"H-hey, what the hell?" the leader of the group stammered, the others looking between each other nervously. "You're gunna pay for that!" He dropped his 'cigarette,' putting it out with his shoe.
Ranma just backed up next to Akane, looking over at her. "You want the rest of 'em?"
"Wha…?" she asked, surprised.
"Well, group fighting's your thing, right?" Ranma shrugged. "You want 'em, or not?"
"You're not going to ask me to stay out of it?" the blue-black haired girl asked, suspiciously.
Ranma snorted. "Like I said, if you couldn't take on a couple street thugs…"
"Yeah, I get it," Akane nodded. She'd been following him around, confused or baffled all night, but this, she knew. Looking over the nine boys arrayed before her, one of whom was pulling out a heavy chain and another flicking a butterfly knife, she grinned.
"Wh… what, you talk big and now you hide behind your girlfriend?" the leader demanded.
"I'm not hiding behind anyone," Ranma replied. "She just enjoys these kinds of fights more than I do."