[Ranma/RK][FanFic] Ruroni Ranma, Parts 1-10

[Ryoga P Hibiki]

Ruroni Ranma.

Part one, Here's Ranma.

1975...

Nodoka Saotome looked down at her son as he stood proudly with his
father, a shinai was strapped across his back just behind his traveling
bag as he stood and simply smiled at her. She fell to her knees and smiled
at him gently as she pulled him into a gentle hug. "Remember my son, do
not forget your heritage while on your voyage, no matter what your father
tells you." she whispered into his hear. Genma looked away in frustrated
and impatient embarrassment as he eagerly awaited the journey he was about
to embark on with his son. The boy would learn the Anything Goes style of
Martial Arts and forget this foolishness his mother had implanted in his
head. The bamboo practice sword would be thrown out at the earliest
convenience once they left the home.

The boy returned his mothers embrace and simply whispered his
answer. "Hai." Without the elder Saotome noticing she slipped an aged
looking scroll into the boy's backpack.

"When we return, our son will be a true man," announced Genma as
he pulled the boy away.

Nodoka merely nodded and said nothing more as she watched her son
leave. Her instruction had been minimal, and the fact that her own skills
with the blade would be considered atrocious by any master of the art.
Still, she had a faint hope that her own son would secretly carry on her
family style. She bowed her head slightly and turned back into the house
having only her memories to comfort her.

1979...

Ranma Saotome stood in a vacant lot and stared patiently at the
street. "Boy," growled his father angrily.

"I will not leave until he comes," replied Ranma firmly. He simply
stood waiting; the blade at his side kept his father at bay. He knew
better than to press the boy's honor. His son had been practicing with a
sword in secret for most of the journey. Waking up in the night and
sneaking away into the shadows, Genma had ignored it at first, waiting
until the boy's exhaustion would tire him of the game. Unfortunately that
day never came. Ranma just became more and more focused on his mother's
arts. After about three years of vainly hoping that the boy would give up
the blade, he confronted his son. The battle had been remarkably short and
Genma decided to allow the boy to continue to practice his art, so long as
it did not interfere with his training.

Ranma smiled at his father's wary gaze, the shinai had long ago
been destroyed, it was replaced by a worn looking Bokuto. The boy was
progressing favorably in the family school, but his skills with the sword
were down right frightening to the man. If he ever got his hands on the
family blade Genma would have more fear of him than his own wife; Ranma
was not aware of this of course, but still the elder Saotome decided to
wait another day for his son's rival to appear.

On the fourth day, Ryoga Hibiki arrived. He was dressed in black
traveling clothes with a yellow and black bandana tied across his
forehead. He stood firmly opposite Ranma and smiled. "So, you had the guts
to show up?"

Ranma merely nodded his head and smiled. "The same could be said
of you."
There was a ferociousness in his eyes that only served to
strengthen the Hibiki boy's resolve. "I will not be so easily beaten!"

Ranma merely took up a loose kenpo stance and waited. Ryoga
charged forward screaming in rage as the pair collided. His fist slammed
into Ranma's face sending the boy back with a look of shock on his face as
he staggered under the force of the boy.
He recovered instantly and kicked out his leg taking the boy in
the jaw and lifting him off the ground sending him sprawling across the
ground. Hibiki reacted true to form and recovered instantly rising to his
feet just as Ranma slammed his foot into the ground where he had been a
moment before. They stood and charged again, Ryoga faced the wrong
direction and glanced around in confusion before paying for his mistake as
he received a hard kick in the back of his head. Taking advantage of the
situation Ranma pulled Ryoga into a hold as he locked his arms around his
neck and squeezed slowly.

Ryoga screamed in rage, but slammed his palm on the ground
signaling his defeat. "Damn you Ranma."

The boy smiled at his opponent and flipped his ponytail back over
his shoulder. "It was a good match, I hope you're stronger when I return."

Ryoga looked up at him from his place on the ground in surprise.
"You're going somewhere?" His voice almost sounded hopeful, but also
disappointed at the same time.

"See you around Hibiki," said the boy as he walked off and met his
father in the middle of the road. Genma looked back and sighed as he
watched his son's rival stare at them in shock as they walked away. He
would miss the boy, he had been good for Ranma; but his training would
progress too slowly even if he remained here with him as a rival. The best
way for them was to move on, besides, he owed rent money on the apartment
anyway.

Ryoga simply watched as they vanished into the sunset. Ranma
Saotome was indeed an honorable man, he had waited four days for him to
arrive and given him a good fight. "All right Saotome, when you return,
Ryoga Hibiki will be your strongest opponent!" He pulled his bag over his
shoulder and turned away for his own voyage of training.

1985...

"Tendo, coming from China, Saotome."

Soun Tendo held the postcard in his hand as he trembled and simply
stared at it in disbelief. "Oh, how I've waited for this day..."

A few moments later his daughters sat around the table staring at
their father in shock. "Is he cute?" asked Nabiki shrewdly.

"Ara, I hope he's older, younger men are so...young," gasped
Kasumi with a worried look on her face.

"I don't know, I've never met him," replied Soun honestly. The
girls looked at him for a moment when a noise came from the hallway. Soun
stood up and rushed to the door with an excited look on his face. Kasumi
and Nabiki followed close behind him while Akane merely scowled angrily.

Soun threw open the door to greet the newcomer and stopped as a
boy of about fourteen years old stood with his hand in a knock and looked
at him blankly. On his face was a cross shaped scar, his hair fell back
into a long ponytail, and his dress was that of a traditional samurai,
although the red and black color scheme was a little unusual. Soun froze
in place as he saw the scabbard hanging at the boy's side, throwing his
arms wide he grabbed him in a rough hug.

The boy merely looked at him and cocked his head slightly. "Oro?"

"Ara," said Kasumi as she was uncertain of what to do at the
moment.

"Is this the Tendo residence?" asked the boy cheerfully.

Soun flustered for a moment and regained himself. "Yes, why yes it
is."

"I'm Ranma Saotome, pleased to meet you," replied the boy as he
bowed to them politely.

Soun grabbed him in a rough hug instantly and squeezed him. "Oh,
I'm so glad you came! Tell me, where is your father?"

Ranma looked down at the ground and said nothing for a moment.
"He's dead." Soun Tendo decided that the information was too much for his
brain and passed out.

Ranma turned towards Kasumi and smiled at her warmly. "Is there a
place I can put this?" He held up his bamboo umbrella.

The girl blinked for a moment and indicated the umbrella stand by the
door. "He's so... young," she sighed with a hint of disappointment in her
voice. The boy in front of her didn't look any older than fourteen.

Nabiki sat with the boy at the table with her two sisters flanking
her on either side. "So, who are you, and what's with the weird clothes?"
The boy was dressed in a long black Hakama and a rather flamboyant red
shirt; he also had a Katana resting on his hip. He looked like something
out of a samurai movie.

"Ranma Saotome," replied the boy cheerfully. "What's so weird
about them?" He lifted one of his sleeves up and inspected it for a
moment.

The girl looked away muttering something about 'Kuno' and seemed
to loose interest. The youngest girl rolled her eyes.

"Why are you here kid?" snapped Akane.

Ranma looked confused for a moment. "Didn't your father tell you?
I'm supposed to marry one of you and continue the school of martial arts
in my father's name."

Akane looked at him for a moment. "You knew about this?"

"Of course, it was my father's dying wish that I come here to
honor the agreement," replied Ranma with a small shrug.

"To this little kid?" said Nabiki with a small snort of disgust.

"I am not a 'little kid,'" retorted the boy. He was about to
continue when Kasumi spoke up and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Ara, a final request!" said Kasumi with a horrified expression on
her face. "It must be hard for someone as young as you."

"Yes, it was my father's last request, I wasn't planing on
marrying anyone anytime soon. I hope you don't mind," said the boy with a
slightly worried look on his face.

Akane's face softened a little, but her glare remained. "I don't
care why you're here. I'm not marrying anybody! Especially not some little
kid!"

"Little kid? I suppose I'll just have to choose someone else
then," replied Ranma simply as he turned his gaze towards Nabiki and
Kasumi.

Soun sat up and remained silent as he took up his place at the
head of the table. "Tell me, Saotome is he really..."

"I'm afraid so, he died honorably," said Ranma simply as his face
took on a seriousness that the girls had yet to see from him.

"How?" asked Soun.

"In the final battle of Jusendo, against the Musk Dynasty,"
answered Ranma coldly.

"You were involved with that?" asked Akane as her eyes suddenly
became wide in shock. Her sister's reactions were similar.

It was no small matter, several years ago war had erupted in China
between three factions, the Chinese Government, the Musk Dynasty, and The
Joketsuko. In the end the Chinese government had won, but at heavy cost.
An alliance between them and the Joketsuko was formed; they all but wiped
out the Musk Tribe.

"Yes, we were forced into service in the Chinese military, we
fought bravely until the end for the cause," replied Ranma simply.

"I'm sorry," said Kasumi gently.

Ranma nodded, "I would have joined even if they hadn't forced us."

Akane nodded as her eyes fell on the sword that hung at Ranma's
side; the Japanese government had sympathized with the communist
government despite past relations with them. Japan was against the Musk
and what they represented during the course of the drawn out war that
lasted almost nine years. Herb was a monarch, a complete and total ruler.
His rise to power had shaken many of the democracies around the world.

Soun smiled at the boy and took him by the shoulder. "Well, now
that you're here, these are my three daughters! Pick anyone you like and
she'll be your new fiancée!"

Ranma blinked and his serious face was gone in an instant. "Well,
we have plenty of time to consider that later."

"Oh, he want's Akane!" said Nabiki sweetly.

"Most definitely," agreed Kasumi as they pushed their younger
sister towards him.

"What? Why would I...?" snapped Akane before Nabiki cut her off.

"He's one of those strong martial artist types, you two should get
along well!" reasoned the girl desperately. "Besides, you're the only one
young enough to marry him without looking weird," she whispered into her
sister's ear as she gave the boy a sidelong glance.

"What?!" cried Akane in shock.

"He is a bit young, but perhaps you'll grow to love him?" said
Kasumi cheerfully.

"There's no need to be pushy, we have lots of time before..."
started Ranma as he looked at her as she crossed her arms and looked away
from him purposefully.

"So, Akane it is Saotome," said Soun cheerfully as he pat the boy
on his shoulder.

"Now wait a minute Tendo I..." started Ranma, it seemed everyone
was ignoring him.

Akane glared at him with a stare that was almost pure hatred. "I'm
leaving," she stomped up to her room and slammed the door, after a moment
it opened back up and she stuck her head out again. "I'm not marrying
him!"

Soun looked at Ranma and smiled. "Don't worry, just give her a
little time, she'll warm up to you."

Ranma merely blinked again and opened his mouth. Nabiki covered it
quickly and winked. "Don't worry Ranma, I'm sure you and Akane will get
along fine."

The boy hung his head and sighed. "I see..."

Soun looked at the board in shock, he had intended to sit and
reminisce about his old friend while playing a friendly game of Shogi with
the man's son. Unfortunately, the boy was wiping the floor with him quite
nicely, despite the fact that he was cheating as much as possible under
the boy's careful gaze.

Ranma started a casual conversation. "So, how is the dojo doing?"

Soun looked up at him and blinked as he realized he had been asked
a question. "Well enough, we don't take many students nowadays."

"That's too bad," replied Ranma with a shrug as he placed a tile
down on the board.

Soun looked back and fourth between his side and Ranma's and
started to sweat a little. "It seems you have me."

"It does?" said Ranma as he raised his eyebrow slightly and looked
at the board, he saw at least three ways Tendo could retaliate. "So tell
me Tendo, what kind of girl is your daughter?"

"Ah, trying to find out what you've gotten yourself into now?"
asked the man as he leaned over the board and pat his shoulder.

"Something like that," replied Ranma with a knowing smile.

"Well, her measurements are twenty-seven, twenty..." started Soun.

Ranma merely blinked and stared at the man in shock. "Oro?"

A few moments later Kasumi walked up to Ranma with a small armload
of sheets. "I'll show you to your room Ranma."

"Thank you," replied the boy with a pleasant smile as he stood up.
Kasumi blinked and felt a tiny pang of regret for dumping him off on
Akane; he seemed like such a nice boy. She shook the thoughts away, he was
after all, still a boy.

As she led him into the spare room she turned to see him placing
his traveling bag on the ground and glancing around at the windows and the
closet carefully. The boy smiled and bowed to her, "Thank you again
Tendo."

"Oh, you can call me big sister if you want too!" she replied
cheerfully and blushed at her reaction to his formality.

"How about, just Kasumi for now?" said Ranma wryly.

"That will be fine," replied the girl. "Would you like to take a
bath now? I just filled up the furo a short time ago."

"I'd like that, thank you," replied Ranma.

A few moments later he sat on a stool looking at his reflection in
the mirror. His hair dripped with the water he had dumped over his head
and ran down his breast creating a strange yet familiar sensation.
Ranma-chan sighed heavily as she stared at herself and stood up turning
her back and inspecting herself. "How do I tell them about this?" she
wondered out loud. "Well, I suppose there's no need to if I'm not staying
long."

After a moment she stepped into the water and relaxed feeling the
change overtake her again. "This is nice."
His hand shot out to his blade as a sound caught his attention
just outside the doorway. After a moment he realized where he was and
replaced it back in the corner carefully as the intruder walked back out
the door.

Akane looked at the basket and saw Ranma's clothes there. She
frowned slightly and turned back out the door. "Kasumi, why did you tell
me the bath was ready when Ranma's already in there?"

"Sorry, I must have forgot about him," replied her sister sweetly
as she stuck her head out of the kitchen.

It was evening, Ranma stood out in the yard and breathed calmly as
he stood silently with a shinai in his hands. He slowly opened his eyes
and stepped forward in the first motion of a slow kata. His movements were
smooth and precise, nothing fast or particularly flashy. It was flawlessly
executed though.

Nearby just inside the house Nabiki Tendo watched carefully while
eating a bag of chips. Beside her Akane sat staring at the spectacle only
half way interested. "What style is that? It isn't Anything Goes..." she
commented.
Ranma appeared beside her with his grin still plastered on his
face. "It's called Hiten Mitsurugi style."

Akane blinked for a moment and stared at him, she hadn't even
realized he was finished yet. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" She
slapped him across his face and he merely stood there looking at her.

"Oro?"

"Very impressive," noted Soun calmly as he nodded in approval. "I
take it you learned it while you were in China. I've heard rumors of a
Japanese man who killed with decisive efficiency during the wars. Did you
happen to meet him?"

"He was called Battosai," said Nabiki as her father handed her a
small yen bill with a questioning look on his face.

"Thank you Nabiki, tell me Ranma, did you know this Battosai?"
said Soun cheerfully.

