Bakamoichigei #1
(Even a Fool Has One Talent)
By: Caryll Griffin
It was a typical day at the Tendo home. Akane was sitting at the table eating breakfast with Soun, Nabiki, Ranma, and Genma(panda-form of course). She glared over at Ranma who stuck his tongue out at her. Ranma looks slightly battered with several bruises and cuts. Kasumi walked in, oblivious to everything as usual. She smiles at Ranma and Akane and puts down another bowl of food. Almost instantly Ranma and Genma are in a battle over the food. Akane sighs with exasperation and stands up.
"I'm going to school. *I* don't want to be late like I was yesterday!" She glares at Ranma. He sticks out his tongue and Genma takes the chance to grab the food and eat it. Ranma grabs his books and they head off for school.
On the way to school, Ranma is in his usual position on the fence and Akane is walking down on the sidewalk. Far off, a bell can be heard ringing. Ranma's eyes widen as the sound draws closer. He tries to run out of the way but it's too late.
*CRASH*
"Nihao Ranma! Ranma take Shampoo on date?" Shampoo had landed on top of Ranma with her bike as usual. Ranma lays twitching underneath. Akane is still on the sidewalk and she looks pissed! She storms over to Shampoo who looks down at her with a smirk.
"What you want Violent girl? Ranma no want take *you* on date!" Shampoo gives her a self satisfied grin. Big mistake. Akane shakes with rage and with lightning speed punts Shampoo, bike and all, into the drainage ditch. Akane looks down as Shampoo-cat crawls out of the water and shakes her fur.
Akane looks down at her watch and her eyes bug out.
"Gyahhh! C'mon Ranma! We're going to be late!" She grabs him by the ponytail and runs off for the school. When she gets to the gate she is met by Kuno holding his bokken and a boquet of roses.
"Ah, the sweet and lovely Tendo Akane! I am nothing but worthless scum compared to your innocent beauty! I profess my love to you! Come! Jump into my arms!" He holds open his arms waiting for Akane to run into them. As Akane runs by she swings at him. Because she is holding Ranma by his pigtail, she is thrown off and misses. She continues running though and Ranma hits him with a well placed kick knocking Kuno unconcious.
"See ya later, Kuno!"
The day goes by like any other would. Ranma and Akane fight. Ranma gets hit, pounded, punched, malleted, punted, and beat with desks. Kuno professes his love to Akane and Ranma knocks him unconscious. Ukyo flirts with Ranma while Akane glares at them. At the end of the day Ranma and Akane walk home together. Ranma is on top of the fence and Akane is walking on the sidewalk.
When they get home, Kasumi is waiting with a plate full of cookies.
"I made some cookies. Ranma, Akane do you want one?" They grab the plate and run into the dojo. Akane sits down and watches as Ranma begins to practice his kata. She just sits there, mesmerized by his fluid movements and practiced skill. She sighs, content to just sit there and watch him.
Suddenly there is a loud crash and the wall caves in. This happens often and Akane wasn't too fazed about it. She was expecting to see Shampoo or Kodachi standing in the rubble after the dust cleared.
"What the-" Ranma began. A phrase heard oh too often. When the dust finally cleared, standing amidst the rubble was a girl they'd never seen before. She had short brown hair she had pulled back into a ponytail. Resting on her head most likely holding up the ponytail was a red and black bow. She wore Chinese clothes that were somewhat similar to Ranma's except that her shirt was green instead of red. On her wrists were two guards. She had a backpack on her back and she was carrying a battered piece of paper.
"Happosai! Happosai, I know you're here somewhere!" She looked around the room totally ignoring the looks Ranma and Akane were giving her. She runs up to Ranma and grabs him by the shirt.
"Where is he? Where's that old letch at?" Ranma just kinda looked at her. He was used to people, especially women, looking to kill Happosai.
"Haven't seen him. But can I ask *you* a question?" She looks at him and lets go of his shirt, taking a step back. Obviously she hadn't expected this. "Who are you?"
"My name is Okabayashi Miyoko." She bows.
"I'm Saotome Ranma, and this is Tendo Akane. Now, what are you doing in the dojo and why did you come through the wall screaming 'Happosai'?" At the mention of Happosai her eyes flash anger but she doesn't say anything. She silently hands him the battered piece of paper she was carrying. He looks at it and then back at Miyoko.
"It's just the Tendo's address. Where did you get this and what does it have to do with the old man?" Ranma asks somewhat exasperated.
"It's a long story. Let's just say I know the old man is somehow connected to this address. Am I correct?" Ranma gets a little squirmish at the question. He doesn't want to admit Happosai really *is* connected to this address. Miyoko looks at him with anticipation. Akane notices Ranma's nervous behavior and then looks at Miyoko's look of pure anticipation.
"Geeze Ranma! If you won't answer her *I* will!" she turns to Miyoko, "Happosai is more or less, my dad and Ranma's dad's master. And I guess you could kinda say he lives here. Although he doesn't exactly live anywhere!" Miyoko looks at Akane and tries to sort out the lame answer. She seems to accept it no matter how lame.
They look up as the door slides open. Kasumi walks in and smiles her famous smile.
"Ranma, Akane, who's your little friend?" They look over at Miyoko. She looks between them and then at Kasumi.
"Uh, my name's Okabayashi Miyoko." She bows briefly to Kasumi.
"Oh, well, it's time for dinner. Would you like to join us?" Miyoko nods. Kasumi smiles before turning around and walking out. Ranma looks at Akane and she shrugs. Ranma shrugs back and walks out. Akane looks back at Miyoko.
