Part 1: Akane meet Ranma

What has gone before:
	Nothing, this is the first part.
What happens here in:
	Akane meets Ranma when both are 12.

	 Today was Akane Tendo's first day of seventh grade, and first day at
MacArthur.  MacArthur Junior High was a remodeled former high school, which
was just reopening to solve an overcrowding problem at the school Nabiki
and Kasumi had gone to the previous year.  It was an unsettling day.
Before when she went to a new school Nabiki and Kasumi had been there
before her.  They would be able to put her fears at ease.  This was also
the first year she had started without her mother's special lunch and trip
to the store for new clothes.
	A tear rolled down Akane's cheek as she looked down at her red and blue
school uniform.
	"Something wrong?" a boy Akane's age asked.
	"Just thinking about my mother," Akane said.  "And I can't find room 204."
	"That's because you're on the third floor," the boy said.  "Come with me,
that's where I'm headed.  I'm Ranma Saotome."
	"Akane Tendo.  You're in class 7-D too?"
	"Yeah, and I'm really going to have to do lots of catch up work," Ranma
said.  "My dad and I just got back from a two year long martial arts
training trip."
	"That must have been fun.  I'm a martial artist too, but my Father would
never do that," Akane said as they entered the stairway.
	"Not all of it's fun.  Dad has some strange ideas about training.  What
style do you do?"
	"A small school of Unrestricted Martial Arts.  Dad says that we are one of
two families that practice it."
	"I guess I must be from the other," Ranma said.
	"Can we spar sometime?" Akane asked, as they reached the second floor.
She really needed someone to practice against.  Nabiki was beginning to
complain that Akane was taking out too many practice dummies and venting
her anger out on too many bricks.  Plus, a real partner was always better.
"Dad hasn't been up to much practice lately."  That had been an
understatement.  If Dad spent an hour not crying, it would be a miracle.
	"Sure, if you'll help me with my homework sometime," Ranma said.
	"We can work on it together," Akane smiled.

	Akane was seated by her sister Nabiki in the cafeteria.  Today's lunch
didn't look very appetizing. Apparently Kasumi needed a little more help in
the kitchen.  Not that she'd tell Kasumi that.  Kasumi didn't get much time
with her friends, and Akane wouldn't interrupt one of those times. At least
she had friends.  Akane had the misfortune to be the lone student from her
class to be sent to MacArthur.  What in the world did Kasumi put on this
sandwich?  A look over at Nabiki's revealed that Nabiki hadn't noticed, but
then she was too busy trying to get in on the new school's rumor market.
Sometimes Akane wished she could do something for the family.  Kasumi
cooked, Nabiki handled the money.  That just left Akane to carry on the
family's martial arts tradition, and that didn't seem like much.
	"Is this seat taken?" Akane looked up.  It was Ranma.
	"Go ahead, Ranma," Akane said, as she tore off the burnt edge of her bread.
	"Is there a problem with your lunch?" Ranma asked.
	"My oldest sister made it.  I think she needs some help," Akane said,
before taking a tiny bite.  "It doesn't taste bad, but its looks leave
something to be desired."
	"At least you have someone to make your lunch," Ranma said.  "I had to
make my own this morning."
	"I rather if my mom could make it again," Akane said sadly.  She missed
the special touches that her mother had always put into her lunch.  The
letter A carefully cut into the sandwich, letting Akane know her mom had
made it just for her.  The special desert made just for her, always
different from what her sisters got.  Akane felt a tear begin its journey
down her cheek.
	"Don't cry Akane," Ranma said.  "I hate it when a girl cries."
	"I'm sorry. Things just keep reminding me of my mom.  It's been almost a
year since she died.  You would think I'd be over it by now."
	"I didn't know."  They ate in silence for a while.
	"Yuk, cherry pie," Akane said, opening her dessert container.
	"What's wrong with cherry pie?" Ranma asked.
	"Nothing, but Kasumi keeps making it," Akane said.  "I think it's the only
dessert she knows.  After a year, I'm tired of it."
	"Trade you for this packaged chocolate pudding?" Ranma said.  "Homemade
cherry pie has to be better than the packaged stuff Dad buys."
	"Okay," Akane said as the exchange was made.  "Mmmmm chocolate."
	"Chocolate, where did you get chocolate?" Nabiki said, suddenly turning
toward her sister.  "I didn't get chocolate pudding?"
	"I traded for it, Nabiki-chan," Akane said.  "Surely a deal-maker like
yourself find a similar deal."
	"Who is your friend?" Nabiki said.
	"This is Ranma Saotome, Ranma, my sister Nabiki, the ice queen," Akane
said.  She couldn't resist adding the last comment.  After all, as a little
sister she was suppose to tease her older sisters.
	"Akane, I thought I told you to never call me that," Nabiki said.  "A
pleasure to met you, Saotome.  Do you have another one of those puddings?"
	"I gave my only one to Akane," Ranma said.  "Maybe tomorrow."
	"Darn," Nabiki said.  "I guess I'll have to get to you earlier tomorrow."
	"Not likely," Akane said.  "He's in my class."

