Slayers Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Magic in Nerima! ❯ 5 ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: None of the series, characters, or locations mentioned in this story are owned by the author of this story unless stated otherwise.

 

Sorry I took so damn long with this update. About three quarters of the way through with this, I was disappointed with what I had and so totally erased almost all of it. I changed it to better suit the intended mood (I keep letting it get too serious) As for the 8k words, I didn't quite hit that target, but I spent weeks toiling in front of a computer and this is what I got. So, sorry It's so late, and sorry it's shorter than it should be, and sorry it's not as humorous as the summary and first few chapters promised it would be. The next chapters are going to be as close to canonical (as far as humor goes) as possible. Any particular errors will be fixed tomorrow 'cause I'm too lazy to fix it right now.

 

---Chapter 5: Hot Competition!---

 

“I'll just knock you out of the ring before you get hurt!” Ranma-chan called out as she twirled her ribbon in a spiral with the intention of using it to grab Kodachi. The other girl smirked and swung her rope around, blocking the ribbon. Ranma dodged the rod-disguised-as-a-rope a few times before she suddenly noticed that she was bound by the chain connecting her to P-chan. “What?!” She blinked down at the pig in anger as a rod connected with her head. Ranma groaned and dodged a few strikes from a club before she noticed that the club had retractable spikes. `Gah! That's…That's lethal!' Ranma growled as she ducked away from Kodachi. `Well if she's going to be cheap…'

 

“I do this all so that I may date Ranma! Oh, how inspiring the lengths to which I will go!”

 

“…I'm telling you, there's no chance…” Ranma started with a growl as grabbed P-chan with her feet and leapt into the air. “…of me going on a date with you!” She landed on Kodachi's face, making sure to connect only with P-chan's body so as to not be disqualified. The other girl groaned as Ranma bounced off of her face and landed on the other side of the ring.

 

“Who said anything about dating you?” Kodachi asked, confused as she recovered from the attack.

 

“Uh…right…” Ranma blinked. “Well, promise that if you lose, you'll never show your face to Ranma Saotome again!”

 

“And what precisely are you to Ranma Saotome?” Kodachi inquired as she leaned in for a better observation.

 

“A-Are you going to promise or not?” Ranma asked nervously, backing away from her in fear of the insane.

 

“I see!” Kodachi announced suddenly, leaping backwards. “You! You are after his heart as well! You vile wench!”

 

“Idiot! I am Ranma Saotome!” Kodachi called for her hoop and the referee tossed it into the ring.

 

“You dare to assume his name?! I, Kodachi the black rose, shall punish you!” She reared back and flung the razor hoop at Ranma. Ranma ducked it and blanched at how easily it cut through the turnbuckle behind her.

 

`What is this girl's problem?!' Ranma thought as she leapt up onto the top rope behind her. She jumped up to dodge another club and swung P-chan around like a chain before snapping the pig at Kodachi. Kodachi jumped to the side and sent the ribbon out towards Ranma, who dodged. The ribbon caught onto the returning razor hoop and she pulled it towards herself, intent on cutting Ranma in half in the process. The redhead barely managed to dodge and some of the hair on the top of her head fell away as a testament to how close it had been. “If you won't understand words, then I'll just have to make you lose!” She declared.

 

“Ranma! Here!” Akane yelled. She tossed two clubs to Ranma and Ranma jumped into the air, catching them as the razor hoop flew by where Ranma'd been standing, severing the top rope in the center. As Ranma fell down to Kodachi, the other girl's arms came town tin a wide arc.

 

“Beware the blow of a thousand clubs! At full force!” the maniacal girl shouted as she engaged Ranma in what appeared to be a blur of clubs. Ranma snorted in disbelief as she slung the piglet down into the `blur'. On the sidelines, Ranko was shaking her head in disbelief.

 

`I never got the point of that technique. It seems more of a hampering than anything.' She thought as the twenty clubs all fell from Kodachi's hands. Kodachi then leapt up onto the post where she snapped a ribbon down and used it to retrieve a bell. She then slung the bell at Ranma, who blocked with P-chan. Ranma jumped to dodge a chair and growled.

 

“Two can play at this game!” She yelled out, snagging a table. Kodachi grabbed her brother from the seats. One table and one bokken wielding psycho clashed; the table was horizontally cleaved in two by the moronic swordsman, but he was defeated by the top half. The two were then abandoned for other weapons. She narrowed her eyes at another familiar buxom redhead before snapping the ribbon out, grabbing the other girl. Ranko merely blinked as Ranma used her against Kodachi then smirked, summoning a ball of light in her hands.

 

“Light!” She and Ranma both closed their eyes, and the ribbon loosened from Ranko's form, sending her flying into the ropes. Ranma smirked as the other girl nearly fell from the post, clutching her eyes. She tossed Pchan at her to knock her off, but the girl's instincts were too good and she jumped away. Ranma turned to see Kodachi swinging a kettle in his direction. He gawked as the hot water boiled over both him and P-chan.

