Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ The Insanity Continues ❯ Dance for Your Life ( Chapter 15 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
The Insanity Continues

Volume 3 - Anything Goes Martial Arts Dance Contest

Chapter 4 - Dance for Your Life

By: Lord Archive

Characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Shogakukan and are used without permission. All rights reserved.

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A carnival, or should it be called a Hawaiian, atmosphere permeated the Furinkan High School's gym was filled with second and third year students. The school held it's first dance that any of the students could remember being at the school, and the students were intent on enjoying it.

The gym had tables and chairs set up slightly off center. This created two dance floors, which the smaller of the two was used for judging.

The first dance to be judged was a waltz. Only Kuno, Nabiki, Kodachi and Gosunkugi elected to use this dance for the dance contest. Kodachi and Gosunkugi moved with surprising elegance, but Gosunkugi showed that he only had a little knowledge of the dance. Kuno and Nabiki, however, danced exquisitely to the song as if they were one, setting a near perfect score to beat.

Hiro and Yuka danced to the third song. It was not a spectacular performance, but earned them a B for gym.

Daisuke and Sayuri also danced to the third song, completely upstaging the other half dozen couples. They moved with a fluid grace one wouldn't expect to see except from the martial artists. Their score was second only to Kuno's and Nabiki's.

Ranma and Akane prepared themselves as they were to dance to the fourth song. Surprisingly they were the only couple to elect this song, which confused the newlyweds. The song was pretty popular, so they couldn't understand why no one else was going to dance to it.

The music began and Ranma and Akane started to dance. They moved in unison, as Ranma either copied or mirrored how Akane moved. They broke form a couple times to perform a complicated move together. Actually to say they were dancing would be a technically wrong, as it was more of a kata than a dance, including intentional missed punches and even aerial jump kicks. Once ended, the gym erupted in applause. Ranma and Akane bowed once and quickly got off the dance floor.

"That was great," Yuka cheered.

"Thanks," Akane replied, winded. "Do you know why no one else danced to the song?"

Yuka nodded. "Once word got out which song you and Ranma were dancing to, everyone decided not to dance to that song. We figured there would be no hope to top you two since it is a contest and we all know how competitive Ranma is. We all decided to dance to other songs."

"Oh, were we that good?" Akane asked.

Yuka looked at her strangely.

"What do you mean we tied with Kuno?!" Ranma was heard shouting.

Yuka smirked. "Looks like you've been robbed. You tied for first."

"Really? First, that's great." Akane went over to Ranma with the intent of stopping him from doing anything really stupid.

"How come she didn't think she did well?" Hiro asked.

"Akane hasn't been very confident about anything since Ranma arrived. She was the greatest martial artist before he showed up, and then in a matter of months a half dozen people showed up, each capable of defeating her easily. She's always wanted to be the best in something, but Ranma unknowingly took that from her," Yuka explained.

Hiro looked confused. "How did she fall in love with him then?"

Yuka shrugged. "Maybe it's because despite the fact she's the least skilled of the girls that chased Ranma, he still loved her."

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Kasumi shook her head as Dr. Tofu roughly broke up two people who dancing a little too closely, or more precisely looked like they were about to kiss. This was the third time he had done that. He had also yelled at another two students he thought were 'wandering off,' whatever he meant by that.

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Ranma went to get some punch for Akane and himself when one of the windows to the school gym shattered.

"BWAHAHAHA!" Happosai laughed until he saw where he was. "Whoa momma! I've died and gone to heaven."

"You're not dead yet, but you'll soon be in hell if you don't do as I say!" Tarou shouted as he chased after Happosai.

Happosai ignored him as he started jumping from one girl's breasts to another.

The girls started shrieking and the guys failed miserably to help their dates. Several guys got slapped as their attempts caused them to touch their date's chest.

"Stop ignoring me and fight!" Tarou demanded.

"Oh, Ak..." Happosai started to say in one girl's chest until he sensed Pantyhose Tarou launch a punch at him. He jumped away.

