Yet, as he walked, he was very aware of their presence on a number of levels. He could feel the... energies of their minds like warmth from candles, and didn't have to look to see where they were. Thinking about them reminded him about their new situation, and made him wonder if anyone was going to be able to figure out the changes to his relationship with the Tendo sisters. And looking at them didn't work out so well either, since his eyes would be drawn to how Nabiki's full breasts bounced with her steps, or how walking flexed Akane's tight rear under her skirt.
Sighing to himself, he began to wonder if he really was the 'pervert' Akane used to label him as, and if there was anyone who would be a bigger one than him.
An answer came up for his latter question when a familiar, if highly unwanted, face popped up in front of him.
"A-HA! So, you have come so that we may truly fight with honor, instead of the cowardly attacks that you have used before!" Tatewaki Kuno declared as he raised his bokuto to the sky.
As he had a lot more than idiot kendoists on his mind, Ranma didn't want to deal with this, but knew that he wouldn't get the chance to refuse. "And how did you come up with any of that?"
"It is quite simple, foul sorcerer. Always before, you have delayed your arrival at this fine institution of learning so that you may keep me off balance. In this way, you may rush me, and attack dishonorably, as not attending to the proper forms can only be called thus. And that also has the detriment of allowing me only mere moments to spend with my beloved Akane before the dulcet ring of education calls to the both of us for the learning of the day."
"That is... stupid. Do you actually think that I would plan on being late?"
"Most likely," Nabiki commented drily. "Consider the fact that this is Kuno, Ma... Ranma, and remember that he's got a special view of the world that's his own."
"On this, you are correct, woman. For only I have the vision that can see past the views that pull more mundane minds past a clarity that is unmatched!" the kendoist declared.
"And that scares a lot of people."
"So it should! To those with the intent to thwart that which it has come to me to create and protect, they should see that they can not trick me, and fear that they may be in danger because of that!"
The middle Tendo daughter gave him a flat look. "Really."
"Exactly! And now this cretin understands that he must face me on a level field of battle, as the honor of a samurai dictates! In this way, he shall have no ability to use any tricks, as it shall be simply two combatants competing, with myself coming out as the victor! Know this, Saotome! I shall defeat you on this day, and end your horrid reign over Akane Tendo and the pigtailed girl!"
Ranma saw the older boy coming, and knew that there was no need for concern, as he had the ability to beat him up easily. However, he also found that he could sense the single minded intent behind the attack, and knew that he could mentally 'taste' Kuno's self assurance and self righteousness. It was clear that the spectacle that the wannabe samurai made outside was exactly how he was inside. And that 'glimpse' even allowed the pigtailed boy to see a tiny bit of the elder boy's fantasies regarding the 'pigtailed girl' and Akane.
What he saw would have made him scream, if it hadn't shocked him into silence first. Some of that wasn't even physically possible! The rest went from the absurd, like with the two 'girls' fluttering their eyes and giggling in admiration of him, to the just plain insulting, as with them abandoning any pretense of wills so that they could only do what he wanted despite his claims to like their 'spirits', to the simply disgusting, as his imagined manner of bedding a girl was not at all comfortable to even think about, even without the automatic nausea that'd come up from knowing that it was his girl side that the older boy wanted to do 'it' with.
So, when he cleared the clear, and disturbing image, from his mind's eye, and looked to see Kuno charging at him, with his 'sword' over his head for a strike, the pigtailed boy knew that there was no way in Hell that he wanted to be around the other boy at the moment. Any further contact, whether it be mental or physical, was totally undesirable, and he wanted to escape from such an individual. Shoving his hand out, he caught the elder boy on the face, but didn't want to keep him nearby at all. All he could think of was sending Kuno away from him, and so he 'pushed' both mentally and physically, so that he tossed the boy off to fly into a wall of the school building.
To most observers, it looked like he had used some sort of fancy martial arts to do it.
Nabiki wasn't so sure, and she moved over towards her Master, along with her sister. "That wasn't part of the Art, was it?"
"Not really," Akane confirmed. "It was more like a panic move. But why would you have to use that? You've beaten him plenty of times before."
"I got a peek into what makes him tick," her Master informed her in a harsh whisper.
"You did?"
"I did. And trust me. It was not a pretty sight."
"But it does explain the reaction," the elder 'servitor' murmured.
"I'd think so. But.... Something's off about him now," the younger girl observed.
"Other than usual?"
"Yeah. Normally, when he's knocked out, he's got some life to him, even if it's a stupid, self important life. Now, he's just... still."
Her sister looked over and frowned slightly. "Hey.... You're right."
"But, why would he...."
Both girls looked at their Master, and he pressed his lips together. "I... couldn't stand him, and since he and that mind of his was coming towards me...."
"You pushed him away."
"Exactly."
Nabiki looked between the other two in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"It's really simple. In the Art, when you pull on someone, it's because you need to get them closer to you, say to pull them off balance, or to keep them within striking range," Akane told her. "But when you need space, or have to protect yourself, you push."
"So, he did the latter."
"And apparently got a similar effect to what happened to you guys," Ranma told them.
"What?!"
"I didn't pull him inside of me, so don't worry about him being bound to me. But I can feel the minds of everyone around me. It's like I know that they're there, and let's me be able to.... do 'that'. And right now, I can't sense much of a mind in him right now. At least, much less of what he had before."
"Whoa.... That's big," his elder servant drawled softly.
"I know."
"Still, it's a good thing to have happen."
"How did you come up with that?!" Akane hissed.
"Simple. First, it stopped Kuno for a while. Second, it stands to reason that if what happened to us only left us like that temporarily, the same will probably be true for him. And third, this let's us know that the powers can be used for more than just... eating."
"At least I can fight with them too," Ranma sighed, glancing around at the people around them, while:
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(Posted Sat, 26 Nov 2005 01:01)
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