Thursday, July 28, 2005

Prologue: It All Started When...

"Yuske catch!" The red haired girl threw the football into the boy’s waiting hands. He dashed off across the field looking back to barely see the young girl tackled by a tall blonde boy from the opposing team.
The boy grinned dodging a large boy trying to get between him and the goal. He quickly avoided two more before crossing the end zone and making the final score to win the game. The boys on his team rallied around him giving him pats on the back. He looked back to find the red head still on the ground under the other boy. Anger slowly swelled up within him as he made his way across the field.
"The game is over you can get off now Kenji. You lost."
"What is such a beautiful girl doing playing such a rough game. You are going to get hurt." He scolded looking down at her.
"So are you if you don’t get up." She moved her legs under him and sent him flying backwards. Yuske sidestepped watching the boy sail past him and hit the ground with a thud.
"What was that all about?" He turned his gaze from the sprawled out boy to the pretty girl shaking the dust from her clothes.
"Kenji was getting too…friendly." She said flipping her long red braid from her shoulder.
"I just thought we could celebrate your win." The boy said getting up from the ground smiling at her, appearing completely uninjured.
"Yeah well what was with you trying to grab my breasts in the middle of the game?!" The boy just continued to smile shrugging his shoulders.
"You WHAT!" Yuske spun around and punched Kenji dead in the face leaping onto him before his body could hit the ground. The girl walked away shaking her head.


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The attractive middle aged woman spied a quick glance at the clock above the stove as she prepared dinner. "Ranma they were held after class again. We will have to have another talk with them." She shook her head as she cut the zucchini before her painfully slow.
"Whatever good that will do, when they are together they are in trouble." Ranma said, the smile on his face displaying his envy.
"Ranma, I think you encourage them." She turned to scold her husband and then continued to carefully chop. "Well in any event I think I will bring it up with Ryoga tonight." She finished one vegetable and was about to go on to another when the children entered the house their voices raised in hostility.
"You are such a jerk!"
"That’s gratitude for you." The boy said in a nasally voice, his head tilted back holding his nose. The two walked into the dining area of the house and sat at the table.
"Oh what happened?" Akane entered the room seeing the boy’s filthy clothes obviously from a fight. Ranma followed closely behind her.
"Nothing." The boy said looking at the older woman rather embarrassed.
"You know I could have taken him myself." The girl said as she eyed his nose and started to look for any real injuries.
"He just pisses me off that’s all. Ow! Don’t kill me!"
"What happened? Who did this to you?" Akane looked on concerned.
"And I hope the other guy looks worse." Ranma smiled at his favorite student, not catching the scowl from his wife.
"Boy does he ever!" The red head giggled.
"Riei Saotome, will you please explain yourself." The young girl cringed reflexively at the sound of her full name.
"Well Kenji, Sanzenin, was being particularly fresh at gym today, grabbing at me and stuff. So Yuske, my knight in shining gym shorts, came over and beat the hell out of him." Her face turned from mock sweetness to acting out the blows, as she described the events, speaking more like a boy than a girl.
"So this Kenji actually got a punch in?" Ranma asked surprised knowing the boy’s skill.
"No, I walked into a telephone poll on the way home after being held after for fighting. Riei was distracting me. That’s the last time I help you!" The boy turned to the girl removing his hand from his battered nose.
"Hey! Who asked you to? I could have taken him easily, besides I waited for you after school didn’t I."
"What exactly distracted you?" Akane asked as all three stared at him in wonder.
"I don’t want to discuss it anymore." He looked off to the side frustrated thinking back to the events that led to this moment.



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Riei stood waiting outside leaning against the stone wall that surrounded the school glancing absently at her watch. She wore her school uniform, a tan pleated skirt that reached her knees, white dress shirt and a gold vest, all in a state of total disarray. Her long dark red hair was tied back in a loose braid leaving lots of wisps framing her lovely face. Yuske came out of the building looking annoyed, but his expression quickly brightened when he saw her waiting for him. They walked side by side beyond the gates and down the street.
"I don’t know what you thought you were doing." She said breaking the silence.
"He was a jerk, what would you expect me to do let him grope my best friend. Maybe I should have asked him if he wanted another!" Yuske tried to hold back his anger but just looking at the distracted expression on her face made the fire in his soul burn hotter.
"It didn’t have anything to do with you. It was between him and me." She said calmly.
"You say that as if you don’t mind. You would have done something to him right?"
"Of course, don’t be ridiculous." She spoke quietly never looking at him as she walked on ahead. He pondered her words as he walked on, straight into the telephone pole.



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"Yuske why don't you go and clean up before your training." Akane told the boy. He obeyed and walked away, knowing his way around the Saotome home. Akane gathered up the boy's belongings and started to clean the dining area while her daughter rifled through her backpack.
"Riei, why do you two fight so much?"
"I dunno, just friends fooling around." She said listlessly as she leafed through her biology book.
"You two have been best friends since you were little. Don't you think you are becoming more than that now." The girl looked up from her schoolwork disgusted.
"Mom, no way! Yuske is my best friend. Besides he is a guy and a perverted one at that. Course all men seem to be perverts now a days." She said frustrated with all the boys lavishing their affections on her recently. "When did they all become dribbling jerks?"
"They can't ALL be that bad, can they?"
"Dad is the only normal guy I know of." Akane giggled.
"She sounds like you in your tomboy youth." Ranma teasingly poked his wife's side. She quickly hit him with a nearby vase.
"I'm gonna get changed into my gi."
"Check on Yuske will you?"
Riei nodded heading in the same direction as the bleeding boy, his backpack in hand. She gave the bathroom door a gentle rap.
"Hey, you alive?" She slowly opened the door and found the boy standing in front of the sink a hand gripping either side of the basin. His shirt lay on the floor by his feet; his hair and face dripping wet.
"Barely." He looked deep into her crystal blue eyes. She handed him a towel from the shelf to her side. Her face flushed watching his muscles flex while he dried himself off. She remembered dressing together as children, inseparable. They had taken hundreds of baths together in this very room.
"I ah, gotta get my gi on, meet you in the dojo." She dropped his backpack and closed the door to the bathroom behind her. Leaning up against the door she thought to herself, 'Mom is crazy.'



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All the students were lined up bowing to Ranma. Riei and Yuske were side by side in the front row. A few kids around their age from school were students as well. Most of the class was building endurance and balance, only a few students had risen to the higher aspects of Anything-Goes martial arts. Riei, Yuske, Yuske’s friend Kirasato and Riei’s cousin Sakura were the only students to advance that far.
"Ok pair off for sparing, when your opponent is knocked out attack another student until there is only one of you left standing. Remember rule one of Anything-Goes Martial Arts, be prepared for anything at anytime. Yuske and Riei immediately stood back to back facing their sparing partners.
"Just the way I like it." Riei commented looking back at Yuske who turned to give her a nod. After taking their respective opponents out in a matter of seconds the other students began to fall in one after another to attack the school’s two best martial artists. None could stand for more than a few seconds before being sent flying across the room. Riei attacked with unbelievable speed in her punches and Yuske’s strength only required one or two kicks at the most to render his opponent immobile. When all of the students lay to waste around them the two turned and faced each other panting.
"Only one left standing that’s what the man said." Riei said grinning at him.
"Well I don’t normally like beating up girls but in your case I’ll make an exception." He returned her grin and charged with a series of punches. She weaved left and right knowing the strength of just one punch would probably knock her straight across the room. She dropped to the ground to sweep his legs he vaulted over her head and rolled to his feet behind her. She was immediately on her feet throwing her own attack of punches, unable to avoid he chose to block the blows with the palms of his hands leaving him with a tingling feel in his wrists.
She connected a kick to his chest, which he absorbed staggering back only a foot or two. He smirked at her and took his fighting stance. She narrowed her eyes preparing for another attack when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked to see her father smiling at her.
"I think we’ll be here for a while if I let you two continue." The two turned to their sensei and bowed. "Ok enough fun, everyone on the floor stretching."
"Ugh." Riei exclaimed, she hated stretching, "Come on Yuske."
They both got down on the floor; legs spread their feet touching. With their hands locked pushing against each other. Riei grinned at him testing his strength against her own, when a beautiful young girl in a familiar school uniform walked past the doorway catching Yuske’s attention. His eyes followed her to the house were she disappeared inside. Riei’s blood started to boil as she watched him ogle her sister. She took her right hand from his without him moving a muscle and punched him in the face. His head bobbed back and the blood started to flow again abruptly waking from his stupor.
"What the heck did you do that for!" His hand flew to his nose
"You were distracted." She got up and walked away leaving him to stare after her stunned. She walked to the bench near the door where his towel lay and threw it at him. ‘All women are insane.’ He thought to himself.
"Alright class is over." Sighs and grumbling came from all over and all the students but four ran from the dojo. Ranma walked over to his daughter and put his hand on her shoulder. "You ok? You hit Yuske pretty hard."
"Yeah he just wasn’t paying attention." She shrugged and looked away.
"Your temper might get the better of you someday." He walked back to the house and left the remaining students. Riei looked back at Yuske being watched by Kirasato and Sakura. She walked over and sat next to him her legs folded under her.
"Sorry I didn’t mean to hit you so hard."
"Oh it was nothing." He said looking away, knowing this would irritate her.
"Yah sure cuz I could try it again." She held up her fist, then lowered it slightly when she saw he was smiling at her. Her heart seemed to melt a little, and she sat back on her legs.
"You two are too much." Said the Chinese boy, Kirasato.
"You’re fighting was even better today have two been practicing together." Sakura asked sweetly, sitting demurely across from her cousin.
"I dunno, I guess." Riei replied. The four sat and talked for awhile before breaking apart. Kirasato and Yuske walked home together as Yuske was staying with a friend who lived nearby.
"Riei is becoming a more beautiful flower everyday, don’t you think Yuske?"
"I guess, I haven’t noticed. She is more of a pain however."
"But you two are still best friends right?"
"Of course, we’re still as close as ever." Yuske was surprised by all the sudden questions from his friend.
"Close? How close are you two?"
"I dunno, close. She’s my best friend."
"Then you two don’t…I mean you two haven’t…or aren’t like…"
"NO! We don’t and we certainly haven’t and we definitely are NOT!" He was outraged how could he think such a thing. His response echoed through his mind, ‘don’t ____, haven’t ____, are not ____’ he was afraid to fill in the blanks.
"Good."
"Huh?"
"Cuz I think that she is extremely attractive and would like to…" Yuske stopped mid-stride. "Do you think you could help me?"
"ME! Why do you want me to help you?"
"You know her the best, I’m sure you could figure out how she feels."
"Great now I am a matchmaker."
"I mean that is unless you don’t want to because you would be jealous."
"What are you talking about, I would be happy to set the two of you up! I think you make a perfect couple." With that he started to hurriedly walk toward both houses. ‘Jealous, ridiculous. Of what!’ The two separated and each made their way to their respective house. Kirasato into the Cat Cafe and Yuske into Ucchan’s.
"I’m home!"
"You’re a bit late today, were you held after school again?" Ukyo asked from behind the grill she was scrubbing.
"Yes, I got into a little fight." He shrugged his shoulders trying to make it seem like no big deal.
"What happened?" Yuske’s father walked into the dining area from the kitchen. "I’m sure that Riei had something to do with it."
"Some jerk was groping her in gym class so I clocked him." He mashed his fist into his palm to accentuate his point.
"It’s good that you feel you need to defend your girlfriend’s honor, but you have to stop getting into trouble like this."
"She is not my girlfriend! Why can’t people understand we are friends-just friends." Yuske stomped off frustrated leaping up the stairs to the apartment above the restaurant.
"He looks so much like you when he’s angry. Maybe Ranma can get through to him, why don’t you discuss the both of them with him tomorrow night when we all get together for dinner." A dark cloud seemed to pass across the man’s face for a moment then he looked as his friend with a smile.
"That’s sounds like a good idea. Thanks for letting him stay with you while I take care of the final arrangements on our house."
"No problem. I still don’t understand why he isn’t staying with Ranma, since he is his sensei." She took her eyes from him and continued to clean the grill and put away the last few bottles of soy sauce.
"I don’t want him to spend every waking minute with Ranma training, besides I think he would be a bad influence on the young girls."
"Ryoga, you make your son sound like a delinquent. He really is a very respectful young man."
"He is still a little too much like Ranma in his youth for my liking, he is MY son." Ukyo held her tongue for a moment not wanting to say something she would regret. She took a deep breath and continued the conversation.
"Actually I think he is exactly like you were, except he isn’t carrying the weight of the world. In that way he is like his mother."



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Yuske’s head hit the pillow hard as he came crashing down on the futon in the spare room of the apartment above the restaurant. ‘What a day.’ He thought reflecting back on the days events ‘Ha-girlfriend, she is barely a girl!’ He looked around the room at all his earthly belongings neatly packed away in cardboard boxes. ‘How long will I stay here? What is this, the fourth home, since…’ He rolled over onto his side, wiping the self-pity aside, he loathed people who felt sorry for themselves.



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The boys left to go home leaving the two girls in the dojo stretching. Riei jumped to her feet leaving Sakura sitting cross-legged on the floor. She began to review her kata extending her arms and legs with great skill. Sakura observed admiring her cousin’s well-built body wishing she had as many curves.
"Riei can I ask you a question?"
"Shoot." She continued her movement, concentration written on her face, as the young girl looked at her earnestly.
"Are you and Yuske, you know?"
"Are we What?" Riei stopped noticing the girl’s seriousness.
"You know. Do you like each other, are you dating?"
"Yuske, the pervert. He is my friend." Riei thought she might burst out laughing her and Yu-Yuske, it was definitely laughable.
"I wish I had your confidence when it comes to men. If you two aren’t an item do you think you could ask him out for me?"
"You’re kidding, why can’t you?" Riei couldn’t figure out what the big deal was. Sakura was an extremely pretty girl, slender and graceful. She had straight blonde hair that reached two inches or so past her shoulders and lovely creamy white skin.
"I just couldn’t, you know him find out how he feels. Please! He is so cute and strong."
"Alright, but I still think it’s strange." The young girl gave her a rib-breaking hug and ran out of the dojo excitedly. ‘She is crazy, I mean strong sure, but cute?’ She flashed back to seeing him in the bathroom without his shirt. She flushed a bit then shrugged it off and continued to train by herself.



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The next day Yuske and Riei walked together to school silently each wondering how they should bring up the dating subject.
"Nice day huh?"
"Yup sure is."
"So your dad and Ukyo are coming over for dinner tonight?"
"Yup." They both nodded, as they walked not saying another word until they reached school. They walked through the crowd of kids gathering in the front yard waiting until the last minute to enter. A student walking by suddenly struck Riei in the shoulder.
"Oh sorry it is a little crowded today." The young man smiled at her serenely from behind his dark green eyes.
"No problem Masamoto." She returned his smile loosing herself momentarily in the handsome face above her.
"Are you ok? I didn’t hurt you did I?" He put his hand lightly on her shoulder. Yuske quickly removed it.
"She is just fine. She won’t break." He glared down at the stranger being a good seven to eight inches taller. Yuske was only 16 and already taller than most of the boys in the senior class, he was quickly catching up to his father and sensei.
"Yuske, Masamoto is a friend, he is in one of my classes."
"I think we have class together as well, study hall, isn’t that right Yuske?" The boy smiled at him trying his best to be friendly.
"Yeah." Yuske replied. He didn’t like him for no good reason whatsoever.
"Don’t worry, Yuske’s not as scary as he looks. I’ll see you in French later." She waved as he walked away watching Yuske glare at him out of the corner of her eye.
"You take FRENCH with HIM?"
"Yeah what is your problem, he is very nice and very cute." She turned her gaze from Yuske to watch Masamoto walk away completely missing the annoyed look he was giving her. She held him in her eyes for a few minutes with a thoughtful expression.
"In fact he may be the only non-perverted guy at this school." She hummed to herself bringing her hand up to her mouth thinking.
"Hey, what is that supposed to mean?"
"Do me a favor, ask him what he thinks about me today in study hall." She said disregarding his question, looking up at him hopefully.
"Sure I will just play matchmaker for everyone then." He walked ahead leaving her to ponder his enigmatic remark. Suddenly the same heavenly raven-haired beauty walked by him. Riei caught up to him, but he was too preoccupied to notice.
"Hello!" She waved her hand in front of his face which he grabbed while turning to face her.
"I’ll do your favor if you do one for me. Ask your sister what she thinks of me."
‘This must be the season for love.’ She thought. "I will tell you right now, she doesn’t know you exist."
"Come on at least try for me. I will talk to Masamoto. We could do a double date thing." ‘And I could maybe invite Kirasato.’ He smiled pleading with her. Then the two noticed that they were holding hands and making quite a scene. They quickly released each other blushing.
"Alright, I’ll do it!" They nodded in agreement and walked to separate homerooms.



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"Riei is playing with the girls today?" One of the boys noticed from the bench on the baseball field.
"She likes volleyball better than baseball." Yuske shrugged as he watched her jump to spike the ball over the net. Her feminine body in perfect form, her muscular legs extending, the force of her arm hitting the ball and her bouncy descent back to earth. Perfect. Of course all the other boys on the bench were watching that latter part of this with great interest.
"I like her playing volleyball better too!" All the boys gave a nervous laugh. "I don’t think any other girl has such large breasts." The boys’ faces were plastered to the fence watching her bounce around the court.
"Hey!" Yuske was outrage by their comments.
"Yuske, I know she is your friend but come on." They all stared at him intently, surrounding him on all sides closing in. "You gotta tell us. You must have gotten a feel once or twice."
"What are you guys talking about! We aren’t like that!" He held up his hands in protest.
"Yeah yeah yeah. But all that sparing you do together you’ve never gotten a feel or seen anything?"
"Those outfits you wear are awful loose, you must have seen something?" Another boy chimed in.
"I have never seen or felt anything nor do I want to! Now why can’t anyone understand that we are friends!" After all that fuss none of the boys were paying attention to him, she spiked another ball. They clung to the fence drooling. He hung his head and sighed with frustration.
"I love gym." One of the boys said admiring her gym outfit. "You are a lucky guy I wish I was as close as you are to her. Even just as a friend." He gave up on them and glanced at Riei. Her face beamed, they were obviously winning. ‘If she is on the team how could they not.’ He thought to himself letting a smile cross his face and he laughed quietly.
Some of the girls became aware of the boys’ scrutiny and started to giggle. Riei looked back saw Yuske and smiled. She waved to him excitedly as the other girls continued to blush. All the boys turned to look at him as he gave a small wave back a crooked smile on his face.
"What!" The boys all scowled at him.
"All that affection wasted on a friend." Disgusted they went back to baseball.
"Hmph! That wasn’t too friendly." Riei felt she deserved more, but went back to her volleyball game.



