Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Winds of Change ❯ Stage Fright ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Winds of Change

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AN: This chapter still needs a bit of proofreading, so sorry if there are any typos or similar stuff. A friend of mine invited me to a convention and I didn't want to let it rest on my hard drive all weekend. I'll probably get back to it on Monday.

See ya later and enjoy your weekend!

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Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Ranma ½ in any way I just like to play around in the sandpit created by Takahashi Sensei. I don’t make any money by writing this so keep your lawyers at bay!

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Chapter 3: Stage Fright

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Morning had come to the city of Tokyo announcing yet another day of lectures to the students of Furinkan High. Ranma was walking atop his usual chain-link fence as if it was nothing special, yawning like a hippo. A hippo that has spent a full night partying, drinking, and doing drugs. He yawned yet again yearning to be back in bed. Sweet sleep was beckoning him. His eyelids were threatening to snap shut, but he refused to give in.

“At least it’s Thursday.” he thought with resignation. “Only one more day until weekend.” With that notion, he went back to munching on a piece of bread he had liberated from breakfast. He had been so tired he had slept through all of it.

Next to him, down on the street, walking more like a regular person was one Akane Tendo, slightly less drowsy, slightly more irritated. “Did you have to start fighting your father at three on the morning!?” she exclaimed sharply before she too yawned, tired before the day even had begun. Although, unlike Ranma, she was more subtle about it.

“Nothing better than the present when you want something done!” he responded chirpily, his voice turning happy for a few seconds. A memory rushed back to the boy. The surprised expression on his father’s face, followed by a pained one once he was really torn into. It was something to commit to memory. However, Ranma’s cheerful attitude didn’t last long as mere moments later he slowed right back down to his drowsy, sleepy self that he was on that morning.

“You could have done it at a humane hour, not BEFORE the crack of dawn!” snapped the girl.

The boy atop of the fence shrugged. “Maybe,” he answered, yawning again. “But, I was in a foul mood and needed some exercise to blow off steam! Besides, it was for science!” he declared becoming almost dramatic. “Now we know for a fact that my Pops has no spine. I mean you saw it! The way I wrung him around that tree! It shouldn’t be possible if you have one!”

“You in a foul mood!?” rebuffed Akane angrily. “You’ve been out with your hussies all night doing God knows what!”

“I care to remind you that it was you who literally kicked me through the kitchen wall!” he retorted.

“Because you're a pervert and deserved it!” snapped the girl.

Ranma shook his head. It was the same spiel all over again. Like a broken record. “You know what Akane… I just might go for it!” he threatened. “At least that way I'd have some fun before you clobber me!”

Akane’s eyes narrowed and focused in on the boy. She held hack acting on her wrath. This was not the time. And she was rather sleepy herself. She was just not in the mood to become physical. The school gates came into view as they rounded a corner. The crowd thickened with schoolmates heading for the same grim destination.

“Besides,” continued the boy smirk on his tired face. “I think it’s time I accept what the others have to offer.” The girl clenched her fists. “At least they are ready to dish out! Unlike someone, I happen to know.” An audible grow escaped her lips. “Especially that new girl, Elena her name I believe. She’s a real looker! Not a flat-chested macho like you! She’s also got the strength to boot. Maybe I’ll ask her for a spar or two!”

Ranma’s rant had been brought to an end before he had the chance to laugh it off. Akane’s fist made sure of that. Her punch drove him off the fence and straight into the ground. Face first. She left him behind, fuming, muttering obscenities.

As the girl got close to the gates she noticed a few strange peculiarities. The school-gates were decorated with balloons of all shapes and sizes. Woven into the fence was a veritable meadow of flowers. “Graduation is a week away! Why the decoration?” she wondered. Something was in the brewing. She knew it! It meant trouble for her as she was usually neck-deep in whatever curveball was thrown at the student population by their not-so-stable principal. If anything, the sight of a bored-looking teacher working on a loudspeaker right at the gate was even more reason to be cautious. Or even better. To go home and call in sick.

