Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful
Romiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North
America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans.
No copyright infringement is intended.

=========================
Neko No
Chapter 5
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by TeW
Last Update: 2004-07-02
=========================

Akane looked up at Ranma walking on the fence beside her. She smiled to
herself, remembering all the things that had happened to her older self
while walking along to school like this. Everything from flying bicycle
attacks to random cold water encounters. Most of that happened later
though, and hopefully wouldn't happen at all this time around.

There was one source of problems was going to bite them in just a few
minutes though: Kuno and the horde. They would be ready for them this
morning, it wouldn't be as easy as bouncing around through the air to
avoid them.

"Ranma, you should probably let me deal with the stupid boys this
morning. I did it for weeks before you showed up, I can handle them
now."

Ranma looked down at her. "You think they'll try that again?"

Akane snorted. "Yeah, they're not long on brains. It will take them a
few days to realize I'm not available, not that I ever was to *them*."

Ranma shook his head. "No way Akane, I can't let you fight them."

"And why not? Aren't I good enough?"

"That's not it. It's just not right! Girls shouldn't have to fight
against guys like that!"

Akane growled in frustration. This Ranma might be a little better than
the original in some ways, but he was still a chauvinistic jerk. "Maybe
not, but it's my fight, so keep out of it!"

Ranma turned and stood close, nose almost touching Akane's. "It's my
fight too! You're my fiancee and they want to take you on dates!
Wouldn't you want to fight if it was the other way around?"

That brought Akane up short. Her memory served up countless situations
where she did want to - and sometimes did - fight Shampoo, Ukyou,
Kodachi, and others over Ranma. Not that she would have admitted it at
the time. "Fine, you can help, but you *can't* just fight them all off
for me. Got it?"

"Yeah." Ranma said softly. Akane suddenly realized just how close
together they were. His lips were just a few centimeters from her own.
All either of them would have to do is lean forward and...

"Young love, isn't it beautiful Sayuri?" 

Akane froze at the voice of her best friend and leaned back.

"Sure is Yuka, especially with a hunk like that."

Ranma and Akane turned there heads to stare at the Akane's friends.
Akane gulped and thought about denying everything. Ranma just said
'Gah'.

The two schoolgirls laughed at the looks they were getting from the
couple. Sayuri then walked up to them and waved her hand in front of
their faces, causing Akane to blush badly and look down.

Yuka stepped up next to Sayuri. "You two better hurry, you've still got
to deal with all those boys before class. You don't want to be late
again."

Ranma recovered enough to speak up. "Y-yah. Come on Akane, I can't be
late again." He grabbed her hand and ran off, dragging her behind.

Akane's feet barely touched the ground. She'd forgotten just how fast
Ranma could run when he wanted to. They arrived at the school gates in
record time. They ploughed through the horde of boys in record time.
They did *not* beat up Kuno in record time though, as he wasn't waiting
for them. In all they actually got to class early.

Sayuri and Yuka didn't quite make it though, and had to do bucket duty.

* * * 

Kasumi took Nodoka to a small and somewhat shabby tea shop off the main
marketplace. The shop's master greeted Kasumi warmly and led her to a
table near the rear.

Once the man was gone Nodoka looked around the shop. "We could have
gone elsewhere Kasumi."

Kasumi smiled warmly at the older woman. "Oh, don't let the place's
appearance put you off Auntie. The tea here is excellent." Kasumi's
voice dropped a bit. "And it is a very good place to talk of things
that should not be heard by others."

Nodoka nodded. "I see."

The two woman sat and chatted about small things while the tea and a
plate of tiny tea cookies was brought out. They continued their
chatting while sipping a cup of tea and trying the excellent tea
cookies. When Nodoka praised the cookies as being superior to those
found in other tea shops Kasumi blushed and admitted that they were
made to her recipe, which she had developed specifically for the shop,
which the Tendo family had a small investment in.

