The Insanity Continues Volume 3 - Anything Goes Martial Arts Dance Contest Chapter 5 - Clean Up Characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Video, ect..., and are used without permission. I'm only borrowing them. I'll return them. I can't afford the overdue charge Nabiki insists on. This series deals with a married Ranma and Akane, so some sexual references and innuendoes may occur. --------------------------------------- Onna-Ranma grumbled as she and many of the martial artists in Nerima helped cleaned the results of the massive battle with Pantyhose that brought a sudden end to Furinkan High's prom. She didn't have much choice to help. It was either this or ruin the only perfect grade she has on her report card, her gym grade. She was happy at least that they had turned off the sprinkler system. Ukyou approached Ranma, she was going to try to talk things over yet again. Hopefully, this time, they could settle things. "Ranma?" "Hi, Ukyou," Ranma greeted without much emotion. "I'd like to talk. This has gone on too long." Ranma didn't say anything for a moment, and then said hesitantly, "All right, talk." "Ranma, I'd like us to be friends again. I know I shouldn't have told the school. I was just angry at you saying I was a consolation prize." "I didn't say that!" "Yes you did. You said I was someone to fall back on if Akane ever dumped you." Ranma remained quiet for a moment, and then sighed. "I should've tried to explain it to you before. I should've at least explained it after the wedding attempt." "Why didn't you?" "Remember when I walked in the day after the attempt." Ukyou nodded. "When I apologized for bombing it." "Yeah. Well, I wasn't really paying attention when you said it. I had just overheard Akane and Nabiki talking and heard Akane was bribed to marry me. If I hadn't heard that, I probably wouldn't have forgiven you that soon, but would've explained that I wanted to marry Akane someday." "You were just scared that Akane didn't love you." Ranma looked indigent for a second, but then looked down. "Yeah. I was." Ukyou shook her head. "You strung me along because you couldn't face being rejected alone. You're a real jackass, you know." "You're telling me you wouldn't be happy if Akane ever did dump me and I went to you." "Of course, I'd be happy. You should've at least told me that you were in love with Akane. That I only had a chance if she dumped you." Ranma leveled his gaze at Ukyou. "If I did do that, you would've done everything in your power to see that she did, wouldn't you?" "No. I..." Ukyou withered under Ranma's glare. "Yes, I would." "I couldn't just tell you, because it would've hurt you and I had enough trouble with Akane without you getting desperate trying to separate us." Ukyou sighed. "I can see your point. But what you did was still wrong." "And what you did was wrong too." "Ranma, I'll forgive you for being a jerk, if you forgive me for what I did." Ranma didn't answer for a moment. He saw Akane standing behind Ukyou, glaring at him. He sighed. "I forgive you." Akane smiled. Ukyou smiled. "Friends?" Ranma nodded, and was promptly hugged by Ukyou. Akane's smile twitched. Ranma pushed Ukyou away. "I suggest you don't hug me though. Akane might not like it." Ukyou frowned. "I can't see why hugging my friend would be a problem. She just has to learn to not be jealous." "Hello, Ukyou," Akane said with a little coldness to her voice. "Er, hi, Akane," Ukyou said nervously. "Um, can you forgive me for what I've done?" "If you can forgive me for marrying Ranma?" Ukyou hesitated for a moment. "Sure. Friends?" Akane nodded. "Friends." She was promptly hugged by Ukyou too. Akane noted that her hug wasn't nearly as strong as the one Ranma got. --------------------------------------- Akari and Ryoga finally returned to the gym after getting some hot water. Akari went over to help Akane and Ukyou clean. Ryoga wanted to talk to Ranma, and was thankful he was off to the side by himself at the moment. "Hey Ranma," he called. "What is it?" onna-Ranma asked. "I want to know something, why didn't you go all out?" Ryoga asked. Kuno thought, overhearing them talking when he passed by them. He stopped to listen in. "What do you mean?" "You were holding back. You weren't fighting the way you were in China." Ranma remained silent for a moment. "I really didn't see a point in the fight." "He hurt Akane. That isn't a good enough reason?" "Well, it is... but I guess..." Ranma stared at her hands. "I didn't want to risk killing him." "Ranma, he's a dangerous opponent. He wouldn't hesitate to kill you. It'd be honorable and right to kill him in battle." Ranma glared at Ryoga. "You have no idea what you're talking about." "What do you mean by that?" Ryoga asked, looking confused. "Even with all the times you've screamed death threats at me, you haven't