Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ The Silent Warrior ❯ The True Blunder ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6 The True Blunder

The next morning, we see Ranma heading for school. His navy blue uniform (yes folks, he's wearing one O_O ) was finely pressed, courtesy of his mother, and his hair is once again pulled back into a loose ponytail. He idly walks on his way, ignoring the few stares he was receiving from shop owners and passer-bys. The reason for this is because he was casually strolling 8 feet up in the air on the fence that ran along-side the canal. As he came to the street he needed to turn on, he nimbly flipped twice in the air and landed softly on the pavement, never losing a step. His mind was still wondering to the events of yesterday and the chat he had last night with his mother.

~Flashback~

Nodoka had seen the small smile adorning her son's face when he had walked through the door. It proved contagious as she found one forming on her own. 'Well, he must have had a nice day.' She thinks to herself as she turns back to the stove. She had been slightly afraid that being away for so long, Ranma wouldn't have been able to cope with being around so many people his age. She had worried about it all day as she did the cleaning and hung the wash. To see him smiling like he was gave her a sense of relief and joy.

"Hello dear, you seem to be quite cheerful this evening." Nodoka said as she peered over her shoulder, all the while stirring the pot of soup in front of her. She watches as he sets his satchel down in the corner and sits at the table.

Ranma smiles to his mother and nods. "Today was quite an experience." He says as his mother comes over with a pot of tea she had brewing on the stove. He thanks her and pours a cup for his mother and for himself. "Classes wore boring though. I already knew most of what my teacher was saying so I basically sat and stared out the window all day." Ranma takes a small sip from his cup. 'Mmm, Jasmine.' He smiles to his mother to let her know he approved of the flavor.

"Oh really?" She says as she takes a sip of her own. "Then why, prey tell, are you so happy? Hmm?" She raises an eyebrow towards him.

Ranma tells his mother about his day, covering the brief episode with Kuno, and his meeting with Akane. Nodoka had since returned to the stove to finish up the last preparations for dinner. She tastes the soup in nods to herself. Then she looks back towards her son.

"That's wonderful Ranma. I'm so glad you made some friends today. I was hoping you would be alright around other teenagers." She smiles and turns back so she can transfer the soup to a serving bowl to take into the dining room.

"Yeah, everyone was nice to me, with an exception of Kuno of course. Guy was like a walking Greek Tragedy." 'Man, he used more 'thous' and 'haths' than Shakespeare.' Ranma smirked as he remembered the slight problem Kuno had after snapping his bokken.

"Well Ranma, please go get your father, it's time for dinner." Nodoka says as she begins carrying the food to the table in the other room.

Ranma nods and jumps up to go search for his father.

~End of Flashback~

Ranma is now a hundred or so yards from the front gate of Furinkan. He sees the normal group, or 'Hentai Brigade' as he had heard yesterday, standing out front preparing themselves to 'prove their love for Akane' once again today. In other words they were waiting to get pounded. 'Speaking of Akane,' Ranma thought as he sees her and her sister approaching for the far side of the gate.

The three meet out front and exchange brief 'hellos'.

"Ohiyo Kane-chan, Nabiki." Ranma says slightly waving to both as they approach each other.

Both girls smile in return and wave back. "Ohiyo Ran-chan, how are you?" Akane says as Nabiki walks off so she can get the bets for the morning fight.

Ranma and Akane both turn towards the gate and gaze at the group of guys. Ranma looks towards his friend through the corner of his eyes and speaks. "You ready for your morning workout?" Ranma smirks as he sees her face take on a frown.

Akane then smirks back. "Well, it does get my blood flowing. Little stiff in the mornings, ya know?"

A low chuckle is emitted from Ranma's throat. "Well, be my guest." He says as he mock bows with his hand extended toward the crowd.

<Padop Pop> Akane's knuckles pop as her hands become fists and she readies her self. She takes off running towards the crowd… only to stop short as they all ignore her. 'What the hell…' She thinks following all their eyes back to Ranma. She raises an eyebrow.