"I'm impressed Kasumi-san, you are very skilled. To produced good
tea-cookies is one thing, to create a recipe that a small shop can make
in quantities and at a reasonable price is something quite a bit more
difficult." Nodoka said.

Kasumi blushed even more. "It took me some time. I'm afraid we had
rather an abundance of tea cookies around the house for several weeks
while I worked on it."

Nodoka giggled behind the sleeve of her kimono. "I can just imagine!
Too bad my son and husband weren't around then, you would have had no
trouble disposing of the extras."

Kasumi's smiled dropped a notch. Nodoka nodded, certain now that Genma,
or possibly Ranma, was causing some problem.

"Please, Kasumi-san. I wish to help, and know that my husband is not
always a terribly reasonable man." Nodoka said

"It...is difficult to talk about, but it does concern both of our
families." Kasumi's voice dropped to a near whisper. "My sister Nabiki
hinted to your husband that she would be willing to take the engagement
with Ranma. After that father and Uncle Saotome got it into their head
that it would be best to switch the engagement."

"Oh...oh dear." Nodoka said. "They haven't told the children this yet,
have they?"

Kasumi looked down at the table, staring at her tea cup and continued
speaking in a very quiet voice. "Uncle Saotome started to. He told
Akane they didn't believe her story about how she knew Ranma. He was
about to switch the engagement when Akane claimed insult and challenged
him. She will have to fight your husband in two weeks."

"She doesn't have a chance, does she?" Nodoka asked. She meant it as a
rhetorical question, but Kasumi answered anyway.

"I don't believe so. The knowledge from her future self might help, but
it cannot be enough to overcome Mr. Saotome's years of experience. It
would not be good if the engagement was switched to Nabiki or myself.
If I understand the situation, it would destroy Akane completely."

Nodoka calmly refilled both of their cups while her mind worked
furiously.

"If it was a challenge over insult then Akane could end it if Genma
apologized?" Nodoka asked.

Kasumi sipped tea thoughtfully. "Yes...though that is not the real
problem, the engagement is."

Nodoka had to head this off, but confronting Genma directly was a bad
idea. He could become very stubborn if confronted directly with his own
foolishness. "Not believing her story was Genma's excuse for switching
the engagement?"

"I think so Auntie. I only overheard bits and pieces."

Nodoka smiled. "Then maybe Akane doesn't have to win to keep the
engagement, she just has to convince Genma that she really is from the
future."

"Auntie? Will that work?" Kasumi asked.

Nodoka's smile turned nasty. "By the time I'm done with Genma it will."

* * *

"...and Genma-dear, I'm so proud of you for thinking of Akane's welfare
like this."

Genma nodded importantly. He'd dreaded Nodoka learning of his plan to
switch the engagement or about the challenge fight with Akane. It
seemed she'd found out about his plans. Fortunately she was taking it
very well. Now if only the woman would be quiet so he could go back and
play shogi with Soun.

"Of course by her story she is the only one who should be considered
for the engagement. Her story does seem *so* unlikely, though I do
wonder how she knew all those things about your trip..." Nodoka
contained.

Genma sweatdropped.

"...and I couldn't help but wonder why you agreed to fight a sixteen
year old girl."

Genma started trembling. Nodoka might have accepted the plan to switch
the engagement, but the fight was going to be more difficult."

"Then I realized. You weren't absolutely certain about Akane's story.
You think you might be able to tell if she really is from the future if
you can make her fight all out. It's just *so* brilliant darling! Of
course if she lived with you and Ranma for years she would have picked
up moves and techniques that only one of you could have taught her. A
master like yourself will easily be able to spot if those are
techniques she could only have learned in the future rather than by
sparing with Ranma over a few weeks..."

Genma sagged in relief. She wasn't going to kill him over the challenge
fight.

"...And I was *so* happy when I realized that, because if you were
fighting a slip of a girl a third your age just because she said a few
bad things about you..."

Nodoka's voice changed from 'airhead prattle' to 'hard and sharp as
steel'.

