Abandoning One's Manhood
Part 5: The Blue Thunder of Furinkan High School
by Minako
All of the Ranma 1/2 characters and related stuff belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Any original characters I may decide to stick in here are mine, steal them and I'll cry. Then I'll get over it and steal them back, after sending you flames until your email account is full.
See? I wasn't lying all those times I said that there was more to come. It may have been four years in the making, but I present to you Abandoning One's Manhood Part 4 - far less amazing than that much time in the making should require, ne? But I try.
-------
"School!? You can't be serious!"
Genma glared sternly at his son, "Yes, school. We'll be here a long time, boy, probably the rest of your life."
Ranma's eyes narrowed, "We've already been over this, old man, I am not marrying Ryouga!"
Genma threw a school bag at Ranma, which the teen instinctively caught, "Yes, you are. You'll thank me for this one day, boy."
Ranma sweatdropped, "For some reason I doubt that," despite his complaining, he shouldered the small book bag, then glared at his father, "So, where am I goin'?" Ranma asked in resignation.
Sitting down on the front porch, Genma pulled out a map of Tokyo, "Tanima gave me this. You're going to Furinkan High School which is here," he pointed to a point on the map, "we're here," he pointed somewhere a few centimetres away.
Ranma shrugged, "Kay," he turned and headed down the path to the front gate.
"Ranma!" his father shouted after him, "Wait for your fiance! You know he can't find his way there on his own."
The pigtailed boy sweatdropped, "Would you stop calling him that!? Ryouga and I are NOT getting married!"
"Stay there!" Genma snapped, and he disappeared back into the house.
Ranma continued on his way, muttering under his breath. Before he'd reached the first corner he needed to turn, he heard footsteps behind him. Ryouga'd caught up.
"Just like old times, huh, Ryouga?" Ranma said after a few minutes.
"Yeah, until you ran out, coward," Ryouga muttered bitterly.
Ranma spun around, "Gimme a break! I waited there, it's not MY fault you were so late!"
"Pitiful excuses!"
"You wanna fight now!?"
"Fine!" Ryouga lunged at Ranma, umbrella in hand, and the pigtailed boy neatly dodged the attack.
"C'mon, Ryouga, can't you move faster than that?" Ranma taunted, placing his hands on his hips. It was while standing still in the sidewalk that the old woman splashed him. Ranma, now female, stood still for a long moment in shock. The woman moved on, oblivious to the pigtailed boy turned girl.
Ryouga pointedly let Ranma stand there until the old woman was definitely gone, not wanting to be splashed himself. He lunged while Ranma was still in her stupor, and got a good hit in, sending Ranma stumbling back several steps.
She regained her balance, and glared at Ryouga. Taking a stance herself, she opened her mouth to snap at Ryouga, but decided against it when the lost boy hit the ground, a bokken having slammed into his head. Ranma blinked a couple of times, then turned to the owner of the sword.
The man had short brown hair, and was clothed in a blue and black kendoist uniform. He was quite likely older than Ranma, standing a few inches taller than the lost boy, and nearly a foot taller than the pigtailed girl. He flashed the girl in question a smile.
"The insolent wretch has been defeated by none other than myself. As swiftly as the wind blows, I have come to your rescue, lovely one."
Ryouga jumped up to his feet, and turned on the boy, "Who the hell do you think you are, barging in on a man's fight?!" he snapped.
"Still conscious? Impressive. Fine, I shall give you my name, you seem a worthy enough opponent to know that much I am the rising star of the high school kendo world, they call my the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High School, Kunou Tatewaki, age 17."
"Didja hear that?" Ranma turned and saw that they were attracting a crowd - the group nearest her was of girls, presumably students, judging by their matching dresses.
"Yeah, since when is Kunou the 'Blue Thunder'?"
"Last I heard, he was calling himself 'Shooting Star' or something like that."
"Weirdo."
"Who's the new guy?"
"Wasn't he here a couple of years ago?"
"Maybe, he sure does look familiar."
"Well, he's either really brave or really stupid if he's going to take on Kunou."
"Probably both."
Ranma turned back to the boys in question.
"And you, insolent cur! Who're you to attack a defenseless woman and call it a man's fight?" Kunou cried, glowering at Ryouga while pointing his bokken at Ranma.
"Excuse me!?" Ranma shrieked, "Defenseless!? Woman!?" she pushed up her too-long sleeves, "Why I oughta-" several of the people in the crowd grabbed at her and pulled her back, "Hey! Lemme go!!"
"You don't want to fight with Kunou."
"Yeah, nobody beats him."
The voices came from all around her, and there were too many people in her way - she didn't really want to hit anyone not involved or unable to fight. It just wouldn't be honourable.
