“Big game?” Ranma asked watching Akane gather her field hockey uniform into her pack as he sat on her bed in the lotus position.

“You could say that. Nakaguma Tech.” Akane tied the pack shut and sat on the bed next to Ranma pulling her sneakers on.

“Ahh the one team you lost to last year. Isn’t that the game you were injured in?’’ Ranma said trying to hide his curiosity.

“Yup.” She said finishing tying one shoe and now working on the other.

“So…what happened?”

“I don’t really like to talk about it.” She said without turning to him.

“You can’t tell ME?” Ranma said trying to sound hurt, his curiosity making it s way into his voice. She turned to him taking a deep breath then releasing it slowly.

“Ok, but its embarrassing. The team captain, a real monster of a girl, played a dirty trick and hit me with her stick.”

“That’s it, she hit you with her stick.” Ranma looked at her incredulously while Akane just nodded her head.

“Yup.” Akane replied and Ranma thought for a moment.

“Jeez you’re a wuss.” He laughed and she frowned at him. “Ok, where did she hit you?”

“Where does a guy least like to be hit?”

“Well…” Ranma looked down at himself then up at Akane, who was nodding her head, and then crossed his legs, just thinking about it hurt. “Ouch.”

“Uh-huh. Have you ever been hit there as a girl?”

“Yeah once, not as painful as when I’m a guy, but a completely unpleasant feeling.”

“Unpleasant, I’ll say I couldn’t walk for a good twenty minutes.”

“So ok why is that embarrassing?” Akane look disgusted for a moment then started to list off her reasons on her fingers.

“Well first of all I’m a martial artist and NEVER should have gotten hit. Second, that is not exactly a place on my body that I discuss in normal conversation. And third,” Akane clenched her teeth, “Do you know how many guys offered to make it ‘feel better,’ with field hockey starting up again I keep getting questions on how it feels and if I can still function properly. I mean it is like an open invitation for guys to be perverts!” Akane ended her tirade seething out of breath.

“I can see how that would piss you off.” Ranma replied having backed away from her, still protecting his area.

“Well we better get going. Ryoga was with Ucchan last night so I know she’ll be late if we don’t get her.” Akane was up placing her bathing stuff in her bag for after the game without a trace of her former anger.

“Yeah sure.” Ranma said, thinking to himself ‘women can be scary.’

They made their way across campus pretty quickly arriving at the dorm room of one Ukyo Kuonji. Akane knocked gently on the door and waited for a reply, when a muffled noise came from the other side. Taking it as an invitation to enter, Akane threw the door open.

“Ukyo we gotta get to the-”

They both stood still in the doorway for a moment staring at the two’s movements on the bed. Akane let out a strangled apology then closed the door as fast as she could. Ranma and Akane looked at each other and broke out into hysterics.

“We’ve got to stop meeting like this.” Ranma said between laughs.

“Let’s go, we’ll meet them there.” Continuing to laugh they bolted from the building.

“Don’t those two ever stop.” Ranma commented the door to the dormitory closing behind them.

“Ryoga, stop. STOP!”

“Huh?’

“Damn, we took too long now I’m going to be late for the game.”

“But I thought you said it was better if it lasted longer.”

“Oh Ryoga get off of me I’m gonna be late!”

The field was covered in mud. Ranma made his way through a group of students to find a good seat.

“This should be an interesting game with all this mud.” Said one boy sitting diagonally in front of Ranma two rows down.

“Yeah, now if they only had them playing in bikinis it’d be just like watching mud wrestling.” Another boy said and the group laughed.

“Well hello there Saotome, here to cheer for my sister?” Ranma was taken by surprise when he found Nabiki standing in the bleachers.

“Yeah, what are you doing here taking bets?” Ranma asked without any malice.

“But of course, would you care to make a wager?” She smiled.

“Sure, 5,000 yen on Akane’s team.”

“Ah going for the underdog, that should pay off well if they win.”

“If they win? Akane and Ukyo are on the team and they are still the underdogs?”

“Well the betting decides the odds. What with the team losing last year and Akane’s injury….” She sat beside him now counting the money he gave her out of habit.

“I can’t believe that.”

