, Kuno put his bokuto in position. 
"I have come to challenge you! And when I have won, I claim 
the right to date with thee *and* the fair Ranko!"

A cold look passed over Akane's face. "'When you've won'?" 
she said in a hard voice, full of ice and menace. 

Kuno cried and struck at Akane's leg, at the spot where 
she'd been injured.

Akane brought her foot up and stomped down, jerking the 
weapon out of his hands.

Kuno looked at her in shock. He was *disarmed*??

Akane grabbed the front of Kuno's tunic and pulled his face 
to within an inch of hers.

Her face had absolutely no expression on it, and her eyes 
were cold and heartless as she drew her fist back. 

"Akane Tendo doesn't lose."

Her blow broke Kuno's nose with an audible crunch, and sent 
him flying back, tearing his tunic where she held on, and
shattering the schoolhouse door as he flew through it.

Akane snorted in comtempt as she wiped Kuno's blood from her 
hand with his own torn clothes.

Nabiki and Ranma looked back and forth from the unconscious 
Kuno to Akane and back again.

"Wasn't that kind of excessive, Akane-chan?" Nabiki asked.

"He challenged me!" Akane said defensively.

Nabiki reviewed what she just saw.

Akane was always competitive. She always wanted to be the 
best at anything she did. Grandfather used to say she was 
filled with 'conquering spirit'.

The Touched Soul. The technique that had turned a stern and 
unemotional Soun Tendo into a blubbering wreck, his emotions 
unleashed; that had made Tofu-sensei into a babbling loon 
whenever he was around Kasumi, his love and desire 
unleashed.

If she was right, the technique had unleashed Akane's 
'conquering spirit'. Every challenge, no matter how trivial, 
would be met as though it were a duel to the death. Akane 
would win - or die trying.

Nabiki felt chills go up her spine.

 * * * * * * * * * *

(That evening ...)

"Nabiki-chan!" Kasumi said in prim shock, making Nabiki's 
hair stand on end in surprise.

Nabiki turned and smiled weakly. "Hi, Kasumi. What are you 
doing up this late?"

"I was using the facilities when I saw you. I know you and 
Ranma are close, but entering a boy's bedroom unchaperoned 
is ... improper. *Especially* at one in the moring!"

"Hardly 'unchaperoned'," Nabiki pointed out, "his father 
sleeps in there, too."

"Still -"

"And I'm not going in there to do anything naughty," she 
clarified. "Ranma wouldn't like that - you know how he is. 
I'm just trying to ... help him."

Kasumi just piku-pikued.

"Don't tell anyone this - he'd be so embarassed," Nabiki 
explained, "But Ranma suffers from chronic nightmares. I 
just want to try to ... help him."

Kasumi pondered this. She hadn't known about the nightmares; 
and, having had to awaken the panda, Kasumi knew that being 
with a sleeping Genma was the same as being unchaperoned. 

"Well, since you have a chaperone," she said, "I suppose 
there's nothing wrong with your comforting him."

Nabiki smiled. "Thank you, oneechan," she said gratefully. 
"Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Not a word," Kasumi promised as Nabiki went in.

Kasumi listened briefly at the door. She heard Ranma 
whimpering, then Nabiki saying something in a soothing 
voice.

<Leaving two teenagers virtually unchaperoned, clad only in their night-clothes, in a private and highly emotional situation - shame on you, Kasumi Tendo,> she said to herself, smiling.

As she went to bed, Kasumi wondered what she should do after 
Nabiki and Ranma married; should she apply to a college, or 
apply for that job she'd had her eye on? She sighed. Decisions, decisions.

 * * * * * * * * * *

The next few days went by in a blur.

Akane and Ranma trained like maniacs. In record time, Akane 
mastered the basic skills of Martial Arts Rhythmic 
Gymnastics. To counter Kodachi's dirty tricks, strategies 
were prepared (with Nabiki's assistance, who had a feel for 
that sort of thing).

Tatewaki Kuno came by once, bearing a five-meter-wide 
arrangement of roses for Ranko and Akane, as well as a 
string quintet backup so he could sing of his love for his 
'Two Goddesses', only to receive an aerial tour of Nerima. 
Since the custom-made arrangement had depleted Nerima's rose 
supply, Nabiki re-sold the roses for a sizable profit.

Meanwhile, Nabiki and Ranma dated, went to the movies, went 
on a picnic, and even went swimming together. Ranma finally 
understood why people went on dates - he genuinely enjoyed 
himself, and enjoyed seeing Nabiki smile.

Nabiki tried to soothe Ranma's nightmares, and Ranma often 
awoke to find Nabiki's arms around him, making him feel 
rested and safe. It was ... nice. His nightmares became less 
troublesome, and the late-night talks the two would end up  
having let both Nabiki and Ranma unburden themselves.

If Genma and Soun noticed Nabiki's midnight excursions, they 
gave no sign - except a tendency to smirk.

 * * * * * * * * * *

The day arrived.

At St Hebreke Girls School auditorium, all and sundry had 
gathered. 

The St Hebreke audience was looking forward to a real 
competition, rather than just an exhibition of Kodachi Kuno 
performing.

The Furinkan High School audience was looking forward to a 
victory against the undefeated St Hebreke team, as well as 
some payback for what had happened to their original team.

Assorted others were looking to see the conflict between two 
styles of Martial Arts. (Especially one large gentleman with 
an odd complexion and dojo signs around his neck. But that's 
another tale.)