 

There was silence for a few seconds as the steam cleared. Kodachi's eyes widened significantly as the forms of both Ranma and Ryoga slowly became evident. Then, without warning, a stream of cold water flooded the three and Ranma shrank back to the girl form. Kodachi's eyes twitched and she wondered if the strenuous effort she was expending had made her delirious. Matches never went this long; people either forfeit before the match or during it when one of her weapons had hurt them in a most… permanent way.

 

Ranma looked at the source of cold water and silently thanked her fiancée before turning her gaze back to the pony-tailed girl before her.

 

“Why are you so determined to steal my Ranma?!”

 

“Since when is Ranma yours!?”

 

“The time for talk is past!” Kodachi swung a spiked club at the Saotome girl, who ducked and grabbed the club with her feet. Using the girl's forward momentum, she tossed her outside of the ring. Kodachi smirked as she brought a whistle and blew into it. The ring suddenly shook and Ranma nearly fell off but that was it.

 

Kodachi landed on her behind on the ground in a most ungraceful way. There was silence before a sudden cheer as everyone realized what had happened.

 

“I did it!” Ranma cried out in glee. “I won!”

 

“Heh heh,” Ranko smirked from the corner while Akane blinked.

 

“Why did she blow that whistle at the end?”

 

“She's a Kuno. Must there be a reason for everything she does?” Ranko asked, waving it off as she walked away to retrieve her knives. Akane blinked, before shrugging, accepting that.

 

---

 

“Meh…” Ranko sighed as she stood in the corner as she watched her brother eat with his friends. They were at a Chinese ramen joint that the boys usually went to after school. Akane and two of their friends had invited her to go ice-skating, but she'd declined and insisted that Akane take P-chan with her. There was some commotion from Ranma's table and she perked up as she tried to catch some of the conversation. `Seriously, bro… it wasn't the smartest thing to do to use your own name if you didn't have any back-story thought out for it.' She watched in amusement as he agitatedly dodged all of his buddies' questions. Finally, the boy got up, annoyed.

 

“She's not anything to me!” He nearly shouted.

 

“That's not fair, Ranma! You already have Akane!”

 

“Akane?” Ranma snorted, crossing his arms. “Who'd want a girl with absolutely ZERO sex-appeal?!”

 

“Ranma!” Akane shouted as she stomped into the shop, straight for him.

 

“E-eh?!” Ranma's eyes widened in surprise. “Er, not that I'd know whether or not you…had…” He blinked as the girl started sobbing. “A-Akane?”

 

“Ranma!” She repeated, “You've got to find P-chan! He's been kidnapped!”

 

“…” Ranma blinked before giving her a half lidded stare. “Oh.”

 

“I'm serious! I know you and him don't get along so well, but…”

 

“What's this I hear, Akane?” Ranko asked indignantly as she walked over to the other girl.

 

“I-I'm sorry, Ranko! I know how much he means to you…”

 

“Geez, I let the poor thing out of my sight for five minutes and…” Ranko mock growled. `Bleh.'

 

“Did the victim have any distinguishing features?” Ranma asked innocently as he pointed at a couple that entered the establishment.

 

“Stop playing around!” Akane yelled up angrily at her fiancé.

 

“That is P-chan,” Ranko noted as she turned to see what Ranma was pointing at. There was a brunette clutching a small black pig like some kind of porcine life preserver. She stomped over to the other girl and snatched the pig away. “Thank you for bringing him, miss…” She blinked as the other girl snatched it back.

 

“What are you trying to do to Azusa's widdle Charlotte?” She asked before making cooing noises at the little pig. P-chan for his part made several attempts to get back to Ranko, with a thought resembling `Better the devil you know'. Ranko narrowed her eyes at the other girl, just as a tall boy behind the other girl simply grabbed the pig and walked over to Akane.

 

“I believe this is yours…” the bishounen-wannabe handed the pig over to the younger girl.

 

“Ah…th-thank you…”

 

“Mikado, and the pleasure is all his,” Ranko growled as she grabbed Akane by the arm and pulled her away from the boy.

 

“Where are you going with Charlotte?!” Azusa cried as she scuttled after the two. “Give her back!”

 

“Ugh…” Ranko sighed as she turned to face the other girl. “No.”

 

“But-”

 

“No.”

 

“You-”

 

“No.”

 

“…” Azusa's eyes watered. “I challenge you!” she yelled, pointing at the other girl dramatically. Ranko sighed as she folded up her arms and rolled her eyes.

 

“Fine. Kolkhoz high, figure skating, next week.” Azusa blinked at her in surprise.

 

“Ranko..?” Akane blinked. “What are you doing?”

 

“She challenged me, so I chose the place of meeting.”

 

“That's not how it works!” Azusa pouted.

 

`Uh, yes it is…' “…Did I not choose a situation to your liking, Shiratori?”

 

“Well… The prize will be Charlotte!” the smaller girl yelled out.

 

“Whatever,” Ranko said with a wave of the hand. “All I need to do is learn how to skate. After that, beating you is easy.” She smirked as Azusa's face turned red in anger.