"I'm Akane. You want to come to dinner?" Miyoko nods again and follows Akane out of the dojo.
Sitting around the table, Miyoko sits warily watching Genma-panda. He just looks at her and holds up a sign. "Who's that?"
Miyoko now *really* gives him a weird look. Ranma doesn't notice this exchange because he's shoveling food in his mouth likes there's no tomorrow. Genma-panda gets annoyed at not being answered and Miyoko isn't about to answer a question on a sign that is being held up by a panda. He does the only thing left to do, he smacks Ranma in the back of the head with a sign that says, "Answer me!"
"Why'd ya do that for pop?!"
Sign, "Who's that?!" Genma-panda points at Miyoko who gets a rather sheepish look on her face. "Oh, that's Miyoko. She's come looking for revenge on Happosai. You know how it is!"
Sign, "Oh. Konnichiha!"
Miyoko looks at the panda weirdly and he begins to sweat. Miyoko just shrugs and starts to eat her food. Kasumi walks in and smiles at Miyoko.
"So Miyoko, where do you live?" Kasumi asks sweetly as always. She was used to the showing up of strange new people so she wasn't going to waste her breath asking her why she was here.
"I, uh, don't...really...live anywhere," she says her face turning bright red. "I've been training in China for the last year."
"Oh my! Well, we can't have that can we? You can stay with us! You can sleep in Akane's room. You don't mind do you Akane?" Kasumi asks smiling at Akane and then at Miyoko.
"Uh, no, course not!" Miyoko looks just as quizzeled as everyone else and she just nods. The girl that had just busted through the dojo wall seeking death to the coming and going resident, Happosai, was now going to be staying awhile.
After dinner, Miyoko follows Akane back into the practice hall not really knowing what else to do. Miyoko sits down and watches as Akane practices. She seems to be rather confused at the moment and stays silent.
Akane notices this and walks over, sitting down next to her.
"You don't talk much do you?"
"Well, I've been up in the mountains for the last year. And anyway, I'm still confused."
"Confused about what? About Kasumi offering to let you stay? Think nothing of it! We have people show up seeking revenge on the people living here all the time! It's *never* normal around here!" Akane smiles at Miyoko.
Outside of the practice hall, Ranma stands by the sliding door which is open a crack. He's listening to Miyoko and Akane's conversation.
Inside the practice hall, "You said you were practicing in the mountains right?" nod "Well, wanna practice with me? We can be friends." Akane smiles.
Outside the practice hall, "Hmph! Where have I heard that before! I can just picture it now! Miyoko is really a boy, Akane walks in on her in the bath, and we have a new skylight in the bathroom! Look out Miyoko!"
Inside the practice hall, Akane and Miyoko are circling each other. Akane rushes Miyoko who flips over her head and lands behind her. She swipes Akane's feet out from under her but Akane catches herself before she hits the ground. Miyoko jumps at a startled Akane. Grabbing Akane's shoulders as she flies over her head, she flips her and roles back to her feet. Akane flies into a practice dummy. She gets up breathing hard.
"You're *huff* quite *huff* good!" She says smiling despite her defeat.
"Well, I did just come from training for a year in the mountains. I really should be more careful. I didn't hurt you did I?" Akane shakes her head. Miyoko smiles, relieved she didn't just ruin the chances of her staying here for a couple days.
"Why don't you go take a shower. I'll take one after you're finished. I need to pound the baka that's been spying on us!" Akane said walking over and whipping the door open making Ranma fall in.
"Heh heh! A-Akane have you seen my...uh..." he scans the room praying that he left something in the dojo. He smiles sheepishly up at Akane and closes his eyes waiting for the inevitable punch. He doesn't receive one and opens his eyes. Akane is standing over him with an evil grin on her face.
*SPLASH*
Akane walks back out of the dojo with a satisfied grin on her face. Ranma-chan just sits in a puddle of water mumbling angrily. She finally gets up and walks out of the dojo. Walking past the pond he notices a little black pig with a yellow and black bandanna jump out of it.
"So I see you finally found your way back, Ryoga! I wondered what happened to you when you said you were going to the bathroom and never came back." he pauses "Hey, Ryoga, have you passed by China recently? See, there's this girl that showed up at the dojo today and she's seeking vengeance on Happosai. But then again who isn't? Do you know anything about her? She says she just came from China."
Ryoga just looks at her. He gives Ranma-chan a look that says 'I know something you don't know!' and then runs off in the direction of Akane's room. Ranma-chan fumes but doesn't follow.
"He'll never make it to her room without getting lost!" Ranma-chan thinks out loud. She walks into the house and is about to walk into the kitchen to boil some water when she hears Akane.
"P-Chan! Where have you been? I've been worried about you!"
Ranma-chan rolls her eyes and steps into the kitchen.
Miyoko walks out of the bathroom and into Akane's room. Akane is sitting on her bed playing with P-Chan.
"Akane, I'm done!" notices P-Chan "Is that your pet?"
"Uh huh! His name's P-Chan. You wanna hold him while I'm in the shower?"
"Uh, sure." Akane hands P-Chan to Miyoko and walks out of the room. "Well, P-Chan, be good while a get changed!" At the mention of her changing clothes, P-Chan's eyes get a little bigger. Miyoko doesn't notice and walks over to her backpack. She pulls out a pair of boxer shorts and a shirt. She sits down in front of the mirror.
