The Dolls
Ash 2001/04/10

Author's notes:
Welcome to my first one-shot Ranma½ fanfic. Not a mastery of wit or intellect, but I hope it is enjoyed nonetheless.

Begin story now!


"Ranma."
The black haired boy turned around upon hearing his name called. He had been busy hopping around the yard aimlessly.
"What is it, Akane?" Ranma askked his fiancee, his voice slightly annoyed. "I was busy training for my fight with Kuno." His lips didn't move as he spoke; his face was frozen in the boyish grin he usually wore.
"Oh, Ranma," Akane said, her face stuck in a smile. Her voice sounded like Ranma's, only higher and not so believable. She walked over, he feet barely touching the ground. Her legs stayed stiff as when she was standing. "Be careful! Kuno's been training hard for this match!"
"don't worry, Akane." Ranma told her, hopping about aggressively. "I'll give him the old one-two! He'll never know what hit him!"
"Alright, Ranma. You know best."
"SAOTOME!" a voice, lower than Ranma's, though still very similar, rang through the yard. Akane gasped and ran stiffly in the direction of the fence.
"Ah, Kuno, you showed up!" Ranma smiled the same boyish grin he'd gave Akane and slid --literally-- over to look at his enemy. Kuno, standing on the roof of the Tendo Dojo, held his bokken and wore an angry frown. "I thought maybe you'd get lost or somethin'."
"Do not confuse me, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, with that wandering buffoon Ryouga!" Kuno warned in his artificially low voice. "Now, I shall most certainly make horse feed out of you, Saotome. The manner is which you monopolize the time of both dear, sweet Akane and the mysteriously beautiful Pigtailed Girl cannot be overlooked. I, Tatewaki Kuno, will make you pay for your misdeeds!"
"I hate you, Kuno!" Akane yelled, jumping excitedly. "Wipe the floor with him, Ranma!"
"You got it!" Ranma replied confidently. Kuno leaped down from the roof, his limbs, bokken and facial expression frozen. He landed near the ever-grinning Ranma, who hopped side to side, showing his readiness. Kuno lunged at the hopping boy, missing him by an inch.
"Yay, go Ranma!" Akane shouted, always smiling.
"Die, Saotome!!" Kuno lunged again, missing by twice the distance his last attack had. Ranma, in order to avoid the bokken, leaped up to stand on the fence surrounding the yard. "Thou art a slippery eel!"
"Don't make me mad, Kuno!" The boy with the black pigtail shouted, leaning threateningly.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!" The Blue Thunder of Furinkan High cried, still glaring and holding his weapon tightly. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" He charged the fence with all his speed, slamming into it hard.
Ranma laughed as Kuno fell backwards and lay on the cool green grass, the impact having knocked him out. He glared at the sky, his cracked bokken still gripped firmly in his hands.
"Oh Ranma, you beat Kuno!" Akane squealed, hopping over to the victor, who was inspecting his fallen enemy. "You're so strong and brave! Much cooler than Ryouga, and 100 times better than Kuno! You fight so well!"
"I do, don't I?" Ranma said proudly, basking in his fiancee's praises. "I'm the Wonder-ful Thunder of Nerima!"
"Ahaha! Oh Ranma, you're so funny!!" Akana gushed on in her fake-sounding voice. "You're so smart too! Have I told you lately how handsome you are? MUCH too good for a violent, uncute tomboy like me! Oh, Ranma, I love y--"
"Ahem."
Ranma dropped the dolls in his hands and gulped, watching as smiling Akane and grinning Ranma joined glaring Kuno in the yard of Tendo Kasumi's dollhouse. Turning around, he saw the real Akane smiling at him in a manner that indicated a great anger inside.
"What are you doing, Ranma?" She asked him.
"A-A-Akane, I--" Ranma started, but was cut off by a sudden splash of cold water.
"Have I told you lately how handsome you are, Ranma?" Akane said sweetly, imitating doll-Akane, now-empty bucket in hand. Ranma, now soaked and in girl form, pushed red hair out of her eyes and sighed.
"I guess I deserve that."

Owari.