Done with her task, and her job, the thirty-something woman at the gates flipped a switch and left the scene shaking her head. Probably regretting her life choices. Moments later, loud music rushed forward from the device filling the neighbouring streets with something that could be more accurately called a noise. In the background, fireworks went off completing the picture. Then a familiar voice started to boom from the loudspeakers. “Aloha all my dear keiki!” pronounced principal Kuno’s voice merrily. “Dis is da big kahuna of your prestigious school speaking!”

“More like centre for nutjobs and those unlucky to be along for the ride!” Akane muttered under her breath.

“Hope all you keiki have been really good because da big kahuna has some good news for ya’al! After long consideration an’ much negotiation, our school finally managed to create new winter uniforms. Ain’t it grand? Yeah?”

“About time!” Akane heard a girl mutter. “These darn dresses as just not warm enough at winter!”

“Amen to that!” agreed another.

“Next time try doing it in autumn!” remarked a male student with no small amount of sarcasm.

“So, what’ll it be?” wondered another male.

“I reckon some sort of clown costume. You think Nabiki will launch a betting ring on it?” was the rather sarcastic reply.

“Now all you bruddas, an’ all you wahines proceed to da auditorium for da big reveal of you shiny new uniforms! We begin in a few minutes!”

Akane was not thrilled by the news. The last time something similar happened, she ended up chasing the dammed guy across half the school to obtain a dammed coconut that contained the antidote of the hair loss potion that got fed to half the student body.

“This is going to be ugly!” she muttered.

The announcement came to an end with a large set of rockets, bombs, and other pyro-techniques going off alerting the neighborhood to the danger. Some of the more vairy residents retreated to their bunkers. Just to be on the safe side of things. The students themselves slowly started to drift towards the school auditorium, steered more by morbid curiosity than anything else. They wanted to see what the freak they called a principal had planned this time.

Behind the girl, Ranma was massaging his abused scalp. Trying to make the pain go away. “Her hits are harder and harder every time!” he growled. “Stupid, flat chested, tomboy!”

As the boy was slowly stumbling to his feet, he was surprised by a feminine hand intruding into his field of vision, offering help. He looked up to be met with gold and azure. “I can get up alone, but thanks!” he said only to be lifted up by the scruff of his shirt and placed on his feet. The girl did it without the smallest sign of strain.

“We in Siberia work hard, but accept a kindness that is given!” she explained with a thick accent.

Ranma stared for a few seconds dumbstruck. Wasn’t this girl trying to murder him the day before? “Thanks!” he blurted out not wanting to look ungrateful.

“You’re welcome!” she responded as the two of them started to walk towards the gate next to one another. The girl glanced at him with what was an obvious question on her mind. “Is it customary for Japanese women to hit their grooms and for men to have multiple brides?” she asked curiously.

“Not unless your father is a fat, thieving bastard called Genma Saotome,” responded Ranma.

“I see.” responded the girl in deep thought. “In that case, I think we should avoid naming any of our future children Genma.” Ranma was not sure if she was serious or joking. As he was trying to figure out which one she pressed on. “But I will murder you if you plan on cheating on me for real.” The way the girl said that. The certainty in her words. It set off an entire network of bells within the boy.

“Don’t you think that’s a bit harsh?” he asked.

“Marching across the Siberian wilderness for a lay when you have a willing wife at home...” she answered, her words serious. “One has to be either really dedicated or have a really ugly spouse to do it!”

Ranma shrugged. “I get that, but Japan is not really Siberia. And I have this problem... You know... Multiple fiancés.”

“U-hum!” agreed the blonde. “Japan! It sure is a strange country! It’s so crowded! Especially this Tokyo place! So many people! And the weather! It’s so hot! Today it was five degrees outside when I woke up! Five! Can you believe it! Five degrees in March! Insane!” Ranma eyed the girl as if she had a screw loose. “I can't even phantom how I’ll survive summer! Thirty degrees! That’s like an oven!” she explained.

“It’s not that bad!” Ranma responded as the two of them reached the gate. “Trust me! You’ll like it!” he said when a trap door under him and the girl sprung open and both of them disappeared into a dark pit. For some strange reason, nobody seemed to notice. Maybe they were getting too used to the ever-present crazy that was Nerima.