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Yuske sat in study hall feverishly trying to finish the revisions to his History assignment before next period. While glancing around the room deep in thought he spied Masamoto sitting by the window and remembered his obligation to Riei. Yuske walked over to the Masamoto table, being careful not to attract any attention from the teacher. Startled, Masamoto looked up at his visitor.
"Yuske isn’t it? What can I do for you?"
"Look, I don’t do this often, but what are you doing tonight?" Yuske absently looked around the room for a moment before settling his annoyed expression on Masamoto.
"Well, I don’t have any plans, but I’m not sure I’m the kinda guy you think I am."
"Not for me yah jerk. Ugh! Let’s start over." Masamoto nodded slightly fearful of the boy’s temper. Yuske took a deep breath and started again.
"Riei, do you like her?"
"Sure she is very pretty, but isn’t she kinda violent." Yuske felt he might be losing his chance at Maiyuka.
"Oh no, she is really a shy little thing on the inside, she is waiting for a man to take care of her. I think you two would make a good couple."
"Well she is very nice…"
"Great how about we get together tonight, we can do a double date thing." He paused. "You and Riei and Maiyuka and me. OK?"
"I guess that sounds like fun."
"Good be at the Korean BBQ around seven-ish." Yuske pounded the table and walked back to his seat. Masamoto was wondering if this was really such a good idea, when a pretty young girl caught his eye and stopped at his table.



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Finally the day was over. Riei ran over to Yuske and tried to punch him from behind, but he caught her fist in midair.
"So we are on for tonight. At least my side is done." Riei forgot all about hers, but she remembered telling Sakura that her and Yuske would go out that night.
"Sure…Mine too." ‘Sort of’
"Great." He could hardly wait for his date with Maiyuka.
"Oh and Sakura is coming, you don’t mind right?"
"No I’ll invite Kirasato, it’ll be perfect." ‘Perfect.’ He thought.
"Yup." They both walked home together devilishly planning the night events not noticing the others silence. When they got to the dojo Maiyuka was already home and Yuske was already in a trance. ‘Idiot.’ Riei thought to herself.
"There is no practice today kids I have to help your mother get ready for company. You can spar together." Ranma yelled out from inside the kitchen.
"OK. Hey Pop, Yuske, Maiyuka and I are going out for dinner tonight so you only have to cook for four."
"You aren’t staying for my cooking!" Akane was through the kitchen door in a flash armed with a wire whisk covered in white goo. "You aren’t trying to avoid dinner at home are you?"
"No, of course not mom." She lowered her voice slightly. "It’s just kind of a date."
"A date? You and Yuske on a date!" Akane held her whisk with both hands speaking in a high pitched voice.
"No Masamoto and me!" Akane dropped her shoulders in disappointment.
"Well ok, but don’t be home too late." Riei nodded respectively to her mother.
"BLECK! Akane WHAT did you put in this!"
"Ranma, you’re supposed to be helping, not insulting!" Akane spun on her heal and walked back into the kitchen. A loud crash and shouting emanated from the behind the door, but soon the murmur of soft voices was left in their stead. Riei sighed and looked out into the yard where Maiyuka and Yuske were sitting by the koi pond. Maiyuka was smiling while Yuske fumbled over his words. ‘Like I would wanna go out with THAT.’
"Yuske! YUSKE!"
"Huh, what?"
"Are we going to spar or what?" She folded her arms over her chest a frown on her face.
"Oh yeah." He smiled at Maiyuka and made his way to the bathroom to change while Riei went up to her room. Alone in her room she stood in front of her mirror hands on her hips. She examined her reflection for several minutes. The school uniform hugged her form tightly in places and hung loosely in others.
"I guess I’m not petite and feminine like Maiyuka or Sakura." The vest she wore extenuated her ample bosom. "I could be dainty…if I weren’t so round everywhere."
She removed the vest and pulled the shirt out from her skirt in the hopes it wouldn’t look so tight. It didn’t help. She unbuttoned the top two buttons, but it only made her cleavage easier to see. She took the shirt off completely in frustration, tossing it to the floor. She stood still in the middle of her room starring down at her full chest in the lacey white bra utterly disgusted.
"There is no way to get rid of them! UGH!" She shouted at the top of her lungs. The yell startled Yuske who was leaning outside her door waiting for her to finish dressing. He opened the door and rushed in knocking her to the ground, he stumbled, and followed her down. Unfortunately Yuske was not the only person to hear her cry. Ranma, Akane and their two guests, Ukyo and Ryoga also rushed upstairs to investigate.
Yuske raised his head from Riei’s chest looking up into her red face. "I-I heard you yell and-and" He gulped loudly hearing four sets of feet come to a halt in the bedroom doorway.
"HAI!" The four adults parted to allow Yuske to fly through the door and crashed into the wall. The bedroom door slammed shut and Yuske regained consciousness to four angry faces looking down at him. He barely escaped the questions of what he was doing and if it was something he did often. He hid in the dojo until things died down.
A few minutes past and Riei walked into the dojo fiddling her fingers, her face a light shade of pink. Yuske looked her up and down she wore loose fitting black cotton pants and a white tank top. She walked over to the corner of the room and picked her white gi top up off the mat.
"I left it here this morning." She said quietly returning his stare. Yuske felt the blood rush to his cheeks when their eyes met and quickly examined the floor.
"I’m sorry. It was an accident." He bowed to her. She slid the top over her shoulders pulling her ponytail out from the back of her shirt. He spied up at her from his bowing position.
"It’s ok, I’m sorry I hit you so hard. I mean it’s not like we have never seen each other naked or anything. We used to take baths together as kids."
"You’re right. I guess there isn’t anything to be embarrassed about, right?"
"Right." They both smiled relieved. They prepared to spare, taking their fighting stances. He grinned at her. "Still you’ve definitely changed since then."
"Pervert!" She shouted appalled by his statement and charged at him. The two fought for hours blissfully unaware of the conversation going on in the kitchen between their parents.



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"Just like his old man, eh Ryoga?" Ranma elbowed his friend in the side.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Ryoga pounded Ranma in the head with his fist.
"Well I think it might help their relationship." Ukyo said to Akane.
"I think today is definitely the day!" Akane beamed at the thought of their impending declaration.
"Then we’re agreed, tonight." The two men looked at each other seriously and nodded their approval.



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"Haha, I got you good that time." The girl said landing on her feet sticking her tongue out. She lowered herself to a sitting position on the floor panting out of breath.
"Never! I can take you anytime." He stood defiantly, his eyes roaming to the doorway to see if he could spy the beautiful Maiyuka.
"Are yah sure you can’t be DISTRACTED?" She gave him a crooked smile.
"Positively." He snapped back.
"Are you sure you can handle your hormones?" She extended her legs sexily throwing her head back while she looked up at him seriously. He swallowed loudly.
"Absolutely."
"Fine. Let’s go again and we’ll see if you can keep your focus." She jumped to her feet launching herself at his midsection following with a sweep at his legs. He sidestepped the punch but barely jumped to avoid the second attack. The fighting continued he blocked with all his strength and she evaded attacks with her immense speed.
They had been fighting for hours and were beginning to feel the strain. Riei was breathing heavily the front of her gi hung loose showing a generous amount of her heaving chest. For a moment Yuske became distracted by an image of their previous encounter. Riei took this opportunity to knock him to the floor with a kick to the face. He lay flat on his back wondering what he did in life to deserve such punishment.
"You know your libido will be your down fall." She leaned over him on her knees exposing more cleavage. He threw his head back slamming into the floor. She giggled and held his head in her hands.
"Well maybe I won’t always be fighting such well endowed opponents." He pulled her down and rolled on top of her. Her eyes widened with shock. "You play dirty you know, guys can’t do things like that."
He looked down into her limpid blue eyes making a light shiver pass through her. He got up quickly and turned his back to her. He pulled his shirt off and started to wipe the perspiration from his chest.
"Oh I don’t know about that." She said watching his well-toned muscles at work. She leapt to her feet and he began to laugh. He chased her around the dojo and out into the yard. Where their parents stood and watched.
"It’s good to see you both getting along now." Akane smiled at her red haired daughter lovingly.
"Ah yeah just an accident Ma." They both seemed uneased by their parents’ expressions.
"Well good we have some news for you." Akane looked over at her husband he nodded in return.
"Riei, Yuske. Your father and I have decided that it is time that you two become formally engaged. To each other. And that you should continue the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts." Ranma spoke unwaveringly his arms across his chest. Ryoga looked at his son evenly.
"WHAT!" The two yelled looking at each other.
"You are both my best students and you already like each other so it is perfect."
"But we are just friends we can’t…" Riei couldn’t finish her sentence.
"Well it is all settled. Don’t worry everything will workout." Akane smiled at the two dumb struck children.



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"Look there is no use in us arguing over this it’s obvious they have made up their minds." Yuske brushed the hair from his eyes not looking down at his female companion.
"You mean you think we should…" She stopped walking and stared at her best friend turned fiancé. He turned and looked down at her thoughtfully, looking deep into her eyes.
"Of course not." A wide grin crept across his face as he watched the blood return to her features. "I am just saying that we should be in this together. We can think of a way out of this mess."
She wiped the bead of sweat from her brow and nodded. "Sounds like a plan, now let’s get on with our dates."
Each giggled mischievously and resumed their walk through the Nerima shopping district. They finally arrived at the restaurant. They turned, gave each other a smile and entered. Their friends had arrived before them and were already eating. Yuske glanced at his watch they were not late in fact they were a few minutes early.
"Have you guys been here long?" Riei said returning Yuske’s questioning look.
"Oh I don’t know, about an hour." Kirasato said pausing his laughter only to be sent back into hysterics by a look from Sakura.
"Really that long." Yuske was completely puzzled Kirasato was barely making eye contact with him.
"Yup well," Sakura continued to swallow her food looking at Masamoto sweetly. "I learned from Masamoto that Maiyuka was coming and Kirasato found out that I was coming, well you get the picture. So we decided to all come together."
She smiled at Riei so sweetly that it burnt a hole straight through her heart. ‘Do they know?’ Yuske and Riei thought to themselves, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads.
"How nice." Was all Yuske could say. He watched horrified as Kirasato received a pleasant smile from Maiyuka.
"Will you be joining us?" Masamoto looked at the two dazed figures standing at the end of the table.
"Oh yeah of course." Riei faked a smile and sat down at the end of the table pulling Yuske down with her. Kirasato and Sakura continued to laugh and joke with Maiyuka and Masamoto respectively, never glancing back in their direction.
Riei fiddled with the straw from her drink balancing it in her teeth, while Yuske made confetti out of his napkin. All and all the night went rather smoothly. When the check arrived Kirasato yawned and stood, glancing at Sakura from the corner of his eyes.
"Well that was great. Thanks for treating us to dinner, you guys are great." Yuske and Riei’s eyes bulged as they surveyed at the bill. Yuske rose to his feet to protest, but Kirasato was already looking away at Maiyuka.
"That was so sweet of you." She smiled at Yuske and he melted.
"You really don’t have to." Masamoto remarked standing. Yuske soon recovered and was about to say something when he felt Riei’s hand on his arm.
"No problem it WAS our idea. Why don’t you two go on home, we need to have a word with Kirasato and Sakura."
"OK I’ll see you at home sis." The two left the four friends standing around the table.
"I guess I deserved this, but how…" Riei looked at Sakura exasperated at which question to ask first.
"Look let’s not get into this, needless to say each of you owes each of us for some trickery you have done." Kirasato said, while Riei and Yuske looked at each other questioningly knowing their own part in the deception not the others.
"We don’t need to dredge up all the messy details, let’s just leave it with you guys owe us. Agreed?" Sakura nodded at Kirasato, he returned the gesture.
"Sure, I guess."
"If it gets us off the hook." Riei and Yuske shrugged at each other and the four parted ways. Yuske walked Riei back home.
"Gee we got off easy." ‘Well at least I did.’ Yuske thought to himself.
"Yeah sure did." ‘It’s obvious why Sakura wanted to, but Kirasato…"
"Hey you didn’t-" They said in unison the same thought obviously crossing through both their minds. "Oh never mind."
"I’m starved we didn’t even get to eat."
"Come on, I’ll find you something at home."
"Wasn’t your mom cooking tonight?"
"Don’t worry Pop was supervising." They turned and continued to walk on into the night together.



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Next Chapter Synopsis: The Peddler from Jusenkyo, A strange Chinese peddler arrives in Nerima and our five teenagers fight over who will purchase his wares. Riei, Yuske and Kirasato are looking for a way to cure their cursed parents, Kenji is only interested in revenge and Sakura is just caught in the middle. Will our heroes find a cure without getting themselves cursed? Do I really need to answer?




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The Peddler from Jusenkyo

"After about 10 or so years of mild weather here in Tokyo meteorologists are expecting an extraordinary change in the weather patterns. People can expect a sixty percent increase in precipitation. These stories and more on tonight’s 6:00 news…"
"Ugh!" Ranma turned down the volume on the television set and joined his wife and daughters for breakfast.
"Well honey you always were a water magnet." Akane giggled while refilling her husband’s coffee.
"Yeah, but at least we were having a lot less unexpected rainstorms the last few years."
"That’s El Nino for yah Pop." Akane frowned at her youngest daughter as she munched loudly while talking. The red head shrank noticeably at the glare and slowed her eating. "I better get going, don’t wanna be late for school."
"Riei can you try to be on time coming home today."
"Ah sure Ma, what’s up?" The girl looked worriedly at her mother as she gathered up her book bag.
"I just have something I want to discuss with you." Akane happily smiled at her daughter.




"Why is it that I end up standing here every morning watching everybody else go to school on time?" Yuske leaned against the fence above the drainage ditch.
"It’s not my fault things just always happen."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah let’s get going." The two began the walk to school together.
"Sensei wants to have a word with me before training today?"
"Yup, he said he would be VERY disappointed if you were late today."
"I wonder what we are going to talk about. Maybe he wants to discuss the future of the dojo with me." Yuske clasped his hands together excitedly.
"Yeah he is dying for your advice."
"Shut up." Yuske frowned looking ahead. A strange looking old man was pushing a wooden cart down the sidewalk. The old man wore a long white robe with blue markings on the front. He looked Chinese, with long gray hair and white whiskers two feet in length.
"Nihao!" The old man bowed to the two youths before him.
"Nihao, do you need some help with that?" Yuske asked motioning to the cart.
"Thank you kid sir you please direct to Nerima shopping center?"
"Sure just take a right and follow this road and you’ll be right there."
"Oh thank you." The old man nodded and then looked thoughtfully at Riei. She inched away feeling a little uncomfortable.
"Young miss please to give piece of your hair?"
"You want some of my hair?" The old man nodded rummaging through the contents of his cart. He pulled out a glass sphere filled with a stirring grayish smoke.
"I give for hair." The old man smiled. Riei eyed the orb and then the old man.
"Well alright but only a little ok?" The old man nodded anxiously and fished out a pair of gold scissors from his cart. Riei grabbed the end of her braid and loosened the thin white ribbon letting her hair fall all around her face. She turned her back on the old man and Yuske.
"Is perfect." The old man excitedly cut a strand of her wavy red hair and placed it in a silk pouch.
"What do you want it for anyway?" Yuske asked.
"Virgins hair very powerful. This most powerful I see in 100 years."
"Hmph, why didn’t you take his hair too?" Riei smirked putting her hair back into the loose braid. "Hey, so what’s so powerful about it?"
"Is tremendous aura, lots of magic surrounds it." The man bowed repeatedly and made his way down the side street.
"Wow, I wonder what he meant by all that?" Yuske said watching his retreating figure.
"Damn I should have held out for those throwing knives he had on the cart." Riei examined the swirling mass of gray and white inside the clear glass ball. She placed it in her backpack and glanced at her watch.
"Ah jeez we’re late!" She grabbed hold of Yuske’s wrist and yanked him down the street as she tore up the pavement in her haste.




Riei yawned loudly squinting her eyes at the black board. ‘Boring. Who needs to know any of this stuff anyway.’ She straightened in her chair searching in her backpack. She pulled out the glass sphere and placed it at the edge of her desk. She stared at it cocking her head the grayish matter moved sluggishly thickening slightly. The teacher continued to lecture the class on the great literary poets of the eighteenth century. Riei took the ribbon from her hair and examined the soft waves.
‘Powerful magic, huh? And to think I wear it on my head everyday.’ She giggled to herself and continued to look thoughtfully at the enigmatic orb.
Yuske turned from his book to where Riei sat two seats over from himself. She looked distracted, playing with her hair. She took a deep breath straightening in her chair. Slowly she ran her fingers through her hair bringing it up into a ponytail. He watched her eyes close as she twisted the dark red hair making a loose bun a few strands hung loosely around her face in perfect ringlets. All at once she dropped the bun and let it unfold down her back.
Suddenly she was gone and all the world was black. Yuske felt the sting of the ruler hitting his head work its way down his neck. Reflexively he moved his hands to the top of his head where they were also struck with callous force
"Oww! What?!" Yuske turned in his chair to find his teacher, Ms. Fujihama, glaring down at him.
"Do you think you can keep your hormones under control enough to pay attention for the rest of today’s lesson."
"Sorry ma’am." He bowed his head and she walked back to the front of the classroom. Yuske turned up his head to look at Riei who was giving him a questioning look. He turned his eyes back to the book in front of him and tried to fight down the burning sensation in his cheeks.




"Haha, made it through today without being held after. Won’t sensei be proud." Yuske beamed as he and Riei walked through the gates to the Saotome Dojo.
"It was dicey for awhile there. I thought for sure that Ms. Fujihama was going to make you stay after. What did you do anyway?"
"Nothing…I don’t wanna talk about it."
"Jeez you are so touchy." The two kids stopped outside the doorway on the stone walkway. Ranma and Akane were waiting outside the house.
"Ah, hi yah Ma, Pop." Riei smiled nervously.
"Sensei, Ms. Saotome." Yuske nodded. Akane led Riei inside while Ranma brought Yuske up to the roof.




The two men sat on the ridge of the roof the breeze blow through their hair and rustling their clothes. Ranma looked up into the sky, barely a cloud in sight. Yuske twiddled his thumbs looking down into the yard.
"Um sensei, what did you wanna talk to me about?" Yuske asked timidly. Ranma continued to look around absently not responding. He took a deep breath and looked to his student, Yuske shrank under his close inspection.
"Yuske I’m not going to ask you how you feel about this engagement. Furthermore I am not going to ask you if you love my daughter." Yuske nearly slipped his footing on the last remark. "But I do want you to know that I was a young man once and I understand what it is like to be engaged at your age."
At that point Ranma rose to his feet, Yuske watched him walk past him to the edge of the ridge. Yuske got to his feet and stood beside him. Ranma turned to him with lightening speed.
"So I want you to know that I am in no way GIVING my daughter to you!" Ranma started to shout at the young man making him back away. "She is a sweet INNOCENT girl and she had better stay that way for your sake!"
"Um…ah…" Yuske stuttered backing further away, toward the edge of the roof.
"She will be your wife, but until then she is still my daughter. If you so much as lay a finger on her I will show you more about martial arts then you ever wanted to know!"
"AHHH!" Yuske finally stepped beyond the roof’s edge and lost his footing.




