Ranma1/2 is the property and invention of Rumiko Takahashi. The following story is not produced for any monetary or personal gain. Its sole purpose is to entertain using the characters and plots developed by Takahashi. ALL rights reserved

Sometimes a sprinkle falls, just a passing cloud?

Chapter 4: The Dating Game

A certain mercenary girl with short-cropped hair was creeping around the Tendo household in the wee hours of the morning. She knew that her sister had gone to bed with Ranma again and she also knew that a certain kendoist was desperate for pictures of the two. Nabiki knew that one picture would have her set for the rest of the month. She knew Kuno had money but when she had talked to him, he had offered her quadruple the original price she was looking for. She would now easily be able to hold the family off for the next couple of months.

Armed with a small camera, Nabiki cracked open the door a little and peered into her sister’s room. Surely enough, there was more than one form sleeping on the bed. Gingerly, Nabiki opened the automatic lens system and took several pictures. She hoped none of the occupants of the room would wake up with the flashes, luckily, no one did. Having captured her prize, Nabiki returned to her room, a happy woman.

Later on that night…

A young redhead was currently waking up. She was feeling refreshed from her fight from the other day since she had managed to use some very handy recovery spells and was well on her way to regaining her almost supernatural stamina and abilities. She did not want to wake up since her position at the moment was extremely comfortable. However, a couple of months of training was a hard thing to just ignore…even if you wanted to.

The redhead opened her eyes slowly and found that she could hardly see the light of day. Wondering why this was so, she allowed her eyes some time to adjust to the dim light and blushed at her current position.

The redhead lay on her back and on one side lay Akane, her head on the redhead’s shoulder and her arms wrapped tightly around her. On the other side lay someone the redhead could not recognise when she turned primarily because that someone’s face was nowhere in the redhead’s vision. Instead, the eyes were assaulted as the redhead was embraced into the chest of the unknown girl, who, at the time, was not wearing much of anything. Normally for any other girl, this predicament would not have caused any problem but this was no ordinary girl. In fact, this was not a girl at all, not really anyway. This was a boy cursed to be a girl and one who was scared and also confused at being this position with a girl he liked and a girl he did not know. So he did the only thing that came to mind…

"Ahhhh!!!!" shouted Ranma as he jumped out of bed, taking Akane along with him and disrupting the beauty sleep of the unknown girl, who was no longer unknown to him. He recognised her instantly and his mind was frozen in fear. Dai Lin knew his secret, she could tell everyone and then it would be all over. He knew everyone would hate him and despise him for not telling them the truth. If Dai Lin spilled, he would be dead, because right now, Akane was behind him and he could actually feel her temper rising.

He waited as Dai Lin struggled out of sleep, she was definitely not one of those bright and cheery morning persons. He knew that already from the Temple. She was never really one to complement anyone in the morning and even the sensei avoided her after her beauty sleep because of her temperament. Now he was going to experience it personally and he did not relish the idea. He saw her shake off the shells covering her eyes and her expressive eyes opened. He braced for the inevitable release of the demon, which should be in one minute…another minute…wait, did he miss something? He opened his eyes to find himself face to face with Dai Lin who was, for once, actually smiling! Ranma was dumbfounded…

"I liked our first night together Ranma, but I hope the next time we can do something more…entertaining. Oh and Akane, I don’t mind sharing Ranma if you do."

Dai Lin smiled at them both then, after chanting a brief spell, flew out the window. Ranma just gave Akane a sidelong glance before they both fainted.

***********

Akane could not help but tease Ranma while Ranma ate. It was just too irresistible and as things go in the Tendo household, nothing stays a secret for very long.

"So Ranma?" asked Akane coyly, "I didn’t know you also had a girlfriend and a boyfriend?" 

Ranma just grumbled as he ate, not really caring what was going on around him although his mind was ablaze with life.

Nabiki wasn’t one to just stay quiet while insults and insinuating remarks were being made; the latter this time. She also wanted to have a bit of fun, this time; she wanted to level the playing field. She hadn't developed the pictures yet and in the dim light she had not made out a third sleeping girl in the bed. This could get interesting...

"But Akane, didn’t I hear that she said she didn’t mind sharing Ranma with you?" Nabiki purposely stressed the last part of the sentence as she directed the question. "I mean, just what do you do with Ranma when she’s asleep?"

