Chaos Reigns Supreme: A Ranma 1/2 Thread. (Closed for roleplaylifer and Sky Jade)

[roleplaylifer]

Furinkan High School


Kenja Yamashiro paused at the large gate that had swung open beneath the tide of advancing students. Her light blue skirt swirling lazily in the breeze, the new student took her first tentative steps past the aperture towards the strange new society that awaited her.....

"Akane Tendo, my love! How divine it is to feast my eyes upon you yet again!"

Kenja paused hesitantly as she watched a handsome enough man race across the school courtyard towards a diminutive brunette girl dressed much the same as herself, smiling despite herself as the girl dropped immediately into a defensive crouch that Kenja knew all too well. Sure enough, seconds later the amorous student was sent sprawling with a well placed kick, to lay twitching comically on the ground....still professing his love.

Smirking, the slender girl brushed a hand through her short cropped chestnut hair, stepping gingerly around the still twitching body of the Upperclassman.

How creepy. Just got his ass kicked, and it looks like he loved every second of it. Hopeless....absolutely hopeless.

As she continued to the school, the murmurs began. Blushing slightly, she picked up her pace a little as she found herself passing group after group of loitering students that felt that the still had time to kill before the bell sounded to start the day. Clips of conversation brought just enough of their conversation to her ears to intensify her blush.

"Who is she.....is she a new transfer student?.....Hey, she's kinda cute....do you really think she'd join the club?....do you think she has a boyfreind yet?....

Finding herself distracted for just a moment, opening her mouth to voice a protest to the gossip around her, Kenja collided heavily with a solid wall of muscular chest. Looking up....she was horrified to find herself being examined by the same pervert who had been shouting his love for another girl just moments before.....a look of speculation on his face as he contemplated for a moment. Then, with an almost rakish grin, he ran his hands through his dark hair and turned his nose up and away from her.

"Sorry. I must have taken a blow to my head. YOU aren't Akane, though from the backside you kinda look the same."

As the student poignantly leaned over to once again examine that forementioned backside, Kenja's eyes narrowed with indignation. Grabbing the rogue by the front of the kimono, she easily reversed her stance, flipping him neatly over her shoulder to land hard several feet away. Giving a loud humph!, the new student turned back to her path towards the classroom.

Behind her....a weak cry carried across the courtyard....

"She is formidable.....but who is she.....?"


(OOC - We are accepting other players for this thread but are kinda being choosy in the fact that you have to know the background of the anime we are referencing as well as be approved by one of us to join. Players that can only manage one paragraph posts probably shouldn't apply. If you think you're interested, pls send a PM to Sky Jade.)

 

[Sky Jade]

Kari Yadamoto had to laugh as he watched the short-lived fight in the front of the school from the rook. He didn't quite understand why Kuno was always after Akane or why he gave out the challenge in the first place. His thoughts drifted back to the ear before at the speech contest.

Furikian High School Speech Contest.

Behind the podium stood Kuno dressed in his blue kimono, pounding on the podium every few moments to emphsis his words.

"And who so ever defeats Akane Tendo in honorable battle shall be able to date with her."



It was like this every morning since that day. The guys from every single club would wait for her and rush her in hopes of overwhealming her. Kuno was always last and they always got humilated. It wasn't his problem, he just enjoyed the show. Hearing the bell ring, Kari made his way to homeroom.

He stopped for a moment as he suddenly foundt Kuno lying at his feet. He laughed and poked the dazed Kuno with a foot.

"You never learn, do you Kuno?"

He smirked again as he stepped around him and moved into the classroom. He stepped into the classroom to notice there was a new girl in the class. He couldn't say anything to her because the teacher came in and had everyone get seated before asking her to the front to introduce herself. He leaned back in his seat as he ran a hand through his black hair for a moment.

 

[roleplaylifer]

Kenja sighed heavily as she finally seemed to make it to her classroom. But despite her high hopes, the gossip didn't seem to end there. All around her, whispers broke out along with the furtive glances her way that followed them.

Deciding to ignore them, she straightened her shoulders and waited patiently. Moments later, the class rose as the door swung open and a wizened old man entered the room. As the teacher took his seat, so too did the rest of the class.

During the first period of class, while Kenja found herself scrambling to write down all of the algebraic formulae that the old fart seemed to be spewing all over the chalkboard, she spun silently in response to a gentle nudge on her elbow. Turning, she noticed a small scrap of paper that had been pushed onto her desk while her concentration had been elsewhere.

