For What You Dream Of

				  By Kyle Emmerson

    Ranma 1/2 and all of its characters and situations are the creation and property of Rumiko Takahashi. I use these characters and situations without permission.

Part Two: A Matter of Honour

****

	"Hello?" somebody called from the entrance, ringing the bells. "It's Dr. Kadowaki!"

	Ranma quickly ran to the door to let the doctor in. "Hey," he said to the doctor. "She's in the bathroom."

	Dr. Kadowaki made her way into the house, and followed Ranma into the bathroom. "I don't normally make house calls," she mentioned. "But it seemed urgent, so I came right over."

	Ranma nodded. "Yeah, thanks a lot doc'. I did as much as I could to fix up her wounds. She's awake now, but she'd complaining that her chest hurts."

	"You say you found her in an alleyway?"

	Ranma nodded. "Yeah. She's been beaten badly. Bruises. Cuts. I'm pretty sure her rib is broken."

	Dr. Kadowaki made her way into the bathroom and knelt down near Akane.

	"Hello, Dr. Kadowaki," Akane greeted.

	"Hey there, Akane. How are you feeling?" she said, pulling out several instruments from her bag.

	"I could be better," she said.

	"I see Ranma's taken the initiative here, right?"

	"Umm," Akane began, blushing. "I... uhh..."

	Dr. Kadowaki laughed. "I meant about treating the wounds."

	"Oh, yes," Akane said, trying to recover. "He did."

	"Well, he's done a good job. Let's have a look at your chest, now, shall we?"

	Akane nodded and began to take the blouse off of her chest.

	Before she could finished, Ranma turned around and said, "I'll... uhh... wait out here."

	Akane blushed lightly and continued to remove her blouse. Dr. Kadowaki then unwrapped the bandage and began her diagnosis.

	"Well," she said. "It's not broken, but it's heavily bruised."

	"So, it'll get better."

	"Of course," she replied, smiling. "This time tomorrow, this will be a dull ache. I'd be more worried about the black eyes than anything else."

	Akane smiled. "So it won't be long until I get back in the swing of things?"

	"Well," Dr. Kadowaki said, hanging on the one word. "I'd still feel better if you waited two or three days before you did anything physical."

	"Can I go to school tomorrow?"

	"Oh, sure. That'll be no problem. Just keep away from heavily physical activities. Sports, martial arts... Also more... intimate activities should be held off on for a few days."

	Akane blushed a deep red at the mention of the more intimate activities.

	Dr. Kadowaki had to smile. "Here," she said. "There isn't much more I can prescribe other than this." She reached into her bag and pulled out a small vial of pills. "These are Tylenol Three's. Take two pills, twice a day, and you should have no problem with the pain."

	Akane took the pill. "Thanks."

	"Now, I think we should wrap that bandage back up."

	"I thought you said it was only a bruise," Akane replied.

	Dr. Kadowaki nodded. "It is, but if Ranma found out about that, and that it wasn't necessary to wrap you up... Well, it WOULD be rather embarrassing, wouldn't it?"

	Akane just nodded.

	"You should be all cleared up within a week. The Black eye will turn yellow in a couple of days, and the cuts will be taken care of by tomorrow. You'll be fine," the doctor smiled.

	"T...thank you, Doctor."

	"No problem, Akane. My pleasure," she said, getting up. "Now you take it easy, okay?"

	Akane nodded.

	"I'll send Ranma in to help you up. It's best that you put your blouse back on for now, allright?"

	Akane smiled and nodded.

****

	Soun was upset.

	Actually, he was more than upset. First, his daughter was most likely going to be moving out from the only home she had known in her life.

	And second, he comes home to this. A beaten and battered Akane. If it wasn't for Kasumi being there to calm him down, he most likely would have tried to hurt Ranma in any way he could.

	But after the story was explained to him, he calmed down. But not much.

	As it was, Soun was currently bawling two ways from Sunday.

	"You wanted to talk to me, Auntie Saotome?" Akane asked, groaning in pain as she sat down at the table.