Akane and Ranma-onna were in the Furinkan corner, doing 
warmups. Various Furinkan students were cheering them on, 
leering at their bodies in the tight leotards, or both.

Hiroshi leaned down from the stands. "Hey, Ranko-chan! Your 
brother said you'd give me a kiss!"

Ranma-onna picked up a bench and slammed it over his head.

"Pervert," she spat.

"Yeah," Akane agreed.

In the Furinkan corner was not only the coach of the 
Furinkan team, but Soun Tendo, Genma Saotome, and the other 
Tendo daughters.

Kuno stepped up to Akane and Ranma-onna. "My fair maidens! 
Today, I do cheer for thine victory, even though you face 
mine own sister. When her madness and treachery threaten to 
overwhelm you, let the mighty and majestic love of Tatewaki 
Kuno, the glorious Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, fill thy 
bosoms with hope!"

Nabiki made gagging sounds.

"Aren't you able to speak without referring to our 'bosoms', 
you sicko?" Ranma-onna said scornfully.

"Leave, Kuno," Akane stated flatly. "We got fighting to do, 
and you'll only get in the way."

"Ah, the fierce tigress seeks to protect her mate!" he 
sighed. "At last, the manliness of the Blue Thunder doth 
begin to find the True Woman within, and make thee set aside 
thy unnatural infatuation with the no-less-than-lovely 
Ranko! Now the two of you can know the bliss of my manly 
love!"

Ranma-onna and Akane looked at each other and nodded. Then 
they reached for Kuno.

<WHAM!!> <POW!!> <THUD!!> <WALLOP!!> <HIT!!> <FOLD!!> 
<SPINDLE!!> <MUTILATE!!> <RIP!!> <SHRED!!> <TEAR!!>

The audience winced at the sight of the two pretty girls 
performing hideous and unspeakable acts upon the helpless 
idiot.

"Ite ..." Kuno commented before losing consciousness.

"They're getting ready to announce you," the coach said.

As the pair stepped up to the ring, there was no sign of the 
St Hebreke team.

Ranma-onna turned to Nabiki and nodded.

Nabiki nodded in reply, signaled her minions, who got into 
position.

A fanfare of trumpets, a dimming of the lights, and a sudden 
spotlight heralded the entry of Kodachi Kuno.

A trapeze bearing Kodachi lowered to the floor from the 
ceiling, a Western march playing. Kodachi was garbed in a 
western-style wedding gown, holding a bouquet of black 
roses.

Soun cringed. The Tendo girls (all three) emitted visible 
battle auras.

"Nice entrance," Ranma-onna commented.

As the lights returned to normal, Kodachi pulled out a 
microphone. "I wish to announce that I do this not just for 
my school, nor for my Art, but for the love of my future 
husband, and father of my children - SOUN TENDO!"

As a spotlight illuminated the amazingly-embarassed form of 
Soun, the sound of a thousand-person facefault filled the 
stadium.

The whispers were loud enough to be clearly heard;

"He's old enough to be her father!"
"Isn't that Akane Tendo's father?"
"He's dating a sixteen-year-old??"
"What a pervert!"
"What a stud!"
"What a scandal!"
"Poor Akane - having to call a girl her own age 'mother'!"

Nabiki leapt up, mallet in hand, only to be restrained by a 
flying tackle of Furinkan girls.

"LEMME GO!" she cried. "I'M GONNA KILL HER DEAD!! LEMME GO!! 
DIE SLUT DIE!! SNARL!!"

"Nabiki's taking this better than I am," Kasumi commented, 
taking a swig out of her flask.

"What the hell did you do to her, Oyaji?!?" Akane hissed.

Soun blushed. "Well, nothing, really. That is, nothing 
major. I didn't actually - well -" Soun got flustered. "She 
kissed me! I didn't kiss her! I was drugged!"

This started a new round of whispering in the crowd.

"We'll deal with *you* later," Akane hissed. "Right now, 
there's a match to win."

Ranma-onna and Akane stopped on the edge of the performance 
area. Nabiki slipped a charm bracelet onto Akane's wrist, 
the same one she'd worn on the night of her Touched Soul 
training. "Go get her," Nabiki whispered.

Akane smiled and walked toward the middle of the ring, 
Ranma-onna at her side.

As they went, Nabiki called out, "And remember - kick her 
when she's down!"

Kodachi had changed to her trademark leotard by the time 
Akane got to the middle of the ring.

Akane had changed, too. Not her clothes, but her attitude. 
She went from aggravated and anxious to cold and precise. 
Even Kodachi felt a chill looking into her opponent's eyes.

The referee introduced the 'teams' to each other and the 
audience, and explained the rules of the match; one-on-one, 
contact with tools only, anyone touching the floor outside 
the circle would be disqualified.

Kodachi held out her hand in a friendly gesture.

Akane looked at the hand coldly, but Ranma-onna took it.

Only to find a manacle on her wrist, attached to a length of 
chain to another manacle on Akane's wrist.

"Now, the two of you can truly be together!" Kodachi 
cackled.

At the edge of the ring, Kasumi asked Nabiki, "What just 
happened?"

"Kodachi's got an edge," Nabiki reported. "Now Ran ... ko 
can't leave the ring. But the rules say one-on-one. If 
'Ranko' makes a single move that could be interpreted as a 
fighting move or giving assistance to Akane, Furinkan loses automatically.

"So Akane has to fight - with a fifty-kilo dead weight on 
one arm."

Kasumi looked worried.

But not as worried as Soun.

-------------------
To Be Continued


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