"The name does sound familiar, I've been practicing Hiten
Mitsurugi style almost as long as Anything Goes. I don't remember where I
learned it, but it is very important to me for some reason. I can not
stop, I think it was a promise I made..." the boy trailed off and looked
into the distance outside.

"Hmm, I see. Well, I suppose we can spar a little tomorrow after
you get back from school, I'm getting out of practice myself," said Soun
cheerfully.

"Oro?" said Ranma as he whipped his head around with a confused
look on his face. "School?"

"Well, you are going to be staying a while Saotome," replied the
man calmly.

"I suppose I should return to school, I kind of forgot what with
all the excitement over the past few years," said Ranma with a small laugh
as he scratched the back of his head as if purposely avoiding something.

"Honestly," growled Akane half-heartedly as she turned away from
the men.

Ruroni Ranma

Chapter 2

The soul of the true samurai.

Ranma sat across from Soun Tendo, the three daughters had recently
gone to sleep while the men sat together in the living room around the
table talking. Soun relayed old stories about the boy's father while Ranma
recounted a few tales from China. He skirted around the years they had
spent in battle. Soun let the matter pass; Ranma would reveal those things
to him when he felt comfortable with it. After a long moment, around
eleven o'clock Ranma suddenly became serious.

"Tendo, I'm sorry to say this, but I'll be leaving tomorrow," he
bowed politely and sat with an almost rigid position across from the man.

Soun's face fell as he looked at the boy in shock. "Pardon?"

"I said I'll be leaving tomorrow in the morning," repeated Ranma
simply.

"Why? Where are you going? When will you return?" said Tendo as he
did not quite understand what the boy was telling him.

Ranma took in a deep breath and hung his head. "I won't be coming
back, it is obvious to me that none of your daughters desires this
marriage. I will not force myself on any of them, even as a last request
from my father."

Soun looked at the boy and suddenly became almost as calm as he
was. "I see..."

"I am truly sorry Tendo, but I cannot force an unhappy marriage
upon one of your daughters," Ranma was stern and did not waver under the
man's harsh glare.

Soun's face softened slightly and he bowed before Ranma. "I have a
request of you."

This took the boy by surprise and he raised his eyebrow slightly.
"Yes Tendo?"

"Give it one month, that is all I ask. Akane has never had a good
relationship with a boy. She is hostile towards most men, I believe she
will grow to like you quickly Saotome, but it will take time for a girl
like her. Please, all I ask is for you to remain here one month. If she
still does not wish you to stay, you may leave with your honor intact."

Ranma paused for a moment and seemed to consider this, it didn't
take long. "All right Tendo, I give your daughters one month. If one of
them does not ask me to remain here, I will leave."

"You have my gratitude," said Soun with a relieved sigh. "Now,
it's getting pretty late, you do have school tomorrow do you not Saotome?"

Ranma blinked. "I suppose you're right."

The next morning Ranma stood waiting for Akane outside the dojo.
The girl came running out and stopped cold as she saw him standing there.
"What do you want?"

"Your father thought it might be a good idea if we walked together
Akane," replied the boy simply.

She looked him up and down and frowned when she realized he was
wearing the same kind of clothes he was wearing the day before. They were
slightly different; a flame pattern was dyed into the sleeves and waist.
He smiled at her and started walking. "Why don't you just go by yourself?
I don't want anything to do with you."

Ranma didn't turn to face her; he merely stopped and spoke to her.
"One month."

"What?" said the girl in confusion.

"I told your father I would remain one month, if you still wish me
gone a month from now I will leave without question," Ranma started to
walk towards the school once again; suddenly he stopped and looked
thoughtful. "I just realized I don't know where this school is at.
Perhaps you could show me?" When he turned to face her the smile was there
again as if it had never left his face.

Akane shrugged and started walking beside him. "All right, I'll
show you, the middle school is this way..." She took a turn by the
chiropractor's office on the corner.

"Um, Akane. I should be going to high school shouldn't I?" said
Ranma in confusion.

Akane looked at him and frowned. "Look, I don't care about this
engagement thing, but if you think I'm gonna drag you to school with me
just because we're engaged..."

Ranma coughed into his hand. "Um, I'm sixteen years old Akane."

The girl blinked and stared at him for a moment in complete shock,
unable to speak, finally she let her jaw drop. "SIXTEEN?!" After a moment
she recovered and turned away from him. "Fine, when we get there we don't
know each other."

"Fair enough," said Ranma simply.

"Right," Akane started to run forward and Ranma followed close
behind her.

As they neared the school Ranma jumped away from a small old woman
who was emptying her bath water on the sidewalk and stopped as he
inspected himself suddenly. He looked down and pat his chest giving a
relieved smile. "What is it?" said Akane as she stopped and turned back to
him.

"Sorry, just making sure," replied the boy simply as he started
forward again.

Akane rolled her eyes and continued forward towards Furinkan with
a strange determination in her stride. "I hate boys."

Ranma appeared next to her keeping up with her stride easily; his
face suddenly became serious. "Why do I get the feeling you're preparing
for battle?"

Akane ignored him and blasted into the crowd that awaited her.
Ranma gaped in shock and frowned as he watched the scene carefully with
his hand on the hilt of his blade. After a moment he paused and strode
forward purposefully ignoring the battle around him. Finally he came to a
stop and leaned against a wall waiting patiently for the fight to end. It
did rather quickly and he watched a nearby tree without moving as Akane
finished off her attackers.

Nabiki sat and watched the exchange from her usual place in the
window. "What's he doing here?" she wondered as she saw Ranma run up
behind him. "He must have walked her to school. How cute." One of her
friends walked up beside her and followed her gaze down to Ranma. Nabiki
was about to call out to the boy when she realized that he was watching
the tree. Kuno stood in waiting just behind it patiently. She frowned and
realized that there was no way he could see the boy from the angle he was
standing at. Still, he sat and waited. "What's he up to?"

"What was that boss?" asked one of her associates.

"Nothing," replied Nabiki calmly.

Akane finished up the last of her opponents and panted while
remaining in a ready stance. Her hand darted up in time to catch a single
rose that had flow into her hand.

"What fools these mortals be, they seek the honor of your company
on the eve that they might defeat you," said a voice as a tall almost
bishonen looking boy emerged from his cover and stepped out.
"Now, might you spar with me?" the boy chuckled to himself as he
held his bokuto up towards her.

Akane was about to answer the challenge when a new voice spoke up.
"I think I've seen about enough."

Kuno turned and saw the strange boy leaning against the wall with
his head bent down. He growled when he noticed the sword hanging at his
side and his familiar dress. "Who might you be boy? Were you not taught
how to respect your elders?"

"Elders? What is it with you people? I'm sixteen." Ranma frowned
for a moment and looked up at the kendoist. "I'm Just a vagabond whose
found a place to stay for a while. I must say your technique is cowardly."

"Who are you to speak of such things?" snapped the boy as he
diverted his attention from Akane for a moment.

Ranma ignored him. "Using weaker opponents to wear her down, so
that you can take advantage of her weakened state and defeat her easily. A
masterful plan, but hardly the way of a true warrior. If you truly wished
to test your own strength you'd do it without all this pageantry. If you
truly believe yourself to be a samurai of honor you will stop this and
face her alone."

"Who are you boor? How dare you speak so to one such as myself!"
snapped Kuno as he stepped towards the boy.

"As I said, I'm just a vagabond, nothing for you to concern
yourself with. Let her go peacefully, otherwise she might be late for
class," replied Ranma simply. "Please."

Kuno looked like he was about to burst a vein. "How-how dare you!
A lowborn fool like yourself cannot begin to comprehend the honor of this
battle! Do you know who it is you address? I am the mighty True Battosai
of Furinkan High! The rising new star of the high school fencing world;
Tatewaki Kuno!" Kuno stepped forward holding the bokuto in an offensive
position.

Ranma's eyes narrowed as he stepped back. "I did not come here to
fight with you."

"You speak of honor and wield a steel blade against an opponent
with a bokuto," replied Kuno as he pointed to the scabbard at the boy's
side.

Ranma shook his head. "You misunderstand, this isn't a blade that
can kill."

"What foolishness is this? How can a blade of steel not kill? Is
that not the art of the sword?" Kuno seemed to puff himself up in what
appeared to be the worst bluff of all time.

Ranma removed his hand and smiled. "If you wish, I can wield a
bokuto against you. If you so challenge me, this is not the time or the
place for such things, I ask that you stand down."

Both men stood off in the center of the schoolyard Ranma ignored
Kuno's stares and simply smiled at him. "So be it, I shall issue my
challenge at a later date," announced Kuno as he turned to address the
crowd, the crowd that was no longer there. "What is this?"

Ranma looked up and saw Akane Tendo disappearing into the doors of
the school. She stopped long enough to stick her tongue out at both of
them and slammed the door behind herself. The pair stood alone in the
courtyard for a few moments until the first bell of the day rang.

Ranma could only say one thing. "Oro?"

A few moments later Ranma stood out in the hallway after his short
introduction to the class. In his hands was a pair of buckets filled with
water. He sighed to himself and looked up at the ceiling. "What have I
gotten myself into?"

Tatewaki Kuno stared Nabiki down at her desk. "What? You say you
know this strange vagabond? Tell me who this stranger is!"

"Oh, Kuno baby, that is really going to cost you," replied the
girl sweetly.

With righteous tears in his eyes Kuno set down a wad of bills on
her desk. "Tell me who this miscreant is so that I might deliver my
message of challenge!"

"His name is Ranma Saotome, and he's Akane's new fiancée," replied
Nabiki with a smirk as she accepted the money from him cheerfully.

Kuno froze and simply stared at her, "Wh-what?" The entire class
had gone silent as well.

"Three thousand yen for a repeat performance Kuno baby," said the
girl shrewdly.

Ranma was passing the time away humming to himself as he waited to
get called back into the room. He felt something vaguely familiar from
down the hall and turned to see Kuno charging him with his bokuto ready.
He blinked for a moment and stepped back in a battle ready stance dropping
his buckets to the floor.

"I Tatewaki Kuno, shall not allow this travesty to continue!"
roared the boy angrily as he sliced at Ranma. The boy retaliated by
raising his scabbard up and blocking easily. Kuno seemed beyond anger.
"Never, never shall I allow this engagement! I shall never allow your
engagement to Akane Tendo!"

Ranma's eyes went wide as the boy shouted. He hadn't told anyone
about it, as far as everyone else was concerned up till now he didn't even
know Akane Tendo.

The windows to the nearby classrooms flew open as hundreds of
shouting students leaned out of them and shouted for verification of this
new rumor. Ranma grit his teeth and jumped away from Kuno just in time to
avoid another strike from his weapon.

Akane Tendo sat at her desk fuming with anger. "How dare he! How
dare he butt in on my fight?!" She scowled angrily and looked at the
silhouetted figure standing just outside the doorway. "When I get home I'm
gonna give him a piece of..." she froze as a familiar voice floated into
the room from outside. The teacher looked at her as she stood up from her
seat with a look of horror on her face.

"Is something wrong Miss Tendo?" said the man impatiently. He was
promptly cut off as a shout from the hallway told him what was wrong.

Akane's vision suddenly became red as the entire class looked at
her in almost perfect unison. There was no doubt in her mind everyone
thought she was some kind of weirdo pervert as young as he looked.
"I-I-I'll kill him!"

Ranma was having a bit of a difficult time in his battle in the
hallway. The narrow space didn't give him much room to move around and he
didn't really want to hurt this boy now. He turned away and jumped out of
the path of another strike. "This is not the place to fight Kuno."

That stopped the upperclassman for a moment. "I see, lead on
then!"

Ranma looked back at the room and turned away leading Kuno down
the hall. He smirked as he jumped out of an open window and noticed the
student body closing in behind them.

Akane rushed forward as Kuno followed and snapped at Ranma
angrily. "This is the third floor fool!"

"Oro?" said Ranma as he balanced on the top of a flagpole just
outside the window. Kuno was face down in the pool three stories below. "I
was going up to the roof, but I guess he couldn't keep up with me..." he
looked a little ashamed and stepped back into the building.

"Why didn't you just take the stairs!?" snapped the girl angrily.

"Oh, yea..." Ranma turned his head and looked at the flight of
stairs that wasn't even ten feet away from him.

Akane merely hung her head and sighed. In the back of her mind she
wondered if he ever intended to fight Kuno at all. Perhaps it had just
been luck that he jumped out onto the flagpole instead of into the water
below?

Ranma stood next to her and glanced out the window nervously.
"Well, that was a close one," he muttered to himself as he eyed the water
below where the kendoist floated face down.

Kuno walked out of the pool and shook off his arms as he turned
towards the building and glared upwards in anger. "Ranma Saotome, I shall
not forget this offence! Be ready for my challenge!" He sat down there on
the pavement and fished a soaking wet notepad and pencil from his shirt.
"You will suffer for this humiliation!" he started to laugh to himself as
he scrawled, or attempted do considering the condition of his utensils.

Ruroni Ranma

Part 3

Kuno Strikes Back.

Ranma Saotome sat at the table and glanced at the sheet of paper
that had been given to him calmly. "A letter of challenge?" He sighed and
tossed it across the table.

"Serves you right for butting in on my fight," snapped the
youngest Tendo angrily. She froze suddenly; the note in her hand began to
shake as she read the challenge carefully.

"What is it sis?" Nabiki peeked over her shoulder and gasped.

"Ranma Saotome, I hereby challenge you to a battle of honor, your cowardly
ways shall come to light as my mighty and swift justice comes upon you.
Meet me tomorrow on the field of battle as I show you the might of a true
samurai of noble blood. I shall meet your challenge with steel and a noble
heart. Come prepared. Yours truly, Tatewaki Kuno, the True Battosai of
Furinkan High."

"Ranma, he's going to use a real sword! One of you will be
killed!" gasped Nabiki with a horrified look on her face.

Ranma blinked and looked at her. He took the letter back and read
it again. "Hmm, So it seems..." He turned towards the girl and smiled.
"Don't worry Nabiki. I won't kill him."

"What?" said Akane in confusion. "You'll get yourself killed! Kuno
might not be much of a fighter, but his kendo skills are exceptional.
Especially when facing a male opponent!"

"Don't worry about it, I can handle myself." replied Ranma simply.

"Let me guess, the war in China right?" said Nabiki flatly.

Ranma nodded his head quietly.

Akane gasped in shock and looked at the boy oddly. "You killed
during the war?"

"That is what one does in a war Akane, I have a lot of blood on my
hands," replied the boy simply.

"Tell me, what is this True Battosai nonsense Tatewaki is going on
about?" asked Ranma. "He's a Kendoist, does he even know what Battosai
means?"

"You of all people should know that, you said you met this
Battosai character," replied Nabiki with a smug grin.

"Oro?" said Ranma as he blinked at them.