Outside of Akane's window, Ranma is crawling across the roof carrying a kettle full of hot water.
"I've got to find out what Ryoga knows about Miyoko!" He crawls down to the ledge and hangs over it looking into Akane's bedroom. He sees Miyoko sitting in front of the mirror and P-Chan sitting on the bed blushing.
"Hmm. What's that pig blushing about?"
Inside Akane's room, Miyoko pulls a brush out of her backpack. She reaches up and tugs gently on her bow. It loosens and falls to the floor as she shakes her hair out of the ponytail. Suddenly Ryoga's eyes get even bigger (if that is at all possible)! Outside Ranma's eyes also widen. On top of Miyoko's head are two furry orange and black striped tiger ears!
She slowly runs the brush through her hair. Whenever the brush gets to the tiger ears she lays them flat and gently brushes over them. She looks over at P-Chan who stares at her in shock.
"I see you've noticed the ears. You won't tell anybody will you piggy?" Miyoko walks over to P-Chan and softly pets him. She looks at him sadly. She sighs and scratches behind his ears. "You're probably the only one who won't tell anybody."
She stands back up and resumes her spot in front of the mirror. This time she pulls her shirt over her head. P-Chan goes back into shock when he realizes she isn't wearing a bra. Outside Ranma is still in shock from the ears and doesn't seem fazed by Miyoko's bare chest (but then again he's seen himself (herself) plenty of time!).
Miyoko picks up the shirt she had pulled out of her backpack earlier and slips it over her head. She then stands up and pulls her pants down revealing a pair of boxers underneath.
Outside, "Boxers? Why does she wear boxers? And no bra-" Ranma doesn't finish his statement when he puts it all together (from his perspective). "No! It's can't be! Then that would mean-! Akane is sharing a-! With a-!" He hangs from the edge, his mind swirling.
Inside, Miyoko pulls down her boxers. She picks up the other pair of boxers and slips them on. She sits back down, her back to P-Chan. Ranma sees her reach down behind her and pull at something. She stands back up and looks at herself in the mirror. Ranma still can't see what she had been pulling at. She walks over to the bed and sits down next to P-Chan snapping him back to conciousness.
Now Ranma sees what she had been pulling at. Miyoko is sitting cross-legged on the bed and curled around her leg is a furry orange and black striped tiger...tail? Ranma squints to get a better look. Yup, it's a tiger tail all right! But why does she have a tiger tail and tiger ears?
"Maybe they're fake." His idea is shot down when he sees that the tip of her tail is gently swishing back and forth. He finds out the ears are real the hard way. Miyoko's ears suddenly perk up. She heard Ranma. She stands up and walks over to the window. Ranma quickly pulls himself up and sits on the roof hoping she doesn't look outside.
Miyoko opens the window and sticks her head out. Her ears twitch around searching for a sound. Ranma sits nervously on the roof. He shifts. Miyoko hears him and jumps on the roof.
"You hentai! You were watching me dress!" She grabs him by the back of the shirt and punts him into low orbit. Satisfied with punishing Ranma but still fumed that he saw her little secret, she jumps back into Akane's room. She picks up her bow and pulls her hair back into a ponytail covering up her ears. Her bangs hang down on the side of her head covering up the spot normal ears would be.
She reaches around behind herself and grabbing her tail, stuffs it back into her boxers as Akane walks in. She smiles at her and sits down on the futon that had been set up for her to sleep on. She was still amazed they would let her stay in their house when she was a complete stranger.
"Arigato for watching P-Chan for me."
"No problem!" She yawns. Akane yawns too. They crawl into their separate beds and P-Chan curls up on Akane's pillow next to her head. Akane turns off the light and everything is quiet.
Bakamoichigei #2
(Even a Fool Has One Talent)
Caryll Griffin
It's breakfast at the Tendo household. Everyone is sitting around the table. Miyoko is glaring at Ranma and so is Akane. He looks rather nervous.
We switch to a flashback to show what had happened that morning. Ranma sneaks into Akane and Miyoko's room. He looks over at Akane's bed to see that P-Chan is gone. He shrugs and walks over to the futon Miyoko is sleeping on.
"I've got to know!" He pulls her covers back a little and whips a glass of cold water from out of nowhere.
"Here goes!" He throws the contents of the glass on Miyoko. We cut to the outside of the Tendo house. A high pitch scream and the sound of someone being chased around is heard, breaking the morning silence. Then a form wearing a red shirt and black pants flies out the window and into the pond.
The flash back ends and we see Akane and Miyoko still glaring at Ranma. Akane stands up and glaring at Ranma walks out the door and heads off toward school.
"Akane wait!" He quickly gathers up his books and runs off after her. On the way to school Akane is walking on the sidewalk and Ranma is walking on the fence. He looks down at Akane and she looks away. Ranma jumps down off the fence and walks beside her.
"Akane I-"
"I don't want one of your lame excuses Ranma! I saw what you were doing, you hentai!"
Getting angry, "It wasn't what it looked like!"
"Then what was it?" Ranma puts his hand behind his head in that all too famous pose.
"I...uh..."
"Just what I thought!" She walks a little faster. Ranma easily keeps pace with her.
Back at the Tendo house. Miyoko is looking nervously back and forth at Ganma-panda and Soun. She doesn't really know what to do now that Ranma and Akane are gone. Slowly she gets up and starts to inch her way over to the practice hall.
"So, Miyoko. Is that it?"
"Huh? Oh, h-hai." she smiles weakly.
