Stoner 3:17 Presents 
 
	Double or Nothing 
 
	A "Ranma 1/2" Fanfiction Series 
 
	Written by Jeremy Mullin (stoner317@hotmail.com) 
 
	"Ranma 1/2" characters and situations created by Rumiko  
Takahashi.  All rights reserved, used without permission.  Please don't  
sue, I have no money. 
 
	PART 4: School of Hard Knocks...  And Punches, and Kicks... 
 
     "So tell me what this Furinkan High place is like," Ranma said as  
they walked to the school, the girls on the sidewalk, he walking up atop  
the fence. 
     Akane looked up at him and sighed.  Some things, apparently, never  
changed.  Finally, she shrugged and replied, "Not much to say, really.   
It's, well... school." 
     "Yeah, if you don't count the principal with the head-shave fetish  
who thinks he's from Hawaii or his love-crazed, samurai wanna-be  
son," Ukyo added with a chuckle. 
     "Oh, yeah.  I'm really gonna love this place," Ranma replied  
sarcastically.  "I never liked going to school, before.  Why would I  
now?" 
     "I wouldn't mind it if I didn't have to wear this stupid thing," Ranko  
complained as she tugged at the collar of her uniform dress, a sailor- 
type one as opposed to the Furinkan ones, which was the style used at  
the school in the Saotomes' old neighborhood. 
     "Hey, if I gotta wear one, so do you," Ranma said, pulling on the  
shirt of his own uniform.  Their mother had been quite adamant in  
making both of them wear proper school attire. 
     "At least you get to wear the right uniform!" Ranko yelled back.   
"I'm a guy!  Why do I have to wear this stupid dress?!" 
     "Maybe you haven't noticed, but you *are* a girl," Akane grinned.   
"And we are trying to make people think that, you know." 
     "Yeah, so quit griping, Ran-chan," Ukyo chastised with a grin of her  
own.  "Besides, you heard your mom.  If you'd lived with her, you  
would've worn a proper uniform.  You wanna blow your cover?" 
     Ranko snorted.  "Yeah, right.  Like we're really going to fool  
anybody." 
     "Nice to know you're so optimistic, sis," Ranma smirked.  Ukyo and  
Akane giggled. 
     "Bite me, 'bro,'" the red-head snapped back, glaring at Ranma and  
shaking a clenched fist at him. 
     "Alright, you two.  Break it up," Akane intervened.  "We're almost  
there." 
     Sure enough, the group was approaching the front gates of Furinkan  
High School.  Ranma jumped down from the fence to join the girls, and  
gave the building a once-over.  "Not too bad looking," he commented  
as they crossed the street.  They entered the gate, ready to just head on  
into the building, only to be greeted by a surprising and, to Akane and  
Ranko, familiar sight. 
     A horde of boys, all dressed in various sports gear and equipment,  
were charging right at them.  They all had looks of determination on  
their faces, and they were all yelling Akane's name. 
     Akane's surprise was soon replaced by anger.  "I don't believe this!  I  
thought they gave this up a long time ago!" 
     "Give you three guesses who put them up to it who didn't hear a  
certain someone was back in town, and the first two don't count,"  
Ranko supplied, glancing at Ranma out of the corner of her eye. 
     "What the...?" Ranma said with his eyes bugged out.  He was about  
to ask Akane what was going on, but she was no longer with the group.   
She was charging the horde, attacking the boys upon collision. 
     "Get out of my way!" she yelled as she dodged around them,  
punching and kicking them out of commission as they rushed in to  
attack her.  The boys had never had much of a chance of defeating  
Akane, even before her regular training with Ranko over the summer.   
Still, they had the advantage in sheer numbers, and the fact that it had  
been some time since Akane had last fought a force of such size with  
such determination. 
     One boy in fencing gear almost got lucky, attempting to strike at  
Akane from behind when she wasn't looking.  She had just taken out a  
boxer, and was so flushed with rage and adrenaline that she didn't sense  
him until it was almost too late.  The fencer never got the shot, though,  
as he received a swift flying kick to the head from a new party.  Akane  
was surprised to see Ranma land next to her as her would-be attacker  
fell to the ground unconscious. 
     This, of course, did not make her happy.  "Hey, I can take care of  
myself, you know!" she snarled, getting ready to bash him out. 
     Ranma turned to her and smiled.  "I'm sure you can.  But I just hate  
the idea of a friend of mine being out-numbered.  Besides, it never hurts  
to have someone watch your back." 
     Akane blinked a few times in surprise.  "Um, thanks..." she said,  
seeing more evidence of just how much Ranma had changed over the  
summer, and how different he was before Jusenkyo.  The old Ranma  
would've just stayed out of it completely, not wanting to face an angry  
Akane afterwards, which was what Ranko was doing.  But ever since  
the split, things just kept changing all the time with both Ranma and  
Ranko. 
     Akane's introspective didn't last too long, as she quickly had to back  
on the defensive to take out a sumo wrestler who didn't have the sense  
to stay unconscious and decided to try for another shot.  A swift kick to  
the head made him change his mind.  Ranma stuck close to her,  
watching her back and taking out anyone who decided to attack him,  
either to clear the road to Akane or to impress her. 
     Over on the sidelines, Ranko and Ukyo looked on for a couple  
minutes before looking at each other and shrugged, then jumped in and  
joined the "party".  It wasn't too long before it was all over, the  
attacking boys laying about in unconscious heaps. 
     "Well," Ranma said between puffs of breath, "that was interesting."   
He turned to Akane with a curious grin.  "I take it this is what you used  
to do with your mornings?" 
     She nodded bitterly.  "I thought that these idiots had given this up,  
though!"  She would've said more, but was interrupted by an all-too- 
familiar, and unwelcome, voice. 
     "The fools had abandoned the battle for your hand only because of  
the presence of the foul sorcerer.  But now that the evil one has fled,  
driven away by the might of mine blade, that battle has now resumed.   
A battle that I, of course, shall win." 
     The group stared as Tatewaki Kuno stepped out from around behind  
a tree, his bokken in hand.  The girls looked disgusted, while Ranma  
