PART 2: STORM BEFORE THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM 


FURINKAN HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA
12:05 P.M.

[Yes, I know they don't have one but just go with it.  ^_^; ]        	

	Ranma Saotome sat at the table and stared down at the bento 
that Akane Tendo had prepared for him.  To call this...."THING"....food 
was an insult to every cook that ever greased a grill.  He had seen 
roadkill with maggots crawling all over it that was more appetizing than 
the...."LUNCH"....that sat in front of him now.  Ranma would have 
already tossed his socks by now if Ucchan....Wonderful, caring 
Ucchan....hadn't also made a lunch for him and set it down beside 
Akane's.  

	Ranma glanced to his right and stared at Ukyou Kuonji's 
lunch.  It was superior to Akane's lunch in every way.  It looked and 
smelled fantastic, it was okonomiyaki, her specialty, and as Ukyou 
stood over it, blinking her eyes and looking ultra cute, Ranma made 
his decision, knowing that it might be his last.  He picked up his 
chopsticks, hovered over the two dishes for a moment and then 
quickly started to chow down on Ukyou's okonomiyaki.  Ukyou 
squealed with delight over Ranma choosing her lunch while Akane's 
face had turned a very interesting shade of purple as she screamed....

        "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!!!"

        Ranma nearly choked on his food but caught himself and 
turned to face her.  "Isn't it obvious?" he replied, sarcasm dripping 
from his voice.  "I'm eating something that can't be used as DIESEL 
FUEL!  I'd call your lunch TOXIC, but now I know that's an insult to 
the rest of the toxic waste.  Even combined they couldn't collapse a 
Eco System like THIS stuff could.  Face it Akane, Your cooking just 
plain, SUCKS."  Ranma finished with emphasis.

	There was a dead silence.  Everyone else in the classroom 
gasped in shock at his blunt description of Akane's food, even Ukyou.  
Ranma wondered why they were acting so strange when he caught the 
look on Akane's face and bigsweated.

        "....is that so....?"  Akane said in the faintest of whispers.

	Akane turned a different shade of color, this time 
resembling dark scarlet.  Her eyes glowed bright blue and an 
aura of incredible power formed around her.  Ranma began to 
wonder if he went just a bit too far when his hearing was suddenly 
knocked out by an almost inhuman cry of pure rage. 

        "DIE, RANMA!!!"  
 
        Ranma found himself sailing through the air a second later, in
more pain that he had felt in a long time.  His last thought before he
crashed into the ground at about 225 miles per hour was....

        "Jeez, can't she take some constructive criticism?"

        BOOM!!!

        The question went unanswered as Ranma dug a long flaming 
trench in the ground from the force of his landing until he came to 
rest against a tree.  A very healthy and strong one since Ranma's 
head only caused it to partially collapse when it impacted.  Then 
everything was silent once more, save the hissing sound of steam 
rising from Ranma's prone body....


*       *       *


        Akane stormed out of the cafeteria after knocking Ranma 
into next week.   "That stupid jerk!"  Akane fumed.  "I go to the 
trouble of making a nice lunch for him and what does he do?  He 
doesn't even try it and eats her okonomiyaki instead!  Why do I 
bother to cook for him anyway?  He never gives my cooking a 
chance....Nobody ever does."

         Akane's grip tightened on the lunch box and she kept her
gaze studiously on the floor and her feet.

	"No....that isn't true....Ryouga likes my cooking or at least 
is polite enough not to say anything bad about it."  Akane looked 
down at the bento she had prepared.   "Too bad I have no idea where 
he is right now."  She sighed to herself as she prepared to dump the 
bento into the waste receptacle....

        "HOLD!"

        Akane jumped, startled by the loud yell and turned around 
to see Tatewaki Kunou, known to himself as "Blue Thunder" walk in 
her general direction.  She sighed again, this time in annoyance.  
Although he had made his affection for her all too clear, she had no 
interest in him whatsoever and had told him so on many occasions.  
Kunou, as usual, failed to catch the hint and soon launched into his 
overly dramatic monologue.