killed anyone, have you?" "No I haven't. I don't understand your point." "My point is that you've never delivered a fatal blow. You've never cut short someone's life." Kuno grinned. "What are you talking about? You've never killed anyone." Kuno frowned. "What about Saffron? His body may have been reborn as an infant, but what of his mind? The Saffron I fought is not the same one that's alive now." Kuno grinned again. Ryoga was at a loss for words. He hadn't give much thought to what happened to Saffron after the final battle at Jusendo. "So... um, why are you reluctant to kill someone like Pantyhose?" "As much as I hate him, the worst he's done is hurt Akane. That isn't a good enough reason to kill him." "I say it is." "I doubt you'll say that after you've killed someone." Ranma's voice was frigid. Ryoga couldn't think of anything more to say. Kuno, realizing he wasn't going to hear anymore from them, decided to approach Nabiki with this information. --------------------------------------- "Why aren't you cleaning the gym?" Principal Kuno asked. Nabiki looked at him without any emotion. "I wasn't involved in the fight, so I have no reason to clean. I am only here because my date and my family are still here." "Well, you do understand that since Tachi was involved in the fight, you won't be awarded first place." "I don't really care about the prize, seeing it holds no monetary value. I'm happy enough to know I've technically won that contest." Principal Kuno glared at this cold girl that was dating his son. He would've liked to have seen some emotion from her. "Nabiki, I shall words with you," Kuno said, grabbing Nabiki and leading her away. "What is it, Kuno-chan?" "I have discovered proof of Ranma's evil." "Oh, and what is this 'proof'" "I have heard the vile Saotome admit to murder." Nabiki blinked. "And did he say as to who he killed?" "I believe he said it was Saffron." Nabiki shook her head. "Well, Ranma did, sort of, kill him, but he wasn't given a choice. Saffron was preventing Ranma from getting some special water that Akane needed or she would die. Saffron's ability to regenerate meant the only way Ranma could defeat him was with a fatal blow. If he didn't do it, Akane would die. So, to save the girl he loves, Saffron had to die." Nabiki then glared at Kuno. "He was given more than enough reason to kill Saffron. Saffron had already nearly killed Akane once before and was fighting Ranma with the intent of killing him. Ranma had more reason to kill Saffron than you do in wanting to kill Pantyhose or Ranma." "I-I see." Kuno stood there staring at Nabiki. "He has killed in combat to save the life of Akane. A noble gesture indeed." Kuno turned and left. --------------------------------------- Everyone gathered after finishing cleaning the gym. "What are we going to do about those two?" Akane asked, pointing at Pantyhose and Happosai. Ranma grinned. "I have an idea. I need some of Kodachi's paralyzation roses, some large boxes..." --------------------------------------- Monday - Lunch Period The prom had set people a buzz with talking. Few could believe that Daisuke and Sayuri were awarded first prize winners of the dance contest. Even more unbelievable for them was that Kuno and Nabiki were not only dating, but had tied with Ranma and Akane as the actual first place winners, if they weren't involved in the fight. Several rumors had been spread as a result of the prom. One of those rumors caused Akane to glare angrily at Yuka as she sat under a tree about to eat lunch. "How could you do that? I thought better of you!" Yuka sweated nervously. "What are you talking about?" "What you did with Hiro, that's what I'm talking about." Yuka started to become angry. "He had it coming." "What?! How could you say that?" "Because he was a jerk." "You did that with him because he was a jerk?!" "You've probably done that to Ranma." "That-that's different." "How so?" "Because I'm married to him." "You've done that to him after you married him." Akane looked at Yuka strangely. "Of course." Yuka paused for a second. "I don't think we're having the same argument. What is it you think I've done?" "Had sex with Hiro." "What?! No!" Yuka looked disgusted. "I'd never do that with him. He tried to rape me, so I kneed him where it really hurt." "That's not what the rumor horde has been spreading. Hiro has been saying you did it with him." "Since when have you put stock in what they say?" Akane shook her head. "It's just that I know you want to have a baby, and you might have done it with him for that reason." "I did think about it. I almost did." Yuka sighed. "But when I had the chance, I remembered what you and my Mom said about being too young. For now I'll just be happy to be an aunt to your child." "Good." Akane eyed Yuka skeptically. "You're sure you didn't have sex with him?" "Of