Akane filed into the school’s assembly hall with the other students wondering what kind of madness will be unleashed upon them. Soon the students formed up according to their classes to wait for the freakshow… for the presentation to begin. As this was going on she kept glancing around much aware that her class was three people short of a full call. She was also very sure that at least one of them had in fact made it to school.

“Where is Ranma?” she asked looking for the absent martial artist that was his betrothed with a hint of worry.

“No idea!” one of her friends, Sayuri, whispered from the back.

As Akane turned to the girls. The principal was nowhere to be seen and she was not interested in gawking at an empty stage.

She was surprised how worried Yuka looked for some reason. “Thought you usually come to school together. What happened?” asked the brunette.

“Well... we did come together...” began the martial artist, hesitating.

The gaze she received from Sayuri was almost accusatory. “Let me guess you fought again!” she said. Akane’s silence was more than enough of an answer.

“Seriously!” responded Yuka. “If you go on like this you’ll end up losing him for sure!”

“Who said I want him in the first place!” snapped the Tendo girl earning the undivided attention of everybody around her. Once she noticed her considerable audience she went rather timid.

Sayuri smirked. “So, what happened this time Akane-chan?” she asked.

“Nothing! Nothing!” came the stammered response. An obvious lie.

“You sure?” asked Sayuri smelling the blood in the water.

“You know you can tell us!” Yuka insisted.

“Nothing happened, absolutely nothing!” protested Akane while eyeing the exit.

Sayuri grinned. “There’s no explaining it away Akane-chan!” she replied. “I happen to be a very good lie detector. Almost good as miss love detector next to me.” she whispered into the Tendo girl’s ear while gesturing for the third member of their group.

“I'm not in love with Ranma!” Akane hissed back.

“Denial!” whispered Yuka, her tone reminiscent of singing. She was barely loud enough for Akane to catch.

Akane was seriously contemplating if running was a valid option. She glanced around nervously. Searching for a certain pig-tailed scalp. No luck. “Me?” she spoke. “In love with that jerk?”

“Guilty as charged!” responded Yuka.

“Me and that pervert?” Akane asked again incredulously. “Never!” Despite what she had said worst-case scenarios were already playing out in front of her eyes. The horror of Ranma leaving with a certain blonde. Him and Shampoo making out. Him and Ukyo going on a date instead of school. A wave of relief washed across Akane. She spotted the brunette chef making her way through the crowd towards the class. That was one candidate less, but it still left her with two.

“Ranma where the hell are you?” she thought desperately.

“So, do you finally fess up?” came the voice of Sayuri, ever so violently bringing the Tendo girl back to reality.

“We already know!” agreed Yuka. “Just say the word!”

Akane glanced between the faces of her friends. Their faces. Like sharks eyeing a particularly tasty-looking fish. She gulped. There was no escape. “Well… I…” Courage and voice failed at the same time.

“Say it! Do you love him or not!?” came the demand from Sayuri. It was the last push that was necessary.

Akane gulped. She felt her body shake. She also knew her friends. They will keep pestering now that they've found an opening. She closed her eyes. A shiver of fear ran through her body. This was not just gossip. This was her love-life. She was not like Sayuri who could talk about her boy-troubles as if it was nothing. She was not like Yuka who would approach it from the angle of logic. Akane opened her eyes. “All, right!” she spoke forcing the words to come out.

The light within the meeting hall suddenly dimmed. Akane let out a sigh of relief. Attention moved from her onto the stage. She knew well that this was a conversation she was not getting away from. But, at least for now, she was safe.

“This is not over!” she heard from Sayuri.

“Not by a long shot!” added Yuka, smiling.

A spotlight was powered up illuminating a section of the stage. On this cue, Principal Kuno walked into the light which followed him all the way to a podium. A thunderous applause could be heard, its roar filling the auditorium. However, none of the students were responsible for it. Some heads turned around to see a huge loudspeaker responsible for the disturbance. A few groans could be heard. Next to the stage, a hidden lamp blinked to life. On it was a single word. ‘Applause’

The students remained silent. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” spoke the Hawaii-crazed educator as if there was a genuine ovation. Some of the more shrewd members of the student populace were already trying to sneak out to avoid the disaster that was about to befall them. “Thank you, my dear keiki! I love you all!” continued principal Kuno, this time speaking into his microphone. The volume of the fake cheer increased. Some students made gagging noises to express what they thought about the man.