"What’s up Ma? You and Pop are acting weird." Riei said watching her mother close the door to her room. She turned and smiled at her daughter.
"Oh Riei!" She hugged the young girl squeezing the breath out of her turning them both around so Riei faced the window.
"W-what?" Akane let go and held her daughter at arms length.
"I’m so happy that things will finally be working out for you and Yuske."
"Ma, about the engagement…"
"Now listen to me Riei I lost my mother when I was very young and never benefited from her knowledge. I don’t want that to happen with us."
"Um, ok…"
"I know how things can be at this age, all sorts of new emotions and hormones." Akane dug into her pocket and pulled out a package of condoms. Riei’s eyes bulged out of her head and her face turned a bright crimson. "I don’t want to be the kind of mother a young girl can’t talk to and I know times are different from when I was growing up. So I want you to take these."
Riei took the package and held them in front of her speechless, a blank look on her face.
"I know how it feels to love someone and to want to be with them. I want you and Yuske to be happy. Oh my little girl." Suddenly she grabbed the girl in another bone crushing hug. Riei stood stiffly her arm still extended holding the prophylactics. From outside the window Yuske dropped down one arm extended upward.
Their eyes met, her brow furrowed with confusion. He looked at the thing in her hand and began to stutter words incoherently. With incredible speed and strength he was yanked up to the roof again. He hung by his arm at eye level with Ranma his legs dangling beneath him over the edge of the roof.
"Don’t think I’m going to let you off the hook that easily. Now I know you won’t disappoint me son." Ranma dropped him on his back onto the tiles of the roof and left him to his thoughts.
"When did my life get so complicated?"




‘That was not my mother. Some strange woman has come and replaced her.’ Riei stopped at the last step thinking to herself. ‘Didn’t Pop once mention some special pond or something that made someone look just like mom.’
She stepped down and walked to the front door, once outside she turned to close the door behind her. A figure flashed behind her jumping down from atop the porch. She turned to find herself face to face with Yuske. They looked awkwardly into each others eyes both stumbling over what to say.
"I…don’t wanna talk about it." They both said turning away. They each made a slide long glance at the other and decided some things were better left undiscussed.
"Wanna grab a bite, I don’t feel much like sparing today."
"Yeah sure, let’s go." Riei answered exasperated and all too happy to leave the house and her parents.




"Hey you two wait up!"
"Huh?" Both turned around to find Kirasato running through the crowd of people lining the streets outside the Cat Café.
"Well hello there." He said catching up with them walking on Riei’s other side opposite Yuske.
"Hey." Riei smiled pleasantly at the young Chinese boy. Kirasato looked thoughtfully at the beautiful red head beside him and adjusted his thin wire rimmed glasses nervously. He let the long bangs of his dark blue hair fall into his face to obscure his staring eyes.
"Um Riei, I wanted to ask you something." The boy said softly dropping his gaze to the pavement below his feet. Yuske turned to look a frown crossing over his face.
"Shoot." Riei replied keeping her eyes forward looking at the many shops and cafés before them. A strange wooden cart caught her eye and she examined it closer.
"Well I was wondering if you would like to come and have dinner at the restaurant tonight?" Kirasato held his breath for the reply.
"Sure." She stopped were she stood and examined the cart from earlier, Yuske and Kirasato also stopped both staring at her. "Hey isn’t that the guy from before?"
"Hm? Oh yeah the weird old man who bought your hair." She went racing over to the old man the two boys following closely behind.
"Nihao!" She exclaimed smiling brightly at the elderly Chinese man.
"Oh, nihao." The man said bowing to the three youths. They each returned his gesture. Riei was too eager to contain herself.
"Hey I really love that orb-thingy you gave me last time. What other stuff you got stashed on that cart of yours?" Her head started to bob excitedly, as she looked through the various items, all unusual or rare, her hair lying among them. Kirasato took the wavy strand of silken red hair in his hands running it in-between his fingers. Yuske turned a crooked eye in his direction.
"Hm…" Riei stopped her rummaging when she came upon a collection of flasks marked spring water in crude Japanese handwriting. "Jeez you can get this stuff in any store. Don’t think you’ll be selling much of these."
"Oh no young miss, very special spring water from China."
"Oh yeah, what’s so special ‘bout it?" Riei picked one up examining it closely. It was labeled simply frog, Riei raised an eyebrow.
"It come from legendary cursed training ground."
"No way!" All three shouted in the old man’s face surrounding him closely.
"From Jusenkyo?" Kirasato asked.
"Yes young sir."
"How much?" Yuske asked.
"What you have trade?"
"Huh, trade? Like my hair?"
The old man nodded and the three looked at each other with both excitement and apprehension. With one last glance at the water they shot off in different directions. A figure from the ally watched them depart and slowly shrank back into the darkness.
"Cursed springs huh."




Yuske burst through the doors of Ucchan’s barely stopping to acknowledge Ukyo behind the grill.
"Yuske is everything ok?"
"Fine, just in a rush!" He flew up the stairs and immediately started to look through the boxes that lined his room. ‘There’s got to be something in all these souvenirs from Pop.’




The door to the Saotome home opened with a crash. The sound of feet furiously running through the house echoed down the hall to the kitchen where the young girl abruptly appeared.
"Well you’re home early. I thought you two were going to grab a bite to eat, where’s Yuske?" Akane said turning the faucet off and bringing the glass of water up to her lips, a bead of sweat running down her cheek.
"Mom do we have anything cool I can give away?" Riei asked anxiously.
"Anything cool?" The attractive woman said slightly out of breath placing the empty glass on the counter. She used a towel from the counter to wipe the sweat from her brow. The young looked at her questioningly.
"What you been up to?"
"Oh your father really worked me over today."
"I don’t wanna know about any of the kinky stuff you and Pop do when I’m not here." The girl said crinkling up her nose. Her mother laughed and put her arm around her.
"It’s a good thing you’ll be marrying a man as…vigorous as your father. It won’t bother you as much to talk about it."
"Gross Ma." The girl closed her eyes and covered her ears. Akane tickled her ribs and she squirmed in her arms.
"You’ll be bragging yourself one day."
"Cut it out…it’s just wrong!" ‘Mom and dad, Yuske and me…VERY wrong.’ Still she couldn’t help herself from giggling as her mother tickled the flesh of her side.
"Come on Akane I’m not done with you yet. If you want to help with more of the classes," Ranma walked in wearing an all white gi matching his wife’s. "What are you two up to?"
Ranma looked curiously at his wife and youngest daughter sending them both into further hysterics. Ranma frowned putting his arms across his chest.
"What’s so funny?"
"Nothing dear I was explaining the virtues of being a martial artist to our daughter." Riei couldn’t meet her father’s look as her mother continued to giggle. Ranma’s frown deepened and Akane tried to contain her laughter with a hand to her mouth. She walked over to her husband and kissed him on the cheek. "Really honey it was just a girl thing."
She smiled looking into his eyes and his expression softened. He bent down and kissed his wife on the lips. She reciprocated by placing her arms around his neck.
"Ugh! I gotta find something to give away and you two are grossing me out." Riei headed upstairs searching for something to trade for the water. ‘Dad will be so thrilled when I bring him home a cure.’ Riei beamed inwardly but started to get discouraged as she found nothing in her house of any interest. Her father told wondrous tales of magical items he discovered in his youth, but somehow all of them had either been lost or destroyed before she was born. She might begin to question whether all of his stories were simply fabricated for her amusement if it weren’t for his curse to constantly remind her that her father lived anything but a normal life. ‘After today everything will be different.’




Sakura adjusted the scrolls under her arm as she walked past the ice cream shop. Turning the corner visions of Yuske danced through her mind. She giggled to herself then stopped short at the side of the street.
"Huh? What is HE up to?"
"How 'bout 10,000 yen?!" Kenji was holding a fist full of money desperately offering it to the old Chinese man with the cart.
"Kind sir trade only. No need for money." The old man bowed apologetically as he spoke. Kenji dropped his head in frustration.
"What are you up to Kenji?" The young girl smiled at him. He looked her over, he knew her vaguely as one of Riei’s friends. ‘She is pretty,’ he looked her body over critically ‘but too small breasts.’
"Oh nothing-" He looked at her face his eyes squinting in thought.
"Sakura, Sakura Ono."
"Right, like cherry blossoms." ‘How appropriate.’ He thought. "I was just TRYING to buy something from this good merchant." He turned to the old man exasperated.
"What a coincidence." She smiled again displaying the sweetness of her manner. Kenji noticed the scrolls she was holding and came to life.
"Hey how much for the scrolls."
"Huh, these?"
"Yeah how much?"
"Well I was planning on trading them to get some new moxibustion scrolls for my father."
"I’ll give you 10,000 yen."
"I don’t know." She looked down at the doctor’s scrolls thoughtfully.
"Come on Sakura." He turned on a charming smile.
"What are you up to Sanzenin?" Yuske said knocking the boy in the back of the head a large ceramic bear to his right. Kenji turned around grinding his teeth at the interloper.
"Well Kenji was just offering to buy my fathers scrolls."
"Oh and whatcha planning to trade for them?"
"None of your business Habiki!" Just then a set of feet settled on Kenji’s head.
"What’s up guys?" Riei looked down at Kenji innocently before leaping to the ground.
"Kenji’s trying to steal from Sakura."
"I was not jerk!" The two boys growled at each other.
"Really he just offered to buy them." Sakura smiled apologetically to no one in particular.
"What in the world is this?" Riei examined the ceramic bear beside Yuske holding a sign that said Hakido.
"Oh, it’s a souvenir of Pop’s." Yuske held a hand behind his head trying not to look stupid.
"You were going to trade this!" Riei burst into a fit of laughter.
"I don’t see you holding anything!"
"Well I was going to try to sell my hair again." She smiled weakly at the old man.
"No need hair-already have." The old man bowed. Riei crumbled to the ground and Yuske began to laugh. "No need bear-no useful."
"What!" Yuske joined Riei in a heap on the ground.
"How about the scrolls?" Kenji said extracting them from Sakura’s hands and into the elderly man’s.
"Very useful. What you like in trade?"
"Hey wait those are my scrolls!"
"Shh, I’ll give you the 10,000 yen. I’ll take the spring of drowned frog water, thank you."
"Yes kind sir." The old man grabbed a flask from the set and began to hand it to the boy, but Sakura was there to intercept.
"These are my scrolls and I am going to get what I want to get." She stood sternly between the two. Yuske and Riei were both suddenly on either side of her staring at Kenji who just cowered under their looks.
"Right Sakura can get whatever she wants." Sakura nodded and turned toward the old man.
"I’d like-" Riei abruptly turned Sakura in her direction.
"You know that this water could get rid of my father’s curse. I’m sure Dr. Tofu wouldn’t disapprove."
"I guess but-" Yuske suddenly turned her to him, she blushed as she felt his hands on her arms Riei just glared at them.
"Sakura my father has a much worse curse then just turning into a beautiful woman. Please you have to help him."
"I’m not sure."
"Sakura you’re my cousin."
"Haven’t we been friends for a long time."
"Friendship is tentative, family is forever."
"You can’t pick your relatives, your friends are your only true loved ones."
Riei and Yuske soon tossed Sakura to the side and were arguing face to face. Sakura watched her mouth agape in disbelief. Kenji tried sneaking in behind them to get the water of drowned frog but was impeded by Yuske elbow to his head.
"What do you mean friends are tentative!"
Kenji dropped to the ground unconscious as the argument escalated even further. Meanwhile, Kirasato made his way down the street past familiar store fronts and eateries getting closer and closer to the commotion at the cart.
"Come on, at least your father keeps his gender!"
"A lot of good that does. He IS A PIG!"
"What are you two doing causing such a scene in the middle of the street?" They both turned to see their friend before them holding a flowered tin and a set of beads in his hands. The two stared at the objects in his hands and then back at each other.
"NO You Don’t!" They both shouted lunging toward him. The three of them proceeded to run circles around the cart.
"Get away from me, BOTH my parents are cursed."
"Can I please have my new scrolls now." Sakura said to the old man her arms crossed. Out of nowhere Riei popped up behind her placing her hands on Sakura’s shoulders.
"Sakura dear the cursed water?"




"Come on man help me out here!"
"No way! Get your own!"
"Don’t be such a selfish jerk!"
"I’M a jerk!" Kirasato stopped short glaring back at Yuske over his shoulder. Kenji finally regaining his consciousness rose to his feet next to the girls. He shook his head trying to shake the remaining blackness from his vision. Spinning on his heel Kirasato swung his leg and Yuske ran right into it. He was sent flying in the air directly into Kenji who broke his fall to the pavement. Yuske propped himself up on his elbows stunned by the unexpected kick form his friend.
"What was that for?" Yuske jumped to his feet and Kirasato disregarded his items taking his fighting stance.
"Who are you calling selfish?!"




"I dunno Riei I mean turning into a pig is worse than turning into a woman." Riei frowned at her cousin who refused to make eye contact.
"How would you know, besides you are just doing this to get close to Yuske."
"I am not!" Sakura turned to her, her face flushed red.
The two boys whizzed by them fighting and stepping on Kenji who moaned in pain.
"Please kind sirs and ladies to be careful!" The elderly man pleaded with the feuding youngsters, but was completely ignored. Yuske and Kirasato danced past exchanging blows and traipsing all over Kenji.
"That’s it I can’t take anymore!" Kenji bursts up from the ground between the girls. He lunged for the cart and the other four followed. Glass could be heard breaking and loud cries just before the explosion went off.




"We are live at the Nerima shopping district the scene of a bizarre accident. Just moments ago a large explosion shook the streets destroying several stands and store fronts such as this." The attractive female newscaster shifted out of view to display the remains of several grocery stands, glass strewn all over the street. The camera panned in on an elderly Chinese man dragging a large ceramic bear, various items placed in the bear’s arms.
"What is world coming to, kids today." The old man wiped a tear from his eye and continued to the pull the ceramic monstrosity.
"Officials are not sure of the actual events that lead to the devastation, there are a lot of bizarre animal sightings coming in from shop owners and patrons. Officials also stated that Nerima has not seen the like for some 20 years. More news as it breaks, back to you Kenichi."
"Hmph." Ranma lowered the volume on the TV and continued to sip his tea.
"Honey has Riei gotten home yet?"
"Not yet dear."




Riei nimbly made her way over rooftops toward her home a clear flask clutched tightly in her hand. ‘Sorry guys, but I can’t let Pop down.’ She thought back to the mess she left behind, 3 strange animals, a small boy and a destroyed city block. ‘I hope you all made it out alright.’ She leapt down to the street below and cleared the corner to the Saotome dojo.
"Mom! Dad! Do I have a surprise for you!" Akane joined her husband in the main room of their house they both gave each other questioning looks. Riei burst into the room full of excitement. Maiyuka also entered the room climbing the steps from the yard.
"Pop you will not believe what I got here." She headed in her father’s direction not watching were she was walking and tripped on the edge of the table breaking the fragile flask of irreplaceable water.
Male and female voices mingled in a loud yell that could be heard three streets down. The nearest neighbors silently cursed the day Ranma Saotome came to live in the peaceful town of Nerima.



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Next Chapter Synopsis: Rivals, Everyone is learning to deal with their own curse when a new student enrolls at Furinkan. Sunori Kuno, Riei’s cousin and Yuske’s childhood tormentor, has arrived and she has her sights set on Yuske. Will her boast that she can seduce any man prove true or does Riei have something up her sleeve that will humble the house of Kuno.


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Deceiving Appearances

The red head examined her reflection, titling her head to the side. The cut on her cheek was a red blemish on her otherwise perfect pink skin.

“Damn that Kuno, he had to get my face.” She opened the medicine cabinet and found a bottle of flesh toned liquid. Lightly using her fingertips she worked the makeup into her skin until the red gash was barely visible. ‘God I’m even wearing makeup, how pathetic can I get.’

After donning her feminine articles of clothing, Ranma walked down the Tendo hallway toward Akane’s room. ‘I’ll just tell her I went out on another training trip, I doubt she’ll be upset that I didn’t say good bye.’ She thought to herself raising her hand to knock, when without warning the door was flung open and she was yanked into the room by her extended arm.

“What the-?” Ranma swiveled around a bit off balance to find the young girl standing in front of her wearing only a plain, loose fitting, black slip that stopped just above her knees and a pair of tan nylons. She quickly faced the opposite direction blushing. “Akane what are you doing?”

“What am I doing, where have you been?” Akane held her hands on her hips burning holes through the red head’s back.

“Wh-what do you mean? I was here sick all day.” Ranma twiddled her fingers staring downward.

“Come on, don’t lie I thought we were friends.” She spun the girl around to face her. “I saw you with him and I know you weren’t up in your room.”

“…” Ranma stood panicked.

“You should have just told me. I would have understood.” This time it was Akane to turn her back on Ranma, whose eyes were bugging out of her head. ‘She knows!’

“I-I wanted to tell you, but things got so complicated…” Ranma fidgeted frantically unable to move from her spot staring at Akane’s back, like a dear in headlights. “I thought you would think badly of me.”

Ranma finally hung her head in despair. Akane stood unmoving for a few moments before spinning around and crushing the red head in a hug.

“Oh I could never think badly of you! You’re-you’re the BEST friend I ever had.” Ranma was stunned for a moment, but soon returned the taller girl’s embrace.

“Akane…” She whispered, burying her head in the girl’s shoulder and a soft mass of freshly washed hair.

“Ever since you came I finally thought I found someone that understood me and has so much in common.”

“I promise I’ll never keep anything from you again.” The weight on Ranma’s shoulders seemed to lift away as she gently rubbed her face in Akane’s hair, and reluctantly let Akane pull away putting a few inches between their arms still around each other.

“OK now spill it, where did you two meet?” Ranma’s brow furrowed with confusion.

“Where did we meet?”

“You and Ryoga.” Akane slipped away from the petite girl and plopped down on the bed, Ranma slowly following her down.

“Oh, um, we met in Jr. High.”

“Really, wow you must have been dating for awhile now.”

“D-dating?”

“Oh sorry, I guess you could have been friends first. Wait, have you even gotten to date yet since he hasn’t beat Ranma yet?”

‘Woe, woe, woe!’ Ranma’s mind shouted trying to catch up with the girl across from her still dressed in only her black slip. ‘I don’t know what she is talking about, but she definitely doesn’t know about my curse.’

“Ryoga definitely hasn’t beat Ranma, he takes that kind of thing seriously.” ‘Stick to the stuff you know.’ She thought to herself fidgeting between words. “Sooo, what did you think about my bro?” Ranma asked tentatively.

“I don’t know, he was all right, when he wasn’t being a sexist jerk. He’s good, I’ll give him that, but I don’t need him fighting my battles for me. How can he say that the only reason I ever win is because I’m a girl? You don’t agree do you?”