"...I would have been forced to kill you like the honorless scum that
would have shown yourself to be..."

Nodoka's voice switched back to prattle mode again.

"...so your plan to use the fight to watch for techniques that prove
Akane is from the future is just brilliant!"

Genma just nodded. He wasn't really capable of much else at that point.

Nodoka got up. "I'm going to go help Kasumi in the kitchen. Why don't
you go amuse Soun for a bit?"

Genma fell over as soon as she left the room.

* * *

Nodoka smiled at Kasumi when she entered the kitchen. "You heard?" She
asked.

Kasumi nodded. "That was amazing Auntie."

"I don't use the big guns like that very often, but it is a useful
technique when you have a husband like Genma. He has a habit of
justifying his actions by telling himself he's doing it for someone's
own good. Forcing him to live up to those justifications is both useful
and...appropriate." Nodoka said.

"Well," Kasumi said. "I hope I do as well when I talk to Akane."

"Don't worry dear, you can always tell her the truth. In fact, the more
I think about it, the more I think that's the way to handle her." Nodoka
said.

"Thank you Auntie, I would much rather do it that way."

* * *

"We're home!" Akane called.

Kasumi hurried to greet them. "Welcome back you two."

Kasumi stopped and watched them exchange their street shoes for
slippers. Both of their faces were rather red, and they were stealing
glances at each other as the switched shoes. Very interesting."

"Akane, could I talk to you?" Kasumi asked.

Akane stepped up into the hallway. "I guess sis, as long as it doesn't
take too long, I have to practice."

"Why don't I meet you in the dojo in a few minutes?" Kasumi suggested.

"Okay!"

Akane grabbed Ranma's hand and started pulling him along. "Come on
baka, I want to show you something before I change."

Ranma laughed. "Okay, okay, I'm right behind you."

Kasumi grinned at their antics. Those two were certainly getting along
well, it would really be a shame if Ranma's father got in their way.

* * *

Akane had given up practicing and was sitting in the middle of the
dojo. Her talk with Kasumi had been...enlightening. Was she really
fooling herself into thinking she had a chance to beat Genma in their
fight? There was no doubt he was a great martial artist, but she had
been ready to take him on in the future. Had she, maybe, been fooling
herself then too? Sure she had known the chestnut fist and several ki
attacks that Genma hadn't known, would that have been enough?

Akane shook her head. That didn't matter now, what did matter was if
she could beat him *now*, and the answer was only maybe. She would have
surprise on her side, that might be the edge she needed to take him out
quickly. If that didn't work there wasn't much chance that her
unprepared sixteen-year-old body could handle handle him, even with her
four extra years of knowledge. Fortunately Kasumi and Auntie had found
another way she could 'win' even if she lost, assuming she could take
advantage of it.

How could she prove to Genma that she was from the future in a way that
he couldn't simply explain away?

Any ki technique really should do it, especially with her father saying
that he hadn't taught her a technique like that. The chestnut fist would
be good, though Ranma could have taught that to her. Besides, her
younger body needed a lot more conditioning before she could learn any
major speed techniques. 

Akane thought of a possibility. One that should prove to the old fool
that she was definitely from the future. Assuming she could learn it
without killing herself.

* * *

Ranma grinned down at Akane as they ran to school. Akane had been a lot
more cheerful the last few days, making her a lot more fun to be around.
She'd been going off and doing all her training after school somewhere,
giving her time in the evening for them to do homework together and
spar for a bit. Mornings they managed to get a more vigorous sparing
session in, though Akane had been helping her sister with some Tai Chi
forms then too.

The fights at school had stopped too. The boys that had been trying to
beat up Akane had given up, and Kuno had hardly been seen at all since
their fight in the hallway. 

Life was good. Ranma jumped down next to Akane. She gave him a sunny
smile and held out her hand. He took the hint and they ran the rest of
the way to the school hand-in-hand. 

Of course it didn't last. Kuno had returned, and was waiting for them
just inside the gate.