	"Yes, Akane. As you know, Ranma and Genma will be moving back to my home with me in two days, upon it's completion."

	Akane looked towards the floor. "Yes," she said, audibly depressed by the news.

	Nodoka smiled. "I assume you don't like the idea?"

	Akane shook her head. "It's not that, Auntie... It's just that... Things will be different, and Ranma promised he'd train me. It'll be harder if he's living with you."

	Nodoka nodded. "I understand, Akane. But I'm prepared to make you an offer. You may refuse or accept as you see fit."

	Akane looked up at Nodoka. "Offer?"

	"My home is built upon expensive land. A lot of expensive land. It is a four bedroom house, with plenty of extra space. What I am going to ask you," she said, looking up towards Akane. "Is whether or not you wish to move in with us?"

	Akane was speechless. She was being asked if she wanted to move in with Ranma.

	Deep inside, she knew the answer. Of course she would! But bringing that answer up would take some work.

	"What about school?"

	"You will still be enrolled at Furinkan," she said. "The commute will be slightly longer, but completely possible."

	"My father--" she looked over towards Soun, who was still bawling.

	"Your father has already given consent, Akane. It is up to you."

	Akane sighed, then looked over at Ranma, who was currently fighting a losing battle with his father at the Go board. She could live with him. Away from her sisters. Away from her father.

	True, Auntie Saotome and Genma would be there, but it was still...

	"Remember, Akane. This is open ended," Nodoka said. "If you'd like, we can have a trial run. One week in the home, and if you like it, you may stay, or leave at your discretion."

	Akane sighed.

	"Allright," she said. "I'll do it."

	Nodoka smiled. "You've made a wise decision, Akane, dear."

****

	The night went by without any further troubles. Soun continued to cry for a few hours, stopping only to sit and eat dinner. Akane was carried to her room not by Ranma, but by her sisters, at the stern objection of Ranma.

	And everyone slept through the night, even Akane, who was in more pain than she cared to share. It rained that night, a heavy rain that seemed endless, until the next morning, when they left for school.

	Even the school day went by without a problem. Ukyou was quite wisely keeping her distance from Ranma and Akane, especially after the several dirty looks she got from the two of them. Shampoo hadn't shown up at all, and Ranma had a feeling she was keeping her distance as well.

	Kuno, on the other hand...

****

	"Akane!" Sayuri exclaimed, running up to her friend as fast as she could. "Are you all right?!"

	Akane smiled. "I'm fine," she said. "Just a little sore."

	"Hey, look. I'm sorry me and Yuka ran away like that. We were--"

	Akane shook her hand. "Don't worry about it, Sayuri. I understand."

	Yuka was the next to appear next to Akane, showing up on the opposite side, between her and Ranma. "Are you all right, Akane?" she asked meekly.

	Akane nodded. "I'm fine. Sorry I couldn't talk to you guys earlier, but the counselor wanted to talk with me."

	"The counselor?"

	Akane nodded. "Yeah, they thought it was problems at home. I just told them I ran into some trouble on the streets, and she gave me an anti-gang pamphlet, then let me go."

	Sayuri nodded. "Big surprise there."

	"But there's some other news," Akane said, smirking.

	"Oh?" Yuka asked.

	"What is it?" Sayuri followed.

	"Well," Akane asked. "Looks like I'll be moving."

	"EH?!"

	"Moving?!"

	"Where?!"

	Ranma couldn't help but laugh.

	Akane smiled. "Not far. I'll still be attending Furinkan, but I'll be moving in with Ranma's mother."

	Sayuri and Yuka stood there, blinking.

	"Oooooh," Yuka taunted.

	"With Ranma's MOTHER," Sayuri continued, jabbing her elbow into Akane's ribs. "I see..."

	Akane just blushed.

	"Anyway," Sayuri said, running a bit ahead of them. "Yuka's mother needs us to do some work for her, so we'll see you later, Akane!"

	Akane smiled and nodded. "See ya!"

	"Bye Akane! Bye Ranma!" Yuka said, running off.