Cautiously unfolding it, heedful of the teacher's inattentive gaze, she began to read.

Nice job with Kuno this morning....he's such a pervert. Do you know some kind of martial arts?

The note continued on, asking all of the usual questions that she thought it might. Shrugging her shoulders softly, she let the note lie where it was, turning back to her books.

Lunch time couldn't come soon enough.

 

[Sky Jade]

Kari caught her name, but he didn't get a chance to speak to her since she was placed a couple of seats up from him. He heard the whispers a little bit, though he wasn't one to pay heed to such things. He took down the classes notes, though they were mostly cryptic in ways that he only understood.

As lunched rolled around, he waited till she was at least less bothered before decideing to introduce himself. He grabbed his bento and took a seat near her before speaking as he started to eat.

"Hey, my name is Kari Yamaoto."

He looked around for a moment and then turned back t her, smiling.

"Don't worry about them. I for one try not to listen to any of the gossip that goes on. It's mostly harmless."

He could feel the stares from the other guys, but he ignored them.

 

[roleplaylifer]

"Hey, my name is Kari Yamaoto."

Kenja glanced to her left, frowning slightly as yet another young man approached her. Granted, this one was more handsome than most of the others, but she was rapidly growing tired of the questions about her personal life. Specifially about her current lack of a love life.

With a sigh, she couldn't help but think of the boyfriend she had left behind in Kyoto. He in turn had decided to go out on his own rather than wait for her return after she graduated. It put a sour look on her otherwise cute face.

"Don't worry about them. I for one try not to listen to any of the gossip that goes on. It's mostly harmless."

She felt one eyebrow raise as she followed his gaze to the still whispering groups of students. She found herself smiling a little despite her black mood at the dark looks this bold stranger was recieving from the other men around the room.

Tossing her short brown hair slightly, Kenja turned in her seat to face Kari. An impish smile raced across her face as she considered her classmate.

"They all need to learn that I'm not a prize to be won. Everyone seems to need to learn that at some time or another. Its just coming at a bad time is all."

Spearing an octopus puff deftly between her chopsticks, she chewed thoughtfully. Swallowing seconds later, another small grin spread across her face.

"This Akane Tendo girl must be pretty popular. But I can't help but wonder why the battlefield in the courtyard. I mean...my first day at Furinkan High and there's bodies everywhere, leading up to the steps? Its no wonder the boys here won't leave me alone, it seems their suckers for punishment."

 

[Sky Jade]

He laughed for a moment as Kenja mentioned about Akane and the incident from the morning. He finished off his rice and then leaned back in the chair as his brown eyes studied her for a few moments before speaking.

"Funny you should mention being a prize to be won. That fight this morning with Akane, the boys, and Kuno happens every morning. It all started last year when Kuno made that stupid speech during the speech contest. He said that whoever could best Akane in battle whould be able to date with her."

He watched Kenja's face for a moment before he spoke once more.

"And speaking of Kuno, someone did a number on him this morning. He usually don't get beat up twice in less than an hour. As far as me, I really stay out of this whole battle Akane thing. I don't talk to her much either. Though her family does have a dojo a few blocks from here as well as their own martial arts style."

 

[roleplaylifer]

Kenja nearly choked on her rice ball as what Kari had been telling her finally started to sink in.

"He said that whoever could best Akane in battle whould be able to date with her."

A despairing groan escaped her lips even as she took a sip of water to wash down the sticky rice.

"And I had the misfortune of having that idiot mistake me for this Akane girl on my first day here. Why do I have a bad feeling about this. With his penchant for taking a beating, he's probably not going to be deterred by the tumble I gave him earlier."

She paused briefly as she realized what she was admitting to.

"Yeah, so what? I'm the one that kicked his ass a second time. Not like it took much after that Tendo girl got through with him."

Her mood decidingly taking a turn for the worse, Kenja turned back to her food. If she was lucky, she could just ignore the conversations around her....

Sighing after a few seconds of silence, she finally glance back in Kari's direction.

"Thanks for the warning, though. If its not too late, I'll try and keep the hell out of the way from now on."

Somehow, her mind kept dragging back images of how the morning had gone, constantly reminding her that she hadn't done anything to get involved in the first place.

Why does this kind of stuff always happen to me?

 

[Sky Jade]

He smiled and chuckled softly for a moment.

"I just wanted to say that was a good job you did on Kuno. I'm sure he was down for a few minutes. Although I do have to warn you, Kuno isn't that bright and doesn't always take hints."