Akane’s face turned a brilliant red while Ranma only smirked. It was fascinating to watch this sibling rivalry. Akane was embarrassed and she immediately quieted having nothing to attack Nabiki with. Nabiki just smiled. She knew she had won, rather, she always won when she faced off in a verbal battle with her sister. She knew Akane had no tact when it came to speaking and it was how she was able to exert some measure of control over her sister.

Miserable, Akane grabbed a still eating Ranma, who reflexively grabbed his bowl as he was dragged away from the house into the Dojo. Akane wanted to spar again. Big deal, thought Ranma in his mind. He had been training her a little, but not a lot. First, she lacked control and patience so in their morning practice, he went through the basic katas of Anything Goes over and over again. Because he did it, Akane followed. During the first few days she continually complained that they should move on to something different. Ranma did not relent with the katas. Besides some basic sparring, all they did were exercises and katas. Akane had to accept that fact and after she stopped complaining, Ranma gradually, as in every week, added another kata and they practised that. Again Akane complained that they were moving too slow, but still Ranma refused to give in. He practised the kata without her and even in her vexed state she saw she could do nothing to change Ranma’s mind. After she cooled down, she joined him again, this time, she quelled the urge to just stop and shout that this was too childish and that she was a martial artist and this was for beginners.

Ranma, still with the bowl in one hand readied himself for Akane’s attack. When they sparred, which was usually on Akane’s insistence, Ranma gave himself a disadvantage. One day he would not use his arms, the other his feet, the other he would close his eyes. Akane was no real challenge for him so he took his training the only way he knew how. Of course, when he started doing this, it infuriated Akane who didn’t like to be reminded that she was not as good as he was.

Thankfully, Akane realised that someone better than her was teaching her and practising with her so she knew that Ranma would have to do something to make the matches even.

This time Ranma ate while Akane attacked. Akane attacked furiously trying to overwhelm Ranma as he focused on the food in front of him and as his hands held the chopsticks necessary to hold the food he ate.

Akane was surprised when Ranma did not dodge her attacks. Instead, Ranma was parrying her blows without the use of his feet. He used the chopsticks, alternating between eating and defence. When Ranma’s food was finished, he held up his hand, proclaiming that the sparring session was over. Akane waited until his back was turned then she threw him in a wide arc into the koi pond. A very wet redhead broke the surface of the water with a look that contained a lot of pain. Akane was beginning to regret having thrown Ranma in when the redhead, all of a sudden, began to laugh. Akane coughed up some courage…

"What are you laughing at?" asked Akane. She asked the same question a couple of times, each time louder than the first, but Ranma kept on laughing. Ranma held up a hand to quiet her.

After Ranma regained his composure, he looked her straight in the eye…"You know every day, you start acting more and more like my old man. That’s something I would only expect from pops!"

Akane blinked, twice. Then the infamous mallet came out.

"You’re comparing me to an old man!"

She swiped; she missed. She lost her balance, she fell, right into the koi pond that was previously occupied by Ranma. Almost instantaneously, Ranma burst out in another fit of laughter. Akane, embarrassed and wet, gave Ranma the look, and marched inside to take a bath. Definitely kawaii, he thought, before he was rudely tacked to the ground.

Who in the…Dai!

"So Ranma, how is my fiancé?"

"Fiancé?!" shouted Ranma, how was he her fiancé.

"Oh well, I had a chat with Master Sung and he agreed that you should be my fiancé. After all, you are a boy and a phoenix. It’s only natural."

"N…no way…" replied Ranma. He was only sixteen. There was no way he was going to get married now. He was definitely too young. He hadn’t even had a girlfriend as yet and they wanted to give him a fiancé! No way!

Dai knew from his face that he was going to object, but she had thought of a way, if not to trap him, would make him accept the engagement. She wondered if he was already engaged to the other girl already; she doubted that was the case though.

"Okay Ranma, hear this. Tonight we’ll go out and if you don’t have a good time, we can call off the engagement."

Ranma pondered the idea for a minute. If he went he would satisfy both his curiosity about what a date would be like and he could remove this silly engagement thing that was hanging on his shoulder. It was an easy double play. Incredible!

"You’ve got yourself a deal!"

Inwardly, Dai shouted in triumph.

"I’ll meet you in the park an hour after sunset," answered Dai as she began to hover in the air.

Ranma flipped her an okay sign with his hand as he watched the girl disappear from view. He had a date! Now how was he going to prepare for the date without getting caught? He would have liked to just go as he was, but Dai expected him to be a boy and to be prepared and try as he might, he knew he could no less let her down or Akane for that matter, if he was going out with her. Where did that come from?

