Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Beautiful Girl ❯ Ranko's Tears ( Chapter 5 )

Ranko's Tears

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Part 1: Angel's Ascension

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"Well, you ready for the big day?" Akane asked the red-head beside her. Ranko

swallowed then shook her head.

"No," then she began to pout, "I wanna go back to bed!" she whined. Akane

blinked."Some things never change." she thought.

"Oh come on Ranko, school don't suck that bad." Nabiki declared from behind

her.

Ranko angled her head back to look at her friend.

"Really?"

"No." Ranko's face dropped like a ton of bricks.

"Oh."

A blur came shooting up and slowly formed itself into Tatewaki Kuno. He was

dressed in a light black shirt and black slacks and had his bokken in a scabbard that was

strapped to his back.

"Hello...," his face fell slightly, "Hi Ranko." he whispered. Ranko looked down at him

pityingly.

-[FLASHBACK]-

"Ranko dear, there is something you need to know." Nodoka said as her daughter

devoured the meal Kasumi and herself had prepared for breakfast. The sun was peaking

up over the horizon and bathed the world in a beautiful red-gold glow. Ranko was a little

distracted at the moment, as she was watching Nabiki bat both fathers around without

much difficulty.

"COME ON, POPS!" the middle sister wailed, "I GET A BETTER WORKOUT

FROM KUNO-CHAN!" Ranko didn't even bother to try and hide her amusement as she

burst out laughing.

"Ranko." Nodoka called again, the red-head looked over in surprise.

"Oh, hi Mama!"

"Hello Ranko."

"YOU SUCK POP!" they both looked over in curiosity, and saw that Nabiki now had

Genma in a head-lock while she stomped on Soun's head. Ranko started laughing again

and Nodoka had to look away in order to keep her own amusement to herself.

"Ranko dear."

"Huh? Oh sorry Mama, what is it ?"

Nodoka motioned to Nabiki (who was coming in after giving both parents a thorough

thrashing) and Akane (who had just come downstairs).

"The girls have told me that you lead a pretty hectic life before and despite some of the

more...ludicrous things that I have been told, I have come to understand that

circumstances have changed." Ranko blinked.

"Huh?" she asked intelligently.

"Let me try Auntie," Nabiki requested then continued at her nod, "Do ya remember all the

chaos and crap that seemed ta follow ya around?" Ranko tried to hide her grin, Ranma

always talked like that, and it seemed that Nabiki had gotten in the habit.

"Nabiki!" Nodoka admonished, the middle Tendo looked at her sheepishly.

"er...sorry Auntie."

"Yes, I remember."

"Well, a lot of it has, ya know, changed."

"How so?" Nabiki tapped her chin in thought.

"Well...um...I dunno. It just...Akane, could ya, exit to her?" Ranko stared at the

mercenary, a lot had changed. Nabiki had all but given up her old ways in exchange for

the art, she was now the heir to the Tendo school and Akane was learning a different

martial art. She wouldn't say what though, which had the young Saotome itching to find

out what.

"Well, Tatewaki is now quite sane, though he does lapse into his old 'Kuno' bit. His sister

is a *lot* more stable and has actually started to coach at our school. Godai is still a

coconut-case though. Ryoga, well you know-" she paused for a moment when she saw

Ranko grin ever so slightly and made a mental note to find out why.

"The Amazons are still here, they've decided to stay until Xian-Pu has graduated from

high-school. And Ucchan...she's changed. She's a lot more easy going, she's actually

thinking of becmonasom" her last words were garbled when Nabiki slapped a muscled

hand over Akane's mouth.

"No no no. Ixnay on the Ucchanay." she growled quietly. Akane had to nod before her

older sister took her hand away.

"Sorry. But back to Kuno," she looked pleadingly at Ranko, "Please talk to him. He's

become a little depressed. He's nice but I can see that he's hurting. If you don't talk to him,

I'm afraid that he'll do something drastic if he thinks your in trouble."

Ranko nodded mutely and the room was quiet for a moment.

"Oh my, I forgot to tell you Ranko-chan. I bought you some clothes for school,

they've apparently become much more lenient about what you wear, as long as it's

decent." Ranko smiled.

"Thanks Kasumi-neesan." then she went to get changed.

-[END OF FLASHBACK]-

"Hello Kuno-sempai." she hopped off the fence and landed beside him, "You two

go on ahead. I'm going to talk to Kuno-sempai." the two Tendo's nodded and raced off.

