Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Sob of the Breeze ❯ A School For Spirits ( Chapter 2 )

Hi all. As always Ranma and Co is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and while some people will notice some similarities between this and "Sixth Sense" I will deny it. So with no further ado, Montanto Productions proudly presents.

Sob of the Breeze

A Ranma Fanfic by Bill Morse

Chapter 2

School of Spirits

Sometime in the mid seventies the body of a young girl was found in an alleyway near Nerima'a shopping district she had been killed from multiple stab wounds to the back and chest. While it enraged the community causing a citywide manhunt, her killer was never found.

It was midnight and the light of the full moon illuminated the streets of Nerima. There wasn't anyone out at this hour so no one heard the noise from the alley as a girl ran out screaming for help. She lurched forward in mid stride as if struck in the back. She stumbled falling to the ground coughing up blood She tried desperately to climb back to her feet only to be struck again. Blood pooled around her as she collapsed for a final time and vanished. The blood took a minute longer to fade away.

* * * * * *

The sound of slow clapping echoed through the alley. The girl looked up to see who it was. "Oh, hi Akane-chan," she smiled.

"Hi Sayuri-chan! Wow, you're getting better!" Akane appeared out of the darkness.

"Well you know how it is, you can't do the same thing every night for twenty-six years, without improving a little bit," Sayuri got back on her feet as the blood flowed back into her

"I know, but don't over do it. Remember the hell you got five years ago when your 'last words' were 'My god, can this be the end of Rico?'"

"You're not going to let me forget that are you?" Sayuri giggled.

"Girl friend, I don't think anyone is going to let you forget that."

"What brings you out of the Dojo tonight?" Sayuri changed the subject.

Akane looked around briefly. "Sayuri-chan, can we talk somewhere?" she whispered.

"Sure, the usual place?"

"That sounds good, do you know where Yuka-chan is now?"

"At this hour, she's probably down by the highway."

"Good, let's go get her," Akane paused for a moment, "Sayuri-chan, must you do that?" she pointed at her friends chest.

"What?" Sayuri looked down at where Akane was pointing. The front of her blouse was soaked in blood. "It's how I died," she explained.

"I don't care, it's disgusting."

"That's easy for you to say, Miss 'I fell asleep as I watched Tokyo burn.'"

"Sayuri-chan, please."

"Come on, let's go, "Sayuri sighed as her wound closed up and the blood faded away.

* * * * * * * * *

The driver was surprised to see a girl hitchhiking at the side of the highway so late at night. "Where do you want to go, Cutie?" he asked when he pulled up next to her.

"Please, Sir, can you take me to Kawaguchi?" the girl smiled.

"No problem, hop in"

The girl was about to climb into the back seat when two other girls appeared behind her. One wore her hair long tied in a red ribbon. The other had hers tied in a short ponytail. "Yuka-chan, we have to talk," the one with the ponytail said.

"Can it wait, Guys? I'm trying to work here," the first girl hissed.

"Please, Yuka-chan, Akane is having problems. We have to help her."

"Alright, alright," the first girl groaned. "On second thought, could you take us to Nerima instead?" she asked the baffled driver as the two other girls climbed into the car.

* * * * * * * * *

The building had been an eyesore in an otherwise prosperous neighborhood for years. Rumor had it that it had taken a direct hit during the bombing in the forties. While repairs had been made years later they had been haphazard and the building was condemned soon after. Despite this it had never been torn down and still stood today as ugly as ever. Anyone with certain gifts, such as sight or insanity, would see the trendiest teahouse in Nerima.

Akane thanked the grinning skeleton who brought their drinks. "I'm sorry to bother you guys but I didn't know who else to talk too."

"Don't worry, Akane we're your friends. You can call on us whenever you need us!" Sayuri smiled.

"This from the girl who only has to make a nightly appearance," Yuka grumbled.

"Would you stop complaining about your quota? I told you the ride over here counts!" Sayuri threw up her hands in exasperation.

"It wasn't the usual place, people will talk," Yuka grumbled into her tea.

