Akane never quite remembered the exact instant she noted the change, but it was pretty clear once she did. The crowd of boys was smaller, but more disciplined. Also, it became very clear that a small subsection of the Baka Brigade was actually trying to hurt her, not just exhaust and defeat her.
For his part, Ranma ran on ahead, looking like it was tearing his own heart out. Akane figured at least part of that was Soun's little ban on fighting as a guy--but she'd take any real regard she could get.
They fell in short order in any case, but the lack of Kuno afterwards was outright bizarre. His not attacking had Akane a bit paranoid.. and later events didn't ease that, as it turned out.
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POV: Ranma.
Ranma left her with that attacking mob of morons. It hurt. Worse than anything, he hated the notion of leaving others to get hurt, and not even solely duer to the Martial Artists' Code. Still and all, he was trying to work with this engagement, and a Artist showed trust in another's skills to the extent they have shown. He'd seen her sparring with intent, and she was obviously able to handle this.
But it still hurt. Hellfire, he thought, I better go chat with her sis about this mess, she goes here too, from the uniform I saw on her this morning. Ranma just had a feeling, like the chi here was.. a bit off somehow, in a way he couldn't nail the details of, or have a hope in Hell of describing. He absently muttered "Things here are changing.. and not for the better, I figure." to himself as he entered the office to sign in.
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POV: Tatewaki.
He was grim, but satisfied, a mood he likened to Mushashi in the time before that finest of warriors struck the killing blow. To have that evil wench steal his heart, then lay bare his mastery of strategy while mocking it as thoroughly as Brutus the traitor was mocked in the work of the Bard! No, Evil Witch, you have been powerful ere now, but now your own power will raise the flames of your proper station.. a witch's stake for the burning! and other similar thoughts blazed through his mind. Tatewaki now knew that these sorcerous fools and their evil talents to grip the minds and hearts of men, turning them into rutting berasts, these things were intolerable!
But he had a answer for them. Tatewaki had reread the very condemning eulogy to which his thoughts harked back, and smiling inside, he'd used similar 'compliments' and 'apologies' to plant the seeds of rage in the boys and the girls of the rabble he was forced to associate with in this school. Surely they were a ignoble lot, but they could be driven to burn a monster easily enough, he avowed silently. Now he was heading to the office to ensure that his father, madman though he was, would be alerted to his plansd, the better to torment the witches and other impure ones upon his eturn from the Mongrel Islands, Tatewaki's own personal term for the Hawaiian Island Chain.
Once that was done, basic discipline, like unto the misguided but pious (in a gaijin way) Inquisition of the Catholics.. that would sear the evil from these hallowed halls of learning! But first, to turn into the Administration Department and.. what in Hell's Name?
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POV: Akane.
Akane was NOT a happy camper. She'd been glared at in a very uncomfortable way by many of the boys and almost all the girls, since she'd come into the compound. Further, even Yuka was avoiding her, sneering at least once! Sayuri was more friendly, but seemed to avoid actually being seen near Akane. Something was definitely not right, and the entire thing felt all too familiar. Unfortunately.
Boishe Moi! was the very Rasputin-ish reaction in Akane's mind. It's like Rahne's initial reaction to me times about umpteen or so! What the fuck is going on here? Seeing that Tarot-reader girl and Gos getting pushed around didn't exactly help matters in terms of Akane keeping her cool, she at least could defend herself or just leave, but the others.. She was going to get to the bottom of this, as soon as she could get some straight answers. And the one responsible was going to pay.
Dearly.
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POV: Ranma.
He sighed. He'd hated the very idea, but Ranma knew his curses, and not just the Jusenkyo one. He was one to get into the conflicts available at any school, and his Dad's attempts to make him a barbarous ignoramus didn't help matters much. Still and all, Ranma Saotome was a man (and occasional woman) of his word, so..
"Look, I'm not lying, crazy, or retarded, now will you just get me some hot and cold water? I'm trying to prove something here, so we can plan my classes!" He was running into Classic Bureaucracy.. the notion that if you get official enough, and castigate the other guy, he'll become more easily quantifyible.
The secretary tried to snatch his glasses, for the seventh time, snarling out "Punk, you'll give me those Yakusa shades and you'll stop lying and get out and go get a uniform, or so help me, I'll call the authorities! You punks all need to be kept in your place!" This lady wasn't that bad in most cases, but having had to cover for the Principal's insane offspring so many times had the staff on edge. Besides, her husband was being intimidated by some low-level twerps working for their local Oyabun. She was no way going to let this punk get away with.. whatever this nonsense was!
Ranma dodged easily, then he got a cup of water from the office water-station and splashed himself into herself. Fortunately this was as the Vice-Principal was emerging, since the Secretary had of course fainted seeing a buff guy become a well-stacked babe right before her. Ranma went into the office of the Vice-Principal and got the signing in completed in short order.. as a girl. "*sigh*.."
As has been mentioned, Ranma HATED this, but he knew his life well enough to see the necessity.
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POV: Tatewaki.
He'd just turned the corner and seen a strange boy splash himself with water. What he saw of the boor was a peasant that was too impudent to even wear the school uniform, a priviliege he knew was only fitting to the true Nobility. Tatewaki was even more offended when he saw the change. This mostrous peon shifted and shrank and became like unto a being of deep passion and beauty, withg red hair.. Hmm.
Tatewaki might have missed it if he'd not seen the change, but he remembered now! There were those in the European lands, gaijin all, opf course, but wise enough yet to hate and despise those who had red hair. Obviously, it was by association with the notion of Dark Sorcery such as this! Tatewaki ducked back into the hall, intent on returning to the office later.. with the Kendo Team, to ensure that the Vice Principal was not bewitched. "You, you Hellish fake, I will ensure that you gain a taste of your inevitable fate before you die! I, Kuno Tatewaki, upperclassman and Defender of the Right, so vow! Sorcery Must Die!" So declaimning (with many similar lines) to himself, Tatewaki actually bothered to go to class, while he was waiting, for a change. He already had the information anyway. Tutors were SO nice that way.
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(Posted Wed, 26 May 2004 21:59)
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