Akane didn’t care about what was said on stage. “Where the hell are you Ranma!?” she asked no longer trying to hide her concern. The first objects started their journey towards the podium with THE man behind it. Crumpled paper, tennis balls, shoes, and rotten eggs. This was the opening salvo.

Contrary to Akane’s fears Ranma was perfectly safe. Maybe a bit, annoyed. He was staring at one Miss Hinako in disbelief. Dumbstruck, unable to speak as the teacher was busy explaining to him that he was chosen to be the model for the male uniform. That he was a model student and perfect for the job. Ranma had his doubts about the truthfulness of those words. Him, and a model student? Those were terms not even in the same ballpark.

He could understand why they chose the blonde standing next to him, she had the looks. But him? No way! This was going to be some haircutting action or sure!

“You could have asked us you know?” barked the blonde on his side angrily.

“Principal Kuno wanted to make it a surprise for everyone!” explained the chi-vampire in her voice ringing too girlish for someone in the teaching business, her stature, and demeanour more akin to a little girl than an educator.

Ranma did not believe a word. The girl on his side was much more accepting of the situation as she had yet to learn the crazy that was principal Kuno. The English teacher had to all but threaten the boy to get him into the changing cubicle. The five-yen-coin at the ready convinced him to comply. Though, even as he stepped into the small, secluded space he was already looking for the danger that was bound to come his way.

The new uniform resting on the hanger seemed innocent enough. The fabric of the cloth was a bit thicker, but that was to be expected from something that was supposed to help in warding off the chill of the cold season. He removed the top and inspected it carefully. Shears, scissors, combs were the primary targets of his search. At first glance everything checked out green, then as he got to the hoody, a most unorthodox choice, did he find what he was looking for. Nestled within the headpiece was a band of metal. A small computer chip. And a few other things that looked suspiciously like tiny blades. “Got you, freak of a principal!” he thought.

Almost as if the machine noticed the boy’s discovery it lashed out in a wild attempt at clipping a large portion of his hair. He had to fight off mechanical arms and a huge comb to keep his pig-tail. It took him a few well-placed punches to be rid of the menace.

“Nice try you freak!” he muttered as he threw the remnants of the uniform and the contraption on the floor. Then something came to him. He had to look for the machine to find it. Someone unaware of the trap would probably miss it. “Elena!” he hissed before peeking out through a gap. He had to warn her no matter what.

However, there was a problem. Standing in his way was one very nasty chi-vampire of a teacher who had no qualms about sucking his energy reserves dry. This meant he couldn’t just casually walk over to the lumberjack girl and warn her. He had to go fast and stealthy. He had to be out and in her cubicle within a second. The only problem was how the lumberjack girl would react to him intruding. Especially when she was changing clothes.

He peeked out from his cubicle and smiled. The teacher, who was supposed to be guarding everything, had her head through a gap between the curtains separating the stage from the rest of the auditorium. Watching the show. Perfect!

Ranma took a few breaths to calm his nerves and prepare himself for the danger at hand, for the possible axe and hammer-infused pain that would be coming his way if things go bad. But it had to be done. Dangerous or not leaving the girl to her fate would be cowardly.

The rush between the cubicles only took a few moments. With Umisen-Ken active he had no problem. A moment of mad dashing, adrenalin spiking and he was in her cubicle. He barely disturbed the artificial fabric that was the screen hiding the Russian girl from prying eyes. Even if there was an onlooker they would have trouble noticing it. Once the crossing was completed it was time to drop the technique and face the music. Ranma didn’t have to try particularly hard to do it. The sight that greeted him would have robbed him of the ability to remain hidden no matter what.