He grabbed his bento box as the bell rang and threw it away before smiling at her.

"Don't worry, things will work themselves out. Talk to you again later, ok?"

He moved to his seat as the teacher came in the classroom and called everyone to their seats for class. They day went by smoothly for Kari and soon the last bell of the day rang. Kari wasn'ty part of any clubs so he didn't have any reason to stay afterschool. Things seemed to be going fine as he walked towards the gate of the school yard when he heard a voice behind him.

"Halt knave!"

Kari groaned as he knew the voice even before he turned around. It was Kuno and he was standing with his kendo stick out, ready to attack.

"How dare you try to seduce the new maiden at lunchtime."

"I was just trying to talk-"

"Silence Knave! I cannot stand to hear such lies."

Kuno suddenly lunged forward to attack Keri. Keri dropped his books on the ground and spun like a top on his left foot, his right leg coming up and out. Kuno's kendo stick seemed to just miss the right side of Keri's throat as his heel hit in Kuno's side, sending him flying sideways. Kuno hit the side of a tree and fell down on his back, twitching some.

Keri sighed and reached down to pick up his books, only noticing Kenja a few feet away. He smiled to her and wondered how long she had been standing there.

 

[roleplaylifer]

Kenja walked over to the injured Kuno, who still lay twitching comically after Keri's assault.

Smiling apologetically at her new classmate, she probed Kuno's chest with a single finger. Amazingly enough, the beating he had just taken seemed to vanish with an incredible surge of health...or something else.

"Seducing me? You thought that boy was seducing me?"

Kuno swallowed hard as he realized he was facing her full wrath.

"I don't give a damn if I DO or DO NOT look anything like this Akane Tendo girl you have your freakish obsession for. If you keep butting into my personal life, I'm gonna continue to make you regret it."

Kuno stared blankly at Kenja, his jaw slack with lovesick stupidity.

"Oooo...you're so pretty when you're angry."

Students that were likewise late in returning to their classes cringed as they passed the cafeteria, the sound of splintering wood resounding through the room.

It wouldn't be until hours later, that the school janitor would find poor Tatewaki Kuno sandwiched up against the cafeteria wall by a picnic table.

 

[Sky Jade]

Keri grinned for a moment as he watched Kenja take care of Kuno yet again. He smiled to her for a moment.

"Well done. Well, I need to head home. Hopefully I'll see you again tomorrow. See ya."

He whistled softly as he walked the ten blocksto his house, wondering how much more interesting things will get. He really had no clue how much more crazyier things would get.

"Mother, I'm home."

Keri called out as he opened the door and stepped in, taking off his shoes. He slipped into his house slippers as his mother called out from the kitchen.

"Welcome home. I'm in the kitchen."

He walked into the kitchen to see his mother sitting at the table and looking through a wedding magazine. He blinked for a moment and tilted his head.

"Mom, what are you doing looking at that?"

"Hmm? Oh, I have some wonderful news for you."

"And what does it have to do with weddings?"

"Everything is worked out. You and her are engaged to be married."

Keri was stunned for a few moments at the news. Wasn't he supposed to have a say in who he married? He shook his head and sighed.

"Who is she?"

His mother gave a knowing smile for a moment.

"Oh, don't worry. It's going to be a surprise for you mother. Her parents and I are old friends and we talked things over to day. They just moved back to the area a few days ago. I'll sure you'll like her very much."

"Well, I'm not keen intoi the idea, but I don't have much choice, do I?"

The rest of the evening went by pretty quick, though he couldn't help but wonder who the girl was that was his fiance now. At breakfast the next morning, his mother seemed very happy.

"You'll get to meet her today. Not till afterachool though. You'll have to find the girl who is wearing a blue ribbon around her ankle. You have fun in school."

"I shall mother."

He gave her a hug before he was out the door and on the way to school. The morning looked pretty bleak, with dark clouds rolling in. He did not want to be caught out in the rain, so he waited in the classroom instead of normally on the roof. He took up a windowsill away from the others to watch this morning's fight.

 

[roleplaylifer]

Nothing completed her day like a good run home. Despite the looks that the local perverts threw her way as her pale blue skirt blew upward around her waist, revealing the lavender panties underneath, she ran full speed through the city streets and allies, cutting corners whenever possible before arriving at her home.

Even as Kenja slipped off her shoes at the door and slid it open to step inside, her stomach growled at the delicious smell of pork buns wafting outward from the kitchen.

