PLEASE C&C THROUGH PRIVATE EMAIL TO 7ahw@qlink.queensu.ca. I'M NOT SUSCRIBED TO THE FFML!

***************Alternate Universe:  Ranko and Kaneda*************

                         by: Adrian Wong


Intro:
     In the Ranma 1/2 manga by Rumiko Takahashi, Genma Saotome
engaged Ranma to one of Soun Tendo's daughter, Akane in order for
him to inherit the Tendo Dojo.  The entire series is largely
consisted of the problems and chaos generated by the couple. 
Supposed that Genma has a daughter, and Soun has two girls and
one boy, then what's going to happen?  Also, how will the
Jusenkyo factor apply itself in this case?  Well, read on and find out!! 

*Most characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi (even though some of
them have endured sex changes)*  


Part 7: Confrontations 

*Chinese Dialogue in {}

On a partially cloudy morning, a heavy atmosphere was hanging around a particular house in Nerima.  Inside a dimly lit room, a girl was looming in front of her on-line computer.  Reading a document on a web page entitled "The Complete Guide to Today's Japanese Marital Laws", a devious smile crept onto her face.

"Impressive, the girl actually had me convinced for a second with her bluffing.  But soon, soon she shall know the price for smarting off to me.  Hmhmhmhm . . .heheheheh . . . HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!"  With that, she proceeded to laugh with abandonment.

Just then, the door to the room was opened.  

"Oh, my.  Are you here to pay Kaneda a visit again, Kodachi-san?"  Kasumi asked, and is startled by the sight of a frozen Nabiki.  "Sorry, Nabiki, thought you were someone else."

With that, Kasumi left her now embarassed sister and went to the kitchen to prepare for breakfast.

Recovering from the embarrassment, Nabiki began to prepare a list of "weapons" that she had to use for the upcoming confrontation. 
 
*		*		*		*		*		*		*


Ranko was as usual sparring with her father, who was currently in panda form.  The two combatants had leapt over the wall of the Tendo Yard and were now fighting along the streets, attracting curious glances from various bystanders.

[You must show Kaneda-kun your true feelings for him!] The panda used the sigh to try and hit Ranko, who kicked it out of its hands.  

"Would you shut up about this topic already?!"

[First Kuno, then Ukyou, and now MOUSSE!] The panda again tried to hit her with the sigh, which missed once more as Ranko leapt over it and saw the writtings on the other side.  

[This is a disgrace!  If you don't start doing something about it soon, the Tendos will see you as a girl without feminine virtues!!]  

"Now why would I have *feminine* virtues when YOU happened to be forcing masculian ideas into my head all through my life, you baka!?!"  Ranko kicked the sigh out of its paw and began a series of attacks which pushed the huge mammal back.  

"YOU were the one who whined about me not being a boy ever since I can remember!"  Ranko got even more heated as Genma panda was pushed back even further.   

"Who was the one who had me dressed up as a boy since I was seven?!  Had it not been for that fact that I was accepted by that girls' school way back in Junior High, I wouldn't even know how a dress feels like!  You were the one who purposely threw me into Jusenkyo, yo-"  Ranko was suddenly pushed by by a kick from the panda which sent her flying back. 

[Quiet, you unbecoming whiner!  Don't you know that resignation is the first lesson in life?!  You must learn to endure your path and go along with your fate-] Before the panda could have finished writing on the sign, it had to quickly move away its paw due to the fact that several daggers had embedded themselves into the wood.

The panda looked up in alert as it took out a new sigh.  [Who dares?!]


"I dare!" Standing on top of a two story building was a delivery box carrying Mousse, who was glaring down angrily at whom he knew to be Mr. Saotome.   

The glare was returned just as potently as the panda whipped out a kettle of hot water out of nowhere (just as it did with its signs) and poured it onto itself, reverting to a somehow clothed Genma.  "You!  You're the boy who tries to sway my daughter from her rightful duties!  How dare you show up here?!"

"This is a public street, Pop."  Ranko said indignantly form the side, stealing the profoundity of the moment from her father.

Mousse spoke up in righteous anger as he lowered his delivery box.  "I have been wondering about WHY Ranko would have stayed with that unskilled brute.  Now I find the answer . . ."he abruptly leapt off the rooftop, "HOW DARE YOU ABUSE YOUR OWN DAUGHTER?!"

"Huh?"  Ranko blinked in confusion.

"Hidden Weapons Frenzy!"  With a magican's glace, the air-borne boy shot out dozens of chain-attached daggers and spriked clubs at the older man below him, who had narrowly dodged the weapons as he couched down to a defensive stance.  

"What?!  I was sparring with her!"

Mousse landed lightly facing the angry man as his hands once again disappeared into his sleeves.  "I have seen, with my own eyes, how you had just kicked Ranko without even attempting to hold back.  That's not a sparring strike, that's an actual strike from a man whose wrongs had been pointed out.  With a father like you, no wonder she would settle for that cruel sadist as her fiance!"  

Genma looked angry.   "What?  How dare you criticise my training methods?!  And to insult her rightful fiancé . . . I'll teach you a lesson!!!"

"That's MY line!!"  Mousse retorted as he shot out various sharp-edged, chain attached weapons at the older man.

"Mousse, don't!!"  Ranko shouted in alarm . . . as the boy's long-ranged weapons were rapidly yanked out of his grip by her surprisingly agile father.  "You're not good enough to take the old glutton!"


"Don't worry, Airen!  I won't disappoint you!"  Mousse shouted back, leaving an opening that Genma immediately took advantage of as he darted close to the boy and proceeded to "declaw" the boy's medium-ranged weapons.  After smashing all of them, he aimed a strike at the the now momentarily stunned boy.  

Ranko immediately dashed forward to stop her Pop.  It isn't everyday that a girl like her, who travelled on the road for most of her live, can have a boy who is so PROTECTIVE of her.  Love him or not, she wouldn't let her father hurt him.  Ranko quickly realized to her horror that she might not make it in time . . .

Genma growled as his fist was heading straight toward Mousse's face. 

"This will teach you not to hang around my-"  

SAP!!

The huge fist, which would have craved in Mousse's nose, was now held back . . . by strands of fried noodles?