“Well I’ll let you in on a trade secret, only because I like you Saotome.” Ranma was stunned. A ‘trade secret’? Nabiki liking him? It was all too much. “With Akane going around with me talking about the loss last year and all that making it sound like she’s not sure of herself or the team does put things to my advantage.”

“So you don’t really think that Akane will lose?”

“Of course not, my little sister lose in a stupid hockey game, never happen.”

“Since when has Akane started doing stuff like that for you?” Ranma asked, genuinely curious.

“A lot of things changed when you left.” She looked at him seriously then smiled. “Of course, if I was a betting woman, I would have bet on you staying in Nerima.” She looked away scanning the field as Nakaguma Tech took the field. “I guess I would have lost, I don’t like losing.”

“Nabiki?”

“I’ll see you later Saotome, I gotta get some more bets in before the game starts.” She looked over her shoulder to a small black piglet walking unhappily to the stands covered in mud, obviously having fell into a puddle.

“I think that’s for you.” She pointed to the pig.

“Hey Ryoga, what happened to you.” The pig oinked in return.

“Here, tell him he owes me.” She handed him a warm cup of tea before walking off.

Back in his human form, Ryoga sat beside Ranma as Ukyo and Akane took the field.

“So how come you’re not playing in this Ranma? I thought Akane got hurt last year playing against this team?”

“I don’t enjoy being a girl you know Ryoga, beside Akane and Ukyo can take care of themselves.” Ryoga looked at Ranma skeptically. “And tryouts were already over when I thought of it.”

Ranma crossed his arms over his chest while Ryoga chuckled.

Akane and Ukyo exchanged some final words as the Nakaguma Tech’s captain took her position in the middle of the field beside the referee. Nodding to Ukyo standing to her left slightly behind her, Akane stood before the blonde haired foreigner. The girl stood three to four inches taller with a broad muscular chest. Her blonde hair was pulled into twin braids on either side of her stout face.

In an instant the whistle blew and the game was moving. The ball was being passed between Akane and Ukyo as they ran down the field toward the opposing team’s goal, several of their teammates running interference. With a powerful hit Ukyo easily made the first goal for her team. Akane and Ukyo were congratulating themselves as they walked back toward center field when a couple Nakaguma team members walked by scowling, and roughly shoved past Ukyo, almost sending her to the ground.

“Hey!” Akane yelled, turning around to glare at the two bleached blonde girls who looked like carbon copies of each other.

“Forget about it, Akane. We’ll show them soon enough.” Akane grudgingly agreed and took her position center field.

“Do you boys sense some animosity from the field?” Nabiki asked sitting down behind the two martial artists.

“Yeah, I think its about to get ugly.” Ranma replied and Ryoga nodded his head in agreement.

Akane was making her ways down the field weaving around opposing team members, alternating between keeping her eye on the wooden ball at her feet and the goal rapidly approaching. Two of her teammates were on the ground before her to either side, one clutching a bleeding leg the other her stomach.

The bleach blonde twins were suddenly in front of her running toward her, but Akane was confident she could play keep away. The two girls started to veer away from her as if they were going to let her right through to the goal.

“Huh?” ‘What are they up to?’

The girls were now divided and coming at her from either side hooking her ankles with their sticks never turning their attention to the ball. With an audible squish Akane came down face first into the muddy field. Ryoga and Ranma cringed from their place in the stands.

The Nakaguma captain took the opportunity to snag the ball and deliver it screaming across the field and into the goal. She smiled smugly at Akane as she stared at her violated goal.

“I think it is going to be a good game, yes?” Akane just growled in response through her wet, muddy bangs as Ukyo helped her to her feet. The game continued to progress about the same with Nakaguma tech pulling dirty tricks to make their scores. Akane’s team was walking around the field with red shins and bruised knees covered from head to toe with mud. The referee was somehow blind to all the high sticking and ankle checks.

“See what’d I tell you, mud wrestling.” The two boys chuckled in front of Ranma and Ryoga. The two martial artists exchanged nervous glances.

“What are we getting worried about, Ukyo and Akane can win.” Ryoga boasted and Ranma nodded a less than enthusiastic response.

“Would you boys care to adjust your wager at all? I could be persuaded to take a few hundred yen more.”

“Ahh, no thanks, Nabiki.” Ranma began to sweat in the cool fall breeze. ‘What is she up to?’ He glanced back at her and she caught his eye and smiled. A genuine smile from the middle Tendo daughter, Ranma was surprised to say the least. He gave her a nervous smile before turning back to the game, his mind racing with the possibilities.