Even as she started towards the delectable smell, hoping against hope that her mother would let her sneak a taste of her cooking, footsteps descending down the stairs swiftly caught her attention.

Her father, Ichi Yamashiro, gave her his best smile as he immediately spread his arms wide, wrapping them abruptly around his only daughter. Pulling back for a moment, he continued to smile radiantly at her, pulling her close again to wrap her tightly up in her arms.

"Ummm......Dad?"

"I've found you a husband!"

Like a slap in the face, Kenja felt all warmth slowly draining from her body. All of a sudden she felt constricted, her breath exploding out of her lungs in a single explicative.

"WHAT?!"

Ichi Yamashiro drew back, smiling broadly at the glaring countenance of his only daughter.

"Kenja, you're 18 now. Its time you start looking for a husband. Fortunately, you have a loving father who has made your search so much shorter. His parents are friends of ours that we knew many years back, now that we have moved back to this location, it seems the ideal match. All you have to do is wear a blue ribbon on your ankle after school tomorrow."

Several loud thuds echoed through the house, along with a pained yelp. As her mother exited the kitchen to investigate the source of the disturbance, she cried in alarm at the contorted form of Ichi Yamashiro on the dining room mat, his two front teeth knocked askew and his thick glasses bent out of shape....

--------------------------------------------------------

Though she hated the idea of an arranged marraige, Kenja couldn't help but be a little curious. Though her father had alluded to knowing her "future husband," he had given her no description of him.

"All you have to do is wear a blue ribbon on your ankle after school tomorrow."

That meant it had to be one of her classmates. But which one? There were so many.....

Scowling, she searched her room for a scrap of ribbon. If nothing else, she'd find out who this mystery man was that she was supposed to marry. If he was in on this as well.....

She let out a deep breath....trying to control her anger. After all, this might not be all bad......

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Her alarm hadn't gone off. Bolting from between the sheets, Kenja spent a moment struggling to hook herself into the uncomfortable bra she usually wore. Thanking the gods that her panties weren't being nearly as difficult, she made short work of the rest of her uniform, sliding into the fabric with a practiced ease. Grabbing her books, she hardly even said good bye to her parents as she rocketed down the stairwell and out the front door.

Her blood raced as she ran, frowning anxiously at the overcast sky. While she normally enjoyed a run to its full extent, the dark clouds only seemed to spur her into an almost reckless speed as she dodged pedestrians and cyclists that threatened to collide with her.

The gates of Furinkan High loomed ahead of her none too soon, the usual carnage of bodies strewn throughout the courtyard with two students panting for breath in the midst of it all.

Recognizing the girl from the morning before, she was not surprised when Akane Tendo dropped into her familiar crouch at the sound of her rushing footsteps, the black haired youth next to her having spotted her incoming moments before and choosing to stare nonchalantly as she continued her rush.

"Get out of my way, I'm going to be late!"

Even as the words registered with Akane, her eyes widening slightly, Kenja leapt high and over the stunned girl. The ever observant Ranma blushing slightly at a brief flash of cool green panties beneath her flowing skirt.

"What are you looking at?!"

Kenja was inside and out of danger, not even noticing the thrashing the distracted Ranma was now taking at the hands of Akane. Shaking her head with annoyance, she only noted how the two of them were definately going to be late for class.

As Kenja threw open the door to her classroom, her chest heaved tight against her blouse as she struggled for breath. Though training for track and field, it had been a long time since she'd run that hard. Not out of trouble yet, she quickly found her seat, the bell ringing distinctly just as her supple ass cheeks found their normal position on her seat.

The teacher glared at her as the room filled with a sigh of relief. This was going to be a looong day.

 

[Sky Jade]

Keri laughed as he continued to watch out the window. He didn't think that the show was over yet since Kuno was late. He wasn't the only one as several of the other students gathered at the windows. The teacher sighed and shook his head. He couldn't compete with this at the moment and left the room.

Outside thunder flashed for a moment as Akane finished giving Ranma a good beating. Ranma only shrugged it off as Akane looked around.

"He's late."

She frowned as Kuno's voice carried to them from the darkness of the trees nearby. Kuno came out with his kendo sword drawn, advancing slowly.

"Ah, it is the morning flower ready to strike. Come..."

Kuno frowned as he caught sight of Ranma near Akane.

"Who are you who has become so familiar with akane?"

Ranma opened his mouth to speak but Kuno silenced him.

"Wait, is it not the custom to introduce one's self first? Very well, I am Tatawana Kuno, raising star of Furikian High, Blue Thunder."

