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Monday

=====

"I’m worried about her," Akane said to Nabiki as they made their way toward the school.

"Don’t be. I’m sure she can take care of herself," Nabiki replied, masking her concern.

"You didn’t see her yesterday," Akane returned.

That morning, Ranma had grabbed a light snack and ran off before breakfast. She had only told Kasumi that she had something to take care of that morning.

"Good luck," Nabiki called, as they approached the school gates and Akane slowed to mentally prepare herself for battle.

Nabiki stopped just inside the gate.

Akane stormed up to her sister, in full anti-boy mode. She also stopped and blinked.

The usual mob of boys were off to the side, already very subdue and looking as if they had already faced the young Tendou’s attention. Scanning the field, the found Kunou being tied to a tree by a boy dressed in a red Chinese shirt and black pants.

"Feh," the boy pronounced as he finished then flicked his pig-tail over his shoulder. He turned and noticed Akane. Smiling, he strolled over to the center of the field. His cocky smile hiding the sudden turning of his stomach. "Akane Tendou! I challenge you."

The field quieted at his words. Akane eyed her surroundings. All the windows on that side of the school were suddenly packed with students. He had already taken on the mob of boys and Kunou. Nabiki was slipping off to the side while giving the strange boy a cold stare.

Swallowing the growing lump in her throat, Akane felt it settle as a cold dread in the pit of her stomach. With a deep breath, she marched up to confront this boy.

"What’s the meaning of this!" she accused.

"Don’t worry," he mouthed then winked. He had his back to the school leaving only Akane and Nabiki close enough to know he even said anything at that moment. Straightening his stance he called out, "I challenge you for the right to date you!"

Akane’s eyes widened then narrowed. She dropped into a combat stance immediately as she called upon her anger to fight the sudden rush of fear that had come upon her. Not since that first week had she felt as unsure of herself as she did that instant. Deciding not to let him get ready, she launched into her attack.

Punch. Kick. Block. Strike. Jump. Akane moved in like a storm-front. Yet he met her every move. At first, she was bolstered by the fact he hadn’t got a single hit in. Then it began to dawn on her, that this perverted jerk had called her out and now wasn’t taking her seriously. Had she been in a calmer mind, she might have been somewhat relieved; however, she had given over to her anger. She began pushing herself faster and harder than she had ever done before.

The boy, Ranma-kun, was dealing with his own unique problem now. His plan had gone perfect as far as he had bothered to think it through. However, he had overlooked one tiny little problem. He didn’t hit girls. He had challenged her in front of everyone, so he couldn’t just back out, he had to win. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he just didn’t see any other way out of this. Memories of the last time he made that mistake came unbidden from his subconscious.

He continued blocking and dodging. Watching all of her opening for something that might let him end this. He needed to end this quick. She was getting tired, but still pushing herself much harder than she had before.

The boys all watched on in complete awe. They knew none of them would last fifteen seconds in that mess.

Kunou was in heaven, as he watched Akane defend her love for him with such ferocity.

Nabiki, watching from the side, wavered between concern and pride. Her little sister was fighting at a level she had never seen. Although, she had to wonder what was he waiting for. He had yet to try anything.

The fight continued on this way for another minute before Akane gave Ranma the opening he was looking for. Feigning low, he leaped over her head. As she spun around, he tossed her over onto the grass.

"Oooh," was heard as the student body watched her fly.

Akane glared up at him from the ground. That anger quickly turned to fear as her legs and arms began to cramp up from her over exertion.

He started over to help her up, but stopped as he saw the anger and fear wash through her eyes. He turned away. He did not wanting to see his friend looking at him like that.

"I won!" he announced to the crowd. "Now no one has the right to fight her for a date anymore."

"Lies!" Kunou shouted from his tree. "He used foul trickery and deceit. There is no way he could defeat the lovely Akane Tendou, let alone my magnifa…" The rest was cut off as Ranma stuffed a cloth into his mouth. He wanted to do more, but his honor wouldn’t let him as Kunou was still tied helpless.

"I hope ya get the message. This is the dumbest thing I ever heard of. And if you even think of trin’ something like this again, I’ll be back to give ya double what I just gave you." He turned, facing away from the crowd. His head hung low so his bangs hide his expression from Akane and Nabiki. "Don’t worry, I know you don’t want to see me again," he said only loud enough for them to hear, then he took off at a run and jumped the school wall.

"Nabiki," Akane began timidly, after a full minute had passed. Said Tendou turned to face her younger sister. "I think I need to go see Dr. Tofu." Nabiki could see that this was too much for her sister to take all at once. It was even a bit much for her.

=====

"I’m home!" Akane announced as she limped through the doorway. Nabiki had returned to the school once Dr. Tofu had started to examine her. Not knowing what to expect at the school and not being in the best of conditions to handle anything, Akane had decided to return home afterward.

"Is something wrong, Akane?" Kasumi inquired as she entered from the family room. "Oh my," she further exclaimed as she saw Akane’s slightly bent and limping form.

"I’m alright, Kasumi. Just need a good soak in the furo and to lie down."

"What happened? Was anyone else hurt?" Akane’s expression looked slightly troubled.

"Some new pervert at school, that’s all. Next time, I’ll show him." Akane forced herself up the stairs toward her room and bathing implements.

"Oh dear. Could that be why Ranma was so upset?"

"Ranma?" Akane turned from the top of the stairs to look at her eldest sister.

"Yes, she came in about fifteen minutes ago and went straight to her room."

"I’ll check on her," Akane offered. ‘If that pervert so much as thought of hurting Ranma…’ she left the thought hanging as she went to check up on her friend.