 

“Ranko…” Akane's eyes lit up. “Did you say Kolkhoz high?”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Then does that mean she's…”

 

“Shiratori of the `Golden Pair'…Yep.”

 

“Why would you make that kind of challenge?!” the other girl asked in surprise.

 

“Because I can beat her.”

 

“How would you know that?!”

 

“That's…” She held up a finger as everyone looked at her. “…a secret.” Akane face faulted.

 

“I'll show you! Charlotte's gonna just loooove her new home!” Azusa cried out as she left.

 

“Sigh…” Mikado said (to which he received stares). Ranko looked up and blinked, realizing he was standing next to her. “My partner has caused you trouble. As way of apology…” He gripped her shoulders and turned her to face him before bending over to kiss her.

 

“GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF MY SISTER!” a fist crashed into the side of the other boy's face, sending him sprawling out the door. Ranko just stared ahead, wide-eyed, as her entire face went into a violent twitching fit.

 

“Ugh…” groaned a voice from outside. Ranma walked out and grabbed the boy by his collar, lifting him up into the air.

 

“You little punk!” Ranma growled into the taller boy's face. “If I ever see you put a hand on my sister again, I'll break your legs! You got that?!”

 

“…violent…thug…” the other boy groaned.

 

“You can make that two on two skating!” Ranma growled as he tossed the other boy away. “If I see your filth before the match, I won't accept responsibility for any injuries you receive,” He snorted and flicked his pig-tail behind his head as he walked back into the establishment to be met by cheers.

 

“ugh…”

 

-

 

Later that afternoon, Akane and the Saotome twins were walking along a fence on the way home.

 

“Thanks, bro,” Ranko said from behind Ranma. “I kinda froze up there for a moment. Dunno what would have happened if you hadn't jumped in.”

 

“You'd have broken his jaw, right?” Ranma stated more than asked cheerfully.

 

“Shattered more like,” Akane snorted from her position ahead of the twins.

 

“Yeah.” Ranko nodded. “Anyway, Ranma, what made you decide to join the challenge?”

 

“Feh, I know that guy's type. He needs to be knocked down a peg or two, he's just begging for it,” the other boy snorted.

 

“Heh, yeah.” The girl smiled.

 

“Anyway, Ranko, what were you thinking when you challenged Azusa?”

 

“Don't worry your little head off, Akane-chan,” Ranko said, holding up a finger. “I've got this one in the bag.”

 

“Really, now?”

 

“Of course, of course. I don't go off half-cocked like some people,” She said, sneaking a glance at her brother.

 

“Yes you do. All the time!” Akane said.

 

“Have a little faith,” Ranko said with mock hurt.

 

“That's what you always say,” Akane growled.

 

“Well…”

 

“What are you two talking about, anyway?” Ranma asked.

 

“Nothing,” the girls chorused.

 

---

 

One day later, Ranma, Ranko and Akane were all at the local rink…

 

“You two…” Akane sighed and put hand to her head, in a vain attempt to stop the migraine that was forming. “What were you thinking when you challenged two expert level skaters?” She glanced up at the two, who were both currently sprawled on the ground, and hung her head back down in shame. “You can't even stand on the ice.”

 

“Come on Akane,” Ranko said. “You've got to give us some credit. We've made wonderful progress!”

 

“I don't call figuring out which skate goes on which foot real progress, but whatever,” the Tendo girl muttered.

 

“Feh,” Ranma-chan said as she used the wall to stand up, and Ranma followed. “Hey Ranma, shouldn't you be training your boy form to skate? I mean, your equilibrium changes with your gender, doesn't it?”

 

“Well yeah, but I'd rather do the really embarrassing part as a girl,” she admitted. “It'd suck if people connected my boy-form to this horrible skating,”

 

“I wish I could change my identity like that,” Ranko muttered. “Then I'd look just like you.”

 

“Well…heh heh heh,” Ranma gave a nervous chuckle, rubbing his head.

 

“Come on, let's try it again,” Akane sighed as she held out her hands. The two graciously accepted the offer and soon the three were all skating, albeit rather clumsily. “I think you two are getting it now,” she said.

 

“Well of course. I used to be real good at this,” Ranko snorted.

 

“Huh? When?” Akane asked in confusion.

 

“…A long, long time ago,” Ranko sighed. Akane blinked, but accepted it. Ranko said that sometimes, but would never really explain what it meant.

 

“Excuse me,” Piped up a familiar voice. A blur crashed into the girls and Akane stumbled, falling over, while Ranko slid to an abrupt stop.

 

“Hey! What the heck was that for?!” Ranko asked as she turned to see Azusa standing aside.

 

“Now now, this isn't a time for quarreling. After all, your friend is…” She pointed away and Ranko blinked as she turned to see Ranma sliding away from momentum alone at an incredible speed.

 

“GYAAAAAA!” the girl cried out with wide eyes as she blazed a trail through the ice.

 

“Ranma!” two girls called out in alarm.

 

“AAAAAAAA— eh?” Ranma blinked as she collided with something soft. She blinked and looked up. “H-huh?”