“Uhh well, you know a lot of guys hold back when they fight a girl.” Ranma said a little nervously.

“Doesn’t that infuriate you? Do you want them to think you are some china doll that’ll break at the slightest touch?” Akane said getting closer and closer to the red head.

“No way!” Ranma shouted getting into it, then cocked her head at her own response. “Maybe he just didn’t want to hurt you.”

Akane was stunned for a moment and walked to her mirror examining her own thoughtful expression. “I won’t break.” She said softly.

“Did you find Ryoga?” Akane fidgeted with her hair trying to decide which style she preferred.

“No, he gets lost, a lot.” Ranma folded her legs in front of her.

“Have you talked to Ranma?” Akane turned her eyes from the mirror to the young girl on her bed.

“Ah, not really.”

“So you didn’t hear about the fight?!” Akane jumped unto the bed in front of Ranma.

“Between Ranma and Ryoga?” Akane nodded excitedly. “I guess not.”

Akane went on to describe the fight blow by blow. Ranma was surprised by Akane’s description of the fight her male self had just hours before. She was obviously impressed by his skill, describing him in a good light throughout the whole fight, except where she thought he was being sexist. Ranma felt her immense ego return as Akane’s story continued and the gleam in her eyes shown. Subconsciously, Ranma had stopped listening to Akane’s critical analysis of Ranma’s style of Anything-Goes and just smiled listening to her speak, watching her lips move from words to smile to various expressions.

“Ranko, are you even listening to me?”

“Sure, I was just thinking I’ve never met a girl like you before. I mean a girl that is so into martial arts.”

“You mean except for you?”

“Yeah, right.”

“Same here.” Akane sprung from the bed and headed over to the mirror again. “Not to be too girly, but what do you think of my hair like this?”

Akane held her hair up in a twist letting her bangs frame around her face. “It looks nice, I like your hair back.” Inwardly Ranma had to laugh at herself, considering how that statement might have sounded from a guy. ‘Definitely not manly.’

“I used to have short hair, I think it suited me better.”

“Then why did you grow it?”

“I dunno.” She dropped her hair, but kept her eyes on her reflection. “I guess I thought it would make me look older, more feminine, more like…Kasumi.”

“Huh?” Ranma asked puzzled.

“Dr. Tofu has had a crush on Kasumi for as long as I can remember.” Akane said with little emotion.

“Oh…sorry.” Ranma’s voice dropped.

“Don’t worry about it, I don’t. I think it is kind of silly now, trying to be someone I’m not. I mean if someone is going to love you they have to see who you really are sometime, right?”

“Right.” Ranma slumped down even further.

“Hey?” Akane was suddenly in front of Ranma looking at her face closely. Ranma became frantic fearing that she noticed the mark on her face. “Are you wearing makeup?”

“Huh? Just a little.” Her face flushed with mixture of embarrassment and shame.

“Are you planning on skipping dinner and going out with Ryoga?” Akane smiled down at her and Ranma’s first instinct was to violently reply no but she was left stuttering. “I can cover for you, I’ll tell them you’re not feeling well.”

“Th-thanks Akane.” ‘I think.’

“Don’t have too much fun.” Akane giggled as Ranma burst from the room down the hall. Ranma quickly changed into her black pants and the black shirt with the gold ties that Genma had given her earlier. Embroidered on the shirt, also in gold, was a dragon. The head rested on her chest while the rest of the body stretched around her torso to the back. Stealthily she slipped out of her window and into the empty bathroom below. After splashing himself with hot water he emerged from the bathroom into the hall as if he had just finished his bath. ‘Well since she doesn’t totally hate me this way, it will be nice to spend some time as a guy for a while.’

Ranma proceeded to walk down the hall from the top of the stairs toward the guestroom. A dark blue blur flew past him spinning him around on his heel just as he reached the door.

“Um what are you doing?” Regaining his balance Ranma looked down at the feminine figure before him. Akane stood before him again in the radiant blue dress looking up at him smiling awkwardly.

“Akane?”

“Um ready to go?”

“I-I guess.” They started to walk away when a devilish plan popped into Ranma’s head. “I just wanted to say hi to Ranko.”

Ranma swirled around, but Akane was already in front of the door. “Oh no, Ranko is resting. She stayed home from school today.”

“Well, I’ll be quick then.” He tried to place his hand on the door, but Akane moved into his way.

“She’s sleeping right now.”

“I don’t think she’ll mind, we haven’t seen each other for awhile.”

“She was really sick, you don’t want her to get worse do you?” Ranma shook his head stifling back a smirk. “Let’s go to dinner then you can see her when we get back.”

They both turned and started toward the stairs. Before they could make it to the top stair Ranma whipped around heading for the door a smile plastered on his face. “Really I’ll just be a second.”

‘Damn!’ Akane flew towards him throwing herself at him hoping to pull it of as an accident. At the last second Ranma pivoted and caught her before she could tackle him to the floor. ‘Not that it wouldn’t have been fun, but if she crinkled her dress I’d be here for the next century waiting for her to change. Girls!’ Ranma thought.

“Are you ok?” Akane looked up from his chest to see Ranma’s confused face starring down at her. Things had not gone as she had expected.

“Yes, I…I think I hurt my ankle this morning, that’s all.”

“Oh, well then I better carry you.” Ranma swiftly lifted her off her feet and into his arms. Akane was a little flustered and didn’t notice that they were suddenly standing in the foyer facing the living/dining area of the house with the rest of the inhabitants watching them.

“Well already carry her over the threshold.” Nabiki said raising an eyebrow. Akane jumped from his arms putting a good three feet between them.

“Fast recovery.” Ranma said still a little red from his embarrassment.

“I heal quickly.” She smiled weakly at him also shinning with a bright pink glow.

The entire family was soon on their way to the restaurant after some minor blubbering from Soun and Genma as to what a nice couple Ranma and Akane made. The two were forced together most of the night, but once they started to eat the mood seemed to lighten. Ranma described some the travels they made across Japan and China while training, throwing in bits about Ranko on the way just for show. Much to his delight Akane hung on his every word especially when he described some of the techniques he learned.



“Well aren’t you the lucky one Akane.” Nabiki said removing her shoes looking slyly at her younger sister out of the corner of her eye.

“What?! W-what are you talking about?”

“Oh come on Akane you were practically drooling at dinner and it wasn’t from the fine French cuisine.” Akane’s eyes bugged out as she shifted her body to see the rest of the family slowly walking up the stone path to the front door. Kasumi was helping her slightly inebriated father while Ranma dragged his father behind him by the collar. Akane quickly closed the front door and shot her sister a scolding look.

“I was NOT!”

“Really Akane I understand, he’s cute, in incredible shape, sure he is a little rough around the edges, but that just makes him a better match for you.”

“How can you say that we just met?”

“And before it was ‘I don’t even know him.’ Really Akane you are going to run out of excuses soon.” Akane was left gawking after her sister when the door behind her was wrenched open and an overweight martial artist was thrown past her.

“Sober up yah lush! Oh, sorry Akane.” Ranma gave her an awkward smile then walked past her to his father’s prone form.

‘I was definitely not drooling.’



Throwing his father over his shoulder Ranma trudged upstairs dropping him onto one of the mats in the guest room they shared. The old man grumbled drunkenly rolling over onto his stomach.

“Some parent you turned out to be.” Ranma huffed. However, his annoyance was short lived as he felt another presence in the room with him. His eyes fell upon the shadows in the corner of the room. Keeping his eyes locked on the darkness not seeing, but knowing the interloper’s position. In a second the darkness seemed to take form lunging at Ranma tackling him around the waist sending them both crashing out the still open door into the hall where they rolled around somehow making it into Akane’s room and out the window into the moist night air.

Akane’s view of the stars above was quickly obscured by two boys flying overhead. Trying to shield herself from the glass she ducked her head and covered herself with her arms. Looking back over his shoulder, Ranma notice that their trajectory was taking them straight into the koi pond right in front of Akane’s eyes. Exuding an incredible amount of skill he twisted them both in the air causing Ryoga to take the brunt of the fall just beside the pond, Ranma landed on him his knee slamming into his stomach.

“So we are at it again eh Ryoga, you never even told me what you are so mad about.” Ranma stood up looking down at the boy before him feeling the sting of daggers being bored into him. Ryoga pulled himself up continuing to give Ranma his fierce glare when he spotted Akane on the steps leading to the house. ‘That same sweet girl, so the bastard took her as his prize already.’

“Ranma, because of you I can never be a whole man.” Ryoga started throwing punches and kicks that Ranma weaved around.

“Huh?” A crash of thunder stopped Ranma’s investigation from going any further. “Look man you can’t attack me here this ain’t my place, I’m a guest here.”

“Stop trying to distract me!” Ryoga sent a kick toward Ranma’s torso that he used to vault over Ryoga’s head to land easily atop the stone wall surrounding the yard.

“Let’s take this to somewhere we’ll cause less damage.” With that Ranma leapt down to the street sprinting away from the house.

“Running away again. Ranma!” Ryoga was over the wall and in close pursuit.



Akane sat stunned dusting the glass from her hair. “Wow, th-they’re incredible.”

“Very virile aren’t they.” Akane turned to see Nabiki in her pajamas standing behind her with a glass of water in her hand. “Still Akane, do you think you can ask your future husband to limit these things to during the daylight hours.”

“Don’t call him that!” Akane yelled to Nabiki’s back as she walked out the doorway into the hall. Lightening flashed through the sky lighting up the night. “They are going to get soaked.”



CRASH!

Deflecting Ryoga’s fist with his forearm Ranma looked up into the sky smelling the scent of the coming rain fill the air all around them. Snapping back to the fight he thrust his leg at Ryoga’s chest, but met only his umbrella.

“Look Ryoga, if this is about that whole bread thing, I’ll buy yah all the bread you want. Let’s just get in before it rains.”

“This goes a lot further than some measly bread. This is about you ruining my life!” A second before the downpour started he flipped open his umbrella and shielded himself. Before his eyes he watched Ranma transform into a smaller, bustier version of himself with flaming red hair.

“And how did I do that?” The young girl said folding her arms over her chest. “The last I remember is me waiting three days for you to show up to our fight, then Pop dragged me off again.”

“Right and when I showed up for the fourth day you had turned tail and ran.”

“Hey man, why the heck were you four days late?!”

“I certainly wasn’t on vacation! I searched all over Japan for that cursed lot and when I saw that you left I followed to finish our fight. It seemed like I was following you for ages, I even made it all the way to China, and that’s, and that’s when my life as a man ended!”

“Oh Ryoga,” she said stunned, lowering her stance “you don’t mean that you change…”

“Shut up and fight!” He said throwing himself at her. Ranma brought her leg up to send him flying inadvertently knocking his umbrella from his hand. Ryoga felt the cool droplets hit his forehead and wasted no time whipping his backpack off and roughly slamming it into Ranma’s face. When she recovered he was gone, his pack and umbrella was all that remained. Her suspicions were confirmed when she found his clothes in a pile around the corner.

She made it back to the dojo with all his things using the rooftop to avoid being seen in ‘Ranma’s’ clothes. She swung in through the guestroom’s window depositing Ryoga’s things and changed into her more feminine red Chinese outfit. Heading back out into the rain and the roof she made her way to the front of the house and dropped down to the front door. ‘Ok first Ranko returns home then when she is in bed Ranma will return with an umbrella.’

Casually she walked in through the front door removing her shoes at the door and shaking the rain from her clothes.

“Ranma?!” Akane came bursting into the front hall looking slightly disappointed to see Ranko instead of her brother. “Oh Ranko its you, shouldn’t you have snuck in so nobody saw you?”

“Haha, never thought of that.” Ranma said placing her hand behind her head in embarrassment. “Hey Akane where’d you get the weird little pig?”

Akane looked down remembering the cute little bundle in her arms. “Oh I found him wondering around the backyard, I think he’s lost. Isn’t he cute, I’m gonna call him P-chan.”

She emphasized her point by smothering the animal against her bosom while it blushed furiously.

“Perverted little pig. I’m gonna go take a bath then I’m gonna head off to bed, see you in the morning.”

“Can you take him with you?” The pig sneezed pitifully.

“Yeah I guess. Come on pig.” The animal squirmed and squealed in her hands as she made her way down the hall to the Tendos bathroom. “Look this isn’t fun for me either pig, I prefer to bathe alone.”

Tossing her clothes into the hamper she restrained the pig and brought it over to the furo and they both submerged inside. The water level quickly rose as the two boys emerged from the water staring at each other.

“R-a-n-m-a.” Ryoga said in a low growl.

“Ryoga…you…the pig.” Ryoga’s only response was to throw his hands around Ranma’s throat and start choking him.

“You did THIS to me!”

“Ranko I thought you’d be warmer in a pair of pajamas instead of those boxers…” Both boys looked with surprise to find Akane standing in her pajamas at the bathroom door. They both turned a bright crimson and sank low into the water. Akane turned her back on them immediately, her cheeks flushing a rosy red.

“I-I thought Ranko was taking her bath with P-chan.”

“She, uh just left.” Ranma stuttered.

“Funny, I didn’t pass her in the hall or the stairs.” Akane turned her head to see them out of the corner of her eye.

“Oh well she said something about getting a glass of water.” Ryoga added and Ranma nodded.

“I’m sorry, I’ll leave you to…your bath.” She closed the door behind her and quickly left the changing room still feeling the burning sensation in her cheeks.

“Man we gotta get outta here and upstairs right away.” Ryoga agreed without a word and both were out of the tub splashing themselves with cold water. Ranma threw on a pair of boxers and a t-shirt then scurried out the bathroom window with P-chan under one arm. Trying her best not to get wet she made it to the guest room and toweled off.

“Ha made it.” The pig squealed its agreement and they both exited the room into the hall coming face to face with Kasumi.

“Feeling better, Ranko?”

“Oh yes.” She closed the door behind her guarding it from entry with her body.

“Is Ranma already in bed.”

“Yup sure is, fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, better not to disturb him.”

“Good then you’ll be staying in Akane’s room.”

“Huh?” The little pigs eyes bugged out of his head.

“Well the guest room isn’t big to start with, three would definitely be uncomfortable. Plus you and Ranma are too old to be sleeping in the same room.”

“I-I guess…”

“So since you are a girl you can stay with Akane. I already put a sleeping roll in there for you. Have a good night.” She smiled sweetly as she walked off to her own room.

Ranma’s shoulders slump forward as she walked down the hall toward the room with the carved wooden duck hanging on the door. Again the pig squirmed and squealed in her arms. “Look I ain’t happy about this either so settle down.”

“Come on in Ranko.” Ranma poked her head inside the room and found Akane straightening the blanket covering a mat beside her bed on the floor.

“Don’t worry about knocking, this is your room too while Ranma is here.”

“Hehe yeah.” Ranma scratched the back of her head and Ryoga took the opportunity to jump from her arm and bound over to Akane.

“P-chan! Are you all nice and clean baby?” Akane said in a baby voice while Ranma watched in disgust.

“We better get some sleep huh Akane?”

“Oh yeah, come on P-chan you can sleep with me.”

“What!” Ryoga’s eyes doubled in size as Akane climbed into bed hugging him to her chest. ‘Why that little-’ Ranma never took his eyes off the little black pig as she lay down on the mat getting underneath the blankets.

“Night Ranko pleasant dreams.” Akane leaned over and turned off her desk lamp. After a few minutes Akane stopped moving in her bed her breathing slow and steady. Ranma climbed out of bed and glanced down at the gleeful looking pig.

“You dirty pig Ryoga.” She whispered. The pig’s eyes snapped open and immediately clamped down on her hand with his teeth. Ranma growled in response pulling against Akane’s grip. Akane surprised her by pulling back and taking Ranma down onto the bed with her.

“Hm Ranko?” Her eyes slowly fluttered open her voice soft and sleepy. Ranma and Ryoga froze with shock.

“Were you cold?” Ranma nodded mutely.

“You can slip under the covers with me if you like.” Akane pulled back the blankets revealing her pajama-clad body underneath. Shaking slightly Ranma climbed into Akane’s bed beside her their bodies almost touching. Ryoga squealed in disapproval so Akane released him from her chest and set him down above her head on the pillow.

“Don’t want you to get squished sweetie.” Ranma smirked up at the pig while its eyes filled up with tears of disbelief. “It’s not a very big bed you may get a bit cramped, but you’ll stay nice and warm.”

Akane’s smile was so warm and sweet Ranma no longer felt uncomfortable, feeling the heaviness of her eyelids she slowly melted into sleep the events of the day finally taking their toll.

Akane soon followed while Ryoga sat watching over the two until he too succumbed to his own weariness.



“Ranko.”

“Hmm?”

“Ranko its time to get up we have to get ready for school.”

“Mmm, just a few more minutes Akane.” Ranma said wearily hugging herself against her pillow, which made a soft giggle. Breathing in deeply the light smell of flowers and soap filled her nostrils, for some reason she couldn’t describe this aroma made the muscles in her stomach tense reflexively. Apprehensively she slowly opened her eyes, all she saw were bed sheets slowly rising and falling. She raised her head to find Akane’s smiling face next to her own. The pillow she thought she was holding was actually Akane’s waist her head buried in her shoulder.

“Ah jeez-sorry.” Ranma scurried away from Akane off the edge of the bed in a tangle of sheets. Akane just giggled looking down at her on the floor. Ranma forced a weak smile.

“What’s the matter did you think I was going to hit you or something?”

“Haha, no of course not. W-we’re both girls right. I was wondering why my pillow started laughing.”

Akane giggled and stepped over Ranma on her way over to her dresser taking out some new undergarments another school uniform hanging on the back of the closet door.

“Did you bring clothes with you to change for school?”

“Oh, no-” She rose to leave at the sight of Akane reaching for the bottom of her pajama top, but was stopped by a projectile pig slamming into her face knocking her to the ground. Ranma cursed as she struggled with the berserker pig.

“P-chan, boy are you grouchy in the morning.” Akane giggled as she held him by the back of his bandana. She smothered the pig in a hug crushing him in her breasts. “Be a good boy.”

Ranma felt a little light headed looking up at Akane only wearing her white bra and panties. Ryoga’s nose nearly exploded with blood and Ranma grabbed him when Akane squealed in surprise.

“I’ll make sure he’s ok.” Ranma bolted out the door closing it behind her. “Jeez, you are pathetic man. I would have been out of there if you hadn’t stopped me.”

The pig snorted in response as Ranma placed him down in her room as she started to change into a new set of clothes. Walking downstairs to the bathroom the girl dropped the pig into the bath and watched as a full-grown boy emerged displacing the water around him.

“Yeah right Ranma, you were loving every minute of it. Making that poor innocent girl believe you’re a real girl to get into her bed.”

“Look who’s talking P-chan!” Ranma gritted her teeth glaring at Ryoga.

