Of course, they had to hide the depth of their relationship, but she was not about to pretend it didn't exist. She hadn't brought it up as she didn't want him to think of it as a possibility, but she knew that she could have wound up keeping her distance from him at school to keep her reputation as being 'hard' and 'cold'. But after their long separation, and the fact that they had skipped over the ability to be 'boyfriend and girlfriend' at school, she was not about to ignore the chance to at least behave like his significant other.
Not that there wouldn't be distractions, as she could tell that he would be grumpy, what with his clear dislike of school. Going to classes wasn't exactly his favorite thing, and she knew that he'd avoid it if he could. But then, he wasn't alone in his desire to be heading elsewhere as the front gate to the high school grew in their vision.
Akane, whose visibly growing anger looked like a werewolf transformation from a movie, was not someone who would look forward to arriving at the school grounds.
"Ready to meet your fans?" Nabiki asked.
Her sister snorted loudly. "They aren't anyone that I want to meet! In fact, for all I care, they could die!"
"Is that so?"
"Yes! Because, I hate those.... BOYS!" Akane declared as she charged towards the gates.
Coming streaming out of it was a mob of boys, most of them dressed in sports equipment of some sort or another. Every one of them tried to hit her as they came close, but none of them could even manage to hit her. Instead, she'd manage to bash them away with single hits as quickly as they'd arrive. So, there were plenty of sights like when a baseball player got whapped by a schoolbag as a soccer player got kicked like the ball that he'd play with. But not a single one of them looked like they were planning on stopping.
Having grown used to the scene, Nabiki sighed, and wondered when the whole mess would stop. She knew that there would be benefits to having this sort of thing, but the advantages were too weak to bother with the idiocy that this was. Unfortunately, rational thought was in short supply, and she was aware that, for Akane, only the application of physical violence seemed to dissuade anyone from attacking for even a moment. And the thing was that, much as she loved her sister, the girl's manner of fixing the situation left much to be desired.
Hearing a sound from next to her, and realizing that there was someone who might want to take a hand in the situation, she turned to see her husband... laughing in disgust? "Ranma? What's so funny?"
"These guys are!" Ranma answered, snorting at the display in front of them. "I mean, look at them. Don't they realize how stupid they're bein'?!"
His words didn't exactly sit well with some of the boys who hadn't attacked Akane yet, and who turned to face him. One basketball player glared straight at him. "Are you saying that we're idiots?!"
"I'm sayin' that all of ya are actin' like idiots! I mean, damn, don't ya see how dumb this whole plan is. Not only are ya tryin' ta get a girl ta be willin' ta go out with ya by beatin' her up, but ya guys are basically fallin' over each other ta do it! The only thing that you're gonna get is beat up, 'cause it ain't somethin' that really makes any sense!"
"Why you...."
"Look 'round. D'ya think that any of this crap makes any sense?"
"Who dares make light of the sacred writ of honorable combat?!" demanded a boy wearing a hakama as he pointed a bokuto at the pigtailed newcomer. "Do you not realize how serious and respected combat such as this is?"
"Actually... yeah, I do. 'Xcept, it ain't all that 'serious' or 'respectable'."
"Who are you to say such a thing? Tell me, who would you be?"
"I'm...." Ranma began.
"Is it not proper to give one's own name first? Fine! Mine, I shall give. I am the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, undefeated rising star of this school's kendo club. My enemies fear my very approach, and the public heralds my coming. I am Tatewaki Kuno!"
"'Blue Thunder'?" Akane muttered. "I thought that he was calling himself 'Shooting Star'."
"It's new to me," her sister admitted.
"Now, you low brow fool, who are you?" Kuno demanded.
"Me? I'm Ranma Saotome, of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts. And I still think that this whole mess is pointless," Ranma sighed.
"Is that so.... Why, praytell, is that?!"
"Simple. I've been thinkin' 'bout it since Akane told me about it...."
"You dared to speak to Akane?!"
"She came ta me. Told me about what ya did...."
"Did she now.... How... wonderful!"
The pigtailed boy looked at the upperclassman with a flat stare. "Eh?"
"Obviously, she desired to both spread the word of my magnificence, and to inform you of the proper way of things!"
"I ain't sure 'bout that, but that doesn't matter. What's important is that these guys are wastin' time on nothin'."
"How could you say that?" the older boy sneered. "Do you not see the struggle that they are in?"
"Sure have. But it ain't one that they can win."
"How could that be?"
"Think 'bout it, genius. Ya said that for ya ta let someone date Akane, they'd have ta beat her."
