Still using my blog in an odd way.

Disclaimer: Ranma Saotome, Akane Tendo, Nabiki Tendo, Tatewaki Kuno, and Kodachi Kuno are property of Rumiko Takahashi. A lot of the additional characters are my creations. I'm writing this story for fun, so please don't shoot me for borrowing the Ranma ½ characters.


Some Things are Just too Ridiculous: Side Stories

War in the Shadow


By Lioconvoy


Pre-story note: This story takes place after chapter five.


Hikaru wanted to go home with Akane, but she knew her friend would probably rather be alone. Her other two friends both went their own ways after the fight. Risa was probably bothering the swim team, and she didn’t know what Yuki was up to. She was about to just head home when she saw Akane Hidaka strolling into the school grounds. ‘Evil Akane’ as she called her wasn’t a Furinkan student, rather she was a student at St. Bacchus' School for girls. Despite being a student at another school she was the unofficial president of the ‘Natsumi’s Brother Fan Club’.


She never understood why a boy no one really knew anything about had a fan club at Furinkan. Natsumi Saotome would always talk about how strong and how manly her little brother was, but in reality she had no clue what her brother was like since she hadn’t seen him in ten years. Yet somehow a bunch of girls started a fan club just for a boy they knew nothing about including his name.


What really sucked was that fan club booted her out of her own club making it a front. Since she was the only member of the photography club it was easy for them to take over and steal her club space for their own use. At first they forced her to remain a member. They used her as a spy sending her to the boys’ school to check out Ukyo Kuonji. Back when she was a boy no one really ever noticed her except maybe Mizuki Shimada, or guys wanting pictures of Akane.


When she became a girl, and after she put the effort in improving herself, she got noticed a lot. Not that she was interested in guys, but there were more than a few that hit on her. Having lost her invisibility factor she was released from the club. Which she was more than happy about. While Mizuki, the official club president was okay, ‘Evil Akane’ was a nightmare. Since the nightmare did not acknowledge her, she decided going home was definitely the priority.


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Mizuki sat in the club room frowning. The other members of her club were chatting among themselves. Only third years changed back and for the most part only ones who didn’t challenge ‘Goddess Akane’. She wondered if Akane Tendo knew of that nickname, she also wondered if Akane Hidaka knew her nickname was ‘Evil Akane’. The club president entered the room with a sour look on her face. “What’s wrong?”


“Guy have started changing back? I had finally gotten my dad to agree to transfer me to this school, but he was only going to do so long as Furinkan was an all-girls school.” The only Hidaka daughter was furious. She spent so long convincing her father to transfer her and now it all be for nothing? She had to be at Akane Tendo’s school so she could keep an eye on the youngest Tendo. Eventually Ranma would show up at the Tendo compound and she wanted to be able reclaim him.


“It’s probably best you don’t attend Furinkan, the original Knights are here, they’d get in your way.” Their group had two rivals. The original Knights of the True fiancé that supported Akane Tendo’s engagement to Ranma, and the knockoff Knights at Tomobiki that supported Ukyo’s. Most people simply thought their club was made of fans of Natsumi’s little brother. The Truth was both she and ‘Evil Akane’ were fiancées of Natsumi’s little brother. Well both her and Hidaka’s claims were voided by their fathers, but each of them still hoped Ranma would choose to renew their relationship. Of course, if Ranma chose her over ‘Evil Akane’, Hidaka would turn on her in a heartbeat. “Several of them are among the boys that got turned back.”


“…Well, I’m sure they’d still be an issue even if they were still girls, but I think the storm trooper can handle them.” Sure, there were fighters among the Knights, but their club had fighters too. The storm troopers were at least as tough as Akane Tendo and she took out Danjuro Hatanaka the leader of the Knights.


“Maybe, but I don’t think the Knights would hold back against the storm troopers like they did Akane.” That was something that had bothered her since the fight why was Danjuro among the student that attacked Akane?


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Hikaru didn’t quite understand what she was seeing. The Tomobiki Eleven or Twelve now weren’t fighting Kuno, but Danjuro, Kenta, Nobuo and Masato instead. The only Gosunkugi child was confused at both the fact those four were fighter Kuno’s stalkers and that three of them were guys. All four were third years, but they were also all a part of the first group of guys that attacked Akane.


“Do not come to our school again.” Danjuro finished his fight with Ataru. He really hated the Eleven desecrating their school ground and now that he was a guy and at full power, he was happy to do something about it. As the Tomobiki students ran he counted an extra body. Then he noticed Goddess Akane’s best friend. “Hey Hikaru.”


“Hello Danjuro-sempai.” The four upperclassmen joined her. She was a little worried when she was a boy, she’d get bullied all the time. Not that the former captain of the Judo club had ever been one of the bullies, but Masato was. She, at the time a he, would always be mad at her for taking pictures of Akane. Of the four it was only Masato that remained female, but it really made little sense any of them returned male.


“You don’t need to worry we’re not going to bully you. You’re not the creep taking unwanted pictures of Akane Tendo anymore. You’ve changed yourself into her best friend, you respect her now and I can respect that kind of change.” Masato smile when she was a guy, she was overweight and terrible at her family’s style of martial art. In the last two month she hadn’t become a master, but she had lost a surprising amount of weight and she was now rather cute. Like the photographer being a girl gave new meaning to her life, she was happy who she became.


“That said we do kind of need information.” Danjuro frown. He, Kenta and Nabuo all returned to being guys, but Masato hadn’t. He was kind of uncomfortable with that. Still, that wasn’t important at the moment. “Has Ranma arrived at the Tendos’? "


“Who is Ranma?” That was name Hikaru never heard before. What did Ranma have to do with the Tendos?


