Hiya!

	Write this one up quickly as a break from studying and the other 
fanfic I'm working on.  Tried sending it in when the ML was all wonky; 
obviously, it didn't get through, so here's a second try.  On the plus 
side, since then, I've written a continuation.  I'll post in tonight.  Hope 
you like it...

	-Mike Noakes
***
                     This Will be the Title

	"And this will be the obligatory nifty quote..."


     "You ready?"
     "Yeah..." answered Akane wearily, passing her school bag to
her older sister.  "But I'm starting to get really tired of this."
     Nabiki gave a sympathetic nod and hurried ahead.  "I'll see
you inside, 'kay Akane?"  She paused for a moment.  "And don't take
too long.  Looks like it might rain."
     Akane watched as her sister hastened her steps and quickly
passed through the school gates, and then into the school itself. 
Her passage was a warning to the other students still loitering in
the front field of Furinkan High School - a warning that Akane
Tendo was about to arrive.  The fight was about to begin.
     She glanced up at the clock on the central building.  Good. 
She was a little early today... she had about fifteen minutes to
take care of her morning 'problem' and get to class... plenty of
time.  Right.  She started to psyche herself out as she approached
the gate.
     Boys.  Boys.  Hate them, she thought.  Hate Boys.  I.  _I_
Hate Boys.  I Hate Boys, I hate boys, I _hate_ BOYS!  As the anger
grew inside, she gathered speed, broke into a run, built up steam. 
She charged through the school gates.  She was immediately beset by
a horde of over twenty guys.


     Nabiki watched from her perch up on the second floor.  She had
to give it to her psychotically violent younger sister - she sure
knew how to handle herself.  Although I don't understand what they
see in her, thought Nabiki, watching as Akane dodged, dodged, and
uppercutted the president of the Karate club.  Do they _enjoy_
getting beat up everyday?
     "Your poor sister.  Every single day..." said one of Nabiki's
classmates, as Akane roundhoused the star soccer player in the side
of the head.  Akane was slowly but surely making her way closer to
the school.  To anyone who knew her, she was obviously taking her
time today; she was using the extra time to defeat her opponents
with a little extra precision, defending herself and her clothing,
instead of just bulldozing her way through like she usually did
when she was late.  Her progress came to a temporary halt as a huge
sumo-wrestler grabbed her from behind; multiple palm strikes to his
chin knocked him - and a couple of his teeth - loose.
     Nabiki sighed and went to turn away, when a flash of red
caught her eye.  She turned back to the fight and noticed a young
boy wearing a red shirt, with his hair tied back in a pig-tail,
entering through the school gates.  She wondered who he was...