	It was no sooner that the two of them had left, than another interruption appeared.

	"Saotome!" Kuno called, running up to Ranma. "What have you done to Akane?!"

	Akane sighed. "Ranma didn't do it, Kuno. Leave us--"

	"What has this vile sorcerer done to you? To beat such a flower within an inch of her life, and then depleting her memory of the event. Ranma, you are no man!"

	"Dammit, Kuno! Get a life!"

	"Saotome," he said, pointing his bokken directly at Ranma. "I challenge you! I challenge you to a final duel! The duel to end it all!"

	Ranma shook his head. "How many 'final duels' can one person have?"

	Tatewaki growled as he charged at Ranma, sending the two of them out of the school grounds and battling in the streets.

	Ranma absently noted the cloud cover was growing, and if he didn't end the fight soon, Kuno would be hugging him rather than trying to kill him.

	As the battle continued, they soon found themselves near the canal. The raging water below a reminder of the heavy rain the town had suffered the night before.

	Finally, Kuno paused and raised his bokken in a threatening manner. Also a way that Ranma had never seen before. 

	"A new technique, Kuno?" Ranma joked.

	"Indeed. One that is guaranteed to put an end to your hold on Akane Tendo and the pig-tailed girl," he said, raising his bokken.

	Ranma narrowed his eyes. Kuno was different somehow. Better, though he couldn't explain how or why. Ranma could still take him without much of a problem, but it was just taking a bit longer than he had previously thought.

	Tatewaki, however, knew how and when the change had taken place. The day he found Jinnai Myoujin. The day he learned of the Kamiya Kasshin school.

****

	It was the day when Tatewaki had nearly snapped, following in suit of his sister. He had gone through the shopping district, calling the names of his loves, and cursing the name of Saotome at every opportunity. It was the day he had been forced to dishonour himself by the vile sorcerer.

	And, if not for Jinnai Myoujin, he would have continued. Myoujin had stood directly in front of Tatewaki during his rampage of the shopping district, holding nothing but a stern look and a Shinnai.

	Tatewaki, quite predictably, took the challenge.

	What he had not expected, however, was for Myoujin to break his bokken in one swift move. Tatewaki was left defenseless as Myoujin smacked him on the head with his Shinnai.

	Hard enough to hurt, but lightly enough that it would not cause damage.

	And then, he spoke.

	"Are you bloody STUPID?!" he called. "Running around here, scaring people like that! You're DAMN lucky you never hurt anyone!"

	Tatewaki paused. What had he been doing?

	"You think you own the place? There are other people here too, ya know!"

	"I..." Tatewaki began. "I didn't..."

	"Yeah, I'm sure you didn't! Bloody idiot," Jinnai said, turning away.

	"W...Wait!" Kuno called.

	Jinnai turned back for a moment.

	"How did you do that?"

	"Do what?"

	"Break my bokken with but a hand? It--"

	"Technique of the Myoujin family. You really wanna learn about it?"

	Tatewaki nodded.

	Jinnai then passed a card towards Tatewaki. "Go there sometime. You'll find out all you need to know."

	As Jinnai walked away, Tatewaki examined the card. Kamiya Kasshin School. Specializing in fighting with the Bokken and Shinnai. Established 1865.

	That would place the origin near the end of the Tokugawa.

	Tatewaki watched the retreating form of Jinnai, and went home. The next day, he made a special visit to the Kamiya Kasshin Dojo.

	It was an old Dojo, obviously over a hundred years old, but well maintained. It didn't take long for Tatewaki to learn of Jinnai Myoujin and Kaoru Himura. Each coming from families that had run the Dojo since it was established. Kaoru was merely 2 years older than Tatewaki, while Jinnai was 5 years older.

	Tatewaki left that day a student of the Kamiya Kasshin Dojo.

	The next day, he was taught the technique.

****

	"Tatchi," Kaoru Himura said, lifting her bokken from a table. "You're very dedicated to your art, is that right?"

	Tatewaki Kuno nodded. "Of course."

	"Why?"