"Ranma Saotome is Natsumi Saotome's famous little brother. Akane's fiance. Well, I guess technically he could be the fiance of Kasumi, Nabiki or Akane. However, Akane seems the most likely choice since they're the same age." Kenta wondered how the pervert would take Akane's engagement. He never cared for Gosunkugi. There group was formed to protect Ranma's interest and not really Akane's, but he didn't get why Akane befriended her former stalker. There was no way Nabiki hadn't told her who her new best friend was.


"The other day someone matching Genma description was seen in town with a young guy that resembled Natsumi with black hair in a short braid." Nobuo was kind of torn. He finally regained his manhood, but he missed the long hair his girl form had. He should have been happy to be a; medium built, five-foot six brown haired, brown eyed guy, but he missed his shoulder length hair.


"No, there was a Usagi Narita at the Tendo home. I was told she was Natsumi's cousin, but she had red hair in a short braid. Not that I remotely understand how Akane's curse works but it changed hair styles not hair color, so I don't think Usagi is Ranma. I was told Usagi beat Akane the day before and that's why Akane was absent yesterday anyway." A thought crossed the photographer's mind. What if Kuno's curse wasn't the only way for someone to transform? Risa had mention Usagi was wearing one of Akane's bras. Akane said Usagi had lost her clothes, but was that really the reason?


"Usagi Narita..." Denjuro like his three friend was descended from a family that once served the Saotome Clan. Most of their group didn't have this motivation behind them, but they joined because they liked Natsume. He had no idea how their group came to be called Knights of the True Fiancée; he hated that name. Still, he knew a fair bit about the woman who married into the Saotome. Neither of Nodoka's siblings were married, but her brother was kind of an Indiana Jones. "Makoto Narita's daughter?"


"Er…, yes. So you guys not only know the name of Natsumi's unnamed brother, but her cousin too?" She was Akane's best friend so she wasn't surprised she didn't know about Natsumi's family, but Hikaru couldn't help but wonder why these guys knew so much.


"The fan club knows Ranma's name too, both Mizuku and 'Evil Akane' are illegitimate fiancées of Ranma. As is Ukyo. Before you ask, no I don't know why a girl is attending an all-boys school. I think the reason they don't mention his name in the club is because they don't want other illegitimate fiancées causing them problems." Kenta noticed Nobuo feeling his neck. Did he miss being a girl? Hopefully he just missed his long hair. They were men, it was kind of sick that Gosunkugi and Masato embraced being girls. "For the record, the four of us and others from our group were only in the first mob to protect Akane. None of us are interested in her. However, I guess since she didn't know that we got taken down along with everyone else."


"I wonder if that's why you guys turn back along with the other third years from the second group. You had no interest in Akane, so you got released from the curse." Masato was glad she didn't turn back. She didn't know if all her weight would come back or not, but she just didn't want to be a guy. Even if she would have become a skinny guy, she'd rather be a girl it just felt right.


Thinking about what Masato just said, and the fact Masato was still a girl it probably meant she won’t need to worry about becoming a guy again. If Akane had a fiancé already at least she could still be her best friend. Not that she ever had a chance with the youngest as a guy anyway. She wanted to take time time to sort out what she learned “Am I free go?”


“Sure, but if you do hear about Ranma, please let us know.” The former Judo captain didn’t expect the former boy to join their cause, but he hoped she’d at least keep them informed so they could look after Ranma and Akane’s interest.


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Shingo watched his target separate from the fools that thought Akane deserved Ranma. Knights of the True Fiancée. Bah. Ukyo Kuonji, was the true fiancée. He’d wait a bit till Akane’s friend was further away from the knights.


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Denjuro wondered if Ranma was in Nerima or not. Hopefully his group will be able to keep the fake fiancées off of him. ‘Evil Akane’ and Ukyo were his biggest worry. Both girls didn’t quite prove to be of sound mind. Both had their claims annulled when Genma’s wife reimbursed their fathers for what was stolen. Their fathers both accepted the restitution. Yet Ukyo attends an all-boys school with a cult at her command, and ‘Evil Akane’ he didn’t want to think what she was capable of. A former upperclassman was still in the hospital because of her. Sure, her father cut her purse strings, but she still had people willing to hurt others for her. “Masato, think you can become friends with Gonsunkugi?”


“Maybe, maybe not. I mean sure we have choosing to stay girls in common, but not much else. Besides what would be the point? She’s not apart of our dumb little war.” Sure, she would continue to protect the Saotome Clan’s interest, but things were pretty ridiculous. Ukyo’s group spying on them and the Ranma Fan club. Them spying back. The fan club’s Storm Troopers occasionally attacking Ukyo or other false fiancées. Both Ukyo’s group and The Ranma Fan Club knew that she was a member of Denjuro’s group. If she hung out with Hikaru wouldn’t that make her a target?


“Shingo is already eying her that’s why Nobuo and Kenta are still following her. If Ranma really has arrived she’s going to get caught in the crossfire either way.” The former Judo captain frowned. He had to agree it was a dumb little war. It’d be even dumber if Ranma actually chose Ukyo or any of the other false fiancées over Akane. However, that was Ranma’s choice. Just as it was their choice to be involved in the stupid war in the first place. The Saotome Clan lost all it’s power around when the school first failed to unite. Ranma’s several greats grandmother running away to marry a commoner practically destroyed the Saotome Clan.