"Hold vile cur and remove your hands from the beauteous Akane Tendo."
Kuno said, holding his bokan above his head.

Ranma and Akane stopped in front of the boy. "What do you want Kuno?"
Ranma asked.

"I have thought long and hard on our fight and your words. It took some
time, but I soon realized that only by using some kind of dark arts
could you have bested me."

"Huh?" Ranma said.

Akane covered her eyes and shook her head in obvious disgust.

Kuno continued his rant. "Your threats to bring your clan into our
fight will do you no good. The Kuno can is in no danger from the likes
of you and yours."

Ranma's usually calm temper started to kick in. "I warned you not to
bring our families into this Kuno. I suggest you listen."

Kuno laughed. "Your threats are useless. Now I find you have enticed
the mercenary Nabiki Tendo away by the lure of your black arts. She is
now enamored of your magic and no longer allows me to view the
beautiful form of my goddess."

Ranma tried to figure that one out. Something about Nabiki and him
using magic again.

Akane spoke up. "You're a fool Kuno." She said in a low threatening
tone.

"That is the words of this sourcer speaking, fear not beautiful flower,
soon I will free you!"

"You are a deluded fool. Now I suggest you stop trying to 'free' me, or
you will have the Tendo as well as the Saotome clan against you." Akane
said. "Come on Ranma, we're going to be late."

Ranma shrugged. He really wanted to beat this guy into the ground, but
Akane was right, they needed to get to class. "Fine."

They stepped around Kuno, who started ranting again. This time Ranma
ignored him. It's not like he understood most of what the guy was
spouting anyway. Akane set a fast walking pace and they had just made
it into the school when Kuno started charging toward them. He stopped
short when the schools door closed in his face and started screaming
incoherently. Ranma thought he heard the words 'insult' and 'cur' a few
times, but that was about it.

"That guy's going to be trouble." Ranma said as they changed out of
their street shoes.

"Yeah, he is. He was last time around too, but this time he seems a
little more intense. Keep your eyes open.

* * *

Kasumi looked at her grocery list. She was going to have to talk to
Nabiki about increasing the budget for food again. Ranma and his father
were bigger eaters than they made allowances for earlier. Kasumi sat at
the stool in the kitchen and reworked her household budget, taking into
account additional food costs and the extra utility cost due to the
increase in laundry and bathing. She winced at the final amount. A
twenty-five percent increase was simply too much for Nabiki's current
money-making activities. Either Nabiki would have to move beyond what
Kasumi was comfortable having her do or they would have to develop
other sources of income, and soon.

In fact Nabiki had taken an interest in martial arts again, working out
with Akane every morning. She might not bring in quite as much this
week, and that would be a real problem very soon, their reserves were
low right now. Kasumi fretted for a bit. She really should talk to her
father again, it hadn't done much good in the past, but he'd been doing
much better since his old training partner had come to visit. She could
also go to Auntie Nodoka, who had said something about Genma getting a
job and contributing to the upkeep of the household. Talking to Auntie
would be more likely to help, but this was a family matter.

She'd speak with her father first then. If that didn't work she'd check
with Nabiki. If that failed...then she would work something out, even if
it meant talking to Auntie about family problems.

Kasumi stuck her head out of the kitchen. "Father? Could I talk with
you for a bit? Something important has come up."

Soun looked up from the Shogi board he and Uncle Genma were playing at.
Oddly Uncle Genma was in his panda form. She could have sworn he had
been human when she had delivered tea to them ten minutes ago.

"Can it wait ten minutes while I finish this game?" Her father asked.

"Yes father. I'll wait in formal tea room by the front door."

Her father's eyes widened as he realized how important this must be.
"Very well child."

As she headed up stairs to change into something more appropriate for
this meeting, she heard her father. 

"Genma, how in the world did that piece get there! "

=== End Chapter 5 === 

    Source: geocities.com/tokyo/dojo/5201

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