“Ranko are you in here giving P-chan a bath AGAIN?” Akane, now dressed in her school uniform, stopped when she saw the girl and boy in the bathing area. Ranma quickly zipped around behind Ryoga and started to lather up his back. “Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“No problem Akane.” Both of them said with wide smiles on their faces and sweat drops on their brows. Akane left them alone a bright red blush across her face. ‘I definitely have to start knocking, you never know what is going to be happening in the bath now a days.’ The two sighed heavily, then continued to glare at each other.

“Ok Ryoga, we’re agreed neither of us would be very happy if Akane found out about our secret.”

“She’d hate us for sure.” Ryoga agreed his heart trembling at the thought. “But I’m not you’re damn boyfriend you pervert.”

“Oh Ryoga, you’re breakin’ my heart.” Ranma said with mock sweetness, batting her eyes.

“Cut it out Saotome, you’re given me the creeps.” Ryoga got up out of the furo and started to get dressed. “I still plan on killing you, yah know.”

“Of course.” Ranma said, absently straightening out her shirt.

Ranma left Ryoga to wonder around in the bathroom and joined Akane and the rest of her family at breakfast. Akane kept her eyes glued on her food pushing the rice around her bowl, her cheeks still holding the rosy glow of embarrassment.

“Well I think we better get to school don’t you Ranko?” Akane quickly rose from the table and yanked Ranma by her pigtail out the door.

“But I’m not done my breakfast.” The red head protested, chopsticks still in her mouth. Abruptly, Akane stopped around the corner from the dojo. “What gives Akane, we still had ten minutes before we had to leave.”

“I had no idea you and Ryoga were so close. You made it sound like you were only friends.” Akane stared at the shorter girl her arms on her hips waiting for a response.

“What the bathroom, that was nothing.” Ranma shrugged the incident off and started to walk toward school at a relaxed pace, Akane following.

“That was NOTHING? I tell you I certainly couldn’t do something like that with a boy and call it nothing.”

“We’ve known each other for a long time it’s really no big deal.” She shrugged her shoulders holding her hands behind the back of her head. Akane walked beside her friend marveling at her nonchalant attitude. From around the corner a small black piglet walked by them grumbling. Akane squealed in delight and picked the pig up cuddling him in her arms. Ranma stared at the pig in loathing.

Akane carried P-chan around with her all day and let her friends play with him during lunch. Each of the girls smothered the pig with affection, giggling happily while Ranma watched disgusted.

“So Ranko, tell us about this boyfriend Akane’s been telling us about.”

“Huh? Oh, Ryoga.”

“He looks so strong and cute.” One of Akane’s friends commented.

“Ah yeah, I guess.”

“Oh he looks like such a sweetie.” Another girl said and all the girls started to giggle.

“Sweetie, ha!” All of them turned at Ranma’s outburst as she stared daggers at the pig cuddled happily between Akane’s breasts. “He’s a pig.”

“Really?” All the girls listened intently.

“Ahh, he never remembers my birthday.” She started lamely, trying to remember all the mushy stuff the girls talked about while she tried to look like she was paying attention. “He never gives me flowers, only ever takes me to movies that he wants to see, and, and…”

She racked her brain while all the girls leaned toward her dying in anticipation. “And?”

“And, he’s very forceful when it comes to, um, romantic issues.” All the girls gasped including Akane, and the little pig growled from his place in her arms.

“You don’t mean he forces himself on you?” The first girl asked shocked and Ranma nodded solemnly, smirking happily on the inside. ‘That’ll teach yah pig.’

“Unbelievable!”

“The nerve!” The girls traded angry retorts about the boy while Akane sat flabbergasted.

“Gee and he seemed so nice the other day…when he wasn’t try to beat up Ranma.” Akane said. At that the pig burst from her arms and smacked into Ranma’s face knocking her back then ran off Ranma followed cursing at the pig loosing it behind one of the hedges. The school bell rang signaling the end of lunch, but Ranma refused to give up the pursuit heading toward the athletic field. As she rounded the athletic shed an arm shot out from the door and she was pulled in, nose to nose with a very wet, very human, and very pissed Ryoga. After a quick dose of hot water, Ranma’s manhood was also restored.

“What’s up pork butt?”

“Ranma you bastard. Sabotaging any chance with Akane like that. I’ll kill you.”

“Hey man, as long as I’m around you ain’t got no chance with her.”

“That’s what you think!” Ryoga yelled clenching his hands around Ranma’s throat and sending them both crashing through the wall of the shed.



Loud shouts could be heard from outside the window of the third story classroom. Several students were drawn to the window to view the sight below. “Hey Akane, isn’t that your fiancé?”

“Ranma?” Akane had been sitting at her desk wondering where Ranko had run off with her pet P-chan. She rushed to the window to see that it was in fact her fiancé fighting with the boy she met only yesterday. “Fighting again?”

Akane bolted from the room various students following her out to the athletic field to watch the two martial artists that seemed so evenly matched. Ranma and Ryoga traded blow for blow neither seeming to give or gain any ground. Ranma smiled to himself inwardly, Ryoga at least deserved a fighting chance even after all the trouble had caused.

“What are you smirking at?!” Ryoga coming close to grabbing Ranma’s neck in his vise grip only to meet air as Ranma effortlessly dodged out of the way.

From behind the chain link fence Akane watched the two fight, her hands desperately clutching the metal wires between her fingers turning her knuckles white.

Ryoga sent his umbrella hurtling toward Ranma like a buzz saw slicing up the ground between them. Swiftly moving to the side, Ranma avoided the umbrella and deflected the kick that was meant for his head with his forearm.

“Trying to distract me, Ryoga?” The lost boy looked stunned for the moment and felt a blow to his chest that sent him flying a few yards away from Ranma who stood with his arm still extended, palm out. ‘Wow, I didn’t even see him move.’ Akane thought anxiously fidgeting from the sidelines.

Ryoga rolled up onto his elbow wiping a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth with his other hand. Jumping up, he ran and grabbed his umbrella and bolted toward the fence hoping to gain some advantage over Ranma in the chase. Ranma followed and both took flight over the fence and over Akane’s head. She followed them with her eyes up and over, turning her back on the fence to watch their decent a few feet from where she stood. Exchanging a few more blows they made their way off school grounds. Akane stayed pressed against the fence for a few moments as if a great force held her there. Never in her life had she seen such great martial artists. She smiled to herself then ran off to follow them and the trail of destruction they left in their wake.

She finally found them in the middle of the Nerima Zoo. Ryoga was staggering to his feet Ranma leg still extended in the kick.

“Have yah had enough, Ryoga?” Ranma said crossing his arms over his chest. Breathing heavily, Ryoga just grunted in reply and lunged at Ranma’s midsection. Ranma twisted out of the way using Ryoga’s forward momentum to send him crashing through a stonewall then pulled him out again slamming his body to the ground finally sending him into unconsciousness. Breathing heavily himself, Ranma stared down at his rival with a less then pleased expression.

“Jeez Ryoga, why do we have to come to this. Come on.” Ranma dragged the boy to his feet, slung one of Ryoga’s arms over his shoulder and gabbed hold around his waist and dragged him off into the distance.

Akane stayed where she was leaving the two boys to there own devices then walked off in an opposite direction with no desire to return to school.



After dropping Ryoga off at Dr. Tofu’s and making sure he would be ok, Ranma started his walk back to the Tendo Dojo. ‘Should have known that Ryoga’s thick head would be just fine.’ Turning the corner, he jumped up onto the fence above the drainage canal feeling a little down from the afternoon’s events. ‘Back to life as a girl.’ A pang of regret hit him straight in his heart, he solemnly kept his eyes on his shoes as they maintained his balance on the fence below.

“You, that fight, it was great.” A familiar female voice called out to him. He smiled before turning ‘Akane.’ He pivoted on the fence crouching down to look at her, but the person he was looking at was not the fiancée he was expecting.

“Oh, sorry Miss, I thought you were someone else.” He straightened and the girl before him giggled.

“Who DID you think it was?” She said a bright smile on her face, an unmistakable smile.

“Akane? Is that you?” He jumped down next to her to get a closer look. The laugh and the smile were hers, but the features of her face seemed enhanced by the short hair that framed it. Her face had matured and somehow he felt like a child standing in her light.

“It’s different, huh? So what do you think, is it ok?” She smiled less broadly as if she held a secret.

“Uh-ah.” Ranma nodded his head numbly. “Its cute, I mean you’re cute, that is in a macho tomboy sort of way.”

He found himself sweating profusely while he stuttered before her. The same enigmatic smile returned.

“I’ll let that go just this once.” She said tapping him on the nose with her finger and giving him a stern look.

“So why the new look?” Ranma cringed as his voice rose a little higher than he had intended.

“I guess I just needed a change and it seemed like the perfect time.” She smiled wistfully walking on ahead of him. “You’re leaving now aren’t you?”

Her voice seemed to cloud over and Ranma became slightly nervous. “Um, yeah. I have to get back to training, but I’ll be back to visit soon.” He held a hand behind his head a goofy smile on his face.

“I mean, I’ll only be training in the mountains near here so I’ll never be too far.”

“So when do you start off?”

“Soon.” Ranma said turning away. “But I can at least walk you home.”

“And say goodbye to Ranko.”

“R-right.”



Ranma waved goodbye to the Tendos as he made his way outside the gate. Kasumi had been nice enough to give him a care package for the road, of course Akane had added some homemade cookies. Having experience with the toxic waste Akane called cooking Ranma conveniently dropped them in the drainage canal. Soun had cried at his departure and even Nabiki seemed unhappy to see him leaving. She probably loss some money not having anymore fights to bet on.

He hopped up on the fence, wandering around town so it wouldn’t be too suspicious when he came back. He had to thank Ryoga, as gross as it was, saying he was out on a date with Ryoga was perfect. He smiled when he thought back to Akane’s reaction to his leaving, she seemed angry at ‘Ranko’ for not being there to say goodbye to her brother. It was hard to decide which way he liked her better as a friend or as a girl to his male side.

It was nice both ways, just different. Although she was more confusing now then she had been as just a friend.



Having made his rounds Ranma leapt into his bedroom window. Throwing his pack into the back of his closet Ranma pulled out a thermos of water long since grown cold and poured it over his head. After a quick change of clothes she jumped out of her window, and a walk round to the back door where the family was cleaning up after dinner.

“Oh Ranko, I’ve kept some dinner on the stove for you.”

“Thanks Kasumi.”

“Where have you been?” Akane demanded.

“Yeah you missed Ranma’s mushy departure. Akane was almost in tears.” Nabiki chided.

“I was not!” Akane’s face flushed slightly.

“Yup, I think she’s in love.” Nabiki continued and Ranma looked at Akane with a wide-eyed innocence.

“I am NOT!” Akane turned and started toward the stairs. “He’s…all right.”

Once Akane was out of the room Nabiki turned to Ranma a smirk on her face. “It must be love, Akane, the self proclaimed manhater, admitting that some man is ‘all right.’ But let’s discuss this boyfriend and brother of yours further.”

“Well, ah…” Nabiki through her arm around the smaller girl’s shoulder as she stuttered incoherently.












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Hell and Back Again

Ranma smiled as he looked at each of his attackers in turn ‘Kuno and…that guy. Now I’m sure I know him from somewhere.’ The two boys suddenly looked at each other.

"Nave who be you that would fight for my beloved."

"I-"

"Wait is it not customary to give one’s own name first?"

"Well-"

"Fine, mine I shall give-" Ryoga stood dumbfounded as Kuno reeled off his usual spiel of ‘Blue Thunder.’ Ranma crossed his arms over his chest and waited for the inevitable lightening strike.

KABOOM!

"Who are you that might challenge for my goddess’ hand?"

"Hey I’m just here to kill Ranma Saotome!"

"Well if we are going to fight then let’s stop the chit chat." Ranma interrupted.

"Right you are well past the time for reprieve Saotome!" And with that Ryoga charged his umbrella extended like a blade. Ranma twisted out of Ryoga’s reach then lunged forward avoiding the kendo sword slicing the through the air behind him nearly chopping off his pigtail.

"Hey man, watch the hair!"

"I shall not allow this cretin to beat you for my true love’s hand, that privilege I will take myself." Kuno swung his sword toward Ranma’s midsection as Ranma leapt backwards dancing through a folly of Ryoga’s bandana’s leaving his shirt marred and his bare skin exposed.

‘This can’t be good for him. Two against one, no matter how good Mr. Saotome and Ranko say he is, I have to help him.’ Akane thought to herself watching from the sidelines.

"Who are you calling a cretin and Ranma stop talking like a girl!"

Ranma growled narrowing his eyes at the boy with the bandana. "Who are you calling a girl!"

He pivoted and sent Kuno flying into a tree with a single kick, then lunged at Ryoga fists flying. Ryoga staggered backwards absorbing all the punches managing to avoid only a precious few.

"Who are you anyway?" Ranma shouted.

"You mean you really don’t remember me?" Ryoga huffed trying to regain his breath sounding almost hurt or let down by Ranma’s question. Then his face hardened with a new determination. "After the hell you’ve put me through!"

Ryoga slammed his umbrella into Ranma’s stomach sending him flying. Uneasily Ranma flipped in the air landing on his feet feeling the pain sting his stomach.

"Hey didn’t we go to junior high together?"

"Then you do remember?" Ryoga held his position in anticipation.

"Um…wait," Ranma brought his hand to his cheek a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Tally not with this simpleton." Kuno flung Ryoga out of the way with a rough shove from the side and ran at Ranma his wooden sword held firm. "All though I must destroy you, it gives me no pleasure to hurt a future family member."

"Oh give it a rest Kuno." Ranma moved from side to side dodging Kuno’s strikes. Again Kuno was kicked aside. Slowly he forced himself to his feet using his bokken for support. He stared at Ranma feeling the strain of battle when suddenly before him stood Akane.
"Akane Tendo my love there is no reason for you to be jealous. My love for thee is still as infinite as time itself."

"Gimme a break. Two against one isn’t fair. Fight me instead!" Akane raised her arms in defense the wind blowing her loosely tied hair over her shoulder.

Ranma looked over his shoulder while dodging Ryoga’s punches and was disturbed to find Akane squaring off against Kuno. ‘What the heck does she think she is doing.’ He thought to himself springing into the air to avoid the umbrella jetting toward him. Letting it sail underneath him and ricochet off a tree toward the kendoist and young girl.

"Oh no Akane!" Ranma propelled Ryoga into the air with an uppercut and ran off in her direction.

"Huh?" Akane turned her attention from Kuno at the sound of her name.

"Look out stupid." Kuno lowered his sword as Ranma grabbed Akane around the waist sending Kuno flying with a foot to the stomach. Akane was whipped through the air the skirt of her school uniform shredded by Ryoga’s buzzsaw umbrella. Her head spun as she felt herself gliding through space, her head buried in Ranma’s chest, all the while holding her breath until they finally came to a stop.

"Were you cut?" Ranma asked concerned looking down into her face his arms still encircling her waist.

"I…I don’t think so." She said disoriented. They stood behind a tree away from the downed combatants. Ranma backed away pressing his back against the bark of the tree. Looking down he examined the shredded remains of her dress making it into a tattered miniskirt.

"You look ok." A grin quickly passed across his face, a brief pause in his otherwise serious expression. "Nice legs."

"Oh!" She scrambled to conceal more of herself than her clothing could cover. She looked up at him glaring. Ranma peered around the side of the tree.

"The nerve of that guy horning in on my fiancée." Kuno was slowly picking himself up off the ground while Ryoga wandered around the schoolyard shouting about where he might be. Akane’s face softened looking up at him he turned to meet her gaze feeling a little unnerved. "Not that I’m planning on marring you or nothing." He stammered.

Akane immediately regained her scowl. "And who said I wanted to marry a stupid pervert like you anyway!"

"Who you calling a pervert!"

"You were staring at my legs! And what about all of them?" She asked making a display of the unconscious students littering the high school lawn. "I don’t need you to fight my fights for me!"

"Listen you, they attacked me and what the heck were you doing butting in on MY fight for anyway!"
"They were double teaming you, I was just trying to help!" She shouted getting out of breath. Ranma seemed to reflect on her statement for a moment then looked at her seriously.

"A man to man fight is no place for a girl. Even a muscle bound girl like you." Akane began to protest when a noise from behind the tree interrupted.

"Running away Saotome!"

"Wo duck!" Ranma covered Akane dragging her down with him as the kendo sword cut the tree in half. He pulled her to the side out of the way of the falling tree protecting her with his body.

"What’s this? Fondling the pure Akane Tendo whilest thou hide from a fight." Kuno stood stunned. Ranma rolled to his side bringing himself up on one knee.

"Hey, she is MY fiancée I can fondle her when I like!" Ranma cringed to himself ‘That was SO not what I meant.’ "Anyway I wasn’t running away let’s fight!"

An elbow to the top of his head held him down. "Who are you fondling whenever you like!"

"Ugh!"

The glare of Kuno’s red aura caused them both to turn their attention back to the kendoist.

"Huh?" They said in unison.

"F-Fiancée? FIANCÉE!" Kuno began to shake with fury. "I will not allow it!"

"Look this is my fight now just STAY here." Ranma said never taking his eyes off the approaching kendoist.

"O-ok." Akane stammered.

Kuno flew at him with renewed speed Ranma backpedaled dodging every blow by twisting and contorting his body out of the way. Ranma felt a sharp pain in his torso as an umbrella sliced through his shirt between Ranma and Kuno. The long cut to his midsection was followed by a gash to his cheek from the wooden blade catching him off guard.

"Oh no!" Akane held her breath. ‘I know I said I wouldn’t interfere anymore, but what if he gets hurt? What would I tell Ranko?’

Ranma staggered backwards nursing his stomach stepping to the side he connected his foot to the side of Kuno’s face making him topple into Ryoga.

‘There is no use in trying to discuss things with Kuno and I don’t think I am much of a match for this other guy. Maybe…’

Ryoga stumbled to his feet his attention directed solely on Kuno and Ranma battling. ‘Ha! Now I have him, he was injured.’ Ryoga started toward them when a hand fell upon his shoulder. He grabbed the hand whipping the girl in front of him with a fierce tug. Her beautiful brown eyes looked up at him opening wide with fright.

"Oh…it’s you. You could get hurt out here."

"You seem like a reasonable enough guy."

"Huh?"

She looked up at him seriously never noticing that he still held her hand in his. "Is this anyway to impress a girl? Doubling up on him, it’s just not fair."

"Well I guess I never thought about it that way." He looked down his eyes bugging out of his head heat burning his cheeks. ‘We’re holding hands! If that other guy is fighting for this girl, there is no reason I can’t. Maybe she even wants me to.’

"Alright I’ll do it!"

"Ah…" He pulled her hand to his chest enthusiastically.

"Huh?" Ranma frowned looking over at the two. ‘What does she think she is doing now?’

"Fool, you would dare ignore Blue Thunder!" Kuno charged and Ranma looked up at him coldly coddling his stomach.

"I am done playing around." Ranma ran into Kuno’s attack punching his face and midsection with remarkable speed.

