This is NOT my fic. I'm posting it for a friend, hoping that some of you
will send him constructive C+C.
PLEASE SEND COMMENTS TO: Craig Nelsen <urbane@tiac.net>
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No, that title's not a typo...
One quick note: These events are prior to KOR Episode #1, for a few small
plot reasons. First, so that Madoka would be of a similar age to the R1/2
crew, and second so that Madoka & Kasuga hadn't met, leaving Madoka
"available."
Let's see how my first attempt at creative writing in over four years goes.
For that matter, my first fanfic at all...
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Ranma 1/2 & Kimagure Orange Road
"Love at First Slight"
By: Craig "if-you-call-me-coach-you-die" Nelsen
***Splash!***
"Growph!"
And so, this day began like many others. That is to say with Ranma
running late, and with Genma toweling-off his furry form from an imposed
morning dip in the carp pool.
"Ranma! We're going to be late if you don't hurry up! I'll leave you
behind, you know." Akane scolded.
"Maybe it's on purpose because I don't wanna to be seen with a uncute
tomboy like you!," Ranma retorted.
This routine exchange of insults continued on the way to FHS (Furinkan
High School). It was something that they were used to without knowing
it. Students passed the quarreling couple, while bushing back the
occasional loose strand of hair or covering early morning yawns with their
hands. No one paid the Ranma and Akane much notice, yet they kept a safe
distance. No way of knowing when a maniac armed with a bamboo golf club,
which she inherited from her 200 year old ancient albino mentor, who
incidentally Genma had promised that their children could marry, might show
up.
As they were so busy exchanging insluts, they did not notice when a short
blond school girl crossed in too close in front of the school bus she had
just got off. She was crushed beneath its tires as it pulled away from the
bus stop. A white and green flower, also not noticed, fluttered away in
the breeze.
Ranma and Akane shuffled into the classroom as the morning bell rang. It
does go without saying that on the way Kuno *did* try to glom Akane and
attack Ranma, but he was quickly and brutally dealt with. His smoldering,
crushed form was left in the hallway. He would be late for class- at the
very least. Then again, it *has* just been said, so it doesn't really go
without saying.
"Whhhheeeeeeee!," an arm-fluttering yellow ball of energy coasted into
the classroom in seeming defiance of the local terrestrial 9.81 m/s^2 pull
on objects. "Goood morning everybody!," Miss Hinako beamed.
"Ugh," Ranma thought, "She routinely sucks out battle aura like a '57
Edsel sucks gas. And because of that, I have to grapple with her on a
daily basis, which makes *me* look like some kinda pervert! And on top of
that, she's a morning person!"
"I'm very excited today," Miss Hinako exclaimed.
"Well, duh....," Ranma thought, rolling his eyes.
"That idiot!," Akane thought, noticing Ranma's disrespectful expression.
"We have a new student here today! She's going to be staying with us for
a while. He parents are out of the country right now, so I hope that you
can all be her friend and help her through this difficult time."
From out in the hall there was a sound of shifting feet and a slight snort
of contempt. It was a sign of things to come.
"I hope you'll all make her feel welcome, " Hinako continued, blissfully
unaware. She pirouetted to face the door, going through more revolutions
than strictly necessary. "You can come in now."
The door classroom door slid open, and a foot stomped into the room with
little to no attempt at grace. The foot, thankfully, was attached to a
long leg which continued into regions-better-left-for-lemons that was
covered by a dark blue skirt. The rest of the foot's attachments wore a
white top, which was accompanied by a blue scarf.
Taking it all in one go, the new student was tall, and well built - in a
very attractive way. She had mid-back length black hair, left loose about
her shoulders. She had dark blue eyes. She wore an expression that might
best be called "indifferent" or "defiant" or maybe just plain old "angry."
"Go on!", Hinako cheered, pushing the woman to the blackboard. "Please!
Introduce yourself, go, go!"
There was a nice full wave in her hair as she pulled away from Hinako, and
moved purposefully to the blackboard. A certain something in her posture
and stride demanded attention.
