Disclaimer: I don't own or claim Rurouni Kenshin or Ranma1/2. I don't make any money from this or have intentions of copyright infringements, so please don't sue me.

Ranma also found that when he chopped the smaller pieces up so as not to leave little splinters of wood behind, he had to concentrate on wielding the heavy axe properly by manipulating his aim with his wrist.

He was contemplating the fact that with a flicker of the wrist, the aim of the axe could change dramatically. Ranma was just exploring this train of thought when he heard the thrashing in the bushes off to his left side. Without needing to look up, he knew who it was immediately.

Ranma waited, then just when the intruder broke through the clearing, he looked up with a smirk. "Hey!" he called. "Did you get lost again?"

"Shut up, Ranma, and prepare to die!"

The familiar words were music to his ears. He was in need of a good fight after what happened this morning and the opportunity just came barging in.

"What's the matter, did the little piggy get lost?" Ranma patronized.

As usual, Ryoga took the bait and growled. He flew across the clearing with a yell and jumped in the air preparing himself for the kick aimed at his nemesis. Ranma met the attack head on, jumping into the air to meet Ryoga with a counter kick.

Arial battle was one of the specialties of the Anything Goes Martial Arts, which Ranma was practically a master of; and with the constant fights against Ranma, Ryoga too had become competent in the technique, giving as good as he got. The two opponents seemingly flew through the air, using the tree branches of the surrounding forest to gain better momentum.

Ryoga threw out a bunch of combo attacks designed to cripple the opponent with the strength behind it, while Ranma threw his own defense strikes with the speed that he had gained through the years. But unlike most punches and kicks, the two teenagers added their ki into it.

Ranma smirked in arrogantly. "Give it up, Ryoga. You losing won't solve your problems."

"Yeah, but me killing you will. Take this! Bakusei Tenketsu!!!!" The tree behind Ranma splintered into a million pieces, showering the air with tiny splints of wood that could hurt anyone but martial arts masters.

The small cloud of dust cleared up and Ryoga jumped sideways just in time to avoid the attack that Ranma initiated.

"You want to take special attacks into this?!" Ranma asked with a hint of enthusiasm and anticipation.

Ryoga grinned evilly, growling, "Bring it on!"

Ranma charged with renewed energy, his eyes glinting with a feral light. "Fine! Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!!!"

His fists flew at Ryoga who didn't quite manage to block out the super speed punches. But with his body built like a rock, Ryoga was not as fazed out as most victims of the Amaguriken would be. He just smiled and delivered another crushing blow towards Ranma, breaking his sync and making him take a step back.

"You can't hurt me with that attack of yours, remember, Ranma?" Ryoga taunted.

"Hmph!" Ranma wiped the blood at the corner of his mouth and backflipped away from Ryoga. He jumped back on the last flip and pushed himself against the tree, grabbing Ryoga in a tight hold and using the Amaguriken once more to deliver super fast punches to Ryoga's midsection, making it appear to non-discerning individuals that it was one single punch.

Both boys fell to the ground with a thud. Ranma looked down at Ryoga and was surprised to see him conscious and grinning. "Nice try, Saotome. Now take this!"

Ryoga kicked Ranma at the back of the head, loosening Ranma's hold on him long enough to escape. Ranma rolled away quick enough to avoid Ryoga's attempt at using the Bakusei Tenketsu on the ground Ranma was lying on.

"That was cheap even for you, Ryoga!" Ranma yelled from the ground.

"Shut up! I don't care how I do it, as long as you're beaten in the end!" Ryoga said.

"You'll never learn, will ya?! You can't beat me!!!" Ranma replied.

"We'll see about that, Saotome!" Ryoga dived at Ranma and tackled him to the ground, trying to get a punch or kick in somehow.

Ranma fought back, punching and kicking at his desperate opponent.

"This time I won't let you win, Ranma! You've made my life hell and you have to pay for it!" Ranma coughed as Ryoga tried to strangle him. Ranma twisted away and took in air, just as he threw another punch at Ryoga's face.

"You're deluding yourself again, Ryoga! It wasn't my fault that you ended up in Jusenkyou!" Ranma hooked one leg around Ryoga pushed against Ryoga's arm. Ryoga responded by kneeing Ranma in the gut. Ranma pushed himself until he kicked Ryoga far enough for him to sit on Ryoga and get the upperhand. He punched Ryoga until Ryoga managed to punch him back.

"Everything that went wrong in my life is your fault. Jusenkyou, Akane and everything else!" Ryoga accused, following each word with a hard blow to Ranma's body.

"You're the only one crazy enough to want that macho chick tomboy!" Ranma said, taking a stranglehold on Ryoga's throat and shaking him and knocking his head against the ground.

"You're a fiend, Ranma. You enemy of women!" Ryoga squeaked out, panting for breath.

"How could I be an enemy of women?! What about you, huh, pig boy?!"

"At least I'm not a pervert!" Ryoga shot back as best as he could. Man, was he tired.

"Look whose calling who a pervert," Ranma responded with one last knock to the Ryoga's head. "I'm not the one who takes advantages of the girls with a cutesy little act."

Ranma fell to the ground and rolled over, facing the sky and catching his breath. Geez, he was sore. That Ryoga is built like a damn steamroller.

"I don't try to be cute. I just am."

"Yeah right. Don't ever try to pull that lost little piggy routine with me. By the way, just where were you all this time?"

"Travelling."

"What an understatement! Good thing that you showed up just now, though. There's something--"

"Are you two done?" A dry sarcastic voice washed over the two martial artists on the ground.

Ryoga and Ranma glanced up and squinted at the dark figure of Saitoh Hajime glaring down at them.

********* To be Continued ********

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