just looked surprised. 
     "Kuno," Ranko snorted, shaking her head.  "Told you so."  She  
began to wish that she had bet money, but then realized that it was  
probably a sucker-bet, except against Ranma. 
     "Ah, the Pig-tailed Girl," Kuno sighed tenderly.  "How lovely to hear  
your voice again.  Even more lovely that both you and the fair Akane  
both be here so that I bless thee both with my love.  But first," he  
brought his bokken to ready position, "Akane and I must do battle, after  
which she will be mine upon victory for the mighty Blue Thunder!" 
     After a moment of staring in shock at the other young man, Ranma  
turned to his sister and asked, "Man, is he always like this?" 
     "Nah, he's just getting started," Ranko smirked.  "Unfortunately." 
     It was then that Kuno at last noticed Ranma.  His eyes snapped open  
and his face flared with anger.  "You?!  So, it is true!  You have dared to  
show your face here again after I had banished you?!" 
     Ranma stared at Kuno like he had grown an extra pair of heads.   
"What the heck is he talking about?" 
     "Kuno here thinks the reason you really left is because he did his  
'samurai duty' and kicked you out of town," Ranko explained dryly.   
"You have no idea how many times he kept showing up at the Dojo  
and me and Akane had to beat him up." 
     "I think I have an idea," Ranma replied, recalling what he had read in  
his journal about Kuno.  So far, the description seemed quite accurate. 
     Something kept nagging at him, though, as well as Akane and  
Ranko.  How the heck did Kuno know that Ranma had come back?   
They hadn't exactly broadcasted it to all of Nerima.  In fact, the only  
who might've told would be... 
     *No, it couldn't be.  Could it?* the three of them each thought. 
     "'Tis true!" Kuno shouted in anguish.  He turned his gaze skyward,  
raising his hands high above his head to the heavens as if calling out to  
the gods.  "Why is it that none believe me?!  That I was at last  
victorious over that fiend, Saotome?!  And yet he dares to return to  
mock mine authority and continue weaving his dark spells to bind the  
virtuous Akane Tendo and the beauteous Pig-tailed Girl to his will!   
Keeping them from my love, forcing them to perform unspeakable acts  
to fulfill his own sick satisfac--" 
     *BAM!*  Kuno's little monologue was halted by the foot that was  
now imbedded in his face, courtesy of Ranma's kick.  There was much  
joy and relief among the students. 
     "You pervert!" he shouted angrily.  "That's my sister you're talking  
about!" 
     Kuno removed Ranma's foot from his face and stared at the other  
boy in shock.  "What?!  The fair huntress Akane is your sister?!  You  
are more fiendish and perverted than I thought!" he cried.  Everyone  
who was present--and conscious--face-faulted in shock. 
     Ranko, however, quickly recovered and buried her fist where  
Ranma's foot had been.  "Not Akane, you moron!  Me!" she shouted as  
she removed her fist and stood by her brother's side.  "Ranko Saotome,  
sister of Ranma, at your service." 
     Kuno shook the cobwebs out of his head, and began to switch his  
gaze back and forth between the two, a thoughtful look on his face.   
"Sister?" he questioned. 
     "Catches on quick, doesn't he?" Ranma muttered to Ranko, who  
nodded. 
     "C'mon, Kuno.  Use your head, for once," Akane interjected.  "Don't  
tell me you never noticed the resemblance?  They are twins, after all." 
     At that moment, Ranma and Ranko both smiled big, toothy grins  
that complimented their resemblance to each other. 
     For several moments, Kuno remained dumbfounded at the new  
information he had just been given.  Some were wondering if smoke  
would suddenly coming out of his ears.  Finally, though, he simply  
grinned and began to chuckle in that superior way of his. 
     "Uh oh," Ranko said worriedly. 
     "'Uh oh' what?" Ranma asked as he stared at the samurai-wannabe in  
confusion. 
     Ranko simply replied, "Whenever he does that, there's usually  
trouble." 
     Kuno, meanwhile, was now laughing like a nut.  Not like his sister,  
just like a nut.  "You think the great Tatewaki Kuno, the rising star of  
high school fencing, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, and the true  
love of Akane Tendo and the Pig-tailed Girl, a fool?!" he shouted. 
     "Does he really want an honest answer to that question?" Ukyo  
asked.  No one answered, though. 
     Kuno continued, "Does the foolish Saotome think to sway me from  
my love for my fire-haired Venus by placing her under a spell that  
makes her believe she is of his flesh and blood?!"  He angrily then  
swung his bokken in a vicious attack that the Saotome twins barely  
avoided. 
     "Hey, it's true, you jerk!" Ranma shouted.  Ranko nodded in  
agreement. 
     Kuno merely snickered again, almost in pity.  "Protest all ye want,  
knave, but the Blue Thunder is wise to thy tricks.  I have received word  
from the Heavens themselves warning me that you would try such a  
ruse to keep me from my beloved.  Besides, any fool can see that such a  
vision of loveliness that is the Pig-tailed Girl could *never* possibly be  
related to the likes of you!  It is unheard of, to say the least!"  He held  
up his bokken high in his way of signaling somebody, perhaps the  
gods.  "I see now that my divine mission in life has only truly begun!   
Nevertheless, I shall fulfill my destiny, and finish what I began at the  
beginning of summer... and smite the evil that is Ranma Saotome!!!" 
     With that declaration, Kuno lunged towards Ranma in attack.  And  
was quickly sent flying by a combined attack of Ranma's foot and  
Ranko's fist.  The 'Blue Thunder' crashed face-first and upside down  
into a tree, then fell down onto his back unconscious. 
     Ranko turned and glared at Ranma.  "Hey!  I don't need your help to  
beat up that jerk!" 
     "I didn't do it for you, sis!" Ranma yelled back.  "Besides, he was  
aiming for me!" 
     "Boy, this looks familiar," Akane muttered before she walked up to  
the arguing siblings and broke them up.  "Knock it off, you two.  You  
got him.  Just be happy with it." Before the two Saotomes could say  
anything in response, she grabbed them both by the arm.  "Now, come  
on, we're going to be late." 
     With that, she dragged the two into the building, with Ukyo  
following behind.  The group then hurried inside, just making it in time  
for the first bell. 
     