There was a noticeable intake of air as the XY-chromosome contingent of
the class took a deep appreciate breath. Most outstandingly attractive
new-comers to FHS were already either going steady in their home country
with some one else, engaged to Ranma, under Kuno's "protective wing" or
were really men in disguise. It appeared, from her stature, that it was
down to three of four possible flaws
The woman turned back to look over her shoulder as she picked up the chalk
at the board. Noting all the leering expressions, she turned back to the
board and began to write.
"Ayukawa Mado......*SCREEEEEECH*," a spine-rending, nerve-cutting sound
went out as her fingernail dug into the blackboard, sending some of the
classroom's inhabitants to the floor. Many of the afflicted students had
one foot in the air, which was twitching in a truly Takahashian manner.
"...ka" she finished.
"Ayukawa Madoka, " the woman said as turned to face the class. She stood
there with her arms crossed in a "wait-and-see" stance, her chin held high.
"Oh yeah...," she said, lowering her head a bit to look at everyone and
smiling coldly, "Sorry about that bit with the chalk."
Ranma's pony-tail slowly lost the friz at its' end and lowered itself down
from sticking straight up. Other students climbed back into their seats.
Neither Akane nor Miss Hinako appeared to be affected in the least. Akane
was spared in that she had been psyching herself up for some serious
HammerTime on the drooling legions. She'd not noticed if Ranma had been
participating, but had decided to start with him anyway. "Better safe than
sorry," she had thought. Miss Hinako had not been affected simply because
in her "chibi-mode" she was too vapid to really pick up on anything other
environmental conditions other than crazed martial artists on rampages.
"How very exciting! " Hinako chimed in. "Now, why don't you take a seat
behind Ranma. He was the newest student in our class, and maybe you two
can be friends!"
A collective groan went through the classroom. "Another Fiancee - for
sure!", "Uh-oh", "that's trouble", and other words could be heard. Akane
simply stared at Ranma, who shrugged.
Madoka strolled up the aisle, and slipped into her chair, banging the back
legs of Ranma's chair as she straighten her legs out mid-slouch. "Sorry,"
she said as she pulled her legs back, but did not sit up entirely. Ranma
looked back at her. She made an apologetic wave of her hand in
recognition.
"Well, at least she *seems* to mean it this time," Ranma thought.
Further thoughts were interrupted by the chalk-laden eraser that collided
with the back of his head.
"Mr. Ranma Saotome, will you *please* face the front of the class and pay
attention. I know she's probably distracting to you, but you can bring her
up to speed during lunch."
"That's it! Tonight I irrevocably dent that thick macho playboy skull of
his," Akane thought. She cracked her knuckles, and flexed her arms as if
she were holding her hammer. She frowned and growled softly. The
combination of these four factors would have been disturbing to four out of
five psychiatrists. Unfortunately, it was the *fifth* psychiatrist that
was the school councilor.
Eventually, the lunch hour rolled around, and Ranma found himself, Akane,
and Madoka with their desks fulled together. Madoka was there simply
because she had refused to move anywhere else. Ranma was there simply
because he didn't really want to abandon the new student on her first day.
"Though she looks tough enough to hold her own," Ranma thought. Akane was
there simply because she thought she'd try to follow Miss Hinako's advice
and make friends with the new student.
However, since the world is more complex than simple, there were other
reasons why these three stuck together.
Madoka was there for several reasons. First, she really didn't want to
move. Second, she had spent only a few moments issuing "death-threat
looks" to other approaching male students, and didn't want to encourage any
other advances by leaving her spot and moving closer to some other guy.
And third, no one else in the class really seemed worth it to move to.
Ranma had his own reasons for staying. First, he really did have some
lingering sense of duty, and so long as Miss Hinako had asked him, he might
as well try to help Madoka out. Secondly, and unbeknownst to Ranma, it was
a ploy of his subconscious to make Akane jealous over him. And third, he
wanted to verify for himself that she wasn't one of his fiancees.
