Ryoko and Ranma shut the door behind them and caught their breaths.
"Your mother is," Ryoko struggled for the words. "Odd."
"You have no idea," Ranma said.
"This is almost over," Ryoko said. "Right?"
"Uhhh," Ranma thought for a moment.
"Ranma! Ryoko-chan!" Nodoka called out.
"Why does she keep calling me that?" Ryoko asked. The door opened pushing them forward.
"Oh, there you are," Nodoka said cheerfully. "Now I know you two are eager to get to...other activities. But you must see off your guests, it is only polite." Ryoko twitched at the mention of "other activities." Ranma just seemed frustrated.
"Yeah, yeah," Ranma muttered, standing up. Nodoka nodded, smiled and exited the door. "Want to get this night over with finally?"
"Don't expect any of those 'other activities,'" Ryoko said standing up irritably.
"What other..." Ranma stopped and turned beet red. "Oh...Of course not!"
"Well, congratulations, fem-boy," Tarou slurred, drawing an envious glare from Ryoko. "I'll have to come by and beat the hell out of you for old times sake some time soon."
"You'd lose," Ranma said simply.
"In your dreams, Ranma," Tarou said.
"A rematch would be somewhat enjoyable," Natsume agreed, half-carrying the Chinese martial artist out. She noted Ryoko's scowl. "Is something wrong Ryoko-san?"
"Not really," she mumbled reluctantly. Still giving an envious glare to the drunk martial artist.
"I see," Natsume said. "Perhaps we shall make that a double match."
"Whatever," Ryoko said.
"They say there's this wonderful nightclub that we can go to," Mihoshi was cheerfully explaining to a dreadfully embarrassed Kiyone.
"Mihoshi," Kiyone sighed. "I don't think we have...umm..time for that."
"Oh, okay!" Mihoshi said and turned to a smirking Nabiki and Chigako to say they'd have to do it some other time.
"Ryoko," Kiyone whispered as soon as Mihoshi's back was turned. "Is there anything I may have lost about me and Mihoshi." She noticed Ryoko's mischievous smirk and sweatdropped.
"Not that I know of," Ryoko said. "You'll have to ask Mihoshi about that." Kiyone glared at her a moment and twitched.
"Thanks alot for the information," Kiyone said deadpan before walking out of the house, Mihoshi close behind.
"Kiyone! Wait for me!" Mihoshi cried out.
"Did you have to tease them the entire dinner?" Ranma asked as Nabiki and Chigako walked by.
"It was too easy," Nabiki said. "It had to be done. They're cops right?" Ryoko and Ranma stared at her in surprise.
"Mihoshi mentioned something about an academy right off the bat," Chigako explained.
"Okay, so, what's so big about that?" Ryoko asked. Nabiki and Chigako smirked secretively and walked out into the night, leaning on each other.
"What was that about?" Ryoko asked.
"I don't want to know," Ranma said. "Neither do you."
"Ranma," Hinako-adult said, carrying out a rather weary looking Soun. "I apologize for the flooding."
"I didn't think the human body had that much water in it," Ryoko muttered as Ranma chatted with his former teacher a moment. She noted the Amazons coming by and waved to Ran Ran, smirking. "Thanks for the shampoo, sorry it didn't turn out like you wanted."
"Sister Shampoo say Xi Fa Xiang Gao always work," Ran Ran muttered, pouting as she walked past her opponent. Shampoo whacked her on the back of the head.
"You're lucky Ranma didn't kill you!" Shampoo snapped. "Party like this is neutral ground, stupid girl!" ~I still wonder why it didn't work though.~
"We're sorry again for the trouble," Mousse said.
"Ran Ran get desperate," Lin Lin said, bringing up the rear and dragging along Ryuu Kumon. "Is jealous."
"I'm going to get you for this, Kumon," Ranma muttered, silencing whatever words Ryuu had planned. The other martial artist merely chuckled, sweatdropping and scratching the back of his head.
"This way!" Ukyou shouted, disappearing back further into the house and re-emerging with Ryouga in a few moments. "You guys need to make that bed."
"Thanks for the..." Ranma stopped talking.
"Nothing happened," Ryoko and Ranma said at once.
"All she said was make the bed," Ryouga said. "Nothing else." The Lost Boy had a definite smirk though. Take that Ranma! Wow, I'd forgotten how much fun it was to tease him. Ryoko and Ranma both glared.
Something seemed to breeze past them, whispering as it went. The whispering almost sounded like giggling actually.