The boys of the Hentai Brigade had all met a little earlier this morning. They had witnessed what transpired at lunch yesterday, and even heard the rumors of 'Pet' names being used between their illustrious Akane and the scoundrel Ranma. They had come to a conclusion. Their prize was in jeopardy, and they needed to act to remove the threat.

"Saotome must be removed!" One boy had yelled, apparently one of the braver boys as he was usually in the front of the group during their attacks. His comment was met with many 'Yeahs!!' throughout the crowd. A lot of the girls off to the side rolled their eyes towards the group, dismissing them all as total idiots.

"No one can come between us and our goals! We MUST win the beautiful Akane's heart. Even if it is through that fiend!" The same boy yells. Again he is answered with agreements.

"So are ya with me?" he screamed, pumping his arm up into the air.

"YEAH!!" The group yells as they all raise their arms in turn.

"Then here's what we'll do…" The group huddles together and begin mumbling amongst themselves.

If any of the boys would have been smart enough to think back to yesterday, when Kuno confronted Ranma, they might have rethought their plan. But since most of the groups head's, (when they used the one on top of their shoulders O_o ) contained only two brain cells each, and half the time one of those cells was chasing the other around in circles. So yesterday…never crossed their minds.

"SOUTOME! We shall not allow you to hinder our noble pursuit of the fierce Akane Tendo!" One of the group yelled as he pointed his finger towards Ranma.

<Blink><Blink> Ranma stares at the group for a second. "Do what now?" He says in a thoroughly confused voice. 'Hinder? Noble? What the hell are they talking about? How is it ganging up on one person noble? And how in the world am in their way? I'm standing 15 feet behind her.'

"You heard us! We are going to remove you, so you can no longer attempt to take Akane away from us." The boy yells. He turns to the group. "READY…CHARGE!" And with that, all forty or so guys took off towards Ranma. Hockey sticks and baseball bats are visible over the crowd as they all prepare to 'remove the obstacle.'

Ranma looks over towards Akane to see her staring at the guys wide-eyed. She turns toward him and shrugs her shoulders. She gestures to the crowd and mouths, 'Be my guest' to him.

Ranma shrugs in return and begins walking at a casual pace towards the crowd. People watching would have sworn they saw a small smirk appear on his face as the Horde reached him.

<SWOOOOSH> Gasps are heard from the spectators as Ranma seemed to disappear from in front of the group, then reappear behind it, still casually walking towards the building. All heads turn back towards the group. All the boys seem to be frozen in place with weapons poised to strike, or fist pulled back to attack.

<ThuDumpDumpDump> Jaws dropped as the boys collapse on top of each other in unconsciousness. Quietness ensures throughout the yard as everyone is still staring where the group was lying.

Only two figures in the yard had actually seen what had happened as Ranma had moved, and he was still a blur to them. Akane's mouth was opening and shutting as she stared at the back of the retreating Ranma. She had barely been able to see the precise pressure points he had applied as he passed each opponent. They were performed with such precision that it took nary a split second to perform. The only other person she could think of that could have that type of knowledge of shiatsu was her family physician, Dr. Tofu. 'Maybe I'll introduce them later. Ranma could get a job as an assistant.' She thought to herself as she finally got her legs moving and walked towards the doors.

The second figure was still staring at the unconscious group form behind a tree. He also had seen the speed and skill displayed in the confrontation. He regained his composure and started off towards the men's locker room. 'Me thinks perhaps…I'll write a challenge instead…' He said to himself as he walked away. 'Yes, that's it…' as soon as he could regain some nerve.

~Lunch Time~

Ranma is sitting at his desk as the bell rings, signaling lunch break. He reaches for his bento and sits it on his desk. He begins to unwrap the cloth covering it when he sees Akane approaching, lunch in hand. He smiles.

"Hey Kane-chan, how are you?" Ranma says as he gestures to the desk in front of him. He hears giggling coming from behind Akane and leans back slightly. He sees two other girls walking with his friend.