        "Although the morning sun shines brightly over our heads, 
the brightness of your natural beauty outshines it by far.  But then 
your beauty would illuminate moon, sun and stars combined!  Ah, 
my darling Akane Tendo, I would be honored to eat a meal prepared 
so lovingly by...."

        "Here.  Just take it."

        Akane shoved the bento into Kunou's hands and walked 
away.  Kunou looked overjoyed as he quickly began to wolf down 
Akane's food, only to stop two seconds later and collapse to the 
ground,  holding his stomach in pain and moaning.

        "Uhhhh....Curse my sister and her poisons!  Surely, she 
must have placed one in my breakfast to make Akane's lunch turn 
into something most foul...."
  
        Akane ignored Kunou as she continued on her way to her next 
class.  "Just once I wish I could make something that didn't make 
everyone sick."   Akane wondered to herself if she should ask Kasumi 
to go over their mother's recipe book step by step again.  It didn't
help last time but maybe if she....

        "Akane?"

        Akane looked up to see Hikaru Gosunkugi standing in front 
of her.  In his outstretched hands, he held a straw doll that bore a 
slight resemblance to her.

        "I made this during lunch period for you.  Do you like it?"

        Akane forced a smile as she gingerly took the straw doll 
from Gosunkugi's shaking hands.  She had suspicions that Gosunkugi 
was also interested in her affections but while he wasn't as bad as 
Kunou, he was just plain weird and she was creeped out by his voodoo 
practices.  Plus he had gotten Ranma into trouble in the past and took 
a lot of photos of her without her permission, something she didn't 
take very kindly to.

        "Uh....thanks Gosunkugi-san....I have to get to class now...."

        "Do you really like it?"  Gosunkugi looked at her hopefully. 

        "It's....cute."  Akane lied as best she could.

        "Really?"  Gosunkugi's face brightened  "I've got some more if
you...."

        "Uh....maybe later....I have to get to class now."  Akane 
quickly replied.

        "Oh....okay then."

        Gosunkugi walked past her, whistling a tune she didn't 
recognize.  When he was out of sight, she breathed a sigh of relief.  
"That wasn't so bad, I guess...."   Akane continued down the hallway 
towards her classroom and entered it.  She noticed she was a little 
early as she took her seat.  Nearby Hiroshi and Daisuke, two of her 
school friends, walked up to her desk.

        "Hey Akane, we heard what you did to Ranma."  Daisuke began.  

        "Yeah!  He got what he deserved for treating you like that!  
Why if I were your fiancee...."

        "Kunou would have killed you a long time ago...." Daisuke 
finished for him. 

        Hiroshi glared at his friend who merely smiled in return.  
"You believe in me, don't you Akane?"

        "Mmmm?"  Akane looked up at them, not having heard a single word
they said.  "I'm sorry, what did you guys say?"

        "I said....Mpph!!!"  Hiroshi was quickly silenced by Daisuke 
who dragged him away from a confused Akane.  "Quit while you're 
still alive, Hiroshi!"  Daisuke snapped as he sat him down at his desk. 

        Akane stared at them for a moment then shrugged and 
returned her attention to her desk.  Someone had carved the letters 
S AND G 4-EVER in one of the corners and the sentiment only 
served to darken Akane's mood even further.  "Why doesn't Ranma 
give me the benefit of the doubt just once?"  she wondered to herself.  

	Just then, Kunou walked into the class, he held his stomach 
with one hand and placed the other on his forehead, searching for 
someone.  Akane wished she could have turned invisible but no such 
luck as Kunou walked towards her desk, intent on asking something 
of her.

        "Forgive this intrusion, Akane Tendo, but I require some 
assistance in acquiring some antacid tablets.  Your sister, Nabiki 
told me you had some in your schoolbag?"