"Answer!" Kunou cried, his attention back on the bandannaed boy.
"Uhhh," Ryouga tried to gather his wits, "Hibiki Ryouga. 16."
"Hibiki Ryouga, prepare yourself!" he shouted, waving his bokken, "We shall do battle." He turned his attentions away from Ryouga and plowed through the crowd to where Ranma was being restrained, "Pigtailed girl, should I defeat this coward, I know you will be overcome with gratitude. In order to repay your debt, I shall allow you to date with me."
Ranma stared at the older boy for a long moment. She opened and closed her mouth several times before pulling free of the hands holding her back and slamming her fist into Kunou's jaw, "Why exactly would I want a date with YOU!?" as her fist connected, and Kunou was thrown over the fence and into the water below.
The crowd stormed over and looked over the edge, "Hey, look he's floating up to the surface!"
"I think he's unconscious."
"Wow, that girl sure packs a punch."
"Do you think Kunou'll drown like that?"
"Maybe we should help him?"
"Look at the time, we're going to be late!" with that, the crowd dispersed and ran in the direction of the school, leaving Kunou's prone body in the water.
Ignoring the crowd, Ranma turned and headed down a different street. Confused, Ryouga followed her, still confused from their encounter with the kendoist.
-------
Gasping for air, Kunou jerked his head out of the water and sat in the shallow river. Most men of his stature, or, at least perceived stature, would be horrified at being defeated so easily by such a small girl. Kunou smiled.
"The pigtailed girl," he murmured to himself, "So strong, so beautiful. Too filled with womanly pride to allow herself to be in my debt, she removed me from the battle," his retrospective smile turned thoughtful, "but how to woo such a proud warrior woman?"
He sat in the water pondering this for several moments before an idea hit him. "Yes, that shall work perfectly. I shall fight until I win my flaming haired beauty's heart, and then... and then..."
Kunou's laughter at the very thought of what would happen next could be heard up and down the streets. Many people hurried home and locked their doors.
-------
tbc
Despite the entrance of Kunou, and many other Ranma 1/2 characters to come, I still have no intention whatsoever of bringing in the Tendou family. As much fun as they are, they have no place here. I decided on placing them in Nerima mostly because I don't know Japan at all and didn't feel like making up names that would likely have anyone with any knowledge of the language laughing at me. ; Besides, it makes it easier if I don't have to rename things, ne?
Part 5: The Blue Thunder of Furinkan High School
by Minako
All of the Ranma 1/2 characters and related stuff belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Any original characters I may decide to stick in here are mine, steal them and I'll cry. Then I'll get over it and steal them back, after sending you flames until your email account is full.
See? I wasn't lying all those times I said that there was more to come. It may have been four years in the making, but I present to you Abandoning One's Manhood Part 4 - far less amazing than that much time in the making should require, ne? But I try.
-------
"School!? You can't be serious!"
Genma glared sternly at his son, "Yes, school. We'll be here a long time, boy, probably the rest of your life."
Ranma's eyes narrowed, "We've already been over this, old man, I am not marrying Ryouga!"
Genma threw a school bag at Ranma, which the teen instinctively caught, "Yes, you are. You'll thank me for this one day, boy."
Ranma sweatdropped, "For some reason I doubt that," despite his complaining, he shouldered the small book bag, then glared at his father, "So, where am I goin'?" Ranma asked in resignation.
Sitting down on the front porch, Genma pulled out a map of Tokyo, "Tanima gave me this. You're going to Furinkan High School which is here," he pointed to a point on the map, "we're here," he pointed somewhere a few centimetres away.
Ranma shrugged, "Kay," he turned and headed down the path to the front gate.
"Ranma!" his father shouted after him, "Wait for your fiance! You know he can't find his way there on his own."
The pigtailed boy sweatdropped, "Would you stop calling him that!? Ryouga and I are NOT getting married!"
"Stay there!" Genma snapped, and he disappeared back into the house.
Ranma continued on his way, muttering under his breath. Before he'd reached the first corner he needed to turn, he heard footsteps behind him. Ryouga'd caught up.
"Just like old times, huh, Ryouga?" Ranma said after a few minutes.
"Yeah, until you ran out, coward," Ryouga muttered bitterly.
Ranma spun around, "Gimme a break! I waited there, it's not MY fault you were so late!"
"Pitiful excuses!"
"You wanna fight now!?"
"Fine!" Ryouga lunged at Ranma, umbrella in hand, and the pigtailed boy neatly dodged the attack.
"C'mon, Ryouga, can't you move faster than that?" Ranma taunted, placing his hands on his hips. It was while standing still in the sidewalk that the old woman splashed him. Ranma, now female, stood still for a long moment in shock. The woman moved on, oblivious to the pigtailed boy turned girl.
