A Ranma 1/2 - Demon Hunter Yohko Crossover
Part 2
Version 2.0

Ranma 1/2 and Demon Hunter Yohko belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Masao
Mauyama, respectively.

<...>  thoughts

	The dojo was silent save for the sound of fists striking concrete.
Ranma had set up a block of concrete in place of the normal punching board
and was performing a punching exercise upon it.  Ranma had come to the
dojo to work off his anger and Ranma Saotome was extremely angry.  He was
angry at Genma for engaging him so many times.  He was angry at Nodoka for
engaging him yet again.  Most of all, however, he was angry at himself.
<How could I say those things to _her_!> he thought...

<Begin Flashback
	"You know I've been wonderin'," Ranma said, almost cheerfully,
"where Pop got the idea of marryin' his son to complete strangers."  At
this his voice turned cold, "now I see he musta learned it from you."
	"I am nothing like your father, Ranma," Nodoka said a touch of
cool arrogance in her voice.
	"Coulda fooled me," he shrugged.  "Maybe we should take you to
Jusenkyo and drop you in the Spring of Drowned Dog, then you'd have a
proper body."
	"Watch your mouth boy!" Nodoka snapped, fingering her ever present
katana.
	"Or you'll what," Ranma sneered, "kill me?  Where would your
precious 'honor' be then?"  With that Ranma turned and walked into the
dojo.
	A moment later he returned to help Yohko and Azusa move their
luggage into Akane's room.
End Flashback>

<She's my _MOM_ for crying out loud!  I can't believe I hurt her like
that!>  As the wave of self-loathing washed over him Ranma's punches
became faster and more vicious.  <What was I thinking, saying those things
to her!> his mind cried out.  Suddenly he was aware of several snapping
and cracking sounds as the concrete block shattered.  Ranma simply stared
at the chunks of concrete that now littered the dojo floor, at that point
he became aware of a stinging sensation his fists.  Looking down he found
that his hands were bleeding from several places as shards from the broken
block had slashed his skin.  Ranma opened and closed his hand a few times
to make sure that there was no permanent damage as he turned to get a
broom.

***

	Kasumi had just finished showing Yohko and Azusa around the house,
and was about to start dinner, when Ranma shuffled in.  She gasped as she
saw his face.  One cheek was red and already beginning to swell and bruse.
	"What happened Ranma-kun?" she asked.
	"Nothin' much Kasumi," he replied with a shrug, "where's the first
aid kit?  I gotta bandage these up," he said holding up his hands.  They
were scraped and cut, but not too badly.  "The one in the dojo's outa
bandages."
	"I'll get it Ranma-kun," she said gently, "it's in the kitchen."
	"No Kasumi," he said tonelessly, "that's all right, I'll take care
of it."  Before she could protest he had all ready moved past her into the
kitchen.  She watched him a concerned expression on her face.  <He's not
limping or stiff,> she thought, <so he's not hurt any more than I can see,
but...>  Usually when Ranma had bruses like those on his face he'd been in
a serious battle and most likely had other wounds as well.  This time,
however, he only had those bruses on his face and cuts on his hands.
Things didn't add up.  <If he was in a fight serious enough to get those
bruses on his face,> Kasumi thought, <then he should be a lot more hurt
than he is now.  But he's not...I wonder what happened?>  Something else
was bothering her too.  Something about the way he had walked...  