"So, you were saying new people moved into your house, Akane-chan?" Sayuri turned to Akane changing the subject.

"Yeah, Genma Saotome is a friend of Soun-chan's. His son is engaged to Nabiki-chan."

"Is he cute?" Yuka asked, her curiosity finally getting the better of her bad mood.

"Who, Genma?"

"The son, silly," Yuka giggled.

"Why should I care if a breather is cute? They all just grow old and die soon enough," Akane snapped.

Sayuri and Yuki looked at each other and nodded. Akane had acted the exact same way when Soun Tendou had first met his future wife.

"And to make matters worse he can see," Akane continued.

"See, for real? You're kidding," Yuka gaped.

"Are you sure Akane? There are so many breathers who pretend." Sayuri added.

"Of course I'm sure, he called me uncute!" Akane went on to tell her friends about the day's events and Ranma's curse.

Sayuri and Yuka listened in disbelief. "That's very unusual Akane, what do you plan to do about it?"

"Whatever can I do? Drive him mad? Haunt him to death?"

"Oh come on, Akane, you know there's no call for that?" Yuka giggled.

"Yes, Akane, I would think the best thing is to get him and Nabiki -chan married so they'll move out" Sayuri added.

"Move out? Nabiki-chan is the best heir Soun-chan has. I won't let the Dojo leave Tendou hands, I won't!"

"Easy, Akane-chan after all, you still have Kiri-chan," Sayuri pointed out.

"You've never seen Kiri-chan fight," Akane muttered.

"He's only thirteen. He has plenty of time to improve. If all else fails he can manage the dojo and have another sensei teach. It would still be the Tendo dojo that way."

"Or Soun-chan could train one of his grandchildren."

Akane shrugged as she finished her tea. It was going to have to be Nabiki at all costs.

* * * * * * * *

Kiri watched in amazement as he watched Ranma and Mr. Saotome leap from rock to rock exchanging blows and shouting very loudly. The level of skill amazed him. He wondered if he practiced more if he could get to Ranma's level. He could at least try.

"Are they going to be doing this every morning?" Kiri looked up to see his older sister still in her pajamas a toothbrush in her mouth looking bleary eyed and more then a bit cranky.

"Probably, Isn't it cool, Neechan?"

Nabiki rolled her eyes in exasperation. It looked like sleeping in was a thing of the past.

Their conversation was interrupted by two loud splashes coming from the Koi pond. A wet Panda lumbered into the family room followed by a disgruntled redhead. Her silk shirt was sticking in all the right places.

"Do you need a towel, Ranma-Sempai?" Kiri asked eagerly.

Ranma paused long enough to give Kiri a withering glare.

* * * * * * * *

"School? You've got to be kidding," Ranma shouted.

"Well, we probably will be staying here for some time," his father replied.

"You're going to Furinkan. That's the same school Nabiki goes to," Kasumi smiled. "I'd show you the way but I have to take Kiri to school."

"Neechan! I can get to school on my own," Kiri protested.

"I think you should go with Nabiki," Kasumi smiled ignoring her younger brother,

"What? You expect me to be seen with that jerk?" Nabiki asked.

Kasumi ignored Nabiki and continued to speak, "after all its proper for fiancés to walk together."

Nabiki and Ranma glared at each other.

* * * * * * * *

"Let me make this perfectly clear, Saotome, as far as school is concerned there is no engagement. I don't know you and you don't know me, understand?" Nabiki kept looking forward at the sidewalk. She did not want to give Ranma the satisfaction of being impressed by him walking on the top of the canal fence.

"Whatever," Ranma grunted looking the other way.

"I'm serious, you so much as acknowledge my existence and I will make you wish you were never born."

"I heard you," Ranma grumbled. He glanced down at Nabiki trying not to notice the couple standing several meters behind her, a man and woman holding knives staring blankly into space as their throats bled continuously. "Ignore them and you're sane, ignore them and you're sane," he whispered to himself.

