(posting 3 of 6) <<>> The Beachside Pur-suitor "Hey, Kuno Tatewaki." The girl on the right had a smaller waist, but the one on the left holding the beach ball looked prettier. "Think about it." Nice tush on that one with the polka-dotted bikini. "This here is the challenge you issued me." That short-haired chick sunning on the beach looks interesting. "Hey!" That one with her legs crossed... "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LOOKING AT?" "Huh?" Kuno turned around. Ranma took the piece of paper in his hand and slapped it down on the table. "Can't you cooperate at all?" "About what?" "The loss of memory." "Whose loss of memory?" "YOURS!" "Mine?" Kuno suddenly slapped his fist. "Oh, wait, I remember now..." "What?" "...I have amnesia." Ranma groaned. Akane and Nabiki walked into the snack bar. "Ranma," Akane asked, "how is Kuno-sempai's condition?" Kuno walked up and grasped Akane's hand. "I'm sorry, miss; I would be most eager to remember you, but..." "That's quite all right." Akane threw off Kuno's hands. Ranma took out a watermelon, jumped up, and holding the watermelon, attacked Kuno's head with it. SLICE. Suddenly, the watermelon fell into 12 well-cut pieces, and Ranma found himself staring down the tip of a wooden knife. "You should thank me, stranger," Kuno said, "for staying my hand." "Omigosh," Akane said, "Ranma couldn't even get close!" "Looks like Tatewaki's really gotten powerful," Nabiki said as she chomped on a slice of watermelon. A squealing cheer rose from behind Kuno. "He's so great!!" Apparently the amnesic watermelon-cutter had suddenly earned quit a following of young girls. "Hmph!" he smugly said as he walked out. ***************************************************************** NAME: Kuno Tatewaki AGE: 17 DESCRIPTION: Strikingly handsome, dark and tall, superior katana skills. --um, that's enough. "Did you really lose your memory?" a girl asked. "How romantic!" another one commented. Kuno striked a pose for his admirers. "Yes, I have come to the seaside to jog my memories of love..." ****************************************************************** In the snack bar, Nabiki commented, "He's popular." Akane looked at Ranma. "Are you all right?" For Ranma was staring at the wall, shivering in anger and grinding his teeth. "Hmph," he said, "No matter what his memory is, I must honor that challenge and fight him." Ranma started walking out of the snack bar. "What," Nabiki called out, "you mean five minutes ago didn't count?" Ranma reddened. "Shut up!" he said as he walked into the distance. ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** (posting 4 of 6) "Kuno-sempai!" "Oh, hi!" Kuno turned around to look at the young pony-tailed girl rushing towards him in a skimpy bathing suit. He reached out his hands in greeting. Ranma jumped up. She then planted a firm kick on his face as a gasp emitted from the crowd of admirers. "Hahaha," Ranma said as she towered over Kuno, "you shouldn't have been careless just because I'm female." Kuno struggled a bit under Ranma's foot. "Patience," Ranma said as she took out a watermelon, "I'll fight you when I've cured your memory problem." Kuno had first appeared with a watermelon over his head. It stood to reason that the same stress would bring his memory back. Ranma stuffed the watermelon on Kuno's head. "Alright, let's see if you remember anything!" Kuno screamed muffledly. And again. "Come on, Kuno Tatewaki. Wake up from your watermelon!" Thoughts started coming back to Kuno. That's right, I was...was definitely...training. Training for what? ...for what reason? Reason? Reason? "Reason? REASON? REASON??!" Kuno screamed out as the watermelon split open. Ranma looked expectantly. "Do you remember now?" Kuno took one look at Ranma. Suddenly, he ran up and embraced her in his arms. "I remember now! I trained so that I could pick up girls!" "No you didn't!" Ranma struggled out of Kuno's arms and showed him a piece of paper. "Look at this?" "This?" Kuno took over the piece of paper and read it. "Be prepared! You shall soon taste the fruits of my new training. Signed, Kuno Tatewaki." Kuno started crying. "What a beautiful love letter," he finally said. "It's a CHALLENGE!" Ranma screamed. "Look, you were going to fight with me..." "Ranma, catch!" Akane threw a hot teapot at Ranma. "It's easier to tell him as male." "Right!" Ranma said as she reached out for the pot. SLASH! With one stroke, Kuno sliced the teapot in half, sending the water flying into the sand. Ranma jumped back just in time. "As long as you go out with me," Kuno said as he stood menacingly over Ranma, "I'll remember everything!" "Um, well," Ranma started to say. "GO OUT WITH ME!!" Kuno cried as he suddenly started chasing Ranma with his sword. "Wah!" Ranma started running. She looked around, still running, "Hot water, hot water, hot water,...aha!" Over there was a sign saying EASY&SIMPLE HOT BATHS. 50 YEN. She quickened her pace, and headed towards a pool. Kuno jumped out. "DATE ME!!" he yelled, stopping Ranma short with his sword. Ranm fell back in a corner. There was Kuno, standing in the hot pool, blocking her entrance. "All right then," she said, "just let me jump into your arms!" Kuno outstretched his arms. Ranma outstretched her arms and made a flying leap. SPLASH! "A?" Kuno looked around. "Where'd she go?" The only other person in the pool was a young man wiping his brow with a towel. "What happened to her?" Kuno started digging in the water. Ranma gave a little whistle as he climed out of the pool, grasping the swimsuit in one hand, the other hand holding the towel around his lower area. "Wishful thinking, weirdo," he muttered, "like I'm going out with a pervert like you." RUMBLE. ************************************************************************** Amid the sudden outburst of rain, a young lady, naked except for a towel and a swimsuit clutched to her breast, streaked across the beach, screaming at a strange man with a watermelon around his neck swinging his sword at her while shouting "Go out with me!" The young lady put on the swimsuit and dove into the water. "You can't get away like that!" the young man said as he also dove into the water at hot pursuit. ************************************************************************* "They're out of sight," Nabiki commented. "Ranma..." Akane said. A group of onlookers had congregated by this time. A man with a fan said, "Look at where those two are going..." "...Watermelon Island," finished a seaside shop proprietor. "Watermelon Island?" Akane asked. "Look, over there. It's a deserted Island." The perfect hemispherical shape and the alternating light and dark green foilage did give it the resemblance of a watermelon. The man with the fan continued. "They say that it's a scary place. Nothing there except watermelons." The crowd murmured in consent. "Nothing except watermelons?" Akane repeated. "Oh dear," Nabiki said, munching on a piece of steamed squid, "and Tatewaki's so buff, too..." Deserted Island? Akane thought. That means...that there isn't any way to get hot water there...and that means... ********************************************************************* "Come out!" Kuno shouted playfully. "We're the Adam and Eve of this deserted island..." Damn that jerk, Ranma thought as she shivered, hiding in a watermelon patch. ******************************************************************** ********************************************************************