***

	An hour or so later, after Yohko and Azusa had unpacked and been
introduced to all but the youngest of the Tendo clan--who was out
returning a book borrowed from Dr. Tofu, Yohko went looking for Ranma.
She found him, once again, in the dojo.  This time he was practicing
kata's, his hands being too damaged to practice any more punching
exercises.    
	Ranma was so lost in the katas that he failed to notice Yohko
enter the dojo with a bow.  Yohko simply stared in awe at Ranma's
performance.  His stances were long and deep.  His movements were sharp
and clean.  Yet there was a grace to his movements, something about his
bearing made each individual technique flow into the next, as if the
sequence of movements was the only logical series of techniques possible.
The final techinique of Ranma's kata was a simple straight punch
punctuated by a kiai.  As the echo from Ranma's cry died he brought his
hands to his sides, turned to face the front of the dojo, and bowed.  
	Ranma straightened slowly and turned around, only to freeze in
surprise as he saw Yohko standing by the entrance to the dojo.  She had
changed from the last time he had seen her.  Now she was wearing a white
karate gi and in her hands was a long tai-chi practice sword.  After a
moment Ranma spoke.
	"Didja want t'spar?" he asked, "or do ya just want t'work on
forms?"
	"Well," she said, "I was planning on just doing forms but if you
want to spar..."  Yohko smiled holding up her sword.  Ranma smiled and
moved to the center of the dojo.
	"Ready when you are," he smirked.
	"Ano...Ranma-san, where's your weapon?"
	"Nani?" he asked, confused.
	"Ranma-san, I'm using a sword," she said, "don't you need a weapon
if you're going to spar against me?"  Ranma just grinned.
	"Don't worry 'bout me, Yohko," he said, "it's been a while since
I've sparred against a good sword weilder unarmed.  I need the practice."
	"It's your funeral," she shrugged as she stepped in front of him.
The two bowed to the dojo, then to each other, before adopting their
respective fighting stances.
	"Rules?" Yohko asked.
	"How's Sudden Death sound?" Ranma asked.  (Author's Note:  "Sudden
Death" is a term used in some Kendo and fencing schools for sparring
matches.  In a Sudden Death competition, the win goes to the person who
makes the first touch.)
	"Sounds good," Yohko shrugged, <and it means that I don't have to
hurt you too much to beat you,> she thought grimly.
	"Hajime!"  Ranma cried, and the fight began.
	<Let's get this over with,> Yohko thought as she snapped her sword
out in a lightning quick thrust, expecting an easy touch.  She was
understandably shocked when her sword did not connect with Ranma as he
shifted his body to avoid the attack.  Her eyes narrowed slightly as she
attacked again...and again...and again.  With each attack Ranma simply was
not where he had been the moment before.  Yohko growled in frustration as
she began to unleash more of her skill against him.  <Thrusts, slashes,
kicks, combinations, nothing's even coming close to grazing his
_clothes_,> she thought with a touch of desperation, <this guy's
unbeatable!>
	Unknown to Yohko, Ranma was having similar thoughts about her.
<This girl's _good_,> he thought slightly surprised, <she'd beat Kuno
easy, maybe even Shampoo or Ukyo with a bit of work!>  As he maneuvered
around a particularly viscious and complex combination he thought, <she
might even give _Ryoga_ a run for his money.>  As Yohko pressed her attack
he thought, <I can't place her style though.  It's almost like a Wu style
Tai-chi sword, but its a little more flowing-->  Ranma's thoughts were
interruped as he narrowly avoided being skewered.  <And a _lot_ more
viscious!>
	Yohko smiled as she pushed her advantage against Ranma, she was
slowly forcing him to retreat.  <His back's gonna be against the wall
soon,> she thought with a one handed slash, followed by a two handed
diagnal cut, <he won't have anywhere to run then.>  Slowly she pushed
Ranma back until he was about a foot away from the wall.  With a kiai she