Akane turns red when she hears the laughter behind her as they approach Ranma. Her brow furrows as she sits down and gestures towards the girls, who are sitting down as well. "These are my best friends, Sayori and Yuka. They wanted to meet you." She 'hmphs,' and starts on her bento, ignoring the girls.

"Pleasure." Ranma says in a calm voice, slightly bowing to both. They both greet him with a big smile and rosy red cheeks. Ranma raised an eyebrow, shook his head and started eating.

A few minutes pass in sinlence."So umm…Ranma, is Akane your girlfriend now?" Sayori says nonchalantly, picking at her food. Yuka nods, signaling she was wondering the same thing.

<SPHHHUUUUPHT> Ranma cringes as his face is covered with rice that Akane just spewed all over his face. "WHAT! I TOLD you I am NOT going to go out with some BOY!" She then sees what she did to Ranma as blushes madly. "We're just friends…" She said in a meek voice as she sees she has most the classes attention now.

Unperturbed by Akane's outburst, Yuka continues. "Well Ranma, is she?"

Ranma is still wiping away rice as he sees the apologetic look on Akane's face. He nods and turns toward the other girls. "Well…she is a girl…and she is my friend…" He states in an unsure voice. He sees both Akane's friends eyes light up. He senses a small battle aura rising from Akane's direction. He sneaks a peek and sees…quite a large wooden mallet forming in her hands. He turns back to the two girls. "But if you are referring to us dating, I believe Akane has made it perfectly clear she doesn't wish to be with me." He gives them a smile and starts eating again, noticing the aura to his left wink out.

Both friends have pouts on their faces. They look at each other and shrug, going back to their bentos.

Akane is staring wide eyed at Ranma. 'Talk about different…I thought I was gonna have to pound him for a second, then he goes and says something like that. I just don't understand this guy…' She hears the class door open and she turns to see who it is. Surprisingly, her sister Nabiki comes in. She watches as her sister scans the room and come to a stop on them.

Nabiki makes her way over to the group and stops in front of Ranma's desk. She sets an envelope down on Ranma's desk, and smirks towards him. "Kuno-baby wishes to, 'Vanquish the foul demon that is attempting to stand in his manly pursuit of the fair Akane.'" Everyone giggles at her impersonation of the idiot.

<Blink><Blink> Ranma stares at Nabiki for a second before picking up the letter. He reads it, and then slips it into his satchel. "He wants to fight on the soccer field, after school." He says going back to his food.

Nabiki smirks once again. "Don't be too hard on him Ranma-kun, he's still living in his fantasy world of samurai and swordsmen." She turns and starts walking away. She waves over her shoulder. "Anyway, I'll be betting on ya. Ja!" She says walking out the door.

The three talk amongst them selves as they finish eating and lunch comes to an end.

~After school - soccer field~

Ranma is standing in the middle of the field looking quite bored as he watches the students set them selves around the perimeter. He waves towards Akane and her friends as they sit off to the right.

"So Cur, you didn't show your true self and flee from my honorable challenge." A voice says from behind a tree (as usual : P ). 300 pairs of eyes roll up as they hear this, and some sporadic laughter can be hear from the crowd.

Ranma just crosses his arms and looks at Kuno as he steps out. The two face each other as all sound coming form the crowd ceases.

"I demand you cease your useless pursuit of the fair Akane Tendo, or else you shall feel the wrath of 'THE BLUE THUNDER OF FURINKAN HIGH!'" Kuno raises his bokken into the air as lightning can be heard off in the distance.

Ranma raises an eyebrow and looks around the sky. There isn't a cloud in the sky and he was about to be impressed…till he sees a little ninja behind a bush next to a LARGE speaker. Its takes all his willpower to keep from busting out laughing, but that wouldn't be appropriate before a fight.

Ranma raises his hand, palm up towards the sky, and beckons Kuno towards him in a sign of readiness. "LOWELY PEASANT…I COME!" Kuno yells as he charges Ranma. Bokken raised high.

Ranma simply holds his hands behind his back and starts to bob and weave through the mad kendoist's strikes. His face shows calm and his posture is relaxed. This only causes Kuno to become more enraged. "Very well, then you shall feel the wrath of my deadliest technique…TATATATATATATATATAT" Kuno's bokken becomes a blur as it travels towards Ranma. Ranma smirks and comes toward his opponent.