He walked into the Dojo and sat down, waiting for the calmness to come. He needed a plan for the night, a simple but effective plan. So he sat down and concentrated, bringing upon himself the calm that would give him strength. As if he could find that calm now! The first problem was preparing for the date. It would be his first date so he decided he would at least wear something memorable to it. It would hopefully also be his last date with Dai. He wanted to let her off gently. There was no way he was going to get married anytime soon, not until he had found a cure for these damn curses, either one of them. He could live with them now, but he still wanted to get rid of them if he could. 

Ranma sighed and walked into the house. It was going to be one of those days. He strode up the stairs picking the fabric off his breasts as it clung to him uncomfortably. His mind full of thought, he did not register the occupied sign on the waiting room door. He stripped and entered the bathroom only to be confronted by the nude body of a very well embodied woman with short brown hair and an unnerving smile. He stood there a second too long before he muttered his apologies and closed the door. Minutes later, Nabiki stepped out of the bathroom with a towel barely covering the basic necessities. Ranma seized the chance and scrambled into the bathroom.

Nabiki was a bit confused by Ranma’s behaviour. The girl had only been here a couple of weeks, but Nabiki found herself taking to the girl and her strange friends. Not to mention the additional money she was able to make off Ranma’s photos.

"The way you act Ranma, I might think you were a boy," quipped Nabiki.

Nabiki had already changed and was about to leave the waiting room. Inside the bathroom, Ranma was frozen still. Images of being caught floated through his mind. Nabiki did not know just how right she was.

A warm bath proved to be just the thing for him after the morning workout. Relaxed, Ranma smiled as he changed and went to his room. There he had some time to think. A brilliant plan came to his mind. All he needed to do was tell Kasumi and Mr. Tendo.

"Hey Kasumi."

"Yes Ranma," replied Kasumi from the kitchen.

"My cousin Kanma is paying me a visit tonight to get something from my sack. Is that okay?"

"Why sure Ranma, it would be nice to meet some of your family."

"Thanks Kasumi."

"I’ll make sure to tell father and Nabiki."

Ranma clasped his hands. The plan was set, now all he had to do was wait for sunset.

"Ranma no Baka!" shouted Akane as she found him talking to Kasumi.

"Yahhh…" was all Ranma could say as Akane dragged him out of the house. Oh yeah, he had forgotten that they had made plans for the day.

 ***********

Dai was currently accessing the imaging spell she had woven just before she went to sleep. Of course, Ranma had put up a lot of barriers around the Tendo Household, but because the spell was so weak and virtually harmless physically, the barriers had not opposed its weaving. She wanted to remember her first night with her husband to be. She was intently staring at the images as they rolled in front of her face when she noticed a flashing. Mentally, she shifted the image around in her mind and saw something that she frowned upon. She could play games like these too. No one crossed her that easily…that, and she was craving for a bit of fun before her real adventure tonight.

"Kasumi, have you seen Ranma anywhere. I haven’t seen her since we came back."

"Oh dear, I think Ranma when out a while ago. I hope she doesn’t miss her cousin."

"Tadima!"

"Akane, please see who’s at the door."

"Yes Kasumi."

Akane diligently went to the door. When she opened the door, it seemed that her whole world felt a little bit lighter.

"Hello?"

The stranger waved his hand in front of Akane’s face. Akane was in another world. This was the same boy who had been practising outside the other night. She knew he had not seen her when she had hit him. As a rule she hated boys. Ranma had tried to dissuade her from that point of view and Akane had to contend that not all boys were bad. Her first reaction was to just cream this boy, but for some reason, he was not giving her the intense stares that told her that all they wanted to do was get into her pants. She was torn between flatting him and letting him in…oh yeah, he was Ranma’s cousin: she had to let him in. Akane began to really think about this boy. He seemed to be different. She had seen this one in action and his skill, not to mention his body, although she wouldn’t say it out loud, had interested her from the beginning. What had Yuka said while they were at the mall, lay the bait and wait for a bite? Akane didn’t care that much, but the hunt would be exciting nonetheless.

"You’re Akane right?"

"Um...yes...yes my name is Akane."

"Is Ranma here?"

"No she isn’t may I…"

"Oh what a sight to see, my daughter is going out on a date. She’s all grown up now. (wahhhh)."

"Dad!! I don’t even know who this is!!"

"Hi, I’m Kanma, Ranma cousin," waved Ranma

Well there went that excuse, thought Akane.

"My daughter’s going out with a relation of Saotome. The lines will finally be joined," wailed Soun.

"What is he talking about?" asked Ranma.