	Akane looked up at Ranma.  He was following her on the fence.  They had
agreed to spar after school.  He had really challenged their teachers.  She
especially liked his challenge of "what goes up must come down" in science.
 She suspected that the Sensei was beginning to regret his first lecture on
the importance of asking questions.  
	"Ranma, why are you walking on the fence?" Akane finally asked.
	"Dad's training, it teaches balance," Ranma said.  "One of Dad's saner
ideas.  You should try it sometime.  It works."
	"I'm not trying it in this skirt," Akane said.  "Does your Dad train you a
lot?"
	"I think Dad believes that his life's work is training me," Ranma said.
"He makes everything training.  Fortunately he's got to work two jobs right
now so he can get enough money to go on the next training trip, so I get to
spend a year actually going to school and learning something else other
than martial arts."
	"I thought you liked studying martial arts," Akane said.
	"Yeah, I want to be the greatest martial artist of my generation," Ranma
said.  "But it's like you and cherry pie.  After a while you want something
else for dessert.  I want to learn about more than just martial arts, at
least for a while."

	Akane and Ranma entered the Tendo home.  "I'm home!" Akane shouted.  As
she did, she silently prayed that her dad wouldn't break down crying and
embarrass her in front of her new friend.
	Soun Tendo entered from the garden.  "Welcome home Akane," he said.  "Who
is your friend?"
	"This is Ranma Saotome," Akane said.  So far so good.  "I asked him if he
would come home and spar with me.  Excuse me for a moment, Ranma, I've got
to change into my gi."
	"So your name is Ranma Saotome," Soun began.  "Any relation to Genma
Saotome?"
	Ranma gulped.  In his experience, this was not a good question. Still, he
wasn't going to lie. "He's my father."
	"Your father and I studied under the same teacher," Soun said. "It's been
so long since I saw him last.  It must have been shortly before my wife had
Akane . . .  Oh why did she have to leave me . . . "  Soun broke out in
sobs.  It took five minutes for Akane to change.  Ranma suffered though
Soun's sobbing the whole time.
	"Not again," Akane said, coming down the stairs in her gi.  She had had so
high of hopes.
	"I'll take care of Father," Nabiki said, as she entered the house.
"Kasumi should be home in a half-hour.  She said she needs to talk to the
Home Economics Teacher. You can go spar with your friend.  Try not to go
too hard on the Dojo."

	Ranma relaxed in the furo.  Akane had been a good sparring partner.  She
was a little rusty, but she acknowledged that.  Akane also didn't like to
lose.  That was a problem, but with a little work, he could see Akane
making the matches truly even.  She had thrown him, and only his father had
managed to do that recently.  Of course Pops was too tired to spar after
work lately, which was why Ranma was glad he'd found Akane.  It was time to
get up though.  Ranma stood and reached for his towel.
	It was then that Akane opened the door.  She was also in a state of
undress.  She noticed Ranma, and blushed.  "Excuse me," she said, backing
away.
	Ranma covered himself and moved to the door.  Trying to sound indifferent,
he said, "The bath is yours, Akane."
	Akane retreated into the bathroom, as Ranma entered the changing room.
	As he put his clothes on, he murmured, "she's cute."