     Up in the classrooms on the upper floors, the kids who had gathered  
to watch began to talk amongst themselves at what had happened.     
     "Did you see that?" 
     "Yeah, Saotome's back!" 
     "Thought he took off?" 
     "He looks kinda different, don't you think?" 
     "Guess that means Akane's off-limits again." 
     "What's with that new girl with him?" 
     "Another fiancee, you think?" 
     "Is it just me, or does she look like his girl-form?" 
     "Nah, it's just you." 
     "I could've sworn he called her 'sis...'" 
     "You're hearing things, man." 
     "Hey, Nabiki.  Looks like we're back in business, huh?  Nabiki?" 
     The middle Tendo sister didn't reply for a moment before she gave a  
quiet, "Whatever..."  Then she turned and walked away, a deep frown  
on her face. 
     "What's with her?" someone asked as they watched her off. 
     "I dunno.  She didn't bet any money, but then again, who can tell  
with Nabiki." 
 
		*		*		* 
 
     "You're kidding me.  Kuno actually thinks it's my fault he got held  
back?" Ranma asked as he, Akane, and Ukyo walked down the hall,  
approaching their class.  Ranko was downstairs in the office, going over  
her registration papers and such before beginning her 'first day' at  
Furinkan. 
     "Yeah.  He thinks you bewitched the teachers into giving him bad  
grades or something," Ukyo grinned. 
     "That's what he gets for spending more time getting the crap kicked  
out of him than doing his homework," Akane agreed.  "Doesn't help  
that his dad's the principle and enjoys making his life miserable, either." 
     "I think we should consider ourselves real lucky that Kuno didn't  
wind up with us in our class," Ukyo added.  "We'd never get any work  
done because we'd have to keep beating him up." 
     Ranma just shook his head as they arrived at their class and entered.  
Entered right into another crazy situation, that is. 
     "Hey, it's Saotome!" 
     "Ranma, where'd you go, man?" 
     "Why'd you have to come back?" 
     "Since when did you start wearing the uniform, man?" 
     "You're not selling out on us, are you?" 
     "Where's that new chick that was with you?" 
     "Yeah!  You pick up another fiancee or something?" 
     "Um, you won't hold that letter I sent to Akane against me, will  
you?" 
     "Weren't you sent off to reform school or something?" 
     "You follow that Hibiki guy around this summer, or what?" 
     The questions just poured on, and all a surprised and overwhelmed  
Ranma could say back was, "Uh..." 
     "Hey, you guys!  Knock it off!" Akane cried in an attempt to bring  
about order.  "Ranma just got back!  And he also had an accident over  
the summer and lost his memory!  So leave him alone!" 
     "You actually think that's going to work?" Ukyo asked skeptically.   
Akane didn't have to answer, as the students continued to bombard  
Ranma with questions, either not hearing Akane or just ignoring her. 
     Fortunately, help of a sorts came shortly.  Literally. 
     "Alright, class!  Settle down!" Ms. Hinako Ninomiya shouted as she  
suddenly appeared before the crowd.  She pulled out a five-yen coin.   
"Or do I have to get nasty?" 
     The class immediately became quiet, the students in their desks and  
behaving themselves.  They had thought things would get easier upon  
becoming second-year students, with Hinako teaching the first-year  
students.  Unfortunately, Hinako transferred to teach the second-year  
students.  Probably to keep an eye on Ranma, many figured. 
     "That's better," the child-teacher said, nodding with satisfaction.  She  
then turned to Ranma, who still stood where he was flabbergasted.   
"Welcome back, Mr. Saotome.  Your mother contacted the school and  
told us of your accident last summer, and your memory loss.  As you  
may have guessed, I'm your teacher, Ms. Hinako Ninomiya.  We aren't  
going to have any problems from you this semester, are we?" 
     Ranma could only shake his dumbly.  Behind him, there were  
whispers and murmurs going around among the students about the  
mention of Ranma's memory loss, which worried Akane and Ukyo. 
     Ms. Hinako nodded in satisfaction.  "Good."  She then walked over  
to stand behind her desk, facing the students in a professional manner.   
All while standing on the small step-stool she used to remain visible. 
     "First off, class, I'd like to welcome you back to a new semester and  
hope you enjoyed your summer vacations.  But before we begin class,  
I'd like to announce that we have a new student joining our class.  And  
you'd better be nice to her, or else!" 
     Murmurs and whispers began to spread among the students,  
particularly among the boys.  Ranma, Akane, and Ukyo just exchanged  
knowing glances to each other. 
     Turning to the door, Hinako pulled a card out from her pocket.  "So,  
class, let me introduce you to..."  She looked to the card, and her eyes  
bugged out in shock.  "Ranko Saotome?!" 
     The rest of the class, save for Ranma, Akane, and Ukyo, all gasped  
or cried out in shock at the announcement.  The shock increased as  
Ranko herself entered the room, wrote her name on the board, then  
turned and gave the class a beaming smile. 
     "Hi!  I'm Ranko Saotome!  Pleased to meet you!"  She silently  
winced to herself at her tone of voice and enthuiasm.  *Yeesh, talk  
about laying it on thick!  I knew I never should've read Akane's "Magic  
Knight Rayearth" comics!* 
     Ranma, Akane, and Ukyo all winced in their desks.  *Yeesh, talk  
about laying it on thick!*  Akane fumed as she wondered if Ranko had  
been reading her "Magic Knight Rayearth" comics. 
     Ms. Hinako was the first to somewhat recover.  "Um, well, uh,  
welcome to our class, Ms... Saotome."  She hesitated on the next  
question.  "You... wouldn't happen to be..." 
     "Ranma's my twin brother," Ranko replied, a bit more calmer than  
before.  "My mom raised me at home while Ranma went on the training  
trip with our dad.  I just moved here with Mom over the summer." 
     Hinako continued to frown for a moment before she gave a small  
nod.  "I see..."  She peered intently at the girl for a long moment, taking  
in the resemblance she had to Ranma.  And she wasn't the only one  
who noticed. 
     "Hey, did you hear that?  She's Ranma's sister." 
     "Didn't know he had one." 
     "Man, you can tell they're related.  She really looks like him." 
     "She looks like his girl form, anyway." 
     "She does not.  You're just imagining things." 
     "She does too!  She looks exactly like Ranma's girl form!"  With  
that, the student grabbed a bucket of water and dumped its contents  
over a surprised Ranma's head.  "See?  They look exactly alike!  Right  
down to the big hooters!" 
     "Um, was there any real point to that?" a soaking wet Ranma asked.   
The rest of the class went into shock when they saw that, despite the  
cold water, Ranma was still male. 
     "WHAT THE HELL--?!" was the collective cry. 
     "Surprise, guys," Akane said calmly.  "Ranma found a cure for his  
curse over the summer.  Unfortunately, it also caused him to lose his  
memory of everything that happened after Jusenkyo in the process." 
     Upon hearing the news, the rest of the class began to immediately  
whisper amongst themselves.  A lot of guys began to groan at the loss  
of Ranma-chan.  After all, even 'she' had really been a guy, she hadn't  
been bad to look at (1).  But then one guy pointed out that they now  
had Ranko, which immediately perked them all up.  Much to the  
dismay of some of the girls. 
     A lot of the talk, of course, was focused on Ranma's memory loss.   
Nobody was sure how to react to that, but one guy had the courage to  
go over to Ranma and whisper to him, "Say, Ranma?  Did you know  
that Akane's really my--" 
     "I'm your what?" Akane asked in a dark tone, her body glowing with  
battle aura.  That, along with the "Yeah, right" glare Ranma gave him,  
caused the student to shut his mouth and retreat back to his seat.  And  
get a nasty look from the girl who really *was* his girlfriend. 
     The students began to try and question Ranma, again, but soon  
stopped when Hinako simply said "Class..." and pulled out her coin.   
After the room became quiet again, she took a quick glance through the  
transfer papers given to her, then turned back to Ranko.  "Well,  
everything seems to be in order.  Welcome to our class, Ms. Saotome.  I  
will expect you to behave yourself, young lady, as I do not tolerate  
delinquency of any kind." 
     Ranko nodded nervously.  She knew exactly what Hinako was  
talking about.  She had to restrain herself from lashing out at the "young  
lady" bit. 
     Satisfied, Hinako turned back to face the class.  "Now then, you can  
take a seat next to..." 
     A bunch of hands immediately went up.  All of them belonging to  
just about every boy in the room. 
     "She can sit next to me!" 
     "No!  Me!" 
     "I don't have an empty seat next to me, but she can sit on my lap!"  
That guy was immediately hit on the head by his girlfriend. 
     A full-blown argument began over where Ranko would sit--or rather,  
who she would sit next to--until Hinako yelled out, "QUIET!!!"  Her  
coin appeared in her hand again, and the class immediately did so. 
     "She can sit next to me, Ms. Hinako," Ukyo offered with a raised  
hand.  Her other one gestured to an empty seat next hers. 
     The child-teacher smiled and nodded.  "You may take your seat,  
young lady," she said to Ranko.  A collective groan was let out by the  
boys as Ranko walked to the seat, giving her friend and boss a silent   
"Thanks..." as she sat down. 
     With that business settled, Hinako went on.  "Alright, class, please  
pass up your homework assignments from last summer.  After that,  
open your textbooks to..." 
     Unfortunately, no one was really listening to her.  As just about  
every boy in the class had gathered around Ranko's desk, with just  
about every girl scowling at the scene.  Ranma, Akane, and Ukyo just  
shook their heads with pity. 
     "So, uh, what kinda movies you like?" 
     "You like sushi?  I know this great place..." 
     "I got a couple of tickets to see DoCo next Saturday!  You wanna  
go?!" 
     "Uh..."  While Ranko was used to the attention her female body  
tended to attract, it had never been this intense before.  Usually, she  
would just ignore or punch out any guy who came onto her, but she  
couldn't now that she had to act like someone else.  Plus, she was a bit  
overwhelmed as the boys continued to bombard her with questions.   
She started to come out of her stupor when someone asked her  
measurements, and was about to give the guy what-for.  After all, it was  
normal for a girl to get violent over such a personal question.  Her  
mother would surely agree at least to that. 
     However, she never got the chance to as a high-pitched voice  
shouted out, "HAPPO GO-EN SATSU!!!" 
     Immediately, everyone save a few surprised boys dived to the floor  
and became motionless, Akane pulling Ranma down with her.  And  
just in time, as tendrils of energy snaked out and drained the standing  
boys of their ki.  It was over in seconds, with the boys floating to the  
floor as too-thin, whithered husks. 
     "If there are no more problems," the now-adult Hinako said in her  
deep, husky voice, "everyone may return to their seats and we can  
begin class." 
     Everyone immediately nodded and obediantly did as she asked.   
Save for the drained boys, who continued to lay groaning on the floor. 
     As he sat down in his seat, Ranma continued to stare at Hinako in  
amazement.  Ranko noticed this and, with a grin on her face, nudged  
her brother in the ribs. 
     "Guess you can see how she got to be a teacher, huh, bro?"  Akane  
heard this and saw what was going on, and began clenching her fist as  
the old anger began to swell in her. 
     Ranma nodded almost dumbly.  "You got that right.  With a  
technique like that, she could be a drill sergeant or something." 
     Ranko face-faulted in amazement, while Akane nearly did the same  
but managed to catch herself in time.  Instead she simply nodded in  
agreement, sighing with relief that she didn't have to bash Ranma over  
the head in jealousy.  Ukyo giggled as Ranko picked herself up and got  
back into her seat, a frown on her face. 
     "Do you have something to say, Mr. Saotome?" Hinako asked as she  
turned around, her hand going for her coin. 
     Ranma immediately straightened himself out and sat at attention.   
"No, ma'am!"  Akane, Ranko, and Ukyo all giggled along with the rest  
of the class.  The boys continued to groan. 
     Hinako relaxed and nodded, then turned back to the blackboard to  
resume class. 
 
