[Ranma][FanFic] Meeting Later - Chapter 4

[Trent O'Donoghue]

Meeting Later 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.

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

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."

Akane winced a little at the memory from nearly two weeks
ago. "Yeah, Ukyo and I didn't meet under the best circumstances."

Konatsu'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 esky, 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 and in the air
and flipped up from her kneeling position, back 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. The
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, lets 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 skin-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 it's... 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 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 more guilty
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 is 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 fiancee?"

"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 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 girls 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 grip 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 leasure
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 texter
on masking tape on the side.

"And here we have last years 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 Tendo
guy 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 acknowledge 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 refs uniform. "All right,
any fights in here not as 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 you 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
fiance!" 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 fiances, 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 fiancees. Being dragged off to China was seeming 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 administrators 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.

Akane had 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 onsen.
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, 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 was two main roads and a train
line between Aunty's and Bokuto High. Coming home from the water tank
after training was worse with a water canal and more roads.

Akane watched another train at the crossing. 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 she 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 raised 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."

Akane absorbed this quietly trying to figure it all out. "So how
does Ukyo fit in?"

Ranma's 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."

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."

Ranma 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 artist 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 Doctors 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 it's 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 cant 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 fiance 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 use to do it heaps while training but since I came home
it's only really been at the Ucchan or Neko Hanten, 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-chan. 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 expect 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.

Ranma was shaking his head from where he had bounced off the
wall 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.

Ranma lunged up grab 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.

Sakura's 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.

Akane stepped back to check her arm, ignoring Ranma's pained
groan. Reaching up to put pressure on it in the hopes of lessoning
the pain, but the moment she tried to use the limb it again shot out,
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."

Akane's breath froze as she felt her apron springs undo and her
sweater and shirt rose, 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." Came 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
fiancee. 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-chan?"

"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."

Nodoka 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-chan."

"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!"

Ranma got stuck choking on food in his mouth as he looked at
the 'Champion of Breakfast'. '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 chocking again at Akane's bright smile at
his sarcastic toned comment.

"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 when Akane
should be, he 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 school-
boys, 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. He
backed up a step as the taller one knelt, a large smile crossing his
face, one hand out to the little piglet.

"No, he doesn't, do you Ryoga? 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, and held a hat 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 sons fiancee's..." Sena pulled the cup from her mouth as she
rose slightly in her posture, several ideas clicking together. "Is
your sister Akane another fiancee 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 fiancee'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.

End Chapter 4.

I also apologise for my erratic use of honorifics, I don't think
in those terms so I can't write naturally in them.

I've had some complaints and even I have to admit it may look
like there was a tiny bit of Ukyo bashing in this, and chapter two.
My view on Ukyo from the cannon is she is the nice, friendly, cute
fiancee. But, whenever the engagement is threatened, or the pressure
is too high, she becomes erratic, possessive, and even vicious. The
failed wedding, the first Hinako arc, and her reaction to her failure
in the arc with the ruined ten year sauce are good examples. I'm just
trying to portray her as close to the manga version as possible with
the constraints that the story is about the difficulties of Ranma's
current engagements and growing relationship with a new girl. And so,
my apologies to all the Ukyo fans who thing I'm going to far.

Special thanks to MwhaleK, Michael Ahlf, and Sakurabana for
proof reading and advising.

Thank you for reading,

Trent O'Donoghue
odono...@today.com.au

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