Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Ranma OneHalf: First steps ❯ Book One, Chapter Two. ( Chapter 2 )

Ranma OneHalf: first steps.

Akane lay awake in bed staring at the ceiling. She looked at her alarm clock, which read 4:20 am. In about ten minutes she would have to get up and go to work. Only today it was a charade to cover her and Ranmas leaving on a training trip.

A charade that was very simple in design and going to be very tough in execution. They were going to decoy their fathers out of the house. Then, after they were sure Kasumi had gone to do the weeks shopping they were going to double back to the house. At the house they'd grab their packs and be gone by the time anyone returned.

A very simple plan but one that required perfect timing to pull off. One slip up and they'd have all of Nerima after them. Akane looked at the clock, which now read 4:23 am.

"Oh, the hell with it." Akane thought, and got out of bed.

Forty-five minutes later Akane stepped out of the bath freshly scrubbed and in male form. Rubbing his cheek absently Akane wondered if he would ever get used to shaving.

"Breakfast will be ready soon." Kasumi called from the kitchen.

"Be there in a second." Akane called back, and then went upstairs to change.

As he padded upstairs Akane listened to the sounds of mayhem that were emenating from outside. A splash was followed by Genma taunting that Ranma was a weak girl. Entering his bedroom Akane heard Ranma yell "PANDA NO BAKA!"

That was punctuated by a mallet strike which shook the house. Genma abruptly went silent. Akane chuckled as he got dressed. He knew where Ranma had learned that trick.

At the breakfast table Ranma and her father were already there wolfing down food when Akane arrived. As Akane took his place at the table he noticed that the mallet that Ranma had summoned was still there, lying on the floor next to her.

Grabbing the rice Akane pointed to the mallet. "Ranma, you're supposed to put it back afterwards." he said.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It's there to keep Pops honest." Ranma answered.

Genma tried to use the distraction to steal some of Ranmas food. Ranma however saw him and reacted. But instead of using her chopsticks to parry her father she simply grabbed the mallet and put her father through the floor. Ranma then helped herself to Genmas food.

Fifteen minuets later they finished breakfast and got up to go to work. Akane went to the bathroom to tie back her hair in a bandanna to hide the girls hair cut she had. Ranma went to get changed into his work uniform.

Heading back downstairs after getting changed Ranma twitched and scratched at her uniform. "Man, this uniform sucks." she muttered.

"Well that's what you get for taking a job at the Cosplay Café." Akane said from behind her.

"As if shoveling fish is any better." Ranma shot back.

"Bleahhh!" Akane stuck his tounge out at Ranma.

"Bleahhh!"Ranma returned.

At the front door they stopped to put on their shoes before heading outside. As Ranma slipped on her shoes she dropped her pen. As she knelt to pick it up Ranma gave Akanes hand a quick squeeze.

"Not long now." Ranma murmered.

"I know." Akane answered.

Ranma pocketed her pen as Akane finished lacing up his boots and stood up. Grabbing his work gloves they left. As soon as they were out the gate Genma and Soun began plotting.

"Did you see that Soun?" Genma asked.

" That I did my friend. Soon the Schools shall finally be joined!" Soun replied, tears of joy streaming down his cheeks.

"And my son shall become a Man Among Men!" Genma cried as he struck a heroic pose.

Soun joined him crying, " Come Genma, we've got a wedding to plan!"

With that, the two bounded out on their mission. Kasumi watched them go from the kitchen.

"Oh my." she said to herself. " I'll need to add that to the weeks shopping." she said to herself.

Taking off her apron Kasumi went to get her purse. Stopping by the phone she also made a call to the family contractor to give him a heads up. She then put her shoes on and went out.

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Lying flat on a nearby roof Ranma and Akane waited until Kasumi was out of sight before hopping down and running back to the house.

"Ya get everything?" Ranma asked as she charged upstairs.

"Yeah. I'm gonna write the note while you change." Akane said as he followed her up the stairs.

Ranma ducked into the guest room while Akane charged into his room. Grabbing a pen and paper from his desk Akane started to write:

Ranmas taking me on a training trip and we're searching for a cure. I'll be writing you so don't worry. AND WE'RE NOT ELOPING SO DON'T GET ANY IDEAS!!! WE'RE JUST TRAINING!