		*		*		* 
 
     After what many considered a long morning, noon finally came, and  
with it, lunchtime.  Many of the students quickly grabbed their meals  
and left the building to gather about outside, pairing up and/or grouping  
off in various spots of the school grounds to eat and hang out, away  
from classes and teachers. 
     Among them were Ranma and Akane, who were sitting at the base  
of 'their' tree where they always had lunch when outdoors.  They were  
by themselves, as Ranko took off on her own after getting sick of  
everyone telling her to relax from griping and complaining about all the  
attention she was getting from the boys and the way she was being  
treated by her teachers and classmates.  Ukyo went after her, figuring  
Ranko needed a friend who was kind of in the same boat, leaving the  
other two alone. 
     "So... what do you think of Furinkan High, so far?" Akane asked as  
they ate their lunches.  She would've liked to have made them, herself,  
except that Kasumi had already beaten her to it.  Not that she didn't  
enjoy her sister's cooking, but she would've liked to have had the  
chance to practice her own skills some more. 
     Ranma took a moment to reply before he finally shrugged and said,  
"Eh, alright, I guess.  Like you said, it's school." 
     "Bad day?" 
     He didn't reply at first, but after a moment he shook his head in  
exasperation.  "You don't know the half of it.  I never thought that there  
were so many guys who seem to think that they have to know about  
our love life.  All day long, some jerk would pop up and ask me about  
'how far we got over the summer.'  I would've decked one of 'em, but I  
figured it'd been a wasted effort." 
     Akane nodded, knowing that some things rarely changed, no matter  
how much others did.  They continued to eat in silence, just enjoying  
each other's company.  Naturally, though, it didn't last.  They hardly got  
past a couple more bites when a familiar voice called out, "Saotome, I  
shall smite you!!!" 
     Though surprised by the sudden outburst, Ranma managed to roll  
away in time just as a bokken came slicing down and tore up the  
ground that he had been sitting on.  He got to his feet next to Akane,  
who didn't even so much as bat an eyelash at the interruption.  They  
just stared at Kuno as he got up and faced them, while some of the  
other students gathered around them to see what the commotion was  
about.  Many others just stayed where they were and continued to eat,  
not even interested.  Having been at Furinkan since the previous year,  
they were all too used to it. 
     Ranma gave the kendoist an annoyed look.  "What do you want  
now, Kuno?  Can't you see I'm eating?"  At that, he shoveled another  
bite of his food into his mouth. 
     "You will address me as 'Upperclassman,'" the older boy replied.   
Before Ranma could correct him that they were in the same grade,  
Kuno continued, "And spare me your feigned ignorance, fiendish one.   
Have you not done enough to the Blue Thunder as it is without this  
latest travestry?!" 
     "Oh, gee.  What did I do again?" Ranma asked sarcastically.  "It's so  
hard to keep track, you know?"  Akane frowned at him, at the same  
time trying hard not to laugh. 
     Kuno didn't think it was funny, as he became even angrier.  "You  
dare to mock me?!  Bad enough you steal my loves and cause me to be  
held back, but now you use your sorcerery to get me forced out of my  
own Kendo Club?!" 
     "What?! You were kicked off the Kendo Club?!" Akane asked in  
half-shock, though not really surprised.  What surprised her was that it  
hadn't happened sooner. 
     "Hey, can you blame us?!"  Everyone turned to see several boys in  
kendo garb standing near the crowd, staring angrily at Kuno.  "This  
guy's making us look bad by constantly getting his butt kicked by  
Saotome, day after day, unless he's got some gimmick or someone  
backing him up!  We don't even compete in school competitions  
anymore because he's too busy having us help him train to defeat  
Ranma!  We used to be Number One, and now we're a joke!  Well,  
we've had it with Kuno!  We're getting a new captain to lead us!"  The  
other boys cried out in cheers at the declaration. 
     "How come you guys didn't just kick him out sooner if you felt this  
way?" Akane asked suspiciously. 
     The boys looked a bit flustered for a moment before their leader  
answered, "We were, ah, trying to give Kuno some time to act on his  
word.  A guy can only take so much, y'know?" 
     "Right..." Akane nodded, noticing one club member counting some  
money he had in his hand out of the corner of her eye. 
     "You see?!  It is without a doubt that is the black magic of Saotome  
influencing the members of my Kendo Club to turn against me!  I am  
too honored and respected for them to do such a thing of their own  
freewill!"  Kuno raved, the top of his head erupting like a volcano(2). 
     "Gimme a break, Kuno," Ranma snorted.  "You can't honestly  
believe that, can you?" 
     "And what other reason could there be, may I ask?" Kuno sneered.   
"Before your arrival, Ranma Saotome, I was respected and feared by  
my fellow classmates.  None could defeat me in battle!  But ever since  
you set foot in my domain, I have been treated as a joke, laughed at and  
ridiculed!  What other reason could there be for that other than black  
magic?!  My troubles began when you arrived, Saotome, and they shall  
end when I send you back to the depths where you belong!" 
     With that, Kuno lunged at Ranma in attack with such surprising  
speed that the other barely managed to dodge out of the way.  They  
started to dash across the school grounds, a familiar picture of Ranma  
dodging Kuno's ferocious attacks while trying to get one of his own in. 
     Akane stared and blinked a few after the two as they scurried off,  
before she finally shrugged and let out a long sigh.  "Some things never  
change..." she muttered before she ran off after them, with the rest of  
the gathered students following. 
 