---------Next Part----------
Part 2: Add Ryoga and a challenge

What has gone before:
	Part 1: Akane meets Ranma at age 12.  They spar.  Akane walks in on Ranma

	The next morning, Akane lingered in the school yard, waiting for Ranma to
arrive.  Just a couple minutes before the bell, Ranma appeared at the gate,
dragging another guy along.  The newcomer appeared to be in the same grade
as Akane and Ranma.   He was built rather stocky, and wore a rather big
backpack.
	"Hurry up, Ryoga, I don't want to be late," Ranma said.  "And pay
attention, you don't want to be lost again."
	"Good morning, Ranma," Akane said, coming up beside him.  "Who is your
friend?"
	"Hi ya, Akane," Ranma said.  "This is my friend Ryoga Hibiki.  He lives
next door to me and has a real problem with finding places."
	"I do not!" Ryoga said.
	"Then explain why you ended up in the closet when you were trying to leave
your house by the front door," Ranma said.
	"The doors were too similar," Ryoga replied.
	"A pine plywood sliding door verses a solid oak swinging one . . .  really
similar, Ryoga," Ranma said.  Ryoga slumped.  "We better get to class."
	"Right," Akane said.  "Say, Ranma, do you have chocolate pudding again
today?"
	"If you've got cherry pie, it's a trade," Ranma said.

	Akane watched in awe as Ranma did a set of maneuvers on the parallel bars.
 Sure she'd fought Ranma in the Dojo, but the grace and difficulty he
accomplished in Gym were amazing.  She hadn't been impressed with the
balance beam, his walking on the fences had shown that would be a breeze
for him.  The rings were expected.  They were an air-born kata.  But
something about the splits turns and twists captivated Akane.  Her
attention was centered on Ranma to the exclusion of all else as Ranma made
his finish, a double flip with a quarter twist, so he ended up facing the
teacher.
	"Was that the demonstration you wanted, Sensei?" Ranma asked with a smirk.
 The teacher had caught him talking to Ryoga and suggested that if he
believed he had no need to learn how to use the equipment, perhaps he would
demonstrate.  So he had done three excellent routines, to which his class
had given him spontaneous tens.  This time was no different. 
	"I believe that will be enough for now, Saotome," the teacher said. "You
may return to your place.  Mr. Hibiki, perhaps you would like  . . . "
	The bell rung for class change, cutting off whatever the teacher was going
to say.  There would not be much time for the class to change and get to
their next class, but they spent almost all of it gathered around Ranma
asking questions.  As Akane waited for him, making both late for lunch.

	Akane was enjoying her chocolate pudding, but she really was enjoying
Nabiki's expression of desire.  Akane had finally found Nabiki's weakness,
and it was chocolate.  And thanks to Ranma, she had a big bowl of chocolate
pudding in front of her.
	"Ranma, are you sure you don't have any more pudding?" Nabiki asked for
the fourth time.
	"No, I gave Akane the last pudding," Ranma said, as he ate Akane's cherry
pie.  "There won't be any more until Dad buys food at the end of the week."
	"Darn, can't I have even a taste, Akane?" Nabiki asked.
	"Okay, you can have a taste, Nabiki, but I get to choose what to watch on
television tonight," Akane replied.		
	"It's a deal," Nabiki said.  "So, Ranma I heard about Gym today.  How long
have you been into gymnastics?"
	"I just remembered what I saw on television once and modified some of
Dad's training methods," Ranma said, as he finished the pie.
	"You never have done the balance beam, rings or parallel bars before
today?" Nabiki said.  "Pardon me, if I find that unlikely.  The
descriptions I've been hearing have been most impressive."  
	"Well, it's the truth," Ranma said.  "The balance beam is just like
fighting on the fences or on logs.  The rings . . .  well I've never fought
in that type, but holding your body in set positions is a foundation for
several styles . . .  not that I'd get stuck in anyone style.  As for the
parallel bars, I had to fight in a tree once.  The bars are a lot easier."
	"I still think you shouldn't have shown up the Sensei," Akane said.
	"Hey, she was asking for it," Ranma said.  "With at least three martial
artists, and that champion gymnast, Kuno what's her name . . . "
	"Kodachi," Nabiki supplied.
	"... In the class, she should know better than to say that none of us
would be considered good gymnasts at the end of the month," Ranma said.
"Give me that month, and I'd have most of the class up to Kodachi's level,
at least."
	"And you'll get that chance, Mr. Saotome," the gym teacher said, as she
poked her head between Ranma and Akane.  "We'll see if you end up eating
your words."