Keri glanced over as a friend of Nabiki's, Akane's older sister, said he was calling himself Shooting Star last week. He laughed and looked down at the fight once more.

"I'm Ranma Satome of the Anything-Goes-School-of Martial Arts."

Kuno laughed for a moment.

"Then I challenge you for Akane's love."

Akane blinked for for a moment.

"Hey! Wait a minute!"

Ranma slipped off his backpack and threw it to Akane, who caught it.

"Here, hold this."

Time seemed to slow down as Ranma leaped into the air At Kuno, who brought his kendo stick up at the same time. The stick seemed to hit Ranma's neck the same time that Ranma's pointer finger touched Kuno's forehead. The next thing that happened was even stranger. Raindrops had begun falling, but what caught everyone's attention was the giant panda which seemed to appear out of nowhere, grab Ranma of out mid-air and rush inside the school with Akane following after the two. The other students were stunned but soon returned to their seats as Kuno walked in to the classroom.

Kuno was looking a little strange with the flesh of his forehead imprinted with the japanese symbols for insufferable. He grumbled for a moment as he looked in the mirror Nabiki handed him.

"He could at least learn how to write my name. It's like this."

Kuno moved to the blackboard and wrote Capable in Japanese. Nabiki giggled and wrote incapable next to it.

"Isn't it more like this?"

"You know I hate you."

"Oh, I'm so flattered."

Keri laughed as he watched, but his mind was on the giant panda and the fact it had been carrying a tea kettle with it. Could that have had some connection with the same thing he had happen to him awhile back?

 

[roleplaylifer]

Several minutes later, and she had somehow managed to regain control over her rapid panting for breath. Looking nervously around her at the sound of the teacher's grumbling, she half expected his ire to be directed at her. Instead, it seemed that the teacher was unhappy at the disrespect the class seemed to be showing him by not giving him the time of day, each and every student in the classroom crowded around the huge bay windows that lined one wall.

"Blue Thunder? What the heck is that? Kuno is such an egotist. Who the hell made him captain of the kendo club anyway? Well...he is the best Furinkan high has got. Someone is taking on Kuno? Talk about living dangerously."

The excited chatter of her fellow classmates once more set Kenja on edge. A frown creased her face as she considered the meanings of some of what she heard.

Living dangerously indeed. I kicked his ass yesterday morning, and it wasn't too difficult. Yet....if he's a kendo student....he didn't really have his weapon with him either.....

Curious, Kenja rose from her seat, drawing a baleful glare from the teacher who was still trying desperately to get all the students back in their chairs. It seemed that she had been the only one who had remained seated.

Nudging two students apart slightly, so she could watch from between them, Kenja winced at Kuno's display of swordsmanship. Not only was his mental control such that he totally destroyed part of the school courtyard wall, but next he managed to slice a tree in half when his first devastating strike at Ranma fell a little too slow.

She couldn't help but have a little respect for Saotome though. His movements were fluid and graceful, she could almost find herself liking him if it weren't for the arrogance she saw in the same moves. Though she hoped for his victory, she couldn't help but wish that Kuno would hit him just once to wipe that smirk off of his face.

Involuntarily, Kenja stepped back from the window as the clouds opened up, the first drops of rain beginning to fall upon the shattered courtyard. Uncomfortable at the very sight of water, she stiffly turned back to the rest of the room and took her place at her seat, gaining some form of favor once more from the teacher and several suspicious looks from her fellow classmates.

 

[Sky Jade]

The rain didn't last long and the sun had came out by the time Ranma and Akane came into the classroom. The teacher had managed to get some resemblence of order and motioned Ranma to the front of the class.

"I'd like into introduce the new student, Ranma Saotome. However that does not excuse you and Miss Tendo from being late to class, so you will both stand out in the hall."

Ranma and Akane didn't say anything as they walked out, though Akane looked very angry. Class went on for a few minutes before some loud angry talking could be heard in the classroom.

"...fault for being my fiance Ranma!"

The two large windows that faced the hall which could be opened for special occasins were shoved asie as all the students in the class shoved them aside and crowded in.

"Congradulations!"

"Ranma, you sly dog!"

Ranma and Akane jumped back as they crowded the windows, both of them trying to explain things.

"It's our parents' doing! We didn't do anything!"

Ranma was about to say more when he stopped and suddenly leaped up to avoid a bucket of water from being thrown on him. He landed balanced on one foot on one of the bucket, cruching it into a half moon.