 

“You're safe now, miss,” said the muffled voice from above. Ranma looked up and had to stifle a giggle. Mikado Sanzenin was looking down at her. The things that almost made her laugh, however, were the huge bandages wrapped around the bottom of his jaw.

 

“Uh…thanks, mister,” her face twitched in restrained amusement. `How's yer jaw, punk?' “Say, does your jaw hurt?”

 

“Your concern is appreciated, but unnecessary,” the boy said in a `noble' voice.

 

“Do your girl-chasing later,” Azusa called out as she kneed the boy over the head. “We have to practice the assault of a hundred foes.”

 

“The assault of a hundred foes?” Akane blinked in confusion. Ranko slowly skated over to Akane, flinching every time the skates bit into her ankles.

 

“Damn, this is going to seriously hurt when we're done,” she muttered under her breath. “It's combat skating, Akane,” She said when she was close enough.

 

“Fair maidens, it would be best you all to move well enough away from my partner and I,” Mikado announced as he deposited Ranma-chan next to Ranko and Akane. “It would not do for any of you to be hurt.” He skated away, back to his partner, and it was just then that the three girls realized what had joined them all on the ice rink. Hockey players and other assorted fighters whose skills were compatible with ice-skating quickly closed a circle on the pair, surrounding them.

 

“Whoa,” Ranma blinked. “Isn't that what you two used to do every morning?” She asked, pointing at the group as the “golden pair” proceeded to maul the crowd.

 

“Yep,” Ranko said.

 

“Heh, this should be easy, then,”

 

“You don't know the half of it,” Ranko smirked. “You two practice on your own, I think I'm getting the hang of this,” She called out as she skated away.

 

“Feh, I'll figure it out soon enough,” Ranma said in as suave a voice as her vocal chords could generate.

 

“Eee! It's a cute piggy!” called out a voice.

 

“Eh?” Akane blinked as she turned around. P-chan was somehow speeding across the rink towards her. The pig leapt up, only to be smashed between two bodies. “Uh…” She blinked as Ranko and Azusa groaned and fell, on top of P-chan. She let go of Ranma who instantly began wobbling, skated over to the small black animal who was struggling under the two girls. “P-chan! What are you doing here? We left you home…”

 

“AKANE! I'M GONNA FALL OVER IF YOU DON'T CATCH ME!” came the panicked voice of her fiancé.

 

“I can teach you to skate,” Mikado said as he swooped in to catch her. He held her securely under one of his arms as he leapt into the air and preformed a triple-spin.

 

“Thanks, but no thanks,” said the slightly dis-oriented girl as she recovered from the sudden movement.

 

“Then at least you can thank me for my earlier rescue,” He intoned, assuming the `position'. After assuming the `position' he executed `Sanzenin maneuver #1'.

 

There was silence.

 

And then-

 

“WAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Ranma sobbed as she skated across the ice. Ranko blinked in confusion as she stood up; seconds before she hadn't even been able to stand, but was now leaving the rank at a speed most intermediate skaters would be jealous of.

 

`I guess I'd be crying too if I was kissed by a boy,' Akane thought with a pitying stare. Suddenly she felt something and her eyes widened and she turned her head to the left. What she saw surprised her immensely; Ranko was giving off a visible aura and her eyes were glowing. She was shrouded almost completely in red, and Akane could see water trailing behind her as she rapidly skated towards Mikado.

 

“You idiot!” She yelled. Mikado blinked as he turned to see her approaching just as her fist collided with his face, sending him into a blurred daze.

 

“MIKADO!” came another voice. “YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!”

 

“Ranma! Over here!” Mikado shook his head to clear it as that familiar voice sounded out, and he realized he was being held by the armpits. When he finally had a clear vision, it was of a very angry Saotome Ranma skating towards him at Mach 17. The person holding him up moved to the side just as Ranma got close enough, and before Mikado could fall over the rage-incarnate that was Ranma collided with him.

 

---

 

“Did you really have to punch him five hundred times?” Akane asked her fiancé at dinner later that night, more than slightly annoyed.

 

“He deserved it,” Ranko huffed.

 

“He deserved worse,” Ranma growled as his chopsticks snapped.

 

“Okay, that's enough of whatever you're all talking about,” Nabiki growled. “Every time you bring it up, Ranma breaks another set of chopsticks.”

 

“Eh,” Ranko shrugged. “Your sister brought it up.”

 

“It's quite pathetic, really,” came a familiar voice. This time, Ranko's chopsticks broke.

 

“Ryoga, what are you still doing here? You hang around this place way too much,” Ranko said as the lost boy stood at the door.

 

“I would never have let that happen to me,” He said, flat out ignoring her, causing her even more frustration.

 

“Shut up!” Ranma said, standing up to face him. “If I hadn't been stuck in skates, that moron would have never--”

 

“Kissed you?” Ryoga asked with a smirk.

 

“Really? Who kissed him?” Nabiki asked as she and Kasumi finally became interested with the conversation.