     Akane ducked beneath the racket of a tennis player, twisted,
grabbed the arm of the football linebacker behind her, pulled him
off balance and threw him into her first opponent.  They went down
in a tangled heap.  Jumping back she avoided the downward swing of
a baseball bat; he, however, didn't avoid the upward swing of her
kick.  His eyes bulged out as her foot sank into his crotch.  With
a barely audible whimper he sank to the ground, gasping, "I...
love... you..."
     Akane took a deep breath, stepping away.  That was the last of
them.  "For Pete's sake.  Every morning!" she muttered.  "What a
_drag_!"  Another morning - another training session - another
annoyance - done with.  Well, except, of course, for...
     "Gotcha!" spoke a cheerful voice behind her, and she felt a
light tap on the back of her head.  "Uh, listen, I'm new here, so
could you..."
     What the... How... Who... She hadn't even heard, sensed,
anyone step up behind her!  And... and he'd even managed to _hit_
her!  A small rational part of her mind tried to remind her that
he'd only _tapped_ her, but, as usual, it got swept away by anger. 
With a low growl she spun and threw a massive haymaker, and was
rewarded with a loud 'crunch' as her fist connected solidly with
her assailant's chin.
     The boy staggered back, clutching his jaw.  "OW!" he
exclaimed.  "Whaddya do that for..."  He glared up at her, pulling
his hand away from his chin.
     Akane blinked in surprise.  She didn't recognise him.  He was
her age, had blue eyes, looked surprised and upset, wearing a red
chinese shirt and black pants, his hair in a pig-tail... he'd never
been around here before... and obviously wasn't a part of the gang
that attacked her every morning.  He wasn't a student of Furinkan
High... she had just hit an innocent bystander!  Her anger died
under a wave of remorse and guilt.  "Oh!  I'm so sorry..." she
started to say.
     "... you stupid tomboy!" finished the pig-tailed boy.
     Her apology died on her lips.  "What did you call me?"
     "I called you a tomboy!  You hit everybody like that?"
     "No!  Only creeps who sneak up on me!"
     "Hey!  I didn't _sneak_ up on anybody!  Is it my fault you're
too deaf to hear me come up?"
     "Deaf?  Deaf?"  Her anger flared up again, and Akane raised
her fists.  "I'll show you _deaf_, you JERK!"  She took a step
forward, the boy holding his ground, when a rose thudded into the
earth before them.  She sighed and turned, momentarily forgetting
the obnoxious boy she didn't know for the obnoxious boy she did.
     From behind a tree stepped a regal-looking teen, wearing
loose-fitting kendo garb.  The rising wind tugged at the fabric and
ruffled his hair just enough to give him a slightly pensive look. 
His bokken was held low as he held a second rose to his nose.  He
looked up, eyes glittering over the crimson petals.  "Truly.  Such
a boorish lot." he narrated, managing to insert a slight sneer into
his voice without marring the music of his words.  He
contemptuously flicked the rose onto the body of one of the fallen. 
"Evidently each of them intends to ask you out, Akane..." he
continued, pulling yet another flower from his robe.  "On the dawn
that he finally _defeats_ you."
     "Oh, upperclassman." said Akane tiredly, remembering once
again what it was she _really_ disliked about her mornings at
Furinkan - Kuno.  The workouts weren't too bad... the poetry-
spouting idiot was.  "Good morning."
     "And now..." said the upperclassman, obviously oblivious to
the tone of Akane's voice, snapping the rose towards her. "Akane
Tendo..."  He raised his wooden blade and stepped into an
aggressive stance.  "Might you fight with _me_?"
     She shook her head in disbelief, tossing the rose aside. 
Every morning!  When would he _learn_?  How many times would she
have to knock his...
     "Hey, listen, Akane, right?" spoke a voice to her right, and
she jumped in shock.  It was that obnoxious boy... she'd forgotten
about him!  "Man, you're popular, aren't you?  But you look kinda
busy... so could you just tell me where the office is?  I gotta
register."
     "WILL YOU STOP SNEAKING UP ON ME!" she screamed, turning on
him.  He backed off in surprise. 
     "Hey, whoa, there, tomboy!  I just didn't wanna get between
you and stick-boy there."
     "Stop calling me a _tomboy_!"
     "Hey, if the name fits..."
     "If the name... you jerk!  You sneak!  Creep!"
     "Hey!"
     "YOU THERE!"
     Both turned as the man with the bokken stepped forward,
pointing it at the boy with the pig-tail.  Akane suddenly realised
what was likely about to happen, and stepped between the two.  He
might be a jerk - but as a martial artist, it was her duty to
protect the weak.  "Stay out of the way!" she said to the boy, who
blinked in surprise.  "You'll get hurt."  She turned her attention
to her opponent.
     Kuno kept his eyes fixed on the new arrival.  "How dare you
speak in such discourteous a tone with Akane!"
     "Uhhh, listen, I'm just lookin' for..."
     He was interrupted loudly by Kuno.  "Who _are_ you, boor?" 
Without waiting for an answer, he raved on.  "Ah!  But it is the
custom to give one's _own_ name first!  Fine then!  _Mine_ I shall
give!"
     Akane glanced back at the boy she was protecting, who seemed
rather unconcerned.  He shrugged.  "If you want..."
     Kuno struck a noble pose, lowering his garde and, for just a
moment, looking like a fabled samurai of days of old.  The skies
churned and rumbled as his voice rolled clear and true across the
school yard:
     "My name..." he cried out,
     "...is upperclassman _Kuno_.  Junior.  Group E.
     "...Captain of the Kendo Club.
     "...undefeated new star of the high school fencing world.
     "...my voice strikes fear into the hearts of mine enemies.
     "...but my peers call me...
     "The BLUE THUNDER of Furinkan High.", and a crash of thunder
and bolt of lightning punctuated his pronouncement!
     The pig-tailed boy looked impressed.  "Okay, I'm, uh... " he
stammered.  "I'm... ah, new here, and just askin' this tomboy for
dir..."
     "WHAT?" howled Kuno, charging forward.  "You yet dare slander
Akane's name?"
     What a jerk!, thought Akane, stepping aside.  Here I try to
protect him, and he _insults_ me?  He deserves whatever Kuno gives
him!  Then I'll give him a piece of _my_ mind!  But, much to her
surprise, as Kuno's blade swept forward (at, she realised, a far
greater speed then he usually employed against her), the annoying
stranger was gone.
     No, not gone... up, in the air, easily dodging the swing,
flipping backwards, pulling off his backpack, saying: "I'm heir to
the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts!"
     The words stunned Akane.  Anything Goes?  But... but that was
the same style... So surprised was she that she failed to protest
when the boy's bag landed in her arms.  "Here.  Hold my bag for a
sec." He said, barely glancing her way.  He landed in an easy
stance, legs spread wide, smirking cockily.  "I am Ranma Saotome!"
he cried out.  "And I accept your challenge!"