	Kuno paused. "Why not? I dedicate myself to get better. I dedicate myself to prove myself to my loves."

	Kaoru smiled. "But why do you REALLY dedicate yourself? You've been training for years, and I doubt these loves have been in your life since you were that young."

	He sighed. "I... do not know why I dedicate myself, then. One day, I just picked up my mother's bokken, and began."

	"So your mother was a kendoist?"

	Tatewaki sighed. "There... Is not very much that I remember of my mother. I was very young when she died. I know she practiced Kendo, and I know she was very good at gymnastics, much like my younger sister."

	"I'll tell you what, Tatchi," Kaoru said, practicing a few flashy moves with her bokken. "I'm going to teach you a move. This move can prove fatal for anyone on the receiving end. The Chimei-teki dageki technique."

	Tatewaki gasped. "The... Chimiei-teki Dageki technique?"

	Kaoru nodded. "If this technique is ever used with a real sword, it would be an actual death blow. However, with a bokken, the technique would be crippling, perhaps even fatal, under the right circumstances."

	Tatewaki sighed. Did he really want to learn a technique like that?

	"What do you say, Tatchi?"

	Tatewaki sighed. "Teach me," he said, his eyes closed.

****

	Kuno lowered his gaze, pointing his bokken directly at Ranma's throat. The storm cover was moving over them quickly. In a few moments, it would begin to rain.

	"Well, Kuno?" Ranma asked, standing in front of the chain link fence. "What are you waiting for? Let's see this new technique."

	Tatewaki smiled. "See it is the last thing you shall do, Saotome!"

	And then he attacked. Leading forward with the left foot, the speed increase would be enough to kill, even with the blunt end of the bokken.

	Ranma, however, saw it coming. He saw it all coming, and ducked under the attack, punching Kuno in the stomach, causing him to stumble forwards. If not for the increase in speed, Kuno might have been able to stop. As it was, it managed to knock both he and Saotome through the chain link fence, and into the raging waters of the canal below.

	"Ranma!" was the last thing Tatewaki heard before falling face first into the water.

****

	Ranma sputtered about in the water, trying to keep his head above the water.

	Dammit, he thought. He was now a her.

	With Ranma's strength, even in girl form, it would be easy for her to pull herself out by grabbing hold of something.

	However, she was moving so fast, that was the hard part. Grabbing hold of something. She reached around frantically, only partially aware of Akane chasing after her, yelling.

	Finally, she got hold of something. The concrete ledge above. She got a good hold of it, only sliding a few feet from the current of the water. She grit her teeth as she felt the concrete grind into her skin, but she managed to stay put.

	And then she pulled herself out, hopping over the fence and landing the the ground on the other side.

	"Ranma!" Akane called, running up to her. "Are you allright?"

	Ranma nodded, trying to get a few breaths of fresh air. "Yeah," he replied.

	Then suddenly, something clicked.

	Kuno was still in there. Ranma turned around, her eyes scanning the surface of the flooded canal. He had to be... There.

	About twenty feet away, moving with the current, also trying to keep his head above the water, splashing around ineffectively.

	Kuno didn't have the strength that Ranma possessed. Not by far. Kuno wouldn't be able to pull himself out like Ranma could.

	Ranma grit her teeth again. Her only chance was to reach him somewhere and grab hold of him, but where...?

	There. Further down the canal. A bridge. Ranma could hang off of the bridge, get ahead of Kuno and pull him out.

	Yes. He could pull it off. But he'd have to hurry.

	The rain started to patter down harder as Ranma started her way towards the bridge. The fences would be too slippery to try jumping. Ranma didn't want to risk falling in again.

	Faster. The current was already moving at an intense rate. She had to be faster.

	Finally, she was even with Kuno, which gave her a window of five seconds once she got to the bridge to grab him.

	Reaching the bridge, she quickly jumped onto the outer side of the fence, hooking her feet in the chain links, and reaching down for Kuno.

	And she missed. She MISSED.