Standing some distance behind him was a boy with heavy bangs parted to one side and a long ponytail, who was holding on to the cemented strands with in some kind of a stance.  He was wearing a dark-blue, long-sleeved boy's uniform, with a bandoleer of small spatulas across his arm and shounders and a giant one on his back.   There was a evil looking, close-eyed smile on his handsome, androgynous face as he spoke up in a malacious voice.  

"Morning, Genma."

Genma looked back in horror.  "Ukyou-kun, you-"	

"Painyao-chuan!"

PONG!!

Taking the oppotunity, Mousse had hit him over the head with one of his close-ranged weapons.   The man went down with a thud as the bystander stare at his weapon in awe.  Ranko eyes bugged out at the sight of it.

"Wow . . . I never knew . . ."  "People can actually fight . . . with this?!"  "What a new discovery . . ."


"Amazonian techniques are very creative . . . you know . . ."   Mousse said as he quickly hid the . . . duck-shaped toilet trainer back into his sleeves.  The bystanders, seeing how the fight was already over, began going by their usual business again.

"Alright!"  Letting go of the noodles, Ukyou walked over with a HUGE smile pasted on his face.  "Hey, man.  I don't know you, but anyone who beats up the scumbag is obviously good enough to be my friend!"  He extended his hand to the Chinese boy. "Kuonji Ukyou."

"Mousse."  The Chinese boy chuckled slightly at Ukyou's overtly sunny expression as he took the hand and shake it.  "Thanks for your help."

"0h, it's nothing."  Ukyou laughed heartily.  "This guy is my clan's worst enemy!  By beating him up, you've made my day. Hey, Ranchan!"  Ukyou beamed at Ranko, who smiled back tentatively for some reason.

"Ah, so you are Ranko's friend, huh?"  Mousse smiled.  "That's good, cause Ranko's friend is my friend."

"Same case here, buddy."  Ukyou smirked.  "By the way, I own the UCCHAN'S okonomiyaki restaurant at Plaza Street.  Feel free to come by anytime for a free okonomiyaki, eh?"   

Mousse looked pleasantly surprised.  "You're in the restaurant business?  Me too.  What a coincicence."  

"Really?  Now wouldn't that make us competitors?"  Ukyou asked jokingly.

Mousse laughed.  "Hardly.  I am just a cook at a Chinese Restaurant owned by somebody else.  But, I still have enough say in the restaurant to serve you a free dish anytime you happen to come by."

"I'll look forward to it."  Ukyou grinned.

"Well, guess I don't have to introduce you boys now . . . tee-hee . . ." Ranko giggled with a tiny hint of unease.  Neither of the boys noticed.  

Ukyou spoke up again.  "By the way. Not that I don't like you beating up the old thief, but what did he do to you?"


Mousse snorted.  "If he did something to ME, I wouldn't have been as mad as I was then.  No, the dihonorable old . . . man dared to kick Ranko without holding back his strength!  He even dared to call it sparring!"

"What?!  Why that old bastard-"   Ukyou looked angry, then guilty as he remembers his past grudge against Ranko. "And to think that I used to blame his dishonor on Ranchan . . ."

Mousse perked up a bit.  In his quest for Ranko, a martial artist friend, who was opposed to her interfering father as well, was an ally too good to be true.  "Eh?  What had he done?" 

"Ten years ago, Genma took my family yatai and ran away, leaving me and my mother penniless, with NO ONE to turn to."  Ukyou said with visible pain on his face.  "We were lucky to have made it through.  I had always thought that Ranko was a part of it, her being the centre of the promise between Genma and my mom.  It wasn't until I have reunited with her here that I've found out she didn't even know anything about it!  It was all HIS fault!"  

Now Mousse was genuinely interested.  "Wait, you said a promise between between your mother and Genma?"

Ukyou sighed.  "Yeah, my mother had wanted me to train in *being a man* by having Genma raise me up.  She even offered to give him our family yatai so that he could afford both me and Ranko at the same time.  And it was then that I became Ranko's fiancé, since Mum thought I would become more *manly* by being engaged to a girl  . . ."  

Mousse broke in on impulse, lighthearted due to the fact that he didn't know what he was saying yet.  "You're Ranko fiancé?  Me too.  What a coincidence."

Ukyou laughed.  "Really?  Now wouldn't that make us-"

Both boys froze as the impact of what had been revealed hit them over the head like a tons of bricks.

"W H A T ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ? ! ? !"

"Ranchan/Airen!!"  Both of them turned to Ranko, who wasn't there anymore.  


They turned back to face each other again, the lighthearted expressions now clearly gone from their faces.  Had it not been for their friendly start, they would certainly be engaged in combat right there and then.

Mousse spoke up first.  His words were tentative and edgy at the same time.  "Ranko had been legally bonded to me . . . through the most sacred mating ritual of the Amazon Village.    Our marriage is one that is . . . protected by an actual Chinese law, one that trespasses nationality."

"Amazon village law, huh . . ."  Ukyou mulled that over in his head, then decided to get back to the matter at hand first.  "Well, long before that, me and Ranchan's parents had sighed a contract regarding the agreement that once Genma took the yatai, me and Ranko are automatically engaged to be married.  I have the contract till this day: I just hadn't use it yet since it would be so much more fun to beat Genma up instead."

Damn these pathetic grooms set up that slimeball father!   Mousse, who could no longer control his anger, snapped.  "Well, I LOVE Ranko, so much that I allow her the liberty to chose her own husband despite her already being legally bounded to me!"

"And you don't think that I'm doing the same thing?"  Ukyou asked.  

Mousse, who couldn't make up a comeback line, looked angrier and angrier.  Ukyou noticed this, and sighed.  "Hey look, I don't have time for this right now.  If you don't mind, we can settle this later at Ucchan's, okay?  My earlier promise is still valid."

"Well . . ."  At Ukyou's casual reply, Mousse became slightly embrassed by his own animated hostility.  "So is mine.  But I'll go to your place, where we can solve this man to man."
   
"Man to man it is.  Be there at three today!" With this, Ukyou leapt onto a rooftop and out of sight. 
  
Mousse was disgusted.  Another fiancé . . . also arranged by Genma?!  Why that . . .

"Urg . . ."  At this point, that man was slowly waking up from la-la land as he began to struggle up.

CRANG!!