Akane was unable to see Happosai until he had grabbed onto her. The shock of the old lech grabbing her prevented her from reacting to Tarou's attack. She was hit squarely in the chest by his fore-knuckle punch and fell down in pain.

Ranma saw Tarou hit Akane and slammed his shoulder into Tarou's chest. The Chinese young man was sent flying several feet.

"Akane, are you all right?" Ranma asked.

She gasped for some air. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Kuno also Akane getting hit. "Who is he that hurts Saotome Akane?" he wondered.

"Oh, shit. That is Pantyhose in his human form," Nabiki answered with shock, fear, and anger.

Kuno's eyes took a predatory gleam.

"Get him," Nabiki commanded coldly.

Pantyhose stood up, shrugging off his blow. "Looks like you've gotten a little faster fem-boy. It was a mistake for me to hit your wife, but it was a bigger mistake for you to hit me. For that I'll make you pay."

"There is no way you can beat me Pantyhose," Ranma replied, hovering protectively over Akane.

"Oh, you'd need a lot of help to stand a chance," Tarou taunted.

"Attacking one in his own territory and you don't expect for him to have friends within arms reach? Thou are truly foolish," Kuno said, bokken at the ready. He stood on Ranma's left.

Ranma blinked in surprise not believing that Kuno, of all people, just refer to himself as being his friend.

Ryoga cracked his knuckles as he moved to Ranma's right. "You'll pay for hurting Akane." The walking tank charged Tarou, who side-stepped. As Hibiki passed, Pantyhose slammed his fist into the boy's back.

Kuno rushed next, shouting, "TATATATATATATA!!!" Tarou didn't dodge Kuno's multiple strikes, rather he grabbed the bokken and flung the kendo master into a wall.

"Kasumi, please help Akane get out of here," Ranma pleaded.

"I can still fight!" Akane said fiercely.

"But Akane, the baby," Kasumi reminded.

Akane looked at her waist, and knew she couldn't risk fighting, especially against Tarou. "Ranma, be careful."

"I will." He faced Tarou as he flung Kuno away. "You're going down nylon-boy!" he snarled. Akane needed him, loved him, depended on him. Her love was his power now, his confidence. He built up energy from his emotions and let them fly. "Mokou Takabishi!"

Ryoga feared his mistakes were the reason Akane never loved him and were going to cost him Akari as well. He had even been right there and failed to protect Akane from Happosai or Tarou. He let his fears, depression and angst form into a ball of energy. "Shi Shi Hokodan!"

Tarou jumped out of the way as the two chi blast collided explosively, sending the combatants and several spectators flying several feet.

Many of those attending the prom felt now was a good time to leave.

Ranma jumped at Tarou, which he responded with a round-house kick to the stomach, knocking Saotome out of the air. Ranma quickly got up and pressed his attack. After getting struck once in the back by Ryoga, Tarou ducked as a second punch was thrown. That punch connected with Ranma as he was doing a jumping spin kick, it sent him flying.

Tarou turned to faced off against Ryoga. "Come on bacon-breath, can't land a hit except when my back is turned?" Tarou taunted as he landed a couple blows.

Ryoga's anger building up as his attacks failed to connect, hating how the Chinese man was slightly faster than Ranma. Fortunately his own hardened skin shrugged off most of the blows.

Ukyou watched the battle, cursing the lack of her combat spatula. She held a couple throwing spatula's waiting for a chance to use without risk of hitting anyone but her target. Suddenly she noticed a movement above her and saw her giant spatula fall in front of her. She didn't know whether to thank Konatsu or chew him out for spying on her, but she was certainly glad to see her weapon of choice.

Konatsu, hanging from the ceiling, sent a volley of shurikens at Tarou. The target moved out of the way and he cursed himself as the metal stars to cut into Ryoga.

Dr. Tofu had been waiting of to the side of the battle waiting for Tarou to move close enough. That last dodge placed gave Tofu the opportunity he wanted, but Pantyhose noticed him move for an attack and punched him into a wall. Dr. Tofu collapsed, unconscious.