Ryouga pointedly let Ranma stand there until the old woman was definitely gone, not wanting to be splashed himself. He lunged while Ranma was still in her stupor, and got a good hit in, sending Ranma stumbling back several steps.
She regained her balance, and glared at Ryouga. Taking a stance herself, she opened her mouth to snap at Ryouga, but decided against it when the lost boy hit the ground, a bokken having slammed into his head. Ranma blinked a couple of times, then turned to the owner of the sword.
The man had short brown hair, and was clothed in a blue and black kendoist uniform. He was quite likely older than Ranma, standing a few inches taller than the lost boy, and nearly a foot taller than the pigtailed girl. He flashed the girl in question a smile.
"The insolent wretch has been defeated by none other than myself. As swiftly as the wind blows, I have come to your rescue, lovely one."
Ryouga jumped up to his feet, and turned on the boy, "Who the hell do you think you are, barging in on a man's fight?!" he snapped.
"Still conscious? Impressive. Fine, I shall give you my name, you seem a worthy enough opponent to know that much I am the rising star of the high school kendo world, they call my the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High School, Kunou Tatewaki, age 17."
"Didja hear that?" Ranma turned and saw that they were attracting a crowd - the group nearest her was of girls, presumably students, judging by their matching dresses.
"Yeah, since when is Kunou the 'Blue Thunder'?"
"Last I heard, he was calling himself 'Shooting Star' or something like that."
"Weirdo."
"Who's the new guy?"
"Wasn't he here a couple of years ago?"
"Maybe, he sure does look familiar."
"Well, he's either really brave or really stupid if he's going to take on Kunou."
"Probably both."
Ranma turned back to the boys in question.
"And you, insolent cur! Who're you to attack a defenseless woman and call it a man's fight?" Kunou cried, glowering at Ryouga while pointing his bokken at Ranma.
"Excuse me!?" Ranma shrieked, "Defenseless!? Woman!?" she pushed up her too-long sleeves, "Why I oughta-" several of the people in the crowd grabbed at her and pulled her back, "Hey! Lemme go!!"
"You don't want to fight with Kunou."
"Yeah, nobody beats him."
The voices came from all around her, and there were too many people in her way - she didn't really want to hit anyone not involved or unable to fight. It just wouldn't be honourable.
"Answer!" Kunou cried, his attention back on the bandannaed boy.
"Uhhh," Ryouga tried to gather his wits, "Hibiki Ryouga. 16."
"Hibiki Ryouga, prepare yourself!" he shouted, waving his bokken, "We shall do battle." He turned his attentions away from Ryouga and plowed through the crowd to where Ranma was being restrained, "Pigtailed girl, should I defeat this coward, I know you will be overcome with gratitude. In order to repay your debt, I shall allow you to date with me."
Ranma stared at the older boy for a long moment. She opened and closed her mouth several times before pulling free of the hands holding her back and slamming her fist into Kunou's jaw, "Why exactly would I want a date with YOU!?" as her fist connected, and Kunou was thrown over the fence and into the water below.
The crowd stormed over and looked over the edge, "Hey, look he's floating up to the surface!"
"I think he's unconscious."
"Wow, that girl sure packs a punch."
"Do you think Kunou'll drown like that?"
"Maybe we should help him?"
"Look at the time, we're going to be late!" with that, the crowd dispersed and ran in the direction of the school, leaving Kunou's prone body in the water.
Ignoring the crowd, Ranma turned and headed down a different street. Confused, Ryouga followed her, still confused from their encounter with the kendoist.
-------
Gasping for air, Kunou jerked his head out of the water and sat in the shallow river. Most men of his stature, or, at least perceived stature, would be horrified at being defeated so easily by such a small girl. Kunou smiled.
"The pigtailed girl," he murmured to himself, "So strong, so beautiful. Too filled with womanly pride to allow herself to be in my debt, she removed me from the battle," his retrospective smile turned thoughtful, "but how to woo such a proud warrior woman?"
He sat in the water pondering this for several moments before an idea hit him. "Yes, that shall work perfectly. I shall fight until I win my flaming haired beauty's heart, and then... and then..."
Kunou's laughter at the very thought of what would happen next could be heard up and down the streets. Many people hurried home and locked their doors.
-------
tbc
Despite the entrance of Kunou, and many other Ranma 1/2 characters to come, I still have no intention whatsoever of bringing in the Tendou family. As much fun as they are, they have no place here. I decided on placing them in Nerima mostly because I don't know Japan at all and didn't feel like making up names that would likely have anyone with any knowledge of the language laughing at me. ; Besides, it makes it easier if I don't have to rename things, ne?