	Thinking quickly, Ranma moved to the other side of the bridge the fastest way she could, by going underneath. It was a heavier risk, and there was no guarantee she'd reach Kuno, but it was either that or let him drown.

	Hooking her feet on the bottom of the bridge and reaching out at the same time, she finally had success. Holding Kuno by the collar and hefting him up, she noticed he was unconscious. Damn. Akane had better get here quick, she thought. Akane was the only person he knew who knew CPR. Ranma could treat wounds, but CPR was another matter.

	Flipping Kuno onto the bridge path, she followed in quite a similar way, landing on her feet beside him. She immediately bent over, to check his breathing.

	Thank God. He was still breathing. He must have just blacked out.

 	"Ranma!" Akane yelled, finally catching up. "Is he all right?"

	"He's breathing," Ranma called back. "But we've got to get him someplace warm!"

	Akane nodded. "Let's bring him to the Dojo."

****

	"Oh my!" Kasumi exclaimed, seeing the unconscious form of Tatewaki Kuno carried in by Ranma's girl form. "Did you hurt him, Ranma?"

	Ranma shook her head. "No, he was being his usual self, and he ended up falling into the canal."

	"Aren't they flooded?"

	Ranma nodded. "Yeah, the damn fool is lucky I went back in after him. He woulda died if I hadn't."

	Kasumi quickly brought some cushions and a blanket and set the down on the floor near the stairwell, just in time for Ranma to drop him on it. Akane came up quickly behind and placed the blanket over him.

	"He's just unconscious right now," Ranma said. "Hopefully he'll wake up soon and get the hell outta here."

	"What happened?"

	"Ahh, the jerk tried to use some boneheaded technique. All he did was almost kill himself," Ranma replied. "Seriously, you'd think he lost twenty IQ points while we were in China."

	Kasumi shook her head sadly. "That's not very nice, Ranma."

	"Who needs to be nice to this jerk?! He's just damn lucky I saved him!"

	Kasumi just sighed. "Would you like to change back?"

	Ranma nodded. "Yeah, I'd rather fight the guy than get hugged by him."

	Kasumi disappeared into the kitchen for a moment. After a quick run of water, she returned with a glass.

	"Here," she said.

	Ranma took the glass and poured it over himself, feeling himself revert back to normal. He didn't even notice the slight twitch Kuno made as it happened.

	"I'd better get back to making dinner," Kasumi said. "Akane, you and Ranma should change."

	Ranma nodded. "Akane, you go up and change. I wanna keep an eye on Kuno here."

	Akane nodded and left to go up the stairs.

	"Saotome," Tatewaki said, propping himself up against the wall.

	Ranma spun around, meeting his gaze.

	"So you're awake," he said, bringing his hands in front of him in a defensive manner. "We can continue this right now, if you're up to it, Kuno!"

	Tatewaki rose to his feet and fetched his bokken. He smirked slightly as he looked at Ranma.

	"No, Saotome. Enough has been done for this day," he replied, then walked out towards the front door.

	"So you're just going to go? Jeez, Kuno... If I didn't know better, I'd say you were getting smart," Ranma quipped.

	Kuno sighed. "Perhaps," he said, opening the door and stepping outside.

	"What was that about?" Akane asked as she came back down the stairs, watching Kuno walk out into the rain.

	Ranma just shook his head. "Your guess would be as good as mine."

****

	Tatewaki walked down the streets aimlessly. He wasn't sure if he wanted to go home or just wander, but it didn't matter, in the end.

	He never once pointed his gaze above the street. He was too deep in thought and remorse to do so.

	Was it true? What he had heard? What he had SEEN with his own eyes? Was the vile, wretched Saotome really... His pig-tailed girl?

	It made no sense. How could it have been possible? Yet, he had seen it with his own eyes. He pretended to be asleep, hoping he would be able to surprise Saotome, and then saw it.

	Kasumi Tendo had given his pig-tailed girl warm water, and she soon became a he.

	There were things that never made sense. But then there were things that fit perfectly. The hair. The clothes. The fact that they were never in the same place as the same time, yet one could always be found if you found the other.