		*		*		* 
 
     "This day could not get any worse!" Ranko griped as she and Ukyo  
walked away from the unconscious form of a boy who had gotten a  
little... aggressive in trying to ask Ranko out. 
     "C'mon, Ran-chan.  It hasn't been that bad," Ukyo chuckled as she  
looked back at the poor boy.  "I mean, you should've expected this.   
What with that body of yours and all." 
     "It doesn't mean I have to like it!" the red-head cried with a glare at  
her best friend.  She lowered her voice a little as she continued, "It was  
bad enough when they just leered at me even though they knew I was  
really a guy, but now there's no stopping them now that they think I'm a  
girl." 
     "You *are* a girl, now.  Remember?" 
     Ranko didn't say anything in reply, deciding instead just to fume a  
little bit as the two girls walked. 
     Ukyo noticed the look on her friend's face and let a frown of her own  
fall.  "Something's bothering you, Ran-chan, and it isn't the boys."  She  
stopped them and turned Ranko by the shoulder to face her.  "Come  
on, out with it." 
     Ranko didn't reply at first, hoping instead to shrug it off with "It's  
nothing."  Unfortunately for her, she knew that Ukyo tended to be  
persistent at times like these, and wouldn't just give up.  Finally, with a  
bit of reluctance, Ranko turned her gaze back the way they had come  
and muttered, "Them." 
     Ukyo blinked with confusion at first, but then followed the red- 
head's gaze where she finally got it after a moment's pondering.  She  
swore that she could hear the sounds of fighting and students cheering,  
but she shrugged it off.  She had more important things to worry about. 
     "Them?  You mean Ranma and Akane?" 
     Ranko nodded bitterly.  "Notice how Akane seems to always want to  
hang around Ranma?  And vice-versa?  How they're always talking  
about this and that?" 
     Ukyo nodded and shrugged.  "So?  They're just trying to get to know  
each other again.  What's wrong with that?" 
     Ranko turned and glared.  "Well, they don't have to do it right in  
front of my face!" 
     Ukyo reeled back for a moment, startled and rather confused by the  
outburst.  She knew that look and tone of voice; she'd used them herself  
on occasion.  If she didn't know better, she could swear that Ranko  
sounded... 
     "Why, Ran-chan!" Ukyo said with a playful grin usually found on  
Nabiki.  "Are you jealous?" 
     On instinct, Ranko whipped her head away from Ukyo and started to  
cry out, "Jealous?!  Of that--"  However, she caught herself and let out a  
sigh. 
     "It isn't fair, Ucchan," she almost whined.  "Akane all but goes and  
puts almost all her attention on an uncursed, all-guy me who has no  
memory of her without almost so much as a second thought.  And she  
treats me like a buddy just because I'm a girl.  How do you expect me  
to deal with that?" 
     Ukyo could only stand there for a moment in surprise.  She had  
figured that Ranko still had feelings for Akane.  It was hard to give up  
that kind of love; she would know.  But she never expected her to be so  
emotional about it.  She began to worry about Ranko might do if  
Ranma and Akane's new relationship progressed any further.  And if  
she knew Ranko, it would probably be something stupid. 
     But before either girl could say anything further, a familiar, haunting  
laugh filled the air, accompanied by a swirling stream of rose petals.   
Black rose petals. 
     "Oh, no," Ranko groaned.  "Why her?  Why now?" 
     "Ohhh-hohohohohohohoho!" came the laugh from above.  Ranko  
and Ukyo looked up to see a feminine-shaped form leap down from  
above and land gracefully before them.  The stream of rose petals  
ceased, though the ribbon in her hand continued to twirl about above  
her head. 
     "Greetings, peasants," Kodachi said as she looked down her nose at  
the other two girls.  "Such a lovely day, isn't it?" 
     "What are you doing here, Kodachi?" Ranko growled as she fell into  
a defensive stance.  Beside her, Ukyo put her hand on her large combat  
spatula in preperation to draw it out.  "I'm having a bad enough day as it  
is without having to deal with you right now." 
     "My, how rude," the Black Rose said in a miffed tone.  "Of course,  
what should I expect?  I come to see my darling Ranma after I hear of  
his return and instead I find you and the cooking wench who also dares  
to claim the hand of my beloved."  She stopped twirling her ribbon and  
grabbed it between her fingers, pulling it tight over her head.  "Where is  
he?!  Tell me what you've done with him before I am forced to use  
more... persuasive measures."  A wicked grin spread across her face,  
one that said "Please force me." 
     Growling again under her breath, Ranko replied, "Look, Kodachi.   
I'm giving you to--" 
     A sudden rustling of the bushes interrupted her, and before anyone  
knew it, a boy suddenly leapt out towards Ranko and cried out, "Ranko  
Saotome!  Please go out with me!  I know someone who's throwing this  
kick-ass party and--" 
     *POW!*  An uppercut to the chin sent him skyward before he could  
finish.  "I've said it before, I'll say it again!" Ranko shouted.  "*BUZZ  
OFF!!!*" 
     Ranko stood there panting heavily as the would-be suitor went  
flying, Ukyo staring at her and shaking her head.  All the unwanted  
attention that the red-head was getting from the boys was really starting  
to get to her, it seemed.  No one said anything for a while, but the  
words "Excuse me, but did I hear that boy just call you 'Saotome'?"  
soon broke the silence. 
     The two girls turned to Koddachi, who stared at them, or rather  
Ranko, with curious intensity.  Not once did she relax her ribbon from  
its attack position.  "Answer the question," she demanded.  "Did that  
boy call you 'Saotome'?" 
     Letting out a frustrated sigh, Ranko replied in a bitter tone, "Yeah, he  
did.  My name's Ranko Saotome.  Ranma's my brother." 
     Kodachi actually looked surprised at this bit of news, but she soon  
recovered and stared intently at Ranko.  "Your brother, you say?" 
     Ranko nodded nervously, but prepared herself in case Kodachi had a  
reaction similar to her brother's.  "Yeah.  We're twins.  Mom raised me  
at home while my dad took Ranma on that training trip.  We just  
moved here permanently over the summer into the Tendo Dojo." 
     Kodachi frowned for a moment, considering the explanation.  "You  
just moved here?  But I have seen you here many times before.  Usually  
in places that darling Ranma is." 
     Ranko shrugged, relieved that they had prepared for that.  "What?  
Can't I just come over and visit my brother once in awhile?" 
     "And what about the times you've used his name whenever we've  
met, hmm?  As well as wear his clothes?" 
     Ranko panicked for a moment.  *That* one they hadn't thought.   
Thinking quickly, she replied, "Well, um, I'm his sister.  I was trying to  
bug him.  Besides, our names our so similar, even I get them mixed up  
sometimes.  And I thought the clothes he wore were kinda cool, so I, er,  
borrowed them sometimes." 
     Ukyo rolled her eyes up in disgust.  "Yeah, right.  Like Kodachi's  
gonna buy that," she grumbled. 
     Kodachi seemed to think for a moment, then began laughing again.   
Taking it the wrong way, Ranko and Ukyo got ready to defend  
themselves from the upcoming attack. 
     Surprisingly, it didn't come.  "Of course!" Kodachi cried.  "It was so  
obvious!  The resemblance between the two of you is so close, I'm  
surprised I never realized it before!  And the way you keep fighting me  
over him, you're simply looking out for him as a sister should.  Am I  
right?" 
     Ranko and Ukyo blinked in surprise before letting out a deep breath  
of relief.  "Um, yeah," Ranko replied.  "Gotta look out for my brother.   
Heh, heh..." 
     Kodachi nodded.  "Well, then.  I would say that there is no longer  
any need for us for feud for Ranma-darling's affections, is there?  After  
all, as his sister, dear Ranko, surely you're not interested in him in... that  
way.  Correct?" 
     A feeling of disgust ran through Ranko's body and she shivered  
visibly.  "No.  Way."  She kept trying to shake an image of her and  
Ranma in an intimate position together out of her head(3). 
     "Well, then.  That's settled," Kodachi said.  She then lashed out with  
her ribbon at Ranko with lightning-quick speed and suddenness. 
     "Hey!  What's the big idea?!" Ranko cried as she just barely  
managed to leap out of the way of the ribbon, while Ukyo dodged to  
the right. 
     "I may have settled things with you over my beloved Ranma,"  
Kodachi replied acidly as she twirled her ribbon around and prepared  
for another attack, "but I still have a score to settle with you over a  
certain gymnastics tournament!  No one defeats and humiliates the  
Black Rose and gets away with it!  DIE!!!" 
     The ribbon lashed out again, but once again, Ranko was able to leap  
away and dodge it.  This continued on, Kodachi advancing and  
attacking while Ranko leapt and dodged out of the way, the two going  
across the school yard.  Ukyo began to follow them, sighing and  
shaking her head as she twirled her combat spatula in her hands. 
     It seemed like it was going to be one of those days. 
 
