Chapter 3:

Lessons.

by Man in the shadows.

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Ranma * or Pokemon. Nintendo owns
Pokemon. Ranma * belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. God Bless these people. I'm
also low on cash. Please don't sue. God bless these people's lawyers.

I'll add other disclaimers at the end of the fic, if need be.

~ ~ These shall be used for Pokemon talking. > < This is for thoughts. = =
are for Transmissions.

WARNING: Probable Spoilers, Foul language, and Adult situations. This won't
be completely G rated. I'm just concerned about B ratings.

*********************************************************
"What are we doing here," Akane asked Ken. He had taken them on a side trip
and they were now going through some grassy areas near a mountain.

"Lass, ya' need to lean a bit about your abilities and Ranma needs to catch
some poke'mon," he said as he crouched down in the tall grass. The others
got down too.

"Oh."

"What kind are we after," asked Ranma.

"That," said Ken, as he pointed to a poke'mon in the field. "It should be
listed in your poke'dexes."

The thing looked like a puffball with a tail, arms, and legs. Ranma pulled
out his, opened it up, and pointed it at the poke'mon. Ken reminded him to
his a button. Then the Poke'dex spoke up.

"Mankey." The others scrambled to turn on the mute button. The Mankey turned
towards the group.

"Just great," mumbled Ken. "It's a fighting poke'mon. Pikane, attack it with
the electroshock when I tell you."

"I can take it, without the Electroshock," Akane said offhand.

"Just do what I say. Now attack!" Akane leapt foreword and hit the Mankey
with a kick at it's center. "Pikane! Use the Electroshock!" Akane ignored
him and pressed the attack. Ken had to stop Ranma from joining the fight.

"She'll get hurt," protested Ranma.

"This is a fight for poke'mon. Use Spearow if we need to pull Pikane out,
but not till she is out." They continued to watch the fight. Just when
Pikane thought she had it on the rope, it hit her with it's Low Kick. It
caught Pikane in the lower abdomen. She staggered back, clutching her gut.
"Pikane, get back here. You can't win this one."

Akane grit her teeth and threw another kick at the Mankey. It scratched her
across the belly, while taking the kick. She staggered back. The Mankey was
about to leap at her, when Ken tackled her out of the way. Ranma tossed his
only poke'mon at the Mankey.

"Go Spearow! Peck attack." The mankey was put a bit off balance by the
change in opponents and the Spearow got a good strike at it's body. The
Mankey staggered back, and Ranma tossed his poke'ball at it. In a flash of
light, it was in the ball. After a few moments, they were sure Ranma caught
it and relaxed.

Akane sat where she had landed and sniffled a bit. "I could have won."

"Aye," conceded Ken as he dusted himself off. "And you coulda gotten killed.
I've got experience in these things. And some poke'mon can be effected
better by the skills of certain poke'mon. Like your electric attack is very
useful against water poke'mon. Next time, listen to what I say."

"Okay," said Akane meekly as she looked at the ground. A few tears were
running down her face.

"Do you have to cry," asked Ranma. Tears always seemed to put a damper on
things and Ranma felt a bit uncomfortable when a girl was crying.

"IÕm not crying," countered Akane.

Ken sighed and pulled a spray bottle from his pack. "Let me see the wounds."

"What's that?"

"It's a potion for healing wounds." Ken started to spray some on Akane's
arms, and she winced. "Relax, lass, this is for healing wounds. But next
time, be a bit more careful."

Pikane sighed while Ken continued the medical treatment.

*********************************************************
After they got back to Nermia, Akane and Ken both let out a collective groan
as they saw the Neko Hanten before them. Ranma led them in. Shampoo quickly
came to meet them. Or rather, to meet with Ranma. "Nihao Arein! You come
take Shampoo on date, yes?"

"He promised we'd stop by when you interrupted out trip yesterday, remember
Fluffhead?" Akane giggled a bit at Ken's remark.

"Who Fluffhead, Goofy talking boy?"

"You are, unless you quit calling me that."

"How about we all sit down and order lunch," asked Ranma, with hopes of
avoiding a fight. For once, it turned out to be a good idea. The restaurant
was full and Shampoo was busy. And the others were famished. It wasn't till
they got to desert. The new menu turned out to be nice. Ranma and Akane
decided to have some pie, while Ken simply had a cookie.