Kuno's eyes widen as Ranma brings his arms out from behind his back and begins meeting his thrust with each forearm, throwing off his balance. He continues with all his might though. Ranma's hands suddenly blur and Kuno feels many light taps all over his arms. The next thing he knows, both his arms are lying limply at his side and Ranma has his bokken in his hands, looking at it closely as if testing its balance. He can't do anything more then stand there and watch.

"Now Kuno…" Ranma speaks in a low tone, "I want you to call off the morning attacks."

"NEVER!" Kuno bellows, vainly trying to move his arms.

Ranma sticks the bokken into the dirt and stands regarding the insane kendoist. He raises an eyebrow and begins concentrating.

Gasps are heard throughout the crowd and Kuno begins to sweat as Ranma's fist begins to glow. Akane's jaw is now hanging loosely in her lap. 'That…that's ki!! But only masters of the art can use that, and it takes them decades to…' She trails off and she just stares.

Ranma casually lifts his fist up in front of him and looks at the white glowing knuckles. Then he looks up towards Kuno. "Last chance…" He says in a low threatening voice.

Kuno is visibly sweating, but stands his ground anyway. "Never…your foul sorcery cannot hurt one as pure and noble as I."

Ranma shakes his head and approaches his opponent. 'Better not use too much strength, don't want to put the fool in the hospital. <SMACK> His fist meets the fighter's right shoulder, snapping it out of socket.

"AUUUUUUUAGH!" Kuno screams in pain as he feels bone come free from the tendons. He drops to his knees and wishes to all hell he could raise his left hand to grab his right shoulder.

"Now…do you concede to the match and promise on what little honor you have that the morning fights will stop." Ranma says this louder so everyone around the field can hear it. Finally, after a brief pause, Kuno reluctantly nods his head, eyes downcast.

Kuno then feels hands on his shoulder and looks up to see Ranma examining his shoulder. He sits quietly, then winces as Ranma pops his shoulder back into place and hits a few shiatsu points, deadening the pain and releasing his arms from the paralysis.

Ranma nods and bows to him, then he turns around and walks towards his friends. On the way he pulls out the bokken and tosses it at Kuno's feet. "Th…thank you, Saotome…" He hears Kuno whisper as he turns back to his friends.

Ranma is surrounded by many of the students who are congratulating him, or in many of the girl's cases, slipping their phone numbers into his pockets. Nabiki is off to the side with a smirk on her face as she collects the money on the bets of the fight. 'This aught to keep the dojo in the black for awhile…'she thinks, looking towards Ranma. Their eyes meet and she smiles and nods. He nods in return, not knowing why and goes back to trying escape the mob of students.

Behind the group, a little ninja is helping a shamefaced kendoist to the nurses room…

Author's Notes:

Well folks, I have received a few more important questions regarding parts of the story. I'll lightly touch on them but I won't go into detail. Don't want to give the plot away and all. : )

Anyway, first off, some people have mentioned Genma getting off easy for his treatment of his son and the Cat-fist training. Well here's the deal. Nodoka does not know yet about either as Ranma has kept quiet. And believe me, Genma will get what's coming to him when she does (Smirks).

The other characters are coming, don't worry. I just decided to go in depth into Ranma's first week back.

As far as the 'love at first sight' thing, in this fic it is nonexistent. In order for ANYTHING to come of Ranma and Akane's relationship, many rivers will have to be crossed, such as Ranma's insecurity and Akane's reluctance towards boys. But just because they don't instantly fall in love, don't rule out that they will be together in the end. Relationships take time (^_^).

And finally, you will start getting more glimpses into Ranma's past as the story progresses. He is 'very' closed off when it comes to his past, that is why he hasn't even told his mother yet. But don't worry I'm trying to bring everything together.

Thx a lot for reading. I'll try to have the next chapter out tomorrow or so. So keep checking.

Eternal Flame