Akane shrugged and ushered Ranma in. Ranma knew the house by heart, but still managed to ask some esoteric questions about the house like when it was built and such. Of course, Ranma could not let Akane know he was just playing her. He had to be ready for Dai and needed a bath. Fortunately, he had left instructions with Kasumi as a girl.

"Kanma, Ranma asked that I draw you a bath. She said you might like one after your journey."

"Ahh…thanks, um..." After all, he couldn’t just give away the game.

"Kasumi."

"Thanks Kasumi."

"Akane, please show our guest to the waiting room."

It took a while for Kasumi’s words to register. Ranma was really wondering what was causing Akane to act so strangely. Eventually, Akane showed him where everything was.

Akane was excited. This boy was indeed turning out to be a lot different from the others at school. She knew he was a follower of the art as she was and was probably good too. She had given him an all-round survey to find any faults: she couldn’t find any. He had been kind and polite like Dr. Tofu, and she had looked into those eyes of his and just melted into them. If this was Ranma’s cousin, surely Ranma would not object if she took a personal interest. Ranma might actually approve! They would have something else to gossip about at night. The only problem was that Akane was completely new to this. All the boys at Furiken were drooling over her but Kanma was not. He did not even give her the mild interest she saw in the eyes of the other boys as they walked passed her on the street. While this was angering, she was a bit excited at the prospect of…trapping was the word Yuka used, a boy like this.

Ranma waited for Akane to leave the room. He waited a couple of seconds, but she had not budged. Knowing that he did not have a lot of time, he began to unbutton his shirt. Akane stood there transfixed.

"Are you going to watch me undress or are you going to close the door?" asked Ranma

Akane blushed and closed the door. The anger was back, but so was the excitement. The boy was a bit brash and rude, but that added even more thrill to the prospect. Reflecting on the closed door, Akane realised that she would have actually liked to stay in there with him. Her mind told her that this was not the proper behaviour for a young woman but Akane was out for some fun. She couldn’t stifle the giggle of the thought of her gazing once again upon Kanma’s body.

"So Akane, is there any particular reason why you are leaning up against the waiting room door giggling?" asked Nabiki. Kasumi had filled her in on the goods.

Akane blushed slightly and left. Nabiki’s raised her eyebrow in fascination. A boy that got Akane to blush when Nabiki questioned her; this bore looking into.

Ranma breathed a sigh of relief and took his bath. Akane was out of the way for now. Nabiki was absent and no one else would recognise him. The only other person who knew about his identity would be a couple of blocks away awaiting his arrival.

As soon as Ranma exited the bath, he knew his trouble had just started. He had forgotten his clothes in his room. Now he would have to make a dash to his room with three girls on the prowl. He cracked open the door and saw the hall deserted. He crept towards his room and finally made it inside. He sighed as he opened the door and entered. He had made it without being seen. That was what he thought until he heard a gasp from behind him. Here he was, covered only by a cloth and there was Akane, waiting in his room. Akane caught herself and hurriedly exited the room while trying to avert her gaze from Ranma. Unfortunately in her rush, she tripped and fell clinging onto something for support. The something, which felt like flesh, also gave way and Akane found herself lying on top of Ranma. She gasped, muttered some unintelligible apologies and ran out the room.

Ranma although he was breathing heavily was a bit put off by Akane’s behaviour. He expected to be flying already. He knew too well about Akane’s dislike for boys. She truly was acting out of character. He slid the partition shut and proceeded to change. He would take his blessings where he got them. He had fully expected to be punted out of the house at some time or the other but Akane had not shown any of her normal aggression.

Ranma only smiled and his eyes fell to the satchel he carried with him. His hands searched inside and what he retrieved was a beautifully embroidered silk shirt and pants that were definitely made to impress. Ranma donned his clothing and gave himself an overview in the mirror. Satisfied, he thought it better to exit the house using the door, but not before storing something in case of emergency. These were his good clothes and not fit for fighting.

Prepped for the night, Ranma exited the room to the living room underneath.

"Goodnight Kasumi, Akane."

"Goodnight Kanma, hope you come back soon."

"Bye Akane, Akane?"

Ranma didn’t know what was wrong with Akane today, she just didn’t seem herself. Ranma glanced at the time. Five minutes, that was more than enough.

Akane stood transfixed as she watched the retreating male, Akane as a rule did not like boys, but now she was prepared to make one small exception to the rule. She was Akane Tendo, and she would get that boy called Kanma.