After desert Shampoo walked over to Ranma. "Arien Take Shampoo on date now."

"Go away," moaned Akane who didn't look to well.

Shampoo smirked and said, "No. Vilont Girl go away."

Ken reached over to what was left of Ranma's pie, not knowing the small
miracle that there was food left on Ranma's plate, and picked up what looked
like an orange blueberry. "This is a Talm Berry! What is it doing in the
pie?"

Shampoo suddenly realized that she was busted and Ranma wasnÕt under the
influence.

Akane leaned foreword towards Shampoo. "You're drugging..." Pikane couldn't
finish the sentience and she suddenly threw up on Shampoo's blouse. The
amazon staggered back in surprise as Akane went to her knees and upended the
contents of her stomach. Ranma was at her side, keeping her hair from her
face, and keeping her from falling in the mess.

Ken let out a sigh and said, "Talm Berries may leave humans very
suggestible, but they cause Poke'mon to toss their cookies."

*********************************************************
As the group entered the Tendo home, Nabiki walked over to Ken and handed
him some papers and a key. "Here's your registration papers for school and
key to the front door. You sleep on the couch." Nabiki then walked off to do
some other business while Ken looked over the papers.

"How'd she get my birth certificate?"

"Don't ask," replied Ranma. He helped guide Akane to the couch and helped
her sit down. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah... She can't give me the kiss of death for that," said Akane with a
light grin.

"At least we won'a run into Fluffhead at school," said Ken with a grin of
his own.

"She'll hit Ranma on our way there," said Akane with a glare at Ranma.

"Hit him? With that?"

"Her bike," said Ranma with a groan, as he sat down. Ken pulled out a
poke'ball and summoned Vulpix. The cute poke'mon hoped up on the couch and
relaxed while Ken sat on the floor.

Pikane let out a yawn and Vulpix turned to Pikane. ~Tired?~

~A bit,~ replied Pikane.

~A little rest will make you feel better.~

~Yeah...~

Ranma gave Akane an odd look. "What are you doing?" All he really heard was,
"Pi Pika," and "Pika."

"I'm just talking with Vulpix." Akane took a moment to think about that.
"Wait a minute! I understood everything he said!"

"Of course you did," said Ken. "Poke'mon can understand each other."

Pikane smiled and scratched Vulpix behind the ears.

*********************************************************
The next morning Pikane, Ranma, and Ken walked through the gates of Furinkan
High. Nabiki had prepared before hand by heading to school extra early and
setting up odds. Kuno waited for his usual duel. What he wasn't prepared for
was the group that came.

"Foul sorcerer, what hath thy done with my fair love Akane?"

"Is he speaking to me," asked Ken.

"No, he's talking about me," said Ranma.

"But what creature hath thou in thy presence? It doth resemble the fair
Akane."

"Pikane, you want to deal with him," asked Ken.

"Pikane? That name doth be a beautiful tune to my ears."

Akane grinned and set her bookbag on the ground. "This is going to be fun."

"Just a warning shot first, if necessary."

The red spots on Akane's cheeks started to spark, and the threw an
Electroshock at Kuno's feet while shouting, "Piiiiiiii!"

A weird sort of gleam seemed to come to Kuno's eyes. "What amazing skill! I
would court thee and to honor thou I shalt denounce my honorary title as the
Flaming Torch of Furinkan High for my old title as the Blue thunder of
Furinkan High."

"Ach, he's a long-winded one, isn't he," asked Ken. Ranma simply nodded.

Then suddenly Kuno grasped Pikane's arm, pulled her into a embrace, and went
to kiss her. Piakne screamed and Kuno was lit up like a Christmas tree,
before his lips could touch her. He was stock still for a moment. Smoke
drifted from his body. Suddenly Ranma's fist impacted with Kuno's kisser. He
went flying back into the brick wall of Furinkan High before hitting the
ground. Pikane crouched down, holding herself, and was crying.

Kuno suddenly sat up. "I hath experienced the touch of the heavens!"

"You'll be experiencing hell next," growled Ranma as he started advancing.

Ken held out an arm and stopped the martial artist. "Let me. I need the
practice. Besides, yaÕ better get Pikane and yourself to class, and away
from the crowds."