"Konatsu and Kodachi," Ranma said. "Konatsu's teaching Kodachi how to be a ninja."
"Oh," Ryoko said. "That other lesbian couple. You seem to know a lot of those."
"Actually, Konatsu's a guy," Ranma said. Ryoko stared at him for a moment.
"Cursed like you?"
"Nope," Ranma said. "His family raised him as a girl, long story."
"Uhhh," Ryoko decided to let it pass for the moment and shook her head clear. She turned to see Kasumi and Tofu approaching and smiled in anticipation.
"Are you two the last ones?" Ranma asked irritably.
"Ranma-dear," Ryoko said cheerfully. Ranma gave her a blankly disbelieving look. "You should be more polite to our guests than that."
"Ehhh?" Ranma said, blinking.
"You seem to be in much better spirits, Ryoko," Kasumi said.
"That's right," Ryoko said. "After a few days rest I'm completely fit and healthy and healed up."
Oh, I get it now, Ranma said, sighing.
"Well, let's see here," Tofu said, cupping his chin and taking a moment to look over Ryoko. "You do look much healthier. Chi flows seem to be mostly healed. Any problems with the injury?"
"Nope, not at all," Ryoko said enthusiastically. "It's just a little stretchy, that's all." Give me my powers back! Give me my powers back! The doctor turned to Ranma for a moment.
"Ranma?" he asked. Causing Ryoko to cross her arms in irritation.
"Now, now," Kasumi said, smiling. "We have to be sure you aren't putting on an act."
"I think she's good to go," Ranma admitted reluctantly.
"Okay then," Tofu said, shrugging. He reached out and cautiously grabbed the back of Ryoko's neck. Ryoko watched him carefully, eyes narrowed, and remembering something about a strength sapping maneuver. Then Tofu pinched her neck and she could feel all her power come back at her beck and call.
"Yes!" Ryoko shouted, laughing loud and floating off the ground a foot. Everybody sweatdropped as they watched her, and Ranma got ready to fight. "Get ready, Ranma, you are about to see the space pirate Ryoko in full..." She yawned, blinking for an extended time. When she stopped, she frowned. "Can we do this tomorrow?"
"Uh...yeah," Ranma said resignedly. Everybody around gave an extreme sigh of relief. Well most everybody anyway.
"Ranma," Genma lectured. "You can't really mean to give this weakling thief a spar can you?" Ryoko growled and extended a hand toward Genma, sending a blast of energy into him and plastering him to a wall.
"Maybe we could find someplace that it doesn't matter if we destroy it," Ranma suggested.
"I thought you said this was a school," Ryoko said looking around.
"It is," Ranma-chan said. "The gym is right above us." He pointed up.
"There's a jungle in the school basement?" Ryoko said in disbelief.
"The Principal is a little looney," Ranma said, shrugging.
"I noticed," Ryoko said, trying to figure out why Ranma was voluntarily in female form. Given all the water in this basement it was a sure bet that she'd have transformed soon, but why start that way. "You sure nobody will mind if we destroy this place?"
"They'd probably give us a medal," Ranma muttered.
"WAAHHH!!!" someone screamed to the side. "The bid kahuna's poor island paradise gonna go down the bid drain!!! WAAAAAHHH!!!" The principal swung idly back and forth, hanging upside down from the floor of his office.
"Like I said," Ranma muttered. "Nobody cares if you tear this place up."
"Why don't I just take out one of those stilts and bring that little hut down on him?" Ryoko asked.
"Your choice," Ranma said, shrugging. Ryoko seemed to think about it for a moment.
"Not worth the bother," Ryoko said. "Ready, fem-boy?" There had to be a reason Ranma had chosen this battle ground.
The ceiling was too high to be much of a problem. Perhaps Ranma was expecting the trees to slow her down in the air. She smirked at that thought. At least it was hot and muggy down here, considering that whole ice thing she would have expected something air conditioned.
"Whenever you are," Ranma sounded resigned as she got into stance.
"I like the hair by the way," Ryoko smirked, flexing her arm as Ranma growled a little.
"I hate blonde," Ranma muttered.
Ryoko lunged forward skidding over the ground. Her arm pulled out and a blade of red power appeared in her hand. Ranma's eyes widened slightly at the sudden appearance of the blade, but she recovered quickly, rolling under Ryoko's slash. Ryoko lifted into the air with a spin and tossed the energy blade at Ranma.
"You're fast, Ranma," Ryoko snapped as she backflipped over the energy blast. "But how long can you keep this up?"