Akane.

Akane put his pen away and tore the page off of the pad. Leaving his room Akane walked down the hall to the guest room.

He knocked on the door. "I'm done." he said.

"So am I." Ranma answered as she opened the door.

Stepping out Ranma hoisted two packs and handed one to Akane. "Your pack." she said.

"Thanks-Whoa! Whats in this thing? Lead?" Akane asked as he staggered back under the weight.

"Fifty kilos of gear, actually." Ranma answered.

Akanes eyes widened at that. "What?" he asked as he stepped back to allow Ranma through.

"Think of it as weight training. You carry that much weight around for a while and your stamina will go through the roof." Ranma answered. "Now lets go before they get back."

After carefully going down the stairs Akane put the note on the dining room table. They were at the front door putting on their shoes when Ranma froze.

"Shit!" she hissed.

"What? You forget something?" Akane asked.

"No. Listen." Ranma said.

Akane listened and very faintly hear the sound of two men singing off key in the distance and getting closer.

"Oh no, it's our fathers! What do we do?" Akane asked, panicked.

Ranma thought for a second. "Out the back. We can jump the wall." he said standing up.

Grabbing their packs they ran out the back of the house and into the backyard. They threw their packs over the wall and Ranma jumped over easily. Akane took a deep breath, and jumped. Using his momentum he pushed up with his arms and got his right leg on top of the wall. Then, twisting his body Akane rolled over the top of the wall and off it to the other side.

Akane picked himself up and dusted him self off. "That was close." Akane said as he reached for his pack.

"Tell me about it." Ranma said as she adjusted her pack. " Two steps to the left and you woulda landed on me. Lets go." she said as Akane shouldered his.

They walked down the streets away from the dojo.

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Two days later they reached the Tokyo docks. There they boarded the ship that was their transport to America.

They then spent the next eight weeks on a cargo ship working in the galley to help pay for their passage. Arriving in Tacoma they cleared customs and the INS and then took the quickest route out of Tacoma.

As they walked south on Highway 7 Akane took a deep breath and released it. "Ahhh..." she said happily.

"You sound happy back there." Ranma said from in front of her.

"Of course I am. We're out of the Tacoma Aroma*." Akane called back.

After watching cars zip by them Akane decided to voice a question that had been in her mind for a while.

"Hey Ranma," she asked "What kind of training are we going to do first?"

"Stamina training." he replied.

"Oh? And how do you do that?" she asked, intrigued.

"What we're doing right now. Lots and lots of walking with a heavy pack and sparring twice a day." Ranma said over his shoulder.

"So basically what we've been doing all week." Akane said.

"Yep." Ranma answered.

"How will I know its working?" Akane asked.

Ranma smiled. "When you quit feeling like death warmed over in the morning." he said.

"Ah. Okay..." Akane answered as reached for her canteen.

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Dawn was beginning to color the eastern sky when Akane was woken up by the sounds of Ranma making breakfast.

"Good morning." Ranma said when he heard her stirring.

"Nnnnh..."Akane groaned as she sat up. "What time is it?" she asked as she unzipped her sleeping bag.

"Sometime before dawn I'd say." Ranma answered.

"Too early." Akane mutterd.

"You'll get used to it." Ranma said as he took the kettle off the fire.

"Nnnh."Akane growled as she got up.

Ranma poured two cups of tea while Akane put away her sleeping bag and retrieved her kit from her backpack. Akane stretched before turning around to walk to the creek.

"I'm going to wash my face." She said as she walked past Ranma.

"Kay." he said. "Tea?" Ranma asked, holding a mug aloft.

"Thank you." Akane said as she took the mug. Sipping from it she continued on to the creek.

Akane knelt by the creek and splashed her face, turning into a man. As his weight shifted and stubble appeared Akane sighed. Wash his face indeed! He'd had the curse for nearly seven months now and he still couldn't admit that he needed to shave.

"Can't believe its been seven months already..." Akane thought as he reached for his shaving kit.

Akane had finished shaving and was drying his face off when a sudden realization struck him: he wasn't nearly as sore as he had been when the trip started.