"Why are you seeking revenge on Happosai? I mean a lot of people are but they don't follow him this far unless he did something really bad! Did he just steal your panties?"
"What?! You think I went looking for Happosai because he stole a pair of panties?! What kind of baka do you think I am?!" She had walked over to Soun and was now towering over him. She didn't realize the magnitude of her blundered until after he started crying.
"Uh-uh! I think I'll just be going now!" She runs off to Akane's room. Quickly shoving her stuff into her backpack, she pulls the straps over her shoulders, and jumps out the window onto the roof.
"Guess I'll have to find somewhere else to stay while I wait for the old letch! Happosai you won't escape me this time!" She jumps off over the roofs, looking around for a place to stay that night. She jumps off a roof and down onto the ground. She looks around.
"Acupuncture?" She is standing outside of Dr. Tofu's clinic. She hears someone approaching and whirls around. She comes face-to-face with a skeleton and she screams.
"Don't be afraid! This is just Betty-chan my skeleton!"
"B-Betty-chan? The skeleton?" She looks passed the skeleton and up at Dr. Tofu.
"I'm impressed."
"Impressed? About what? That I can tell that's a skeleton? What's so impressing about that? You told me it was a skeleton!"
He chuckles. "No! Not that! I was impressed you heard me coming. Most people can't. Are you a Martial Artist?"
She scratches her head. Should she trust this strange man that's holding a skeleton he calls Betty? Oh, well, how dangerous could he be? "Well, actually I am."
"Oh, well, I-" His glasses suddenly fog over. "Ka-Kasumi!"
Miyoko turns around to see Kasumi standing in front of her smiling. She's holding a book as always when she comes to see Dr. Tofu. Miyoko hears a sharp cracking noise and turns around to see that Dr. Tofu had twisted Betty-chan's head all the way around.
"Oh, my!" You knew that was coming!
"Ka-Kasumi! W-What brings you here?"
"Well, I came to return this book." She hands him a book and we see that it says "Voodoo Dolls and Acupuncture: The Hidden Connection".
Acupuncture and Voodoo dolls? What kinda weird hobbies does Kasumi have?
Dr. Tofu takes the book and smiles at Kasumi. Miyoko just kinda looks at him weird and takes a step away from him, not wanting to have the same fate as Betty.
"Miyoko-chan, what brings you out here? And with your backpack too? Were you planning on leaving?"
"Well, I, ya see..."
"Were you leaving because you made Daddy cry?" Miyoko nods. "Don't worry about it! I think he tends to over react sometimes. Do you want to help me shop for food to make lunch? I could use some help in carrying the bags." She smiles.
"Uh, sure."
They walk off leaving Dr. Tofu talking to a lamp post thinking it's Kasumi.
At Furikan High, it's lunch time. Ranma and Akane are sitting on opposite sides of the lunchroom in their own little group of friends. Akane occasionally sneaks a glare over in Ranma's direction.
"Hey, Ranma! I heard a girl bust through your dojo wall last night!" One of Ranma's anonymous friends say shaking Ranma to try and get a response. Good luck!
"Hai! I hear she's a babe!"
"I heard that Ranma snuck into Akane's room last night!"
"I heard the girl is another one of Ranma's fiancees!"
"Nani?!" This had snapped Ranma out of shoveling food into his mouth. "Where did you hear that?! I am *not* engaged to her! How did you even know we have yet another person staying at the Tendo's?"
"Oh, c'mon Ranma! Who *doesn't* know what's going on over there?!"
After school, Ranma and Akane are walking home. Akane doesn't seem as mad at Ranma anymore but she's still mad.
"Uh, Akane? About this morning-"
"I don't mind Ranma!" She pushes him off the fence. "You can go ahead and *be* her fiancee!"
"Fiancee?! Have you been talking to the guys again?!" Ranma-chan walks out of the drainage ditch dripping wet. "It's not true! If you had just let me finish-!"
"Then what *were* you going to say Ranma?!"
"I was going to say gomen, all right?! But what should you care?"
"Did you just apologize?! Are you feeling all right, Ranma?"
Ranma-chan glares at Akane as she walks off giggling.
Back at the Tendo's, Miyoko is in the Practice Hall, exercising. She has on a gi and her bow (of course!). Akane and Ranma walk in carrying a plate of cookies (again!).
"Oh, konnichiha, Miyoko-chan!" Akane says and sits down.
"You're trained in Martial Arts?" Ranma walks over and shoves a cookie in his mouth.
"Of course she is baka! What do you think we were doing when you spied on us?"
Ranma's face turns red. He walks over to another end of the practice hall and begins practicing his kata.
"I wonder where that dope Ryoga is. I need someone to spar with."
"Well, I'll spar with you."
Ranma spins around and looks at Miyoko. Had she just read his mind?
"What makes you think I need someone to spar with? Besides, I don't fight girls!"
"I know you need to spar with someone because you just said you did!" Ranma's face turns red again when he realizes he spoke his thought. "And why would it matter if I'm a girl?! I just came from training in the mountains so I'm pretty good!"
"You can't possibly be *that* good!"
"Heh. You wanna see me in action?!"
"I told you I don't fight girls!"
"Oh, I get it!"
"Finally!"
"You're just afraid you'll lose!"
Now, to Ranma, this was a challenge. He seemed to quickly forget that she was a girl. She had challenged him and he was *not* about to turn down a challenge!