 

“Tell them, Ranma. After all, it isn't so often that one is kissed by such a handsome boy…” Ranma went slack with remembrance.

 

“He was kissed by a boy?” Kasumi spoke up with surprise.

 

“Well that doesn't count, does it?” Nabiki asked.

 

“Not unless it's his first, but it couldn't have been.” Kasumi said with a smile. There was silence for a good moment.

 

“…Argh!” Ranma finally cried out. “That's it! I'm leaving!” He stomped away from the room. Akane sighed and walked in a different direction.

 

-

 

Ranko blinked as she opened the door to the dojo. Less than an entire second later. Ranko shut the door back before turning around, her eyes wide. The door opened just then and a red-faced Akane was standing there.

 

“It wasn't what you think it was, honest!”

 

“Heh, right.” Ranko smirked as she walked into the dojo, crossing her arms. “When were you two planning on telling me you were taking this fiancé business seriously?” She stopped just before a beet-red Ranma.

 

“I told you, it—“

 

“Oh, can it, girl,” She said. “You two were practically slobbering all over each other's faces!”

 

“Don't say it like that!” Akane snapped, scandalized.

 

“Okay, okay. But still.” She looked down at Ranma who, in turn, looked up at her, annoyed. “Do you want me to tell the old geezers about this, or what? I mean, between those two, you two could be married before the night was over,” she said as her smirk grew even wider.

 

“Yeah,” Ranma said, annoyed. Akane looked at him in shock as Ranma continued. “And then we could find Ryoga and make it a double affair. Right, Akane?” Akane caught on and smirked at her friend.

 

“Definitely. Would save money, wouldn't it? I think he's still here. Isn't he?”

 

“Hmph,” Ranko frowned, crossing her arms. “Unlike you two, Ryoga and I aren't at the swapping saliva stage.”

 

“We weren't!” Ranma and Akane proclaimed. They glanced at each other and then looked away.

 

“And on the contrary, Ryoga is perfect for you. You intimidate everyone else!”

 

“That's not true,” Ranko protested. “All of the boys at school think I'm cute.”

 

“Cute,” Ranma interjected. “They only look at you like a slab of meat.”

 

“I know that,” She snapped. “But there's no way Ryoga and I would work out.”

 

“Why not? He's a perfect gentleman,” Akane said. Ranma nodded and Ranko gawked at the two of them in surprise. “That already puts him leagues ahead of the pervert brigade.”

 

“Gentleman?” she asked, incredulous. She blinked as she realized something. `That's right - Ryoga never started sleeping in Akane's bed, and he tries to spend as little time as P-chan as possible. He won't sleep near me because I irritate him. That doesn't mean he wouldn't do it if I started treating him better, though.' “Listen, Ryoga's capable of far worse than either of you could imagine. The worst perverts are perverts in secret,” she said, holding up a finger.

 

“That's…that's sort of true, but,” Akane started. “If you really believed that, wouldn't you have to be suspicious of every male?” she asked.

 

“I'm not openly perverted, and I sure as hell ain't like that,” Ranma snorted indignantly.

 

“You're different; you know what it's like to be a girl,” Ranko pointed out.

 

“Tofu isn't perverted,”

 

“We don't know that,” Ranko said in a wary voice.

 

“That's just paranoia,” Akane sighed.

 

“One who watches his shoulder is one you can not stab in the back,” Ranko said, sagely, nodding her head with her eyes closed.

 

“Huh?” Both teens looked at her incredulously. “Who said that?” Ranma asked.

 

“I made it up just now,” Ranko explained.

 

“Your sister has always been slightly paranoid,” Akane sighed as she looked at the ground with a hand on her head.

 

“That's wonderful,” Ranma groaned.

 

“I am not paranoid. I am careful. And if the two of you were a little more careful, I never would have discovered your little tryst.” Ranko said in annoyance as she started to leave the dojo.

 

“It was not like that!” the two shouted again in vain as the door shut.

 

“Man, that girl,” Ranma sighed. “Was she always like that?”

 

“As long as I've known her,” Akane echoed his sigh. “Uh, anyway, listen. About earlier…” She looked at him uncertainly.

 

“Oh yeah,” He said, blushing. “It uh, didn't…I mean if you want…”

 

“No way did that count, pervert,” she said, narrowing her eyes.

 

“Pervert? Look who's…” `That didn't count?' “Wait a minute…huh?”

 

“Let's talk about that later,” Akane said, defensively. Ranma nodded vacantly and Akane breathed an internal sigh of relief. Likely, Ranma would forget all about it. “But really, what do you think of Ryoga?”

 

“Like I said, he's all right. I'd trust him way more than any other guy with my sister,”

 

“Then help me get them together,” Akane said, determinedly.

 

“What?”

 

“Like I said, earlier, she intimidates other guys. They don't want anything serious from her, it's just how they are. And to be honest, I can't see her `settling down' with some boring salaryman or some such. She needs someone who can keep up with her.”

 

“You're right,” Ranma said, rubbing his chin. “I'll give it some thought.” He sighed finally.