 ***************

Ranma could feel that Dai was near but he couldn’t see her. What was she planning? Then his senses picked up a flash of light as his side. He immediately fell into a stance as the person came into view, then his jaw dropped.

"Dai?"

"Yes Ranma?" She twirled around, modelling the dress. "You like?"

"Y...yes.." he replied, still spellbound. He had never seen her like this before. Her hair was up and the dress she wore. The material was definitely silk and while not revealing, the dress accentuated her curves, making her seem even more attractive to the eye.

Dai’s blue hair was pinned up except for two curls that caressed the sides of her face. The colour of her green blue eyes only served to heighten the exoticness of her beauty. Her face wore only a dash of makeup. A little bit placed perfectly on her delicate skin made it seem so soft, so smooth, so tempting. Her face seemed to glow analogous to the power she held within her.

Unlike the clothes that were natural for a mage studying in a temple, the robes were replaced with a long silk dress that was evidently hand sewn by a master. The luminescent green blue colour shone in the moonlight upon Dai’s face, only aiding her beauty. Ranma had never known she looked like this under the covers of the robe and his heart began to race.

He was so caught up in the drastic change that he had not noticed her moving closer to him. Dai held his hand and muttered a few words into the wind. In a brilliant flash of light, they disappeared into the night.

***************

Akane Tendo was lying on her bed and to the ordinary observer, she was staring at the ceiling. To Akane however, she was watching a movie, one she could freeze-frame at any moment. It was a movie of Kanma: when he came in, when he was undressing, when she fell on him. She had seen him practising the other day, but today she had seen what was underneath. She had seen those gorgeous muscles and she had felt him. She had felt his flesh beneath her hands as she tried to get up. The touch and smell of Ranma had driven her wild. She had never felt like this for any boy before. Dr. Tofu had not even come close. Just touching him had made her hands tingle in a way the caused her face to flush every time she thought about it.

She could see him now. She could picture his almost perfect face staring back at her. She revelled in his blue grey eyes and in his warm friendly demeanour. His clothes were almost an identical copy to Ranma’s and suggested that they were very close. Akane loved Ranma as a sister and she was sure that Ranma loved her as well, surely if Kanma was so much like Ranma then….

She closed her eyes again and tried to relive the sensations of touching him over and over again. She replayed that voice in her mind. Those near insults he said were somehow seeming to be close to the sweet nothings of a lover.

Akane dwelled on these as she drifted off.

************

Nabiki finally allowed herself to flop onto her bed. She was a businesswoman and business people need their sleep. This was why she had fluffy pillows and a very comfortable mattress. She was clad only in her underwear and her hair was still damp. She sat down on her chair and began to read the newspapers when a white object caught her eye. She was meticulously tidy and that white was an eyesore in her room. She bent down to pick it up and saw that it was the back of a photograph.

She flipped the picture and gagged.

"Ranma! I'll get you for this!" she shouted at no one in particular.

She couldn't believe that Ranma had been able to take a picture of her in the nude. She knew what this meant. She could not sell those photos of the other night. Ahh...somehow, she would get back at Ranma. Somehow she would find a way to make money off of the redhead.

If Dai was there, she would have smiled.

*************

Ranma was surprised as they appeared over the cliffs overlooking one of the most picturesque views of Tokyo by night. The view was breathtaking.

They hovered a couple of feet in the air until they silently touched upon mother earth. A quick look around and Ranma realised where they were. He was glad no one had apparently noticed their entrance; an entrance like that would surely attract attention, attention he did not need at this moment.

The table where they were was on the roof/patio of the establishment. Ranma had never been here but he knew that whatever they made would be delicious.

Ranma found himself facing Dai and trying to think of something to do. This was his first date and in truth, his first real interaction with any girl except Akane. This was strange and Ranma found himself at a loss at what to do. He was a nervous wreak inside and being nervous, he did the one thing that would draw no attention to himself: he said and did nothing.

Dai, at the other side of the table was wondering just what to do. She had managed to get Master Sung to agree and had even coaxed Ranma into coming on a date with her. Here she was with Ranma on a patio, with the moonlight shining on them and she had nothing to say. She actually could think of nothing to say so she waited for Ranma to say something. She was not an extremely adept person when it came to personal affairs. She knew what she wanted and would go out and get it. With Ranma however, it had to be different. She could not just go out and get Ranma. She of all people knew that catching Ranma would be different simply because she could not defeat Ranma without relying on some really messy spells that just weren’t worth it when taking into account the damage that would occur and energy needed to cast them. She would need a pure blue crystal just to power one of those spells. She had to be subtle and she had to capture something that could be as easy as catching flies with honey, or could be as hard as eating soup with a fork. The human heart could never be said to be a constant thing. Dai knew she had to play it soft. She had to get Ranma to like her first and then hopefully….