attacked with a dashing one handed slash and hit...nothing.  Ranma lept
over her blade and twisted in the air over her head, landed behind her,
and almost got stabbed in the gut.  
	Yohko had seen Ranma jump, reversed her grip on her sword and
tried to stab behind her back as he landed.  By all rights it should have
worked.  On anyone else it would have.  If Ranma had been paying
_slightly_ less attention he'd be clutching his stomach in pain.  As it
was Yohko's sword missed him by a hair.  The good news was that Yohko had
surprised Ranma.  The bad news was that he wasn't going to be surprised
again.  In the instant after he avoided her sword, Ranma's hands grabbed
Yohko's now exposed arm.  His right hand latched onto her wrist, while his
left hand snapped onto her forearm.  With a little pressure from his thumb
on a pressure point in her bicep, her hand spasmed and she dropped her
sword.  (Author's note:  For those who are wondering, there really is a
pressure point there, and I know from personal experience that it works.)
They stood there for a moment almost gasping for breath.  Yohko ready to
turn and attack; Ranma ready to apply a pain hold.
	"All right," Yohko said, "you win."  Ranma immediately let go of
her arm and handed her sword back to her.  
	"What school of martial arts did you train under?" Ranma asked,
"I've never seen that sword style before."
	"Oh," she replied, "it's my family's own school.  Legend has it
that it was developed specifically to fight demons."  Yohko laughed, but
stopped when she realized that Ranma wasn't laughing with her.  Ranma
simply nodded.  
	"I've seen a couple things that your style could definitely be
effective against," he said, absently, Yohko just stared at him.
	"You mean you've seen _demons_!"  
	"No demons yet, a couple of monsters, and a couple of martial arts
masters who could pass for them though."  The two of them shared a laugh
at that.  Yohko laughed because she was sure he was joking.  Ranma laughed
because he wasn't.  At that moment Akane decided to walk in.  
	Akane was back from her errand to Dr. Tofu's and Kasumi had sent
her to fetch Ranma from the dojo.  She walked in to the sight of Ranma and
a complete stranger laughing like old friends.  Needless to say she was
not pleased.  <Ranma no hentai,> she thought, < you aren't content with
Shampoo, Ukyo, and Kodachi crawling all over you, you've got who ever this
is too!>  Akane was beginning to glow blue from her anger.  
	"Ranma..." she began.
	"Oh, hi Akane!" he said brightening noticibly but not noticing her
aura.
	"...no..." she continued.
	"Akane this is Yohko Mano," he said gesturing at Yohko, "she's one
of the girls Mom invited, remember?  Yohko, this is Akane Tendo, she's my
iinazuke."  
	Akane stopped.  Ranma had called her his iinazuke.  Not his
kawaikunee iinazuke.  Not his tomboy iinazuke.  Just his iinazuke.  She
was shocked to the core.
	"So, you're Ranma's iinazuke?" Yohko asked with a bow as Ranma
waited outside.
	"Um, yeah," Akane responded with a bow, unsure of what to say.
	<I wish I was you,> Yohko thought, glancing at Ranma.  She had
seen the change of expression on Ranma's face as Akane had come in.  When
he had been laughing with her he'd been happy, but when Akane had come he
had a look of pure joy on his face.  <It was definitely the look of
someone who's in love,> Yohko thought with a mental sigh.
	"You are so lucky to have Ranma as your iinazuke," Yohko whispered
to Akane, as they walked towards the dining room.
	"I'm _lucky_ to have that baka as my iinazuke?!" Akane asked.
	"Hell, yeah!" Yohko exclaimed.  She blushed as Ranma turned to
look at her, then her voice dropped to a whisper again, "if he wasn't
taken _I_'d be after him!"
	"You mean you're _not_ after him?"
	"No!" Yohko said, "of course not!  What kind of girl'd go for
someone else's _finace_?"
	"You'd be surprised," Akane muttered fiercely.  Yohko was so
surprised at this statement that she almost missed Akane's sigh of relief.