{Bastard!}  Knocking the offending man back into la-la land (this time with a buddha statue), Mousse leapt back up onto the rooftop to pick up his delivery box and left.  {Fathers like this should have been locked in a pig cage and thrown into the river if this is MY village!}

After he had left the now empty street (empty save for Genma), a short-haired boy walked out from a side-alley.  He was jogging by as he saw the argument between Ranko and Genma.   As he stayed to watch, he witnessed something that makes him angry and jealous at first, then slightly guilty as the implications sank in.  

Mousse had defended (at least attempted to) Ranko from Genma's unskilled manipulations and rough treatments. He had only been with her for a matter of days.

Him, who had been with Ranko all this time, hadn't done anything like that.  Sure, he had beat up Genma several times already, since the older man seemed to hold back a lot when fighting (or rather, getting beat up by) him.  But never had he actually defended Ranko from the man . . . not since he found out about the truth of Ranko's gender (in part1) anyway.

<Brrr!  What do I care?  It isn't like she's REALLY my fiancee by choice anyhow, besides . . .> Kaneda looked disgusted, <why would she need a *wimp* like me to defend her from anything, if that's what she thinks about me all the time?> 

"Urg . . ."  At this point, Genma was once again waking up from la-la land as he tried struggling up once more.

CLASH!! !

After knocking Genma out with a nearby mailbox to vent out his frustrations, he jogged back home to get prepared for school.

*		*		*		*		*		*		*

A hoarse voice echoed in the Hulihanten:

"Hey, girl!  Aren't the spring rolls ready yet?!" 


"Almost done, please wait more!"  Shampoo, in a waitress outfit, replied with some frustration.  She was busily serving one of the more demanding crowd of customers: the morning senior crowd.  Still totally unprepared for this line of work even after several days of waitressing, the best female warrior of her generation began to have second thoughts about staying in Nerima.  
Carrying a tray with various drinks on her head and two dishes on each hand, she quickly unloaded two dishes and two drinks onto a table.  

"Here your orders.  Enjoy!"

"Hey, waitress!  I've been waiting forever for the Shanghai noodles!" An elderly lady from another table called out, "A young girl like yourself cannot afford to be such a slow-poke!"  

"Come right over!"  Shampoo almost yelled over her shoulder as she hurried over.  Her patience had always been thin, and now, it was threathening to break under stress.
  
"Shampoo!" just then, Cologne, now acting as the cook, threw out s dish of spring rolls and two dishes of Chicken feet at her, which she barely managed to catch with her palm and forearm.  

"The chicken feet goes to the table at the corner." Her Hiba-chan said absently as she quickly cooked up some other dishes.

Shampoo quickly unloaded the spring rolls to a clearly dissatisfied old man and rushed for the table at the corner, who muttered to his friend as she left for another table: "Fancy looking kid . . . too bad that she's so totally incompetent at this."

At hearing that, the already frustered Shampoo turned a threatening shade of red. <No, . . . must have control->

"Hey, young lady!  When is my teapot going to be refilled?" An old man from yet another table asked.

Exploding like a volcano, Shampoo whirled over and snapped, totally forgetting about the tray of cold drinks on her head. "Stop whine-"

Before she could have let out a string of long suppressed obsenities, a cold mix of ice-water, pop and soda splashed down on her . . .

. . . and a tiny, pink fox entangled in a waitress outfit turned up in the place of the Chinese girl.	


Before the stunned customers could have reacted, a kettle of hot water was poured over the animal, reverting it into a Chinese girl in a waitress outfit.

"Shampoo, this really isn't the time to practice your magic act, you know."  Cologne calmly took hold of the situation as she casually pretended to chide Shampoo and put the emptied kettle away.

Shampoo didn't take the hint.  "What-?"

"A magic act?" A still somewhat stunned old lady asked in a shaky voice.

Cologne replied with a casual smile.  "Yes, the girl is ABOSOLUTELY fascinated with Chinese Acrobat and magic.  In fact, she was one of the performers at that Amazon Acrobat Show a while ago."  Cologne shook her head.  "And now that the show is over, she's STILL trying to re-live every moment of it.  Such an obsessive dreamer . . ."

Shampoo winced a real wince due to the hidden implications of the last sentence.

 	"If only she could just be realistic enough to keep her feet on the ground."  Cologne finished with a meaningful smirk at Shampoo.

"But . . . but the magic looks so flawless!" one of the old men said.

"Mister."  The young looking Cologne smiled a secretively flirtatious smile at the old man who was at least 30 years her junior in reality, causing him to forget half of what he just said.  "I assume you can still see with reasonable clarity . . .?" 

"Why, of course, young lady, I'm only 86!"

"Really?  At most you look to be 55!"  Cologne half joked with him in that deep, beautiful voice of hers, flattering the old man to no end and causing a chorus of aged chuckling in the restaurant.  Pretty soon, she had sucessfully gotten everybody's mind off the earlier incident, and the morning crowd began leaving after their meals.


As the still uneasy looking Shampoo walked up to the counter with some dirty dishes and bowls, Cologne whispered to her in a serious tone in Chinese. {I want an explanation, girl.  Come into the back room after the last customer has finished.}

Shampoo nodded in resignation.  She knew that she couldn't have hidden this secret forever.

*		*		*		*		*		*		*
  
Taking a head start on her way to school, Ranko was mulling over her increasingly messed up relations as she ran on top of the narrow fence.  She wasn't sure about who was the one that she really wanted anymore.  And the worst thing was that, whoever she chose, there WILL be literally hell to play, not to mention the fact that she would have lost her newly found/united friends.

Ukyou was the first friend that she ever had, given how her childhood was a seemingly endless journey moving from place to place.  He was in ALL of her happiest childhood memories.  In fact, he was the only person that had she had ever opened her heart to, being that they were two innocent kids then.  He was . . . important to her. 

Also, he has grown up to be quite a knockout, even if he doesn't realize it. 

Mousse was the first boy EVER to have made her feel so . . . completely dazzled.  Sure, she had enough boys drooling over her ever since she had stopped cross-dressing since Junior High.  Yet none of them had actually arouse the feeling that Mousse had managed to arouse in her.  It is his eyes, those beautiful eyes melting in admiration that made her feel (at least momentarily)like a cherished princess instead of the "wild child" that she was brought up to be.  

Kuno was the first to offer her flowers.  He was trying to "woo" her,but with MUCH less skill and intelligence than Mousse.  With Mousse, at least Ranko can communcate with him; with Kuno, Ranko can't even get a word in as the samurai rants on and on.  It was such a pity, considering that the boy was in fact quite handsome and formidable looking.