	"One body, one soul," Nabiki Tendo had said.

	And the canal. Tatewaki surely would have died in that canal, yet his pig-tailed girl rescued him. Something Saotome would never have done.

	It was so confusing. Tatewaki needed clarity. He needed--

	Clarity. No sooner had he thought the word than the answer came to him.

	When Saotome had first appeared at the school, Nabiki Tendo had tried to explain it. Even Saotome himself had tried, eventually giving up.

	Tatewaki laughed. He was the one who needed clarity.

	That was it. He was sure of it. Tatewaki Kuno, Age 17, was the mistaken one.

	Dishonour. The word hung above him like Death's sickle. Pausing in his walk, he knelt to the ground, trying to control his emotions. They were wild and raging, like he had never experienced before. He needed relief. He needed...

	He needed to change. He looked up, hoping to find an answer for anything. What he saw was no more an answer than a cruel joke. As if nature itself had been making fun of him.

	It may not have been an answer, but it was a good place to start. Getting up, Tatewaki walked through the front doors of the Kamiya Kasshin Dojo.

****

	"Ahh, Tatchi!" Jinnai smiled, patting Tatewaki on the back. "How's it going?"

	Tatewaki closed his eyes. "Mr. Myoujin, Miss Himura... I must decline further lessons... I have... caused myself a great dishonour."

	Kaoru narrowed her eyes. "You've used the Chimei-teki dageki technique, haven't you?"

	Tatewaki lowered his gaze to meet the Dojo floor. "Yes. I have no excuse for my dishonour."

	"What?" Jinnai yelled, wide-eyed. "From the way you're acting, you'd think you actually KILLED someone with that technique!"

	Kuno looked up in disbelief. "What makes you assume I hadn't?"

	Kaoru laughed. "Quite simply, Tatchi... The Chimei-teki dageki technique is flawed. It has been flawed for as long as we've had the technique."

	Tatewaki laughed under his breath. "Of course. Another reason so that I may be made a laughingstock. It does not matter," he said, getting up.

	"Wait," Jinnai said, putting his hand on Tatewaki's shoulder. "Though the technique itself was flawed, it was modelled after a technique from the Hiten Mitsurugi School."

	Tatewaki paused. "The... Hiten Mitsurugi School?"

	Jinnai closed his eyes. "It was the school of the Hitokiri Battousai, back at the end of the Tokugawa."

	Tatewaki narrowed his eyes. He'd heard stories. Mere rumours of his strength. His speed was said to have surpassed that of any man. But that's all they were. Rumours.

	"The Hitokiri Battousai is a myth," Tatewaki said. "Even if there was one, it's doubtful he was as strong as the legends say."

	"Tatchi," Kaoru said. "You said you dishonoured yourself, right?"

	Tatewaki nodded.

	"Tell us."

	Tatewaki sighed. "I... meant for the blow to be fatal. Instead, I endangered myself more than my opponent. Only to be rescued by my opponent, who nursed me back to health."

	Kaoru nodded. "Indeed," she said. "So he is no longer your opponent, then?"

	"I still have much to think of. I do not know whether or not he is as evil as I had thought him to be. He had ample chance to kill me, or leave me to die... But he rescued me from a drowning death."

	"Tatchi, I'd like to show you something. It's an heirloom of the Kamiya Kasshin school. It was given to my great-great grandfather by Kaoru's great-great Grandfather, and has been passed down in the Myoujin and Himura families ever since that time."

	Tatewaki shook his head. "I have not the time. I shall not return here again."

	"Tatchi, wait," Kaoru said. "You've dishonoured yourself, and that's fine. But let us tell you a story about a man who had done the same thing. He used his sword to kill."

	"But that's what a sword is for," Tatewaki replied. "Killing."

	"Now, Tatchi. What is the first thing we taught you when you came to this school?"

	"That the sword trained by the Kamiya Kasshin school is a sword that protects life."

	"That's right. This man killed for years using his sword, until one day, he gave it up. He gave it up for this," she said, looking towards Jinnai, who was holding an old sword, still in the sheath.