Akane sighed, "Kuno thinks of himself as a samurai, a noble. So
naturally when a real samurai becomes a legend in a war like that he makes
him his hero."

"He thinks of Battosai as a hero?" said Ranma in confusion.

Akane seemed quite miffed at this insinuation. "Battosai was a
hero, people still talk about him today when they hear about him fighting
against the Musk during the war."

Ranma seemed a little upset by this. "I always thought he was the
kind of guy who faded away and never made it into the history books. A
shadow assassin, who was never really known," he looked oddly thoughtful
for a moment. "Hero huh? Weird."

"Well, normally I suppose he would, but he was a major player in
an important war, and also one of a very few Japanese nationals involved
with it." Nabiki shrugged her shoulders and went back to her bag of chips.
"I guess it's just circumstance."

"Quite so," agreed Ranma as he went back to studying the letter.
"But what to do about this fool? I don't really want to fight him."

As the sun set Ranma stood alone in a field. He waited patiently
for his opponent as the hour dragged on. "He's late."
Almost as if on cue Tatewaki Kuno appeared on the street
silhouetted in the setting sun as he approached the designated
battleground. Both men were dressed in traditional samurai garb, with
Ranma being a bit flashier overall with his bright red shirt.

"So, you finally decided to show up did you?" asked Ranma smugly.

"I felt the need for an appropriate entrance," replied the boy
calmly as he lifted a rose to his nose and smiled.

"I can understand that, but all this pageantry still says nothing
for your skills. Tell me, why am I here facing you?" Ranma remained calm
and watched the boy look up in surprise.

"You have insulted my honor, and interfered with my sacred battle
with Akane Tendo," replied Kuno angrily.

"These are killing offences?" said Ranma in a questioning voice.

"I would choose the honorable path, such is the way of a samurai,"
replied Kuno with a shrug. "My honor must be avenged."

"The one you chose to name yourself after, never believed that.
There is no justice in killing over such foolishness... Besides, I never
stopped you from facing her; I merely pointed out that it was dishonorable
to have others attack her before you merely to wear her down. I will not
stand between you if you wish to continue, after all no one was really
hurt by this," Ranma met his gaze coolly and smiled. "So let's just forget
this all right?"

"For deceiving young maidens with your young looks and forcing
yourself upon Akane Tendo. I cannot allow this transgression to continue,
have at thee!" roared Kuno as he charged forward and drew his blade. Ranma
merely sidestepped the strike and stepped away from him as Kuno staggered
for a moment after missing. "You have good technique, but your killing
power is extremely lacking, I bet you've never taken a life before have
you?"

"So, you say my sword ki is low?" replied Kuno with a chuckle,
tell me knave how would one such as yourself know of such things.

Ranma merely smiled and got into a low stance with his hand on the
hilt of his sword, his aura seemed to grow ten times as strong. Kuno's
hand loosened and his grip on his sword faltered for a moment, he froze in
place with a look of terror crossing his features as he simply gaped in
awe at the strange boy before him. "This is... it is impossible! No man
could be stronger than I with the blade! It is not possible to exceed
perfection!"

Ranma smiled at this; "There is no such thing as perfection in
battle. There is always a way to defeat even the strongest of opponents,
it is one of many hard lessons I had to learn in my life. Now, let's end
this foolish battle peacefully, I have no desire to draw against you."

Kuno seemed to snap out of his trance and pulled the blade up
right before charging again. "You speak wisely; however, I shall not lose
today!" He rushed forward sending the blade towards Ranma hundreds of
times in the space of a few seconds. "As with the mighty Battosai of
Japan, my kendo is unrivaled!"

Ranma ran backwards avoiding the strikes easily with a firm look
on his face. "The one you call Battosai does not use kendo, he uses Hiten
Mitsurugi style Batojitsu. That is how he earned his name."

Kuno blinked in shock and staggered for a moment, just long enough
for Ranma to jump comfortably out of range. "How do you know of such
things? Do you take me for a fool! Everyone knows that kendo is the
strongest art of Japan! Only Sumo Wrestling comes close to it's mighty
power! What else would the great hero of Japan use against her enemies?"
He charged again bringing his sword down in a wide arc towards Ranma.

The ponytailed martial artist merely stepped back as his hand flew
to the hilt of his sword. He thrust out in an upward cutting motion and
Kuno's blade was stopped cold and thrown up leaving his belly open to
attack. Ranma wasted no opportunity to strike and Kuno fell to his knees
clutching his wound.

"So, this is how it ends, a noble death for one such as I. I am
pleased to have died in battle against a fellow samurai," Kuno coughed and
fell forward onto the ground as his belly burned in pain.

"You've obviously never had a sword wound before," said Ranma with
a slightly amused chuckle. "Don't worry, I cannot kill, not ever again,"
Ranma was standing with his sword draw at his side with his back turned
towards Kuno in a rather dramatic pose. "Still, it was a good match,
perhaps we can do it again without our steel blades sometime."

"What?" Kuno reached down to his stomach and felt the blow. It was
badly bruised, but there was no cut. He coughed again and struggled to
rise to his feet only to fall again as he turned to see Ranma placing his
sword back in the scabbard. He gasped as he saw the blade just before
Ranma finished sheathing it "A Sakabato?"

"Yes, a reversed blade. I swore I would not kill once the battles
ended in China. I will only use my sword to protect those who need it.
Akane Tendo does not need your idle threats or your love, go and find
another passion for your heart," the boy turned away and started walking
off into the darkness as the sun finally fell, leaving the night sky
behind.

"China? Battles?" he pushed the thoughts aside for the time being.
"I cannot give up my love for her, it shall burn eternal!"

Ranma turned back and glanced at him with an odd look on his face.
"So be it, but I suggest you find another way to prove your affections to
her. Anything between us ends here Kuno. I don't need another enemy."

Kuno finally found the strength to rise to his feet as he watched
the boy walk away. He looked down at his blade and noticed a chip fall
away where the Sakabato had struck it. "A very strange man indeed." He
fell to quiet musings and put the blade away before walking towards his
home.

Ranma entered the Tendo house and smiled as Kasumi walked out of
the Kitchen with a pan in her hands. "Oh, Ranma! You're just in time for
dinner!"

"Oh good," said the boy pleasantly. He sat down with the family
and looked around when he noticed no one had started eating yet. "Oro?"

"Well?" said Nabiki excitedly; there was a hint of nervousness in
her voice.

"Well what?" asked Ranma seemingly oblivious.

"What happened dolt?" screamed Akane in frustration as she slammed
her fists on the table cracking it down the middle.

"Saotome, I'm not going to get a call from the police about this
later am I?" asked Soun with a slightly worried tone.

"Police? About what?" asked Ranma in confusion.

"Ohmygod! He killed Kuno!" screeched Nabiki.

"Ara, you bastard," said Kasumi sweetly. Everyone looked at her
and she blushed.

"Kuno is fine," replied Ranma simply as he continued to give
Kasumi a slightly odd stare. "Well, not really, but he isn't dead at any
rate."

"That is a relief to hear," said Soun a little more relaxed. The
family settled down for the evening after that and enjoyed themselves.

After the meal was over, Ranma stood up and grabbed some of the
dishes off the table. "I'll help you with this Kasumi."

"Oh, don't worry about it Ranma, I can handle it," she said
sweetly.

"I insist, I don't want to be a dead weight around here," replied
the boy firmly.

"Oh, all right, you can help dry them off. How's that?" Ranma
nodded at her suggestion and smiled.

"That pervert had better stop hitting on my sister," growled Akane
angrily as she cracked the table under her grip.

"Why not? If you don't like him what's wrong with Kasumi taking
him instead? Did it ever occur to you that he might want to earn his keep
around here? He's young, but I bet he'll grow up handsome, maybe Kasumi
will notice it and let you off the hook?" replied Nabiki with a small
smile on her lips.

Akane turned her head away and 'Humphed' as a huge blush crossed
her face.

The next morning Ranma whistled to himself as he walked towards
Furinkan High in his brand new school uniform. "I hate new clothes, the
fabric is all itchy." He scratched at his back lazily and stayed fairly
close to Akane as she walked despite repeated attempts by her to move away
from him.

"Aren't you gone yet?" she snorted lazily. "Stop following me!"

"I said I'd give it a month and that's what I meant," replied
Ranma dryly as he put his hands behind his head and looked away from her.
"Don't worry, you've only got three and a half more weeks to put up with
me."

Akane seemed to turn to stone on the spot as a single tear fell
down her face. "Three weeks?"

"It's not that bad!" said Ranma as he turned away and continued to
walk with a neutral look on his face.

Once they reached the school grounds Akane froze as she saw... no
one. There were no boys waiting for her in a huge mob. Something had
happened. She turned towards Ranma and frowned. "What did you do to
them?"

"Do?" said Ranma looking completely oblivious once again.

Akane almost jumped when a rose flew from behind a tree and landed
in her palm. "Eeek!"

Kuno emerged from behind the tree and smiled at her. His bandages
showed through his shirt easily and he leaned against his bokuto as he
stepped towards her. "Akane Tendo, I have revoked my challenge. From this
day forth, no man shall lay a hand upon the head of Akane Tendo without
facing the wrath of the True Battosai of Furinkan High. This is my gift to
you," he bowed dramatically and strolled away leaving Akane in shock.

"That was certainly nice of him, of course it would have been
better if he never issued the challenge in the first place, but..." Ranma
was cut off as Akane became angry again.

"I don't need you to protect me you jerk!" she screamed as she
charged and performed a flying sidekick that hit Kuno in the back of his
head and dropped him like a rock.

"Oy?" said Ranma as he poked at the boy lightly as he lay on the
ground. "You ok?" He looked up at Akane and smiled. "A very independent
woman."

Kuno appeared to be crying tears of joy. "Such ferocity. Surely
she intends to show her spirit and true love for me by continuing our
honorable combat even though I can no longer partake in it with her!"

Ranma blinked. "Orooro?"
Ruroni Ranma

Part 4

The secret of Jusenkyo.

Ranma hummed to himself cheerfully as he snapped the shirt out
with a quick flick of his wrist releasing a spray of water that seemed to
sparkle in the afternoon sun. He smiled and pinned the garment up with a
clothespin on the long line that ran from the lower portion of the roof
across the yard.

Kasumi smiled as she handed him another basket cheerfully. "Thank
you for helping Ranma, I appreciate it."

"It's no problem, I enjoy this kind of thing. It's relaxing," said
the boy cheerfully as he walked over to the other end of the line and
began to hang the contents of the basket. He turned around and smiled as
Akane turned the corner and stopped in her tracks.

"Wh-what are you doing?" screamed the girl.

"Laundry," replied the boy in confusion unsure about the source of
her sudden anger.

"Those are mine you pervert!" screamed the girl as she snatched
the basket of panties from him.

"Oro?" Ranma looked at what was in his hand and blinked. "I didn't
even realize what these were until you said something. If you'd rather
hang them yourself I'll understand."

"You pervert!" screamed the girl as she dropped the basket and
raised her fist.

"Oh, hello Akane! Ranma offered to help me with the laundry today,
wasn't that nice of him?" said Kasumi cheerfully as she walked between
them ending the stand off instantly.

"Watch yourself," muttered the girl darkly as she turned away.

"What was that about?" wondered Ranma as he grabbed a large sheet
from Kasumi's basket and pinned it up.

Kasumi walked up to him and smiled. "Don't worry about it, she's
just a little sensitive." The girl stopped and looked down slightly. "Uh,
Ranma?"

"Yes?" said the boy with a genuinely interested look on his face.

"Do you always wear your sword when you do laundry?"

He looked down at his side and smiled at her. "I've worn it for so
long it just feels weird not to."

"Oh, I see," replied the girl as she turned away and continued her
work.

Nabiki Tendo put down a magazine and sighed. She had just read yet
another article about the war in China. The article was by an obvious
feminist who claimed that Battosai was in fact a woman who worked with the
Amazons near the end of the war despite having killed a number of them in
previous battles before the alliance between them and the Chinese
government was formed. There was a little speculation about it, but it was
mostly put off as feminist propaganda instilled to help their cause.
"Hmm, Ranma said he met Battosai once, maybe I should ask him
about it?" she frowned slightly at the idea and pushed it aside for the
time being. "I bet Kuno would have a heart attack if he found out it was
true." The mere thought of it was enough to send her into a fit of
giggles. The Kendoist would probably deny it though no matter how much
proof she forced down his throat. She tossed the magazine onto her bed and
went off in search of the boy.

Deep in the woods of Southern Japan a figure walked through the
woods scowling to himself. He was dressed in traveling clothes, a white
cotton over shirt hung loosely off his shoulders with a large pack resting
on his back. On his forehead was a blood red bandanna that held his bangs
out of his face. Rain poured around him as he walked with lightening
flashing in the sky above him. Strangely enough an umbrella sat untouched
across the top of his pack. He walked on purposefully not stopping or
slowing his stride despite the weather. Thunder rumbled above him creating
a flash of light that shined off the umbrella creating a surreal
silhouette to anyone that could see him approaching. In his hand was a
wadded up page with a message written across it in blotted kanji.
He smiled as he looked at it again and once again found purpose to
his wanderings. "So, you've finally returned?" he thought to himself as he
strode onward.

Moments later he found himself on a road once again. A man moved by
struggling with a large cart while holding an umbrella over his head to
defend himself from the rain. He stopped and looked at the figure
fearfully as he approached. "Please! I don't have any money!" It was an
obvious lie judging from the pouch that rested on his hip.

The figure merely shook his head and smiled at him. "Tell me, where is
Furinkan High School?" He thrusted a map forward in the man's face causing
a relieved look that was followed by confusion.

"Isn't this Tokyo? You're on the wrong island," replied the man.

"I see, sorry to trouble you," the figure walked away calmly leaving the
confused traveler behind. "Ranma, as promised, Ryoga Hibiki will be your
strongest opponent!"

Nabiki found herself walking with Ranma through the streets of Nerima
carrying a single plastic bag of groceries while the boy lugged two large
brown bags filled with food. "Did you want to ask me something? You've
been awfully quiet," said the boy with a small smirk.

Nabiki found she had actually enjoyed the trip with him. The look on the
grocer's face when he saw Ranma's katana had been priceless; the boy had
gotten a good deal on almost all of the produce he had bought without
haggling at all. She blinked in surprise at his question and sighed. "Is
it that obvious?"

"Well, you don't seem like the type who would volunteer for this
sort of thing," said Ranma cheerfully. "What is it you want to know?"

Nabiki cleared her throat and tried to think of the best way to
ask her question without looking like a fool. "I've read a few things
about the war in China since you came here. A few of them were rumors that
Battosai was a woman, I was kind of wondering if it was true. You did say
you met him once."

Ranma smiled at this and looked away. "Battosai was a man, most of
the time."

She blinked and almost dropped the bag. "What? What's that
supposed to mean?"