Tarou readied himself as he was being surrounded by several martial artist, even if they did look odd wearing formal clothes. Three or four martial artists of the level of his opponents he had trouble dealing with, but five would really be pushing it.

"Foul demon, I SHALL SMITE THEE!" Kuno bellowed as he attacked. Tarou grabbed him and threw him at Konatsu.

The ninja caught Kuno while hanging from the sprinkler pipes. The combined weight caused the pipe to bend and then break. They both fell and the broken pipe sent water everywhere.

Tarou started laughing evilly as the first drops of water hit him.

Those fighting Tarou cursed as he transformed into his monstrous curse form.

Ryoga spouted more curses as he transformed into a pig.

Ranma grimaced as he transformed into a girl, this had gone from bad to worse.

The remaining spectators to the battle now ran out of the gym.

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"Sweet bliss," Happosai said, smothering his face into a midnight black prom dress.

"Ack! Die you perverted monster!" Kodachi snarled, trying to pry him off by his neck.

Gosunkugi pulled out a candle and lit it. He place the candle at Happosai's back.

"Yeowch!" Happosai leapt away and patted the flames out that threatened to burn him.

"Thank you, Gosunkugi. I'll handle him from here," Kodachi said, whipping her gymnastic ribbon at Happosai.

"You'll pay from separating me from my lovely." Happosai dodge the ribbon and tapped Gosunkugi with his pipe, sending the boy flying off into the night's sky.

"No you'll pay you foul creature." Kodachi hissed as she attacked Happosai in earnest, while he gleefully played with her.

"Happo Go-en Satsu!" chibi-Ms. Hinako shouted, missing Happosai and hitting Kodachi instead. "Damn," she muttered. "Happo Go-En Satsu! Happo Go-en Satsu!"

Happosai dodged behind various students while Ms. Hinako tried to drain Happosai's chi.

"Happo Tsurisen Gaeshi!" Ms. Hinako cried out, sending the stolen energy out in a blast that shot a hole through the gym, yet missed the geriatric delinquent who had dodged.

Happosai pouted at her. "Is this any way to treat the man who saved your life? Who gave you your powers?"

"And how much a life you gave me? I'm either an enthusiastic child or an emotionless adult. I am only fulfilling the only role you've provided me." Ms. Hinako grinned as the sprinkler were activated, now everyone would leave and she'd make sure Happosai wouldn't.

Ms. Hinako tried several more times to drain Happosai's chi but he just wouldn't stay still long enough for it to work. She needed to get him distracted long enough to hit him. She grimaced as the most acceptable idea that came to her is to flash the pervert her breast.

She did...

He was distracted...

He was drained.

Ms. Hinako ground her foot into his withered face.

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Ukyou attacked with her combat spatula, only to have Tarou rip it out of her hands and bent it over Ranma's head. Ukyou retreated, knowing her close-combat skills meant nothing to this monster without her main weapon. The monster threw the twisted metal away.

Kuno sneered at the monstrous form of Tarou. "You are truly a demon in spirit, and I shall destroy you!" He rushed at his foe.

Tarou pounded down on Kuno with both fists, sending the young kendo master to slumber-land.

Female Ranma took the opportunity and attacked. "Mokou Takabishi!" She blasted at Tarou's head, connecting.

Tarou cursed. Hating the 'little girl' who had just give him a headache. He turned and attacked.

Ranma dodged the attacks and having minimal return in counter-attacking. Tarou caught Ranma in his monstrous hands and sent her flying into a wall.

Ukyou and Konatsu moved into to attack, sending waves of throwing spatulas and shuriken at Tarou.

Ranma shook her head, recovering from the blow. She noticed Ryoga, still in pig form, was by her feet. "Hey P-Chan, think you can do a Shi Shi Hokodan in that form?"

Ryoga nodded.

Ranma grinned. "Good. I have an idea." She then whispered to him. "Akane has been planning roast piglet. She never liked you. In fact she always thought you were a nuisance. Akari only loves you as a pig..."