 

“That's all I need right now,” Akane said in a grateful tone.

 

-

 

Ranko sat on her futon in the guest room with a notepad.

 

“Okay. So the next major group to show up will be the Amazons…” She paused for a moment and bit her lip, tapping a pencil against a note-pad. `Uh, but who's after that? I know Happosai showed up in like volume nine or something…but as far as that, the only other major things I can remember are Herb and Saffron… Damn, sixteen years can really screw up your memory. If I hadn't obsessed over this for the first three or so years, then I would probably not even remember any of it…jeez, this sucks. Makes me feel old. Then again, I'm like…technically thirty three or something.' She paused as that disturbing thought entered her mind.

 

“Yeesh, I am old.” She sighed and doodled some on the notebook before another name came to her. “Oh yeah! How could I forget Ukyo? She's around…uh, issue… thirteen? Or was that the Hiryu shoten ha…Or Ryoga's Bakusai Tenketsu training…Man, this really sucks…” She sighed as she lay back on the futon.

 

Meanwhile, just outside the door, Ranma was standing there, in confusion, having stopped when a familiar name was called out. `Wait a minute…Ukyo, Ukyo… Where have I heard that before…Ukyo…Kuunji? Konshiji?' He turned around, ready to go downstairs and ask his pop just what the name meant. `Maybe someone from the training trip-' He froze again when he heard Ryoga's name. `Bakusai Tenketsu?' He blinked. `Ryoga's got a new technique? And what the heck does she mean by Hiryu Shoten Ha?' He turned around again, ready to walk in and demand she tell him just what kind of techniques he was keeping from her, when she abruptly walked into him.

 

“Oh, excuse me,” Ranko said, as she walked away. Ranma simply watched her go, unable to say anything.

 

`I'll go ask pops about it,'

 

-

 

“Where did you hear that name, boy?” Genma asked as he looked around. The rotund man had been playing a last game of shogi with Soun, and until he heard the word `Kounji' hadn't even acknowledged the boy.

 

“Huh? I dunno, it just came to me,” he said, equally uncomfortable.

 

“It's not important,” Genma said rather hastily. “Forget about it.”

 

“Not important?” Ranma asked suspiciously. `It… feels important. The old fool is lying again, definitely someone from the training trip.'

 

“That's right, not important. Now go on to bed, boy.” Ranma bit back a retort- It wasn't the old man's job to tell him when to go to bed anymore, but he had to admit that it was what he'd been planning on before he heard Ranko rambling about something.

 

---

 

The rest of the week passed by rather uneventfully. The day of the match finally arrived, and after much practice on Ranma's part and some re-learning on Ranko's part, Ranma was feeling very confident of their odds.

 

“I'm telling you, Ranma, you didn't need to practice that much. You probably won't ice-skate again after this for years to come,”

 

“Well, I have a policy that says never give less than your all, and for me my all is the max,” he said, puffing his chest out.

 

“Right, right, whatever. Listen, It'd have been over in seconds regardless of whether or not you could even stand,” She said confidently.

 

“What makes you say that? These two are supposedly the best combat skaters in the area.”

 

“Women's intuition,” She smirked, waving a finger. “And besides, we're the best no matter what.”

 

“Right,” Ranma smiled lightly at his sister.

 

-

 

The twins watched as Mikado and Azusa made their introduction as the crowd roared in approval.

 

“We'll beat them really easy, just you watch,” Ranko snorted, with her arms crossed.

 

“Well of course. Saotomes don't lose,” He agreed.

 

“Yes. Now come! We must show up their entrance!”

 

“Agreed!” He said. When neither of them moved, they looked at each other.

 

“Well? What's the plan? How can we do better than that?”

 

“What? You're the one who suggested it!”

 

“Oh yeah.” She blinked and scratched her head before doing the palm-in-fist. “Of course!” She held up a palm and a ball of light appeared. Ranma blinked before closing his eyes.

 

-

 

“And now, if the Saotome team would make themselves-” There was a bright flash of light and “suddenly” the twins were standing beside both Azusa and Mikado. “-known and there they are!” They were met with mixed reactions; cheers from some part of the crowd, silence from other parts, and of course jeers from the Mikado and Azusa supporters.

 

“Hello,” Ranko waved to Mikado and Azusa. “Just a reminder, we're not a couple,” Ranma looked at her in confusion.

 

“Why would we be a couple?”

 

“They specialize in anti-couple warfare,” she said, shrugging. “So anyway, you two, let's get started, ne?” She grabbed Ranma's arm and led him away from the two.

 

“So, what's our strategy?” Ranma asked.

 

“Simple. We improvise. That's what our school does, right?”

 

“That's part of it,” Ranma agreed. The two split up and awaited their opponents. After a few moments of bickering, the `Golden Pair' managed to split themselves up as well, and they each went after their respective opponents; Ranma and Mikado, Ranko and Azusa.

 

-

 

Ranko skated backwards as Azusa approached her.