"Ranko-san I-" she pushed a finger to his lips.

"Shhh, no words I needed," she hugged the startled kendoist, "I understand. I've changed,

you've changed." she pulled away, "We've all changed. Change is good, change is

necessary. My life was headed straight to hell the way I was living it, I had to bail out

while I still could," she sighed and leaned against the fence, "It was bound to happen

sooner or later. It's just unfortunate that so many of you got stuck in the middle, and for

that I apologize. I know you weren't perfect, God knows I'm not exactly an angel," she

looked up at the taller man, "But we try. That's all we can do Sempai is try," she leaned

up, turned his face to the side kissed him on the cheek.

"That's all I can give you." then she turned and walked away.

Somewhere in China...

A man dressed in a dragon-skin vest and bracers was facing off against a short

wrinkled old man who had more in common with a gnome than anything else.

"You serious?" he demanded angrily. the old man nodded.

"Yes m'boy. if you beat, and bring me Ranma. Then I'll change your name to Ryo

Taro," he held out his hand, "Do we have a deal?" the younger man stared at the wrinkled

hand.

"No 'ands','ifs' or 'buts'?" the old man thought for a second.

"there is one term: she has to be alive and well." the younger man popped his knuckles.

"You don't mind if she's a li'l bruised?" the old man shrugged.

"As long as she's alive and in one piece with no life threatening injuries...do we have a

deal." again the younger man stared at his hand.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you need fem-boy?"

"That is none of your concern."

"Do we have a deal?"

"No tricks?"

"No tricks."

"...deal."

Meanwhile, in Japan...

The students of Furinken quickly filed into school and immediately noticed

something was wrong: Namely that Ranma was, once again, dressing as a girl. The rumor

mill of Furinken instantly latched onto the new topic and many different theories came to

life, raging from the realistic to the ludicrous.

"He's trying to pass himself off as a girl again."

"Maybe Akane hit him with a mallet."

"Perhaps he lost a bet with Nabiki..."

"Dont be dumb! She probably wouldve just beat him up or something!"

"I'm gonna break your legs if ya dont shut up." there was dead silence at that and

the entire class turned in unison to see Nabiki standing there, dressed in her white and

blue sailor fuku, white bandanna on her head and red leather knuckle bracers on her

hands. She had a shark-like grin on her face and was punching her open palm with a

closed fist.

"Something happened at my place a few days ago and I wont let ya razz on Ranko. You

just sit there and listen to her, kay?" the class nodded slowly then the middle sister left to

head to her class.

"Did you see that?"

"Yeah, she's crazy."

"She probably did beat up Ranma!"

"Yeah, and now he has amnesia!"

"Hey, does that mean we can date her?"

"HADO-KEN!(1)" the students leapt away as Nabikis signature attack blew up one of

the desks. While not as wide-spread as her 'Star-shatter Storm', it was much easier to use.

"What did I just say huh? Shut-up!" then she left again and the class was silent.

Mrs. Hinako toddled into class and stopped and stared at the blasted remains of

the desk. She sighed.

"Would someone please dispose of that desk? And next time do as she tells you,

please?" she asked. She knew that it was Nabiki Tendo who blew the desk up, only she

had enough gall to do something like that.

She sat down to do attendance and read off names until the inevitable happened.

"Saotome Ranma?" no response. She looked up and scanned the room.

"Saotome?"

"...here..." the class turned and stared at the figure in the door. Though they all had

seen it earlier, it was still hard to believe that Ranma Saotome, man amongst men, was

dressed as a girl!

"Saotome, whats the meaning of this? You are registered as a male in this school, not a

female. You cannot just decide to change because...of...your...curse?" her voice trailed off

as Ranko placed her bag down, pulled a thermos of hot water out of it, and dumped it on

her head. Nothing happened.

"Saotome...I think you owe us an explanation."

"She most certainly does not." a voice hissed and then a strange woman stepped

into view behind her. The woman had reddish-brown hair and was dressed in a black skirt

and a red shirt.

"Who are you?" Mrs. Hinako demanded, she wasnt use to this. Why did Ranma have to

return? Just when things were starting to be normal around here!

"I am Nodoka Saotome, Rankos mother."

