Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Ranma OneHalf: First steps ❯ Book One, Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

Ranma OneHalf: First steps chapter three.

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Ranma was enjoying himself. Akane was sparring with him and holding her own. Her stance was still the basic kenpo stance she always had used, punches and kicks were still delivered with the same power as before, only much faster. What had changed was the power was delivered with precision and ease. Akane had none of the fancy footwork or flashy maneuvers that Ranma had. What she did have was a phenomenal amount of strength and a stubborn streak that wouldn't end.

And she had made those traits the core of her style. Chi enhancement and constant training had made her into a very capable fighter. And the improvised weapons techniques she was developing would make her even better in time.

"Man, she has come a long way." Ranma thought as he hopped back to avoid a leg sweep. His face split into a grin as he jumped across the canal they were fighting next to onto a fencepost.

Akane jumped over after him, landing on the next fencepost. Her face set in determination Akane pressed her attack. Ranma ducked as she came at him with a flying jump kick and landed on the post behind him.

He whirled to begin his counterattack only to find Akane coming back at him with a mallet.

"How does she do that?" Ranma thought as he back flipped out of the way as the fencepost was smashed to splinters. Landing on the next post Ranma gave Akane a small bow.

"Ya almost had me there Akane. Keep it up and you might get me." Ranma laughed.

Gritting her teeth in frustration Akane released the mallet back to Hammerspace. Grabbing the stump of the smashed fencepost she ripped it out and flung it at Ranma.

"Catch!" Akane yelled.

Ranma laughed as the chunk of wood passed overhead. "Ah-ah! Ya gotta knock me into the canal, remember?!" he called out.

From his duck position Ranma used it to launch him self into a back flip over to the other side of the canal. Landing in a crouch Ranma took off down the canal.

"Catch me if you can!" Ranma called over his shoulder.

"Why you little-" Akane started, but stopped as she realized how far behind she was.

Launching into a sprint Akane rushed to catch up to Ranma. Catching up to him a mile later she jumped the canal and started to trade blows with him as they ran. As he dodged her punches and kicks Ranma was enjoying himself but realized that things were getting a little repetitive.

"Lets make things interesting..." Ranma thought to himself.

Surprising Akane with a burst of Roasting Chestnut Fist punches Ranma forced her back for a moment. Using the opening Ranma pressed his attack, speeding up the attack and maintaining it for several minutes. Then he broke off the attack and leaped backwards.

"Heh. It looks like all that time on the sorting tables is paying off, don't ya think?" he laughed.

Standing on the other side of the canal Akane decided that she was fed up. Leaping forward she started to run along the canal. Pacing her on the far side of the canal Ranma mentally chuckled to himself.

He'd seen her facial expression and body posture and knew that she was getting ready to go into a final blitz attack in hopes of overpowering him. Watching her Ranma saw her face get more and more focused as she psyched herself up.

"She's got that look on her face. That means she's gonna try and blitz me in five, four, three, two, one,... NOW!" he thought as Akane ran and then leaped into the air.

Ranma saw Akanes battle aura spring up in mid air. That was nothing new.

"PERVERT SMASHER!" Akane yelled out as she cupped her hands in front of her, palms out.

Ranma stumbled in surprise as a chi ball formed in Akanes hands. Combat instincts taking over, he recovered from his stumble. Dashing forward, Ranma got a lead on Akane.

Startled by Ranmas sudden maneuver, Akane lost her focus as she released the chi ball and it fizzled out. And also leaving herself wide open to attack. Ranma immediately exploited this, jumping into midair and tagging Akane with a flying kick.

Ranma gracefully landed on the bank of the canal while Akane landed in the canal with a loud splash. Ranma stood and waited as Akane came to the surface. Standing up in the chest high water Akane spit some water out of his mouth and flipped his ponytail* back over his shoulder.

"You win." he said.

"Yep. But you were close this time. That chi attack almost got me." Ranma answered.

"Only because it didn't work." Akane groused as he waded to the edge of the canal.

"That's because you were using your emotions to fuel your chi. When I dashed forward, it surprised you and you lost your emotional focus. That's why it didn't work." Ranma explained.

Reaching the edge of the canal Akane began to climb up the bank. "But you did the same thing on your eighteenth birthday, remember?" Akane pointed out.

Ranma grimaced at the memory of that day. "Yes, I did." he admitted.

Akane was standing next to the edge of the canal wringing the water out of his ponytail. Ranma looked him in the eye as he continued.

"But I was in a blind rage that day, Akane. I was ready to kill them then and there."he said levelly.

Akane blinked in surprise as he looked at Ranma in surprise. "You were?" he asked.

Ranma nodded. "Yes. And that's the weakness of emotion based attacks Akane. They are easily countered by attacking the emotion generating the chi." he said.

