All previous parts available from me by email.

------


[Standard disclaimers, because I forgot my normal ones again.  The
characters except Kazuo don't belong to me.]



Kazuo's Kind
by Lara Bartram

Part 4


	Kazuo waited in front of the school.  It was the time and
place to finally give Saotome Ranma what he deserved.  Kazuo had been
inspired by reading one bit of extremely moving poetry the previous
night, and he was prepare to let everyone know who was better.
Saotome Ranma or Ochiai Kazuo.  They would know when the morning was
over.
	"Saotome Ranma!  I challenge you!" Kazuo called out as he saw
Ranma arrive.
	Ranma smiled.  "Good.  It hasn't been the same without Kuno
here."
	Kazuo lasted all of five seconds before he was on his back in
the grass, stars drifting through his vision.  He sat up slowly,
feeling his jaw, and watched Ranma head inside.  "That didn't hurt,
you know!" he yelled.
	Regaining his composure, Kazuo dusted himself off.  It
wouldn't do to have his uniform dirty.  Next time, he would know to
move a little quicker to the right when he saw Saotome kick out.  And
block low when Saotome drew his arm back and put his weight on his
left leg.  And dodge when the fist came at his face.
	Next time, Kazuo would make the necessary adjustments to crush
Saotome like a bug.  Maybe one of the problems had been his outfit.
Fighting in a school uniform was not the easiest thing to do.

***

	"Saotome Ranma!  I challenge you!"
	This time, Nabiki took two bets on the outcome of the fight.
	"You're not nearly as good as you think you are.  I can prove
it!"  Kazuo could indeed prove it.
	"Good.  Let's see you try."
	This time, Kazuo lasted only four seconds and had a footprint
on his face.  Nabiki collected some money and Ranma went to class
feeling a bit better about the morning.
	Kazuo sat up and rubbed his cheek.  Next time, the kick, the
three punches, then the kick to his face.  He would have to try to
remember that.  And he would definitely have to wear something that
didn't restrict his mobility so much.

***

	Kazuo fell into bed, his head pounding.  The thing he had done
that morning... that had been a mistake.  His classmates had laughed
at him again, thinking he wouldn't notice.  He had also caught one of
the members of the kendo team glaring at him.
	Couldn't they see just how awful Saotome Ranma was for the
school?  The things Kazuo did, they were for the honor of all the
students and teachers.  Letting a wild animal like Saotome run loose
was recipe for disaster.
	Crawling under the blankets on his futon, he would have to do
something about the attitude of some of the kendo team members.  The
nerve of glaring at him.  He was the captain after all.  Didn't they
know to treat him with respect?
	That night, Kazuo dreamed, but he couldn't remember of what.

***

	"Saotome Ranma!  I chal..."
	"Not this morning.  I'm late."
	Kazuo was already on the ground.
	Akane looked back at the fallen young man.  "Why's he wearing
that?" she asked.
	Ranma looked back quickly.  "Don't know.  Maybe it's some
kendo fashion craze."
	Nabiki walked over to Kazuo, who was slowly regaining
consciousness.  "Too bad, Ochiai-san.  Looks like Ranma got you again.
Do you think he's learned his lesson yet?"
	Kazuo sat up, bracing himself with his bokken.  "I thought I
told you to leave me alone?" he said testily.
	"Sorry, but I've got to make sure one half of my most
profitable fights is doing okay.  And since it seems you are, I'll
just be going now."
	Kazuo watched her go, scowling.  Profitable fight.  Like he
was some sort of display piece at a museum.  He was doing this for a
reason!  He had a definite purpose!  This was not just some joke for
everyone to laugh at!
	"Curse you, Saotome Ranma," he said quietly.  "Your villainy
will not go unpunished."

***

	Kazuo was sulking over his defeat by Saotome once again when
he suddenly saw her.  The most beautiful girl he had ever seen.  Even
more than that.  Words couldn't describe her.
	"Heya, Ucchan."
	And she was associating with Saotome.  Kazuo almost felt his
heart break.
	"Hi, Ranchan.  I brought you some lunch."
	Ranma looked around guiltily.  "I really shouldn't, Ucchan.  I
mean, not in public like this.  Akane might see me."
	Ukyo looked perturbed.  "Don't be such a wuss, Ranchan.  Just
eat the food I cooked for you."
	Ranma shook his head.  "I can't."
	When Ukyo looked like she was ready to hit Ranma, that was
when Kazuo acted.
	Striding over to the two arguing students, he slapped his
bokken down on the table.  "Saotome, you will eat this..."  Kazuo
looked at her and felt himself grow faint.  "You will eat this fair
maiden's lunch!"
	"W... what?" Ukyo asked.  "Are you talking about me?"
	Kazuo looked at Ukyo.  "Of course.  Who would be in his right
mind to refuse food offered by a goddess?" he said, taking Ukyo's hand
in his own.
	Ukyo looked stunned for a moment, then angry.  "Freak!  Get
away from me!"
	Kazuo was soon rocketing across the lunchroom thanks to Ukyo's
spatula.

***

	"I knew you couldn't stay away.  They never can."
	"Shut up.  I'm not hear to listen to you talk.  I need some
information."
	"What kind?" Nabiki asked lazily.
	"I want to know everything you have on Saotome's... friend,
Ucchan."  He hadn't heard her proper name, but Tendo Nabiki should
have known who he was talking about.
	"You said Ucchan?"
	Kazuo nodded.
	Nabiki looked confused, even a little flustered for a moment.
"Sure, 3000 yen and it's all yours."
	Kazuo reached into his pocket, pulled out all the money he had
and gave it to Nabiki.
	Nabiki quickly stowed the evidence and smiled.

***

	Kazuo sat at home, unable to comprehend the beauty of the girl
in the picture he was holding.  Tendo Nabiki had thrown it in for
free; it seemed she wasn't all bad.
	Kuonji Ukyo.  Every time Kazuo heard that name, he felt like
he was in heaven.  He carefully put the picture back on his dresser and
got ready for bed.

***

	"Saotome Ranma!  For your harsh treatment of the beautiful
Kuonji Ukyo, you shall be severely punished!"
	Ukyo spun and glared at the moron that was letting her secret
out.  "Hey!  What do you think..."
	Akane held Ranma's arm for a moment.  "I'm getting a serious
case of deja vu," she said to him.
	"Well, you shouldn't have eaten those muffins you cooked this
morning."
	Before Akane could hit Ranma, he was off, fighting Kazuo.
"Ranma, I'll get you for that!"  And she would, but not right then.
The person he was fighting, Ochiai Kazuo...  Akane didn't know what to
make of him.
	The captain of the kendo team.  That's what Nabiki had told
her.  He became captain after Kuno had...  And now, Kuno was gone, but
it didn't feel like it really.  It felt like things were starting all
over again.

End 4