Akane had been elected to take Ranma on a guided tour of the house and grounds. She did, introducing Ranma to the house at large, the koi pond, and finally, the dojo itself. The old wood was in good repair, for being so long abandoned. That would have to change soon. It's not like the family had years of a nest-egg to tide them over until one of the children got a proper job.
"You practice martial arts, right?" asked Akane as she showed her guest the dojo proper.
"Yeah, I do. What about it?" replied Ranma.
"Let's spar."
Ranma blinked and made a confused noise.
"You heard me. Let's spar," Akane challenged, almost in a growl. She had been irritated by the mere presence of this person throughout the tour. Ranma, after all, was born a boy… a perverted, stupid BOY! A boy who, among other things, had a small, petite, shapely body with a pair of ponderously large breasts which were bigger than hers.
Akane checked her anger. She shouldn't blame Ranma. After all, it was the UFO's fault that Ranma ended up like this. He didn't ask to be turned into a she, right? The anger dispersed upon this act of will and reason, but still buzzed just below the surface of her mind.
"Just for fun!" Akane finished with as much fake cheer as she could muster.
Ranma eyed her warily. She had caught the dangerous edge in Akane's voice. She stood somewhat pensively opposite Akane, apparently unready, but actually a stance that made her only appear vulnerable.
Ranma's appearance of vulnerability fooled Akane, who assured, "Don't worry, I won't hurt you!" The Tendou heir stood in a clear ready stance, ready to take the offensive. She can't be that skilled! thought Akane. Look at that stance! She's not even ready! I really should ease off the full Akane power.
Akane chose her moment, and rushed forward with a slow strike, fast enough to wake up her opponent without smacking her down too hard. However, not only did the strike fail to smack Ranma down too hard, it failed to even connect as the girl suddenly moved with the grace of a gazelle around her strike.
Akane blinked, as this wasn't in the plan. She struck out with more strength, such that even a martial artist of her skill would find herself hard-pressed to dodge and be forced to at least parry or block. Yet this girl weaved around her strikes. Akane got the distinct impression that she wasn't so much fighting a person, but striking at the surface of a stream; just as fluid and striking just as pointless.
"Hey, why won't you attack me?" asked Akane in frustration. Is Ranma concentrating solely on defense? the Tendou girl thought. She threw three more punches, all easily dodged by Ranma, who smiled at the end of the volley. Akane drew back from Ranma's strike zone, a bit winded, but ready for whatever Ranma could throw at her… if only she would actually throw a punch! It was like she was purposefully holding back… Akane grew steamed as the possible explanation dawned on her. "You'd better not be pulling any of that chivalry crap on me, you little twerp!" she growled unpleasantly. "I get enough of that from Kunou-sempai!"
Ranma's smile vanished, the girl becoming somewhat befuddled. Not enough to fail to dodge Akane's next series of punches, as she amply demonstrated by dodging them even while continuing to be troubled by that statement. Finally, after the second volley of punches, she decided to answer. "Look, I don't hit girls, 'k?"
That statement made Akane's blood pressure spike. "Why not?!" she demanded, throwing a few more punches and a kick at Ranma, all of which were dodged.
Ranma opened her mouth, but closed it, dodging a few more of Akane's attacks. 'Why not?' was a good question, now that she thought about it. Why didn't she hit girls? Or more to the point, why didn't she even strike at this particular girl. Ranma had been to the Amazon village, where the strength of women warriors would put any man to shame.
A stock answer, prepared through years of rote training by her father, forced its way out of her throat. "Girls are weak!" Ranma snapped.
"And that makes you…?" Akane left the question hang, and it was a critical strike to Ranma's concentration. Akane's next punch was coming awfully close to Ranma's pretty nose.
*SMACK!*
There was a meaty slap as Akane's fist came to rest in the cup of Ranma's delicate hand. Akane grinned triumphantly. "HA! Forced you to block!" she crowed.
"That was a dirty trick, Akane," came Ranma's disapproving reply, then appeared to vanish from Akane's vision. Akane then felt a tap on the back of her head. "Checkmate," Ranma said from behind.
Akane felt the itch of her anger threatened to burst out. This BOY dare beat her! She almost let it free, but turning around and seeing the female body being worn by her opponent confused her. Her anger, as well; her temper subsided to think it over. "I'm glad you're a girl now. I'd hate to think what would happen if I lost to a boy," sighed Akane, scratching her head.
Ranma blinked. Then frowned. "Speaking of being a boy now, how did you guys know I was changed into a girl?" she asked.
"What do you mean, 'how'? The aliens told us."
Ranma's jaw hang open. "What?! Are those aliens following me? Is that how people keep showing up knowing that I changed into a girl?"
Akane blinked. Didn't the transformed boy know what happened? Guess not. "Ranma," Akane explained, "the entire world knows of your condition."
Ranma made an inarticulate noise Akane took to mean surprise and shock. A second later, coherent words came out of her mouth. "Oh sweet merciful Kami-sama!" she screeched, "Ucchan's gonna laugh at me! Ryouga's gonna laugh at me! All my friends know and are going to laugh at me! THE ENTIRE WORLD KNOWS AND IS GONNA LAUGH AT ME! HIIIIII!!!"
Akane marveled at the boy-now-girl wigging out on the dojo floor.
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(Posted Sun, 22 Oct 2006 05:36)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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