"I have not yet begun to fight…" Kuno grunted then collapsed to the ground unconscious. Ranma stood hunched over catching his breath the sharp pain from his torso increasing tenfold. He looked over to see a frazzled Akane still being held to Ryoga.

"RYOGA!" He ignored the pain and rushed toward them.

"Huh?" Akane looked over her shoulder to the blur that was heading toward them.

"So now you remember!" Ryoga pulled out his umbrella, stretching his arm out in front of Akane protectively and released the umbrella at Ranma. The heavy bamboo umbrella raced across the ground toward him creating large gauges in the concrete. Ranma leapt high in the air baring down on Ryoga.

Swinging Akane over his shoulder Ryoga jumped backwards away from Ranma.

"Wha-what are you doing?"

"I’m sorry this isn’t very dignified," Ryoga said holding her legs to his chest as she talked to him from over his shoulder "but I don’t want you getting hurt."

"Hey man PUT her DOWN!" Ranma yelled in close pursuit. Meanwhile Ryoga had torn off several bandanas and started launching them at Ranma. Ranma danced around the cloth shurikens and stealthily kept up with his prey. Ryoga took to the tree branches and Ranma followed from below.

"Where do you think YOU'RE going!"

High above the ground Ryoga finally let Akane down onto a branch. "Now stay here where it is safe while I take care of Ranma and I’ll be back for you."

"Huh, wait!" Akane shouted as Ryoga leap to the ground below. She sighed to herself as she looked down the forty or so feet to the concrete below. "Great, just great."

"There you are let’s finish this."

"I agree no more distractions. Now Saotome you pay!"

Akane watched from above as the boys fought fiercely exchanging blows neither gaining any ground over the other. Ranma ignored the pain from his midsection, but it was slowing him down. He ran backwards dodging and parrying Ryoga’s attacks when the familiar feeling of cold water hit. Ryoga had stopped just short off being drenched. The change started, out of the corner of Ranma’s eye he saw Akane inching down branches trying her best to conceal herself with what was left of her school uniform. He could feel his body shrinking and with lightening speed turned on his heal and darted across the lawn. He felt his body lightened in weight but his legs lost the reach they once held.

Ryoga stood stunned shocked at how close he had come to the sprinkler. ‘Saved from disaster by mere inches.’

"Hey Ranma where are you going?!" He snapped out of his stupor and sprung into pursuit never letting Ranma out of his sight for fear of loosing him. ‘You’re not getting away not when I’m so close.’ "Ranma you coward get back here!"

‘Is it me or does Ranma’s hair look red – it most be the sun.’

‘Damn it. I hate running away but I can’t let Akane see me like this.’ Ranma cleared the woods behind the school and made her way down the street and into the Nerima park. Ryoga was quickly catching up, he reached out his hand on Ranma’s shoulder.

Ranma grabbed Ryoga’s hand and flung him off her shoulder. He came crashing down onto the concrete meeting the young girl eye to eye.

"You?" They stared at each silently Ryoga sprawled out on the ground in front of her. "You’re that girl, but-but you’re R-Ranma…"

Ranma’s shoulders hunched over as she closed her eyes. "Look Ryoga I don’t know why you’ve come after me, but as you can see I have enough problems." She said in a low voice never meeting his gaze. Ryoga rolled forward turning just his head to look over his shoulder at her his vacant expression turning to disdain.

"Ha! You have no idea what REAL problems are!" Ranma watched him rise to his feet bewildered by his comment.

"Ranma for the hell you put me through I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" He lunged forward tackling the girl. They grappled together rolling around on the ground. People walking past steered clear of the two making comments about the strange couple. Ranma pulled Ryoga on top of her and rose both her legs launching him up into the air.

SPLASH!

He sailed behind her and into the lake in the middle of the park. Slowly she rose to her feet clutching her stomach in pain. A young couple rowed by in a small boat, the girl giggled bashfully as the boy moved the ores leaning forward toward her. Ranma looked all around but Ryoga was nowhere to be found.

"Where the heck did that idiot go?" She turned on her heal and started to walk away, from behind a small black piglet pulled itself from the water shaking the water from its flanks. "Oh well, I’m sure I’ll be seeing him again."



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Ranma made it back to the house, sneaking around the back she entered the house unseen. She walked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. Looking down at her tattered clothes she sighed with frustration. ‘That fight didn’t go well at all. Too many distractions.’

"They were double teaming you. I was just trying to help!" Her mind replayed the scene with Akane sighing once again. The front door opened and closed loudly. "Kasumi I’m home."

"Hello?"

Akane strolled through the hall and into the kitchen expecting to find Kasumi standing at the sink with the water running instead of her fiancé dripping wet. "Oh hello. I-I was looking for you."

"I, um, just got here. I needed a bit of fixing up." She looked him over and discovered the long gash across his torso.

"Oh gee let me get the first aid kit." Akane scrambled around the room then dragged Ranma out to the porch.

"I’m all right really, they look worse then they feel." He placed his hand behind his head sitting in front of her Indian style.

"Don’t worry I have experience with this kind of thing. Now take your shirt off." She pulled out a bottle of antiseptic along with various ointments, cotton balls and some gauze. Ranma started to undo the ties to his favorite red shirt, now ruined. She turned back and found him sitting across from her bare chested and a rosy color filled her face she cleared her throat and got down to business. He had several minor scratches on his arms, a laceration to his cheek and the long gash in his otherwise perfect abdomen. Gently she used a cotton ball to apply the antiseptic. He flinched slightly as it stung, their eyes met.

"Sorry I should have warned you that it might sting a bit." She whispered.

"S’ok." He said a slight waver in his voice. She continued to run her fingers tenderly over his arms. Cringing slightly she started on the cut to his torso. His cheeks burned. ‘This is ridiculous its not like she has never touched me before. I just wasn’t a guy at the time.’

Ranma took a deep breath and relaxed, Akane raised her head examining him.

"Are you ok?"

"Oh yeah, fine." He forced a smile. Examining the cut to his cheek Akane ran a piece of soft cotton across the wound. She inched closer from her kneeling position her body only inches from his. She looked into his eyes and sat back on her legs thoughtfully.

"You know, you and Ranko do look a lot a like." Ranma gave a nervous laugh his mid racing to change the subject.

"Are you sure you weren’t cut by that umbrella?" She looked down at her battered uniform that she forgot she was still wearing.

"Oh no. I’m just fine." She adjusted the tattered threads trying to keep a modicum of modesty. Digging back into the first aid kit she pulled out a band-aid and placed it on Ranma’s cheek "I should really wrap some gauze around that cut."

"It doesn’t look so bad since you cleaned it up." Akane started to wrap the gauze around his midsection her hair caressing his chest as she bent her head down. Ranma swallowed loudly the sweet smell filling his nostrils. ‘I’m being stupid. This is Akane we have been friends for weeks now.’ Her arms encircled his waist passing the roll of gauze from one hand to the other behind his back. His breath lingered in his lungs ‘I mean jeez, I’ve even seen her naked.’ Another large gulp. ‘That was absolutely the wrong thing to think about.’

Bending to the side to once again bring the gauze around his back Ranma saw a trace of red staining her perfect white skin. "So you were cut after all." Ranma said placing a hand on her thigh ignoring the pain he felt bending toward her.

A gasp escaped her lips. "Sorry, does it hurt?"

"No it must be just a scratch I didn’t even feel it."

"My turn to administer first aid."

"Don’t bother, its fine. Aieeeeeeeee!"

"Sorry, I’ll try being more gentle."

"I-Its ok. Just stings."

"Playing doctor are we?" The two turned stunned to find Nabiki and the rest of the family looking down at them. Akane’s leg extended to Ranma’s side while she twisted to the side both his hands grasping her leg. They flushed fiercely and separated.

"Oh Akane what happened?" Kasumi asked looking at the cut on her leg and the torn remains of her school uniform.

"I’m fine Kasumi."

"Ranma my boy good to see you. Getting along well with you fiancée?"

"Ahh…" Ranma stuttered. Across from him Akane rose to her feet, looking up at her he soon followed.

"Ranma this is my family. My dad, Soun Tendo."

"A pleasure to meet you son." Soun shook his hand firmly.

"My sister Kasumi."

"Hello." She smiled brightly.

"My sister Nabiki."

"Well you ARE cute."

"Ahh . . ." Ranma stuttered again. "Nice to meet you all."

"Tell me Ranma what happened, you didn’t get into a fight you’re FIRST day meeting the Tendos now did you?" Genma stared at his son sternly.

"I didn’t start nothin’. I was just going to see Akane, a-and Ranko, at school when I was attacked."

"How awful." Kasumi gasped bringing her hand to her cheek.

"Nothing I couldn’t handle." Ranma boasted.

"That’s why you got so beat up." Akane interjected.

"I would have been fine if you hadn’t kept distracting me by getting in the middle of it." Ranma turned to her furious.

"Excuse me for trying to help you. They were ganging up on you."

"Neither of them could have touched me if you hadn’t been around!" They faced each their nose's only inches apart.

"Well fine don’t worry I won’t be anywhere that you are!" She turned whipping him in the face with her hair leaving them to watch after her.

"Welcome to the family son!" Soun crushed the boy in a hug.

"Ugh."



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"I can’t believe him, who does he think he is anyway!" Akane stomped down the hallway heading toward Ranma’s room wrapping loudly on the door she waited for a response.

"Ranko? Ranko are you in there?" She slid open the door and poked her head into the empty room. ‘I guess she hasn’t come back yet.’ She walked back down the hallway and into her own room. ‘Maybe she is out with that Ryoga guy, Ranma never even said how it ended and I was too busy fixing him up to ask.’



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"So boy, did you keep your cover, Akane doesn’t suspect anything does she?" Genma whispered to his son as they spared in the dojo.

"Listen old man, this isn’t some spy movie this is my life! I should just tell her and get it over with before it gets worse, I was nearly discovered today." Ranma dodged blows left and right.

"Do you want them to know you are only half a man?"

"Hey! I am ALWAYS a guy! I just have the body of a girl sometimes, more often then I would like to think about recently. All the more reason for me to tell them so I can go back to being a guy most of the time." Infuriated Ranma doubled his efforts to attack the older man.

"Keep your voice down, you really think Akane will except a girl as a fiancé?"

"What do I care that was your idea to begin with not mine." Ranma flung himself forward with a punch and Genma slyly ducked under it still peering up at his son.

"So you think she’ll be ok with the fact that you have been pretending to be a girl?"

"Huh?" A picture of Akane walking into the bathroom naked flashed into his mind and he stood frozen in his swing.

"You two must have become CLOSE girlfriends, she doesn’t do ANYTHING without her good FRIEND Ranko." ‘How did the old man know?’

"She’d kill me." Ranma whispered to himself completely dropping his defenses leaving himself open to the punch that slammed right into his face and sent him hurtling through the air and into the dojo wall.

"I knew you would see it my way boy."

"Why you!" Ranma leapt to his feet with a punch to his father’s gut and the sparing continued.



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"Kasumi have you seen Ranko? It has been a couple hours since I came home and she wasn’t anywhere to be found."

"No Akane I haven’t seen her."

"Wasn’t she sick this morning?" Nabiki interrupted.

"I don’t think so, she met up with that guy that was fighting with Ranma and Kuno. I think they are dating."

"Well isn’t she a sly dog, I didn’t think she had it in her." Nabiki said slightly surprised never loosing her sarcastic tone.

"Me neither, but I figure he was fighting Ranma to get his permission." Again Nabiki looked surprised. ‘And here I thought I made up that rumor to sell more information about the Saotomes.’

"Really I thought she hated boys, more than you do." Akane frowned a little then agreed.

"Well why don’t you go ask Ranma if he knows where she is they are brother and sister." Kasumi said continuing to clean the immaculate kitchen.

"Ok."

"He is in the dojo sparing with Mr. Saotome."

Akane left the house and crossed the grass over to the dojo stopping in the doorway to watch the master and student practice their art. Ranma was loose and quick while his father was strong and surprisingly agile for a hefty man. The two were amazing, fighting with his father truly brought out all of Ranma’s skill. They danced around each other seeming like caged birds inside the dojo. Akane felt a twinge of jealousy, but watched on quietly.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw her. Standing in the doorway, the light gleaming off her dark hair that hung loose over her shoulders. A second was all it took.

"Opening!" The old man shouted kicking his son in the stomach sending him flying once again into the wall of the dojo. Ranma landed in a heap on the floor clutching the wound to his stomach tasting the bile in his mouth. Then her face appeared before him, all noise was blocked from his ears. Her worried face mouthed a question as she kneeled beside him on the floor. Subconsciously moving her hand to brush her hair out of her face to behind her ear. Again her mouth moved slowly and he could tell she was saying his name.

"Ranma?" Akane said gently.

"Unh. Hey Akane." The girl seemed to be relieved but then turned to the older man furious.

"You were supposed to be just sparing, no fair hitting him in his weak spot." Genma smiled but quickly put a serious face on and bowed to her.

"Of course, how thoughtless of me."

"Ah jeez, I’m fine!" Ranma had been touched by her presence until she said the word weak. "Nobody’s gonna go easy on me in a real fight. You wouldn’t understand being a girl."

"Excuse me?" She glared up at him as he dragged himself up from the floor.

"Well guys are always easy on you because you are a girl."

"Are you saying that the only reason I win any fights is because I am a girl!" She jumped up to her feet getting between him and the door.

"What kind of guy beats up girls?"

"Ok that’s it fight me right now!" Akane took an aggressive stance. Ranma looked her up and down, she had changed into a pair of yellow shorts and a white T-shirt with a bouquet of wild flowers on the front. The expression on her face was fierce and her stance was firm, but she looked like a little girl.

"I don’t fight girls, not even macho ones like you." He crossed his arms over his chest turning his look from her to the side. In a millisecond he was plastered against the hard wooden floor underneath a gigantic mallet.

"What about his injuries?" Genma stuttered from the other side of the dojo. Akane hefted the mighty mallet over her shoulder and walked out.

"Screw his injuries."




"I think she really likes you, boy." Genma said looking back at his son who rubbed the back of his head in pain.

"Who the heck are you talking about, she hates me." He shouted shutting the door to the guestroom the two men occupied. Ranma walked over to the closet and took out the yellow outfit Akane bought.

"She worries about you that means something doesn’t it?"

"Nah that’s just the kind of person she is. A sap."

"I think you are wrong boy." Genma through a black Chinese shirt with gold ties to him. "She definitely likes you."

Ranma held up both outfits one intended for a broad chested male and the other a diminutive yet busty female. Heavily weighing the decision in his mind he looked from one to the other before dropping the black shirt on the floor and picking up a towel as he walked past his father into the hallway.

"Yeah she likes me…but only when I’m a short red head." Genma shook his head and let his son go.






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Making an Entrance

"Akane Tendo I strike only out of love!" The teenage soccer player swung his fist at the attractive young girl only to have his arm wrenched forward in her grasp. Using his momentum Akane pulled him off balance then swiftly kicked him in the stomach knocking the wind out of him.

"Ranko Saotome I must have you!"

"I think not Pal!" Ranma bobbed and weaved avoiding all the boys’ sloppy attacks. Ranma ran backwards leading the boy with her, deftly moving out of his path mere millimeters from the stone wall. The boy made a low groan then slid down to the grass unconscious.

"I wish Kuno hadn’t included me in on his stupid decree." Ranma joined Akane’s side as she twisted one boy’s arm pinning it behind him and pushed him face first into the ground. A small smile crept across the red head’s face as she watched Akane work the boy over with ease.

"Well at least its good exercise." Akane smiled as Ranma flipped the last boy over her shoulder.

"Hahaha, very funny." Ranma said not feeling amused. He stomach started to turn ‘I shoulda hit them more, perverts.’

"Come on Ranko we are going to be late." Akane grabbed the red head by the hand dragging her into the building.

"What else is new. Hey where the heck was Kuno today anyway?"

Slowly Kuno emerged from behind a tree where he observed the two girls’ battle. ‘Oh my beloved’s fighting as one to win my heart. I shall have them both."

The group of girls walked down the hallway giggling as they talked. Ranma walked close to Akane’s side watching the girls laugh and talk. Akane smiled and joked, but she was not as giddy as her companions. Ranma just kept quiet while she watched and listened.

"So when are we going to meet your brother Ranko?"

"Hm?"

"I still can’t believe you’re engaged Akane." The girl with the ash blonde hair said.

"Shh. I really haven’t told too many people. I mean I’ve never met him."

"Which brings me back to my original question when are we going to meet your brother Ranko?" All the girls turned to her. Ranma couldn’t read Akane’s look she seemed almost apprehensive.

"Soon, he should be passing through in a couple days on his trip."

"He must be real strong if he is constantly in training."

"Yup sure is." Ranma said rocking back and forth on her heels smiling proudly.

"Sounds like you are a lucky girl Akane." The blonde girl said nudging her with her elbow.

"How can you say that, I don’t even know him! He may turn out to be a wife beater or something." Akane shouted angrily, she turned to Ranma and her expression softened. "Sorry Ranko I…"

Ranma just shrugged in return looking away. The girls stopped walking and started to enter a room filled with lockers and benches. Ranma stared at the sign on the door in horror – Girls Locker Room.

"Come on Ranko it’s time for gym."

"Y-yeah I’ll be right there."

‘I can do this-I’m a girl.’ Akane and the rest of the girls started to undo the straps of their jumpers. Her knees started to shake. Ranma abruptly turned to the locker and stared forward undoing the ties of her shirt. Ranma placed the top to her gym outfit over her shoulders and examined the tiny red shorts. ‘These are more like underpants then shorts, this is so humiliating.’ Ranma removed the rest of her clothing quickly and slid on the red gym shorts. ‘If Pop sees me like this I’ll never live it down.’

"Gee that was fast are you ready Ranko?" Ranma turned to see Akane pulling her shirt from the middle of her stomach down to the elastic waistband of her shorts.

"Ah yeah I’m rearing to go." Akane smiled and Ranma couldn’t help but study the beautiful lines of her face. She was especially pleasing to look at when she smiled. Ranma held the image of Akane’s face in her mind even as they played baseball. Ranma stood at third base, Akane at the pitcher’s mound waiting for the sign for the catcher. Ranma had to admit she was very athletic, for a girl, and she even looked kind of cute in her gym outfit, for a tomboy. A cry from home base brought Ranma out of her reverie. She turned and caught the baseball right between the eyes.

"Oh Ranko are you ok?" Akane ran to her side along with the rest of the players. Ranma fought the blackness that invaded her vision, but soon fell into unconsciousness.

"Ranko. Ranko?" Ranma heard Akane’s voice at the edge of her mind. Her senses started to come around, she felt herself sprawled out on the field her head propped up and an immense pounding in her skull.

"Ow, w-what happened?" Ranma opened her eyes forcing them to focus. Akane’s face slowly came into focus, she was looking down at the red head her brow crinkling with worry.