 

`She seems hesitant. It's probably been a while since they fought separately like this.' Ranko smirked as the other girl finally increased her speed and flew at her. When Azusa leapt at her, Ranko ducked down and turned to the right suddenly. She watched the other girl pass through the air behind her and started to follow her. The other girl landed smoothly, but was now going too fast in the opposite direction. Ranko smirked and jumped at her from behind. “Hiyaah!” The smaller girl managed to duck under the jump-kick, and just as Ranko passed over, she kicked up. Ranko grinned as she grabbed onto the other girl's leg and used her own momentum to pull the girl to the ground.

 

Both girls fell to the ground in a heap. Ranko stood up immediately and held up her hands. “Source of all power, crimson fire burning bright, gather in my hand and become my strength! Fireball!” There was an orange glow surrounding her as she summoned a small orb of flame into her hands. She reeled back and threw it like a fast pitch; Azusa, still disoriented, didn't see the sphere of flame closing on her. There was an explosion of heat. Both male fighters turned their heads only to see Azusa flying at them, slightly darkened and dazed. She crashed into the two of them, and they all flew into a wall.

 

“Huh…” Ranko looked on in confusion as something occurred to her. `That's right- Azusa and Mikado didn't really seem to have much other than the `couple crippler' or whatever. But that can't be all they have… I mean, no one becomes the `best' at something from having just one skill…' She looked at where her fireball had impacted the rink. There was now a jagged hole with melted edges in the rink. The water below the ice was boiling, and the cracks in the hole were spreading.

 

`Uh oh. That doesn't look good… If the water beneath the ice is boiling, then the entire surface of the rink will be reduced to just water soon!' She gauged the thickness of the ice and estimated they had five minutes before the match was forcibly ended. “I need to plan these things ahead,” she grumbled to herself as she skated and hopped over the hole-

 

Just as an angry Ranma and Mikado tossed Azusa at her. The two girls collided in mid air and fell into the hot water.

 

“Aackack Atchiiii!!” “Hot! Hot! HOT!”

 

“Now, where were we?” Mikado asked as he turned to his opponent. Ranma smirked and cracked his knuckles as he lunged at the other teen.

 

The two girls climbed out of the water, and stood up. They were both red from over heating, soaked, and dripping. As soon as Azusa saw Ranko, she let loose a (cute)war cry and leaped into a jump kick. Ranko crouched and leapt up into a spinning uppercut as the girl passed over head. `We've been doing that a lot,' she thought to herself. When she landed, the piece of ice she landed on broke off and started floating away, quickly melting. Ranko's eyes widened and she jumped, barely landing on another part. Azusa was already up and skating towards her with a fierce look in her eyes.

 

Ranko barely had the time to notice as the other girl (cutely) head butt her in the side, sending her flying into a wall. Ranko groaned as she opened her eyes to see a (cute) furious Shiratori speeding towards her. Ranko held up a hand and a bright light appeared. Azusa screamed as the bright light burned her retinas, and she clutched her eyes as her momentum made her trip onto the ice and slide towards Ranko. Ranko smirked and held up a finger as the girl approached, headfirst.

 

“It's time to end this,” She said as the girl slid into her. She tapped her head and said the word to end the match. “Sleep!” The girl before her went slack and Ranko sighed in relief, standing up. She looked at her brother who was still fighting with Sanzenin. “I need to work on that spell. Having to touch them isn't very convenient…”

 

-

 

“Now, where were we?” Ranma cracked his knuckles and leapt at Mikado with a fist cocked back.

 

“You were about to lose,” The pig-tailed wonder said rather calmly as Mikado raised an eye at the other boy's retort and smirked, leaning back.

 

“Really, Saotome, you don't stand a chance!” He sneered as he weaved around the other boy's attacks, then all of a sudden tripped. As he fell backwards, his feet flew up, luckily kicking Ranma in the solar plexus. Ranma flew over head, clutching his chest in pain in surprise at the force in which Mikado had kicked him, and where. Mikado, not having seen that he'd even hit Ranma, looked at his opponent in confusion as the other boy flew into a wall. He stood up and looked down at the crack in which he'd tripped over, eyes widening. “What in the world…”

 

“That was a lucky shot,” Ranma gasped out as he stood up, not having any idea just how right he was.

 

“Just what are you talking about?” Mikado asked.

 

“You know what I mean, asshole,” the pig-tailed martial artist growled as he slowly stood up. Suddenly, the ice between him and Mikado shifted, breaking apart. “Huh?!”

 

“That's odd,” Mikado said as he saw the water over the edge of the ice. “The water beneath the pool; it's boiling hot.” The boy looked on in confusion.

 

“That makes it all the more interesting, eh?” Ranma smirked as he started leaned back and started skating to the side. The other boy smirked and followed him. They both headed towards the largest chunk of ice, keeping sure to jump over cracks and gaps in the ice. Once they were both there they both circled each other at incredible speed. Ranma had to admit- the skates were making him move faster than he could run; but handling was a nightmare and stopping nearly impossible.