"I'll show you who's afraid!" He stands in a fighting stance and she does the same. They circled each other. Miyoko rushed at Ranma. Ranma easily flipped over her head but was surprised when she did a handstand and grabbed him by the neck with her legs as they passed by him. She threw him at the wall but he flipped over and landed on his feet.
"So that's how you want to play, huh?" He runs at her and flipping over her head again, grabs her by the shoulders and also throws her at the wall. Although he was fighting to a challenge, he was still fighting a girl and he was not about to kick or punch her. He decided to stick to throwing and maybe a little bit of knocking her feet out from under her.
Akane just sat against the wall eating cookies, being entertained by the little show they were putting on. Miyoko gets up from being thrown into a practice dummy. She runs at him and at the last moment, drops to the ground and slides under his legs. She kicks his legs out from under him and he lands with a thud. He flips over onto his back and grabbing her leg, hurls her toward a practice dummy. She misses the dummy and smashes into the wall.
"Ranma be careful! You might hurt her! You're stronger than her you know!"
"*Me* be careful?! Why don't you tell her that?!"
Miyoko groans and sits up. She wobbly stands up and glares at Ranma. The door to the practice hall slides open as Miyoko runs at Ranma again. Ryoga walks in and leans against the wall.
"Konnichiha Ryoga!"
"A-Akane!" He notices Ranma fighting Miyoko and looks rather confused. "Why is Ranma fighting a girl? And who is that girl?"
"Her names Okabayashi Miyoko. She came to the dojo recently seeking revenge on Happosai. For some reason Kasumi invited her to stay. Don't ask me why!"
"But why is Ranma fighting with her?"
"Why else? She challenged him."
Ryoga looks up as Miyoko flips Ranma. In the process, Ranma grabs her leg and throws her in the direction of Ryoga. She lands against Ryoga who catches her. She groans and opens her eyes.
"A-Are you all right?"
"Hai. A-Arigato." She rubs her head and slides out of Ryoga's arms. "Okay Ranma! This is it!" She runs at him and kicks. She's tired and slowed up a lot. Ranma takes the force in the chest but he rolls backward to soften the blow. Normally she would have been able to jump out of Ranma's way before he was able to grab her leg again but she was sore and tired from being thrown.
Ranma grabs her leg and hurls her at Ryoga again hoping to soften her fall. As she goes flying at Ryoga, Ranma's foot gets caught in her bow. The bow quickly get's pulled off. She's caught by Ryoga again and he looks on the top of her head to see her ears are exposed. This doesn't go unnoticed by Akane.
"What in the-?" Ryoga lets Miyoko down gently. She sways a little but stays on her feet. Ryoga puts a supporting hand on her shoulder.
"Well, I guess you were going to find out sooner or later."
"How come-? How did-? Why-?" Akane just babbles, not quite sure what to say.
"Just say it you tomboy!" This straightens Akane out and she mallets him into the ground.
"How did you get tiger ears?!" Miyoko scratches her head nervously and her face turns red.
"Um, well, that's not all."
"There's more?!" Miyoko reluctantly reaches behind herself and pulls her tail out the top of her gi pants. Akane's eyes get bigger (if that is at all possible!). Miyoko gently swishes her tail back and forth.
"See?" Akane looks over at Ranma who is rubbing his head. He doesn't seem shocked that she has a tiger tail and ears.
"You don't seem surprised, Ranma."
"Ya, well, I already knew."
"You already knew?! Why didn't you tell me?! How did you find out?" Ranma looks at Akane who is towering over him. He starts to sweat.
"I-It's not important! W-Why don't you just sit and listen to Miyoko's story?" Akane looks over at Miyoko and then glares at Ranma. She sits back down and everyone else follows.
"Okay. This is how it all happened."
Bakamoichigei #3
(Even a Fool Has One Talent)
Caryll Griffin
Akane, Ranma, Ryoga, and Miyoko are sitting in the practice hall. Miyoko is calmly swishing her tail back and forth, the shock of someone finding out her secret long passed. Akane is glaring at Ranma and beads of sweat have broken out on his forehead. Ryoga is sitting next to Miyoko, enjoying Ranma's nervousness as Akane glares at him.
"Okay. It all started when I went on a training trip to China." Ranma groans.
"You didn't go to Jusenkyo did you?" She looks at him almost insulted.
"Jusenkyo?! I'm no baka! Only idiots still use Jusenkyo to train!" Akane smirks at him and his face turns red. Ryoga glares at Ranma.
"Anyway! I was on a trip to China when it happened."
<FLASHBACK>
Miyoko is walking along a dirt path with an older boy. They are both carrying backpacks although the boy's looks bigger and heavier. They walk along until they come to a village. The brother walks out in front of Miyoko. She follows him until they come to a larger hut in the center of the village.
"What are we doing here, Tadashi? I thought we were supposed to be training?"
"I already told you! I know of a sensei here that will give you training much superior to mine!" He pushes her back behind him as if to protect her from something. He steps up to the hut and knocks on the door. After a minute, Happosai steps out. He looks up and Tadashi and grins.
"Ah, you must be Tadashi. And that must be Miyoko. I was waiting for you. Please, come in!" Happosai steps back and Tadashi steps in, making sure Happosai never gets a good look at Miyoko.
When they walk into the hut, Happosai sits down and motions for them to sit down. Miyoko goes to sit down but Tadashi doesn't let her and makes her stand behind him again.
"So, you want me to train her for you? Why?" Happosai is acting a lot different than when Tadashi met him and it's beginning to make him nervous.
"Yes, I want her to have good training."