Akane was there for her own reasons too. First, she did want to make
friends with Madoka. Second, unbeknownst to Akane, she was gearing up for
a fight like an alley cat over "her" Ranma. And third, if Ranma *did* try
something or if this woman *was* another fiancees, Akane wanted to be
close enough to Ranma so that she could hammer him through and out the
window. Maybe she'd do that anyway.
"I'm Akane Tendo. Please call me Akane," Akane smiled as she introduced
herself.
"Ranma Saotome here. 'Ranma' if you want", Ranma said.
"Ayukawa." Madoka spoke quietly. Not that she was being particularly
reserved, but rather because that was all the effort she cared to put into
introducing herself to these people.
A quiet pause occurred here as the politeness factor dipped a few notches
with Madoka's introduction.
"So, what do your parents do?," Akane asked.
"They're musicians.", Madoka replied flatly.
"Hmph!," Ranma interjected softly.
"Our parents are both martial artists at the Tendo dojo.," Akane replied.
Ranma snorted, "Except for pops. All he does is lounge around and eat."
Madoka frowned slightly, "What's his problem?," she wondered.
Akane elbowed Ranma in the ribs.
"So, uh, why'd your parents leave you behind?!", Ranma asked.
*WHAM!*
Akane withdrew her fist from the back of Ranma's head, "What Ranma *meant*
to say is why didn't you stay where you were and go to school there?"
Madoka shrugged, "Not my idea to move. I'd much rather be back where I
came from."
"Is there someone special there that you left?," Akane asked.
"No."
All Around the room, scribbles could be heard as the male students
frantically checked off yet another box on the "Female Availability" form.
Halfway there.....
"So you're not engaged to anyone," Ranma asked.
Madoka turned slowly to face Ranma, "Of course not! What the hell sort
of question is that?," Madoka thought. "Of course not! What the hell sort
of question is that?," she said, since she often said exactly what she felt.
A sweatdrop formed at the back of Ranma's head, "Uhm. Actually you'd be
surprised at how pertinent that sort of question is. I mean look at me...
I have three fiancees. Not that I really asked for any of them."
All Around the room, scribbles could be heard as the male students
frantically checked off YET ANOTHER box on the "Female Availability" form.
Now only if Kuno...
Madoka glared at Ranma, " I hate flirts."
Any further destructive dialog was interrupted by a clacking of sandals as
the classroom door flew open.
"Akane Tendo! The pig-tailed girl. And now the mysterious beauty. I,
Tatewaki Kuno, now have a complete reason for being as the Trinity of
Divine Beauty enters my life! The feisty pig-tailed girl! The lovely
Akane Tendo! And now, the brash and bold Dark-Haired Ayukawa. Ahh! How
my soul's poet lays line after line of verse to my swelling heart! Ah how
I love you all....."
*WHAM*
*CRUNCH*
Kuno was lay twitching buried under Akane's hammer and Ranma's fist.
Madoka snorted.
Lunch ended without any further interruptions. Kuno was down for the
count. Shampoo came by and smashed down a wall, crushing Ranma, and then
picking him up and embracing him, while feeding him ramen. Or at least she
would have, if she had not been out making deliveries. Ryoga would have
come for routine duels with Ranma, but he was lost again. Either that, or
FHS had a wing of the school that was underwater. What really threw Ryoga
were all the tall metal cylinders with a red hammer and sickle on them.
Something was wrong about how the acoustic properties of this wing that
made it sound like a big metal box. And then there was that strange
martial music that people were singing....
It was now time for P.E. And the students adjourned to the gym. Once
there, they settled in to various activities. Jogging, rope-skipping, and
gymnastics were all popular sports. Ranma sat himself down against the
wall, and let his mind wander.
"Ranma! Look! Ayukawa's really pretty athletic. Apparently, she's a
really good at gymnastics!"