As for Kaneda . . .


Even after all these months, he still remained a mysterious contradiction to her.  He was hot-tempered, make no mistake about that, and he wouldn't hesistate in fighting girls (even though he held back somewhat).  Worst of all, he would TOTALLY lost control when he feels jealous, and did things that most will view as unforgivable (excluding the Tendos)in his rage. It remains a mystery to most people that someone like him would have been pursued with such vigour by the Furinkan girls.	
 
But when he WASN'T acting jealous . . . he could be the MOST caring boyfriend in the whole world.  Time after time, it was him who had helped her when she needed it the most.  He was the FIRST Tendo ever to make her feel accepted, the one who dissolved (partially) the vendetta that Ryoko had against her, and the one who had blocked the explosion for her with his own body.  And that tender smile of his . . . it can melt the hesistation off any girl's heart in an instance.

Ryoko and Kodachi weren't after him for no reason after all.

She didn't really mind the hammer-slams: their effects on animated characters disappear almost as quickly as the hammer itself disappears.  Even the bumps will disappear within several lines . . . I mean, moments.  The hammer strike was really more of a way to stun than a way to hurt. 	  

But she did mind about the *implication* of the hammer.  When he striked, was it out of plain annoyance?  Or was it out of real hatred? 

Feeling another presence, she looked below her, and saw
a uniform clad Kaneda running on the street by her side.  He appeared to be purposely ignoring her as he looked straight ahead and ran.

<Will I EVER understand him?> Ranko asked herself as she studies this contrasting mystery of a man.  <More importantly, will he let me?>

*		*		*		*		*		*		*

As the two made it into the classroom in time, they found a bunch of students crowding themselves around the teacher's desk. They were all murmuring among themselves:

"He's so kawaii . . ."

"A hint too girlish looking, if you ask me . . ."

"Baka!  That's what a bishonen should look like!"


"Just why do girls like guys who look like one of their own?"

"Donno.  I once read that all girls are latent lesbians-" 

<SLAP!!> "How dare you, pervert?!"

"Let's not talk about his looks, let's talk about the food!"

"This is SO good I don't believe it." 

"How can anything cooked up by a mere grill taste so delicious?"

"And I thought western crepe was good, bah!" 

"Imagine getting to eat something this good for free . . . do I feel lucky to be in this class"

"Free food?!"  Her worries immediately forgotton, Ranko dashed forward and through the crowd as Kaneda sighed and got into his seat.

"Surprise, Ranchan!"  

Kaneda almost jumped out of his skin at hearing that.  Looking up, he saw Ukyou, who was shutting down a mini-grill on the teacher's desk offering a heart-shaped okonomiyaki to a shocked and embarassed Ranko.

"Uc . . . Uchan, how . . ." Ranko stammered as she took the okonomiyaki.

"UCCHAN?" a chorus could be heard from the surrounding students.	

Ukyou smiled. "Oh, that's just a pet name that Ranchan had for me as a kid, around the time when we were engaged."     

"ENGAGEMENT?!"

"That's right, guys.  We have been engaged since we were both children."  Ucchan gestured to the embarrassed Ranko.  "In fact, Ranchan here is the main reason that I was even transferred here in the first place."

"You've transferred to Furinkan?"  Ranko asked with wide eyes.  "For me? Even after you found out about . . ."


"The other engagements?"  Ukyou smiled a playful smile. "What does it matter, if I'm the one that you really want?  However, the competition for you is entirely too high.  To protect our engagement, I've GOT to be where I can keep a close eye on my girl."

He smiled down at Ranko, who blushed.	

Hiroshi whistled and turns to Kaneda.  "Okay . . . well, what you have got to say for this situation, you who is soon to be her ex-fiancee?"

His casual attitute vanished as he saw the aura that Kaneda was flaring with.  "Forget that I asked."

He wasn't the only one who noticed the aura.  In fact the entire class had sensed the incredible heat and light, and everyone (teacher included) aside from Ukyou and Ranko are now plastering themselves against the furthest wall possible.

Ranko groaned.  "Oh, boy."
  
Ukyou simply looked curious as he stared at Kaneda.  "If this is a focused battle chi instead of an mere anger chi, then he is probably more dangerous than a nuclear bomb at this instant." he whispered to Ranko.

"He still is."  Ranko whispered back.

Kaneda glared hard at Ukyou, who stared back at him with a casual, relaxed expression.  Slowly though, an amused smile came onto his face as he seemed to realize something.

"You know, for someone who had stated that he don't get along with Ranko, you are certainly touchy when it comes to other people claiming her as his own."

Kaneda stood up and took a threatening step at him. "You just mind your own business."

Ukyou's eyes hardened even as he smiled.  "My fiancee's business is my business too, you know.  Besides, unlike somebody, I DO get along with her."

"You're SO lucky to have two top quality bishonens fighting over you!" Sayuri whispered excitedly to Ranko. 


"And you're insane." Ranko groaned and stepped between her fiances. "C'mon, guys, just cut it out!  There's no point for you two to fight like this."

"I'm not trying to fight, Ranchan," Ukyou replied, "not now anyway. I'm just annoyed by the fact that someone who is SUPPOSITELY uninterested in you gets in my way every time when I try to be with you." 

Kaneda came up with the only thing that he could came up with in this situation. "Let's just go outside if you do want to settle this fiance business once and for all."

"Kaneda!  Are you crazy?!  Why pick on someone who's obviously much more better than . . ." Ranko trailed off as Kaneda shot a glare at her.  

Ukyou narrowed his eyes as he took in the exchange. He then turned to the teacher.

"Sir, mind if me and Kaneda-kun go outside for a while?"

The teacher nodded dumbly, never taking his eyes off Kaneda's threathening aura.  "As far away as you two want to go . . . preferably off the school area."

"Ucchan," Ranko pleads with him, "I know Kaneda is a jerk, but please don't do this . . ."

"Don't worry about us, Ranchan,"  Ukyou said, "I know what I'm doing." He then turned to Kaneda.  "Come with me!" 

With that, Ukyou ran toward a classroom window and leapt through it like a ninja.  The angry Kaneda immediately followed suit . . . despite the fact that a three-stories-drop was a bit too challenging even for him.  He landed a bit too heavily whereas Ukyou's landing was soundless and light.  Kaneda immediately shifted into a stance, but was surprised when Ukyou simply stood his ground in a casual pose.