“OOF!” Ukyo was sent spinning and slammed straight into Akane sending them both rolling in the mud. There were a lot of loud yelling and catcalls from the bleachers as the two girls disentangled themselves.

“Damn it, we are getting our asses kicked.” Akane exclaimed frustrated.

“Come on, we aren’t that far behind. We agreed we’d win this with our honor intact, we aren’t gonna stoop to their level, right?” Ukyo held the girl by the shoulders speaking sternly. Akane nodded.

“Right?!” Ukyo lightly shook her while smiling.

“Right.” They made their way to where the Nakaguma captain and the referee stood waiting.

The ball was sent between Akane’s legs and she was forced to play catch up. She was at the girl’s side in seconds on her side Ukyo was running slightly ahead of the two ready to receive the ball when Akane sent it to her. Before she knew it, Ukyo received a hard blow to her stomach by a passing Nakaguma team member’s hockey stick. She went down hard grasping her stomach in pain, the wind knocked out of her.

“Ukyo?!” Akane shouted losing her focus on the game. The opposing team’s captain took full advantage of this and elbowed her dead in the face. The goal was scored seconds later. Slowly Akane rose to her feet and joined her teammates that were gathered around Ukyo.

“Ucchan, you ok?”

“Fine, sugar. You?” Akane leaned over and helped her friend up while wiping a stream of blood from her nose with the back of her muddy hand. The team was covered in filth, their hair matted to their faces in a mixture of mud and sweat.

“I’ve been better. Enough of this playing fair crap.”

“The referee wasn’t even looking at the field.” Another girl stated disgustedly.

“I think its time we played by their rules.”

Ranma and Ryoga shot up from their seats.  Ranma felt the blood rushing through his body begin to boil and was about ready to lunge unto the field when Nabiki's hand landed on his shoulder.   

“Jeez, that was harsh.” Ranma commented pushing his anger aside with great effort and trying to keep his voice level.

“Ukyo better be all right.” Ryoga said angrily watching the downed player. From behind them, Nabiki placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder as well.

“Now, now boys I’m sure the ladies can handle it.”

Akane’s deep brown eyes seemed to darken as she glared coldly at the girl opposite her waiting for the whistle to blow. The high-pitched signal rang through both their ears and Akane struck out fiercely never turning her gaze downward. A loud crack echoed across the field and the game paused as the referee examined the Nakaguma Tech captain’s stick. The solid hard wood stick was severed at the base.

“Sorry about that.” Akane shrugged.

“Don’t worry about it dear, the game isn’t over yet.” The girl replied her voice full of menace, her thick German accent curling around the words. Again they were in position waiting for the whistle to blow. Akane slapped the ball off the girl’s ankle to Ukyo who traveled down the field toward two opposing team members. When they got close enough Ukyo passed the ball to Akane and deflected the hockey stick aimed at her torso.

“You won’t hit me with the same attack twice.” After whacking the girl’s stick away she swung and threw her into her teammate while Akane scored the goal.

“God, I wish I had my combat spatula.” Ukyo commented to Akane as she passed by smiling.

At the whistle Nakaguma got the ball, Akane chased the German girl down the field throwing herself into a full body check that sent the girl flying into the mud. In a flash, Akane was at the other end of the field passing off to a teammate to make the goal. Fuming the larger girl pulled herself from the mud with the help of her team.

The whistle sounded and a war began over the ball between Akane and the Nakaguma captain. The other team members huddled around their captain competing for the ball, shoving at the opposing team’s players. Sticks clashed and the ball ricocheted in between both hockey players. Swiftly, Akane raised the hilt of her stick and jabbed her opponent knocking the wind out of her. Her teammates shoved the Nakaguma players out of the way leaving her a clean path to the goal.

The larger girl glared at Akane over the ball waiting to begin play. At the signal she lunged at the girl pinning her under her massive weight. As if a domino effect the rest of the game was degraded to a common brawl.

Seeing the ball knocked close to her, Akane tried to grab for it, but the girl on top of her was slamming her head and upper body into the ground. Grabbing the girl by the hair she used her abundant strength to roll the girl over so she was now on top of the yelling girl. They both scrambled for the ball, felling her stick at her, Akane maneuvered the stick between her ankles.   Elbowing the ball to her feet, she smacked the ball into the unattended goal ending the game.