Ranma looked up in time to see a woman with long, dark hair flipping
towards him. She was wearing a dark green full body leotard, and as she
flipped towards him, her back arched gracefully. Her swinging hair
completed a near-circle her motion. Gymnast. Black hair. Green leotard.
Kodachi!
"ARRRRRRRGHHHHHHH!!!!!," Ranma screamed, covering himself. His arms up
in a purely defensive pose, the fingers locked in typical Takahashian pose.
Akane blinked.
Madoka blinked.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and blinked.
Ranma, on the other hand, did not blink as his eyes were fused open in
terror.
"RAN-MA! What was that for?!," Akane bellowed. Behind her, the other
students returned to their previous activities. Save Madoka, she stood
there rigidly, making the space about her drop a few degrees in temperature.
"Uh, sorry. Back reflex. I have this thing about black haired gymnasts."
"Oh. Really?," Madoka arched an eyebrow, and got a dangerous look in her
eye.
"No way. Nothing like that! I want nothing to do with crazy gymnasts
like that. I don't need them chasing me around, an' stuff."
"Oh. Real-ly?", Madoka asked, shifting her position, and tightening her
arm muscles.
From the back of the room there was a quick patter as bare feet ran across
the mat. It was Kuno, and he held aloft a bouquet of flowers. He was
making full speed ahead for Madoka.
"Oh wondrous day! Now my soul is even more complete, for thou, O
mysterious Ayukawa, do incorporate the better aspects of my own sister, who
I can only love as a sister. Yet I do indeed love her, and now by
extension, I love you even more! O Come, O' Dark-Haired Ayukawa, and let
me express to you the love that brother and sister dare not share! Fly to
me...*URK!*," Kuno spouted.
Kuno stopped as if he'd hit a stone wall. His head stopped first, as it
snapped back. The rest of his body gradually slowed, yet forward momentum
still carried him. This had the effect of causing his entire body to
slowly go horizontal. Eventually, the motion wave caught up with his feet,
picking them from the ground. He fell three feet straight onto his back
and stayed there.
Silence. All the students stared at the spectacle. No one breathed.
The slight Kuno-shaped-cloud of dust rose straight up into the air. Time
slowly passed slowly in this incredibly long, slow moment.
Madoka stood there silently, her hand still extended, index finger
pointing at where Kuno had been.
Akane blinked. Ranma blinked. Everyone blinked. The Kuno-shaped cloud
quickly dispersed under this sort of assault.
Ranma got up and walked over to Kuno. His eyes were wide open a look of
shock on his face. There was a bit of plastic buried in his forehead right
between his eyes. Ranma stepped on Kuno's chest, and used the leverage to
pull the plastic thing out of Kuno's head.
"What the hell?! It looks like... a guitar pick?!," he exclaimed.
This broke the long silent moment of silence. Several voices burst out at
once.
"Wow! Did you see that?!"
"Does he have to marry her now?!"
"Kuno got taken down in one shot?!"
"No, that's only Shampoo's rules'"
"Maybe she really *is* one of Ranma's fiancees!"
"Will thou get off my chest, please?"
"Maybe Kodachi will challenge her to a match now!"
"How do you figure?"
"Of course she's a martial artist, and she'll marry Ranma!"
"This is my only line."
"I'm not gonna marry her!"
"Yeah, it's the School of Anything Goes Martial Arts Guitar-Pick Throwing."
"Willst thou please get off my chest, I seem to lack enough balance and
strength to right myself."
"ARRRRRRRGH!"
Any further cries were momentarily lost as several hands went down to the
last item on the "Female Availability" form. Several pairs of eyes,
belonging to the same number of several different people looked again at
the list. Four items. Four check boxes. She's free for relationships!
Four check boxes. She's free for relationships! Four check boxes. She's
free for relationships! Four check boxes. She's free for relationships!
"She passes!!!!!," cried out the exhilarated male masses.
Madoka scowled.
And so, P.E. passed with little incident, save the entire event with
Madoka taking down Kuno, who spent the rest of the day in the infirmary.
