During the following days, Ryuko stayed with the Tendos and Saotomes. Akane became her good friend, she really liked the energetic girl.
Well, it was hard not to like Ryuko. Her cheerful manners helped her gain the fondness of almost every student of Furinkan High. Even some of the teachers were happy to have her around. Miss Hinako insisted that she would also attend classes while staying in Nerima, but she couldn't help but smile whenever she saw the young Dratini within her classroom.
After that first day at school, Kuno didn't try to attack Ranma again... while he still was convinced that Ranma somehow was responsible for their transformations, he still had Miss Hinako's draining attack in mind... And that feeling made him shiver.
He didn't know that while Hinako herself turned into a plant-type Pokémon, her draining attack had also become a plant attack. And as ground-types like Kuno were weak against those attacks, they normally stayed away from them. Kuno's instincts were trying to tell him that... that's why he was always getting nervous when he was near the ki-draining teacher.
Kodachi just wrinkled her nose. "Brother, you are one big coward, you know that? And just how long do you plan on wearing that ridiculous bone helmet? Just take it off already!"
"I cannot, sister!" Tatewaki wailed. "I cannot endure looking at this grotesque face the foul sorcerer's spell has given me..."
While he was speaking the truth, the bone helmet was the only thing in which he felt comfortable. Also, using other weapons than the bones his bokkens had turned into made him feel... uneasy.
Nabiki was surprised that Kuno didn't try to go after Ryuko like he did with any cute new girl, but she didn't manage to get any answer from him. Actually, Kuno seemed to turn more and more elusive those days. Nabiki slowly got annoyed that her main source of income was showing his face so rarely.
But Kuno wasn't her only problem... While she was as cunning and sneaky as ever, most of the students didn't give her as much respect as they used to. Nabiki could only guess that it was because of their new natures... that most Pokémon didn't pay too much attention to those that were weaker than them. And while many of her classmates had turned into fire, water, plant and psychic Pokémon, Nabiki was just a normal-type... And on top of that, she was a Meowth, a Pokémon that had never been one of the strongest.
Perhaps that was the reason she didn't get as much respect as she formerly did?
Well, at least Shampoo was paying her much money those days... the Amazon girl was curious about that girl who was staying with Ranma and payed Nabiki for every bit of information she could offer her. Because Shampoo didn't attend school like Akane and Ukyo, she didn't know much about Ryuko. Maybe she was still thinking she would be a new fiancee... which means, a new obstacle on the way to her Airen.
But while Shampoo and Kodachi continued their pursuit for Ranma, both Akane and Ukyo had noticed a change in Ranma's behavior... whenever someone started to talk about his engagements, he started to ponder.
The truth was, his mother's words had made quite the impact on Ranma's mind. And now, that they all had changed into half-Pokémon, he could feel something new within him...
When he thought about Ukyo, his fire seemed to burn brighter within him. Was that some kind of affection or was it just because he and Ukyo were of the same type?
While Shampoo and Kodachi still were nuisances, he rarely was concerned about them anymore. They were plant-types, which meant they were no threat to him... Fire-types like Charmander tended to ignore plant-types.
And Akane... okay, his feelings for her stayed more or less the same... But because of his changed feelings for the other three girls, he gave their relationship even more thoughts.
Ryuko noticed it whenever Ranma started to brood. Ever since he had saved her from the Dragon Clan members, she had felt a special liking towards him... Not as a girlfriend or lover, but like a sister to her big brother.
And while she was waiting for her cousin to finally show up, and tried comforting Ranma, she didn't realize how she was being watched all the time, ever since she had arrived at the Tendo Dojo.
For the Dragon Clan never gave up in acquiring a potential team member. Their leader gave them clear orders: Either all dragon-types from Tokyo would follow him... or they would be destroyed!
And so, the spies of Tatsu continued to watch every step of Ryuko, hoping for a sign that would show them a moment of weakness... And when that moment would come, they would be ready to strike...
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(Posted Sun, 15 Oct 2006 15:19)
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