***

	The three of them made their way to the dining room, where Kasumi
served the family with another delicious feast that night.  The entire
family ate normally, except for Genma who inhaled the food like there was
no tomorrow, Ranma who sat there and picked at what little he had in front
of him--and glanced at his mother every couple of minutes, and Nodoka who
also picked at her food.
	"Is there something wrong with the food Ranma-kun?" Kasumi asked
gently.
	"No Kasumi," he answered with a sigh, "everything's great."
	"Ranma," Akane said, and he turned to face her.  She blinked for a
moment.  "What happened to your face?"
	"Pop decided that I needed some training," he shrugged, "I wasn't
fast enough."  For a moment Genma stopped eating and stared at his son.
Ranma hadn't told a lie, exactly, but...  

<Begin Flashback

	Ranma was stepping out of the dojo to wash his hands after
breaking that concrete block when he felt a presence near by.  Slipping
into a fighting stance he made his way towards the outdoor faucet.  Genma
had seen his son leave the dojo and decided to try out his new attack
combination on his son.  This one was designed to counter Ranma's favorite
defense against a spinning heel kick.  
	With a loud kiai Genma chraged his son failing to notice that
Ranma had dropped his guard.  Genma snapped out a quick spinning heel kick
but stopped the assult when he felt his heel connect with his son's face.
<Ranma knows dozens of counters to that attack!> Genma thought, <whats
going on here!>  Genma simply stared at his son in shock as Ranma picked
himself up from the ground.  <Uh-oh,> Genma thought, repressing a shudder
as he slipped into a fighting stance, <now Im in trouble.>  Genma stood
there waiting for his son to attack as Ranma walked toward his father,
bowed, and said:  Thank you father.  Then he turned and walked away as
Genma facefaulted.  

End Flashback>

<Ranma must be depressed,> Genma thought, <maybe some of our sparring over
food will cheer him up.  And if not,> he shrugged mentaly, <at least I'll
get some free food.>  With that Genma sent his chopsticks on a mission to
snatch some of Ranma's food.  In a flash Ranma caught his hand.  
	"I ain't in the mood for this Pop," he growled and shoved Genma's
hand away.  Genma stared at his son for an instant, uncertain.  Then he
tried again.  Once again Ranma caught his hand and shoved it away.
	"I told you Pop, I ain't in the mood," he growled a little louder.
Genma just blinked at his son, unable to read his emotions.  With a mental
shrug he tried once again.  This time the snap of wood on wood was heard
as Ranma snatched Genma's chopsticks with his own.  Everyone at the table
became silent.  Genma just stared at his son in amazement, Ranma had just
taken his chopsticks right out of his hands with a pair of chopsticks.
Ranma merely looked at his prize.  Then he reached across the table and
dropped them next to Kasumi's plate, all the while looking at Genma, one
eyebrow raised.  
	"I think Pop's done with dinner Kasumi," he said with a grin.  All
of the tension at the table broke and everyone began to laugh.
	"I guess you were in the mood after all, eh son?" Genma smirked.
	"Don't push your luck Oyaji," Ranma smiled.  As everyone finished
their food, Nodoka looked up.  She had been silent throughout dinner and
had rarely looked up from her plate.  For a moment she looked at her son,
silently pleading that he'd understand.  Then she sighed and turned to
Soun.
	"Tendo-san," she began, "I must thank you for your hospitality and
for treating my family as your own."  Ranma turned to stare at his mother
as he realized what she was doing.  Nodoka stopped speaking and turned to
look at her son as Ranma's chopsticks snapped in his hands, his eyes
closed.  <Don't do this Mom,> Ranma thought, <you don't have to do this.>
He almost spoke the words aloud but he he knew his words would fall on
deaf ears.
	"I am afraid that my son's engagment with your daughter must be
broken," Nodoka continued, then stopped as Akane's chopsticks snapped in
half as she turned to look at Ranma.  Ranma ignored her, praying that this
was all just some horrible nightmare.  Nodoka sighed before continuing
again.
	"It is a matter of family duty," she said pausing, "that I engage
my son to Yohko Mano."  At this _Yohko's_ chopsticks snapped in half.  
	"Excuse me Nodoka-san," Yohko asked, her voice starting to rise,
"but did you just say that I am now _engaged_ to Ranma?"
	"Yes I did, Yohko-san."
	"By the kami, _why_!" she asked, her voice rising in volume.
	"It is a matter of family honor and duty."
	"What family _honor_ and _duty_ would that be?" Ranma sneered.
	"I cannot discuss that with you," Nodoka replied cold as ice.
	"You will discuss it with me," Yohko said, trying to hold on to
her temper, "_now_."
	"If you wish Yohko-san," Nodoka relplied, "but in private."
	"Whatever you've got to say, say it _here_," Ranma growled.
	"I will only speak of this matter to Yohko Mano," Nodoka said,
looking at Yohko as she touched something underneath the lapels of her
kimono, "in _private_."  Yohko saw this gesture and nodded once.
	"Very well then," Yohko said, teeth clenched, "please excuse us,
and thank you for the wonderful dinner Kasumi-san."  Yohko bowed and left,
followed by a reluctant Nodoka.  Silence reigned in the room for a moment.  
	"How could you accept another iinazuke, boy!" his father yelled
	"Our families will never be joined!" Soun cried.
	"What are you planning to do about my sister, Ranma!" Nabiki
threatened.
	Ranma closed his eyes and endured the onslaught for a full minute.
When he opened them he looked pleadingly at Akane.  All he saw in her eyes
was anger, disgust, and...betrayal.  It was too much for Ranma to take.  
	"All of you _SHUT_ _UP_!!!" he screamed.  His face was a mask of
anger and pain.  Soun cried softer.  Nabiki stared at him in silent shock.
Kasumi just sat there smiling.  Genma was about to say something when his
son whirled to face him.
	"Don't you dare say a _thing_ about me having _another_ iinazuke,
Oyaji," he snarled, "the fact that I have two of them is _your_ fault."
Genma shut up.  Ranma turned to Akane.
	"I gotta talk to you," he said quietly, turning to glare at the
rest of the table, "in private."  With that he stood up and picked up
Akane.  As he ran outside she gathered the presece of mind to speak.
"Ranma no hentai!  Put me down!"