Ranma took a glance at Akane and nodded. He quickly went over to Akane and
picked her up. While other people came near, Ranma leaped away from the
crowds to the window of his first class.

Miss Hanko was surprised. "What are you delinquents doing," she demanded.

"Kuno actually attacked Akane, and she's still in a bit of... She's getting
used to her new lifestyle."

Miss Hanko walked over and squealed with delight. "She looks so cute in that
costume, but it's not appropriate for class." Before Ranma could stop her,
she grabbed Akane's tail and yanked. Akane let out a shriek and let out a
large discharge of electricity, effectively frying the whole class.

Ranma broke the following silence. "It's real, Miss Hanko."

The teacher let out a squeal and scratched Akane between the ears. "ThatÕs
so cute! I think I'll let you two off without the usual warning." Both
Martial artists let out a sigh.

Kuno saw Ranma leap away with Pikane. "Bring her back, foul sorcerer!"

"Hey, if ya' want someone who can use a bit o' magic, then I'm right here."

"Who dost thou thing thou art," demanded the swordsman.

"O'Donnell Ken, Pikane's trainer."

"Thou dare keep my fair Pikane as a pet?"

"First off, I teach her skills, I don't keep her as a pet. Second, where
does a jackass like you get off on assaulting a lass like that and claiming
her as you own, without her consent," demanded Ken.

"Thou dare talk to me in such a manner, wretch?"

"Aye. And I do so with the right of any good friend of someone who was
assaulted."

"I challenge thee, foul miscreant," yelled Kuno as he charged foreword with
his boken raised.

Ken decided to try and finish it quick. He shouted, "VUL" and gout of flame
hit Kuno and his boken. The char broiled idiot fell to the ground, with his
flaming boken. Ken, satisfied that Kuno was out like a light, headed for the
registration office.

*********************************************************
Yuka and Sayuri kept staring at Akane as they ate. It left Akane feeling
very unconvertible. A distance away other students were watching Ranma's
Mankey spar with Ken's Bellsprout. Ukyou was cheering on Ranma. Akane didn't
care what the outcome was. She just wished that the people around her would
quit staring.

"Akane, how does it feel," asked Yuka.

"How does what feel?"

"Being a... Um..."

Akane just shrugged and said, "The fur does feel a bit warm sometimes, and
the Electroshock ability is nice, but other then that, I don't feel too
different." From behind a boy wrapped his hand around Akane's tail, out of
curiosity. Akane spun about and knocked him 5 feet away with a uppercut.
"Pervert!"

A few other people backed away in a bit of fear. With a sigh Akane turned
back to her meal. The red spots on her cheeks were throwing sparks. To her
dismay, Yuka and Sayuri had backed away as well.

"Bellsprout, wrap attack," called out Ken. The Bellsprout suddenly wrapped
itself around the Mankey like a python, and squeezed it's opponent.

After a few moments of struggle, Ranma recalled Mankey. "What do you think,
Ken?"

"Not bad. But I would have laid off the leer attack and gone straight
foreword with your attacks. Your tactics must depend on the trainer, the
type of poke'mon, and how strong your opponent is."

Before Ranma could reply, the familiar cry of, "Ranma, Prepare to die,"
sounded across the schoolyard. Ranma and Ken turned towards the voice.
Ryouga was charging across towards the pigtailed martial artist.

With Ryouga in sight, Ken ran in front of Ranma and shouted, "Hibiki, we
have some unfinished business to deal with."

Not expecting this, the lost boy stopped before Ken. "Who are you?"

Ken sighed. "I waited a day for you to show up at a duel, during junior high
and you never showed. Does that help?"

"Nope."

"O'Donnell Ken."

Recognition lit up on Ryouga's face. "OH... Now I remember. You ran out on
our fight!"

"You poor dumb schmuck. I wait a full day, you just call me a coward. Ranma
waits three days an-"

"He's different! Because of him I've seen hell!"

"Hell? Because of him you've seen hell? Bullshit! You haven't the faintest
idea of what hell is like. Hell is when you have someone after you and your
friends, and he wants to personally kill you in slow torment. Hell, is when
your mom has been unconscious for several years, due to a bomber's mistake."
By now several people had gathered around Ryouga and Ken. "Hell is when your
best friend of several years has been killed and you have to raise her child
and then fail when the child needs you the most. Don't you talk about hell
to me. I've been there!"

