"So they didn't crush each other," Totaku sighed. "That's no fun."
"The difference between Kanu and Ryomou's skills is vast, but because of the Sacred Beads, Kanu was forced to struggle to defeat her," Kaku supposed. "By the time she fought Sonsaku, she was not at her full strength. That's my opinion anyway."
"I guess so," Totaku said petulantly while toying with yet another flower.
Ryofuu bit her tongue. She wanted to say 'I told you so' so badly she could taste it, but even for her that would have been over the line.
"When Seito wins this match, the still have to fight Kyosho Academy," Ryofuu pointed out. "Even if they manage to win against Kyosho, I will still defeat them in the finals."
Totaku laughed at that.
"Finals?" Totaku asked. "There is no such thing...no such thing, Ryofuu."
"What?" Ryofuu asked in confusion. "But then..."
"Sorry 'bout this, big guy," Ranma said to Gakushu as the faced off.
"Sorry about what?" Gakushu asked.
"Well, as much as I'd like to, I'm not really gonna be able to take my time and enjoy this fight," Ranma explained. "I wanna get Kan-chan to the doctor as soon as I can."
"I understand," Gakushu nodded. "However, I will still try my best to defeat you."
"Wouldn't have it any other way," Ranma smirked. "If you're gonna fight, you might as well fight to win. Let's get this show on the road."
"Seito Private School versus Nanyo Academy, match three!" the ref called out. "Ranma Saotome of Seito against Gakushu of Nanyo. Begin!"
"You wanted to see my kick," Ranma smirked at Gakushu.
"I didn't think you would actually break my arm," Kanu commented to Ryomou while Cologne tended to her. "I'm glad I came though. I'm satisfied that I had a good fight."
Ryomou looked at her, a small smile curling her lips, and nodded.
"So what's the story with your boyfriend?" Ryomou asked as Gakushu went flying into the fence, buckling it dangerously.
"Ranma is easily an A-ranked fighter, maybe even a Super A-rank," Kanu explained as they watched Gakushu force himself to his feet. "He transferred to Seito two weeks ago."
"Did you really agree to share him with another girl?" Ryomou asked. "I mean he's cute and..." Ryomou looked over where Ranma was decimating Gakushu. "...he seems to be very strong. But sharing him? How'd he get you to agree to that? He's not another Saji Genpo is he?"
Kanu snickered.
"Ranma didn't get us to agree to anything," Kanu corrected. "Chou'un and I had to convince him to let us share him."
"You're kidding," Ryomou goggled. "What's so special about him that you would want to do that?"
"You mean aside from the fact that he's gorgeous, has a strong sense of honor, and is a great fighter?" Kanu smirked. "Well, he is really good in bed and he was able to keep up with Chou'un and me at the same time."
Cologne cackled at the short-haired girl's fierce blush. The situations Ranma got himself into were just so amusing.
"Besides," Kanu shrugged. "It was Chou'un's idea. She decided that if we competed with each other over him, neither of us would get anywhere. This way we both get some action."
"Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken!" Ranma shouted, followed by a rippling, buzzing sound they would have identified as minigun being fired had they ever heard one.
"Incoming!"
The girls looked up to see Gakushu flying through the air in their direction. The massive fighter hit the ground on his side and slid to a stop about a meter from them. His shirt was in shreds, exposing a torso that appeared to be one massive bruise with darker bruising over his vital areas. The behemoth groaned and tried to push himself up, but the effort cost him the last of his energy and he crashed back down to the ground, out cold.
"And the winner is Seito!" the ref declared.
"Was that really necessary, Ranma?" Cologne drawled.
"Well, I guess not," Ranma admitted, scratching the base of his braid sheepishly. "I could have used a pressure point to take him down, but I figured this way would be less embarrassing for him. Besides, I pulled the punches so as to not hurt him too bad."
"I see," Cologne said, shaking her head with a wry grin.
"So, Cuz? You wanna concede now or do you want to go ahead with the next match?" Ranma asked Kokin who was kneeling with the still-unconscious Hakufu's head in his lap.
Kokin looked from Gakushu to Hakufu and then turned to Ryomou with a questioning look. Ryomou shrugged.
"It's up to you, Kokin," Ryomou told him. "If you don't think you have a chance at winning, there's not much point in having to carry anyone else off this roof."
"If it's all the same to you, I know I don't have the skill to beat Ranma, and I'm needed to help with the injured," Kokin said. Turning to the ref, "I concede the final match."
The ref nodded and declared Seito the winners of this round, informing Ranma and Kanu that they would be facing Kyosho Academy the following day.
Ranma found himself walking down the sidewalk carrying Gakushu across his shoulders in a fireman's carry. Kanu walked on one side of him with her arm cradled in a makeshift sling and carrying Seiryuutou with her good arm. On his other side was Ryomou Shimei, walking with her arm wrapped protectively around her ribs.