"You got hit with a ball, when you weren’t paying attention. Are you ok?" Ranma’s head rested on Akane’s lap her hand cradling her chin. Ranma’s cheeks flushed and she sat up.

"Oh I’m fine, nothing to worry about." The throbbing in her head disagreed and the look on Akane’s face said she didn’t believe her. "Pop’s hit me with harder stuff then that while sparring."

Ranma jumped to her feet, the girls around her owed in amazement. The gym teacher came over to inspect the bruise on Ranma’s face. Ranma absolutely refused to go to the infirmary. The bell rang signaling them to head back into the building to change. Ranma and the rest of the girls started the jog back into the locker room. Ranma noticed all the boys were eyeing the girls throughout gym, but at this moment it seemed that every one of them was staring at her.

"What are they looking at?"

"Well maybe you should start wearing a bra, I mean it wouldn’t be so bad if you weren’t so…" Akane said moving her gaze downward.

"Oh." Ranma said thinking to herself ‘there is no way. I’m a GUY!’

From the distance Nabiki stood watching the events unfold, she opened the envelope in her hand and started toward the crowd of boys.

"Boys do I have a deal for you." She said in her best business tone.

"Hey Akane watcha got there?"

"Hm? Oh it’s a book Kasumi wanted me to return for her."

"Pressure Points for Beginners. Doesn’t sound too thrilling." Akane chuckled and Ranma smiled walking next to her.

"Here we are, Dr. Tofu’s clinic." Ranma studied the outside of the building reading the signs. ‘Moxibustion.’ Ranma followed Akane in.

"Hello, Dr. Tofu?" Akane looked around the clinic impatiently.

"Yes may I help you? Oh Akane its you. You didn’t get into another fight did you?" The young doctor looked at the two girls pleasantly. Akane blushed furiously, Ranma raised an eyebrow examining her.

"N-no sir. I haven’t been in a fight for awhile now doctor."

"What about this morn-" Ranma was abruptly cut off by an elbow in her gut.

"My Akane I think you friend has been injured."

"Oh she’ll be fine."

"That’s a nasty bruise on your face young lady, let me take a look."

"A fiancé, but you are still so young Akane." The doctor tended to Ranma’s wound while Akane seemed to be saddened.

"I haven’t even met him yet."

"Well I’m sure everything will work out just fine. You’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other." Ranma watched Akane closely she seemed to be getting more and more depressed. When they left the clinic she didn’t say a word. ‘What is she thinking?"

"So have you known the doc a long time, he seemed to know you very well."

"My whole life he has always been there for me whenever I had problems." Akane got this sad glossy eyed look on her face and it finally occurred to her. ‘She loves him.’

"So does he feel the same way about you?" Ranma jumped down from the fence she was walking on landing at Akane’s side.

"What?" Akane’s face reddened while she examined the sidewalk under her feet.

"Come on its SO obvious. Does he like you too?" Akane just turned her face away. Ranma craned her head this way and that trying to see her face.

"He already loves someone else." She said quietly never turning toward her.

"Oh."

"Don’t worry. I’ve gotten used to it." ‘It still hasn’t stopped me from trying though.’ She thought to herself sadly. Akane suddenly turned to Ranma with a curious expression.

"Was it true what you said about Ranma today?"

"That he’s strong and handsome, sure." Ranma said boastfully her hands behind her head.

"No stupid. He is going to be in town soon?"

"Sure is." Ranma studied her expression. "Are you excited?"

"Please, no way! I’m just…I dunno."

"What?"

"I’m not sure. Nervous maybe, but I’m not really sure why. How long is he going to stay?"

"I’m not sure maybe only a day or two."

"He sure is dedicated." They reached the gates to the Tendo home and proceeded inside.

"That’s my bro."

"Mr. Saotome are you excited that Ranma is coming?"

"Huh?"

"Ranma is coming?" Soun jumped up from the shoji game excitedly.

"You mean nobody else knew."

"Kasumi what are we going to do?" Soun ran around the house like a mad man.

"Ranma coming here?" Genma looked at his daughter questioningly. "Are you sure that is such a good idea boy?" He said under his breath.

"I have my reasons."

High atop a hill looking down at the city a weary traveler made a silent prayer to the gods in heaven. ‘Finally after months in the jungle I have found it, Tokyo. Soon Ranma I shall have my revenge. The boy adjusted his backpack and turned heading back the way he came.

"I can’t believe your father is going to so much trouble for m-Ranma." Ranma sat cross-legged on Akane’s bed as she went through all the dresses in her closet.

"He is proud to have someone of your brother’s caliber taking over the dojo." Ranma beamed with pride. "At least that is what your father said."

Ranma’s shoulders slumped forward in disappointment as Nabiki came bursting through the door. She walked over to her sister’s closet and shook her head in disapproval.

"Come come Akane if you are going to make an impression on your fiancé you can’t wear any of this. Daddy is taking us out to a nice restaurant so of course we’ll be needing new outfits."

"Don’t call him my fiancé, I don’t even know him!"

"Daddy already gave me his credit card. He said I should look nice in case Ranma doesn’t like you." Akane was appalled.

"Alright fine we’ll go." Nabiki merrily left the room and Akane spun on heal staring at Ranma. "You are coming with me Ranko, left to Nabiki I’ll end up dressed in a ball gown."

"Huh?" Ranma stared at Akane’s frazzled face.

"Come on please we’ll buy some stuff for you as well, it’ll be fun." Akane smiled down at the red head causing her to loose all resolve. ‘Great I get to buy girls clothes.’

It was more boring then anything else. Ranma followed the two Tendo girls around as they examined different dresses running off every once and awhile to try something on. Ranma’s favorite part was when they stopped for ice cream she had three hot fudge sundaes to Nabiki and Akane’s astonishment. She had nearly fallen asleep in the chair next to the dressing room when Akane emerged in a radiant blue dress. It was a simple, fitted knee length dress with short sleeves that fit perfectly enhancing her shape. The dark shade of blue made the highlights in long her hair gleam and her eyes sparkle. She fidgeted with the buttons that ran the length of the dress looking down at herself.

"What do you think? This one seems to be the nicest. Though…I have to admit I never look very good in dresses."

"You look great, amazing." Ranma stuttered and Akane immediately smiled feeling relieved. Ranma stood up and walked to her.

"Why thank you." She curtseyed giggling.

"Some black thigh highs and some matching underwear and you’ll be all set." Nabiki said coming up behind Akane flipping up the hem of her dress showing her poka-dotted panties. Ranma felt her face turn very hot she turned away trying not too look suspicious.

"What do I need that for?" Akane said holding down her the skirt to her dress.

"Trust me it will make you feel more attractive. Now we’ve got to get something for Ranko here."

"Huh? Me?" Ranma backed away frightened.

"We’ll make it so your brother won’t even recognize you."

"I already got something for her at the last store."

"You did?" Ranma said sagging over. Akane pulled open a bag from the dressing room to reveal a red Chinese outfit with yellow flowers. It was feminine but not a dress. She handed it to Ranma who just looked up at her surprised.

"I hope you like it. I bought a larger shirt and smaller pants, but you should probably try it on when we get home."

"Thank you, it’s just what I’d have picked." ‘If I were forced to wear girl’s clothes. I even like the color.’

"Okay ladies let’s head over to the unmentionables."

"Ugh."

"Come on Ranko, the boys are never going to leave you alone if you alone if you continue to give them a free show."

"What do I care if they look, as long as they don’t touch."

"Ranko! You really haven’t had any female influence have you?"

"How about this Akane?" Nabiki held up a black see through bodysuit that made both Akane and Ranma flush. "Look it has snaps."

"I am not having sex with him I am just meeting him."

"You can never be too prepared." Nabiki scolded.

"I assure you I don’t need to be that prepared!" Akane stared furious at Nabiki who just shrugged putting the lingerie down. Ranma thanked her luck that she was not going to be engaged to Nabiki. Akane picked out a modest set of black undergarments and Ranma agreed to buy two athletic supporters for gym and that was it. After the shopping was done they went straight home where the rest of the family was furiously cleaning.

"Jeez its just m-Ranma!" She yelled. Akane shrugged her shoulders trying to hide her nervousness. Ranma retreated to her room. ‘Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. I wish they didn’t make such a big deal outta this.’ A vision of Akane standing in the short sleeved blue dress smiling at her flashed through her mind as she sprawled out on her futon. ‘Still, I guess it won’t be so bad them makin’ a fuss.’ She stared up at the ceiling slowly letting sleep invade her body.

"Come on Ranko, get up."

"Hmm, not yet Akane give me a couple more minutes."

"Ranko we’re going to late for school again." Ranma sat up straight startling Akane. ‘Right I wanted to get out early today so I could change.’

"What’s wrong are you ok?" Akane sat down next to the red head concerned. Ranma held her stomach leaning over moaning. Akane placed her hand on the girl’s forehead. "You don’t have a fever."

"Oooooh, I think I’m gonna be sick. Must have been those ice cream sundaes I had last night."

"I told you not to have the third one."

"I don’t think I can make it to school today."

"OK, I hope you feel better." Ranma continued to moan until Akane left. She sprung from her futon and rummaged through her clothes until she found her favorite red shirt. ‘I can get some hot water from Dr. Tofu’s on the way.’

Ranma was giddy with anticipation. ‘I have been stuck in this body for WAY too long.’ After dressing she shimmied out her window onto the roof. ‘Can’t risk running into Akane on the way, better take the high road.’ With ease Ranma jumped from roof to roof making her way across town. It wasn’t long before she caught sight of the clinic and took to the ground. While making her descent Ranma felt her foot slam into a hard unstable object. Ranma looked down to find her foot had intercepted the head of a young man wandering by. After using his head for leverage she found her footing on the sidewalk as the boy was flattened on his back.

"Jeez sorry about that man, I didn’t see yah there. You ok?" She squatted down next to him.

"I’m fine, got a thick head." He recovered quickly and was sitting up rubbing his head. She noticed a map lying next to him.

"Here you go, you dropped it." She handed him the worn piece of paper and they both rose to their feet.

"Thanks." The boy wore a yellow and black bandana and was looking her over closely. "Have I met you somewhere before?"

She frowned thinking to herself ‘he better not be trying to pick me up or something.’

"I mean its just cause you look so familiar." The boy said a goofy smile on his face and a hand behind his head, obviously realizing how he must have sounded. Ranma looked him over and thought to herself that there was definitely something familiar about this boy.

"Oh jeez sorry but I’m going to be late if I don’t get going." Ranma ran off around the corner.

"Hey!" The boy shrugged his shoulders. "I should have asked her if she knew where Furinkan High was."

"What was that, Furinkan High?" The boy quickly turned around to find an attractive girl with long black hair looking at him.

Akane smiled pleasantly at the boy. ‘I’m sure I just saw him talking to Ranko.’

"Oh yes I am looking for Ranma Saotome. Can you direct me to Furinkan High?"

"Sure I’m on my way there now. What do you want with Ranma?"

"I’m going to beat him to a pulp." The boy said matter-of-factly. ‘So he is here to challenge Ranma and he was just talking to Ranko. Why that little sneak, she had a boyfriend and she didn’t even tell me.’

‘Today really is going to be perfect. I’m on my way to kill Ranma once and for all and I am being guided to his demise by a beautiful girl. Today I will assuredly prevail.’

"Oh jeez I beat her here." Ranma walked through the school gates perusing the horde of boys waiting for his female self and Akane to arrive. ‘Jerks what the hell are they looking at.’ After all the morning fights Ranma couldn’t help but loathe them.

"You there, new boy, have you come to challenge Akane Tendo or the pig-tailed goddess, Ranko?’ Kuno said standing under a tree in the distance.

"Now why would I want to challenge my own sister?" Ranma stood arrogantly looking at the shocked faces of the boys in the schoolyard.

"You’re-?" The boys looked back and forth from one another exchanging acknowledgements. "Didn’t Nabiki say that any guy that defeats him in battle can date Ranko?"

Ranma’s raised an eyebrow at the comment and watched the crowd continue to stir.

"That means if we beat you we can date Ranko! Charge!"

All the boys except Kuno ran at Ranma using various weapons. He dispatched them all quickly weaving in the air to avoid all the attacks sending them flying with a single kick or punch. When the last boy hit the ground Ranma jumped a top the stone wall and surveyed the unconscious remains of all his attackers. He stretched reveling in his male form, feeling more and more comfortable. He smiled smugly at his handy work when he spied two figures standing at the gates below him.

Akane stared up at him as their eyes met. The wind swirled across the schoolyard running through her long dark hair and rustling her dress. Ranma felt his own hair graze across his cheek, his pigtail blowing in the breeze.

He jumped down in front of her, smirking inwardly. "You must be Akane."

"Ranma?" They continued to look at each other when he heard his name yelled at him from either side.

"Ranma Saotome!" Ranma harshly pushed Akane out of the way as the two boys attacked him from both sides. The sword and the umbrella met in the space he recently occupied, Ranma stood back and surveyed his opponents.





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Timing is Everything

“What to do?”

The young girl slowly began to shed her baggy black pants followed by her silk Chinese shirt. She was left wearing only men’s bowers and a perplexed look on her face. After discarding her last article of clothing she flipped her red braid from her shoulder while opening the door past the laundry room. She sat down on a wooden stool and began to fill a bucket with water. She turned the faucet the coursing water slowed to a steady drip. Letting the noise fill her mind, she drifted back to the conversation she held with her father just hours ago.



“Come on Ranma my boy. It’s just till we can find a cure.” The middle aged man stood above the young girl.

“Why can’t we just find the cure first and then we wouldn’t have to go through any of this!” She shook her head angrily, ringing out her shirt.

“We agreed to meet Soun and your fiancée today and it is not honorable to break ones word.”

“But it IS honorable to lie?!”

“To protect one’s honor it is honorable to lie. Let’s go boy.”

“No way. I don’t wanna have any part in this. You can go alone old man.” She proceeded to kick him out from under the umbrella and into the rain as she ran off in the opposite direction.



“Aaaa! Cold!” The young girl’s teeth chattered goose bumps forming on her skin. She rose to her feet and walked toward the tub.

“Stupid idea, I mean they are bound to find out.”

Just as her foot rose to the top of the porcelain the sliding door to the laundry room opened. The red haired girl stood stunned gawking at the naked girl in front of her.
“Huh. Akane?”

“Didn’t you hear me in the laundry room?” She smiled at the red head sweetly not noticing her face matched the color of her hair. “We can bath together.”

Ranma spun around as Akane closed the door behind her.

“Are you ok Ranma?” She walked over to the stool and sat down, filling the same bucket Ranma had just used.

“Um well . . .” Ranma started to fiddle with her fingers her face still flushed keeping her back to the other naked girl.

“I am so relieved that you are a girl. I wasn’t really looking forward to getting married. Eeeeee! Cold!” Ranma looked back to see the girl dousing herself with cold water. Her long dark hair and smooth skin dripping onto the floor. Ranma returned to her contemplation of the porcelain. “It is really going to be nice having another girl around who practices martial arts. My sisters think I’m a little strange.”

She rose from the stool and walked over to Ranma. “Are you getting in?”

Akane stepped in front of her and lowered herself into the tub.

“Look Akane I can’t lie to you.” Ranma walked over to the faucets and stared at each for a moment before filling the bucket again. She turned around and held the bucket over her head and then let it spill over her head and down her body.

“Oh!” Akane straightened in the tub staring at the site in front of her.

“I don’t like hot baths. Hate them in fact.” Ranma said through chattering teeth. “I have to tell you something else my name isn’t Ranma, it’s Ranko. I hate to disappoint you Akane, but it was my pop’s idea that I come here and pretend to be my brother Ranma. He is on a training trip and couldn’t make it and since I look so much like him Pop thought . . .”

“Hahahaha!” Akane burst into a fit of laughter interrupting her speech. “Sounds just like a friend of dad’s. Don’t worry about it, it was still nice to meet you. We are still friends aren’t we?”

Akane leaned against the edge of the tub her arms crossed hanging over the porcelain. A much less revealing position, which made Ranma more relaxed.

“Of course we are.” The tension drained from Ranma’s body and a smile danced across her lovely face. “Hey Pop might already be here.”

The red head sprung through the sliding door, threw her clothes on, and raced down the hallway. ‘Friends. And maybe a real home, if only I don’t let ‘em know my secret.’

Soun and Genma sat together cross-legged looking into the night solemnly. Genma settled himself for a long discussion with his oldest friend when a deceivingly dainty foot kicked him upside the head sending him into the hedges.

“No reason to come up with anymore lies Pop. They already know I’m not Ranma.” Genma looked up at her, his expression changing from bewilderment to comprehension in a matter of seconds.

“So you have told them who you really are, RANKO?”

“Really Mr. Saotome trying to pass off your daughter as her brother. I’m sure they may look alike but Ranko is most definitely a girl.” Akane interrupted entering the room in a yellow skirt and a white cotton shirt.

“Oh yes, I guess it really wasn’t a very good idea.”

“Mr. Saotome, we understand that Ranma couldn’t make it we can meet him another time. Until then you and Ranko are welcome to stay with us, right dad?”

“Of course Saotome is my oldest friend. Funny though Saotome, I don’t remember you telling me your wife had twins.”

“Why would I ever tell you about this lowly daughter of mine, she is of no use to me whatsoever.”

“Say again Pop?” Ranma loomed above her father threateningly. Akane came up behind her and put her hand on her shoulder. She smiled down at the girl her head tilted slightly.

“It must have been hard living on the road, never having much of a home. We’ll being going to school together.”

“School.”

“Of course Ranko, nice young ladies need to go to school.” Kasumi said walking into the room with dinner.

“Oh yeah, nice young lady, sure.”

“Saotome when will we meet Ranma?” Soun turned to his friend.

“Oh soon, very soon?”

“I’d hate to think you are going to go back on your word.”

“Never Tendo. He will marry one of your daughters.”

“Naturally he should marry Akane.” Nabiki added sitting down at the table.

“Huh? Why me?”

“You have so much in common.”

“And you are the same age.” Added Kasumi.

“What does that have to do with anything and how do you know we have a lot in common?!” Akane said furious.

“Well you both are martial arts freaks aren’t you, who else should take over the dojo. I certainly had bigger things in mind and you don’t expect Kasumi to learn how to fight.”

“I-I”

“So there you have it Akane and Ranma should be engaged.”

“Hmph, I haven’t even met him yet and you’re already marring me off.”

“If he is half as cute as Ranko then you have it made Akane.” Akane turned around in a huff and went upstairs without eating dinner. Ranma stood stunned her whole future planned out and she couldn’t even protest because it wasn’t HER future. She sat down on the steps leading out to the yard her cheek resting on her hand.

“Well boy everything is working out perfectly.” He whispered to her.

“Yeah just great. I dunno how I let you talk me into this.”

“Come on Ranko, get up!”

“Wh-what?” Ranma yawned, her eyes opening groggily. The young girl stood above her hands on her hips. She was dressed in a blue and white frock her hair pulled back loosely in a bow.