***

	Yohko burst into the room shared by Nodoka and Genma nearly
dragging Nodoka after her.    After she shut the door to the room Yohko
spoke.
	"Nodoka-san, what do you think you're doing engaging me to Ranma?"
Yohko growled as she whirled to face the matron of the Saotome clan.
	"Didn't your gradmother tell you that you might be engaged to my
son?" Nodoka asked, her demeanor was all innocence.
	"Well, yes..." Yohko answered, slightly confused.
	"I'm merely ensuring that our two Demon Hunter families continue."
	"What does demon hunting have to do with my getting engaged to
Ranma?"
	"Do not tell me that you cannot see?" Nodoka asked, exasperation
evident in her voice.
	"See what?" Yohko asked.  Nodoka closed her eyes and went through
a medative breathing exercise.
	"As the heir to your families demon hunter powers you have a duty
to ensure that the next generation of Demon Hunters comes into being.
Your marriage to my son will garuntee that the demon hunter heratiage of
both our families will continue."
	"Nodoka-san, I am _not_ getting married to Ranma," Yohko said, her
voice hard as steel.
	"It is your _duty_ as a Demon Hunter to provide the world with
another generation of Demon Hunters!"
	"And I will do so with the man of _my_ chosing!"
	"Which _will_ be my son!"

***

	Ranma dashed out of the house with Akane in his arms.
	"Ranma no hentai!" she cried, "put me down!"
	"Not until you listen to my side of the sory!" he said as he
leaped on to the roof of the dojo.
	"I should have known better than to trust you when she said she
wasnt going after you," Akane muttered as he put her down.
	"Look Akane," he said, trying not to lose his temper, "it's not my
fault."
	"Oh," she sneered, "so who's fault is it?"
	"Mom's," he sighed.
	"I'm supposed to believe that?" she snarled.
	"Believe what you like Akane," he snarled back, "I don't know why
I tried talking to a tomboy like you in the first place!"
	"Ranma no BAKA!" she cried as she malleted Ranma through the roof
and into the dojo.