Since he was accompanying Kanu to the hospital anyway, he got volunteered to carry the oversized Gakushu with Ryomou going along as well to have her own injuries looked at. Hakufu wasn't particularly injured, having just depleted her ki. She just needed some rest and food to make a full recovery. Kokin had carried her home with Cologne going along with them.
"Something on your mind?" Ranma asked Ryomou bluntly after catching her staring at him yet again.
"Not really," she answered. "I just have this nagging feeling that I know you from somewhere."
"Oh really," Kanu remarked suspiciously. "So have you met her before, Ma-chan?"
"Well..." Ranma answered hesitantly. "She does seem familiar somehow, but I can't really remember meeting her before. Pop didn't sell a marriage arrangement to your family, did he? Because I gotta tell ya, I've about had it with girls showing up to marry me because of Pop's stupid arrangements."
"I don't think so," Ryomou said, sweat-dropping. "I take it this happens a lot?"
"You have no idea," Ranma sighed.
Ukyo sneezed violently in Nabiki's face.
"The price just doubled," Nabiki commented coolly as she wiped herself off with a napkin.
"Sorry 'bout that," Ukyo laughed nervously. "So what did you find out?"
"Nodoka Saotome has a brother and a sister. Apparently the brother is fairly wealthy since he owns a house here in Tokyo and a small farm out in the country," Nabiki explained. "I also got a look at his school records. A transcript was requested by a Seito Private School. If I were you, I'd check the brother's Tokyo address first."
"Great. Thanks," Ukyo grinned.
"That will be twenty thousand yen," Nabiki said, holding out her hand. Ukyo scowled but paid the mercenary girl. As Nabiki left Ukyo's shop she added one more bit of information. "By the way, Seito is apparently a pretty exclusive school with an expensive tuition. Good luck trying to get in there."
"Damn," Ukyo cursed. "How am I gonna keep all those snotty, little, private school bitches off Ran-chan if I can't go to school with him?"
Chou'un sneezed violently, ruining her most recent attempt at flower arranging. At least that’s what she blamed it on this time as she examined the mangled stems sticking pitifully up from the vase with the shredded flower petals scattered like confetti on the floor below it.
Kanu sneezed as the doctor worked on applying the cast to her arm.
"Catching a cold, Kan-chan?" Ranma asked solicitously, handing her a tissue.
"I don't think so, Ma-chan," Kanu replied. "I think I just got some plaster dust in my nose or something."
"One More!" Hakufu demanded, holding out her rice bowl.
"How can she eat this much right after she's had such an intense battle?" Kokin wondered.
"She needs the food to replenish her ki reserves," Cologne explained as they watched Hakufu shovel rice into her mouth in a manner not unlike her younger cousin.
"What a fight, huh? I really had a lot of fun today!" Hakufu said around a mouthful of food.
"Don't stuff your face," Goei commanded sourly.
"But I'm still a growing girl! Don't be cheap, Mom," Hakufu retorted.
"Well, I think you've grown too much," Goei suggested.
"Who cares?" Hakufu sneered.
'Aunt Goei is right,' Kokin though, eyeing Hakufu's huge breasts before forcing himself to look away.
"So Mom, where did you and Aunt Nodoka go today?" Hakufu asked.
"We went to watch a friend of ours play in a game," Goei answered, smiling fondly.
"Oh yeah?" Hakufu asked. "So what was it, like, a big shuffleboard tournament or something?"
"What do you think?" Goei demanded hotly, crushing her chopsticks in her fist, "I'm part of some senior citizens group or something? That's it! Dinner's over!"
"What? Why?" Hakufu shouted. "That's not fair! You hag! You're such a bitter old lady!"
"Fine, then no breakfast for you tomorrow either," Goei informed her.
"No way! I was just joking!" Hakufu verbally backpedaled. "I'm sorry, Mom, I didn't mean it!"
"Too bad," Goei replied.
"How could you think I would agree to that?" Ryofuu demanded angrily of Kaku.
"You're still so ignorant, aren't you?" Kaku said patronizingly. "This tournament is a recreation of historical fact. The Big Fighter's Tournament was created for that one purpose. By the end of the last tournament, Totaku held the top position out of all the schools, so naturally, everyone has their sights on overthrowing him and Rakuyo High School. If the beads control our fate, Totaku will lose this tournament and probably his life. Unless he goes against history, there will be no future for Rakuyo High School...at least that's what Totaku thinks. He would never do something stupid like participate in this tournament. He'd let the anti-Totaku groups crush each other instead."
"But the rules!" Ryofuu shouted. "The other schools will protest! What you're talking about will invite open warfare between the schools!"
"Look, don't assume power and skill can solve anything!" Kaku snapped. "You're better off following the orders you were given!"
"Kaku..." Ryofuu snarled at the other girl as she walked away.
"You will destroy yourself is you keep interfering," Kaku said over her shoulder.
Ryofuu stood there for several minutes with clenched teeth and fists as she struggled to master her rage.
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(Posted Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:20)
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