"But you are a good Martial Artist. You could teach her very well. Why do you want her to be trained so well? You have future plans?" Tadashi gets a little nervous with the last question and fidgets. He looks back at Miyoko and she just looks up at him.
"Um, Miyoko can you please step out of the hut for a moment?" Miyoko just kinda gives him an annoyed look and steps out. Outside, Miyoko sits up against the hut and plays with her backpack strap. She sits there for several minutes. Suddenly she hears Happosai yelling from inside the hut.
"Sweeto! What a haul! What a haul!" Miyoko looks up as Tadashi walks out. He smiles weakly at her and she gives him a confused look.
"I-I have to go...do something. W-Why don't you stay here?" Miyoko just looks at him weird and shrugs. He walks off, carrying his backpack on one shoulder. Miyoko sits there until Happosai walks out.
"Sweeto!" He jumps and latches onto her chest.
"AAhhhhhh! Get off me you hentai!" She grabs him and punts him into the sky. She picks up her backpack and stomps off in the direction Tadashi had left. As she walks, she hears someone following her. She whips around to see Happosai grinning at her. She glares at him.
"What do you want you hentai?! I otta teach you a lesson for what you did! But I gotta catch up with my brother!" She idly kicks at him but he jumps out of the way.
"There's no need. You're my student now!" Miyoko turns back around and glares at him suspiciously.
"What are you talking about?"
"What? He didn't tell you?" she shakes her head. "He couldn't train you to the expectations of your fiancee's father so-"
"Fiancee?!? What fiancee?!?" Happosai starts to sweat. Miyoko stalks menacingly up to him and towers over him. "He never told me about any fiancee!"
"Um, well, you see, uh, Tadashi couldn't take care of you so he, um, promised you to the son of a great sensei! Uh, I think his name is...Sasaki Kiyoshi." Miyoko face-faults when she pieces it all together. She starts to shake with anger and glow a dull green.
"He-He ditched me?!? And he dumped me on some-some boy as his fiancee?!?" In pure frustration, Miyoko shoots a Ki energy ball at Happosai. He dodges it easily.
"I see you're taking this well!" Happosai dodges a large rock. After Miyoko had thrown several nearby objects at Happosai, she sat down under a tree, panting. "I know what you need. I see you've already had quite extensive training, but your Ki isn't strong enough. I can fix that!" She just glares at him.
"Why should I listen to you? You're nothing but a old hentai!"
"Well, you can either live out here, or complete your training and go marry that fiancee of your's. I don't really think you have too many options." He starts to walk off. Miyoko looks from Happosai to the trail her brother had gone off on. Sullenly she stands up and walks off after Happosai.
Emerging off the trail she sees Happosai's hut door is open. She walks on in and finds him smoking a pipe and drinking tea.
"You said something about strengthening my Ki. Can you really do that?" Happosai seems torn at glomping onto her chest and gaining a student. He decides to try both. He jumps at her chest.
"You see-" Miyoko removes her fist from his face and lets him fall to the floor.
"Hands off, old man! When can you do the Ki strengthening thing?"
<END FLASHBACK>
"Can you really strengthen Ki? I didn't think it was possible!" Ranma is obviously interested by this part of the story.
"Ranma! Don't interrupt! By the way, how come you're not afraid of her Ranma? She does have cat ears and a tail! I thought you were afraid of cats!" She sticks her tongue out.
"How should I know you tomboy?!"
"Ranma!!" She pulls out a mallet (don't ask me where she got it!) and mallets Ranma into the floor. Ryoga just smirks.
"Anyway! Like I was saying!"
<FLASHBACK>
Miyoko and Happosai are sitting in a his hut. He had drawn a large circle in the ground with chalk and had about a dozen candles lit and set around it. Miyoko is sitting in the center of the circle looking *very* depressed. Why am I doing this? She's limply holding a prayer stick and Happosai is jumping around screaming something incoherent. Suddenly the fire on the candles grows and attach at the center. Miyoko seems to be too lost in her woes to notice.
Happosai yells something incoherent (of course!) and the center where the candle fire met forms a straight beam of light connecting with Miyoko. It suddenly explodes outward.
Happosai stands up and shakes the dust from his clothes. He looks at Miyoko who wobbly gets up. His eyes widen and he audibly gulps. He pulls a large leather book and starts frantically flipping through the pages.
"Hmm. That wasn't supposed to happen. I wonder if the Ki thing worked."
"What? What wasn't supposed to happen? What have you done?!" She runs out the hut and over to a pool of water. She looks at her reflection and screams.
<END FLASHBACK>
"What was the old letch doing in China anyway?" Ranma scratches his head.
"Shut up, Ranma!"
"Would you mind not interrupting the story?!" Ryoga coolly throws a nearby weight at Ranma.
"What are you gonna do about it *P-Chan*?!"
"Who are you calling P-Chan?!" Seeing she was losing her audience, Miyoko just ignores them and turns to Akane.
<FLASHBACK>
Looking down at her reflection, Miyoko sees that she has tiger ears and a tiger tail. Happosai cautiously walks up behind her. He wants to know if he actually increased her Ki but he doesn't want to be charred black in the process.
"Well, it's not *that* bad! I think it looks kinda sexy!" Miyoko keeps her back to him but she clenches her fists at her side. Before when she had gotten mad (even *really* mad) she would only glow a dull green and then she would throw a Ki energy ball. Now as she got mad and kept building up her Ki, she glowed a bright green (to Happy's horror). Before she could shoot it at Happosai, it exploded outward.