"A pretty good amount of time," Ranma promised. She moved forward, first blurring and then vanishing from view.
"Teleported?" Ryoko asked herself, she heard a thud off of one of the trees behind her and she immediately teleported herself out of Ranma's path. "Nope, just very very fast."
"That was a neat trick," Ranma admitted as she twisted and propelled herself off another tree. Got to end this quick so she doesn't hurt herself. Ryoko smirked as she drifted easily out of Ranma's path.
"My my my, aren't you fast," Ryoko smirked. "You know another phrase for a fast woman don't you?"
"What's that?" Ranma asked, running down a tree as Ryoko sent blasts a step or two behind her. Ryoko vanished, blinking out, and Ranma lost track of her presence again. She felt it fade in just before he had to leap over another swipe of Ryoko's energy blade.
"Easy!" Ryoko said loudly, vanishing again. Ranma felt her presence disappear and then felt it come in again, and she barely had time to dodge again. Ryoko vanished after the first strike. Ranma hesitated to move, uncertain of where the next strike would come from.
I can't stop her this way, Ranma muttered as he dodged another strike. Usually he had some idea of where someone was going when they moved, but Ryoko just simply vanished from the area around him, leaving him blind to where she was going to appear. Wait, she's blind too! I hope so anyway.
"Had enough of this yet, girlie?" Ryoko asked popping into existence and finding no Ranma. She paused a moment to look and barely managed to float over a leg sweep.
"Who are you calling easy?" Ranma asked smirking.
"Sorry," Ryoko said, with a return smirk. "I guess you run a tighter ship than I thought." She said emphasizing the word "tighter," before she vanished again.
Ryoko and Ranma blurred or phased in and out of sight, sometimes in position to strike, sometimes not. Like some fast paced game of battleship, guesing where their opponent would next be.
Ryoko suddenly appeared in mid air again and started pelting the ground with energy blasts. It seemed random, until one noted the yellow and red blur just ahead of the blasts.
"You can't win if you can't fight back!" Ryoko said. She almost laughed as the blur started spinning into a tight spiral. Then the whirlwind appeared, carrying her opponent into the sky. "How the -- !"
"Surprised?" Ranma asked, spinning a hand and thrust it back away from her. A second whirlwind appeared propelling her forward. Ryoko teleported out of the way, and into the first whirlwind. Getting tossed through the air towards a tree. "Hey! Look out!"
Ranma created another of the mini whirlwinds to change her direction as the first lost its momentum. It looked to be almost impossible for her to get to Ryoko before she hit the tree though.
"Watch yourself!" Ryoko shouted back, the tree shattered before she reached it, as if a large ball had just blown through it. Ryoko's righted her situation and smirked superiorially. "That little wind trick is impressive, but...!"
"Look out above!" Ranma shouted.
"Huh?" Ryoko looked up in time to see the top of the palm tree hammer into her force field and drive it half way into the ground.
"Is that enough for you?" Ranma asked walking up to the transparent globe he guessed was there.
"Like hell!" Ryoko shouted. Red lightning ranged out from her, bursting the tree on top of her and sending a cloud of dust and smoke into the sky. Ranma had to brace herself tightly against the force of the blast, erecting a thin barrier of her own chi to encourage the energy to wash over her. "Come on, Ranma, let's see what you got against my real power!"
Ryoko rose out of the depression in the basement floor, seeming to step out of it. She glowed bright red, the power even streaming out of her eyes, and there was a large grin plastered on her face. She casually called forth another energy blade and looked to Ranma.
Hand to hand I'm far better, Ranma thought. But her chi control....
"As I was saying, that whirlwind trick is good," Ryoko said. "But you're too slow in the air. Guess that's why you're female, less weight right?"
"Mouko Takabisha!" Ranma shouted, unleashing the yellow energy blast. As expected Ryoko easily avoided the strike. Have to be a little serious if I want to end this without either of us getting hurt.
"Tsk tsk," Ryoko said, enjoying herself. "Your technique really needs work, Ranma. No finesse, no finesse at all." She swooped in and swiped with her sword, Ranma ducked under, but rolled to standing in time to see the "sword" smash into a tree, denting it.
It's not a slicing attack? Ranma thought. Then narrowed her eyes. She's blunted it. She dodged aside as the most recent energy blade was tossed at her and exploded. Ranma watched carefully as Ryoko summoned another blade.
"You can't beat me," Ryoko sang in a viciously cheerful tone of voice.
"I'm getting kind of tired of dodging that thing," Ranma said, smirking.