"Ranko?" Nodoka nodded then placed a hand on her daughters shoulder. Ranko took a

deep breath, then stepped into the class, her head and most of her clothing (which

consisted of a midnight black blouse and a skirt of the same color) was still slightly damp

from her recent bath. She stood at the head of the class and spoke.

"My name is Ranko Saotome, formerly Ranma," she licked her lips and waited for

the chattering to quiet down, "A few days ago, I ended my old life. I had been pushed too

hard by too many things, hated everywhere because of what I was. I had no friends, only

enemies and fiancees. I didnt want to live that kind of a life so I drank water from the

same spring that gave me this body. I am now, and forever a girl. There is no way that I

can transform back into male, even if I jumped in every spring at Jusenkyo, I would still be female because transformation magic won't affect me anymore," she took another deep breath. She had their undivided attention now, "I dont ask that you like me, nor do I ask that you respect me. But I do ask that you accept me for what I am, not what I was." she then walked over and sat down in her desk near Akane.

"If you dont believe what she's saying, then you can check her school records. she's

been re-registered as a girl and will be participating in the female curriculum," Nodoka

then turned to a stunned Mrs. Hinako, "I'm sorry for disturbing your class." then she

walked away.

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Part 2: Angel of Sorrow

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Ranko stepped into the female side of the change room. The noisy chattering there

stopped and the girls turned to stare at her.

"What the hell are you doing here!?!" screamed Asuka Kiyomita. Asuka was a

snobbish girl with light red hair. She had been jealous of Ranma-chans intense crimson

curls for a long time and was taking this opportunity to attack the girl.

"Er...what do you mean?" Ranko asked nervously.

"I mean 'What the hell are you doing in here," she stepped up into the frightened red-head's face, "Pervert!?" Ranko swallowed hard and wished that Akane or Nabiki was

there, at least they would no what to do.

"I'm...er...getting changed."

"Not with us your not!" she snapped and pushed Ranko back. Ranko hadn't been training

at all, well except for with Ranma, but that was only in her mind, so she wasnt ready for

the sudden attack and went down. Hard.

Ranko yelped in surprise then staggered back, she lost her footing and fell

backwards. The other girls stared in shock as her head cracked against the door and she

fell down dazed.

Asuka blinked then a wicked smile crept onto her face. Finally a chance to get back at the

pervert! How often did you get a chance to take shots at the infamous Ranma Saotome

without fear of retaliation? Many of the other girls were thinking along the same line and

stepped up, weilding various tools that they had found around the change room.

Ranko shook her head slightly and opened her eyes, she gulped at the evil sneer

on the other girls faces, a look that promised pain. A lot of it. She watched as Asuka

drew her foot back and attacked, then everything went dark.

Asuka brought her foot down on Rankos face and the other girls rushed in to take

revenge on the pervert. Who was he trying to fool by sneaking in here? Everyone *knew*

he wasnt a girl, everyone *knew* that he was just a pervert who used his female form to

get what he wanted. After several minutes, the girls stepped back to survey their

handiwork. Blood rushed from her nose and one of her hands was at an odd angle, both

eyes were starting to swell the fingers of her other hand looked bent horribly out of shape

and the length of her body was covered in nasty looking gashe's. All in all, excellent work.

"I know" ,one the girls said after a moment, "Lets switch him into male form and

then take him outside without any clothes on! That'll teach him to try and mess with us!"

the other girls cheered in response and they dragged the broken girl to the shower. They

ripped off her clothes and Asuka gave her some more kicks to several sensitive areas

before they threw her into the shower into the shower in a crumpled heap and turned on the water.

Nothing happened.

"What the..." said one of the girls in the front as they stared at the water splashing

over the beaten girl. Where was the change?

"...perhaps it isn't hot enough?" Asuka suggested then moved to correct the situation. She

cranked the hot water up to max and waited. Steam billowed out of the shower and turned

her already abused body to a sickly red color. But still no change.

"Oh FUCK!" shouted a hysterical voice from near the back. The girls twirled

around in surprise.

"Sakura! Whats wrong?"Asuka demanded, the black haired girl in question looked up

fearfully from the bag she had been looting and explained.

"That isn't Ranma Saotome. She must be his sister or something cause," she held up a

student I.D card. In the picture was a girl with mischievous, sparkling blue eyes and

flaming red hair, "Her name is Ranko. And she's registered as a GIRL!" a look of terror

appeared on the girls and they turned back to the figure of Ranko lying in a pool of her

own blood. Her broken hand and fingers and the swollen features of her once beautiful

body.