"Why aren't you preparing yourself?" Kaneda growled.


Ukyou cooly raised an eyebrow.  "Why should I?  I'm not planning to fight on my first day of school."

Kaneda became confused.  "Then what . . . ?"

Ukyou smiled as he narrowed his eyes.  "It would serve no purpose for me to fight you alone, when there is yet another fiancé out there waiting to claim Ranchan for himself."

Kaneda looked peeved.  "Oh, that Chinese gigolo."

"Anyway, that 'Chinese gigolo' and I have already agreed to settle this fiance business once and for all this afternoon at my place.  But then again, since you're NOT really interested in being Ranko's fiance . . ."   	 

"I'll be there," Kaneda narrowed his eyes, "for the dignity of my school and nothing else."

Ukyou shrugged.  "Okay.  Ucchan's at three, don't be late.  Now I've got to go back to class: it won't be proper for me to miss out on my first day here now, will it?"

With that, he casually went back into the school building

*		*		*		*		*		*		*

In the backroom of the Hulihanten, an uneasy looking Shampoo had just finished up her explaination to Cologne.

"So basically, that fox water plan that you had tried to defeat Ranko with was impired by your own failed trainning attempt at Jusenkyou after I've come to Japan?"  Cologne asked.

"Yes, Hiba-chan."  Shampoo answered.  "Shampoo know Jusenkyo dangerous, but must risk self to try win Mousse back from Ranko . . . end up falling into Spring of Drown Fox instead.  Now Hiba-chan see?  Shampoo LOVE Mousse, will do anything for him."

Cologne sighed as she flicks a strand of impossibly long hair back from her shoulder.  "I'd say you're just obsessed with his new image, considering how you've been repulsed by him all through your past before his . . . transformation."  

Shampoo was about to object, but stopped herself as she finally allowed herself to consider Cologne's words for once.  After thinking for a while, she speaks up again.

"Hiba-chan speak partly true: Shampoo no really love old Mousse.  But new Mousse different: he so much better man than old one!  He good-looking, he strong, and he village's idol!  Is it any wonder that Shampoo can't help but love him?"
 
  Cologne looked distainful. "Yes it is, considering that this "new" Mousse is really just the same "old" Mousse with an amorous glance and a better taste in hairstyle and clothings.  What's worse is that he HATES you, Shampoo, more than you or the others could have imagined-"

"AIYA!  That not true!"  

"Yes it is.  I've heard him talking in his dreams . . . or rather, nightmares.  The bitterness in his words regarding you is nothing less than psychotic.  Only his good-nature and self-restraint in his conscious state are keeping you from getting sliced into ribbons by his hidden weapons."

Shampoo bit down on her lower lip at hearing that.

Cologne sighed and laid a hand on Shampoo's shoulder.  "Shampoo, listen to Hiba-chan: you CAN do a lot better than drooling all-over a man who obviously hates you so much.  You are still a stranger to this world, and has yet to see OTHER men that are much more good-looking, much more stronger, and best of all," Cologne narrowed her heavily-lashed eyes in a playful but sophisticated smile, "much more POLITICALLY INFLUENCIAL than that boy.  Always take your time in exploring a larger variety of options before settling on one of them."

Shampoo pouted.  "Take time explore others?  Shampoo no Hiba-chan: she no can stay fresh and beautiful forever!  What if Shampoo wait too long and still no can find good man?  Then what become of Shampoo?  Old Maid?"

Cologne groaned.  "And I'M supposed to the one over a hundred . . . Shampoo, the times are changing, women will no longer be shamed for staying single through her more mature years . . ."

Just then, a subtle knocking could be heard from the closed doors of the restaurant area.  Shampoo moved to answer it, but was stopped by a gesture from Cologne's hand.  She turned to her Hiba-chan, and was startled by the expression on her face.



Cologne was smiling with a predatory, yet playful amusement as she seemingly stared through the backroom and the front set of doors.  "Hmm . . . seems like someone is considerate enough to come to play with me after all.  That's good: lately, your Hiba-chan has been quite bored.  You know what you have to do, don't you?"

Shampoo shugged.  "Shampoo has much experience.  After all, all in family know Hiba-chan lead dangerous life."

Cologne sighed.  "Considering the political situation of China since the Communists were in power, can I afford to NOT lead a dangerous life on behalf of the village?  Besides,have I ever brought danger onto my own family?"

Shampoo smiled warily.  "Shampoo know, but still wish we be normal family with simple lives.  This way, we no need be on guard so often."  With that, she walked up the stairs into her room.

Cologne stared sadly after her, then turned her attention back to the person at the front door as the predatory smile crept back onto her face.

*		*		*		*		*		*		*

Nabiki was getting increasingly annoyed as she continued her knocking. Really, is that China girl planning to hide in there for eternity?  Finally, she had had enough.

"Open up, Amazon.  I know you are in there!" she spoke up.

Just then, the door was suddenly unlocked and opened. Nabiki's eyes widened in surprise as she realized that the restaurant was empty.  Taking a hesistant step inside, she spoke up again as her eyes darted around.

"I know you're here, so stop hiding . . ."   
  
Suddenly, she felt something blushing against her and gave a little yelp.  Turning around, she came face to face with . . . a wild flow of impossibly long, dark hair showering upon her.  Shrieking, she tried to back away from whatever that was, ending up falling on her rear instead.  Looking up again, she saw a familiar looking, long-haired girl in a Chinese dress.


Bushing the slightly disheveled dark hair out of her face in a delicate gesture, Cologne smiled secretively as she stared down at the girl in front of her.  "Tendo Nabiki-san, how nice of you to come by . . . even though it would be even nicer if you had come during our business hours as scheduled."

Nabiki was till a bit shaky as she stood up again.  "What . . . was that?"

Cologne's expression betrayed nothing.  "What was what?"

"That . . . hair of yours, why was it . . . MOVING FOR CRYING OUT LOUD?!"

Cologne chuckled as she ran a hand through her hair.  "Nabiki-san, surely you felt that breeze blowing into the restaurant from the	open door just a while ago?"

Nabiki silently swore to God that she didn't feel it as he eyes were involuntarily glued to Cologne's now motionless flow of dark hair.

Cologne put on a slightly taunting expression as she continued.  "Now, to what do I own the please of this visit? Surely you didn't come over just to study my hair?"