"It's nothing," replied the boy as he continued on his way
ignoring her looks of frustration.

A young girl brushed between them with a look of urgency on her
face. She struggled for a moment and almost fell on her face in her rush.
Ranma looked at her and frowned. "Are you all right?"

She snapped her head around and looked at him for a moment. "I'm
fine, excuse me."

Nabiki raised her eyebrow at this exchange and turned away
continuing towards the house. The girl was no better than street trash;
she idly wondered why the boy would bother with her at all?

Ranma stopped the girl by grabbing her arm as she tried to rush
away again. "It looks to me like you're in some sort of trouble."

"I'm fine, leggo," snapped the girl as she pulled at his arm, his
grip was firm though and she did not escape.

"Oh, can I have my wallet back then?"

The child froze and slowly turned towards him with a look of fear
on her face. Thinking quickly she screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Pervert! How dare you suggest such a thing to an innocent little girl!"

Ranma frowned and glanced behind him. Most of the people had
turned away from him and the child, but a nearby police officer had taken
notice of the situation.
Thinking quickly he pulled a bottled water from the bag and
twisted off the cap with his teeth before pouring its contents over his
head. The girl had turned away for a moment and was watching the officer
with even more fear; apparently her plan had backfired.

"Uhh," she stammered as she tried to lunge away again. Ranma
merely stood upright with her hand still firmly planted on the girl's
shoulder.

"Is there a problem here?" asked the officer, he had his baton
drawn after he noticed the blade at the strange girl's side.

Ranma smiled at him. "No, well. My little sister here ran away
from home a few days ago after a fight with father, I ran into her just
now."

"I see," said the man as he gave the child a small frown.

"Little girls shouldn't do things like that, the streets are
dangerous you know," said the man as he knelt down and pat the girl on the
head.

The child snapped at his hand with her teeth. "Fuck off pig!"

Ranma promptly swatted her in the head in what appeared to be a
very sisterly gesture to the officer, almost motherly in fact. "Watch your
mouth!"

The girl snorted in disgust at this and stuck her tongue out at
her. "You ain't no sister of mine."

Ranma took it in stride though. "As you can see, she is a very
poorly behaved child. I'll make sure father punishes her harshly when we
get home. Thank you." She waved at the man as he turned away with a scowl
on his face leaving the girl and her weird sister behind.

The little girl blinked at Ranma and gasped. "Hey, weren't you a
guy a minute ago?"

"Maybe," replied the red head as she pulled her along after
picking up her bags and carrying them one armed now.

"Hey! Where are you taking me?" snapped the angry child.

"I told you, I'm taking you home so that you can be properly
punished," replied the girl simply.

"Oh no! Your one of those crazy lesbians aren't you! Please don't
ravage me!" cried the girl with genuine fear.

"Well, at least let me get you cleaned up a bit. A young girl like
yourself shouldn't be wandering the streets like this," said Ranma as she
easily blocked the girl's strikes.

Ranma stopped at a ramen booth and paid for two bowls setting one
down in front of the girl. She was about ten years old with shoulder cut
brown hair and dirty looking clothes. The shop owner had been reluctant to
serve her, but a glance at the weapon at Ranma's side stopped any protest
before they even started.

"So what's your name kid?" asked Ranma coolly as she ate.

The girl looked away considering escape for a moment, but the
offer of food was a little too much for her to resist. "Yuriko," she said
sullenly.

"What's a young girl like you doing out here picking pockets for?"
prodded Ranma while looking mostly uninterested.

"I've got to. I want to be strong, but a girls got to eat ya
know," replied the child rudely.

"I see," said the red head calmly. "What about your parents?"

"If it's any of your business I ain't got one of those," retorted
the girl angrily.

Ranma blinked at this as a small wistful smile appeared on her
face. "I can understand that."

"Yea right," grumbled the girl as she finished up her food. "Well,
see ya."

Ranma grabbed her again and held fast despite the fact the child
had bit her on the hand. The ponytailed martial artist ordered a cup of
hot water just before they left the booth. Once again the girl failed to
escape and protested loudly.

"Tendo Dojo?" said the girl in confusion as she read the sign in front of
her.

"That's right, you said you wanted to be stronger didn't you?" replied
Ranma as she poured the hot water over her head and walked through the
door.

The girl had become strangely silent at this and simply glared at the
family who stared at her as she was pushed into the home. She looked up at
the boy who was pushing her and screamed right before she passed out.

"Oro?" said Ranma as she poked at her with her foot lightly. "Out cold."

"Ranma, who the hell is this?" said Nabiki as she eyed the girl
cautiously.

"Her name is Yuriko, she's a new student," replied the boy with a smile.

"Is that so?" said Soun as he sipped his tea lazily.

Ranma looked towards Akane and smiled. "I hate to ask this, but could you
get her cleaned up a little? She's a real mess right now."

The girl blinked and stood up taking the child under her arms and towards
the bathroom. She would have protested, but the situation was just a
little too weird for her to argue at the moment.

In the bathroom Yuriko woke up to find someone pulling her hair out as
they scrubbed shampoo roughly into her scalp. "Wah! What are you doing?"

"Getting you cleaned up, who are you? What are you doing here? How do you
know Ranma?"

"Boy you ask a lot of stuff," replied the girl smugly.

"Well?" said Akane as kindly as she could.

"I ain't gotta tell you nuthin old lady," snapped the girl. Akane growled
for a moment before dumping a bucket of cold water over her head.

"Hey! That's cold you old hag!"

Ranma looked up for a moment as a small cry of pain emerged from the
bathroom. He set his tea down and noticed Soun was hiding inside his
newspaper ignoring the events around him.

"Since when did you take up picking up street trash?" said Nabiki coolly.

"I like her, she reminds me of myself at that age," replied the boy with a
shrug. "I think she needs someone."

Nabiki blinked at the girl's comment and sighed. Ranma acting anything
like the child scared her slightly. "So you're really gonna go through
with this then?"

"I don't see why not, I think it would be good for the dojo to have a
student or two. Besides, she and Akane get along so well..."

Various violent sounds emerged from the bathroom followed by screams of
pain from both girls. A moment later Akane emerged with Yuriko in tow.
Both of them looked tired and Yuriko was wet, while Akane just looked
flustered and angry. She stopped long enough to stare at Ranma
distastefully. "You realize that I hate you."

"Oro?" replied the boy obliviously.

Yuriko merely sat at the table angrily; Ranma smiled as she made no move
to get away despite the fact that no one was watching her.

Nabiki sighed and rested her head in her palm. "Well, at least this will
be interesting."

Ruroni Ranma

Part 5

Yuriko and Ranma.

Ranma stood outside the Tendo home with his hand on the girl's
shoulder as he walked with Akane escorting the girl home. "I can get there
myself, I don't need any help!" grumbled the child angrily. She made no
move to stop them though.

"I'll expect you after school tomorrow," said Akane coolly.

"Whatever, you couldn't teach me anything anyway," said the girl
coolly as she walked away from the group.

Ranma merely smiled and stood with Akane as she vanished into the
crowd.

"Well, that's the end of that, what a rude little kid," commented
Akane as she turned away.

"She might surprise you," replied the boy with a thoughtful look
on his face. "That arrogant pride, is it just bad behavior, or a strong
sense of honor?" he asked himself in his mind.

"Where are you going?" said Akane as Ranma moved forward into the
crowd.

"Just for a little walk," said Ranma as he flashed her a grin.
"I'll be back before dinner."

"I'll just bet you will," snorted the girl as she continued to
walk home. The boy had never missed a meal since he arrived at the dojo.
She spun around and sighed. "Ranma, wait for me!"

Yuriko stood in front of a scruffy looking man who sat on a park
bench surrounded by a group of young punks, all of whom were older than
her. She walked closer to the man as he took a drag off of his cigarette.
"You're late."

"Sorry, I had a problem," replied the girl tentatively as she
backed away nervously. After a moment she emptied her pockets dropping
several wallets onto his lap.

"Good girl, you'll do good in the world if you keep it up. Who
knows? In a few years, maybe I can set you up with a nice cushy job in
Madam Chu's house. You're a pretty girl, I'm sure of it if you're careful
and don't get all banged up on the mean streets." He laughed out loud for
a moment and the men around him joined in.

"No thanks, I'm leaving now," replied the girl with a shrug. All
the men stopped laughing suddenly.

"What was that?" said the leader with a deadly calm.

"I mean I'm out, I can't do this anymore," said the girl
confidently as she turned around, only to find several of the boys had
moved behind her.

"Well, I don't think so kid. You'll stay and do what I say from
now on, and like it too." He motioned with his hands and the boy's grabbed
her and held her in place. "You belong to me kid, you think all that noble
blood you seem to think you have is worth shit today? Who the hell took
you in when we found you in a ditch two years ago? Who gave you a place to
stay and protected you? Kiss all that goodbye bitch!" he slapped her
across her face hard enough to make the boy's lose their grip on her for a
moment. "You guys take her and start training her for her job with Madam
Chu."

Yuriko's eyes went wide as the group gave a collective chuckle.
"No."

"You let her go!" screamed a voice as one of the boys flew into
the air and landed on his back. Yuriko and the others turned to see Akane
Tendo standing in a punch with her arm still extended and a look of
complete rage in her eyes. She paused as Ranma stepped between her and the
group.

"Do as the lady says please. I don't think you really need her do
you?" he said calmly.

"Who the fuck are you?" cried the man angrily. "Get the fuck out
of here or..." he stopped cold when Ranma placed his hand on the hilt of
his blade and smiled.

"I'd like to settle this peacefully if I can, I really don't want
to hurt any of you. Let her go, please. Now," the boy's cheerful face had
fallen away leaving a cold scowl that made the men step back.

"Well, there's ten of us and only one of you," replied the man
with a shrug as he picked up a cane that sat beside him and twisted the
top revealing a blade hidden within. The others in the group produced
various weapons, from chains to knives.

"I see," Ranma sighed as he moved into a battojitsu stance.

The men charged and Akane rushed forward. "Ranma no!" A strange
fear flooded her body as she prepared to rush forward and help him. Yuriko
just stood in shocked wonder as the group charged forward all at once and
seemed to swallow up Ranma, who stood unmoving.

It was over before Akane reached him. She stopped and took a step
back as the sound of metal scraping against the inside of a scabbard
floated over the cries of the boys. A moment later they all fell to the
ground leaving only the leader standing alone. He shook in place and
dropped his sword cane as the blade slowly fell away from the hilt. "What
the hell?"

"R-Ranma?" gasped Akane as she stepped towards him as he replaced
the katana in its scabbard.

"I'm glad you see things my way sir. Please, don't bother Yuriko
again, or anyone else in Nerima for that matter. I'd appreciate it if
you'd leave," said Ranma calmly as he stared the man down.

The punks on the ground slowly roused groaning in pain with a few
managing to stagger to their feet and try to run away, succeeding only in
staggering into the bushes.

The man fell to the ground on his knees and wet himself as Ranma
stepped forward with his hand still on the blade watching his movements
carefully. He merely nodded numbly and passed out on the ground.

Akane stared at her fiancée in shock. She had never seen him in a
fight before. This was something she had never expected of him. Somehow it
made her feel slightly afraid despite the fact that she had caught a brief
glimpse of his blade. "A Sakabato?"

Ranma nodded quietly and walked up to her with Yuriko at his side.
The girl was looking up at him in shocked awe. "That was so cool! You have
to teach it to me!"

Akane stepped back and frowned. "You can't!"

Ranma raised his eyebrow at her and smiled at them as he kneeled
down next to Yuriko. "I'm afraid Akane is right Yuriko, the Hiten
Mitsurugi style is a killing style. I won't teach it to anyone, if you
want to be strong I'm afraid you'll have to do it her way. If you learn
well, I might pass on a little of the Anything Goes style to you."

The girl furrowed her brow slightly and hung her head. "But I have
to be strong, I want to make my family proud!"

"Family?" said Akane in confusion.

"My dad was a police man, he got shot and died. My mom never
recovered... My mom died, she got sick and I came to Kuruso for help. I
did all I could, but I wasn't strong enough to help. I want to help
protect others. You've got to teach me this style! I'll be unbeatable!"
cried the girl as tears appeared in her eyes.

Akane stood up and slapped her across her face with a scowl. "You
can't protect others by killing people!"

"What did you do that for you hag?" screeched the girl angrily.

Ranma sighed and hung his head while fingering the scar on his
face slightly. "Akane is right, Hiten Mitsurugi is not for protecting
others. It's for killing, I won't teach it to you. If you want to be
strong and protect others, learn from the Tendos."

Yuriko looked between them and frowned. She said nothing and
started to walk, Akane smiled at her and placed her hand on her shoulder
as she led her back towards the Dojo.

That evening Ranma blinked. "Oro? She's staying with us?" He put
down his chopsticks and looked at the girl who simply glared at him.

"Well, where else is she going to stay? You made her our student
you jerk!" snorted Akane angrily.

Ranma simply shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "Well, that's
nice."

Soun sobbed into his arm. "Akane has her first student! I'm so
proud of my daughter!"

"My student?" said Akane with a hint of anger in her voice.

"I was under the impression that you would be teaching him Tendo,"
said Ranma in surprise.

"Of course I will, once she is ready for the more advanced
classes," replied the man sagely.

"So, she's living with us now?" snorted Nabiki as she pointed at
the girl with her chopsticks.

"Oh, I think it's wonderful! It will be like having another
sister!" cried Kasumi.

"What a weirdo," muttered Yuriko under her breath as she gave the
girls a disgusted look.

"Yes, there's nothing I want more than a fowl mouthed, arrogant,
little sister," she looked over at Akane and blinked. "Well, I guess I'm
kind of used to it now."

"What's that supposed to mean Nabiki?" growled Akane.

"Oh nothing," replied the girl as she looked away.

"Ranma, I'd like you to take her down to school tomorrow, she'll
need to be enrolled in school if she's going to be staying here," said
Soun as he nodded to himself. "Akane can show you where it's at."

"What? Me?!" cried the girl in question.

"That's a good idea," agreed Ranma.

"What?! School?! No way!" cried Yuriko in disgust.

"You can't make a living protecting people you know!" snorted
Akane as she smacked the girl on the back of her head.

"Ouch! You hag! I don't need school, I'll just open up a dojo or
something!" cried Yuriko.

Nabiki noticed the girl's nervous glances and smiled. "Ranma goes
to school too you know."

The girl blinked at her and looked over to him. "You do?"

He nodded cheerfully and tried his best to ignore the
conversation.

"I guess I'll go then," she muttered under her breath.

Nabiki raised her eyebrow slightly and took a mental note of this.
"How interesting."

Akane blinked as Nabiki shoved Yuriko into her arms. "With me?"

"Where else is she going to sleep? With Ranma?" replied the girl
snidely.