	Akane relaxed in the furo.  The sparring today had been on balance.  Akane
had little trouble with matching Ranma on the rings, in their after school
practice session.  The uneven bars hadn't been that hard either . . .  but
for some reason, she couldn't stay on that beam.  So, Ranma had set up a
two by six over the pond in the garden, after the school closed.  Akane had
spent the next half an hour falling into the shallow pond, until finally
she had sent Ranma into the pond.  She really didn't understand why her
sisters looked so horrified every time she fell into the pond.
	Akane looked forward to gym the next three weeks.  The Sensei was giving
Ranma nearly free reign in teaching the class, and Ranma had said she would
help with the girls.  She was going to have so much fun!  
	Akane noticed that her fingers were beginning to get a little wrinkled, so
she rose to exit the furo.  Just as she picked up her towel, the door
opened to reveal Ranma, also naked.
	"Sorry, Akane, Nabiki said you were done," Ranma said, as he blushed and
began to retreat.
	"I am now," Akane said, blushing as she took in the view Ranma was
offering. "It's all yours." Ranma entered the bath, and Akane exited,
neither remembering to cover themselves. As Akane dressed, she thought,
"I've got stop Nabiki from doing this... still, it does have it's
advantages."  Then blushing at the last unbidden thought, she exited the
changing room to find Nabiki.
---------Next Part----------
Part 3: Gymnastics. 

What has gone before:
	Part 1: Akane meets Ranma at age 12.  They spar.  Akane walks in on Ranma
	Part 2: Ryoga first appears.  Ranma shows off in Gym class.  Ranma is
challenged to teach the class gymnastics.  Ranma walks in on Akane.


	Akane stood bellow the uneven bars, spotting for her friend Yuki.  Today's
task on the uneven bar, was to switch between the bars.  Nothing fancy,
just switch back in forth between the bars.  Well, Akane had thought it was
simple.  Yuki missed again, and Akane caught her, breaking her fall.
	"You can do better, Yuki," Akane said, as Yuki climbed out of her arms.
	"Sorry, Akane," Yuki replied, returning to the side, so the next girl
could try.
	"Problem, Akane?" Ranma said, coming over from his station by the rings.
	"Yuki can't seem to grasp ever make the switch," Akane said.
	"Yuki, try again," Ranma asked, motioning his classmate to the bar.  Once
again, Yuki missed the bar.  "I see what's wrong.  Yuki, you need to grab
the moment you feel that bar.  If you wait, you'll just keep falling.  Try
again."  This time Yuki was successful.
	"Good job, Yuki!" Akane said, as Yuki finished.  Ranma had already moved
to the next problem.

	Sensei Ogawa relaxed in her office.  Every once in a while she'd look out
at her forth period class.  In the past week Ogawa had gradually retreated
as Ranma showed his talent at teaching.  She had expected the young boy to
quit and declare that he couldn't do anything with the class.  After all,
this class had some of the worse students she'd ever seen.  But when Ranma
had taken over, he was getting more out of them, somehow.  He still had
lots to learn though.
	Ranma said that he wanted to become the best martial artist of his
generation.  Ogawa was fine with that, but she had other objectives for the
young boy.  After all, what good is being the best martial artist if you
can't pass it along?  She knew Ranma's father from back when he was still
dating Nokoda.  How Gemna Saotome had managed to teach Ranma up to this
point was a mystery to Ogawa.  Gemna Saotome had to be the craziest teacher
she knew.  Well, aside from Mr. Kuno.
	As she had required of him, Ranma entered her office after class.
"Reporting as ordered, Sensei," Ranma said.
	"How did you think class went today, Saotome?" Ogawa asked.
	"Pretty good," Ranma said.  "Yuki had some trouble on the uneven bars, but
Akane seems to have solved the problem.  Hitoshi, Takeshi, Naiki, and Norio
were awful on the pommel horse.  Rintaro is simply amazing on the rings,
I'm going to have him start helping out at that station.  Kodochi reports
that Mayo and Sakura show promise on the floor exercise."
	"I've noticed that you don't tend to compliment your students when they do
well, Saotome," Ogawa said.  "Why not?"
	"Dad never does," Ranma shrugged. "I've never thought of it."
	"Try it," Ogawa said, turning back to the window.  "You may go."