But first she had to get him to talk to her.

"Ahem…uh…so Ranma, where did you get those clothes from?"

"Oh these? I bought them while passing through those villages near Banhai. I never knew that people could sew clothes like these before."

"Banhai? Never heard of it."

"Really, near the Xinchi River. You know the place where you attacked me before I came to Japan."

"Oh! (pause) Sorry about that."

"Don’t worry. It was kinda fun dodging your attacks. Pops is too slow for my girl form, but don’t tell him that."

"So I’m slow!" exclaimed Dai. Sure she was on a date with Ranma, but no one insulted her when it came to her skills.

"Nah, it’s just that you get so caught up in the fight that I can read what you're doing before you do it."

"Wow! Can you teach me how to do that?"

"I dunno. You don’t have that much experience in the martial arts and I’m sure you can find some spell that will do the same thing."

"I guess that’s true, but why don’t I ever see you cast spells?" asked Dai inquiringly. She had never seen Ranma casting spells, even at the temple.

"I do, but I rarely cast spells when I can use the art. That, and I’m not too good as casting the really hard ones."

"I suppose I could give you some help in that area," responded Dai quickly. This would give her an excuse to come by more often. Just the thing she needed.

Ranma took a second to compose his answer. He wondered why she replied so quickly.

"Only if you don’t use any of those love spells."

"Me?" exclaimed Dai, truly surprised.

"I saw you using one on Tsai Chin. He was following you around for a whole week."

Dai went a little red at the memory. She was just trying out some of the new spells she had learned. She didn’t know it would be that potent. She regretted it grievously afterwards: the boy just wouldn’t give her a second’s peace. She would have loved to turn him into a zombie but then Master Sang declared that she had to take responsibility for her actions. Sure she liked boys falling over her, but one who wanted to be with you every second of the day was just too much.

"Okay."

Dai had to find something to probe Ranma with. If he could bring back something like that, then so could she.

"But first you have to tell me why you were sleeping with that girl the other night."

Ranma blushed much to Dai’s pleasure. She had scored a direct hit.

"That wasn’t my fault honest!" Ranma protested. "She jumped into bed with me and I was too weak to do anything about it."

Ranma weak? This needed some probing.

"And why were you weak?"

"Well, Nabiki, Akane’s sister, almost got me killed when she drugged me during a fight with Shampoo. If it wasn’t for Ryouga, I would have been toast."

Dai’s eyes widened. Shampoo! So Shampoo had a gripe with Ranma. She would have to mend things with her Amazon sister. She would also have to have words with this Nabiki. Anyone who endangered her future husband would feel her wrath.

Dai was about to ask more about this Akane when dinner was served. Dai like Ranma was raised to eat when you can, sleep when you can and true to this form, all the food that was brought out was being ravenously devoured in front of the waiter’s face.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ranma could make out a familiar face and waved over to the person. The other person was astonished to find Ranma here wherever he was. Now it was time to settle the score.

"Ranma prepare to Die!!!" shouted the bandanna clad boy.

"Wha?" was all the two occupants of the table could say before an umbrella was sent hurtling towards the table.

Ranma was quick enough to dodge the umbrella and backflip away from the table. Dai teleported away. The table and a foot of concrete under it, exploded into fine dust, clouding the area. Ranma barely dodged as the lost boy continued his charge. When the dust settled, the lost boy could not be found while the dinner was ruined. Ranma wanted to know what could make Ryouga that mad. Dai wanted to torture the boy who had interrupted her date. The manager shook his head. He had allowed someone to disturb the peace of the establishment and one of his advertisements read: A peaceful respite or your money back. That stupid intruder had lost him a whole night’s sales.

Dai turned to Ranma who took her hand. The dust rose again and the couple disappeared.

"Well I guess I’m sorry for what happened back there. I really don’t know what got into Ryouga."

"Oh don’t worry. I don’t consider that a real date. I still have to collect. How does next Friday sound?"

Ranma just face-faulted and fell to the ground.

Dai smiled and laughed.

"Until next Friday Ranma." Next time, we will not be interrupted she thought.

Ranma wondered why these things happened to him. He only wanted one date. One was more than enough to last him a lifetime. He swore nothing worse could happen to him tonight; then it began to rain.

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