The girl beneath her stopped wrestling and resigned herself to her team’s defeat. Both stood and surveyed the field and their teammates still rolling around in the mud.

“Good game Tendo.” The foreign girl held her hand out a smile on her face.

“Ah, yeah.” Akane accepted the hand a little bewildered by the girl’s attitude.

“Next time we might not be so kind.” Again the girl’s smile seemed genuine. Akane shrugged and made her way to Ukyo to break up her fight.

Ranma and Ryoga made their way down onto the field the two mud covered girls approaching. Their clothes clung to their bodies, the mud covering their skin gave them the appearance of a very uneven tan and their hair was wet and clinging to their faces.

“Well it was definitely an interesting game ladies.” Nabiki grinned handing Ranma and Ryoga their winnings.

“I had no idea field hockey was such a physical sport. Are you ok, Ukyo?” Ryoga asked his girlfriend concerned.

“I’m great, sugar.” She said jumping into his arms to kiss him.

“I have a FEW people to pay, I’ll see you later sis.” Nabiki disappeared into the crowd as Ryoga and Ukyo detached from each other.

“Man now I’m covered in mud.” Ryoga exclaimed looking downward, everyone laughed. Akane looked at Ranma mischievously and grabbed him by the shoulders, standing on the tips of her toes she pressed her check against his then moved to the other side before backing away wiping her muddy hands on his chest. His face was covered in wet mud along with his shirt. He blinked twice then looked down at his shirt.

“I can’t believe you just did that.” He said incredulously, his face a little flushed from the close contact, and started to chase her around the other couple.

“You were the only one NOT covered in mud.” She stuck her tongue out from her hiding spot behind Ryoga. Ryoga and Ukyo smiled at each other approvingly. Ranma finally caught her from behind around the waist and started to tickle her mercilessly.

“Um, hi.” A soft voice interrupted and all four turned to the Chinese girl dressed in a cheerleading outfit a few feet in front of them.

“Li-Li, hi!” Ranma said feeling nervous for no good reason he could find and quickly let go of Akane.

“I watched the game from over there after my practice was over, congratulations.” The girl smiled a soft, sweet smile and Akane couldn’t help but feel an unexplainable glint of guilt.

“Thanks, it was a rather unorthodox game.” Akane replied and the girl chuckled.

“Are we still going out for dinner, Ranma or do you have other plans?” She seemed sort of disappointed as if she knew that his answer would not be in her favor.

“Um well…” Ranma looked from Li-Li to Akane and felt like a heel.

“Don’t worry about it Ranma we can celebrate some other time.” Akane put on her brightest smile forcing her heart into her stomach.

“Well as long as it’s ok.” Akane nodded.

“Great well, I’ll just go change then.” Li-Li gave Akane a big smile then ran off toward the entrance to the gym. Ranma watched her go then turned to his former fiancée.

“Really, Akane I’m sorry. I’ll take you out later tonight.”

“Its ok, don’t worry about it. What’d you say we go clean up Ucchan?” Akane turned away changing the subject.

“Sure thing, I’ll wash your back if you wash mine.” Ukyo smiled putting her arm around her friend then turned a seductive gaze to Ryoga. “Come on Ryoga you can wait for us in my dorm room and dream about us naked and all soapy.”

“I always do.” He replied cheerfully then started to stutter. “Well not you Akane, he he.”

He started to laugh like a mad man a hand behind his head. Ranma rolled his eyes while Ukyo dragged the other boy away Akane trailing behind. Both Akane and Ranma turned back toward each other at the same time. Their eyes locked for mere seconds then both turned away uncomfortably.

Akane weaved through the crowded dance floor avoiding sweaty young men asking her to dance trying to make her way from the bathroom to her seat at the bar. At least she thought they were asking her to dance, the loud techno beat pounding from the speakers into her eardrums made it hard to ascertain exactly what they were saying. Their wayward glances down her shirt gave her a clue. She absently waved them off and joined Ukyo, Ryoga and the rest of her team at the bar.

Most of the girls brought their boyfriend or significant other. Akane seemed to be the only one going stag. At least she felt all alone, especially when Ukyo and Ryoga exchanged a glance or gentle caress.