"Why not?" snorted Yuriko in answer. It seemed she was just as
happy with the arrangements as Akane was.

"You're not sleeping with him!" snapped Akane angrily as she
smacked the girl in the back of her head.

The girl seemed surprised for a moment. "Him? You mean they don't
know she's a girl?" she thought to herself. She wisely kept this to
herself as Akane continued to fight with her older sister.

"What about your room, or Kasumi?" she shouted.

The older girl stepped out of her room and smiled at her two
sisters. "Well Akane, she is your student..."

"Besides, you have more room than any of us anyway," agreed
Nabiki.

"Fine then," she dragged the confused girl into her room and
noticed that the futon was already spread out on the ground.

"Eww, how girly can you get?" commented Yuriko with a small smug
look on her face. "Her training will be nothing if she's this girly," she
thought to herself.

"Well, I am a girl after all, now keep your hands off my stuff and
go to bed," snapped Akane as she climbed into her bed and left the girl to
herself.

"Fine, be that way," snorted Yuriko a little bitterly.

The next morning she found herself staring into the face of a very
angry Akane Tendo. She looked out the window and narrowed her eyes at the
lack of light. "What the hell is going on?"

Akane smiled to herself. "Get up, it's time for morning class."

"Did you say 'morning class' hag?" muttered the girl lazily as she
rubbed at her eyes.

Both girls were surprised to find Ranma sitting at the table
drinking tea with Kasumi. "Good morning!" he chimed.

"What are you doing up so early Akane?" said her elder sister.

"I knew it!" mumbled Yuriko angrily.

"Well, I've never had a student before, thought I'd get an early
start. What are you doing up so early Ranma?" she turned towards her
fiancée.

The ponytailed boy looked at her and blinked. "I'm always up
early."

"Oh yes, Ranma always gets up to help with the morning chores,"
said Kasumi sweetly.

Akane merely blinked and turned away dragging Yuriko out the door.
She protested almost the whole time, but still did pretty much what she
was instructed to do.

It was almost a half-hour before they returned. Akane was
cheerfully jogging into the gate when Yuriko staggered in behind her and
fell face first into the yard panting breathlessly. "Stupid old hag..."

"You wouldn't be so winded if you didn't spend the whole time
screaming all those obscenities," grumbled Akane as she started to stack a
few bricks up in the yard.

Yuriko growled at her and staggered to her feet. "Now what?"

"You're too tired to do anything else this morning, go inside and
get some breakfast before we take you to school," replied Akane as she
turned away from her project.

"No way! I'm not ready to quit yet you old maid!" replied the girl
angrily.

Akane blinked in shock at this and slowly turned around. "I am not
old! If you want to train so hard do some push ups or something!" She
turned back and slammed her fist through the cement block in frustration
with a loud "Kiyap!" As the dust settled she stopped and turned with a
confused look on her face as she found Yuriko doing exactly as she was
instructed.

Ranma turned the corner and smiled. "Well, I can see this is
working out all right."

Akane looked at Yuriko again, the girl promptly collapsed on the
ground. "Hey, you old lady. Are we done yet? This is boring. When are you
gonna teach me something useful?"

Ranma found he was confused when Akane punted him onto the roof.
"Dry up and die!"

Ruroni Ranma

Part 6

A busy day...

Ranma walked with Yuriko and Akane at his side as he lazily
strolled down the road towards the elementary school. Akane noticed Yuriko
standing particularly close to Ranma imitating his walk almost exactly.
She frowned slightly and stepped up to the girl.

"What are you doing you little weirdo?"

Yuriko looked up at Akane and smiled. "I want to be just like
Ranma when I grow up; she's my hero!"

Ranma looked down at her and blinked. Akane coughed in her hand
and looked at him. "Uh, did you say she?"

"That's right, didn't Ranma tell you she's a girl?" said the child
obliviously.

Ranma had almost froze in place, but managed to regain himself
before Akane turned to look at her angrily. "Ranma, what the hell is she
talking about?"

He scratched the back of his head nervously and laughed. "Umm,
well, you see..."

"Why does she think you're a girl Ranma?" snapped Akane.

"You didn't know? It's obvious, she's always so polite, and she
does all that housework. She must be a girl," reasoned Yuriko.

"That's the reason you think that?" said Akane in shock as she
stared at her new student in disbelief. "Use your eyes fool!"

Ranma was about to turn away when he felt a familiar sensation
wash across his back. Akane and Yuriko just watched with their mouths open
in a collective shock. The now female martial artist slowly turned around
to see a little old lady with a ladle emptying out a bucket of water.

"See, I told you!" cried Yuriko triumphantly.

"R-Ranma?" stammered Akane.

"So, it seems you've found out my little secret," muttered the red
head as she pushed her bangs out of her face.

Akane froze, "No, you're not Ranma."

The girl narrowed her eyes and smiled, her mannerism had almost
completely changed. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Sufficed to say, this is
one of the many interesting things that happened to me in China. I am male
by the way."

"Yuriko, get behind me!" cried Akane as she pushed the girl back
away from Ranma instinctively. "What the hell happened? Where's Ranma?"

"I'm still here Akane, I'm still Ranma," said the girl calmly as
she gave them both a cool stare. "Just relax will you? I've got a lot to
explain."

"Why didn't you say anything about this before?" snapped Akane
angrily.

"If I leave at the end of the month, there is no reason to tell
you about this," replied the girl with a shrug.

"What if I ask you to stay?" growled Akane.

"That seems unlikely at this point," replied the girl with a
shrug. "Come on, I want to change back."

The group found themselves standing outside a restaurant that
Akane had seen many times on the way to school. The food there was almost
legendary as one of the best shops in Nerima. She smiled at the waitress
as they walked in together, still managing to stay a comfortable distance
away from Ranma. There was something about her that she didn't like.

A pretty looking girl approached them with a smile on her face.
"Hi, welcome to Kuonji Okonimiyaki... Oh, hi Ranma."

"Morning Ukyo, can I get some hot water?" replied the girl with a
small smile.

"Sure thing sugar, are these friends of yours?" she pointed to the
two girls and smiled at them.

Ranma nodded. "This is my fiancée, and her student."

Akane narrowed her eyes. "Ranma, you know these people?"

She looked back at her and smiled slightly. "Sure I do, I come in
here sometimes, mostly to change before I head home if I need to."

"They seem like they've known you for years Ranma, I thought you
only came to Nerima last week?" said Akane in disbelief.

"They're friendly people, we spent a while talking the first time
I came in. I had to explain what I needed the water for," replied Ranma
with a shrug.

Ukyo returned with the hot water and sat down at a table watching
in fascination as Ranma used it. "Wow, that's so cool!"

"I'll say," agreed Yuriko.

Akane turned her head away and snorted in disgust. "One more
reason to be rid of him." Whoever that girl was, she made her very
uncomfortable. There was one thing she was sure of, it wasn't Ranma.

"Let's get going," said the boy as he nodded his thanks to Ukyo.
The girl smiled pleasantly in reply and waved at them as they left the
building.

"Ukyo, who was that?" said a large gruff looking man who emerged
from the kitchen.

"Just Ranma again daddy," said the girl.

The man merely snorted in reply. "Well, get started on those
tables, I want to be ready for the rush before you go to school."

The girl stood from her chair and picked up a nearby rag. "Sure
thing." She paused as a dark shadow loomed over her from behind. She
slowly turned around to see a shadowy figure standing in the doorway.
"Tell me, where is Furinkan High School?"

Ukyo blinked as he came into focus. "Uh, about six blocks east of
here."

The boy smiled at this information and tossed his bag on the
floor. "Then I have time to eat before I find it." He sat down at a
nearby table as Ukyo slowly walked up to him. He was dressed in traveling
clothes with a strange white over shirt that had the kanji for evil
printed on its back.

"What can I get for you?" asked Ukyo.

"What have you got that's a lot of food for cheap?" replied the
boy with a shrug.

Ranma walked with Akane as they left the building where Yuriko
would be attending school. They exchanged tired glances between them after
the excessive amount of paperwork that had been filled out. Since Yuriko
did not have any parents they had to fill out triple what her parents
would have had to do. Soun had been named the guardian, Ranma imagined
they would have to take care of that within a few weeks or so. The fact
that the girl was a little less than cooperative didn't exactly help
matters.

Ranma and Akane walked through the gates of Furinkan about fifteen
minutes later. Classes had begun about an hour ago and they made their way
towards the building. A few moments later they found themselves siting in
class. The day went by relatively quickly, at lunch they found themselves
sitting together.

"Ranma, what happened to you today? What was that?" said Akane as
she leaned in towards him.

His face became serious as he looked towards her again. "Before we
joined the war, my father took us to a place called Jusenkyo. The training
ground of cursed springs. I fell into a pool called the spring of drowned
girl."

"So you turn into a girl now?" said Akane cautiously.

"Sure, but I'm still me. I don't think like a girl or anything.
It's still Ranma."

Akane shifted uncomfortably. She was uncertain about that last
part. She said nothing though and turned to find Kuno approaching them
slowly. He neared them and paused long enough to give Akane a bouquet of
flowers. "Akane Tendo, I would date with you."

"How many times do I have to say no?!" screamed the girl angrily
as she shoved the plants back into his face.

"This unnecessary shyness is unbecoming Akane Tendo, I await the
day that you break free of such bonds." He sighed heavily and walked away.
"Honestly," grumbled the girl as she turned back to see Ranma
ignoring them completely. It was as if the two boys didn't even know each
other existed.

He looked over at her and blinked. "Oro?"

"It's nothing," she muttered as she turned away.

A short time later she sat in gym class with her friends
surrounding her. "What are you talking about?"

"You're so lucky Akane, a fiancée like him. I mean look at him,
he's polite, and handsome. The perfect gentleman all the time!" sighed one
of the girls dreamily.

"He's not," grumbled Akane knowing perfectly well that she was
right.

"Does he kiss good?" squealed another one of the girls.

"How should I know?" she retorted with a little irritation in her
voice.

"Oh come on Akane, aren't you going to tell us anything at all?"
cried one of the girls.

"No," she snapped.

A short time later Ranma sat watching the girls play softball with
his class while waiting for their turn on the gymnastics bar.

"Man she's cute," said Daisuke, the boy who sat next to him with
his friend Hiroshi.

"Isn't she though?" agreed Ranma.

"You lucky dog!" grumbled Hiroshi with more than a hint of
jealousy.

"You'd think that wouldn't you?" sighed Ranma.

"So, what's she like? Have you @#%% yet?" said Daisuke as he
leaned in close.

"Well, we aren't married yet, so no," said Ranma with a shrug.

"Liar, you've #@&& huh?" pressed Daisuke.

"I'll bet you've even @##$!" screamed Hiroshi as he pulled Ranma
into a headlock.

"Oro?"

Akane stared at Ranma with a gaze of almost pure contempt as he
approached her after school. "This is all your fault!"

"Oro?" Ranma stood in confusion as he watched her stomp off
towards the Tendo dojo. "I'll never understand these people."

He turned as someone called his name. His mood brightened slightly
when he discovered it was not another disgruntled male student. "Ukyo? You
go to school here?"

"I'm in your class!" cried the girl in shock.

"Oh, sorry," muttered the boy in embarrassment.

"Don't worry, I'm not offended. I can see you spend most of your
time looking at you fiancée in class." She giggled slightly at his
embarrassed reaction to this.

"I just don't understand people sometimes," he said with a shrug.
"Sometimes she's very nice, other times it seems like she's angry for no
apparent reason."

"Father says that women are strange creatures indeed," said the
girl with a small shrug.

"You'd think I'd know that by now," said Ranma jokingly.

"You'd definitely think you had more experience than anyone else.
Well, I just stopped to say hi Ranma, see you later." She jogged off
towards the Kuonji restaurant.

"She's a good kid," muttered Ranma cheerfully, he didn't seem to
notice one of Nabiki's underlings sneak away behind him.

"I've found it at last!" cried Ryoga Hibiki as he stood in front
of Furinkan High School. He held his arms up in triumph as the students
made their way out of the building. He grabbed one of them and held him up
by his collar. "Where is Ranma Saotome?"

"Uh, who?" said the eight year old boy in confusion.

"Ranma Saotome, Ranma Saotome! Don't you know him?" cried the man
in frustration. The little boy started to cry. "Stop that! Aren't you a
man?" He lost his grip on the child as a sharp pain hit his shin.

"You leave him alone you bully!" cried Yuriko angrily as she
kicked him again.

"Ow! Stop that you little punk!" cried the lost boy angrily.

"Take this!" cried Yuriko as she kicked him again. "With a jacket
like that you must be in a gang!" Her fist punched towards his crotch and
he blocked the strike casually.

"Hey watch it kid!" he snorted as he grabbed her shirt and held
her in the air.

"Jerk! Pervert!" she screamed.

"Hey! What's going on here?" cried a woman in her late twenties as
she approached the situation. "You put her down this instant!"

Ryoga complied and turned to face the angry teacher. "Where is
Ranma Saotome?"

Yuriko stopped kicking him in the shins again and looked up at him
in shock. He glared at her coolly for a moment before returning his gaze
back on the woman again.

"I don't care why you're here! You don't touch the students!" she
screamed angrily.

"I was looking for Ranma when this girl attacked me, I wasn't
going to hurt her," shouted Ryoga defensively. "Are you going to tell me
where he is or not?"

Yuriko stepped away from him. "What do you want with Ranma?"

Ryoga narrowed his eyes. "That's my business. Where is he? I know
he goes to school here."

Yuriko blinked. "What the? This is an elementary school you fool!"

The woman sighed and turned towards her in what appeared to be an
already old practice. "Yuriko, how many times do I have to tell you to
watch your mouth?"

"Sorry," replied the girl with a small blush.

Ryoga stood between them and blinked. He laughed nervously and
turned towards the woman. "Where is Furinkan High School?"

"High school? You thought this was a high school?" said the
teacher in disbelief. She looked around and indicated the children that
now surrounded them. None of them were any older than twelve. "She's
right, you are a fool!"

Ryoga laughed nervously and turned away to find his destination on
his own.

Yuriko frowned and watched him walk. "He might not look like much,
but he feels strong. I'd better warn Ranma about him."

Ruroni Ranma

Part 7

The Wandering Street fighter.

Ranma blinked in confusion and shook his head as he sat across
from Yuriko and simply looked at her blankly. "Oro? A street fighter you
say? Looking for me?"

"Does it sound familiar?" asked Nabiki looking interested as
usual.

"Not really, I don't know any street fighters, at least they
weren't street fighters when I knew them," said Ranma calmly. He didn't
really seem all that concerned with this new development.

"Well, he isn't very smart if he thought the elementary school was
a high school," noted Akane lazily.

"Maybe he thought Ranma would be there instead? He does look
rather young," noted Kasumi.