=====

"Ranma?" Akane called, as she slid the door slightly ajar. She hadn’t answered to any of her knocking. The room was empty save for her rolled up bed roll and two packs sitting in the corner. The second one, she knew belonged to Ranma’s father. Although she hadn’t seen it, apparently she had gotten the panda to carry that one for her from China.

"Ranma?" Stepping fully into the room, she took a better look around. There was the spare dresser, her father had taken down from the attic. It was chipped and needed to be repainted. Checking the closet, to see if she had hidden in here for some reason. All she saw were the uniforms and clothes they had bought last week. No Ranma.

Again, she looked at the two packs. Briefly, she thought of going through them, maybe to find a clue as to explain the smaller girls strangeness. She quickly dismissed that thought. That was something Nabiki would do. Not her. Both packs were still fully packed, as if she were planning to leave at a moments notice.

Akane thought about that as she moved over to the open window. ‘Is that what it was like for her?’ she considered. ‘Always being on the move. Never really staying anywhere for long.’ She wished she knew how to help her.

After one last sigh, she closed the window and latched it. Then left for her room.

=====

As Akane was gathering her bathing stuff a rapping came from her window. Setting her stuff down on the bed, she opened the curtain to see Ranma hanging there upside-down.

"What are you doing hanging out there?" Akane asked as she opened her window. Ranma agilely slipped into the room.

"Sorry, someone closed and locked my window," Ranma replied. Akane blinked.

"Um, that was me. Sorry."

"That’s okay, just please don’t do that."

"What were you doing, anyway?"

"I was on the roof, thinking." Ranma looked down at the ground, suddenly subdued.

"You’re not thinking of leaving, are you?"

"W-what makes you think that?" Ranma suddenly looked up at Akane.

"It’s just… well… I saw… I mean… Your pack looks like…"

"That’s just something pops taught me." Ranma smirked. "Always be ready. You never know with him, when we’d be leaving some place."

"That sounds like a hard way to live," Akane replied.

"Just training."

"W-what about friends?"

"What about ‘em?" Ranma replied looking away again.

"I mean, did you even get a chance to say good bye?" Ranma didn’t answer. "Come on," Akane said as she picked up the tray with her supplies.

"Where we goin’?"

"You look like you need a long soak in the warmest water you can stand," Akane replied. When Ranma stopped following her, she turned and looked at her. "Something wrong?"

"Uh… I… um…"

"Look, Dr. Tofu said I need to soak for at least 10 minutes with some of this stuff," Akane said, indicating a bottle the good doctor had given her earlier. "And from the sounds of it, you could use a relaxing soak to."

"I don’t really…" Ranma began.

"I’m a little stiff and sore right now, so don’t make me have to drag you down there."

"You’re hurt?" A quick panic ran through Ranma.

"My pride more than anything," Akane replied, half seething and half ruefully.

=====

"Oh!" Akane moaned as she slipped down into the hot water.

Ranma sat on her knees a little ways off, facing the door.

"You sure you don’t want to get in?" Akane called over to her friend.

"Ah - I’m fine," Ranma returned without looking over. Not that it helped. She slammed her eyes shut in an attempt to wash away the image of Akane standing in the doorway holding her towel.

"Okay. You don’t have to get in with me," Akane sighed. "But we need to talk, and I’m not taking no for an answer," Akane challenged. If that pervert was going around picking on girls, they would need a plan to catch him.

"W-what about?" Ranma replied.

"What happened today?"

"Wha-what do you mean?" Ranma gulped.

"Well," Akane drew out. "You didn’t come to school today and Kasumi said you came home upset."

"Oh."

"Did that pervert try to beat you up to?"

"What?!" Ranma turned around to face Akane, then spun back around hard enough to give a regular person whiplash. Akane took a deep breath and shook her head.

"There was this pervert at school today that challenged me to date."

"Uh huh."

"Well, to make a long story short, I lost." Akane sank slightly deeper under the water. "Now that perverts out there, thinking he can do anything he wants!"

"Huh?" Ranma turned a confused expression on the bathing girl. "I thought you’d be happy."

"Happy! What ever gave you that idea!" Akane practically screamed. Making Ranma close his eyes, both from the flinch at her outburst and from the view she presented when she arose slightly out of the furo.

"I-I mean, wont everybody have to stop fighting you now?"

"If only!" Akane gave an exasperated sigh. "That bunch of perverts will probably only try harder now they’ve seen me beaten."

"Sorry," Ranma whispered, looking down at the tile floor.

"What are you sorry for?"

"I… That… It was kinda my fault," Ranma guiltily replied.

"How was that your fault?"

"I thought if some guy finally won that stupid thing, they’d all have to give up."

"Uh huh," Akane prompted, watching the red-heads sullen expression.

"So I kinda arranged it." Ranma winced.

"You arranged that?!"

"Yeah."

"What were you thinking?!"

"I wasn’t! Okay!" Ranma launched to her feet. Her anger overcoming her inhibitions. "I was still mad about Sunday! I just wanted to see that jerk get what was coming to him!"

"Well, why didn’t you pound on him then?!"

"Like that works so well for you!" Akane winced. "’Sides," Ranma continued, returning to her seat. "He’d never accept his beatings if he won’t stop holdin’ back."

"Holding back?" Akane glared at Ranma.

"Yeah," Ranma nodded. "I’ve been watching your fights, ‘member? He’s been holdin’ back."

"Wha-"

"Guys tend to do that, you know. Hold back when fightin’ a girl."