Ryouga found that he couldn't meet the gaze Ken was giving him. The only
thing he could match with what Ken said is P-chan. And if he talked about
P-chan, Akane would hear.

"Listen here, you idiot, I challenge you in two days. You get to choose the
battle ground tomorrow. Find a friend, because I don't want to wait more
then a damned day!" And with that, Ken stormed off.

"What was that all about," asked Ukyou.

"I think I know about a small part of it," Akane said quietly. The other
students looked at her, expectantly but she didn't say a word as she walked
away. Pichu could remember when her mother died. And Pikane now knew why Ken
cared about her so much.

Ken staggered through the warehouse. Blood ran down his face and clothes. In
the fight, he had been blinded by some kind of a powder. Pikachu and Pichu
were at his side. Ken leaned aginst a crate and slid down to the floor. He
pulled the poke'ball clip from his belt and handed it to Pikachu. "Hide.
Don't let him get you or the others."

Pikachu nodded, and she looked to Pichu. ~Follow me now.~ She ran towards a
vent, and Pichu followed like a good girl.

When they got into the air vent, Pichu heard the bad man's voice echo in the
warehouse. "Where are they, Ken?"

"Kiss my arse."

A loud slap split the air. "Come here." There were sounds of a light
struggle. Jackson came into View, dragging Ken to a chair. He then tied Ken
to the chair. "Where are they, Ken?"

Ken spit out some blood. "I won'a tell." Jackson backhanded Ken and started
to walk away.

"I'll find them. But do you think I'll let you live long if you don't help?"

Ken stayed silent and Jackson went back towards where he found Ken.

Pikachu taped one of the poke'balls and Vulpix came out. ~Ken is in trouble.
I'm going to distract Jackson. I want you to free Ken. Then I want you and
Pichu to get away.~

~Mama,~ started Pichu.

~Little one, I need you to carry the poke'balls. Leave with the others. I'll
be okay.~

~But Mama-~

~Do as I say.~

~Good luck,~ said Vulpix.

~Thank you,~ said Pikachu and she ran out into the open. She threw a
Thunderbolt at Jackson. She missed, but got his attention. Then she Ran like
hell for the back of the warehouse with Jackson in pursuit.

~She'll be okay,~ Vulpix assured Pichu. Then he ran off to Ken.

Pichu followed. She hopped up on Ken's lap while Vulpix started burning the
ropes away.

When Ken was free, he cradled Pichu in one arm, and put his hand to Vulpix's
neck, so he could be led out. They were almost to the door when an explosion
occurred in the back of the warehouse. The group got knocked over. Pichu
screamed, ~MAMA!~

~RUN! NOW," was the reply that came. Pichu held onto Ken as Vulpix led them
out. She was openly crying as they finally got out of the warehouse. One of
the officer Jennys was there.

"Are you okay," she asked as she came over.

"Where's Pikachu," demanded Ken, just before another explosion rocked the
warehouse and it collapsed on it's self. Jackson was just leaping out of a
window and with the sirens in the distance, he decided to run like hell.

*********************************************************
After school Pikane found Ken doing a kata, in the dojo. "How are you
feeling?"

"A bit calmer," admitted Ken. "And how are you, lass?"

"I remembered what happened to mama."

Ken stopped his formed and turned to Pikane. "I wasn't aware that you
forgot."

Pikane looked at the floor. "I haven't had time to go through my memories,
since..."

With a sigh, Ken walked over and put a hand on Pikane's shoulder. "I wish I
could have done something, back then."

"I know..." Pikane then gave Ken a hug. Silent tears ran down her face. Ken
calmly held her.

Ranma was at the dojo door. He had just got there and saw the two hugging.
With a sad look on his face, he quietly left, without the others noticing.

*********************************************************
AuthorÕs notes:

And, the plot thickens.

Kuno now thinks Akane and Pikane are different people and went too far.

I personally think Akane has always feared a stronger guy would take
advantage of her. That is why she was crying.

A bit more of Ken's past has been revealed. And now Ryouga will have to
fight him.

We all know what Ranma must be thinking now.