"Hmmm, I wonder what's taking her so long," Akane wondered out-loud as she slowed from her practice lap in gym, "she should've been out by now, unless..." the blood drained from her face at the thought that crept up.

"No! They wouldn't...would...they?..." she bolted straight for the school.

One of the girl's pulled Ranko's battered form out of the water and they stared at her for the longest time.
"Oh my God." one of the girl's whispered, "I can't believe we did this." they all stared at Ranko's naked form, her well formed chest slowly rising then falling.

"How are...we...gonna...," the blood drained from Sakura's face and the other girl's turned and looked at her expectantly.

"I just realized something," she whispered, "Ranma is going to kill us." they swallowed.

"No he won't. He doesn't hit girls." Asuka said confidently.

"What about girls that just nearly killed his sister?" Sakura countered, Asuka's confident smirk wavered.

"Ranko?" called a voice, before the other's could react, Akane came running in. "You in...HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!" she screamed as her eyes fell on Ranko's limp form. Then she looked back up at the guilty looking girls.

"Who did this." her voice was barely a whisper but conveyed an obvious death-threat.

"...Kan...e..." whispered Ranko. Akane tore her eyes from the girls, then walked over to Ranko and carefully picked her up in her arms.

"Shhh, Ranko. It's alright." she lay the diminutive red-head down on a bench before snatching her bag of clothes and quickly changing her into them.

"Sleep Ranko, sleep. Save your strength." she whispered then picked her up and headed to the doorway.

"Akane...wait!" cried Sakura and she ran to catch up. Akane turned around and gave them a murderous glare.

"If, no, when I found out who did this. They are dead. That is not a threat, it is a promise." she snarled then turned and stalked away.

"What are we gonna do." one of the girls asked Asuka. Asuka swallowed. They had made a big mistake today, a huge one.

"Even if that was Ranma in his girl form, what would we have done if we actually killed him. Worse, what are we gonna do if she dies? I think that, girl or not, Ranma will find out that we did it, and he will kill us." Asuka couldn't argue that point. Ranma may be a dumb jock, but he was a very powerful and extremely dangerous jock that could tear them all to pieces in a matter of seconds.

"I think we should go home and not say a word about this." she responded. The others nodded, changed and headed home.

"DR.TOFU!" Akane yelled as she rushed into his office, the startled physician looked up to see who was causing all the ruckus.

"Akane! What's the...oh my God!, Ranko!" he raced over and took her into his arms.

"Akane, call Kasumi and Cologne." she nodded and went to do that.

Dr.Tofu studied the young girl's aura with horror. Someone had messed her up pretty good. Many of the injuries were life-threatening. He opened and closed his fist before finally shaking his head.

"No, save first, kill later." he growled to himself then went to help the young girl. He began by opening up all her ki restoration points then he went to work on healing the physical wounds.

"Dr.Tofu...I...." Cologne trailed off at what she saw. Not even one week of living and the red-head had gotten herself hurt...badly.

"You were smart to call me. Let's see what we can do."

Akane paced back and fourth her hands clenched at her sides and tears of anger and sorrow in her eyes.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid." she whispered to herself, "You should've guessed that something was wrong. You should've picked up on the angry looks they were giving her. You knew that Asuka hates Ranko, you *knew* it! Some martial artist!" she looked down at her hands. Hands that had hurt her fiancee so many times. Hands that had caused so much pain and grief, but maybe...her look turned grim. She had been training in a new style of martial arts, a style that allowed her to learn to cook and fight at the same time. It was time to see if she was as good as she thought she was. Akane turned from where she paced and walked over to Tofu's desk, picked up the phone and dialed the number of one of her closest friends. She waited as the phone rang and rang until, finally, her friend picked up.

"Hello, Ucchan? It's Acchan. I'm not doing to good. Listen, Ranko got beat up at school, very badly. She's in Tofu's clinic resting right now." she had to pull the phone away from her ear as Ukyo Kuonji began to curse a blue streak.

"Ucchan! Calm down a moment, I need your help. Could you bring me my spatula and spaturikens? I've got some maiming to do."

End of part 4

(1) I based Nabiki heavily upon the street fighter character, 'Sakura', so many of her abilities come from Sakura's move list, the hado-ken being just one of them.