“How come you’re not dancing?” Ukyo shouted into her ear.

“No thanks.” Akane shouted back.

“Come on, there must have been a decent one among them.” Ukyo motioned toward the dance floor.

“Not likely.” Akane gave a sour look.

“Do you want me to kick some ass?” Ryoga asked putting an arm around his girlfriend leaning slightly toward Akane so she could hear him above the music.

“Ryoga.” Ukyo giggled, jabbing him gently in the side. “Akane can take care of herself.”

“Every woman enjoys having a man come to her rescue once in awhile, right? That’s what you told me.” They grinned at each before leaning in for a kiss. Akane heaved a sigh and looked away to the dance floor.

“Hey Akane, where’s Ranma?” One of Akane’s teammates shouted to her, a few more girls turning to wonder the same question.

“I thought he’d be celebrating with you.” The girl continued.

“Had a date tonight.” Akane shouted back. All the girls nodded, mumbling and looked around uncomfortably before turning back to their previous conversations. Akane frowned looking back to Ukyo and Ryoga.

“Jeez, what did they think, that we were dating?” Akane seethed slightly.

“Well, yeah I think so.” Ukyo answered and Ryoga nodded.

“We’re friends, not fiancées…anymore.” Akane stated. She couldn’t seem to build up the anger necessary to shout. She turned to the bar and picked up her drink “I think I’ll mingle.”

“We’ll be right here sugar if you need us.” Ukyo shouted to her back.

“Won’t those two ever learn?” Ryoga asked taking his girlfriend in his arms and shaking his head at the young girl disappearing into the crowd.

“I don’t think so honey.”

Taking a sip from her drink, Akane emerged from the writhing mob of young bodies unscathed, only to bump into a young man rising from his table and emptying her soda onto his shirt.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry.”

“That’s all right.” He smiled good-naturedly using a napkin to try and dry himself off.

“Tetsu?” Akane asked the familiar face smiling down at her.

“That’s me, how’re you doing Akane? I heard you won your game today.”

“Yeah, we did.” She answered dismissively. “What are you doing here?”

“Just out with a couple friends.” He said motioning to a couple on the dance floor. “Would you like to?” He asked hopefully.

“Sure I’d love to.” Akane was relieved to find a friendly face that was not suctioned to another of the opposite sex.

“You here with anyone?” He’d heard that she was hanging out with a certain guy recently, but never heard anything straight from his friend’s lips.

“No just here with the team, they’re all getting drunk at the bar.” She joked and he graced her with another smile. He was a tall boy with sparkling green eyes and dirty blonde hair that he kept short and hit wild. “I haven’t seen you much this year, just when you’re working out at the gym or at basketball practice.”

“Yeah, we don’t have any classes this year.” He frowned handsomely. She enjoyed listening to his deep voice; it seemed to exude confidence with a trace of arrogance.

“Are you still in the drama club?”

“But of course.” He beamed at her and she couldn’t help but blush. He was definitely a welcome change from the usual guys she attracted.

They continued to laugh and discuss school and the like while they danced together well past midnight. By the time he walked her home she was completely exhausted. Giving her a friendly goodbye he left her at the door of her dorm, waiting until she was safely inside before he left for his off campus apartment. Akane smiled staring past her dorm room door, the night hadn’t turned out so badly. She actually managed to enjoy herself. Quietly she entered her room, shedding her clothes and donning her nightclothes with a silent yawn. Ranma laid sprawled out on his bed unconscious, snoring lightly. One leg draped over the side, his covers gathered just below his waist revealing his tank top and boxers. Giggling to herself, Akane crept over to him and pulled his blankets up over his chest.

Taking a moment she stared at his boyishly handsome features, sighing unconsciously to herself. Delicately, she dragged her hand across his brow letting his silken hair run through her fingers. He moaned softly in his sleep and drew one arm across his chest.

“Goodnight Ranma.” She whispered, tearing her eyes away from him and burying herself in the blankets of her own bed. Exhausted from a trying day, Akane fell asleep almost before her head hit the pillow.

Author’s note:
I'm mildly pleased with this section, it didn't come out exactly the way I wanted it to.  I decided to just move on to the next part which should be a bit longer  ^_^