"That could be true," admitted Ranma. "I don't really see any
reason to get worked up about it, we'll meet him soon enough I think."

"What are you going to do when you meet him Ranma?" said Akane
warily.

"Not sure, I'll think of something," said Ranma with a casual
smile.

The next several days passed quietly for the Tendo household. Well
as quietly as they could considering. Ranma mostly sat around with Soun
while Yuriko and Akane, trained. The training mostly consisted of Yuriko
complaining while Akane did her best to teach her the fundamentals of
marital arts. The girl caught on quickly, but not without a fight.

A short time later Akane sat alone with Yuriko and Ranma at the
table after the lesson was over. "I hate her!" fumed Akane as she sat down
with the two men and pouted.

"Have a little patience she is learning after all," said Ranma
cheerfully.

"Indeed Akane, I think this is a wonderful learning experience for
you, when I leave this world the dojo will fall in your hands. Especially
if you marry Ranma," said the eldest Tendo sagely.

"Well, I'm not gonna!" retorted the girl angrily.

Ranma found himself drenched with a bucket of cold water as Yuriko
appeared behind her. "Hey, I need someone to go shopping with me."

"Oro? What's wrong with Akane?" said Ranma in mild surprise.

"What do you need to go shopping for anyway?" said Akane with a
small measure of amusement on her face. It left quickly when Ranma's now
dark and somber look crossed her eyes.

Yuriko blushed slightly. "Nothing, I just need to."

The pony tailed martial artist seemed to understand. "All right,
but just this once. I don't exactly go around this way normally."

Yuriko got a relieved look on her face and followed Ranma out the
door.

Out in the street she paused and looked at the girl with a knowing
smile. "So, how long has it been happening?"

"A couple of days, I'm not scared or nothin, but it's
embarrassing," commented the girl as they walked along. "I don't suppose
you'll lend me the money?"

Ranma sighed and pulled his wallet out of his gi. "I suppose, I
really wish you'd go to Akane with these things, or even Kasumi if it
bothers you that much. I'm not a real girl you know."

"I'm just not comfortable with that stuff around them ya know?"
said the girl as her blush deepened.

"Well, you are at that age I suppose, still. I'm not all that
comfortable dealing with it either," commented Ranma casually.

"Besides, she'd just tease me, and if Kasumi found out about it I
know she'd tell Akane." Yuriko smiled at her companion and looked away.

"How do you know I won't tell her?" commented Ranma with a
somewhat pleasant smile on her face.

"Please, she avoids you like the plague," snorted the girl.
"Besides, I don't know why, but I trust you."

Ranma nodded at this and seemed pleased. "Well, she is going to
find out anyway you know."

Yuriko nodded, "I know, but she won't bother me about it if she
doesn't know it's my first time."

Ranma sighed. "Yuriko, she's your sensei, you have to trust her
more. Besides, I might not be around forever."

The girl paled at this, "I'm going with you if you leave!" she
announced. "The only reason I hang around is because you're there!"

Ranma sighed and put his hand on her shoulder. "Yuriko, I want you
to stay with Akane if I go. When you're older and more skilled I'll be
glad to have you along, but right now you need to build your skills. The
world needs strong fighters to keep the peace."

"I want you to teach me! I don't care if it's Hiten Mitsurugi or
not! I want to be strong like you!" cried the girl.

"I can't do that Yuriko, I'm sorry. I won't teach you how to fight
with a sword; and my skill in the Anything Goes school isn't what it used
to be. Akane is a much more capable teacher than I would be," said Ranma
firmly. "Come on, we'd better get to the store."

Yuriko nodded solemnly and walked with her.

The next morning Ranma walked to school with Akane. "Where did you
two go yesterday anyway?"

Ranma looked at her and smiled. "I promised I wouldn't say."

Akane glared at him and stopped. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Mean? Akane, I gave my word, I'm sorry. If she feels like telling
you she will," replied the boy lazily. "She just doesn't trust you enough
right now, she will in time."

"Doesn't trust me? What does that mean? Why does she trust you so
much anyway?" cried Akane angrily as she chased after him again. Ranma
smiled and kept a steady pace ahead of her.

The day went by quickly. As the classes let out for the day a lone
figure stood waiting at the gates. He reached down and grabbed the first
student to walk close by him. "Where is Ranma Saotome?"

The boy about shook with fear at the imposing figure holding him
by his collar. The newcomer was dressed in traveling clothes with a white
over shirt on, on his back was a massive pack that seemed weighed down
almost as it hung off his shoulders. Tied across his forehead was a blood
red bandanna.

"Saotome?" quivered the boy nervously. He pointed to a boy quietly
walking across the schoolyard in a boy's uniform blending in with the
crowd accept for the katana that hung from his hip.

"At last I've found you!" whispered the boy with a dark smile on
his lips.

Ranma stopped and side stepped as a crater formed where he once
stood moments before. Slowly a figure rose from the dust cloud that formed
as a result of the impact. All those surrounding the scene stopped cold
and stared at Ranma and the newcomer.

Akane froze in place and stared at the pair as they watched each
other passively for a moment. Ranma's face was calm and patient, and the
new boy merely had a smirk crossing his features.

"Tell me. Who are you?" asked Ranma.

The boy laughed out loud and dusted off his pants. "You don't
remember me? I shouldn't be surprised after all these years. I am the
street fighter Kasatetsu. I've come to challenge you as I promised ten
years ago."

Ranma raised his eyebrow slightly and looked the boy up and down.
"Kasatetsu? I don't recall knowing anyone by that name..."

Nabiki appeared next to Ranma and stared at the new boy in shock.
"Kasatetsu? The invincible street fighter? Ranma, he's a mercenary, a thug
for hire. He fights all across Japan! I've heard stories about him."

The boy smiled and pointed at Ranma. "That's right, I've trained
my whole life for this moment."

Ranma smiled lightly. "You're Ryoga Hibiki aren't you? It's been a
while."

The boy nodded his head. "And you're Ranma Saotome, or should I
say... Ranma Battosai?" The small crowd surrounding them froze in place
and all attention turned towards Ranma. The boy merely stood motionless
and watched Kasatetsu silently giving no indication of surprise or any
other emotion.
"I heard stories of a Japanese soldier in that war, the strongest
warrior. He fought for around five years, the first half as a silent
killer working for the Chinese Government. The greatest that ever lived,
the second half he defended the village of Amazons against the final
attacks of the Musk, even participating in the final assault. I've heard
you've become a gentle vagabond though. I'm curious as to what might cause
that."

Ranma raised his eyebrow slightly. "I got tired of killing."

Akane looked at her fiancée and passed out in a dead faint. Nabiki
looked like she was about ready to join her.

"I accept your challenge, we will face each other as we did all
those years ago." Ranma took his sword off his waist and handed it to
Nabiki. "With our fists."

Kasatetsu merely chuckled. "I don't think so Ranma, our true
skills do not lie in our fists. It would be a joke to fight you without a
sword," replied Ryoga shaking his head. "You will face me as a true man."

Ranma paused and stared the boy down. "As you wish."

"This place is too small, we'll fight in that field," Kasatetsu
pointed towards a soccer field a short distance away.

The boy pulled a large metal umbrella from his backpack and
chuckled to himself. Nabiki raised her eyebrow slightly and moved closer
to him. "Is that where you got your name?"

"Kasatetsu? Yes, it means Iron Umbrella, my weapon of choice. I've
cut down many opponents with this," replied the boy with a shrug. He swung
the thing around as if it was made of paper and rested it against his
shoulder.

Nabiki nodded and moved away. "All right, betting starts at a
thousand yen minimum. Come on and get started before the main event!" A
crowd of students formed around her as her assistants seemed to appear out
of nowhere and start taking down the names of the students.

Akane woke up in a daze and saw her sister standing over her.
"Nabiki I just had the weirdest dream..." She blinked when she realized
she really was lying on the ground.

"Does it involve finding out your fiancée is the legendary
Battosai?" asked Nabiki with remarkable calm.

The girl sat up and stared at the two men as the patiently stood
off against each other waiting for the betting to complete. "Ranma!"

Ranma stood facing off against his opponent and smirked casually
at him. Akane approached him carefully from the side. "Ranma, you don't
need to do this!"

"I made a promise Akane, I have to keep it. Don't worry, no one is
going to die, I promise," the boy smiled at her and stepped back away from
her. She nodded and moved to the sidelines. Ranma looked up at his
opponent again. "This room enough?"

"More than enough to beat you Battosai," replied Ryoga with a
smirk. "Come on!" The boy charged forward swinging his arm out and
opening the umbrella. It slid open quickly with a loud clank. The boy
stopped dead in his tracks about twenty yards in front of Ranma and heaved
his arm sending the umbrella towards his opponent in a wide spinning arc.

Ranma merely moved very slightly to his right to avoid the
projectile and then to his left as it passed by again and returned to
Ryoga's hand. "Impressive trick."

"This is why I'm called Kasatetsu," replied the lost boy casually
as he pulled several bandanas from his forehead. "Now I'll show you why
I've never been defeated!" His arm shot forward sending waves of spinning
disks flying through the air toward Ranma. The swordsman dodged around
them skillfully and drew his sword knocking a few of the more erratic
spinning projectiles out of the air.

"You should learn more control before attempting that move.
Someone could get hurt if they fly around to wildly," said Ranma as he
landed on the ground again with his sword still drawn. He was now in a
kenjitsu stance and staring the boy down more carefully than before.

"They knew the dangers when they chose to become spectators,"
snorted Ryoga in reply.

"You're careless," noted Ranma calmly as he charged forward. Ryoga
smiled and pulled the closed umbrella off his chest swinging it in a wide
arc towards Ranma's head.
The pair clashed in a wave of motion that was hard for the crowd
to follow. They stood opposite each other in the field and finally stood
upright.

"Ranma won," said Nabiki happily.

Akane shook her head. "Not yet, this isn't a test of skill."

Her sister looked at her and blinked before turning back to the
field to see Ryoga laughing cruelly.

"What happened?" wondered Ranma as he heard the boy laughing
behind him. "That was a definite hit! He's strong, this is going to be
tougher than I thought." His features hardened and he turned around to see
Ryoga still had his back turned to him. The kanji for evil flapped in the
wind against his back as he slowly turned to face his opponent again.

"This isn't a contest of skill Battosai, the better swordsman
isn't going to win! It will be the last man standing."

Akane stood with her sister on the sidelines with a worried look
on her face. "This is a test of endurance. Ryoga has much more than Ranma
does; he's not a swordsman, but a fighter. He's used to taking heavy
blows. Who could have guessed he'd be strong enough to take one of Ranma's
Hiten Mitsurugi techniques?"

Ruroni Ranma

Part 8

The thing about a girl's hair...

Ranma stood calmly as Ryoga faced him again. The street fighter
was smiling. "Kasatetsu, the man you knew died in China."

"That doesn't matter to me, all that matters is the fact that I am
your strongest opponent!" screamed the boy as he charged again.

Ranma feinted away and slashed at the boy's side. Ryoga faltered
and turned creating a wide defensive arc with his metal umbrella. "Stop
playing around Battosai! Use the blade you're so famous for!" snarled
Ryoga angrily.

Akane froze and stared at the scene in shock. "He hasn't hit Ryoga
yet!"

Nabiki looked at her sister and furrowed her brow in disbelief.
"What are you talking about? You saw him take the hit."

The girl shook her head. "Ranma hasn't touched him with the sword
yet. What's going on here?" The pair clashed again and a strange sound
floated over to Akane, it sounded like a strange vibration in the air
almost. She saw a flash of motion for a split second by the street
fighter's gut. "What?"

"I have to admit that hurts, but how long can you keep it up
Ranma?" snarled Ryoga as he rose from his knees and threw the umbrella
again followed by a volley of bandannas.

Ranma's expression didn't change as he turned around and faced him
again. "I can do this as long as I need too."

Kasatetsu merely smirked. "We'll see, I'll have you taking me
seriously enough before this ends!" He charged again but changed his
tactics. As soon as Ranma closed in on him he shifted his weight, stepped
back away from him, and opened the umbrella.

Ranma jumped back dropping his fist to his side in pain. He pulled
the blade across his chest defensively and kept his distance. "Damn." He
put the sakabato back into the scabbard and changed his stance.

Ryoga smiled and stepped forward slowly. "That trick won't work
now Saotome, let's see what you've got!"

Ranma jumped into the air and Ryoga met him in the air. They
exchanged blows for a moment and passed each other, Kasatetsu spun around
and threw his umbrella at Ranma's back causing the boy to twist and avoid
it. When they landed Ranma had a strange smile on his face. "He's no match
for me in the air."

Akane gasped as she sat the events take place and finally put it
together. "He's been faking him out with the sword! He's not even using
it! It was so fast I didn't even see it!"

Nabiki glanced at her sister skeptically and turned her attention
back to the battle. If Ranma won, she would make a lot of money today. "He
does practice Anything Goes Akane, I think he can pull it off."

"That jerk! He's not even taking this seriously! If he had used
the sword from the beginning the fight would have been over by now!"
snorted Akane distastefully.

"That boy could be hurt if he does that Akane, have you forgotten
who he really is already?" replied Nabiki carefully. Ranma had just grown
much more interesting to her. She smirked to herself when that silenced
her sister.

"Eat this! Cried Ryoga as he tore across the field and slammed his
fist into Ranma's chest after breaking out into a run as they landed
again. The boy flew across the field and slammed into a drinking
fountain. Water sprayed in every direction drenching all the spectators
nearby.

Tatewaki Kuno stepped towards the crowd and frowned as he left the
school building and moved towards the field. "What is this? What is going
on here?" He pulled one of the male students over by his collar and shook
him for a moment.

"It's Battosai! He's returned from China! Some guy is fighting
him!" cried the boy nervously.

Kuno froze and stared at him. "Battosai? Here?" The boy nodded
dumbly and pointed towards the battle. Ryoga was standing calmly in the
shower and watching the rubble carefully. A figure slowly stood up from
the wreckage shrouded in a sheet of water with his head down.

Ryoga wasn't sure what to expect, he hadn't lost sight of Ranma,
he was standing directly in front of him, but his demeanor had changed
suddenly. "Are you prepared to finish this Saotome? Are you ready to take
me seriously?!"

The boy merely laughed, "I underestimated you Hibiki, my
congratulations." He looked up and stepped from the spray of water drawing
his sword slowly. "You said you wanted to face Battosai... so now you face
him."

Kasatetsu stepped back at what looked him in the eyes with a cold
blue eyed stare. "Wh-who?"

Ranma chuckled and never took her eyes off of him. "What's the
matter Hibiki? Never seen a girl before?"

"R-Ranma?" said the boy in complete shock.