"Not quite. I said for them to date her, they would have to defeat her, for I would allow no other terms."
"Still.... They beat her, and ya let them date her," Ranma insisted.
"If you have to put it in its most basic terms, yes, that would be it."
"Then that's what's dumb. All beatin' her lets them have is your permission ta date her. It doesn't say that she'd let them date her."
Kuno's brow narrowed in thought. "Wait a moment. Are you saying that there are two separate issues...."
"Pretty much. The challenge that ya gave was only for your permission ta date her. It doesn't mean that she'd be willin' ta date someone who beat her. In fact, someone who just tried ta use this as an excuse ta get her ta date him would probably get a real cold shoulder."
"That's...."
"What, Kuno?" Nabiki asked.
"Brilliant!"
"Pardon?"
"Why did I not realize it previously?" the wannabe samurai murmured as he saw the image of a nameless boy trying to get Akane to date him, but getting rebuffed due to her enduring love for one Tatewaki Kuno.
"You don't want to know what I think is the reason."
Ignoring his classmate, Kuno turned to the new boy, and gave him a thoughtful expression. "You do seem to have the way of it, but do you not want to have Akane Tendo's love as well?"
"I have it," Ranma admitted. "As a friend. We ain't exactly gonna be wantin' ta be datin' anytime in the future."
"How could that be? Do you not recognize her beauty?"
"Sure, but I've got somebody else."
"Who would that be?"
"Nabiki."
"'Nabiki'...." the older boy began... and then let his eyes go wide. "Surely you are not talking about her sister, my classmate."
"That's who I mean."
"I can not see her being with any man, and I have known her for years."
"Well, she's my girl."
"You must be mistaken, for I see no way for that to be possible," Kuno gravely stated.
"I can show ya."
"How?"
"Like this," Ranma told him, and pulled Nabiki to his side. Once she was in his arms, he pressed a deep kiss to her lips, with such passion that he had her bending backwards under the strength of it. She didn't seem to mind though, as her arms wrapped around him, and anyone who could see her was able to see that she was returning the kiss with the same amount of ardor that he was giving her.
"Astonishing. And quite revealing. You can stop now."
Only the sounds of mouths moving against each other came from the couple.
"That's is quite satisfactory."
Low groans of pleasure came from Nabiki as the kiss continued.
"WE'VE SEEN ENOUGH!" Akane bellowed as she watched the pair continue to 'make kissyface'. "You can stop the floorshow now!"
The couple parted, with Ranma clearly out of breath, and Nabiki looking rather pleasantly flushed.
"Thank you, my dear goddess," Kuno told the youngest Tendo.
Akane sniffed. "I didn't do it for you."
"In any case, I can see that you are truly enamoured of that girl...."
"He's more than that," Nabiki commented, and smirked as the bell started to ring. "But you'll have to wait for later. Right now we have to get to class. Coming, Ranma?"
"'Course. I'll walk ya ta your class," her husband agreed, and looped her arm around his as they headed inside.
"HEY! Wait for me!" Akane called out as she ran in after them.
That left Kuno standing amongst the boys who had been attacking Akane as he wondered what had happened. He had met a boy who had clearly understood the way of things, but for some reason he had been drawn away from the purity that was Akane Tendo for the shadow that was her elder sister. Nabiki Tendo did have her uses, but he had not had such a good relationship with her as of late. Any hope that she could get him images of her younger sister to enshrine in his home had come to not, even though she had a mercenary nature. For her to gain attention over her sister was strange, as she had nothing that Akane didn't have in spades. Honestly, the unfeeling girl was willing to do anything to gain the upper hand in his experience....
That must be it! Kuno was certain that Nabiki had used her sexual wiles to seduce this honorable boy away from the proper sort of admiration of Akane that he should have had. Had there not been a clear display of the sensuality that was raging between the pair? Obviously, she was using her body to gain the boy's attention, probably luring him with promises of being able to fondle that body of hers. Clearly, someone would have to help that boy realize that he had gotten himself entangled with a black widow, and Kuno was certain that such a job was placed upon his shoulders.
He might not bear any real concern towards the girl that some students called the 'Ice Queen', but he could not allow her to fall into the trap of using her body to gain favors. Such behavior would send her heading towards the pit of 'prostitution', either in actual action, or in activities that could be called that, and he could not allow that to happen. It was up to save that boy from her greedy clutches, and to save her from herself.
Deeds such as that were the burden that Heaven placed upon its champions after all.
Certain of his path, Kuno headed in to class, while:
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(Posted Wed, 12 Jul 2006 02:25)
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