Her compromise had been that she had gotten her camcorder out.
"No, Haruka, the camera is there so that later on when the Inners request information about how a 'mere human' could keep up with them, I'll be able to just stick this tape in a player and watch it." Setsuna had practiced this innocent look before and she turned it on full now.
Michiru merely set out the lounge chairs so that she and Hotaru could sit while all this was going on.
"The fight can take place in the woods, hill, or this empty field here. It is not to extend into the parking lot or the area where Michiru is setting up the chairs," Setsuna told the two. "Other than that, as the saying goes - 'Anything Goes'."
"Are you sure about that?" Ranma asked. "I don't see how it's gonna be necessary."
"This is partly because of the challenge, but also partly because both Michiru and Haruka have to ascertain that you can indeed protect Hotaru. Against schoolyard bullies, or fanged youma crawling out of the sewers. Either is equally likely." Setsuna assured Ranma. "Consider it a employee screening exam. We wouldn't hire, for example, your father to watch children. I am satisfied with my background examination."
"Ah," said Ranma, that making sense.
"It will also give Hotaru a good idea of what you're capable of," said Setsuna in a lower voice pitched not to carry back to where Michiru and Hotaru were sitting down to watch. "Inspiration before the perspiration in her training. Not that you'd train her to those standards." That it would also convince Hotaru that her trainer wasn't likely to freak out about strange abilities and get her to open up a little around him would also help - not that Setsuna was going to mention this "side effect."
"Gotcha," said Ranma. "I don't wanna go too far anyway. Ten'ou here is likely to be too frail for most of my stuff."
That being pitched loud enough for Haruka to hear, Haruka bristled.
"Don't hold back too much or she'll have you eating dirt," warned Setsuna. "Haruka has fought many opponents and won easily."
Muttering something about how he'd like to see Haruka fighting pantyhose (which caused Haruka to smoulder a bit more), Ranma nodded.
"Okay, as soon as I get back to the chairs, you may begin." Setsuna turned, walked back, and pivoted with the camera running immediately.
Haruka hadn't bothered to transform, keeping a watch on this boy. She'd show him AND Setsuna that she was...
Hey, where'd he go?
Haruka caught a glimpse of motion to the side and ducked just before a kick swept through the air where her head had been a moment ago. Ranma bounced to the side and again deliberately signalled an attack.
Haruka realized that Ranma was deliberately telegraphing his moves and saw that SMIRK.
"Ya can give up now before you embarass yerself too much," suggested Ranma, putting his hands behind his back and looking completely relaxed.
Swish swish swish
"Aw c'mon, I'm waitin' to see this good fighter, ya can at least try ta warm me up while we wait for him to show up."
Swishswishswish!
"I've seen worse fighters. In kindergarten."
Swishswishswishswish!
"Ya know I've seen someone with that facial twitch before, who was that?"
Swishswishswishswish!
"Oh yeah, Tatewaki Kuno. Ya kinda remind me of him."
Haruka wasn't sure why, but she was pretty sure that was a mortal insult.Swishswishswishswish!
Thump!
Haruka blinked. Her opponent was standing on her head?! "GET OFF!" duck-roll-jump-kick
Ranma landed lightly and then held his hands up as if forming a box. "Perfect. Looks good on ya."
Haruka blinked and slowly reached up, feeling her hair. Then she slowly lowered her hands to notice that it was indeed a very nice chain of daisies that had been given her. "URANUS PLANET POWER MAKE UP!"
Michiru watched Ranma make two moves that were obviously to her - feints, and saw Haruka getting quite upset and was now going full out against Ranma who put his hands behind his back and just casually and effortlessly dodged everything Haruka was throwing at him.
"Michiru-mama? Haruka-papa's turning red."
"I know, dear, Haruka-papa is getting angry and your instructor appears to be heading in that direction deliberately. I'm not sure why you wanted me to stake the chairs into place, Setsuna-san."
"It depends on whether he gets Haruka any more angry or not," said Setsuna filming as Ranma placed the crown of daisies on Haruka's head.
"Uranus Planet Power Make Up!"
"Now it gets interesting," said Setsuna.
"So you're some kinda combat cheerleader, huh?" Ranma eyed the costume and figured it wasn't that different from Mariko Konjo's outfit. "Least the weather's warm. Figure you'd freeze your assets off in that in winter."
Swishswishswishswish!
"Little bit faster, just as predictable."
Swishswishswishswish!
"Ya trying to bore me into letting ya get a cheap shot?" Ranma flipped in midair, rotating twice, to land gently on one foot a few yards away from his opponent. "Okay, gimmee your best shot!"
"WORLD SHAKING!"
Uranus experienced a moment of panic. She'd gotten so wound up she'd just used a killer attack on a normal (if incredibly annoying) opponent.
BOOM! There was a fountain of smoke and dirt at the point of impact.
Uranus was quite aware of Michiru gaping in shock. Waitaminute. Setsuna was still taping. And smirking?! What?
The dust cleared. Ranma was standing there and coughed up a little dust.
"Okay. Mental note. Don't try to be cute and catch that attack. Guess I'll have to take this fight a little more seriously."
Sailor Uranus took a good look at the smirk on Ranma's face and:
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(Posted Sun, 19 Oct 2003 13:44)
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