"Hey, what's the big deal?!"

Somehow news travels fast and Kuno had heard the news of the engagement in his classroom. He had thrwon the bucket of water and stood a few feet away with his kendo stick resting back against his shoulder.

"Never Ranma Saotome. Never shall I accept your marriage to Akane!."

"How now, wait a minute I had nothing to do with this."

"Silence!"

Kuno threw the other bucket he was carrying towards Ranma and rushed forward, slicing through it with ease. Ranma leaped over Kuno, and landing away from the water before turning to Kuno.

"This is no place to fight. Follow me!"

"Gladly."

Ranma turned and ran down the hall, Kuno following, then followed by Akane and the rest of the class. Another teacher further down the hall stepped out for a moment, yelling at them to run quietly. Keri shook his head as he had followed behind Kuno and then went with the rest of the class.

Ranma looked at an open window and then leaped through it.

"This looks like a good place."

Kuno followed right after as Akane gasped.

"But this is the third floor!"

Everyone rushed forward to look out the window.

 

[raelindancer]

Hitomi stood looking out the window at the grey skies overhead. "I know it's gonna rain.....just my luck."

She slid on her new school uniform, looking down on it with distaste. The blue dress made her look....cute, of all things. Cute and helpless. She didn't think either word described her adequetly. Sitting down suddenly, she almost started crying. she didn't want this! Not the new home or the new school or any of the mess her life had become!

"HITOMI!!!! HURRY UP!!!! YOU'LL BE LATE FOR SCHOOL!!!" Her dad yelled up at her from the stairs. Grabbing her short jacket and pulling on her shoe, she dashed out of her room, and out the door, grabbing the backpack her father held out for her. "HAVE A GOOD DAY!!!" he shouted after her dissappearing form.

Hitomi sprinted the 11 blocks to the school, jumping the fence and running past three people in the courtyard and into the building, more than a little glad that she had taken the time to walk the route to the school. Bending over, her hands on her knees, she fought to catch her breath. Looking up and out at the three in the courtyard, she felt slightly relieved."At least I'm not late"

Checking her schedual, she started off to find her homeroom when she heard the first drops of rain hit the steps right outside the door. Giving an invoulentary shudder, she backed away, glad to be inside and away from the water........

By the time she had wandered around to where she thought her homeroom was, the sun was out and shining. There was some kind of comotion at the far end of the hall, and suddenly there were two boys running at her! The one in front stopped at an open window about ten feet in front of her.

"This looks like a good place." He leaped out of it, the second boy in blue following right after him.

"But this is the third floor!" Hitomi heard someone gasp as she ran to look out the open window at the two.

 

[roleplaylifer]

As the questions erupted around her, as one her fellow classmates seemed to rush from their chairs once more, this time to the other side of the room. Windows were thrown open and the couple of Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo were deluded by their class questions. Kenja couldn't help but notice that most of the boys were angry or jealous of Ranma, while her female classmates were overjoyed at Akane's "happy news."

Sighing, she couldn't help but sympathize with them. After all, her own parents had just the day before, informed her of her own impending marraige....to a stranger no less.

Standing up stiffly from her desk, she made it a point to look only half interested in what the other students were milling over, not bothering to voice any questions of her own. To make matters worse, just as it seemed that Ranma and Akane were beginning to adjust to the verbal assault, an unfortunately familiar figure turned the corner of the hall.

Kenja blanched at the sight of the water buckets Kuno was swinging around by his kendo stick, rapidly pulling back from the crowd, no longer interested at all. Moments later, she was the only one left standing in the classroom as she herself heard Kuno's challenge accepted and her classmates rushed out to watch the upcoming fight. The teacher stood helplessly, yelling at the top of his lungs for them to not run in the halls.

Shaking her head incredulously, she began a swift walk after the departing mob, Taking care to avoid the large puddle of water that covered most of the hallway floor now.

"This looks like a good place."

"But this is the third floor!"

Again, Kenja found herself frowning. What kind of an idiot would jump out of a third floor window? Not even she was that good. It seems that Saotome would be warranting a little more respect in the future.

It was then that she heard the twin splashes, her eyes widening in concern, no longer able to push past fellow students to gain a view at one of the windows. Fortunately, a young man standing next to her confirmed her suspicions a minute later.

"No worries, there's a pool down there."

 

[Sky Jade]

Keri rushed to the window that Kuno and Ranma jumped out, watching them fall. He tightened his fists around the windowframe as the two hit the water.