"Oh, so you give up?" Ryoko asked. She swung down with her blade.
"Mouko Takabisha!" Ranma shouted. Ryoko's blade connected with a bar of yellow chi. She blinked and backed off a moment.
"You learned that almost as fast as I did the first time," Ryoko said. Then she smirked. "Well, let's see how strong you can make that staff your first time!" She charged forward.
"Plenty strong enough!" Ranma shouted in return. The adrenaline was rushing and both charged each other with wide smiles.
"WAAAAHHHHHH!!!" The Principal wailed, unheeded.
The sun set down on the empty campus of Furinkan High.
"They've been in there for hours," Nagi groaned. "What could they possibly be doing? They are still in there right?"
"Miao," Ken-Ohki said uncertainly.
"You don't sound like you know for certain," Nagi said.
"Miao, miao!" Ken-Ohki insisted.
"This is an odd place for a lover's tryst," Nagi said. "Even if they were attracted to each other. There have been no signs of a battle. What are they doing?"
"Give up yet?" Ryoko asked, catching her breath. Ranma keeps learning new powers.
"Not on your life," Ranma said, taking the chance to rest a little while the silver-haired woman was trying to goad her into a surrender. She's keeps getting better at hand to hand.
"Nodoka, dear," Genma said, looking about the house, seemingly lost. "Where are Ranma and that woman?"
"They're still out dear," Nodoka said. "They haven't returned from their match." She sounded like she was uncertain about the meaning behind that.
"What?" Genma protested. "That started sometime yesterday morning, Ranma should have finished that off easily."
"Perhaps they found something to do after they were finished," Nodoka suggested.
"NOOOO!!!!" Genma cried. "Don't do it Ranma! You won't be able to anull the wedding!!!" Nodoka frowned and started to draw her sword, Genma shut up.
"Okay," Ranma took a breath. "That does it, time to get serious."
"Oh, really?" Ryoko said, wobbling a little in midair. "I'm just getting warmed up."
"No more!! No More!!!" the Principal pleaded weakly from under a pile of rubble.
Both combatants took another deep breath and suddenly the remains of the underground jungle was filled with clashing yellow and red light. When it cleared Ranma and Ryoko were standing facing each other in a pair of craters and breathing heavily.
"Next time I'm gonna get you," Ryoko said.
"Wait a minute," Ranma said. "How long have we been down here?"
"Umm," Ryoko paused and thought about it. She found a clock and shrugged. "Ten minutes."
"Ohh, okay," Ranma said shrugging. "Feels like a lot more."
"Man, I thought we'd have to drag them away from this place," Ukyou said tapping her fingers, and standing in front of the city offices. "It's almost closing already."
"Maybe they're getting to like each other?" Ryouga asked.
"Nodoka hasn't seen them since they went to go fight their match," Ukyou said darkly.
"You don't think that maybe," he swallowed.
"No way," Ukyou said.
"What the hell happened down here?" Ukyou asked, crawling through the rubble.
"Does the basement have hurricanes?" Ryouga asked.
"If Ranma's fighting down here?" Ukyou suggested with an upraised eyebrow.
"Good point," Ryouga noted irritably. "Hey, what's that?"
"It sounds like," Ukyou paused. "Crying." They rushed to the sound, Ukyou dragging along Ryouga, to find the Principal crawling out of his "office" and moaning over a fallen palm tree.
"WAAAHH!!! Dey hurt da bid Kahuna's poor babies!!" he wailed. Ukyou and Ryouga sweatdropped, sneaking past the principal.
"Okay, do you think they're still in this mess somewhere?" Ryouga whispered.
"Not finished yet," somebody said hoarsely.
"Gotcha this time," came the weak answer. Ryouga and Ukyou glanced at each other and climbed over some rubble to find Ranma and Ryoko sprawled over each other, sort of half-conscious.
"Knew it," Ukyou sighed.
"Are they both still trying to win?" Ryouga asked, sweatdropping.
Nagi wearily watched Ryouga and Ukyou carrying Ranma and Ryoko out of the school. She frowned.
"Did they kill each other?" Nagi wondered, hoping they hadn't. Ken-ohki shook his head.
"Miao," the cabbit said.
"Exhausted?" Nagi said. "What were they doing to exhaust each other? They couldn't have been fighting all that time. Ryoko should have finished with that Terran quickly, however powerful he is."
"Miao?" the cabbit said. Nagi sneered.
"No, she can't be weak enough," Nagi said. She remembered how quick and fluid Ranma had been in her own brief encounter with him. "And he can't be that strong."