Nabiki quickly pulled herself together, and put on her favourite ice-queen expression.  After all, it wouldn't be right for someone with her intellect to be cowering in front of an obviously uneducated village girl from China.

"Of course, how silly of me."  Nabiki forced herself to smile coolly in hopes of unnerving the other girl as she casually slid a hand across the underside of a random table.  "I am here to continue the little "talk" that never did get finished from our last encounter."

"The one regarding Ranko's marriage to Mousse?"  Cologne asked with an amused expression on her face as she eyed Nabiki's seemingly unintentional gesture.

"Exactly."  Nabiki replied with a smug expression as she began pacing around in the restaurant.  "Apparently, contrary to somebody's believe, there are NO laws in Japan that could force Ranko to carry out her so called "marriage as" long as she stays clear of China."

"Go on."  Cologne said, the amused expression never leaving her face as she observed how the toe of Nabiki's shoe brushed against a certain table leg as she paced by.  Nabiki twirled around and faced Cologne again.
	
	"So basically, Mousse's hold on Ranko is invalid as far as Japan is concerned."

	Cologne smiled.  "And what would you do with such knowledge?"

	Nabiki smiled venomously.  "Oh, nothing much.  Just trying to discourage a certain someone from trying to manipulate her pretty-boy goon into getting what is rightfully MY brother's."

	Cologne laughed in a delicate but devious manner. "It's interesting to note how people ALWAYS expect the others to think in the same terms as they do."  She pauses for a moment to enjoy the sight of Nabiki's smile vanishing from her face.  "But you're wrong about that: I do not manipulate people into doing what they don't want to do in the first place."

	Nabiki retorted disdainfully. "You mean that you only manipulate people into doing what they want, but what is not right for them? How noble of you."   

Cologne smiled.  "I do what I do for the best of those around me.  Don't you think it is great for Mousse to be able to find a strong warrior girl that he can love?"

Nabiki asked in a mocking tone of voice.  "And to have the innocent Ranko, who had saved him out of goodwill, unfairly enslaved to him?"

Cologne looked sideways at her with the same smile on her face.  "If Ranko is enslaved, then it will certainly not be by Mousse.  Shall she decide to divorce Mousse, there is no law in our village that can prevent her from doing so."

	Nabiki raised an eyebrow.  "Ah, so he really has no hold on Ranko after all.  Grad you've finally admitted that."

	 Cologne began pacing in the restaurant as she spoke up again.  "I didn't say that.  Even now, Mousse holds a place in Ranko's heart.  Given enough time, that hold shall be strengthened, and she shall find out where her heart lies." 

	Nabiki looked unimpressed.  "Ranko's heart belongs to Kaneda, anyone can see that."

	"Ranko likes your brother enough.  Whether she loves him or not . . . that remains to be seen.  Surely you know how irresistible our Prized Male is, and have seen how Ranko acts around him?"

	Nabiki had to admit that it was true. Mousse's gestures and glances were so articulately gallant that it was like he had been trained to tempt women: Kaneda was no match for him when it comes to charms.   "Ok, so maybe Ranko is somewhat attracted by Mousse's charms, but that doesn't mean . . . I mean, she had been growing closer and closer to Kaneda through all the time that they had been staying under the same roof."

	"Was that before or after Mousse came onto the scene?  And how would you know that, considering that you had left through 1/3 of the time since Ranko has showed up at the Tendo Dojo?"

	Nabiki was taken back.  "How did you . . . know that?!"

	Cologne smiled. "I have my ways."

	<She has probably got connections like I do.  Amazing, considering she isn't in her won area of operation like I am . . . WHY AM I ADMIRING HER FOR?!> 

  	"Doesn't matter.  Ranko has a duty to our family in uniting our bloodlines.  Even IF she likes both my brother and Mousse at the same time, she will obviously see my brother as the logical choice in fulfilling her duty.  

Cologne lowered her delicate eyelids as she walked up to the table that Nabiki had slid a hand under several moments ago. "How nice of you to accuse Mousse of 'enslaving' Ranko when your clan is trying to do exactly just that."

Nabiki fumed.  "It's NOT like that!"

"Then why exactly are you and your clan trying to push Ranko and Kaneda together, despite the fact that they are quarreling so much?" Cologne asked as she turned around in a delicate motion. 

	Nabiki glared at her.  "True lovers can quarrel freely without any pretences, you know."

	"But true lovers seldom get physical in their quarreling . . . especially not the man toward the woman."

	Nabiki lowered her eyes as she muttered.  "That hammer of his can hardly count as an ssault weapon . . ."  

Cologne looked away as she continued.  "I am not asking for much, really."  She said as her hand slid under the table.  "I only want a fair race for Mousse in pursuing his love. That task is impossible with the interfering of the leaders of the Anything Goes Clans . . ." she takes out the tiny recording bugs that Nabiki had placed there previously as she stared sideways at Nabiki, "and you.  That was why I had to scare Tendo and Saotome into believing that I would snare Ranko back to China if needed." 

	Nabiki looked acutely embarrassed as Cologne stared at her while casually crushing the bugs with her fist.  <Well, at least she hadn't discovered the ones under the table leg. . .> 

	"And do pick up the other bugs that you have put on the table leg over there, please." Cologne said.

	<Damn!>  Nabiki groaned in her mind as she reluctantly obligated.  <Certainly, she can't know about those others . . .>

	"Oh, and those bugs on your t-shirt?  They have apparently malfunctioned once you've entered this room."  Cologne said with dry amusement.  "Must be painful, considering how expensive these things are."

	Nabiki groaned.

	Cologne walked over and stared Nabiki in the eye as strands of dark hair began to flow across her cold, but still beautiful face.  "Do not look for dirt in where there is none, and do not make me your enemy: it won't do you or your clan any good."  At the end of her sentence, Cologne's rich flow of dark hair was clearly flailing around in tentacle-like motions as it lifted itself off her slender frame.  

Nabiki could feel a cold knot of fear eating at her heart, for there was clearly NO wind in this place.   As strands of the eerie dark threads began reaching for her, the girl lost all her cool and bolt out of the restaurant. 

Cologne smirked to herself as she pushed the flailing hair out of her face with one hand.  "Amazing what a simple chi trick can do to generate fear in others."  