They couldn't see much as Ranma was underwater and kuno was floating on the surface. Suddenly there was a flurry of movement and Kuno was up in the air. Holding Kuno in a headlock was a strange red-haired pigtailed girl. Kuno was brought hard down on his back on the pool deck. The girl looked down at herself, screamed for a moment and then ran off away from the school. Kuno laid on the ground seeming unfazed before following after the girl a few moments later.

Keri took a few deep breaths as he back from the window and ended up against the wall. The girl....it was too much of a coincedence for him for this to have happened. He stood back against the wall with his eyes closed as his classmates began making their way back to class.

 

[raelindancer]

Hitomi watched the two fall, and splash into the pool.They're either incrediblely brave, or extremely stupid, she thought to herself. Shaking her head, she almost started laughing. Or am I just jelous because I can't pull a stunt like that? With one more brief glance down at the flurry of movement in the pool, she started woking her way away from the window and toward her classroom.

As the students around her began moving toward the room, she let herself be carried along with them, noticing a boy standing by the wall with his eyes closed. Thinking he was the friend of one of the boys in the pool, she called out to him, "Don't worry.....both of those guys looked like they're okay."

Walking around the puddle in the hallway with the rest of the students, she stopped to consult her schedual once more before entering her room and walking to the teacher to present herself. She waited at the front of the class until everyone had come in, and the teacher would let her take a seat.

 

[roleplaylifer]

Kenja had to rely on gossip to unscramble the events that she had chosen to miss rather than face her unusual aversion to water. Fortunately, gossip was abundant amongst the talkative teenagers that began rapidly filling the classroom once more.

For the next hour, she was subjected to a painfully boring lecture on how to respect her teachers and not running in the hallways. Secretly her mind drifted towards the afterschool run that she always looked forward to. But even as she thought of afterschool events, her father's words the day before came back to haunt her. Tugging unconciously at one long white sock, she poked the blue ribbon she had tied to her ankle back into its hidden position in her shoe.....

Scowling once more at her own "arranged marraige", Kenja tried hard to push her indignation aside and begin to absorb knowledge once more as the teacher finally finished his rant and began teaching class. More than one student rolled their eyes secretly behind his back, thankful for the relief of the brief silence that followed the droning speech.

Hours later, the bell sounded, students rising in their seats to dash to the cafeteria. Kenja sat alone in her seat, reaching beneath her desk to the pack she had brought with her. She had been lucky to have been born with a mother who could cook, and even luckier to have one that didn't mind packing a lunch for her daughter every now and then......

 

[Sky Jade]

Keri calmed down after a few minutes and returned to class. Instead of paying attention, his mind was playing back the events of the day. So much had happened at once it seemed, and it gave him more than a few surprises. His attention was focused on the teacher, but he was really gazing into space.

His thoughts wandered to the prospect of the arranged marriage his mother had gotten him into. If the girl was cute, he was sure he was going to get the same treatment as Ranma, but that would make things all the more interesting. His gaze wandered around at the other girls in the gaze, wondering if he could spot her.

in his rush to get to school eraly, Keri had forgotten his lunch at home. He had to buy his lunch and brought it back to the class. He noticed that Kenja was sitting alone again. He chuckled for a moment that all the guys seemed to go crazy over her, yet didn't have the courage to approach her at lunch. He moved and grabbed a seat near her, starting to eat.

"Today's been an interesting day. I heard that Kuno, Ranma, and Akane haven't come back to school yet. What do you think of that?"

He took a sip of his sode before speaking again.

"So any plans after school?"

 

[roleplaylifer]

Kenja frowned slightly as Keri plunked his butt down next to her and began to talk. It seemed that the fact that she was in a sour mood didn't seem to faze him much. His confidence astounding as he attempted to create conversation with her.

Even more amazing was the fact that she felt drawn into the conversation. Of course, it helped that part of he topic he was discussing was Kuno.

Washing down a bite of rice with some green tea, Kenja's frown deepened as she poured a little thought into his question.

"I heard that Kuno, Ranma, and Akane haven't come back to school yet. What do you think of that?"

"Personally, I don't care if Kuno ever comes back. That Akane Tendo girl doesn't seem like much to me, though I don't wish her harm, and Ranma's a little cute but way too arrogant. I half hope that Kuno slaps him around some."

Kenja shrugged slightly, her discomfort with him forgotten.

"As for what I'm doing after school. Probably the usual, I take a good long run after classes are over, helps relieve some of the stress I find myself under in a normal school day. Probably gonna stick around a little bit longer than normal today though. I have....an extra project I have to get finished before I leave."