"Where's your shadow?"

"What?" Ranma asked snapping out of his mantra.

"It's sunny out. I see the fence's shadow but I don't see yours," Nabiki pointed at the ground.

"It'll catch up in a minute," Ranma shrugged. His reflection and shadow were always a few seconds slower then he was. This was all the more obvious when he was running or walking fast. Since he didn't want to explain having a girl's shadow he had been avoiding mirrors and bright sunlight. At the moment he found the best policy was to ignore this fact just as he tried to ignore ghosts. For all he knew it was just the curse playing with his perceptions yet again.

"Whatever, like I said, keep away from me in school, Saotome. I don't want your weirdness to wear off on me."

"You and me both," Ranma muttered.

He turned his attention to the fence only to see Akane standing in front of him dressed in the same uniform as Nabiki's. "Why are you doing that?" she asked.

"Ignore them and you're sane, ignore them and you're sane, " Ranma repeated under his breath and continued walking forward.

"Is it some sort of balancing practice or is there something else to it?" Akane vanished an instant before Ranma would have bumped into her. A gust of wind promptly knocked him off the fence and into the canal.

Ranma burst out of the water spitting angrily. "What did you do that for?" She shouted angrily.

Akane's voice was all around him. "Don't EVER walk through me again," it said sternly.

"Are you deliberately trying to make me late, Saotome?" Nabiki asked looking over the fence.

"Yeah, like I have better things to do with my time," Ranma leaped from the canal and landed just behind Nabiki. "Well see you later, gotta go."

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Back home to get a hot bath. Do you really think I want to show up in school looking like this?"

"With fifteen minutes to spare? I don't think so. Still, if you want to give it a try it's you're funeral. I'd find somewhere closer if I were you."

"Okay, where should I go?"

"What? You're asking little old me? Do I look like the type who highlights every hot water faucet on a map? You're on your own, Saotome. Try not to take too long doing it." Nabiki smiled and walked away.

Ranma shrugged watching the youngest Tendo sister walk away. "I'll show her", she muttered I don't need any help to turn back into a guy." It was only a minute before she realized Nabiki hadn't told him how to get to school.

* * * * * * * *

"Excuse me, Sir, I'm trying to get to Furinkan High, can you tell me how to get there?" Ranma asked frantically. He had realized quite quickly Nabiki was right about not having time for a bath. In desperation he bought a cup of tea from a corner store that left his hair sticky and a noticeable stain on his shirt.

The man said nothing and continued to stare into space. "Come on I'm in a hurry," Ranma grabbed the man's arm but got only air. He sighed praying nobody had noticed. If he hadn't been so rushed he would have been able to notice the behavior patterns not to mention the man's head was cocked at an odd angle.

"Do I have to poke everyone I want to talk to? At least there wasn't anyone watching this time," Ranma said out loud.

"Oh I wouldn't say that," a far too familiar voice said from behind him.

"Would you stop doing that," Ranma growled refusing to turn around to see a smiling Akane.

"Such bad manners," Akane smiled. "If I didn't know any\better I would almost swear you didn't want to get to Furinkan."

"How the hell would you know?" Ranma shouted spinning around. "And why are you wearing a uniform anyway?"

"What, you're saying I shouldn't get an education just because I'm dead? Like the school board has never heard that excuse before."

"So you're saying you're going to Furinkan high as well," Ranma said dryly.

"Why yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

"And you would be able to show me the way."

"Possibly. If you asked me nicely," Akane smiled

"Oh please gentle spirit, show me the way to Furinkan High School."

"There's no need to be sarcastic about it," Akane walked away with a mock pout on her face. She looked behind her every few minutes to see if Ranma was following her.

* * * * * * * *

"Come on, hurry up I don't have all day," Akane shouted as she ran towards the gates of Furinkan. If it hadn't been for Ranma she wouldn't be wasting the remaining time she had running. If she hadn't had Ranma trying to keep up she would have been at school now where being late was the least of her problems.