Ukyou cursed as she ran out of throwing spatulas, as she didn't think she'd need more than a hundred. Konatsu wasn't in much better shape as he moved to restaurant bills that didn't do much more than add several paper-cuts on Tarou's already bleeding body from numerous spatula and shuriken hits.

"Hey Pantyhose, hold still for a moment!" Ranma shouted as she jumped over Tarou, dropping Ryoga onto his head.

Tarou grunted in disgust and tried to shake the strangely glowing pig off.

"Ewk Ewk Bukuweep!" the black piglet squealed as it fired off a Shi Shi Hokodan on Tarou's head.

Tarou staggered from the blast, and then swatted Ryoga flat onto his head. This only added to the large headache the monster had gotten from the fight. The piglet feel off Pantyhose, unconscious.

The young Chinese man really needed to reduce the number of opponents. He grabbed a table and threw it at Ukyou and Konatsu. Ukyou dived to the side, while Konatsu got smashed by a second table thrown just after the first one and was staggered from the blow.

The monster laughed evilly as he thought of how to limit the battle to just Ranma. He started to fly towards the ceiling.

"Happo Go-en Satsu!" cried Ms. Hinako as she joined the fight against Tarou.

Tarou felt his chi drain from him and wondered how that was possible. He floated to the ground.

"Mr. Saotome, you are a delinquent and must be punished for fighting. Happo Tsurisen Gaeshi!" Ms. Hinako sent some of the chi she drained at Ranma.

Ranma dodged the blast, shouting angrily, "Pantyhose started it, and he hit Akane. What do you expect me to do? Say, 'it's all right, you can beat up my wife.'"

Ms. Hinako blinked. "Sorry. I was not aware he had done that. I was busy handling the ancient delinquent."

"Next time make sure the person is guilty before draining or blasting," Ranma complained.

"Ranma! Are you okay?" Akane shouted as she ran into the gym.

"I'm fine," he replied. "How are you?"

"I said I was fine before. I'll just have a bruise in rather unpleasant place." Akane looked at the withered monster. "What are we going to do about him?"

"Tis a simple matter we destroy him," Kuno, having recovered slightly from his injuries, said holding one of Ukyou's throwing spatulas.

"No," Ranma said coldly. "We won't kill him."

"This foul demon hurt your wife and has done unspeakable evils and you say he should live?" Kuno asked incredulously.

"Pantyhose is not currently a threat. Killing him would be cold blooded murder," Ranma retorted.

"Tis not murder, it's justice. He has threatened the life of your wife and unborn child, yet you wish such evil to exist. He needs to be destroyed," Kuno demanded.

Ranma stood firm. "No one's life is endanger, so there is no need."

"Would you not kill to protect your wife?" Kuno questioned angrily.

"I would and ha..." Ranma stopped herself. "She is not at risk!"

"Kuno! Let's just change him back to human form and tie him up," Akane suggested. "We'll figure out what to do later."

"Oy! They've made wonderful gym is a mess," Principal Kuno said.

"Principal Kuno, might I suggest that you give those involved in the fight a choice of whether to clean up the gym and keep their gym grade, or don't and get a failing grade," Nabiki suggested evenly.

Principal Kuno debated for a moment. He wanted to put Ranma in his place, but he also needed the gym cleaned for a sports event tomorrow. At least he'd get to see Saotome do menial work. "A splendid idea. Glad I thought of it."

Nabiki glared at principal Kuno as he left to inform the others of their choice.

Dr. Tofu awoke from his blow from Tarou to find Kasumi tending to his injuries. "Is everyone okay?" he asked.

"They're fine. You and Ryoga seem to be the most hurt," Kasumi answered.

"Wish I had the recovery powers these kids have. I was taken out by a blow Ryoga wouldn't even feel," Dr. Tofu said enviously.

"Dr. Tofu, I don't think we should see each other anymore," Kasumi said sadly.

"W-why?" the doctor stammered.