		*		*		* 
 
     Ranma leapt into the air again to avoid another slash from Kuno's  
bokken that was aimed at his mid-section, then lashed out with a kick to  
the head that would knock a normal person out cold.  Unfortunately,  
Kuno was far from normal, and thanks to his hard head, the kick only  
left him dazed for a moment before he shook it off.  With yet another  
cry of "I fight on!", he resumed his fierce attack. 
     Ranma let out a growl of frustration as he continued to dodge and  
counter Kuno's attacks.  Even though he had no real prior experience in  
fighting the "Blue Thunder", other than what he had read about him in  
his journal and what Akane and Ranko had told him, he had figured  
that the fight would have been short and easy.  Kuno just kept using the  
same attack patterns again and again, sometimes even using an attack  
where he would thrust his bokken out at a rapid speed that was as fast  
as the Amaguriken, which Ranma used to counter it.  There was no real  
style involved, nothing that would throw Ranma off his guard and get  
the better of him.  The fight should have been over in only a minute or  
two. 
     But there was a difference, however.  Kuno seemed to be fighting in  
a more fierce and aggressive manner than what had been described.   
Almost as though he were possessed or had been greater inspired to  
fight.  He just kept going, shrugging off Ranma's attacks and throwing  
back his own, leaving barely any room for Ranma to take a breather. 
     "What's the matter, knave?" Kuno said tauntingly as he made several  
slashes that Ranma dodged easily.  "Is the mighty Blue Thunder too  
much for you?  Mayhaps you should give up now and free Akane  
Tendo and the Pig-tailed Girl from your dark magic?" 
     "Yeah, right," Ranma snorted as he ducked under a stab and shot a  
punch to Kuno's gut.  This bought him some breathing time as Kuno  
staggered back a little to catch his breath, but not enough as it only took  
a brief moment for the kendoist to catch his breath and resume  
attacking. 
     "Admit it, foul one!" Kuno ranted on.  "You are no match for me  
when you have no chance of using your dark magics!  When it comes  
right down to it, it is I who is the stronger, the faster, the most purest of  
hearts!  The greatest warrior of all time!!!" 
     He then made a rather surprising move.  He made another  
downward slash with his bokken, only this time, the wooden blade    
glowed with a whitish-blue energy that shot out as a small, curved bolt  
when the motion was complete.  It didn't seem very powerful, but was  
probably enough to hurt quite a bit if it made contact.  Ranma barely  
had a chance to dodge the energy bolt, and only managed it just in time  
as it went past him and hit a nearby tree, slicing it in two. 
     While many of the students who had gathered to watch the fight  
almost all gasped with awe, Akane frowned and let out a growl of  
frustration.  It seemed that, apparently, due to all his fights with Ranma,  
Kuno had somehow figured out to channel his delusions into a ki-based  
attack of his own.  That was definitely not good. 
     The only plus side to it was that even Kuno seemed surprised by  
what he had just done.  "Amazing!" he cried in awe as he held his  
bokken before him in both hands.  "I now at last have the power to  
finally defeat my nemesis!  The gods have smiled down upon me once  
again!" 
     Unfortunately for Kuno, in his ranting, he didn't see Ranma leaping  
towards him.  "Kuno... SHUT UP!!!" he yelled as his foot lashed out in  
a fierce spin kick, connecting with Kuno's head and sending him down  
in the usual manner, face-first unceremoniously to the ground. 
     Ranma flipped through the air away from the fallen kendoist, then  
landed on his feet with a smirk on his face.  "Hmmph!  That takes care  
of that," he snorted.  But he soon lost his smirk when he felt a shock of  
pain shoot through his leg.  "Ergh!!!" 
     "Ranma!" Akane cried as she and the other students ran towards  
them.  "Are you okay?!" 
     Ranma nodded, trying to smirk through his clenched-eye-and-teeth  
look.  The truth, though, was that his leg hurt like hell.  He looked down  
and saw that Kuno's attack hadn't missed him like he had thought.   
Through a tear in his pant leg, he could see a nasty, bruising welt where  
the ki-bolt had just grazed him.  It was a pretty minor injury, but it still  
hurt like hell and made it hard to stand. 
     He was about to walk, or rather limp, over to Kuno when he heard a  
voice cry out "HERE!  CATCH!"  Startled, he held out his hands and  
caught a rather heavy, rounded object that fell from seemingly out of  
nowhere.  He blinked when he saw what it was. 
     "Huh?  What the--?  A watermelon?" 
     "Ranma!  Look out!" Akane suddenly cried out. 
     That was all the warning he got before he turned his head and saw a  
now up and moving Kuno rushing towards him, slashing his bokken  
like mad with almost whirlwind speed.  Within seconds, it was Ranma's  
turn to lay on the ground in pain, his uniform slashed up all over and  
his body covered in bruises.  Around him were the neatly cut pieces of  
watermelon, some in slices, some in little-to-big chunks. 
     Kuno walked over to the fallen Ranma, standing tall and proud over  
him as a smirk spread across his face.  "Hmph!  Does the knave admit  
defeat, now?" he asked in a snort. 
     Ranma's response was to glare at the kendoist as he started to try  
and get back to his feet.  "How the--?" 
     "Here!" Akane suddenly cried.  She had rushed over to the bushes,  
where she slammed her fist down on a shape that was trying, rather  
unsuccessfully, to sneak away unnoticed.  A dumpy little man in need  
of a shave and dressed in ninja garb fell out onto the ground, a dazed  
grin on his face. 
     "Ah, dear Sasuke," Kuno said with fondness.  "Once again, you have  
served your master well.  I shall see that you are well rewarded for your  
efforts." 
     "Translation, the poor guy'll get a full-course meal for a change,"  
someone muttered from the crowd. 
     "Hey, what's the big idea?!" a somewhat-recovered Ranma cried as  
he finally got to his feet.  "This fight was between you and me, you  
jerk!  Where's your so-called 'honor' in having your flunky help you  
out?" 
     Kuno snorted in the way that rich people do and smirked arrogantly.   
"Unlike you, knave, I, being of higher class and nobility, answer to a  
somewhat different code of honor than someone of your stature.  So  
*your* pitiful rules of combat mean little to me."  He then began to  
laugh haughtingly as the rest of the students present either glared at him  
or simply rolled their eyes, in disgust. 
     Ranma began to feel his anger rise up as he glared at the self- 
proclaimed samurai and his pompous words.  He had a lot of gall,  
cheating and then trying to write it off as a difference in honor.  He  
almost started to lash out, but managed to catch himself and bite his  
anger down.  He took several deep breaths to calm himself, then closed  
his eyes and began to concentrate, searching for his focus.  He felt his  
energy begin to rise as he found it. 
     "So, I ask again: does thou admit defeat?" Kuno asked with his  
arrogant smirk still on his face.  Which promptly fell when he saw a  
concentrating Ranma beginning to glow slightly, holding his hands out  
in front of him with bits of energy cackling between his palms and  
fingers with a small ball starting to form. 
     "R-Ranma?" Akane asked in a gasp, her eyes wide with shock.  He  
couldn't be doing a ki-blast.  Could he? 
     "Sorry, but my name's not 'thou'," Ranma said.  His eyes shot open  
and he glared again at the kendoist.  He then brought his hands closer  
together and pulled back to his side, a full sphere of energy formed  
between them.  "Besides, I don't give up that easily.  Especially not to  