***

     Akane hurried along the side of the building, ignoring the
heavy rain that was pelting her and plastering her long hair to her
face.  She had to find that boy... had to find... Ranma.
     The fight flashed through her mind's eye.  Fight?  Hardly.  A
few dodges - amazingly quick, and seemingly effortless - by the
newcomer; a shattered wall and severed tree, from Kuno's failed
attacks; a leap in the air; a blast of thunder and lightning; a
counter-strike, bokken versus open-hand; a sudden downpour of rain;
and then a panda bear, tearing out of nowhere, knocking out Kuno
and abducting this Ranma Saotome?
     She had to find him... partially to check if he was ok, after
that wound he'd taken to the neck... partially to give him back his
stupid backpack... partially because it wasn't everyday that you
saw a panda run by, carrying a steaming kettle... but mainly
because of his proclamation.  He practises Anything Goes?
     She heard a clang around the corner.  Ah, they must be in the
P.E. shed, she thought.  Time for some answers.  Then to class.
     The first bell rang out.
     She sighed.  Then to class... a little late.


     "What just happened?" asked someone.
     For once, Nabiki had no answer.  Who was this Ranma Saotome? 
Where did he come from?  Where had he _gone_?  And where did that
panda bear come from?
     She had some answers to find.  This Ranma Saotome was
obviously new to Nerima... there was a bit of a mystery surrounding
him... and Nabiki just _loved_ a good mystery.
     Just then Kuno swept into the room, having switched into his
school uniform and somehow having regained his cool and unruffled
demeanour despite having been in a fight and knocked out mere
minutes ago.  There was a pattern of scratching across his
forehead; when Nabiki looked closer, she realised it was a rough
and quickly drawn kanji character.  She smirked.
     "And why do you mock me, Tendo Nabiki?" asked Kuno, coming to
stand before her.
     She suppressed a giggle.  "Here.  Have a look."  She pulled a
mirror from her bag and passed it to him.  
     His arrogant countenance slipped for just a moment, before
turning into a frown.  He snorted, lifting his hair away and
examining the marks.
     "And to think I thought Ranma Saotome was _good_!  He can not
even spell!"
     But, looking at the marks, Nabiki had to laugh.  No, Ranma
could spell... he could spell _perfectly_.  And to think he had
done so with a single attack - one that Kuno hadn't even felt!  He
would definitely bear some looking into...


     "Shit!" swore an unfamiliar voice from within the shed.  "If
it hadn't rained..."  Curious, Akane pulled the window open.
     With a jump, a strange girl - and a panda! - spun to face her.
     Akane looked her over.  She seemed oddly familiar, although
she was sure she'd never seen her before.  Her clothes, though -
the pants, shoes, shirt - _were_ familiar... they were identical to
what Ranma had been wearing.  And she had a pig-tail too!  The hair
was red, though.  Still, did they know each other?
     "Ah... hi?" said the strange girl.
     Akane looked around the room curiously.  That was certainly
the same panda - at least, she assumed so, for how many pandas
could there _be_, roaming loose in Nerima - but the boy was nowhere
to be found.  "Did you by any chance see a boy come by here?" she
asked.
     The girl started slightly and gave a nervous laugh.  "Ah...
ahaha... no, no, of course not..." she stammered, placing one hand
behind her back.  "No one here but me and... ah, my panda!"
     Akane narrowed her eyes suspiciously.  Why was this strange
girl acting so weird?  "Who... who are you, anyway?"
     The red-headed girl glanced around the room, as if looking for
an escape.  "Who am I?  Who am I?  I'm... ah... I'm..." she looked
to the panda in desperation.  Much to Akane's surprise, the panda
pulled a sign out from nowhere.  Written on it in a hasty scrawl
was: Ranko.  "Yeah, that's it..." said the girl, stepping forward
with one hand extended.  "I'm Ranko.  Pleased 'ta meet 'cha!"

     End Chapter One

***

	If some of the dialogue seems familar, it's because I tried to 
slip in as much of the original stuff as possible (well, I use original 
loosely - I'm using the Viz manga translations).
	So, is this thing worth keeping up, or should I let it die a 
quick, merciful death?  Let me know!

	Later!
	-Mike
	(oh yeah... C&C at s669330@aix2.uottawa.ca)