"I always thought you were kind and caring and didn't have a mean bone in your body, but you've been hostile to the students, started that fight in the dance club, and been generally negative towards others," Kasumi told him sadly.

Dr. Tofu's heart sank at her words. "Kasumi, please let me explain. There is a reason for my recent uncharacteristic actions."

"Please don't make this harder for me," Kasumi pleaded.

"Let me explain!" he shouted.

"Dr. Tofu, please don't do this. It's for the..." Kasumi stopped speaking as she saw him raise his hand as if to slap her.

The doctor then stared at his hand and ran.

"I thought he was better than that," Kasumi said on the verge of crying.

"He is, Kasumi," Akane said sadly. "His actions have been caused by a potion he got from Cologne. In order for him to have been in control while he's with you, he took a potion that made his feelings more negative. By loving you less, he could remain in control. It seems the potion has gotten worse. I hope it wears off soon."

Kasumi stared at the spot where Dr. Tofu had been, not sure what to think of what just happened.

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Hiro and Yuka walked away from the school. Both of them were a little wet because they didn't leave until after the sprinklers were broken.

"I can't believe they still had a fight. At least their gym grade will get hurt," Hiro commented bitterly.

"It wasn't their fault. It was Pantyhose's fault. He hurt Akane, and you now how they feel about her," Yuka replied.

"If it wasn't for them our prom wouldn't have been ruined," Hiro pointed out.

Yuka looked at him knowingly. "Oh, you didn't seem to mind the fight until the sprinklers were broken."

"This suit was a rental and now it's a mess. They'll make me pay for it, and I don't have that kind of money," Hiro bemoaned.

Yuka shook her head. "It's just water, they're not going to make you pay for it."

"I hope so." He grinned as he got an idea. "Seeing as you're not expected home just yet, why don't we go to my house?"

Yuka shrugged. "Okay."

Hiro smiled devilishly as he led Yuka to his home. When they arrived he unlocked the door, opened it and turned on the lights.

"Um, where are your parents?" Yuka asked.

"Dad is probably at a business party. He might be home after one. Mom is, well, out," Hiro answered with some bitterness.

Yuka became nervous as she sat down on the couch next to Hiro. She was alone with him at his house. She had let the idea of having sex with him run through her mind many times, but now obviously given the chance words from her Mom and Akane ran through her mind about being too young.

Hiro leaned over to her and started to kiss her.

Yuka accepted the kiss easily enough. It certainly felt nice, even if she felt awkward and nervous. As she started to pull away shyly, his hand covered and massaged her breast. And that didn't feel 'okay' to her at all. She pushed him away. "Hiro, no!"

"Oh, come on. I know you want it." Hiro moved in for another kiss.

Yuka held him back. "I'm not ready for this."

Hiro grinned at her. "Now, Yuka-chan. I know you want to have a child, and I can deliver."

"What gave you THAT idea?" Yuka demanded.

"I heard you say it to your friends. Don't you want to have your child go to school with Akane's?" Hiro rationalized.

Yuka slapped him. "I want a husband first!"

Hiro rubbed his cheek. "You can't have everything you want." He grabbed her arms. "I can give you some of what you want."

Outside of Hiro's home a high pitched scream was heard. A moment later Yuka stomped out of the house muttering curses on Hiro and his family.

Hiro walked funny, going to his room. "She'll pay for that," he promised in a high pitched tone marked with pain.

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Author's Notes:

Obviously I'm not a subscriber to the cliche: Ranma always wins. He hasn't always won when it counted, let alone random fights.

Pantyhose Tarou was intended to be a marital artist above Ranma. A threat he can't handle alone. Yes, Ranma has managed to beat him, but never without any help. The main issue with this battle was not Tarou being able to stand up to multiple Nerima martial artist, he has done that before in the manga and won, it's that Ranma and Ryoga went to their chi attacks so quickly. Rarely do they go to the flashy big moves, only using them when the situation warrents it. While Tarou is certainly a big enough threat, if they were going to beam spam him, they would've done so during their last fight with Tarou in the manga.