	Shampoo's voice came from behind her.  "She every right have fear: Hiba-chan's hair strong enough to strangle a boar.  Shampoo wish can learn that trick."

	Cologne turned back to her great-granddaughter as her hair drifted back down into its normal mode.  "You just might be able to learn that if you are willing to exercise your chi more often. Oh, did the anti-bug device find any more bugs that the Tendo girl might have put here?"

	"Hiba-chan find all by herself already."  Shampoo replied with a sullen look: if she didn't know about the disastrous result of actually having bugs in the Hulihanten, she would have been tempted to teach Nabiki how to slip a few into this building.											
	Cologne could guess what she was thinking, but had decided to said nothing about it for the time being: nagging Shampoo will serve to accomplish nothing.  "Come, girl.  Let's prepare for the lunch crowd."
   
	With that, the two of them proceeded to set up the restaurant for business once more in silence.


	*		*		*		*		*		*

On a random street of Nerima, a somewhat "rugged" (but still beautiful) looking girl wearing a bandanna was wandering around with a huge backpack on her back.  

	<Damn!  Where am I now?  Will I ever find my gentle . . .>

	Her thoughs were interupted by the chattering of a bunch of highschool girls with familiar looking uniforms.

	"Poor Kaneda-kun, and just when he was getting closer and closer to Ranko too . . ."

	"Just WHAT is it about that girl that can get her two fiances at the same time?  She isn't even 'cute' in the sense of the word!  What do boys in her anyway?"

	"I have no idea.  Hmmm . . . now that Kaneda-kun is upset by Ranko's two-timing, this just might be my chance to take him as my own!"

	"In you dreams . . ."

	Just then, the bunch of girls found their path blocked by the bandanna-clad girl, who had an intense look of anger on her face.

	"Tell me everything."  she growled at the paling girls.

  
	

	*		*		*		*		*		*	 

	In the indoor gymnasium of Furinkan High, the students are all cheering wildly at the basketball game that was going on.  Darting between the opposing teams with an agility that can only be exceeded by Ranko, Ukyou casually slipped through the defences of the opposing team as he leaped up into midair and scored into the basket.  Afterwards, he ran back to the sidelines and began socializing with the other boys as the girls all stared at him with dreamy expressions: Ranko was no where to be seen.		

	Some distance away, several boys were looking at Ukyou with a mix of envy and jealousy in their eyes.  

	"Well, there goes our hopes of ever finding a girlfriend in this damned school . . ."

"Damn!  It's almost like having another Kaneda around, and in the same class too . . ." one of them muttered.

	"Is it so bad to have me around?" A dark voice called out from behind him, giving the poor boy a shock as he quickly put on a smile and turned around.

	"Ehehehehe . . . Of course not, Kaneda-kun.  Me and the other guys have always thought that you're cool and all that . . . So, see you later!"  With that, he and the other boys nervously walked away from the grumpy looking martial artist.  

	Kaneda snorted and turned to stare at Ukyou.  The androgynous but handsome boy was now the centre of attention of the entire female population: a position that Kaneda had once occupied himself.  

	<Is it because he is new and mysterious to all these girls?  Or is it simply because he is a much more shiny character than myself?> Kaneda thought with a tiny hint of envy. 

	He then chided himself for even being stupid enough to ask such a question.  Aside from being less muscular and an inch or two shorter, Ukyou was clearly more handsome than him.  His face is much more "bishonen" than his, and while being slender, Ukyou's frame was so well proportioned that it was by no means inferior to his more muscular built. 

	Kaneda also noticed something else about Ukyou: he was incredibly social.  No doubt it was a skill that he had developed in his career as a restaurant owner.  Together with his incredible combat AND cooking skill, it is no wonder that he could become the school idol in just one day.

	Is it any wonder that Ukyou could face his rivals with so much more cool and calmness than himself?  Kaneda sighed to himself as he felt his self-esteem slipping away from him.
 
As a protector, Kaneda couldn't possibily protect Ranko from whoever that she couldn't handle herself, with her being so much more skillful in the art than him.  As a lover, he was insensitive toward her feelings and cravings.

Actually, he wasn't sure if he really do love her: it wasn't like he had a choice in this matter.  Besides it is obvious that he couldn't even keep himself from hammering her whenever he himself became intimidated.

It is almost ironic how Kaneda knew NOTHING about how to treat girls, when he had two sisters to start with.  But then again, neither of them could have been called "typical girls".

Typical Japanese girls always try to act a few years younger than their real age, frequently hiding their own worldiness behind masks of mock innocence.  Most of them were FEVERISH in their attempts to get themselves husbands by displaying their "virginal qualities in front of men to tempt them.  After all, none of them want to become an old maid and be laughed upon by others.

    Kasumi had acted mature for her age even before his mother had passed away: afterwards, she evolved into becoming downright motherly.  Even her shell of obliviousness had a mature undertone to it.   Perphaps taking care of the household starting from a young age had given her a demure but matronly feel that should belong to a married woman instead of a late-teen girl.  Had it not been for her youthful apearance, one could almost imagine her as Kaneda's mother.  In fact, she was exactly like a second mother to her younger sibblings.

As for Nabiki, well, she had ALWAYS been eager to learn business-related skills instead of the domestic ones.  Even as a child, she used to sell off her old toys to her classmates. As she got older, it becomes apparent that she was NOT one of the girls.  Whereas the other girls flaunt their innocence, she squashed what she had of it by building up a cool demeanor.  Whereas the other girls demonstrate their domestic skills, she demonstrated her business skills with much ruthlessness toward her "customers".  Whereas the other girls long for somebody to provide for them, she longed to provide for herself - and succeeded.  She had been fiancially providing for her family since her mid-teens.  Now, at the age of seventeen, she earned much more money than most of the boys that she knew.  In fact, she earned more than her father.

With two such "unusual" girls as his older sisters, Kaneda had never been quite able to see other girls his age as having . . . significant personalities.  All he could see and hear of them were mocklingly navie, smiling masks and high-pitched giggles: nothing that can catch his attention.  The "cuter" they are, the more hollow they seem to him.

The first time when he had became attracted to the opposite sex was when he had met Doctor Ninomiya Hinako at twelve.