	Ranma was sparring with Akane in the Tendo Dojo.  Akane had lots of power,
but very little finesse behind it.  She tended to follow the forms a little
too closely.  Ranma was trying teach her a little more variety. 
	"Akane, if you try that combination one more time, I'm going to put you on
the floor," Ranma said.
	"Oh? Let's see you try," Akane replied, launching the combination.
	Ranma slid down, launching a kick at her feet.  Akane fell.  She rolled
out of it, knocking the hand that Ranma had used to balance himself for the
kick lose.  As a result, Ranma fell on her.  It was at this point that
Nabiki made her presence know, with a flash of her camera.  The picture she
took would later make it appear that Ranma was just about to kiss Akane.
Akane's gi had opened up as a result of her roll, and Ranma had chosen to
practice in just shorts.  They separated quickly.
	"I see martial arts isn't the only thing you two are practicing," Nabiki
said, as she leaned against the Dojo entrance.
	"We fell, Nabiki," Akane said.  "I hope you get a boyfriend soon.  You
need something to take up more of your time."
	"A boyfriend is a waste of time," Nabiki said, turning to leave. 
	"Great," Akane said in a dull tone.
	"What was that about?" Ranma asked as they resumed their sparring.
	"Nabiki likes to embarrass me," Akane said, beginning a new attack  "She
takes pictures of me then says she'll spread them around school."
	"You shouldn't let her do that," Ranma said, dodging, and returning the
attack, before Akane got a hit in.  "That was good.  You can get her to stop."
	"Not really," Akane said, building on her success with a flurry of
attacks.  "She's really sneaky.  I liked it better when she practiced the
art a couple years ago.  Then a sparring session could settle it."
	"Was she any good?" Ranma asked, turning the battle back in his favor.
	"We were about equal," Akane said.  "It wasn't Nabiki's favorite thing to
do, but she wanted to impress Dad."
	"Why doesn't she do it anymore?" Ranma said, suddenly on the defensive again.
	"Dad lost interest in teaching when Mom got sick," Akane said,
concentrating more on pressing her attack than what she was saying.  "I
don't think Dad noticed when she stopped practicing.  Nabiki took over the
money matters, so she still gets some attention from Dad, not that he does
much more than cry now."
	"Well, if she publishes the picture, let's invite her for a little
sparring session," Ranma said.  "Time to stop."
	"Agreed," Akane said.  "Who gets the bath first?"
	"Your turn," Ranma said.  "You're getting better."
	"Thanks, but I don't think I'm pushing you yet," Akane said, as they
walked to the bath.
	"Akane, I spent the last three years in intensive training," Ranma said.
"You shouldn't be doing as well as you are against me."
	"I have a good teacher," Akane said, entering the changing room.

	Ranma was doing a kata when Akane's voice called out, "Your turn, Ranma."
It had only been five minutes.  He quickly entered the changing room and
undressed.  He opened the door to discover Akane just getting into the
furo. "Nabiki."
	"I'm going to kill her," Akane said.  "This is what, the tenth time she's
done something like this."
	"Sorry," Ranma said, embarrassed.
	"Go ahead and shower, Ranma," Akane said.  "It's not like we haven't seen
everything thanks to Nabiki."
	"We really should do something about her," Ranma said.
	"What can we do?" Akane said, relaxing in the furo.
	"Well, we can make impossible for her to pull this trick on us again,"
Ranma said.  "Whose place do you want to study for the Math test?"
	"Yours," Akane said.

--
Stephen Ratliff

FAQ & Index Maintainer for Alt.StarTrek.Creative
http://www.runet.edu/~sratliff/FAQs
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