There. Standing in front of him was his golden-haired fiancé in all her glory, wearing nothing but sexy, very sexy lingerie. His mouth ran dry as his eyes traveled up her body. Black stockings clinging to her legs, enhancing her curves, heavily laced panties also black, garter belt, and a brassiere that was there more to show off than hide. It was the works! The boy stood there mouth agape. His body demanding him to reach out. To do things. He had to fight his rising need.

The girl let out a surprised yelp when she noticed him but she didn’t do much else. She stared at him as the pink hue of her face slowly turned scarlet. Not because of anger noted some distant still functioning nerve ending within the boy. That was not how such a situation usually ended with Akane.

The girl tried to cover herself using her hands, but it was a futile gesture. Also a bit too late. It was made even more futile as her arms kept shifting back and forth trying to cover everything. They only succeeded in creating a movement that was most akin to an erotic dance. Ranma felt a trickle of blood escaping his nose.

“I... Just... I…” he stammered unable to utter even a single coherent thought.

The girl’s blush deepened. “I never thought Japanese men are so forward,” she whispered not daring to look at him. “Please don’t think me a prude, and... well I’m not really against trying things before we are wed, but I’d appreciate if our first time was more... romantic.” The boy almost had a blackout at her words.

The girl turned her head towards him, her eyes risking a moment of contact before turning away. “But...” she spoke lowering her gaze shyly. “I will not resist if you insist!”

Ranma was completely frozen by this turn of events. His mind, unable to process what he had just heard. He was prepared for screams, for death threats, punches, flying axes, he was prepared for general madness. This, however, was beyond every single possible outcome he could think of. Then she spoke again, her voice barely a whisper as she risked another glance at his eyes. “I have to admit something before you take me though! This whole situation does turn me on! I… I like men who just take what they want.” She turned away shyly blushing from head to toe at her own words, yet smiling.

To Ranma it was like a headshot. His mind went blank, his senses became numb. The sounds coming from the stage. Sounds of objects impacting on and around the principal were drowned by the shock delivered to his nervous system. As he was reeling from the repeated stabs at his cognitive functions he noticed a long thin metallic arm. It extended from the winter dress that was to be the female uniform. It slowly crept towards the gushing girl’s hair. On the tip of the mechanic arm was a shear. Open and ready to strike.

That was all Ranma needed to come back to his senses. He grabbed the girl by the hip and jerked her away from the danger. The mechanical appendage tried to clip some of her hair anyway, but he quickly put an end to that. The lumberjack girl let out a startled yelp. Her arms fell around him as she tried to remain standing after losing her balance. Ranma dispatched the metallic beast within seconds. “What was that thing!?” she spoke pressing herself against him in search of safety. The amount of female flesh on display made it hard for him to think clearly. At this point, Ranma was sure his nose was bleeding.

Just as things were about to settle down clambering, scuttling noises came from above. Something was moving up among the many mechanisms of the stage. The teens waited, silently. Mere moments later something metallic fell from the dark. Right onto the pair. It was like some overgrown crab. Six delicate legs. Two long arms. One bearing a comb another with a scissor.

Elena let out a scream as Ranma knocked the first from atop of her head before stomping it with his foot. The machine did not move anymore. But it was not alone. More and more started to fall. Descending on the pair like locusts.

Ranma snapped into action guided by mere instinct and gut feeling. Smashing the robots as they attacked. His mind was less cooperative. Any higher brain function within him was fully occupied with other things. Namely to fight his body’s increasing demand to have his way with the willing girl. The way she was pressing herself against him. It was alluring and intoxicating. He lashed out again and again smashing more of the crab-like robots charging at them. Scissors and combs flashed in the semi-dark of the backstage. Snipping sounds filled the place. The little pests were not that tough, but there were a lot of them. At one point he was forced to vacate the cubicle as there were simply too many of the damn things.

“I’m going to kick that rouge tiki salesman’s right back to the islands once were out of this!” he hissed upon destroying yet another haircutting machine that got too close. It was a damn horde a swarm! He flattened one and two popped up in its wake. The half-naked girl holding onto him didn’t make things better either. With her in tow, just a tad bit underdressed, heading for the hall was almost suicidal. The place was full of students. And if only that was all of it. He had fiancés out in the audience! If they ever got word of this, they would have his hide. This left the martial artist but one option. He had to fight until all the dammed things are crushed.