Hinako was barely twenty then, and has just set up her clinic in this area.  While her beauty was what had aroused people's attention at first, it quickly became apparent that it was her skills as a doctor that attracted male and female patients alike.  According to rumors, she had apparently been quite harshly pushed by her father, the heir to the infamous clan of Martial Arts Healing Techniques, to gain an actual doctor's degree since a child.  As such, she was startlingly young considering her professional degrees, not to mention the fact that she pocesses a greater maturity than her age.  

But what attracted Kaneda to her was the fact that unlike his own eldest sister, Hinako's maturity is anything but matronly. She was already known to be a professional, and as such, she pocessed a confidence in herself that enabled her to act with a certain "carefree" grace that few women of the area have.  This also contributed to the unconscious waves of sensuality that were allowed to emit from her, as she don't have to act girlish and naive to any man to get them to marry and support her: she made more money than most of them anyway.

It is indeed too bad that she STILL needed a man to EMOTIONALLY support her, and that man just happened to be his father.  Soun Tendo was the only one who can get her to abandon her womanly grace and put on a sickeningly *squirmish*, *naive* and *WEAK* mask to entertain him.  Kaneda, who was already jealous of her attraction to his father, was also secretly hurt by the fact that she had to *sold out* like the rest of the others to get herself a man.

As for girls around his age . . .

To be truthful, Kodachi was the first girl his age ever to have managed to partially impress him.

He had known her since junior high.  She wasn't as physically striking then as she was now, being that her face and body hadn't really began "blossoming" till she was 15.  But even then, she was already better looking than all the other girls of her school.

Also, she was definitely NOT demure nor cute.  Her personality was extremely outward: when she liked or disliked someone, she would let it be known to the world without bothering to consider what the others will think about her.  Kaneda had once found that a point to her.

But later he found out that she was overtly spoiled, eccentric, and ruthless. Paralysis powder, bombs and whatnot were often used by the girl when her gymnastic (or else) opponents were too skilled for her to defeat in fair combat.  The boys who would have been attracted to her steered clear from her as a result: they found her to be too dangerous to get close to.

	What had finally turned Kaneda off was of course her attempt to "win" him through combat.  He liked girls who are more or less straightforward, but that was TOO MUCH even for him.  The embarrassment that he had suffered as the other girls follow suit didn't help much either.  Eventually, beautiful as she was, she became an annoyance to him.

	And here was Ranko, unpretentious and beautiful at the same time: nothing like the plain, common girls around him.  She SHOULD have been a dream that coming true for him. 

	So why was his relationship with her so damn rocky?

	Slumping down onto a bench at a corner the gym, Kaneda sighed heavily as the class bell rang and Ukyou and the others began to pile out of the gym for lunch.  Just then, he felt somebody walking up to him from the side. He looked up and saw Nabiki standing there.

	"Hey, sis.  Where were you this morning?" he asked.

	"Confronting that Amazon girl."  Nabiki said with barely contained fear and anger in her voice.  

	"The slender, graceful brunette or the bubbly purple-haired girl?"

	"The brunette.  She's the only Amazon that I know of.  I wouldn't call her graceful though . . ." Nabiki whispered, "I think she is some kind of demon or something . . ."

	"She might very well be, if what the other Amazons said about her were true."  Kaneda then proceeded to tell Nabiki all that had happened on the battle between the Amazon maiden warriors and Ranko.  Nabiki's eyes widened as Kaneda told her the part about Cologne being referred to as Shampoo's "Hiba-chan", and how Mousse had revealed that it had got to do with Jusenkyou.

	"Well, she DOES seemed to be devious beyond her age," Nabiki scratched her chin as she repayed what had happened in her mind. 

	Seeing the look at Kaneda gave her regarding that statement, Nabiki smorted as she continued.  "And she can do scary tricks that NO OTHER martial artist of her physical age can possible perform.  I mean, I have seen you 20 feet leaps before, but compared to the flying leap that she took off with on that first night (see part 6a), it was nothing.  Also, she can make her HAIR move according to her will . . ."

	"Well, whatever that she is won't really matter anymore, for I'm going to Ucchan's this afternoon to sort this damned fiance mess out once and for all!" Kaneda said as he gripped his fist.

	 Nabiki raised an eyebrow as Kaneda told her about the challenge that he had just received from Ukyou.   She looked incredulous after he had finished.

	"And you accepted the challenge?"

	"Of course! I'm the heir to the Tendo School of Anything Goes!"  Kaneda replied.

	Nabiki slapped a hand onto her forehead.  "Does it ever occur to you that those two might be planning to gang up on you in a three-way fight?"

	"What?!"  
	
	"Think about it.  In all three of you, only you get to live together with Ranko."

	"In other words . . ."

	"You are their major obstacle!  Of course they would see bringing you down first as being their most profitable . . . I mean, their most urgent task!"

	Kaneda paled at the thought of having to face TWO martial-artists who are both clearly better than him in the art.

	"But . . . but I HAVE to accept the challenge!  It is important to the name of our school!"

	"That is exactly why I DIDN'T take martial arts trainning as a kid: it is just too restricting on your choice of actions."  Nabiki said with disgust.  "But there is still a way for you to come out a winner in this . . . for a fee, of course."   

	Kaneda reached for his wallet immediately as scenes of victory toward those two flashed in his mind.  

*		*		*		*		*		*		*	
			
	Sitting on a sakura tree in the garden that was part of Furinkan High, Ranko was getting more and more troubled as she brood over the current situation. 
 
	Three other suitors, two of which capable of putting Kaneda permenantly out of commision, and the baka was STILL being brick-brained enough to provoke them time after time!  

	"I don't care anymore.  If Kaneda is so keen on picking fights that he can't win, let him.  It would probably serve him right to get beat up a bit . . ."

	Just then, a hail of yellow and black bandannas whizzed by, forcing Ranko to leap off the tree branch that she was sitting on.  Landing in a stance, she came face to face with her most powerful enemy.

	Ryoko glared daggers at her hated rival.  "Ranko, you slut! Isn't Kaneda-kun good enough for you? How dare you string along other boys?!  And to put him into such a dangerous position against your lover boy . . ."

	"DAMMIT!  It is NOT like this!" Ranko retorted angrily.

	"DIE!!"

	With that, Ryoko charged Ranko as the latter groaned in disgust.

<Why me?> Ranko thought as she took up a stance.  After all, like Kaneda, she too would never allow herself to back down from a confrontation.


END PART 7 (to be continued in part 8)

September 14, 1997.




	  
	
	  
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