Her scowl suddenly returned as she felt the chafing of the ribbon tied around her ankle. When she found her "husband to be", she wasn't quite sure yet about what she was going to do.

Either way it was bound to be spectacular....

 

[Sky Jade]

Keri laughed as Kenja mentioned she hoped Ranma would get his ass kicked by Kuno.

"I really don't think Kuno could be the one to do that to Ranma. Their skill is of no real comparison. I think I could be more of a rival than Kuno."

He grinned for a moment before he sipped his green tea, listening to Kenja's plans for the day. He blinked and tilted his head for a moment at her mention of an extra project.

"Extra project? What sort of extra project do you have to do? The running sounds like a good way to go, though I prefer to practice Kenpo myself."

He finished off his green tea and lunch before leaning back a little, his hands behind his head.

 

[roleplaylifer]

Kenja frowned outwardly as she found herself continuing to talk to her outgoing classmate. Even though she had no wish to share the declaration her father had given her when she came home yesterday, she found herself leaning more and more dangerously closer to divulging her embarrassing situation.

"Not sure exactly. Might involve kicking someone's ass, might not."

A shudder ran through her lithe body as she briefly entertained the thought of Kuno being her suitor. His family was renowned through town as being prosperous and wealthy. She certainly wouldn't put it past her own father to make such a disgusting arrangement. The very thought of spending the rest of her life with that idiot turned her mood truly foul. It was all she could do to not stalk away and find something good and solid to destroy.

She hadn't even realized that her anger was causing the speed of her breathing to increase until minutes later. Blushing with embarrassment, she realized that she had only been half-listening to most of what Keri had been saying for the last few minutes.

Shrugging the tension off, determined to not let it mess up the rest of her day, Kenja forced herself to smile as she turned back to her classmate.

"Just thinking that Kuno guy might be laying in wait for me when I get off of school."

She lied fluently, genuinely creeped out by the abstract thought. She chuckled softly as she did her best Kuno impersonation, and at her best, it sounded awful.

"Oh my dear Akane, I love you!"

"I'm not Akane, you idiot."

"But your backsides look the same, I'm so happy!"

The sound of Kenja's fist smacking into the palm of her hand, accentuated by a truly nasty smile should leave little to Keri's imagination as to what would occur.

"Let's just say after school, I'm gonna have an unpleasant experience, and leave it at that, ok?"

 

[Sky Jade]

Keri had to laugh at Kenja's impersonation of Kuno. It was really quite well done.

"Kuno's a pushover really. There's nothing to worry about from him."

He raised an eyebrow for a moment at her mention of an unpleasant experience. He chuckled softly.

"I hope it doesn't go too badly for you. I think we better get back to class, the bell is about to ring."

He gave her a last smile before he cleaned his stuff up and threw it away on his way back to the room. He wished he didn't have to go on the stupid hunt in the afternoon, but he was curious as to who it was that he had been arranged to marry. He shrugged as he sat through the last two periods of school, the time seeming to drag on slowly.

 

[roleplaylifer]

After lunch, despite her best wishes, time seemed to fly by very quickly. The droning monotone of the teacher was quickly lost in the feeling of dread that seized her each time she thought of what was to come after school.

She didn't even know why she bothered to tie the ribbon to her ankle. Perhaps if she hadn't, she could have avoided this whole thing.

No....no, her father would have just found another way. Probably some other crazily romantic idea of his about how couples should meet each other.

Her head jolted upward as the bell rang, signalling the end of the school day. Horrifed, she looked down at her nearly clean page of notebook paper and realized she had been primarily daydreaming instead of taking notes.

With a huge sigh, she gathered up her books into her bag, and headed for the door. Her lithe body easily navigated the crowded hallway as she squeezed between students that milled about in the hallway towards the front door of the school.

Reaching down to lower her sock slightly so the ribbon showed more clearly, she began her way to the school courtyard. At first, her fellow students gushed out in a huge torrent, eager to escape the stone confines of the school. Gradually, it slowed to a trickle, only a few latecomers that had paused to grab something before making their escape. Kenja was relieved to Furinkan High's pervert swordsman pass by, too engrossed in chasing Akane to pay her notice, much to Ranma's dismay.

It was only when she turned back around to face the school, that she started slightly, noticing a familiar handsome face staring back quizzically at her before travelling back down to the ribbon tied just above the top of her white tennis shoe.

"Keri?"