"Close enough," replied the girl as she rushed forward and slashed
at him with an amazing speed. Ryoga took the blow dead in the forehead and
was knocked backwards. He managed to keep his on his feet and backed away
from the girl. He growled low and put his umbrella up defensively.

"I don't care if you are him or not. This looks like fun." He
laughed to himself for a moment but stopped cold when his umbrella fell in
half in his hands. The top portion hit the ground with a metallic thud. He
threw the rest of the weapon to the ground and put up his fists. "I think
I might be in trouble..."

Ranma jumped up and back as a huge number of bandannas suddenly
filled the air. She bat a few of them away and spun into a back kick that
took the boy in his face. Ryoga was pushed into the ground head first and
rolled away barely managing to dodge one of his own projectiles.

Akane watched in awe as the battle moved up and down the field
closer to where she was and gasped. Ranma had just changed in front of
everyone!

Nabiki was busy screaming at her lackeys. "Who the hell is that?
Find out! Get these bets changed, anyone who bet on Ranma is working with
the girl now! Put out the word, I don't want any loss of profits because
of this! Damn!"

Kuno stared at the scene in shock. A strange man was facing off
against a red haired woman. His gaze fell on Ryoga and he sucked in a
quick breath. "This is Battosai? How could such a noble and honorable
man... perhaps he is in love with this woman? Yes that must be the truth!
He has chosen to face her in honorable combat to win her hand!"

The students around him were buzzing with conversation.

"Who the hell is this girl?"

"I don't know, but she's as good as Ranma!" cried one of the boys
excitedly.

"Who are you kidding? She's better than him!" countered the girl
next to him proudly.

Kuno was lost in thought. "As with my own quest. I must help
Battosai win the object of his affections. Such is the way of the
samurai."

Ryoga was in trouble and he knew it, he was getting short on
projectiles and his weapon was in pieces on the ground over a hundred
yards away. Ranma seemed tireless and moved in closer with each passing
moment. Finally the girl seemed to have enough and jumped into the air
towards him as he spun the last few spare bandannas in his hand. "Damn!"

"Ryuukansen!" cried Ranma as blows rained down on her opponent
from the impossibly fast moving blade. Ryoga fell to the ground with a
dull thud out cold. The rags spinning in his hand flew about erratically
in every direction cutting a wide path through the crowd. She turned back
towards the crowd and froze in fear almost instantly.

Nabiki took a step back as the fight ended. Thanks to her quick
work most of the bets had been turned over to her favor, but the girl was
still an unknown factor. "Who the hell is that?"

"Battosai," replied Akane simply with a strangely calm look
crossing her face for a moment. It fell away when she saw the girl in
question charge forward towards her with the blade still drawn.

"Akane!" cried Ranma as she dove forward through the air far to
fast for the girl to react.

Akane felt the air blow by her head followed by a strange noise
that seemed to pass by her for a moment as the girl shoved her aside
slightly. She had instinctively fallen to her knees and covered her head
defensively. After a moment she blinked and waited a split second longer
before looking up. Ranma was standing in front of her with the blade held
at an angle in an underhanded block; two bandannas were wrapped around the
edge of the sword.

"What the?" cried Nabiki in shock as she stared the new girl down.

Ranma ignored her and looked down at Akane. "You should be more
aware, these things are dangerous."

The girl could do nothing but nod dumbly as she looked up at her
savior in shock. "T-thank you..."

The red head winked at her and turned away moving back towards her
fallen opponent. "Anytime."

Ryoga Hibiki simply lay still on the ground for a long moment. He
slowly opened his eyes and saw the figure standing over him with a
strangely satisfied smile on her face. "You did well. I do hope you have
that out of your system now."

He sat up and shook his head. "What hit me?... Oh yeah, you did."
With that said he staggered to his feet and retrieved a few of his
bandannas and the broken weapon from the ground staggering across the
field. Moments later he had his traveling bag tossed over his shoulder
and was looking off in the sunset dramatically. "We'll meet again
Saotome."

Nabiki walked over to him after a few moments and coughed into her
hand. "Aren't you supposed to walk off into the sunset now or something?"

"I would, but it hurts too much to move right now," replied the
boy with his back still towards her.

"Who the heck are you anyway? Where's Ranma?" said one of the boys
that had gathered in the small, but steadily growing, crowd.

The red head merely smiled at him. "Someone who is best forgotten.
A phantom who should have died already." She put the sakabato across her
shoulder before walking away towards the gates of Furinkan.

"Who?" said another boy in confusion.

"She said she's a ghost," offered another boy.

"She was being dramatic you twit!" cried the girl next to him.

Akane moved towards the front of the crowd and smiled at the
slowly fading figure that moved down the street. "So, that was
Battosai..."

Ryoga stood thinking and watched the sun slowly sink into the
horizon. "I've failed. I couldn't beat him." She seemed to melt away into
the light as he watched her. "The legend of Kasatetsu ends here. I can no
longer live as a street fighter, my honor will not permit it. One day I
will become strong enough to face him again, then perhaps I can go on as
before..." His contemplation was interrupted by a soft cough.

Kuno stood next to the boy with a serious face. "I have always
respected you. I am to understand you wish to take this woman and defeat
her?"

Ryoga blinked and looked at him for a moment before nodding his
head. "Of course."

"Perhaps I can be of some service? I am a master of such
manipulations," said the boy proudly.

Ryoga frowned and remained standing as he was. "I don't need your
help to defeat her."

"I would not dream of interfering with such an honorable battle. I
would help you win her though."

Ryoga looked at him again and sighed. "What do you mean?"

"One who has lived in battle for so long cannot comprehend such
things as beauty and life. I will help you understand these things so that
you can capture her forever and leave her weak against your powers," said
Kuno dramatically.

"What? What the hell are you talking about?" snorted Ryoga in
embarrassed confusion.

"I will help you win this pigtailed goddess."

"I don't want to go out with her you twit!" screamed Ryoga.

Kuno smiled and walked away from the scene. "How odd, such a brave
man as Battosai would be so incredibly shy."

Nabiki collected the last of her bets and turned around. The sky
was dark and her profits were high, just the way she liked things at this
time. She was surprised to see Ryoga still standing there. He seemed deep
in thought as she walked up to him. "You're still here?"

He blinked and looked at her, seeming to come out of his trance.
"I've got a lot to think about."

"Oh come on. It can't possibly hurt that much can it?" snorted
Nabiki lazily as she turned and walked away.

Ryoga turned a deep red and looked away from her. "Shut up! It
does all right?"

Yuriko sat down next to Ranma at the table and sighed after she
finished her evening session with Akane in the dojo. "Did anything
interesting happen today?"

"That Hibiki boy showed up today," replied Ranma simply.

"Damn! I missed it!" cried the girl in disappointment.

"Watch your mouth!" screamed Akane as Yuriko found an elbow
planted in her head suddenly.

"Hey! That hurts old woman!" screamed the girl as she rubbed the
spot protectively. Akane ignored her and sipped lazily at the tea Kasumi
had made for them.

Nabiki blinked and stood up from the floor where she had been
reading a magazine. "Say, where did you go anyway Saotome? And who was
that girl? She looked an awful lot like you."

"Oro?" Ranma laughed and scratched the back of his head. "Well, I
uh..."

"She called herself Battosai. You've met him or her before, is
that her? How does she know you? For that matter how does she know
Akane?" Nabiki found her mind going into overdrive with the amount of
questions it suddenly generated. "Do you have a sister or something?"

Ranma looked at the girl helplessly and then glanced at the
television behind her for a moment before a knowing smile crossed his
face. He pointed at his nose with his finger and winked at her. "Now
that... is a secret."

"You realize that I hate you," grumbled Nabiki as she looked him
in the eyes. "Akane? You're going to tell me aren't you?" She turned
around and found her sister examining the ceiling tiles above her head
quite carefully.

"I'm going to find out you know. It's only a matter of time," said
the girl as she stood up angrily and stomped away from them. "I don't care
what I have to do to find out either."

"You'd better be careful Ranma, she means that," said Akane
quietly.

The boy looked at her and then towards Soun, who was trying very
hard to disappear behind his newspaper. "Oro?" He hung his head and
sighed. "Just two more weeks..."

Ruroni Ranma

Part 9

Love lost and found yet again...

Ranma stood out in the yard moving through another slow kata. He
paused and glanced around to see someone staring at him through the
bushes. "Can I help you Nabiki?"

"You're going to tell me everything you know, sooner or later I'll
catch you off guard."

"Later then, after all you only have to put up with me for another
week right?" Ranma smiled at her and went back to his kata.

Nabiki scurried away and sulked. "Damn you! I'm going to find
out!"

Akane watched the whole exchange from the table. "I'd forgotten
you only have to stay another week."

Yuriko smirked. "Only one more week and I can dump you! Woo hoo!"
she cried out with joy and jumped up and down.

"You aren't going anywhere," muttered Akane angrily as she smacked
her in the back of her head.

"Owie! I told you old woman, I'm going with Ranma!" snapped the
girl.

"You'll stay here with Akane and continue your training for a few
years first," said Ranma as he sat down and sipped at the tea Kasumi had
laid out for them.

"Aw, do I have to?" grumbled the girl with a dejected look.

"You should be careful with Nabiki though Ranma. When she sets her
sites on something she doesn't let go," warned Akane.

"She's like a dog that way," noted Yuriko.

"My sister is not a dog!" screamed Akane angrily.

"Sure she is, her sister is a bitch too," muttered Yuriko. She
found herself sailing through the air and landed in the koi pond seconds
later.

"I think it's time we started training again, you're getting too
lax," snarled Akane as she brushed her hair back behind her shoulders
again.

Ranma found himself smiling at this, it brought back memories.

"Ranma! It's time you learned to respect your father! We're going
to train again!" said Genma as he dusted off his hands.

"Why you! You stupid old man! I'll get you for that!" screamed
Ranma in reply. He charged forward and pulled the bokuten from across his
back as he charged.

"Put that thing away boy! I'm not here to teach you how to sword
fight!" countered Genma as he kicked the young boy in his chest.

Ranma buckled under the strike but remained standing. "Fine, have
it your way old man, I'll beat you with my bare hands!" He replaced the
weapon and charged his father again.

A short time later Genma sat across from his son with a satisfied
smirk on his face. "Come on boy, we have to get moving. The battles are
too close to us right now. I want to make it to this training ground
before then."

"Why don't we just go straight ahead pop? Wouldn't that be
faster?" said the boy in confusion as he looked at the small guide map in
his father's hands.

"That's Musk territory son, we don't want to find ourselves in the
middle of a fight," replied the man sagely.

"Why not?" asked the boy obliviously. They were martial artist
after all.

"My son, you don't understand. This isn't a fight you can win with
your fists or a bokuten. People are dying," said Genma with a small smile
of pride on his face. The boy was brave, and strong. His wife would be
proud when they returned to Japan.

"Dying? Aren't we supposed to help those in need pop?" asked the
boy obliviously.

"Indeed we are son, but this is much too large for us alone to
stop. It's best to allow the Chinese government to deal with it. This
isn't even our country after all." The elder Saotome pulled his traveling
bag onto his shoulders again. "Come on boy, we need to get moving again."

Ranma hung back as he followed his father. "Something we can't
beat with our hands or a bokuten? I need to find a real sword then."

"Hey Ranma, what's up? Are you there?" He woke up to find Nabiki
waving her hand in front of his face.

"Oro? Have you been there long Nabiki?" he said as he shook
himself out of the trance.

"You just spaced out there. I was gonna bug you some more, but you
had a strange look on your face," said the girl with a wary look in her
eyes.

"Sorry, just old memories," replied the boy with a small smile.

Nabiki relaxed, Ranma had looked scary when he spaced out that
way. His features became hard and almost angry looking. "Thinking about
the war?"

The boy blinked and looked at her. "No, pleasant memories. Akane
and Yuriko brought back better times during my own training." His smile
changed again, it was almost wistful.

"I see," Nabiki turned away, she was more than a little disturbed
by the look he had moments ago. Still, it drove her curiosity even more
now.

Ryoga Hibiki sat in the small Okonomiyaki restaurant and ate
slowly. His face was serious and somehow devoid of anger. "So, he really
was the one called Battosai. I had my doubts before... I wonder why he
turned into a woman though." He had thought about the possibility that it
was someone else, but quickly discounted it. The way she fought was too
close, and she even held the sword in the same manner, there was no doubt
in his mind that it was Ranma behind that woman's eyes.

"Are you going to pay this time?" said the girl who walked up to
him. He knew her name was Ukyo from past times in the shop.

"Put it on my tab will ya?" he snorted.

"You don't have a tab here," replied the girl darkly.

"Get me one then, I'm going to be hanging around the area for a
while," replied the boy simply.

Ukyo nodded and sighed. "I guess it can be arranged, just make
sure you pay it from time to time."

Ryoga nodded and froze as the door opened behind him. A familiar
figure walked over to his table and sat across from him.

Tatiwaki Kuno smiled at him and placed his bokuten across the
table with the blade facing away from Ryoga. "Battosai, I wish to speak
with you."

"What do you want? I'm not Battosai," replied Ryoga gruffly.

"I see, you wish to keep your true name a secret," said the
kendoist calmly. "I shall honor your wish."

"No, I mean I'm not Battosai," replied the boy.

Kuno nodded and brushed the topic aside. "Tell me how you have
tried to win this woman and I will help you."

"I haven't tried to win anyone, leave me alone you idiot!"
screamed the boy as he glared at Kuno.

Ukyo walked up to the table and smiled. "Having woman troubles?"

Ryoga hit his head on the table and sobbed. "Why? Why me?"

"I understand, perhaps you should try to bring her flowers? Roses
are particular to a woman's heart," said Kuno.

"He's right you know, but nothing says 'I love you' like jewelry,"
added Ukyo. "I wish someone would bring me flowers." She paused and looked
away wistfully. "Ranchan..."

Ryoga looked up at her and blinked. "Ranchan? You mean Saotome?"

"The cur! How dare he steal the heart of both Akane Tendo and the
Okonomiyaki girl!" screamed Kuno angrily.

"OKONOMIYAKI GIRL?" cried Ukyo as she slammed her fist into the
back his head. He fell face first into the table and rubbed the sore spot.
"I'm not talking about Saotome anyway."

Ryoga looked skeptical and shook his head.

Ukyo sighed and sat down across from him. "I had a fiancee once.
Ranma kind of reminds me of him a little. He died in the war in China a
few years ago."

Ryoga blushed and hung his head. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I know you didn't mean anything," said the girl
wistfully.

"Ukyo! Stop babbling and clean up those tables!" cried a gruff
voice from the back of the room.

"Yes daddy!" said the girl as she pushed herself back onto her
feet.

Kuno watched her leave and sighed. "A pity, she gave her heart
away. Only to have it crushed, now she'll die an old maid."

"She's can't be older than sixteen, she has time to find someone
else," snorted Ryoga.