"I guess Ranma was right..." Akane muttered to himself.

Putting his towel away Akane picked up his mug. Splashing his hand with the lukewarm tea Akane returned to being a she. She then picked up her stuff and walked back to the campsite.

"It's working." Akane said as she handed her empty mug to Ranma for a refill.

"Hmm?" Ranma asked as he took it.

"The training." Akane said.

"Good." Ranma replied as he refilled the mug. Handing the mug back to her he continued." That means I can start teaching you now."

Akane brightened at that, but Ranma held up his hand.

"After we spar. By then breakfast will be ready" he said.

By the time they were done the sun was over the horizon. Sitting down at the fire Ranma began to dish out breakfast.

"So what are you going to teach me first?" Akane asked as she took a bowl from Ranma.

"Well," Ranma began as he filled his own bowl. "To begin with your abilities run towards strength and power rather than speed and agility like me."

"Are you saying that I'm slow and clumsy?" Akane asked with a scowl.

Ranma shook his head. "No. I'm saying that you should focus on your strength and stamina." he explained. "And to help what we're doing already, I'm going to teach you chi manipulation."

Akane cocked an eyebrow at Ranma. "Chi manipulation? Like what you and Ryoga do?" she asked.

"Eventually, yes. But before you can do stuff like that you need to learn how to control and focus your chi."Ranma said. "And we'll also be building your chi reserves as well." he added.

"So where do we start?" Akane asked as she pulled out her chopsticks.

"We're going to start with...hmm" Ranma began.

"Hmm?" Akane asked.

"I'm trying to figure out how to teach it to ya. I never did this before." Ranma explained.

Ranma sat and thought while he ate. Not finding any words Ranma put his bowl down and stood up.

"Here, let me show you." he said.

Walking over to Akane he knelt by her. "Now I'm not going to do anything perverted." he cautioned. Akane nodded as she continued to munch on breakfast.

"First, you'll need to start sitting up strait." he said, tapping her on the back for emphasis. "Shoulders normal, don't square them." Ranma said as he adjusted her shoulders into the right position.

"You get this part?" he asked. Akane nodded as she put down her bowl.

"Uh huh." she said.

"Okay. You'll need to do this all time." Ranma added.

"All the time?" Akane asked.

"Yep. It makes your chi flow better. But there's more to it than that." he said. Pointing to a point just below her ribcage Ranma continued. "Start taking regular, deep, breaths too. And when you breath, focus on breathing from that point." he added.

Nodding, Akane breathed in and out for a few breaths. Ranma watched her and nodded.

"That's it. Now keep doing that and you'll build your chi." he said.

"That's it? Just that?" Akane asked. Ranma nodded.

"Yeah, that's it." he answered.

"But it's so easy. Anybody could do it." Akane said.

"Uh-huh. The hard part is doing it until it's second nature." Ranma explained.

Standing up Ranma stretched. Turning around he went back to where he was sitting and sat down. Picking up his bowl Ranma started to dish seconds.

"The second part is even simpler and even harder. You know that feeling from where you're focusing on?" Ranma asked.

"Yeah." Akane said.

" That's your chi. Try drawing it up along your body and moving it around." Ranma suggested.

"Okay." Akane said as she began to concentrate on what she was doing.

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That evening Ranma came back from collecting firewood to find an sweaty, exhausted, and madly grinning Akane by the fire. Putting down the firewood he looked at Akane.

"You look happy." he said.

"Yeah. Look." she said, pointing the ground in front of her.

Ranma looked and saw a small scorched crater. Ranma leaned close and examined it.

"You fired off some chi." he said.

"Yep. My back is screaming, my lungs are on fire, I've lost the feeling in my legs, and it took all day but I did it." Akane said, grinning even larger.

"Congratulations." Ranma said. "Now you get to do it all over again tomorrow." he continued.

Akane groaned and fell backwards. "But don't try to generate any chi blasts or anything. Just work on focusing and building your chi. You need to do that before you can do those." he added.

Akane nodded from her position, too tired to move.

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End Chapter Two.

*Tacoma Aroma: The nickname given to the smell from the paper mills that are in Tacoma. It's a smell you wont soon forget. Trust me.