Miyoko looks around to see she is standing in a crater about 50 feet wide. The area around the crater is charred black. The damage is quite similar to that when Ryoga does his Shishi Hokodan when he's *really* depressed. Happosai is frozen in the middle of saying something. Is he dead? Only one way to find out!
She walks over and touches him on the head. She was half expecting him to collapse in a pile of ashes. Instead, he shakes the charred outer edge off.
"Sweeto! It worked!" He starts jumping around.
"Works? It doesn't work! I can't control it! You gave me tiger ears and a tail!!" She grabs her tail and shakes it in his face.
"I think it's kinda sexy!"
"You said that already! Ooooo!!" She starts to glow green again. Happosai looks really nervous. He looks around and seems to spot something in the rubble of his house. He runs over to it and pulls something out of it. Running back over to Miyoko he snaps something on her wrists. They're wrist guards.
"Wrist guards?"
"Hai. That should help you control the Ki! Now why don't we go back to my hut and you can show me what that tail can really do!"
"Huh? Why you hentai!" She grabs him and punts him *really* far away! "Oh! I'll get you Happosai! You'll pay for what you did to me!" She walks over to the rubble and pulls out her backpack unharmed (surprised aren't you?). She walks off in the direction of Happosai.
In order not to draw attention to herself, she pulls a bow out of her backpack and hides her ears with it. She then tucks her tail down in her pants.
The scene shows cuts of Miyoko hunting down Happosai. A few of the scenes show charred areas where she caught up with him and he made her mad (the charred radius is about 1/2 mile. Wrist guards perhaps?). The scene finally comes back to Happosai's old hut. Miyoko walks up to it. She kicks open the door and looks in. Happosai had left recently, probably knowing Miyoko was coming. She scans the hut and sees a battered piece of paper sticking out from under a pile of scrolls.
"Tendo's, eh? I've got you now Happosai!"
<END FLASHBACK>
"So you found our address on a piece of paper in Happosai's hut and that's why you came here?" Miyoko nods. Ryoga and Ranma had stopped fighting and were seated once more.
"But what about your fiancee? Did you ever meet the guy?" Ryoga looks at her enquiringly (almost too enquriringly to be just curious?).
"Well, I did meet him, but that's a whole other story!" They look up as Kasumi walks in.
"Oh, konnichiha, Ryoga! It's time for dinner! Care to join us Ryoga?" She smiles (what'd ya expect?). Ryoga nods.
"If he can find the way back to the house!" Ranma mutters under his breath. They all get up and walk over to the house. Miyoko has to hold Ryoga's hand so he doesn't get lost (is that just the only reason?).
When they walk in, Soun spits out his sake. Miyoko had been so caught up in telling her story she had forgotten to hide her ears and her tail again. Genma-panda notices Soun's expression and turns around himself. He also spits out his sake, adding to the mess on the floor.
"Oh, my!" Kasumi says the inevitable.
"What the-? She has-! Uh-"
"Don't ask daddy! Don't ask!"
Bakamoichigei #4
(Even a Fool Has One Talent)
Caryll Griffin
Everyone is sitting around the dinner table eating dinner (silently for a change). Everyone except Miyoko. She is quickly giving a summary explanation of her story. Hastily she sums in up. She nervously looks around at the people (plus one panda) looking at her.
"Incredible! I thought Happosai was in the cave a year ago! He must have gone to the mountains before coming back to the dojo to- <sob>" Miyoko looks at Soun weird as he starts to cry (oh, big surprise there!).
"Uh, no. I only ran into Happosai a month ago." She smiles weakly.
"Huh? I thought you said you have been training in China for the last year?" Ranma looks at her suspiciously. Miyoko frowns.
"I must not have made myself clear! I *have* been training in the mountains for the last year! I regretfully ran into Happosai about a month ago, at the *end* on the training trip!"
"Oh! Hee hee!" Ranma chuckles nervously.
She glares at Ranma and looks up as Ryoga sits down next to her. She smiles at him and he smiles back. After dinner Ranma goes back out to the training hall. Akane sees him leave and follows him.
"Ranma?" She walks into the practice hall and sees him practicing.
"Hmm?" He looks up. She looks at him seriously.
"Are you really not scared of her? You can tell me." He sighs audibly, almost aggravated at Akane asking him again. He looks her in the face and seeing her worried expression, holds back a snide remark. She would probably make Miyoko leave if he was even a little scared of her. He could see it in her eyes.
He sighs again. "No. It's kinda weird though. You would think I would be scared of her because of the whole tiger ears and tail thing but I'm not." he lowers his voice. "Arigato for being concerned though."
She smiles as Ranma nervously looks at the floor and pushes his foot back and forth on the floor. She takes a step closer to him and he looks up. She looks up into his eyes. Awkwardly and very unsure they move their faces toward each other...
*CRASH*
Miyoko gets up off Ranma. She doesn't exactly notice she landed on him. She stand there fuming, glowing a low, but bright green.
"Why'd ya do that for ya baka?! I already told you no!!" She stomps back into the house. Akane looks at Ranma and he shrugs.
"I don't know. But we better get in there and stop her if you still want a house!" Ranma gets up and they run into the house together. Miyoko is squaring off with some strange girl. The girl has blue hair that is tied up in three pig tails on top of her head. She has a bamboo stick and is twirling it around.
Soun is huddled in a corner with Genma-panda crying. The house is not as damaged as one might think it is but it is on the road to being damaged a *lot*.