cheating losers like you!" 
     Kuno growled with anger, then brought his bokken before him in  
ready position.  "Foolish boy!  You dare try to stand up and defy your  
superior, even in the midst of your defeat?  I see I must teach your  
lesson further!  I shall smite thee!"  With that, Kuno charged forward,  
his bokken raised above him to bring down on Ranma. 
     "KOKORO HIKEN!" Ranma cried as he shot his hands forward,  
releasing the ki he had built up in a powerful blast of energy.  It hit  
Kuno dead on, knocking him off his feet and through the air, past the  
students who had the sense to duck, and then crashing into the wall of a  
nearby equipment shed, causing it to impact and crack beneath him.   
His body was bruised and slightly burned, his clothes torn and  
scorched. 
     "The Blue Thunder... shall... prevail..." he managed to mutter, before  
he finally fell to the ground in an unconscious heap. 
     Satisfied, Ranma finally relaxed and smirked.  "Finally...  I thought  
he'd never shut up," he muttered. 
     "Ranma!" Akane cried as she rushed towards him.  "How... how did  
you--?" 
     Ranma turned to her and smiled.  "Soon as I managed to control my  
ki, the monk taught me this old ki-blast technique, the Kokoro Hiken or 
Spirit Fire Punch, that works by gathering up the energy I build up 
during a fight, focusing it, and firing it off.  Took me awhile to get it 
right without blowing myself up, but I got it."  He felt a proud smirk 
crawl onto his face as he heard the applause from the other students. 
     The celebration quickly ended, however, as the sound of an insane  
laugh suddenly filled the air.  Everyone turned to see two female forms  
bouncing about, one whipping a long ribbon about at the other red- 
haired one who jumped about to avoid it. 
     "Admit it, wench!" Kodachi cried as she continued to whip at her  
opponent faster and faster.  "You cannot avoid me, forever!  So why  
not give up now?!" 
     Her ribbon lashed out again, this time straight at Ranko, who  
surprisingly didn't jump away to avoid it.  Instead, she caught and let it  
wrap around her fist and forearm.  Landing on the ground, she pulled  
tight on it, beginning an impromtu game of tug-of-war with the Black  
Rose. 
     "Do me a favor, will you?" Ranko snarled as she relaxed her arm,  
then suddenly pulled real fast before Kodachi could act on the opening.   
"SHUT UP!" 
     The Black Rose went flying through the air, and Ranko let go of the  
ribbon to allow her to continue her flight.  However, being a trained  
gymnast, Kodachi was able to twist her way back into a more correct  
position and thus land effortlessly on the ground.  Right in front of a  
surprised Ranma. 
     "Ranma darling!" she cried as she wrapped him in a tight, fierce hug.   
"At last I found you again!  You have no idea how my heart cried when  
you left so suddenly!  Please don't ever leave me again!" 
     "Erk..." was all Ranma was able to really say.  He was too surprised  
by Kodachi's sudden appearance, let alone her hug, and to try and find  
the strength to pull away from her.  He was also trying to breathe, as the  
hug was rather constricting.  Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a  
fuming Akane flexing her fist over and over. 
     It was then that Ranko ran up to them and grinned at the scene  
before her.  "Hey, bro.  You make a new friend?  When's the  
ceremony?" 
     Ranma glared at his sister.  "Funny..." he replied in a strained voice,  
then turned his gaze to the girl who was all but crushing him.  "I take it  
this is Kodachi?" 
     "Yes, my love.  It is I," Kodachi said as she finally pulled away from  
him, much to Ranma's relief.  "Kodachi the Black Rose of the esteemed  
Kuno clan...  Your one true love and future bride-to-be..." 
     Ranko frowned as she heard familiar lines, feeling a bit miffed as  
well as relieved that someone else was the recipient of them rather than  
her.  Still, they had been in the middle of something before this  
happened. 
     "Hey, you loon!  We still have a fight to finish!"  She fell into a  
fighting stance, ready and eager to pick things up where they had left  
off. 
     Kodachi merely turned and looked down at her like she usually did.   
"Even if you are the sister of my darling Ranma, and we do have our  
differences to settle, I have more important things to worry about than a  
silly squabble with some shameless harlot.  So I suggest you begone  
whilst I reassociate myself with--" 
     *BAM!*  That was as far as she got before Akane's punch finally  
sent her flying.  Everyone watched as she sailed off into the distance,  
calling out Ranma's name as she went. 
     Ranko fumed as she watched the other girl fly off.  "Who's she  
calling shameless?" she grumbled. 
     "You know something?" Ranma said after a moment.  "She wasn't  
as bad as I thought she was." 
     "Oh, really?" Akane slightly growled, clenching her fist again. 
     He shook his head.  "Nope.  She's *worse*!" 
     Akane nearly face-faulted at his response again, but was once again  
able to catch herself in time.  She found herself giggling at Ranma's  
response, knowing full well that he was pretty much right on the  
money. 
     "You don't know the half of it, Ranma," Ukyo said with a grin.  "So,  
what do you two think of Furinkan High, so far?" she then asked the  
Saotome twins. 
     Ranma and Ranko looked at each other, frowned, and let out a long  
sigh.  "It sucks," they both said at the same time. 
     The rest of the day pretty went without incident, with Kuno in the  
infirmary and Kodachi having probably landed a good distance from  
the school.  The only real problems were the boys still bothering Ranko,  
resulting in her getting into trouble for her way of dealing with them.   
Otherwise, it hadn't been that bad a day.  Until they got home and  
Nodoka chastised Ranko about the calls she had received from the  
school about her daughter's behavior. 
     The next day, as they all went to school again, Akane turned to  
Ranko and said, "Now remember, Ranko.  Don't let the boys get to you.   
Just try and ignore them." 
     Ranko frowned darkly at the other girl.  "This from the girl who used  
to beat all the guys who wanted to go out with her every morning?" 
     Akane didn't reply, and kept quiet throughout the rest of the trip  
while trying to ignore Ranma and Ukyo's giggling at her expense.   
When they finally walked through the front gates, they found the boys  
charging them again. 
     "What the--?!  Not again!" Akane yelled, and got ready to charge  
them again.  She was stopped, though, by a hand on her shoulder.  She  
blinked in surprise when she turned and found that it was Ranma's.   
She didn't notice that she also involuntarily shuddered a little at the  
simple touch. 
     "Call me crazy, but I don't think they're here for you, Akane," he said  
as he pulled her out of the way, and they watched as the boys went  
right past them.  And straight towards Ranko. 
     "Ranko Saotome!  I'll defeat you so you'll go out with me!" 
     "No, I will!" 
     "Says you!" 
     "You couldn't fight your way out of a wet paper bag!" 
     "Oh, yeah?  Well, didn't your little sister beat you up last week?" 
     "Hey, Ranko!  How about we just skip the fight and go out?!" 
     Ranko just stared in shock for a moment at the change of events,  
before she finally exploded with anger and charged at the boys, beating  
them up left and right until they fell to the ground unconscious.   
Ranma, Akane, and Ukyo, who knew better than to get in her way, just  
watched on until she finished with a mummy-wrapped Kuno, who  
naturally showed up after everyone else was done, and stomped off into  
the school. 
     The remaining trio turned to look at each other and sighed.  It was  
going to be a long semester. 
 
