"All right, Kentaro! Seeya tomorrow at dawn." Ranma waved goodbye, as she jogged away from the race track, parting for the day. She looked back at him over her shoulder and grinned.

Kentaro knew what was coming now, so he chorused together with her, "And you better turn up or I'll never teach you again."

Ranma laughed and turned away again, this time for good. Kentaro was thankful for that, since it meant she would not see the feelings of deep, hurtful longing reflected on his face, that her laugh had conjured up. He watched her until she was out of sight, then slowly began trudging back to his dorm room, with his head down.

Today had been a close shave, he reflected, when he shut the door to his room behind him. Ranma had caught him staring at her once too often and had gotten angry. Again. Only his relentless application at the exercises had kept her from exploding. By the end of their training, she seemed to have forgotten about it, but Kentaro hadn't.

He knew the possible consequences, but he just couldn't stop himself. Dammit he was a young man, only very recently emerged from hormone-driven teenagerdom - how much more restraint could be expected from him?

"As much as it takes to keep her from running, I guess," he sighed to himself. "Or breaking my spine."

What he needed now was to unwind and get some other thoughts into his head. He plodded over to his desk and fished out one of his CDs from the small box he kept them in. Komatsu owned a sort of Boom Box with an integrated CD player, so Kentaro had begun a small collection since they started sharing the room.

He looked down at the title he had selected and gave a short laugh. Obviously his subconscious had guided his hand when he chose this one; it was not exactly likely to get him thinking about something else. He decided to play it anyway, and inserted the disc into the player. Starting the replay, he went over to his bed and lay down on it, folding his arms behind his head.

He stared at the ceiling, while the sound of a piano started floating from the speakers.


A _Thy Outward Part_ Songfic,

Always a Woman

(Sung to the Tune of _She's Always a Woman_ by Billy Joel)



She'll conform to no script;
girlishness is beneath her.
She might break all your bones,
if you do not believe her.
She'll gainsay her gender,
though it is plain to see.
She acts like a man,
but she's always a woman to me.

She can run like the wind;
she can bench-press a car.
She will let you join in
without care who you are.
She can jump up so high
that you think she soars free.
She's wild like a child,
but she's always a woman to me.

Oohh, she takes care of herself.
She needs nobody's help.
She will always get by.
Oohh, and she never gives up;
and she never gives in,
though she hurts deep inside.

She'll keep up her distance,
while you dance all around her.
She'll keep you off balance
and watch while you flounder.
She'll always do something
you didn't foresee.
She's never the same,
but she's always a woman to me.

Hmm Hmm Hmm...

Oohh, she takes care of herself.
She needs nobody's help.
She will always get by.
Oohh, and she never gives up;
and she never gives in,
though she hurts deep inside.

She'll promise you nothing
and be true to her word.
She's likely to hurt you
just like she was hurt.
She will never admit
love of any degree.
And the most she will do
is close friendship with you,
but she's always a woman to me.

Hmm Hmm Hmm...


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