There was no help to be had from any source either as the teachers backstage have long ago evacuated. Miss Hinako was no exception she made her getaway rather quickly screaming something about terminators and Skynet taking over once the robots made their presence known.

“How many did you buy? You palm-headed weirdo!” Ranma growled as he smashed another one of the dammed things. He heard a panicked yelp from the girl clinging to him. He also felt her hold on him tighten. “Shit!” he thought, knowing well that things just got worse. The loud, ominous clicks made it obvious. They sounded stronger. Bigger than before. As he turned around he immediately had to jump to avoid the razor. A mere moment later and he would have sported a fine Mohawk.

As he landed and took stock of the situation he counted three extra-large robots. Their smaller versions assembled around the flanks of their larger cousins. Those new robots. They were the size of a smaller car. As the martial artist readied himself the automatons moved into positions to surround him. To his relief, they did not attack. Yet.

“Elena!” Ranma whispered to the girl earning her full attention. “Make sure to keep your hair away from these things! Today’s little show is how principal Kuno likes to greet people! He kinda has an obsession with cutting people’s hair!”

“If I lose any he’ll be the substitute for wood on my next project!” she responded.

“Can’t say I haven’t dreamt of something like that!” responded Ranma with a grin.

The girl released him and turned around to cover his back. “I can’t let you do it alone!” she said, her nerves finally settling down after everything that happened. “I’ll cover you back!”

“You sure? I can take them!”

“Husband and wife have to support each other!” she answered confidently. “What kind of a wife I make in the future if I didn’t have your back!?”

Ranma grinned. This girl, she was something else. The silence was broken by the three robots. Scissors snapping, razors buzzing the machines charged. Man and woman countered. The fight was on. It was brutal. Both sides went straight for the kill. The large machines put up a valiant fight, but against the two martial artists, they didn’t stand a chance. Within seconds all three extra-large bots were scrap. Only one got close enough to remove a bit of golden hair. Ranma intercepted it before the machine had a chance to go through with the act. The principal got lucky. He won’t meet the axe in the near future by the look of things.

After moments of panic and chaotic fighting silence returned. The small haircutting robots. At least those who were still functional scattered in search of safety. Ranma turned to his comrade in arms. Once the initial shock has worn off he had to admit the girl was quite something. “Nice fist-work!” he complimented.

The girl smiled at him. “Thank you for protecting me from those... those things,” she responded.

“It was nothing!” came Ranma’s casual answer. The girl took a step towards him, her eyes focused on his. Her cheeks bore a crimson hue. She took another step and another, slowly, gracefully she approached him. Like a predator feline, a feline that didn't elicit the usual reactions from him. On the contrary. When she was close enough she raised her hand and ever so gently brushed her fingers along his cheek. Ranma was mesmerised, unable to take his eyes off of her. He noticed a piece of wood stuck in her hair. He reached out and removed it.

The girl smiled. “Thanks, must have missed it in the morning,” she said with a smile.

Ranma’s eyes locked onto her lips. He lost his fight. He wanted to kiss those lips.

Then the curtains fell to the side. There was an audible gasp. A camera flashed. Again. Again. And again. Repeatedly. Frequently. It was Nabiki’s. The silence. It was deafening.

Ranma stared, eyes wide open. This was bad. Something worse followed. The silence was suddenly broken. He heard the familiar scream.

Hours have passed since that faithful moment. Since the beginning of the invasion. Akane was laid out, on her back, under a cherry tree admiring the branches that would soon give birth to hundreds if not thousands of blossoms. At least that’s how it all looked to outsiders.

Her thoughts were completely elsewhere. The sight or Ranma and Elena, the latter in what could be barely called clothing. The very moment had been burnt into her retina, her mind. The feeling of shock, anger, betrayal. The need to pound him into the ground. She would have done so. If not for those things! Those automatons! A legion of them! Surging forward from every nook and cranny! Within moments the auditorium was one grand battlefield. Amidst snapping noises and buzzing people fought for their hair. The snip-snap of scissors, the buzz of electric razors was everywhere.