Ranma watched as the sky darkening as they entered the school ground. The purple sky reminded him of Jusenkyo. The wind picked up and he could hear the howling of dozens of voices. "Akane! We love you, Akane! Date with me, Akane! Be with me forever, Akane!" There had to be fifty of them, boys between fifteen and seventeen. Some were dressed like peasants others like soldiers. Most were dressed in various sports outfits. Most of the boys charged on foot, others seemed to blink in and out of existenceor swooped down on them as if they were part of the wind. "I hate this," Akane growled running faster. Suddenly She seemed to be in four places at once swatting spirits away one by one in a blinding flash of light.

* * * * * * * *

"There's so something going on in the courtyard," Tatewaki Kuno looked down from the window of the fourth floor classroom.

"What?" Nabiki asked walking over to the window with the rest of class behind her.

""There's some one caught in the dust storm," Tatewaki replied.

The dust storm was a strange phenomenon that occurred in the Furinkan courtyard every morning. No one knew what caused it but fortunately most students were safely in class by the time the wind picked up but today there was a boy in a red shirt standing alone in the center of the storm.

"Oh great, he just got here and he's already embarrassing me," she muttered.

"What was that, Tendo-san?" Tatewaki asked.

"Nothing, Kuno-chan, nothing at all," Nabiki muttered planning what she would do to her idiot fiancée when she got her hands on him.

* * * * * * * *

Ranma stared in surprise as he watched Akane stand alone in the courtyard. She had driven off the rest of the spirits in no time at all. He was amazed just how quickly it had happened. "This is so tedious," Akane grumbled.

"Indeed," a voice answered. Ranma turned to see a man dressed in Samurai garb carrying a sword; "they do it to show their affection for you they honor you."

"There are times I think I'm damned," Akane grumbled.

"My, you are popular aren't you," Ranma grinned getting a glare from Akane in return.

"You there, boy, you are being far too familiar with Akane of the Tendo Dojo. Speak, who are you?

"He's no one. He's just staying with the Tendos. He's nothing special, Kuno," Akane shouted.

"What? Another breather, a MALE breather, staying with Akane? The son and grandson of Akira Tendo are bad enough but a stranger desecrating Akane's abode? I challenge you!" Kuno shouted pointing his sword at Ranma.

"No, I don't think so," Ranma replied.

"What?"

"I don't want to be late for class and being seen fighting thin air is not a good way to make a first impression, see you in the comic books," Ranma turned from the young samurai and broke into a run.

"Come back here you coward!" Kuno shouted. "Don't you dare ignore me!" It was too late though. Ranma was inside the school before the rain started coming down in buckets.

* * * * * * * *

Tatiwaki watched Nabiki from across the room and sighed. He wondered if she felt about him the same way he felt about her. Most of the time she seemed exasperated by his mere presence. But she did call him "Kuno-chan" that had to mean something.

Once he had actually gotten the courage to ask her out but then one of his blackouts had occurred. They had started a little after his father had left for Hawaii. They had gotten progressively worse as the years had gone by.

It was getting to the point he could only remember class and homework. He frequently found himself dressed in Kendo gear when he didn't even like sports. His physique had improved remarkably and for reasons he could not understand jocks who used to bully him for years now treated him with fear and respect.

He had watched Nabiki since he had pointed out the boy who had gotten caught in the daily dust storm in the courtyard. She had not been able to maintain her classic cold demeanor since then. She actually seemed angry. Perhaps this time he had a chance. If he listened to her, show her that someone cared about her problems she would like him perhaps even go out with him.

He was just about to get up to walk towards her when he felt a far too familiar pressure at the back of his skull. "Not now," he whispered to himself. "Please, class time is my time, not now."

* * * * * * * *

"Nabiki Tendo."

Nabiki slowly turned to see Kuno staring at her with a degree of intensity she seldom saw from him in the classroom. Kuno was having another one of his mood swings. Pity, usually he was quite pleasant during class time." Yes, Kuno-chan what is it?" she sighed.

"Who was the boy with Akane today?"