Akane nodded in agreement as realization dawned on him. "I was putting my anger into the attack, so when I was surprised..." he trailed off.

"Exactly. Ryoga Shi Shi Hokodan can be countered by making him angry, and my Moko Takabisha can be countered by attacking my confidence." Ranma said.

"Okay, now I get it." Akane said. Head cocked he looked at Ranma. "So, how to chi attacks the right way?" he asked.

Ranma smiled. "You remember the day I taught you chi control in Washington?" he asked.

"Yeah." Akane answered.

" That day you managed to generate a small spark of chi. I told you to hold off on chi attacks until you'd improved, right?" he asked.

Akane nodded.

"Well, start doing what you did that day. That's how you do chi attacks." he said.

"Oh, okay!" Akane said with a smile.

Then Akane snapped his hand out and fired off a blast of chi at Ranma, knocking him into the canal. Ranma quickly resurfaced and shook the water out of her hair.

"Like that?" Akane asked the redhead.

"Yes, exactly like that." Ranma said as she treaded water. "And I want you to start using those chi attacks when we spar too." she added.

"Okay." Akane said as Ranma paddled to the edge of the canal and climbed out. Together they walked home.

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Two hours later they entered the trailer park where the trailer they currently called home was. Climbing the front steps Ranma unlocked the door and they stepped inside.

"You want the shower first?" he asked Akane.

"No, you go on ahead." Akane said.

"Okay. Thanks." Ranma said as he headed down the hall.

Thirty minutes later Ranma stepped out of the shower feeling much cleaner and refreshed. It wasn't a soak in a furo, but a hot shower had it's good points.

"I'm done with the shower." Ranma called down the hall.

"Okay." Akane called.

Entering the kitchen again with his mind on a light snack Ranma stopped dead when he saw the kitchen table. A cake, assorted finger foods, a picture of punch, and a smiling Akane were in front of him.

"Happy anniversary!" she called out.

Ranma blinked."Anniversary?" he asked.

"Don't you remember?" Akane asked as she got up from the table.

"Uhhhh, no." he answered as Akane pushed him towards his seat and sat him down.

Rolling her eyes Akane sat back down at the table. "Six years ago what happened?" she asked.

Ranma thought for a second, then his face brightened. " I know! I got cursed!" he exclaimed. Akane face-vaulted.

Picking her self up Akane looked at him. "After that. When you got to Japan," Akane said.

Ranma snapped his fingers as he remembered.

"Oh, yeah. Pops and I showed up at the dojo where you and your family, and we got..." Ranma trailed off as realization dawned on him. He looked at Akane. "Six years?" he asked.

Akane nodded. "Hard to believe it's been that long, isn't it?" she asked.

"Yeah. It seems like it wasn't all that long ago." Ranma said. "Nice cake, by the way." he added.

"Thank you. You like it? I made it myself." Akane said, smiling.

Akane couldn't help but laugh at the look of sheer terror on Ranmas face.

"Just kidding Ranma. I got it at Broulims." she said as she picked up a knife and began to cut the cake.

Ranma breathed a sigh of relief as he accepted the slice of cake from Akane. As Ranma dug in Akane cut herself a slice.

"We sure have changed, haven't we?" she asked.

"Uh-huh." Ranma said as he finished his slice. Cutting himself another one he continued. "When we first met you would have yelled 'Ranma no baka!' and malleted me into LEO."

"It's amazing what eating your own cooking can do to your outlook." Akane said. "And I've gone from being the best in Nerima to approaching your level, thanks to you."

"Yeah. I'd say that your about what I was when we met." Ranma agreed. "In a couple years you'll be at my level-."

Akane smiled as she thought about actually being on the same level as Ranma.

"-And by then I'll have finished my training." he continued.

"Training? What kind of training?" Akane asked, slightly confused.

"On how to teach, Akane. While I've been teaching you the Art, you've been teaching me on how to teach." Ranma explained. Topping off his punch he continued. "And if the schools are going to be joined, we're going to have to know how to teach, right?" he asked.

"Right." Akane answered.

Cocking her head to one side, Akane looked at Ranma.

"I've been training you?" she asked, pointing her fork at him for emphasis.

"Yep. It's been the hardest training of my life, too. "Ranma answered.

"I find that hard to believe." Akane replied. "I mean, how hard can it be?" she asked.

Ranma chuckled.

"Trust me. When you start to teach you'll know what I'm talking about." he told her with a smile.

Finishing off his cake Ranma reached for some finger foods.

"And we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. First we gotta get you trained" he said.

Akane shrugged as she took the last slice of cake.

"Okay." she said.

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End.

*grown so she can change genders easier. After all, long hair in a pony tail is fairly unisex, eh?