 

Then again, Ranma did the impossible on a daily basis; he wasn't about to let something like ice skates stop him. The two continued to circle each other for a good twenty seconds before Ranma finally had enough and leapt at his opponent with a roundhouse kick. Mikado caught his leg and leapt into the air, spinning three times before letting him go, flying into the wall. Ranma successfully flipped in the air and landed up right, but his momentum carried him backwards into the only wall their particular chunk of ice was still connected to.

 

He groaned and but tried to keep his eyes open. He spotted Mikado coming at him from an angle and he had leapt forward to dodge the somersault kicks. Ranma watched as his opponent changed directions and turned around to come back towards him just as there was an intense flash of light that blinded both of them and Ranma yelped as an arm reflexively shot up to cover his eyes. He glanced over at his sister and saw the girl standing up over an apparently unconscious Azusa Shiratori. “She's done already? That's not good,” Ranma said. “Makes me look bad- Whoa!” He fell backwards into some water and Mikado chuckled at the boy's clumsiness.

 

“How appropriate. Now it is only myself and the paragon of beau…” He felt a chill go down his spine and reflexively jumped forward just as Ranma crashed up from under him with his head, breaking the ice. He turned around and looked on in confusion, then jumped to the side with wide eyes as Ranma landed on the ice - with his head, once again. “…Incredible.” He frowned as the other both chuckled, standing up. “Such determination…I would be insulting you if I didn't take you seriously,”

 

“So you begin to see,” Ranma chuckled. Mikado raised his limbs in a funky way and Ranma narrowed his eyes.

 

“I would not normally use this on a beginner,” Mikado said as Ranma started for him. “You should feel honored!” He began to spin and became a swirling tornado of death just as Ranma collided with him. Instead of colliding, however, he got caught up in Mikado's Dance of Death.

 

-

 

Ranko stood on one of the last chunks of ice. It was a amazing - the water, while not boiling, had managed to stay hot enough to continue melting the rink. The largest chunk of ice now had Ranma and Mikado on it, and was also rapidly shrinking. She turned as her danger sense flared and saw Ranma flying towards her. She held up her hands and caught the boy, only to realize that it had been the wrong move as he slammed into her, sending them both flying into a wall. She groaned as they hit the wall, but hung there with one of her arms to keep from falling into the water. Ranma blinked as he realized his sister was holding him up.

 

“Hey,” he said casually.

 

“Does this mean we win?” She asked. Azusa had still yet to get up, for she was still (Cutely) asleep. Mikado was standing stock-still, apparently unconscious.

 

“I guess so.” He shrugged.

 

“Okay,” She said, dropping him into the water.

 

“HEY-”

 

“Oh relax, at least it's not cold,” She said as she hung from the wall.

 

“And the match goes to the Saotome team! The pig is theirs!” A sudden cheer erupted as the announcer finished his statement and both twins smirked at each other.

 

-

 

“That was a little intense,” Akane remarked as her friend changed clothes. “Just what did you do? I mean, how did you get the ice to melt?”

 

“Uh, Magic, remember?”

 

“Magic?” Recognition flashed in Akane's eyes. “Oh yeah!” She turned to her friend. “Say, why won't you teach me any magic?”

 

“Hm? Oh well, you see…Uh, it's not my place to teach anyone outside of the family…” she said. “May teacher gave me permission to train Ranma, but you would have to ask him to learn magic.”

 

“Really? Does it require some kind of oath or something?”

 

“Yeah. You gotta swear to cause as much havoc as possible, leaving all levels of despair in your wake.”

 

“I already do some of that,” Akane said non-chalantly, waving a hand.

 

“Hmm,”

 

-

 

Ranko, Akane, Ranma and Ryoga were on their way out of the school.

 

“Say, Ryoga, when did you get here?” Akane asked.

 

“Since the very beginning,” Ryoga seethed, glaring at Ranma. Ranma merely whistled innocently.

 

“Hey,” Ranko said, stopping. “Where did P-chan go? I saw him at the judges table, but never actually got him back!”

 

“Hmm, you're right,” Ryoga said. “Oh well, I'm sure he's safe. That little guy is tough.”

 

“What would you know?” Ranko asked her unwilling fiancé snidely.

 

“Indeed, what would I know?” Ryoga seethed, once again looking at Ranma, who only increased in cheeriness with the whistling.

 

Suddenly, all of the teens stopped. Ranma felt a damn familiar chill go down his spine and looked to one of the walls. It suddenly bulged towards them and Ranma's eyes opened to saucers.

 

“It couldn't be!” He nearly shrieked, taking a few steps away from the wall. The wall suddenly caved in and a purple haired girl stood there as the dust cleared. Two of the teens looked at her in confusion, one merely looked at her as if they'd been expecting it, and one of them cringed in abject horror.

 

“Ranma!” Shampoo declared as her eyes fell on Ranko. “You I KILL!” She raised a very lethal looking steel sword and flew at the other girl.

 

“W-whuh?” Ranko mouthed in confusion, fear and surprise keeping her from making actual sound.

 

----

 

¯\(ºo)/¯