"Who?"

Kuno looked puzzled for a second. "The boy in the courtyard, the boy staying with your family at the Dojo," he corrected himself.

"How did you know he was staying at my. . . . ." Nabiki didn't get a chance to finish her question, as her classmates suddenly surrounded her.

"What? You knew the boy in the courtyard and you didn't tell us?"

"He's staying at your house, are you trying to keep him all for yourself, Nabiki?"

"I'm not keeping him, period!" Nabiki snapped angrily. The other girls backed away as Nabiki turned angrily towards Kuno. "Look, Kuno-chan, his names Ranma Saotome. His freeloading father is a friend of my father. They're staying in the Dojo until further notice, nothing else!"

"Then my worst fears were justified," Kuno growled. "That dishonorable, cowardly, commoner soiling her domain? I will not have it!!"

"Kuno-san, Tendo-san!" they both turned to see the teacher staring at them. "Step outside." Kuno ignored Nabiki's glares as he marched out of the classroom.

* * * * * * * *

His first day of class had gone fairly well for Ranma. Despite the distraction in the courtyard he had made it with time to spare. After being introduce to the class by the teacher everything went normally. Ranma spent the rest of the time dozing off as the teacher droned on and on content that he did not have to worry about spectral tomboys.

He saw Akane and a few other students standing in the hallway holding buckets of water, she did not look happy. Ranma shrugged and kept walking.

"You made me late," Akane called out. Ranma ignored her. "I'm talking to you! Do you know what this will do to my record?"

Ranma stopped and looked to see if there was anyone watching him. "No I don't know," he spoke under his breath trying not to move his lips as he looked out the window. "What will it do to your record?"

Akane put down her buckets and marched in front of Ranma's line of sight. "That's not important," she growled, "what is important is it's your fault I was late."

"My fault? You were the one fighting out there, how is it my fault?"

"I've finished my fights on time for the last forty years, you screwed me up!"

"All right, all right, it's my fault. You don't have to make a big production about it. So what's the deal with what's his name?" Ranma asked.

"Who, Kuno? Oh, he's just one of the older students here. He thinks that just because he committed seppuku rather then submit to the Meiji dynasty's reforms we should all be impressed by him. "

"So, what was the deal with the light show this morning? "

"Oh a while back I made the mistake of telling him what I thought of him in public. Rather then getting him to go away it just made him more obsessed. He made a public announcement that I was his and if anyone else wanted me they would have to subjugate me."

"Heh, sounds flattering."

"It's not the least bit flattering! Anyway, ever since that day I've had to fend off those idiots every morning, especially Kuno! I always beat him despite how powerful he is, though I never know why."

"Don't look at me, I'm still trying to figure out why the dead go to school at all."

Akane was just about to make a reply when they heard loud footsteps. Kuno came running down the hallway dressed in kendo gear with a boken in hand. "Saotome! You dared to ignore me. Now I see you cozying up to Akane yet again? This time you will not run away, I will punish you!" Ranma rolled his eyes and started walking towards the cafeteria.

"Ranma, be careful don't underestimate him!"

"Oh please, he didn't impress me when he had the sword and now he thinks he can scare me with a wooden stick?"

"You don't understand he," Akane winced at the sound of a boken hitting the solar plexus hard," has a meat puppet," she finished watching Ranma fall to the ground gasping for breath.

Ranma struggled to get back on his feet trying desperately not to throw up. He was stopped by Kuno's boken centimeters away from his nose. "Unlike you I am an honorable man, " Kuno growled.

"You shamed yourself with your cowardice, shamed Akane by your presence and shamed me by refusing to fight. We will duel a week from today on the sports field as the sun sets. If you are not there I will find you and you will feel my wrath," Kuno turned and walked away.

"Now you've done it," Akane said facetiously.

Ranma had not regained his breath to be able to reply. He looked at the gathering crowd of students watching his predicament. Nabiki was standing in the front of them furious. "Great, now two uncute tomboys are mad at me," he muttered.