Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ The Silent Warrior ❯ Hurricane Akane ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2: Hurricane Akane

~Monday Morning~

Nodoka hummed to herself as she made her way to her son's room. The shopping had gone well yesterday and her husband and son had told her more about her trip over dinner that evening. But now was the time for Ranma to get ready for school and she thought he might want to train a bit before going. Thus she was going to wake him up early.

As she came to the door, she reached up and knocked gently. "Ranma?" No Answer. She tried again a little louder this time, but she had the same results. 'Oh just like his father, sleeping late' she thought as she reached for the handle. But as she opened the door and peered inside, she was met with the sight of a neatly rolled up futon with blankets and sheets folded over to the side. 'That's strange…' she said to herself as she backed out of the room. 'Maybe he was up before me.'

She made her way over to the dojo to check and see if her son was there. As she approached though, no sound was coming from within. Just in case though she quietly slid open the dojo doors and peered inside.

What she saw made her breath catch and her eyes widen. There, moving like a poet in motion, not making a sound, was Ranma going through one of his advanced katas. She was entranced by the sheer beauty of it. One move flowed into another without hesitation, as if reacting on instinct. His eyes were closed and body relaxed as he flowed through the forms. He seemed to defy gravity with leaps from one end of the dojo to the other, with nary a sound. 'It's…beautiful. I've never seen the Art preformed with such beauty in my life…' she thought as Ranma fought opponents only he could see.

As soon as it started though, it quickly came to an end. Well, Nodoka thought it was quick, when in actuality a half an hour had passed. She watched as her son bowed to the family shrine, then turned and gave a smile, and bowed to her.

"R…Ranma, that was exquisite!!" she said as she rushed over and gave him a tight embrace. He stiffened a moment, not used to any show of love, then wrapped his own hands around his mother.

She held him out at arms length and looked him in the eyes. "I've never seen anything like it. I mean, it was like a ballet. Truly, you are an extraordinary martial artist, my son." She embraced him once again as Ranma's modesty kicked in. His right hand went to the back of his head and he let a small chuckle rumble in the back of his throat. Nodoka found this simply adorable and she leaned up on her toes and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

"Well Ranma, today is your first day at school, so let us go inside so I can cook us breakfast alright?" She stepped back and regarded her son.

"Okay mother. Would you like some help with the cooking?" Ranma asked quietly.

"That would be wonderful Ranma. I'm proud to see that even as a great a martial artist; you have still explored other areas of study." She smiled and turned away from her son and they both went inside.

~Later that morning~

Ranma's home was a few miles away from his school, so he set out a little early so he would have time to get his schedule and find his class. He hadn't had time to meditate and play his flute this morning, so he brought it along with the intent to practice during lunch.

During Ranma's many travels, he had picked up many different types of hobbies and knowledge behind his father's back. One main thing he made sure to do was keep up his studies. At every town him and his father passed through, he would visit the libraries and exchange books when he got a chance. When he was young, Ranma discovered that he had a photographic memory. This made studying easy and also contributed to the reason Ranma picked up on skills so easily. To Japanese standards Ranma would be considered to be on a genius level in many fields, though Ranma would never say a word to anyone about it. He had learned at a very young age not to discuss his 'extracurricular' activities with anyone because if his father got wind of it he would beat Ranma severely. "A martial artist doesn't need this crap boy, a real man only needs to know how to fight" Genma would say to is son after his beating. 'Yeah right, like HE would know what a real man is' Ranma thought as he continued to think.

When he was 7, he and his father had come across a Buddhist Temple that they had stayed at for a few weeks. A monk there had seen how terrible Ranma was treated so taught him how to meditate. "Meditation will bring peace to ones soul and calmness to one's heart" the monk had said "I see how troubled you are little one. Let me teach you how to find your center. This will teach you many things about life as well as help you further yourself in the Art. Come, and let me show you the path to the balance of one's mind, body and soul." Meditating had really helped Ranma in many ways. It kept him sane for one thing. Also it taught him patience and control. He blesses the monk that taught him the technique every day, for if it wasn't for him, Ranma believed that he would not be here this day.

As for the flute, Ranma and Genma had traveled to a small temple out side of Kyoto to study and, in Genma's case, take advantage of the priest's hospitality. There a man by the name of Shang Lo, had brought Ranma aside to ask him if he wished to learn the art of Music. At first Ranma was reluctant for he had no interest in carrying a tune. But after much consideration, he decided to give it a try. Many nights when Genma had fallen asleep, Ranma would sneak away to practice with Lo-sensei. And as time passed, with the help of Ranma's incredible memory and talents, Ranma could compose and play songs that carried such emotion and passion, Lucifer himself would shed a tear if he was to hear it. Combining playing his flute and meditating would help him relax and escape from his lonely life. So since then whenever Ranma needed to calm his nerves or let off his anger, he would go off and sit in the traditional meditative position, and play.

Ranma was brought back from his thoughts about the past by the appearance of the Furinkan High School gate. But the next sight he beheld stumped even a man of his mental caliber. Dozens of men were barring the entrance dressed in all types of sports equipment. They held their respective sports tools as if they were weapons, and looked as though they were waiting for someone. As he got closer the crowd seemed to get restless as shouts rang out throughout the bunch.

"Akane Tendo I love you!"

"Date with me Akane, please!"

"Be mine sweet Akane, I worship you!"

'Akane?' I thought as I stopped and looked towards the direction the crowd seemed to be yelling. There, walking towards the school was two girls. One seemed to not give notice to the crowd, while the other seemed to be agitated. 'I wonder what in the world is going on…'

Just then the dark headed girl took off running towards the crowd screaming something Ramna couldn't make out over the excited screams of the boys who charged toward her. 'What the…' Ranma makes a move to intercept the boys but stops in his tracks as the girl leaps into action. 'Whoa.'