        Akane blinked for a moment and then caught a glimpse of 
Nabiki outside the classroom door.  Clearly this was intended as a 
practical joke, since Akane would normally pound Kunou for 
inadvertently insulting her cooking like he just did.  But Akane 
refused to give Nabiki the satisfaction and calmly reached inside her 
bag and tossed a roll of Tums to Kunou.

        "Oh thank you Akane Tendo, your kindness knows no 
boundaries!  Your boundaries have no chains to...."

	"You're welcome *already*.  Now, go away", growled 
Akane with growing unrest.        

	"Nay, such a act of kindness must be rewarded!  I will 
allow you to date with me!"  Kunou said sincerely.    
    
        "Gee, could I?"  Akane responded sarcastically  "Get lost 
Kunou!"  she added with more force in her tone.

        "Perhaps you're right.  I will return when class is finished 
and the rest of the day belongs to us.   Farewell, Akane!"  Kunou 
made a grand sweeping gesture before he turned to leave.

        "Don't hold your breath...." Akane muttered as Kunou 
departed from the classroom.  Akane then looked at the door again 
but Nabiki had already vanished. "I'll get you for that Nabiki....I 
swear I'll get you...."  

	Akane forced her thoughts of revenge aside as Ms. Hinako 
scurried into the room.  She was still in child form and wasted no 
time in sucking up a random student's energy for slouching in his seat.  
	Then the adult Ms. Hinako turned her back and starting to write on the
blackboard.  Akane noted that she held the attention of every male
student in the classroom, especially Hiroshi who was practically 
drooling as Ms. Hinako's body moved with her writing motions.  

	"Maybe Ranma really isn't any more perverted than the 
other boys."  Akane thought to herself as she began copying down 
Ms. Hinako's notes for the day....


*       *       *   


OUTSIDE FURINKAN HIGH
1:00 P.M.

        	"AI REN!!!"     

	The sky had begun to grow cloudy as Shampoo made her 
way to the fallen Ranma.  She had intended to come to his school and 
give him a bowl of ramen but an accident in the kitchen had forced 
her to stay at the Nekohanten until the lunch rush was over, allowing 
Akane to hurt her husband-to-be yet again.  Akane would pay for this, 
dearly, but for now Shampoo had to see to his injuries and make sure 
he was all right.

        "Oh Ai Ren,"  Shampoo spoke softly into Ranma's ear as she 
examined his body for injuries.  Then she gently unbuttoned his shirt 
to check for bruises but found herself staring at Ranma's muscular 
chest.  She gently ran her fingers along it, admiring how Ranma kept 
himself in such good shape.  Then she felt an impulse to kiss him.  
She knew he would resist if he were awake and that an opportunity 
like this didn't come along every day.  She gently leaned her head 
forward and was about to make contact when....

        "Get away from him you wicked girl!!!"

        Shampoo looked up in surprise to see Kodachi "The Black 
Rose" Kunou standing nearby, her face was a mask of cold malice 
and bitter hatred, all aimed towards her.  She was wearing a black
leotard complete with a yellow ribbon which she twirled around her
body like a mild twister, black rose petals flying everywhere.  Shampoo 
quickly rose to her feet, her own intense gaze meeting Kodachi's.

        "What you want Psycho Girl?"  Shampoo spat.

        Kodachi points an accusing finger at Shampoo.  "Need you 
ask, hussy?  How DARE you try to defile my darling Ranma-Sama, 
you....you....BIMBO!"     

        Shampoo's eyes narrow.  "Last girl who call Shampoo 
bimbo now breeding ground for worms."  she replied coldly.
 
        "Really?  I was unaware you were capable of murdering 
your own mother."  Kodachi replied without missing a beat.