He was developing a wicked desire to go out and by a decent Stratocaster
and wail away some serious speed metal. He was fairly certain that he was
Jimmy Hendrix in a prior life, and that if he could go to the top of Mount
Fuji and play *THE PERFECT CHORD* that the alien space saucer *would*
come down from the Halebop comet and save the world from itself.
He was kept briefly for observation, and then sent home. "Drink lots of
fluids," was the advice from the fifth of five psychiatrists that was the
school councilor. "You'll be fine."
Meanwhile, back in the classroom, nothing out of the ordinary was
happening. Nothing save the glorious process of education. It actually
turned out that Madoka was a fairly good student. As if she cared. Once
she had finished whatever Hinako had asked of her, she's slip back into her
chair and tune out again. Ranma, whispered back to her.
"You handled yourself pretty well back there," Ranma offered as
conversation to Madoka.
Madoka shrugged.
"Kuno's tougher than you think. I still can't believe you beat him like
that."
Madoka shrugged, "He had it coming. What sort of fool charges right at
his enemy?"
"Good point. Still, he's going to be coming after you more than ever."
"And what? Are you going to save me from him or something?"
"Wha?," Ranma retorted, his volume level now high enough for Miss Hinako
to hear.
The stance.....
"I've been listing around. Apparently you *do* have that many fiancees.
You don't even treat all of them well. I hate flirts."
The wind up.....
"WHAT the hell do you mean by that?! I didn't ask for any of them, and I
sure don't need some rude, butch girl like you to tell me that!,"
The pitch!
"Eyes front, Ranma, " Madoka suggested pointedly.
Ranma turned forward quickly and caught the hurled chalk right on his
forehead. It was nice, hard, white chalk, and Ranma could feel it break
into bits as it rebounded from his skull.
"Ranma you ID-I-OT!," Akane scoffed.
"Ranma, Akane, Ayukawa. The hall. Now.," Miss Hinako demanded.
The three students got up and stood outside in the hall. Normally, it
was just Ranma & Akane. The uninvited third party made tensions even higher.
Madoka shrugged, and started down the hall.
"You should stay here, or you'll be in more trouble.," Akane said.
Madoka made no response.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?!," Ranma demanded, reaching out and
snagging Madoka's shoulder
"Let go.," came the simple, direct, and icy response.
"No way. You're the reason I'm out here. I was just trying to help. If
you hadn't been so stupid and stuck up on yourself, we'd still be in the
classroom.
*SLAP!*
Akane looked down at her hands. "Right hand: Check. Exactly where I left
it. Left Hand: Right where it should be." Akane thought. "Okay, it
doesn't feel like I slapped anything...."
Madoka stood there fuming. It hadn't been one of her better slaps. She
hadn't really got full extension on the swing. Thus, instead of being one
of those really satisfying slaps where the target's neck is twisted and the
whole body is thrown off balance, it was merely a slap that turned the head
in the direction of the slap (in this case a nice right upper-cut) and left
a red mark.
Ranma was in a state of shock. He had been hit. Sure, this sort of thing
happened in fights, but usually it was kicks, punches, or some sort of
chi-attack. His opponent had caught him off guard. It must be because he
was used to some sort of verbal warning. Ryoga often issued battle cry for
revenge. Kuno often poured out verse after verse of poetry or some lame
justice-based dialog. Kodachi had her laugh. Yet the fact remained. He
had been slapped. Not a just right defeat. Not some final glorious blow.
Not even an opponent that had vowed to defeat him.
It was just that sort of a blow that caused a man's ego to remove itself
from the driver's seat and go yelping around like a poodle on fire.
"Don't try that again. I'm out of here." Madoka proceeded down the hall
to the roof stairs.
"I lost?.....," Ranma observed.
[To be continued?].... You decide.
/>
// All I want is a Sword and my Armies at my Back.
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\> Founder & Former. Pres. of the AUAS,
Currently Ruling: DKAS, & MFLF. All-around nice guy.
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