The girl started off by leaping into the crowd in a high jump kick taking out two tennis players. Then as she landed, she spun the same leg in a low arc taking out the legs of two more boys. As she rises she lets loose with a massive palm strike to a boy that is wearing American style football pads, hitting him in the chest. The boy goes flying into two more taking them out of the fight along with him.

She flowed from high kick to crescent kick; high punch to an elbow to a boys ribs. She danced through the crowd as sand flows through a sift. It is a deadly ballet she weaved as she made her way through them.

Ranma watched with a raised eyebrow as the ballet went from "Swan Lake" to "Nutcracker" 'YEOUCH!! He'll be feeling that for awhile. Looks like the choir just got a new Soprano.' Ranma smirked ever so slightly as the last of the crowd fell. Then he feels since the fight is over, it would be ok if he asked the girl for directions to the office.

"Honestly, you would think they would learn by now" Ranma hears the girl huff as he reaches her location. He reaches a hand out to tap her on her shoulder.

"Excuse me…" <SMACK> Ranma peers at the fist he just caught in his palm in front of his face. He looks back at the girl and sees a slightly surprised expression on her face, then a look of determination. <SWOOSH> Ranma releases the fist and leans back at an inhuman angle to dodge the high kick she tried on him. "Umm…ma'am" once again a hard right comes flying at his face. But this time he doesn't catch it.

Akane couldn't believe it! Here she was kicking the crap out of the usual Hentai Brigade when this BOY, sneaks up on her and nearly gives her a heart attack. She did the first thing that came to mind and punched first, ask questions later. She felt the solid impact of skin on skin, but there was no give to signify the boy flying back. She now focuses on her fist and her eyes widen as she realizes the boy had caught it. 'What the…no way. No one's ever done that before…' she says to herself as she peers into the face of the boy. 'Why that… he's acting as if that punch was nothing. Well I'll show him' Akane's eyes narrow as she lashes out with a high kick, only to almost fall off balance as she meets air. 'No way…grr fine then, this time for REAL' she screams mentally as she lashes out full strength at the boy's face, only to see him disappear. She swivels her head left and right looking for the boy, when she feels a tap on her shoulder. She stiffens and turns to peer into the deepest set of eyes she's ever seen.

"I was wondering if you could direct me towards the office." She hears him ask in a calm voice.

The other of the pair of girls had made her way to her classroom in order to take care of here business on the morning "Beat Akane, date Akane" betting pool. She sat by her lackeys peering out the window watching her little sister ripe through the crowd of boys like a hurricane. 'Hmm…15 seconds today. She must have been a little tired' she thinks to herself as she records the time in her book. She looks back up in time to see a new boy approaching her sister casually with his book bag thrown over his shoulder. 'Uh oh, Akane hasn't noticed him.' She leans forward as if to get a closer look. 'Oh well, poor guy probably doesn't even know what he's getting…' she trails off and her eyes widen. Gasps are heard throughout the classrooms as the new boy catches Akane's fist like it was second nature. "What the hell…" Nabiki mumbles as her eyes take on a speculative view. She watches as the boy seems to be made of rubber as his back arches at an inhuman angle to avoid her sister's kick. A small smile makes its way through the "Ice Queen's" mask. 'Well well well, seems like I'm gonna have to look into this.'

Ranma had seen the punch coming a mile away. So he waited till the last moment and sprang straight up and over the girls head. He lands behind her and reaches out once more to tap her shoulder.

"I was wondering if you could direct me towards the office." He says as he watches the surprise on her face as she jumps three feet in the air and turns around. "Wha!!" she intelligently states with wide eyes ( O_O ).

"I said…" Ranma starts only to be interrupted by a shout from behind him.

"Halt Knave" a man in blue samurai garb states, holding his bokken out towards Ranma. "Who is thou to speaketh so blatantly to the fierce Akane Tendo? No one but I hath the right to that privilege."

Ranma hears the girl behind him groan as he regards the man in front of him. He raises one eyebrow slightly. "And who are you to tell me who I can and cannot speak to? I believe the right to speak to this young woman is hers and hers alone to give away" Ranma says in a quiet, calm manner.

Gasps are once again heard from the second story windows as student stare wide eyed at the boy who's just spoken back to the school's champion.

"Vile Peasant! How dare you speak to your betters in that manner!" The man roars out as he leaps, bokken held high overhead, towards Ranma. The bokken traveled in a straight path towards Ranma's skull, only to be…

<Thump>

Caught between Ranma's forefinger and thumb. The attacker's jaw nearly hits the pavement as he peers at his bokken. He then tries to pull if free form Ranma's grip, but it wouldn't budge an inch. He then peered over towards Ranma with wide eyes.

"I suggest…" Ranma says in his quiet tone, "that next time you attack someone so dishonorably, you make sure who the better truly is" with that Ranma flicks his wrist, <SNAP> and snaps the bokken in two. Then without looking, charges it with his chi and flings the piece he had towards a nearby tree… <THUMP> …and imbeds it 8 inches into the trunk. Ranma then turns toward the girl once again and bows. "I'm sorry to have bothered you, I believe I can find the office on my own," he calmly says and turns and walks towards the front door of the school.

Silence rained over the whole school as everyone is still staring at the imbedded piece of bokken in the tree, all except for one person. Akane watches the back of the man she was just beaten so easily by as he walks away. "Wow" was all that came to mind as the tardy bell rings, restoring the whole school back to normal, if not more excited manner.

The man with the broken bokken decides he is going to have to be a little late today, for he has to go find some clean underwear.