***

	<Ranma no baka,> Akane thought as she fumed on the roof, <why'd he
have to insult me like that!>   She could still hear his words running
through her head:  "I don't know why I tried talking to a tomboy like you
in the first place!"  Something about those words bothered her, but she
couldn't place her finger on it.  <He just likes insulting me that's all,>
she thought, but some how she couldn't make herself belive the words this
time.  
	<What am I doing up here?> she thought with a snarl, <it's all
Ranma's fault!  He brought me up here so he could...talk...to...me...>
Akane sat there for a long moment digesting her thoughts.  <He brought me
up here so that he could talk to me in private and all I could do was
insult him.>
	 <How could I do that,> she thought slumping over, <by the kami,
what was I thinking!  Ranma was trying to talk to me and I couldn't...no,
I _wouldn't_ listen.>  A tear found its way down Akane's cheek.  <I never
listen to him,> she thought, <he's my iinazuke and I lo- and all I do is
hurt him--oh no!>  Akane moved over to the hole in the roof and looked in
to the dojo.  Ranma was sprawled on the dojo floor unconcious.  

***

	Ranma awoke on the floor of the dojo.  <How'd I get here?> he
thought, <oh, yeah.>
	"Why'd that tomboy have to hit me so hard?" he groaned as he tried
to sit up.  Instantly someone's hands were pushing him back down to the
floor and a folded towel that had been pillowing his head.  At that point
he realized that he wasn't alone in the dojo.  
	"Ak-k-kane!" he exclaimed in fear.
	"Shhh," she said gently, "lie back down.  You've got a nasty bump
on your head."  <What's with her!> Ranma thought, shocked, as he lay back
down.
	"Um, Ranma..." she said as she placed a wet cloth on his head.
	"Yeah, Akane?" he said, closing his eyes.
	"I'm sorry about hitting you earlier..." she said.  Ranma's eyes
sprung open, surprised at the apology.  He noticed that Akane was kneeling
beside him, head bowed.  <Her eyes are all read and puffy,> he thought,
<almost like she's been...crying?>
	"I should have listened to you before jumping to conclusions," she
continued.  "I'm sorry," she whispered as a tear slid down her cheek.  His
ego urged him to strike back at her with insults and angry words, but
seeing her cry was too much for Ranma.  For what was possibly the first
time in his life, Ranma ignored his ego and allowed himself to express the
emotions that he had towards the beautiful young woman beside him.
	"It's alright Akane," Ranma said as he reached up and wiped the
tear from her face, "don't cry, please..."  
	"But I hurt you, Ranma," Akane sniffed as she held his hand to her
cheek, "for no reason.  You must hate me..."  She trailed off as she began
to cry again.
	"Shhh," he whispered, sitting up to face her, "I could never hate
you Akane."  She looked up at him the tears in her eyes glittered like
diamonds as she smiled weakly.
	"You don't hate me?" Akane asked.  Ranma slid the hand on her
cheek farther back on her head.  As he pulled her closer to him he
whispered:  "No..."
	Akane's eyes widened for a moment as she realized what was
happening, but she didn't struggle as Ranma touched his lips to hers in a
tender kiss.  Her hands slid around his neck as she pulled him in tighter,
deepening the kiss.  After a long moment the two of them pulled back and
stared into each other's eyes, searching.  Ranma pulled Akane in for a hug
and buried his face in her neck holding her tight.  The two of them held
each other for a moment longer then let go.
	"C'mon," Ranma said as he stood up, "let's..." Ranma's voice
trailed off as the room spun and he sat back down.  
	"Let me help you," Akane said, as she stood up and offered him a
hand.
	"Arigato," he said as she helped him up.  She held him steady
until the room stopped spinning and the two of them made their way back
toward the house, hand in hand.


Well, here's Part 2 of my (still untitled) Ranma 1/2--Demon Hunter Yohko
crossover.  Hopefully this is much better than the first version that I
posted.  Hope you enjoyed it.  C & C is welcome.  Flames are not.

Thanx for listening to me rant and rave

AJ:)