"I already said No!! Can't you get it through your thick head?!" The girl just frowns at her.
"If I defeat you, you will agree!" She twirls her bamboo stick for effect.
"How many times do we have to do this, Taeko?! Find someone else!" Taeko ignores this comment and rushes at Miyoko. Miyoko easily dodges her and sends her flying out into the garden. Miyoko stomps after her.
"You do*not* want to make me mad, Taeko!" Taeko stands up rubbing her arm. She picks up her bamboo stick and throws it directly at Miyoko. Miyoko gathers up her energy, ready to fire a Ki ball at Taeko and finish the fight.
"Miyoko no!! You'll destroy the house!" Akane runs at Miyoko and in order to break her from her concentration, tackles her to the ground. It works somewhat. The jar weakens her Ki and she shoots into the ground at Taeko's feet creating a rather large hole, but not as large as it would've been. Taeko starts to rush Miyoko although she is rather shook up by the hole Miyoko created.
"I wouldn't recommend that Taeko!" Everyone turns around to see a tall boy about Ranma's age standing in the doorway. He has unruly black hair and is carrying a backpack. Miyoko looks up and face-faults.
"You came too?! Oh, man! I don't need this!" The boy looks down at Miyoko and his eyes widen. He looks over at Taeko and frowns. He quickly walks over to her and roughly grabbing by the arm starts to drag her away. "Hey! Where are you going? I had to fight with your baka sister, I blast a hole in the Tendo's yard, and now you're leaving?!"
He turns around and gulps audibly.
"Hey! What's your problem?" He looks up and her head and then his eyes travel down her body and stop and about her midsection. She takes this as him checking her out. She starts to glow green again and stomps over to the boy.
"Tatsuro you hentai!!" She grabs him and punts him into the stratosphere. Taeko looks up her with one of those sassy, cool, looks that can be really annoying.
"You didn't need to do that, Tigger!" Miyoko's eyes widen when she puts it all together. Since the Tendo's knew about her secret she didn't hide it anymore. She puts her hands on her hips.
"Now don't I feel stupid? Oh, well, he still didn't need to look me over like a piece of meat!" Everyone is looking at this little exchange with *very* confused looks on their faces. Ranma is the first to recover.
"Uh, if you don't mind my asking, but what just happened here?" Miyoko sighs and sits down leans against the side of the house.
"The boy I just kicked into orbit was Nishiyama Tatsuro and this is his sister Taeko. They got it into their thick little heads that I was to marry Tatsuro and help run their School of Bamboo Stick Fighting and Baka Tactics." Ranma scratches his head.
"School of Bamboo Stick Fighting and *Baka* Tactics? Hey, Ranma, that would be perfect for you! Maybe he wants to marry a boy who's a girl at least half the time!" Akane starts to giggle.
"I least I'm not bad Martial Artist! I don't think he would want to marry a kawaiikune tomboy like you! I'm better built to boot!" He sticks out his tongue and pulls on the skin under his right eye.
"Ranma no Baka!!!" She grabs him and throws him into the pond. Ranma-chan emerges spitting water and dipping wet. Miyoko gasps and stares wide eyed. Ranma-chan walks over to where everyone is standing. She notices Miyoko's expression and gets a little nervous.
"Hee hee! I, uh, guess you don't know about *my* little secret." Miyoko's mind clicks with realization as Akane runs up and pours hot water on Ranma-chan.
"Jusenkyo?" Ranma sheepishly nods. Miyoko grins, remembering her little comment earlier. "The panda too?" He nods. Everyone's attention is turned back to the present situation when Tatsuro comes staggering back into the yard. Miyoko stalks up to him. She leans her face towards his and glares at him.
"Are you going to give up on this little quest of your's now, hmm? BECAUSE I'M GETTING TIRED OF IT!!!" He falls over with that blown away look.
"When did you get the ears and tail? You didn't have them last time I saw you." He gets up and brushes the dirt off his clothes.
"Um, yes I did." He looks confused and she sighs exasperated and puts her hands on her hips. "You couldn't see them because I hid them! Now can you just go and leave me alone?!" Maybe if I tell him I'm already engaged. Do I really want to admit that? Oh, well, how bad can it be? "Um, Tatsuro? I don't know how to tell you this, but I'm already engaged."
Tatsuro gets a genuine crushed look on his face. Miyoko wonders if she should have said that. His head droops slightly and he sighs in resignation. He bows slightly and walks out of the yard. Taeko looks after him and then back at Miyoko. She then runs off after her brother.
"I don't know, Miyoko, he seemed kinda nice. A little on the slow side but then again, look at my fiancee." Miyoko shakes her head. Ranma's eyes widen in shock.
"Did you just say what I think you said Akane?! You? The president of the 'I hate boys club'? And you're also a client! Oh, come on!" Akane turns on Ranma. He backs up, holding his arms up in defense. She gives him a looks that could melt steel.
"RANMA NO BAKA!!!" She punts him into low orbit. She turns back to Miyoko who acts like nothing happened.
"I don't think so. I haven't really been on the friendly side to men since my brother dumped me on some fiancee I had never met." Her shoulders visibly slump.
"What ever did happen to that fiancee? Did you ever meet him?"
"Well, actually I did. But that's another *long* story!"
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To Be Continued...
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Still more to come folks! Stay tuned!
C&C welcome! Flames will be taken
but ignored! ;)
Ja ne!
Caryll Griffin
(Who hopes to get her *own* E-Mail address soon!!)
mmccrabb@nv-vb.mindspring.com