	Tatewaki narrowed his eyes. "A katana. What difference is there? It kills."

	"Not this one," Jinnai said, unsheathing it. "See?"

	And Tatewaki saw. Though at first glance it seemed a normal sword, upon closer inspection, he realized the bladed edge was on the wrong side of the sword. There was no way, unless the person who wielded the sword did so in reverse, it could have actually killed someone. Suddenly, it made sense to him.

	The sword that protects life.

	"But if he killed for years. How could he use this sword and not kill? Certainly there would be those who would want him dead. He can not protect himself without killing."

	"But he did," Kaoru said. "Him, his friends, and his love. He protected them all."

	"His technique was only taught to a select few. He once had sworn that it would die with him," Jinnai said. "But the Myoujin and Himura families each learned a bit of it."

	"But the Myoujin and Himura schools only fight with shinnais and bokkens." 

	"There is another part of the Kamiya Kasshin school that incorporates his style, which uses a katana. More importantly, THIS katana," Jinnai said.

	Kaoru nodded. "The Hiten Mitsurugi School."

	Tatewaki paused. "The... Did you not say that school belonged to the Battousai?"

	Kaoru nodded. "Of course," she said. "He was my great-great-grandfather."

	Tatewaki gasped. "But I though he was a myth!"

	"No, he was quite real," Kaoru said. "That was his sword. And this was his school."

	"Now, Tatchi... We now know you're a man driven by honour," Jinnai said. "So we have something to offer you."

	Kuno narrowed his eyes.

	"We would be willing to teach you what we know of the Hiten Mitsurugi school, under the condition that you swear upon your honour that you will NOT use it to kill, but only to protect."

	Tatewaki took a deep breath. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. To be offered this was like winning some insane lottery. It was--

	But he had dishonoured himself. He couldn't do it with a clear conscience.

	"Tatchi,' Kaoru said. "Kenshin Himura was able to redeem himself after killing countless hundreds. You can do the same after dishonouring yourself."

	Tatewaki let his breath out. "I... give my word that I shall use the sword to protect life."

	Kaoru and Jinnai smiled. "Well, then. It looks like we've got an heir to the school after all!"

****

	Ranma stretched as he jumped off of the chain link fence to get into the school grounds.

	"You ready for after school today?" Ranma asked. "We've got a lot of stuff to move."

	Akane nodded. The swelling in her black eye had gone down, and was beginning to settle to a yellowish colour. Give another week or so, and she'd be able to walk around without the embarrassment of so many visible injuries.

	Either way, she just wanted to get to training.

	As the two of them walked into the school yard, they were greeted with a sight to behold.

	Tatewaki Kuno stood a mere twenty feet away from them, a stern look on his face, and a bokken in his hand.

	"Oh, great," Ranma said. "Just what I need."

	"Saotome!" Kuno called, pointing his bokken towards him.

	"What now, Kuno?!"

	Tatewaki walked up to Ranma, keeping an even speed and stride. As he got closer, Ranma motioned for Akane to get behind him, and put up a defensive stance.

	"So you still don't learn, eh?"

	Kuno stopped three feet from Ranma and held his bokken by both ends.

	"It ends here, Saotome," he said.

	Ranma looked at him appraisingly. "That's what you said yesterday."

	"True, but this time I mean it," he said, then brought the bokken down, and snapped it in two on his knee.

	Ranma dropped his stance almost immediately. "Kuno?"

	Tatewaki took one of the broken halves and placed it into Ranma's unresisting hand. He held the other himself.

	"Never again shall these two pieces meet in combat, Saotome."

	And with that, Tatewaki Kuno turned and walked to class.

****

Author's Notes:

 	Well, I got that chapter out fairly quickly. I want to give a big thanks to my pre-readers, who helped me out tonnes with this chapter. (Even the ones that didn't get back to me in time for the post, which was because of my own impatience. ^_^)

	Anyway, here's the next part. Hopefully my next part will come out soon. ^_^

	Ttyl,

	Kyle.