"You must understand, she is the woman of a samurai! She will wait
for all eternity for him to return to her!" cried the boy dramatically. A
pair of fans appeared in his hands as he did so.

"Whatever, I'm leaving," Ryoga stood up and walked out the door.

Kuno sighed and nodded his head. "He really is good, that was an
excellent exit." He stood up and started for the door. A large hairy hand
stopped his stride.

"You haven't paid your bill yet," said Ukyo's father as he shoved
the paper into his face.

"My bill?" Kuno blinked and looked at the man in confusion.

Ranma Saotome sat in the furo and relaxed in the water. "Ah this
is nice."

He paused and glanced at the mirror across from him. She seemed to
be staring back at him through his eyes, hidden deep inside. "I don't need
you anymore, the fighting is over." He spoke calmly to her and smiled.
"But you'll never really go away will you?" He fingered the crossed scar
on his cheek and smiled. "Not as long as she still holds us." He stared at
her for a long time before two hands started to rub on his back. "Ah,
that's nic... oro?"

Yuriko smiled as she rubbed Ranma's shoulders in the tub. "Do you
want me to wash your back?"

"Wh-what are you doing in here?" said Ranma. He had yet to move.

"Well, you didn't say anything when I came in so I didn't think
you'd mind," said the girl with a small shrug.

"Akane's going to kill me!" thought Ranma as he backed away from
the girl.

"Is something wrong?" said Yuriko in confusion. She wasn't being
perverted or anything, at least she didn't think so. She glanced down and
looked at herself, Ranma had seen better than she had before, in fact he
had better. What was he so worried about?

"I'm coming in Yuriko," called a feminine voice from outside.
Akane opened the door and saw the girl smile at her.

"Hiya, old bag! Starting to sag already?"

Akane didn't hear her, she only saw the boy sitting in the corner
of the tub with a frightened expression on his face. "R-Ranma?"

"Uh, hi," said the boy. It was all he could think of.

Moments later Nabiki cocked her head as she heard her sister's
battle cry from the bathroom. "What the?" A split second after she
finished saying that a loud crash sounded inside the house. She watched
Ranma sail through the air outside and land in the koi pond. After that
she shrugged her shoulders and went back into her room.

Ranma walked into the home naked and wet, she had a strange look
in her eyes as she walked by Soun and went into her room. The man had
somehow managed to shove an entire pair of chopsticks into his mouth as
she went by.

"Oh my, Ranma! Are you all right?" said Kasumi in concern.

"I'm fine, just had an accident in the bathroom," replied the girl
as she closed the door behind her.

Soun looked up at his eldest daughter and blinked. "Rnmah?"

Moments later Akane emerged from the bathroom dragging Yuriko by
her ear. Both of them were dressed in bathrobes. "You little pervert! What
were you thinking?"

"Ranma is a girl too sometimes! It doesn't matter!" cried the
little girl defensively.

"Of course it matters!" screamed the elder girl.

Nabiki poked her head out of her room and snickered. She couldn't
be sure because she had only heard part of the conversation, but she had a
pretty good idea about what just happened. "This is interesting."

Ranma sat in his room a short time later frowning alone. "They
should never have been able to sneak up on me. I'm getting preoccupied,
and that's dangerous." Somehow he felt a little relieved that he was
leaving in a few days. He glanced in a small mirror and sighed. "Is it
you? Did you let that happen?" His reflection didn't say anything back.
"Maybe it's good that I'm relaxing."

A quiet knock came at his door and he smiled. "Come in Yuriko."

The girl sheepishly poked her head inside the door. "I'm sorry I
got you in trouble. I didn't mean anything by it."

He smiled at her and winked. "It's all right, just make sure no
one else is in there next time. Akane can hit pretty hard."

"Tell me about it," grumbled the girl as she sat on the floor in
front of him.

"You're coming along well in your studies, just don't forget to
train. In a few years I promise I'll come back and let you take a trip
with me." Ranma smiled at the expression on her face.

"Really? You promise?" she jumped up excitedly.

"Yes, but only if you work hard with Akane," replied the boy
sternly.

Yuriko jumped up and grabbed him around the neck. "I promise I
will!" She released him and rushed out the door.

Akane smiled to herself as the girl rushed by her. She had only
know her a very short time, but had already forgotten what it would be
like without her. Ranma was a strange man indeed, but hardly someone she
knew she could spend the rest of her life with. It was a shame they didn't
have more time to get to know one another, in a few years she might have
considered it. She stepped away from her spot beside his door and went
into her own room.

Inside her own room, Nabiki Tendo smiled as she went over the
things Ranma had done over the past few days. There was nothing she could
use to force him to say what she wanted to know. A deep frown formed on
her lips as she thought. A moment later it changed into a sly smile. "Well
Saotome, I guess I'll just have to keep you around until I find out what I
want to know."

Ruroni Ranma

Part 10

Saiyonara Ranma!

The morning had come; at long last it was time for him to leave.
Genma Saotome glanced over his shoulder and saw his son lying on his mat
next to him inside the tent. Without even bothering to secure their gear
he lifted the boy over his shoulder. "We have to get out of here." He
lifted the limp child over his shoulder and pushed back the flap to his
tent. They had purposely set up camp at the edge of the army's
encampment.

What he didn't know was that his son was awake the whole time. He
glanced back and sulked into the shadows. "I'm sorry boy, but we can't
stay here. This is no place for someone as young as you. I still don't
know what those fools were thinking when they allowed you to join."

Genma turned back inside the tent and lifted up the flap in the
back. The forest was a mere dozen feet away. Silently he crept along the
ground with the boy on his back. Ranma watched coolly as the guards snuck
up on his father from behind. He didn't speak, only watched. One of them
noticed his eyes on him and he froze in place with the other guards
following suit behind him.
They had no intention of facing a fully aware Genma Saotome, in
the short time since he had joined the Chinese forces they had become
almost legendary. Many aged and experienced soldiers had less combined
kills than the pair of Japanese recruits.

Then something none of the men expected happened. Ranma lifted up
his hand and beckoned them to move in.

Genma sat tied up in a chair, he was beaten and tired. Three
guards had been injured in his attempt to escape. The Chinese commander
paced back and fourth in front of him angrily. "You coward, how dare you
run away from us! You will be put to death!"

Genma looked up at his son; the boy was standing in the corner
like a statue of pure ice, the life that was once in his eyes long gone.
He wasn't a child anymore, no matter what his appearance. "How dare you do
this to my son."

The man stopped cold and stared at the martial artist in shock.
The gaze he found there was one of pure hatred, anger, and malice. The
purest emotions found on the battlefield. "You wish to protect your son?"

"What kind of man wouldn't wish that? This is no place for a boy;
we are not your countrymen. We have nothing to defend here!" screamed
Genma in reply. "You have no right! Look what you've done to him!"

The man slowly turned around and looked Ranma in the eyes. The boy
met his gaze evenly and calmly. No single hint of emotion could be found
in his features. "We have granted your wish, he is a man among men.
Despite his interesting problem."

"He is not a man, he is a boy... and a killer," replied Genma
coldly. One of the men standing next to him hit him with the butt of his
rifle. The commander raised his hand and frowned.

"The only reason you are still alive, is because you do this for
the sake of your son. However, he is too important, and too good a soldier
to lose. I am sorry, but you will be relocated into another unit. Your
son... we have special plans for him."

"Send him to one of your pleasure brothels you have set up for
your men?" snapped Genma darkly, "as punishment for me?"

"Please Mr. Saotome, you think too little of us. We would never
even consider it. Our previous experiences with Ranma would teach us
better than that. We have already lost five men because they were foolish
enough to try. Your son did away with them quite nicely. All I will tell
you is that you will never see your son again." The man turned and took
Ranma by his shoulder. "Come boy."

"Wait! Let me speak to him one last time!" cried Genma
desperately.

Ranma paused and looked at his father, his eyes were cold and
dead. "Where will I be assigned to?" He continued to walk away from his
father as the man screamed his name. The sounds of wood meeting flesh
filled the air behind him for a moment until the busy sounds of the forces
moving about their day drowned it out.

"You are an excellent soldier, but your skills will benefit us
more elsewhere. Those techniques your father unsealed will be most useful
to us." The commander watched his men move about proudly.

As for Ranma, he didn't feel pride, he felt empty, no more or less
so than he did before he saw his father. "I am to become an assassin?"

"Yes, the Joketsuko tribe has been giving us trouble in the North
east, you will help eliminate that problem," said the man coolly.

"Why not simply destroy them? We have the technology. The
mountains would protect much of the land from fallout," said the boy.

"To do so would show weakness in our army. We will overcome them
with sheer numbers soon enough. However, the presence of men like you will
help casualties greatly. Besides, the mountains are rich with natural
resources we could use to help the war effort."

Ranma nodded with understanding as the man spoke. "I see." He
glanced back over his shoulder one last time and found that he had lost
track of which tent his father was in.

"You miss him?" asked the man half jokingly.

"No, I just remembered I forgot where he was," he looked forward.
There was nothing inside of him, how could he miss the man? He strode
forward and never looked back, in fact, he almost didn't notice the single
tear run down his face.

Ranma woke up from his dream and almost screamed out loud as a
flood of emotion overtook him. He gasped desperately for breath and hung
his head down between his arms. The dreams had not come since he left
China, now his past was catching up to him again. "Why? Why did I?" The
memory of his betrayal was not his most painful memory, but hardly
something he wished to remember.

He stood and turned on the light inside the room only to find it
out. He glanced over to the small digital clock and realized that there
was a blackout. Thunder rumbled outside and lightening flashed through the
sky. He glanced at the small table just inside the door and frowned
deeply. He knew why he was having the dreams again.

"Battosai kills three!" It was the headline across the newspaper
that lay there on the desk. Someone claiming his name was killing people.
How long would it be before someone found where he was, or who he was?
This had to be stopped.
Whoever it was, they were good. Too good for the police to catch
apparently, despite the brutality of the killings, he knew that from the
descriptions alone. He lifted the page into his hand and rubbed his brow.
"Someone from my past? Or is it something else?"

Nabiki Tendo frowned as she read the paper again. According to the
reports the one called Battosai was male, something she knew not to be
true. At least she thought so, if that girl was indeed Battosai.

Her father glanced at his eldest daughter and smiled. "Kasumi,
what made you call that girl Ranma?"

The girl looked at her father and blinked. "Father, that was
Ranma."

"Really?" the man rubbed his mustache and sighed. "I don't
understand."

"Akane told me her name was Ranma," replied the girl sweetly.
"She's a friend of Ranma's."

Nabiki stopped and dropped the paper. "She was here? Did she have
red hair?"

Kasumi nodded, "She didn't have any clothes on either, it was very
strange."

Both of them coughed out loud and looked away from her going back
to what they were doing. "Why would Battosai be here? And why was she
naked?" Nabiki thought it would be best to forget about it.

Ranma came down the stairs and bowed deeply to the family gathered
in front of him. "It's time Tendo."

Soun looked up at him and nodded. "So it is Saotome."

"I'm sorry things didn't work out," said the boy respectfully.

"Are you going to leave now?" Nabiki looked surprised, but not too
much.

"Yes, I think it would be best if I leave before Akane and Yuriko
return," said the boy honestly.

"Without saying goodbye?" Kasumi looked scandalized.

"If I wait for them, Yuriko might become a problem. You know how
badly she wants to go with me," said the boy as he lifted his bag onto his
shoulders and turned towards the door.

"Akane did not ask you to stay did she?" said Soun a little
drearily.

"I'm sorry Tendo, it just didn't work out between us."

"Could you give it a little more time?" asked the man seriously.

"Maybe someday I will, but neither of us is ready to be married.
I'm sorry."

Nabiki stood up from her place at the table and smiled. "Not so
fast Saotome."

Ranma turned to face her and blinked. "Oro?"

"Please stay, I don't want you to leave," she stood up from her
place at the table with a cruel grin on her face.

"What?" Ranma was in complete shock at this. "Why would you..."

"The agreement was for one of us to ask, not specifically Akane.
Now, I'm asking. Please don't go," She placed her hands on her hips and
winked at him. "Now you can't leave."

"Ranma..." started Soun.

"No, she is right Tendo, I gave my word of honor," he placed his
bag down and smiled at her. "I would like to know why though."

"Simple, I haven't found out what I need to know. There's also
this," she held up the paper and smirked at him. "Battosai is a friend of
yours isn't she? We'll be safer with the real one around to protect us
won't we?"

Ranma narrowed his eyes slightly at this and she stepped back. "On
the contrary, that makes you targets."

She stepped up to him and smiled despite the uncomfortable gaze he
was giving her. "I won't let you leave Ranma."

The boy sighed and sat down at the table, immediately his normal
demeanor returned. "So, is it Go or Shoghi tonight Tendo?"

Nabiki Tendo smiled to herself as she returned to her seat. There
were other reasons she wanted him to stay. Akane had never gotten this
close to any boy as far as she could remember. There was no need to voice
that though.

About an hour later, Akane blinked as she walked into the house
and found Ranma sitting at the table. "He's supposed to be gone!" she
thought to herself darkly. The reason she took Yuriko out in the first
place was so he would have the chance to leave without any problems from
her.

Yuriko smiled obliviously as she sat down next to her. "I was
afraid you'd be gone by now."

"Ranma isn't going anywhere," said Nabiki calmly.

"What?!" screamed Akane angrily. "We had an agreement!" She turned
on the boy and grabbed him by his collar.

"The agreement was that any one of us could ask him to stay. I
decided I like having him around," said her older sister. "Besides, he
hasn't told me what I want to know."

Akane's jaw dropped. "You asked him to stay?"

Kasumi listened in from the kitchen and smiled. Despite the
posing, she could tell Akane was happy. If Nabiki hadn't done that, she
would have, although her reasons would have been different. She continued
to cook dinner cheerfully as her younger sister started chasing her elder
sister around the yard screaming about a long overdue sparring match. It
was so nice when they played together.

In the shadows of an alley a lone figure smiled as he dropped his
cigarette on the ground and watched the city move about. "Battosai is
here, I can feel it in my bones."

He turned away from a badly beaten group of thugs and shook one of
them awake. "You're the only one left alive, tell me what I want to know
and I'll keep it that way."

The man nodded vigorously and mumbled a few incoherent words. "The
killer known as Battosai. I want everything you've heard. Don't try to
lie, I know you've got connections. You wouldn't want the Japanese
government breathing down your boss's neck would you?"

The man started to whimper and shook his head violently from side
to side.

"Good, tell me... everything." In the end he knew the man would
die anyway, but it would be much more merciful than what his boss would do
to him if he found out.

TBC...

Next time: The False Battosai Murders! Ryoga returns! And at long
last, Saito; but not Saito!

C&C to: Carro...@juno.com

Url: Http://www.geocities.com/misatira/