course, I'm sure," Yuka said bitterly. "What am I going to do about that jerk? He's not going to get away with this." Akane grabbed Yuka's arm, saying, "Let's get Nabiki to help." "I don't have any money to spend on your sisters 'help.'" Akane scowled slightly, dragging Yuka along. Akane was a little surprised to find Nabiki eating lunch with Kuno. She didn't expect Nabiki to show any form of conformation that she was dating Kuno. "Nabiki, we need your help with something," Akane called. "Would this help have anything to do with what Hiro is saying about her?" Nabiki asked. Akane nodded. "Is it true?" "No," Yuka said fiercely. "Do you have any means to prove it?" "Um... why should I have prove it?" Nabiki shook her head. "Because he already has most of the school believing it. It's now his word against yours. I hate to say it, but his word carries more weight around here." "May I ask, what it is that you are talking about?" Kuno asked. "Hiro has been saying that he had sex with her after the prom," Nabiki answered. "He dare claim such fallacy?" "He is," intoned the girls. "I shall smite him for thee." "Hold on Kuno-chan. Running off and beating him to a pulp may be fun for you, but wouldn't address the wrong he's done," Nabiki said with a business air. "Thou will help her against his foul lies." "Now you know I don't do anything for free." "I don't have any money to spend," Yuka said. "I'm sure I can make it worth Nabiki's while to help you," Kuno said flatly. "Okay. Now how to prove he's lying?" Nabiki asked herself aloud. "We could try and catch him in his lie," Akane suggested. Nabiki thought for a second. "It's really hard to do that. The only way I can think of doing it is if we can get Hiro to describe how it felt, and then get someone who knows what it's like to point out he's lying." "Well, um, Ranma could do that," Akane said, blushing slightly. "He could, but I doubt you want him to since he would have to describe what it's like to make love with you to prove it." "Oh." "I shall make him admit to the untruths that he has spread," Kuno said. "Intimidate him to confess." Nabiki grinned as a plan came together in her mind. "Akane, I'd like to get Ranma's help on this. We'll make him sing like a bird." "He certainly can hit the high notes," Yuka grinned. Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "How would you know this?" "Well, he tried to rape me, so I kneed in very bad spot." Kuno squirmed a little at the insinuation. --------------------------------------- Several guys were gathered around Hiro, listening as he supposedly described what it was like to have sex. "...And then she was moaning in a rather high pitch," Hiro continued his description as Kuno appeared behind him. "Tis not what I heard. I heard it was you who emitted a high pitch noise. A noise not coming from the throughs of passion, but the knee of a maiden pure." Kuno sneered, "You are the lowest creature I've had the displeasure of meeting. I demand to resend your lies, or I must smite thee." "They are not lies. The little slut was an easy score," Hiro said, and then ran seeing Kuno holding a bokken at the ready. He didn't run far before running in to something and fell down. "You know, for once, I actually agree with Kuno," Ranma said, standing above Hiro. Ranma cracked a couple knuckles. "Now why don't you tell me what really happened." Hiro started to describe his version of the story, the one where he had sex with Yuka and even included some description of what it supposedly was like. Ranma shook his head. "Now I know you're lying. I can't explain why you're wrong `cause Akane would hate it, but I know you haven't had sex with anyone." "So tell us what truly occurred or incur our wrath," Kuno sneered. Hiro looked at the two martial artist looming over him. He gulped. "I told you the truth." Ranma picked up a rock and crushed it in his hand. "No you haven't." Hiro started to sweat. He couldn't admit he lied, because he valued his manhood possibly more than Ranma did when he arrived Nerima. Admitting to lying would make him look foolish and unmanly, but not admitting to lying would cause him a considerable amount of pain. Ranma grew impatient. "Kuno, can I see your bokken for a second?" "What do you want with it?" Kuno asked, handing it over. "Just a little practice." Ranma started striking out with the bokken above and to the left of Hiro. The speed of the strikes increase to the point the air pressure was tearing chunks off a tree several feet away. Kuno sneered at Ranma. "Copying my tricks now?" "Sort of. The basis of this trick is similar to Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken. Your trick is to use rapid strikes placed in a controlled circular motion to produce a small tornado like effect." Ranma looked and saw Hiro making a run for it. Ranma flung the