     End of Part Four... 
 
     (1) Most of the male population at Furinkan High are a bunch of  
perverts, so they may react the way they do.  After all, in the original  
"Instant Nanniichuan" manga story, they didn't want Ranma to be  
cured because they "liked him just the way he is." 
     (2) A couple times in the manga, Kuno does this visual trick of the  
top of his head turning into a volcano and erupting when he got so mad,  
it didn't even show on his face.  First time I can recall is way back in the  
beginning when Nabiki tried to explain Ranma's curse to him.  I figured  
it'd be funny to use here. 
     (3) You know those "double-Ranma" fanfics that seem to have  
Ranma's male and female sides having sex?  This is my way of saying  
that such a thing will not, I repeat *NOT*, happen in my story.   
Hopefully, some of you have figured that out, already. 
 
     Man!  I thought I never going to get this one done!  I have no  
excuses, other than I've been busy, been in a rut, and couldn't bring  
myself to write.  Have to cure myself of this bad habit quick if I want to  
write for a living.  Also, a lot of scenes were harder to write than I first  
pictured them, and I even had to completely redo some things  
completely.  But I managed to get it done and get it out.  Look on the  
bright side: at least I didn't do things like the last chapter and wait two  
years before getting it out.  ^_^
     One thing that was giving me trouble was Ranma's new ki-blast 
technique.  Given how I had him train to relearn control of his ki in the 
last chapter, I had to give him a new one.  Easier said than done, as I 
had to think of how he'd do it and a good name.  None of my pre-
readers were much help (no offense, guys, at least you tried), so that 
made it harder.  I even went to Jim Lazar for help, but he never got back 
to me.  Fortunately, I think I came up with a good one for him, but if 
anyone has a better idea or two, pass me a line and I'll make a revision. 
     You're probably all wondering why I gave Kuno a ki-based attack.   
So am I, but when I wrote the scene, things got away from me and it  
found its way in there.  Afterwards, it just turned out so cool that I kept  
it.  At least I provided a good explanation for it (hey, it could happen!).   
The attack's sort of based of an attack Kuno has in the "Ranma" video  
game "Super Battle" (the one they didn't release in America), called the  
Kokuu Zan or Sky Arc Decapitation.  Of course, I'll wind up giving it a  
different name that sounds more Kuno later on.
     Before I sign off, I'm offering a little challenge to anyone who wants 
to write up a short sidestory or two to fit into the "DoN" continuity.  
Each story has to be self-contained, without much connection to the 
main series (but if someone comes up with something good that I can 
fit into the storyline, I'll try to work it in).  Naturally, you have to send it 
to me at my e-mail address above for approval.  Just two rules: nothing 
dark (meaning nobody gets killed or dies), and no lemons, either (that 
sort of thing won't be happening in this series).  Other than that, 
anything goes.  No pun intended.  ^_^
     Like to give thanks to all my pre-readers who helped out: Darren 
Demaine, Andy Wennersten, Alain Gravel, and Lord Archive.  Sorry to 
Jim Lee, who didn't get a response to me in time (better luck next time, 
buddy).  Also like to thank all the Ranma fanfic readers out there who 
put up with me while I tried to get this out.  As usual, send all C&C and 
such to my address (no flames).  Stay tuned for the next chapter, in 
which someone Ranma ran into during his training shows up for a little 
payback (wouldn't be "Ranma 1/2" without that happening).  Should 
be out soon, seeing as it's already almost done.  See you then!