        Shampoo said nothing.  Kodachi smiled at her victory 
only to have the smile fade when Shampoo suddenly lashed out with a 
kick, catching Kodachi flush in the face and sending her flying 
backwards to land shoulders first against the hard ground.  Kodachi 
gasped with the sudden pain but soon it turned into a laugh, a horrible 
laugh, echoing, cruel, and high pitched.  Then she leapfrogged to her 
feet and stalked towards Shampoo.

        "So very spiteful....Very well then, I accept your challenge!  
DEFEND YOURSELF!"  Kodachi screeched as she leapt towards Shampoo.  
Shampoo responded without the slightest sign of intimidation in her
voice.  She would not fail Ranma again.  She would protect him to her
dying breath.  She would prove her worth in battle.

	"Shampoo defeat you now!"  


*       *       *


BUSINESS SECTION OF NERIMA
12:50 P.M.

        The sun had been out in force all morning, casting it's 
unforgiving rays downwards upon the streets of Nerima District and 
illuminated a lone figure.  The figure walked at a slow pace, his 
clothes and face indicated that he had traveled for a very long 
time with neither food nor rest.  In his right hand he wielded an 
bamboo umbrella which he held over his head for shade.  He 
continued to walk, exhaustion threatening to overwhelm him 
completely with every step, keeping his legs moving now by sheer 
force of will.  

        Finally he could take no more and he collapsed onto his 
knees, dropped his umbrella and exposed his face to the harsh 
sunlight.  He fought the impulse to black out on the street, raised his 
head and noticed a sign in the distance.  The name of a restaurant!  
The boy immediately rose to his feet, previous exhaustion forgotten 
for the moment, and starts to run towards the sign at top speed.  He 
ignored the tortured screams of his muscles as he finally reached the 
sign.  He took a moment to catch his breath and then looked up to 
read the sign.  

        For a brief moment he said nothing and then his eyes 
widened with recognition.  He blinked a few times as if not believing 
his own eyes and then, deep from his throat, came a hoarse cry that 
was almost unrecognizable to anyone who knew him....a cry of pure joy.

        "I FOUND IT!!!!  I FOUND IT ON THE FIRST TRY!!!  IT ACTUALLY
WORKED!!!  THANK YOU TAIMAK, WHEREVER YOU ARE!!!"  

	The boy then started to dance around in a circle, looking 
like a complete fool and not giving a damn.  Then the boy's muscles 
finally gave out from their overuse and he collapsed to the ground 
in a heap.  As he began to lose consciousness the boy giggled and 
repeated to himself over and over.

        "I found it....I really found it...."

        Then the boy mercifully passed out.  As the sun continued to 
beat down on his back, the camera view moves us in front of the 
sign and we finally get to see what made the boy so happy.

        UT-CHAN'S

        There was a smaller sign on the door which read.

        Weekday Business Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
				4:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

        Several people came out of their businesses upon hearing the 
hoarse screams and saw the boy passed out on the road.  One man 
wearing glasses came out of a supermarket, immediately rushed 
over, knelt down next to him and checked his pulse.  The people 
stared at him until he looked up and proclaimed.

        "It's okay, I'm a doctor.  Can someone please help me carry 
him out of the sun.  I have a clinic nearby here that can help him."

        Then a young woman, who recognized the young man as 
Dr. Tofu, rushed inside and brought out a tall man with black hair 
and a mustache to assist the doctor.  Together, they took him out of 
the sun and towards the clinic while the girl lagged on behind.  Dr. 
Tofu continued to check on the boy's condition along the way. 

        "Don't worry Ryouga."  Dr. Tofu reassured the unconscious 
boy.  "You're going to be just fine."


(Fade to Black)


TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 3....


I hope you've enjoyed this so far.  C&C is very welcome.   :) 

Special Thanks to Bridget Ellen Bengman, Raphael See, Odie 3100, 
and Webdragon for their valuable C&C during the early stages of this
story and to Robin "Lunari" Seabaugh and Gary Kleppe for their addition
help during the later stages and revisions.  This fanfic is dedicated to
all of them.  See you in Part 2!  ;)