bokken so it would land just in front of Hiro, stopping him cold. "Now don't be an idiot and just admit to lying." "Why don't you admit to having sex with your other fiancees before getting married?" Ranma blinked. "Excuse me? I've only done it with Akane." "I knew you weren't honorable," Kuno glared at Ranma. "Who are you going to believe: me or that liar?" "I am more inclined to believe him than you." Hiro took the chance to run only to find a fist in his face. "I am the only girl Ranma has ever made love to," Akane sneered. "And, I am positive of that, Kuno." "Are you sure he has not deceived you?" Kuno asked. "Yes." Akane turned her gaze back to Hiro, who was lying on the ground. "Now you've not only insulted the honor of my friend, but my husband as well." Akane picked Hiro up by the collar. "You will now tell us the truth as to what happened after you left the prom with Yuka." Running from Kuno and Ranma was proving to be a mistake, a rather painful one as Akane's fist pointed out. His only hope to escape any more physical pain was to tell the truth, at least partially. "I, ah, walked her home. N-nothing happened." Akane glared at him. "That's closer to the truth, but give us the details of what happened." "I-I walked her to my house. We started kissing. I tried to go for more, but she didn't want to and left." "To make this perfectly clear: Did you have sex with Yuka?" "No." "Did you try to rape her?" "Yes." The look in Akane's eyes would've made him give the same answer even if it wasn't true. "Did you get all that?" Akane asked. "Every word," Nabiki said, stepping out from hiding and holding a tape recorder. "Now Hiro, if you don't want this tape played..." Nabiki grinned evilly, "you will inform the school that you were lying. Yuka will come up with some additional punishment later. Once that occurs, you will get this tape back." Hiro just wanted to curl up and die. If Nabiki, Akane, Ranma, and Kuno were against him, he might as well be dead. --------------------------------------- Days later Dr. Tofu sat in the corner of his office. He had not opened his clinic since the prom. He wasn't quite sure what day it was. All he knew was the potion that he got from Cologne had gotten to the point where he had almost slapped Kasumi, and he wasn't about to risk hurting her or anyone else. "Dr. Tofu?" a woman's voice called through the clinic. "K-Kasumi, go away. I don't want to hurt you," Dr. Tofu replied. "I won't go away. I want to help you." "Please go," he cried. Kasumi finally saw Dr. Tofu, shaking her head at the sight. "I know about Cologne's potion. If it hasn't worn off yet, you should be working to cure it, and not sitting, here, in the dark." "There isn't a cure." "If there is a potion that causes people to have their reactions become negative, then there should be a means to make a potion that turns their reaction positive." Dr. Tofu blinked. "You're right. I should try to fix this." Kasumi smiled at him. "Does this mean I'll get another chance if I can find a cure." "Yes." Kasumi saw him return her smile, but then also saw his glasses fogging. Dr. Tofu started laughing and dancing with Betty-chan. He then went through the wall and out into Nerima. --------------------------------------- The Jusenkyo guide looked at the package he received strangely. It was a large crate with some air holes. He looked at a partial note written on the crater, [Dump contents of crate into Nannichaun. Do n...] The remainder of the note was damaged to the point of being unreadable. The guide shrugged and sent his daughter to fetch a crowbar. She returned with it and he used the crowbar to open the crate. Inside was Tarou in human form with a bouquet of black roses on his chest. The guide picked up the flowers. Tarou started coughing. He then quickly stood up, and shouted, "THAT CROSS-DRESSSER DIES!!!!" "Good Sir, you want to know where Nannichaun is?" the guide asked. Tarou look at the guide with a malevolent grin. "No, but I'd like to know where some other pools are." --------------------------------------- Happosai opened his eyes and screamed as he found himself in a crate and staring at a VERY ugly woman holding some black roses. "Sister, do you think he'll be any good? He's pretty old," the woman asked. "I don't know. Hey, isn't he the guy that blew up our tea shop?" another woman asked. "Yes. That worthless step-daughter of mine left for that strange girl after he destroyed our shop. We haven't been able to get anything done without Konatsu," another lady said bitterly. Happosai freaked at the sight of the three ugliest women he's ever seen in his entire existence. He never wanted to see them again, but Ranma must have mailed him here. --------------------------------------- Author's Note: Hiro may appear again from time to time, but he is just a third rate character.