The second blow to her ego came during the fight. The hard-fought battle. The sight of the two of them. Ranma and that Russian girl. Fighting together as those mechanical pests descended upon every student. The teamwork between those two. Like something out of a movie. The cooperation. Almost flawless. All Akane could do was to stare.

She was at a loss. Her world, the certainty that she will be Ranma’s bride one day. That she’ll be the one to become his wife. Not one of those other girls. It shattered. The dream was over. If someone told her a week ago that this would happen she would have laughed it off. She would have said she would be happy to be rid of him. However now... That it was real. She wanted it all back.

As the situation in the meeting hall became less dire the students went on the offensive. They grabbed anything and everything of use to fight off the hairbots. She was in the back as Ranma and Elena, the girl still a mockery to human modesty, led the charge to take the fight to the enemy.

She remembered how the two blasted their way through the school’s hallways. Smashing, hacking at the robots. Taking on the big ones in single combat as other students rushed to do what they could. She was there all the way, just a few steps behind. Never able to catch up.

As the students got close to the centre of the storm things gradually got worse. The robots were all over the place. People started to fall, but there was nothing that could be done besides pressing on. To keep the attack going. They had to if they wanted to win.

She remembered how a selected group of the elites, the best, broke into the teacher’s lounge. It was to put an end to the madness. Their goal, to get to the principal’s office. There, they would obtain the remote control that would deactivate those hellish constructs which were hell-bent on giving everyone and everything a buzz-cut. She remembered how students held the flank to allow the couple to push forward. Sacrificing their hair so that the success of the top robot slayers might allow others to keep theirs.

The final assault on the principal’s door was brutal and messy. With fellow students falling to the horde, their bare scalps glistening in the sunlight, Elena swung her battleaxe with all her might knocking the steel-enforced door off its hinges. This allowed Ranma to enter the demon’s lair. To bring justice to the evil within!

The sight of the enraged pair stomping, trampling, jumping on the back of the whimpering principal was truly something to behold. The evil didn't give up easily. They literally had to make him cough up the coveted remote. They had to be quick about it as even then others were losing their tresses in one last grand stand as the suicide squad bought the couple more time. Then when it finally happened. The remote flew from principal Kuno’s throat and landed on the ground with a clatter.

It was glistening with saliva and possibly other bodily fluids but there was no time for hesitation. People’s hair depended on them. The pair dove onto the device as speeds unimaginable. They slammed the big red button again and again until the remote broke under the repeated impacts. And finally. The nightmare was over!

While the war did end with a victory for student kind, Akane could not really enjoy its taste. For her, it was more of a loss. Once ago she was Furinkan High’s premiere fighter. That all changed when Ranma came. Compared to him she was small fry. She knew it. Yet she could accept it. He was powerful and always there for her. She could live with that as long as she could be right next to him. She was happy with that arrangement. He would lead the boys while she led the girls. And now, it was gone. Taken by someone more powerful. And she had to admit bitterly, someone with a much greater sex appeal. It hurt more than she could have imagined. If she was only open about everything. If it wasn’t for her stupid pride. Now all she could do was to fight the tears, and hope to make it home and to her pillow before they broke through.

The girl's thoughts were interrupted by a soft thump as someone landed next to her. “Go away!” Akane instructed. She was in no mood for a conversation.

“Like hell I am!” responded the intruder, her voice making the owner’s stance on the matter clear.

“Now is really not the time to talk about your boy issues Sayuri!” Akane responded, her words came out harsh and unfriendly. For once the martial artist didn’t care.

“Who said we're here to talk about Sayuri’s boy issues?” interrupted a second voice. It was Yuka.

“Go away! You can’t help me! Not with this one!” protested Akane.

“We sure can!” responded Yuka as she and Sayuri grabbed the Tendo girl’s arms.

Sayuri grinned at Akane. “Now you are coming with us!” she declared.

Yuka grinned! “You are not getting away Akane-chan!” she stated with a smile. “Because the Love Doctor is about to unleash some wisdom on you!”

The female martial artist protested, but the two girls just ignored her as they dragged their friend away to a secluded spot for much-needed counseling.