“Yo Akane. What’s up?”

“It’s time for school Ranko, you better get ready.” Akane looked down at the red head. She still lay sprawled out on the mat she slept on wearing a pair of blue boy’s boxers and a white T-shirt. Akane bent down and yanked the girl off the floor.

“Do you want to wear one of my or Nabiki’s uniforms?”

“No thanks.”

“OK, well I’ll be downstairs. You do want to eat don’t you?” Ranma sprang to life tearing down the hallway getting ready on the way. Kasumi’s cooking was the best she’d eaten since before she could remember. After devouring breakfast Ranma and Akane headed off to school slightly behind schedule.

“You are quite agile,” Akane said admiring Ranma walk perfectly balanced on the fence. “I guess the three of you studied pretty diligently huh?”

“Three? Oh yeah been training with Pop just about every minute of my life.”

“So I guess Ranma is just as good you?”

“Better.” Ranma stopped and looked down at Akane.

“Does he want to be engaged?”

“Huh?”

“Did he send you cause he doesn’t want to be engaged?”

“No not really. I mean he’s sixteen and pretty wrapped up in his training, doesn’t have much time for fiancées. Besides didn’t you say you didn’t want to be engaged.”

“Hmph. No way I have enough problems with boys.” Akane walked on and Ranma looked after her. “Oh jeez we’re late!”

Both darted toward the school side by side. As the distance between them and the school lessened Ranma noticed an unusual amount of male students standing outside the school.

“What the-”

“Don’t worry I can handle this, just stay back!” Akane dashed forward and was immediately accosted on all sides by an assortment of boys welding baseball bats, hockey sticks, kendo swords, etc. She took all of them out in a matter of minutes. Ranma watched from above, perched on the stone wall surrounding the school, a slow smile crept across her face.

At last the final boy fell to the ground minus a few less teeth, Akane adjusted her hair mildly out of breath. “When will they learn.”

From beyond the trees an older boy dressed like a samurai emerged holding a single rose. He threw the rose to Akane catching her attention. He started spouting some poetry of how much he loved her and Ranma’s stomach started to churn.

“Jeez Akane you sure are popular with the guys.” Ranma said jumping down next to her.

“Stand back you might get hurt.”

“Huh?” The boy was suddenly at her side holding another rose.

“Oh what red haired beauty is brought to mine eyes? This flower can not compare to your beauty. Come let us date!” He grabbed her hands in his own.

“Hey jerk what do you think you’re doing.” Ranma’s face twisted in disgust. She pivoted on her heal and kicked him in the chest sending him flying through the air. He was on his feet immediately recovered holding his bokken high in the air as he looked down at her.

“‘Tis the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High that stands before you, Tatewati Kuno, age 17. If you beat me in combat I will allow you to date with me.”

“Who says I want a date with you.” She said as she nimbly avoided each of his blows.

“You are as graceful as a gazelle my dear.” He whipped up behind her and lifted her off her feet in a hug. Ranma’s eyes bugged out of her head, she thought she might be ill.

“Hands off sicko!” She brought up her leg in an incredible display of flexibility and kicked him in the face. She picked up his sword tossing it in the air with her foot catching it in flight, as he fell backwards she hit him in several vital areas. She stood over him out of breath and completely revolted.

“When my brother comes to town he will have several words for you buddy.”

“My love, if I can get permission from your brother will you date with me?” Like a springboard he was on his feet holding her hand.

“Yeah sure if my brother Ranma says that I can date you I definitely will.” She nodded her head and wrenched her hand free.

“Then I must prepare. My dear Akane please don’t hold a grudge I have not forgotten you.”

“I wasn’t worried.”

“I shall date you both!” He charged at Akane and she sent him soaring through the air with an uppercut.

“Damn we’re late come on Ranko.” She grabbed the red head’s hand and ran into the building.

“Hey so what is with that guy and the rest of the boys attacking you?”

“Oh that’s Kuno the school’s kendo captain. At the beginning of the school year he told the student body that any guy that wanted to date me had to best me in combat.”

“Wow so you fight ALL those guys every morning!” They ran up the stairs of the school.

“Yup and I ALWAYS win. I hate them all!” She dragged Ranma down the hall to the last classroom. “Hey why did you agree to date Kuno if Ranma says yes.”

“Ha! I’m sure he’ll say no.” Akane shrugged and they both walked into the classroom, late. ‘I think this would be a perfect time for Ranma to make his appearance.’

Making an Entrance

“Akane Tendo I strike only out of love!” The teenage soccer player swung his fist at the attractive young girl only to have his arm wrenched forward in her grasp. Using his momentum Akane pulled him off balance then swiftly kicked him in the stomach knocking the wind out of him.

“Ranko Saotome I must have you!”

“I think not Pal!” Ranma bobbed and weaved avoiding all the boys’ sloppy attacks. Ranma ran backwards leading the boy with her, deftly moving out of his path mere millimeters from the stone wall. The boy made a low groan then slid down to the grass unconscious.

“I wish Kuno hadn’t included me in on his stupid decree.” Ranma joined Akane’s side as she twisted one boy’s arm pinning it behind him and pushed him face first into the ground. A small smile crept across the red head’s face as she watched Akane work the boy over with ease.

“Well at least its good exercise.” Akane smiled as Ranma flipped the last boy over her shoulder.

“Hahaha, very funny.” Ranma said not feeling amused. He stomach started to turn ‘I shoulda hit them more, perverts.’

“Come on Ranko we are going to be late.” Akane grabbed the red head by the hand dragging her into the building.

“What else is new. Hey where the heck was Kuno today anyway?”

Slowly Kuno emerged from behind a tree where he observed the two girls’ battle. ‘Oh my beloved’s fighting as one to win my heart. I shall have them both.”

The group of girls walked down the hallway giggling as they talked. Ranma walked close to Akane’s side watching the girls laugh and talk. Akane smiled and joked, but was not as nearly giddy as her companions. Ranma just kept quiet while she watched and listened.

“So when are we going to meet your brother Ranko?”

“Hm?”

“I still can’t believe you’re engaged Akane.” The girl with the ash blonde hair said.

“Shh. I really haven’t told too many people. I mean I’ve never met him.”

“Which brings me back to my original question when are we going to meet your brother Ranko?” All the girls turned to her. Ranma couldn’t read Akane’s look she seemed almost apprehensive.

“Soon, he should be passing through in a couple days on his trip.”

“He must be real strong if he is constantly in training.”

“Yup sure is.” Ranma said rocking back and forth on her heels smiling proudly.

“Sounds like you are a lucky girl Akane.” The blonde girl said nudging her with her elbow.

“How can you say that, I don’t even know him! He may turn out to be a wife beater or something.” Akane shouted angrily, she turned to Ranma and her expression softened. “Sorry Ranko I…”

Ranma just shrugged in return looking away. The girls stopped walking and started to enter a room filled with lockers and benches. Ranma stared at the sign on the door in horror - Girls Locker Room.

“Come on Ranko it’s time for gym.”

“Y-yeah I’ll be right there.”

‘I can do this-I’m a girl.’ Akane and the rest of the girls started to undo the straps of their jumpers. Her knees started to shake. Ranma abruptly turned to the locker and stared forward undoing the ties of her shirt. Ranma placed the top to her gym outfit over her shoulders and examined the tiny red shorts. ‘These are more like underpants then shorts, this is so humiliating.’ Ranma removed the rest of her clothing quickly and slid on the red gym shorts. ‘If Pop sees me like this I’ll never live it down.’

“Gee that was fast are you ready Ranko?” Ranma turned to see Akane pulling her shirt from the middle of her stomach down to the elastic waistband of her shorts.

“Ah yeah I’m rearing to go.” Akane smiled and Ranma couldn’t help but study the beautiful lines of her face. She was especially pleasing to look at when she smiled. Ranma held the image of Akane’s face in her mind even as they played baseball. Ranma stood at third base, Akane at the pitcher’s mound waiting for the sign for the catcher. Ranma had to admit she was very athletic, for a girl, and she even looked kind of cute in her gym outfit, for a tomboy. A cry from home base brought Ranma out of her reverie. She turned and caught the baseball right between the eyes.

“Oh Ranko are you ok?” Akane ran to her side along with the rest of the players. Ranma fought the blackness that invaded her vision, but soon fell into unconsciousness.

“Ranko. Ranko?” Ranma heard Akane’s voice at the edge of her mind. Her senses started to come around, she felt herself sprawled out on the field her head propped up and an immense pounding in her skull.

“Ow, w-what happened?” Ranma opened her eyes forcing them to focus. Akane’s face slowly came into focus; she was looking down at the red head her brow crinkling with worry.

“You got hit with a ball, when you weren’t paying attention. Are you ok?” Ranma’s head rested on Akane’s lap her hand cradling her chin. Ranma’s cheeks flushed and she sat up.

“Oh I’m fine, nothing to worry about.” The throbbing in her head disagreed and the look on Akane’s face said she didn’t believe her. “Pop’s hit me with harder stuff then that while sparring.”

Ranma jumped to her feet, the girls around her owed in amazement. The gym teacher came over to inspect the bruise on Ranma’s face. Ranma absolutely refused to go to the infirmary. The bell rang signaling them to head back into the building to change. Ranma and the rest of the girls started the jog back into the locker room. Ranma noticed all the boys were eyeing the girls throughout gym, but at this moment it seemed that every one of them was staring at her.

“What are they looking at?”

“Well maybe you should start wearing a bra, I mean it wouldn’t be so bad if you weren’t so…” Akane said moving her gaze downward.

“Oh.” Ranma said thinking to herself ‘there is no way. I’m a GUY!’

From the distance Nabiki stood watching the events unfold, she opened the envelope in her hand and started toward the crowd of boys.

“Boys do I have a deal for you.” She said in her best business tone.

“Hey Akane watcha got there?”

“Hm? Oh it’s a book Kasumi wanted me to return for her.”

“Pressure Points for Beginners. Doesn’t sound too thrilling.” Akane chuckled and Ranma smiled walking next to her.

“Here we are, Dr. Tofu’s clinic.” Ranma studied the outside of the building reading the signs. ‘Moxibustion.’ Ranma followed Akane in.

“Hello, Dr. Tofu?” Akane looked around the clinic impatiently.

“Yes may I help you? Oh Akane its you. You didn’t get into another fight did you?” The young doctor looked at the two girls pleasantly. Akane blushed furiously, Ranma raised an eyebrow examining her.

“N-no sir. I haven’t been in a fight for awhile now doctor.”

“What about this morn-” Ranma was abruptly cut off by an elbow in her gut.

“My Akane I think you friend has been injured.”

“Oh she’ll be fine.”

“That’s a nasty bruise on your face young lady, let me take a look.”

“A fiancé, but you are still so young Akane.” The doctor tended to Ranma’s wound while Akane seemed to be saddened.

“I haven’t even met him yet.”

“Well I’m sure everything will work out just fine. You’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other.” Ranma watched Akane closely she seemed to be getting more and more depressed. When they left the clinic she didn’t say a word. ‘What is she thinking?”

“So have you known the doc a long time, he seemed to know you very well.”

“My whole life he has always been there for me whenever I had problems.” Akane got this sad glossy eyed look on her face and it finally occurred to her. ‘She loves him.’

“So does he feel the same way about you?” Ranma jumped down from the fence she was walking on landing at Akane’s side.

“What?” Akane’s face reddened while she examined the sidewalk under her feet.

“Come on its SO obvious. Does he like you too?” Akane just turned her face away. Ranma craned her head this way and that trying to see her face.

“He already loves someone else.” She said quietly never turning toward her.

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve gotten used to it.” ‘It still hasn’t stopped me from trying though.’ She thought to herself sadly. Akane suddenly turned to Ranma with a curious expression.

“Was it true what you said about Ranma today?”

“That he’s strong and handsome, sure.” Ranma said boastfully her hands behind her head.

“No stupid. He is going to be in town soon?”

“Sure is.” Ranma studied her expression. “Are you excited?”

“Please, no way! I’m just…I dunno.”

“What?”

“I’m not sure. Nervous maybe, but I’m not really sure why. How long is he going to stay?”

“I’m not sure maybe only a day or two.”

“He sure is dedicated.” They reached the gates to the Tendo home and proceeded inside.

“That’s my bro.”

“Mr. Saotome are you excited that Ranma is coming?”

“Huh?”

“Ranma is coming?” Soun jumped up from the shoji game excitedly.

“You mean nobody else knew.”

“Kasumi what are we going to do?” Soun ran around the house like a mad man.

“Ranma coming here?” Genma looked at his daughter questioningly. “Are you sure that is such a good idea boy?” He said under his breath.

“I have my reasons.”

High atop a hill looking down at the city a weary traveler made a silent prayer to the gods in heaven. ‘Finally after months in the jungle I have found it, Tokyo. Soon Ranma I shall have my revenge. The boy adjusted his backpack and turned heading back the way he came.

“I can’t believe your father is going to so much trouble for m-Ranma.” Ranma sat cross-legged on Akane’s bed as she went through all the dresses in her closet.

“He is proud to have someone of your brother’s caliber taking over the dojo.” Ranma beamed with pride. “At least that is what your father said.”

Ranma’s shoulders slumped forward in disappointment as Nabiki came bursting through the door. She walked over to her sister’s closet and shook her head in disapproval.

“Come, come Akane if you are going to make an impression on your fiancé you can’t wear any of this. Daddy is taking us out to a nice restaurant so of course we’ll be needing new outfits.”

“Don’t call him my fiancé, I don’t even know him!”

“Daddy already gave me his credit card. He said I should look nice in case Ranma doesn’t like you.” Akane was appalled.

“Alright fine we’ll go.” Nabiki merrily left the room and Akane spun on heal staring at Ranma. “You are coming with me Ranko, left to Nabiki I’ll end up dressed in a ball gown.”

“Huh?” Ranma stared at Akane’s frazzled face.

“Come on please we’ll buy some stuff for you as well, it’ll be fun.” Akane smiled down at the red head causing her to loose all resolve. ‘Great I get to buy girls clothes.’

It was more boring then anything else. Ranma followed the two Tendo girls around as they examined different dresses running off every once and awhile to try something on. Ranma’s favorite part was when they stopped for ice cream she had three hot fudge sundaes to Nabiki and Akane’s astonishment. She had nearly fallen asleep in the chair next to the dressing room when Akane emerged in a radiant blue dress. It was a simple, fitted knee length dress with short sleeves that fit perfectly enhancing her shape. The dark shade of blue made the highlights in long her hair gleam and her eyes sparkle. She fidgeted with the buttons that ran the length of the dress looking down at herself.

“What do you think? This one seems to be the nicest. Though…I have to admit I never look very good in dresses.”

“You look great, amazing.” Ranma stuttered and Akane immediately smiled feeling relieved. Ranma stood up and walked to her.

“Why thank you.” She curtseyed giggling.

“Some black thigh highs and some matching underwear and you’ll be all set.” Nabiki said coming up behind Akane flipping up the hem of her dress showing her poka-dotted panties. Ranma felt her face turn very hot she turned away trying not too look suspicious.

“What do I need that for?” Akane said holding down the skirt to her dress.

“Trust me it will make you feel more attractive. Now we’ve got to get something for Ranko here.”

“Huh? Me?” Ranma backed away frightened.

“We’ll make it so your brother won’t even recognize you.”

“I already got something for her at the last store.”

“You did?” Ranma said sagging over. Akane pulled open a bag from the dressing room to reveal a red Chinese outfit with yellow flowers. It was feminine but not a dress. She handed it to Ranma who just looked up at her surprised.

“I hope you like it. I bought a larger shirt and smaller pants, but you should probably try it on when we get home.”

“Thank you, it’s just what I’d have picked.” ‘If I were forced to wear girl’s clothes. I even like the color.’

“Okay ladies let’s head over to the unmentionables.”

“Ugh.”

“Come on Ranko, the boys are never going to leave you alone if you continue to give them a free show.”

“What do I care if they look, as long as they don’t touch.”

“Ranko! You really haven’t had any female influence have you?”

“How about this Akane?” Nabiki held up a black see through bodysuit that made both Akane and Ranma flush. “Look it has snaps.”

“I am not having sex with him I am just meeting him.”

“You can never be too prepared.” Nabiki scolded.

“I assure you I don’t need to be that prepared!” Akane stared furious at Nabiki who just shrugged putting the lingerie down. Ranma thanked her luck that she was not going to be engaged to Nabiki. Akane picked out a modest set of black undergarments and Ranma agreed to buy two athletic supporters for gym and that was it. After the shopping was done they went straight home where the rest of the family was furiously cleaning.

“Jeez its just m-Ranma!” She yelled. Akane shrugged her shoulders trying to hide her nervousness. Ranma retreated to her room. ‘Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. I wish they didn’t make such a big deal outta this.’ A vision of Akane standing in the short sleeved blue dress smiling at her flashed through her mind as she sprawled out on her futon. ‘Still, I guess it won’t be so bad them makin’ a fuss.’ She stared up at the ceiling slowly letting sleep invade her body.

“Come on Ranko, get up.”

“Hmm, not yet Akane give me a couple more minutes.”

“Ranko we’re going to late for school again.” Ranma sat up straight startling Akane. ‘Right I wanted to get out early today so I could change.’

“What’s wrong are you ok?” Akane sat down next to the red head concerned. Ranma held her stomach leaning over moaning. Akane placed her hand on the girl’s forehead. “You don’t have a fever.”

“Oooooh, I think I’m gonna be sick. Must have been those ice cream sundaes I had last night.”

“I told you not to have the third one.”

“I don’t think I can make it to school today.”

“OK, I hope you feel better.” Ranma continued to moan until Akane left. She sprung from her futon and rummaged through her clothes until she found her favorite red shirt. ‘I can get some hot water from Dr. Tofu’s on the way.’

Ranma was giddy with anticipation. ‘I have been stuck in this body for WAY too long.’ After dressing she shimmied out her window onto the roof. ‘Can’t risk running into Akane on the way, better take the high road.’ With ease Ranma jumped from roof to roof making her way across town. It wasn’t long before she caught sight of the clinic and took to the ground. While making her descent Ranma felt her foot slam into a hard unstable object. Ranma looked down to find her foot had intercepted the head of a young man wandering by. After using his head for leverage she found her footing on the sidewalk as the boy was flattened on his back.

“Jeez sorry about that man, I didn’t see yah there. You ok?” She squatted down next to him.

“I’m fine, got a thick head.” He recovered quickly and was sitting up rubbing his head. She noticed a map lying next to him.

“Here you go, you dropped it.” She handed him the worn piece of paper and they both rose to their feet.

“Thanks.” The boy wore a yellow and black bandana and was looking her over closely. “Have I met you somewhere before?”

She frowned thinking to herself ‘he better not be trying to pick me up or something.’

“I mean its just cause you look so familiar.” The boy said a goofy smile on his face and a hand behind his head, obviously realizing how he must have sounded. Ranma looked him over and thought to herself that there was definitely something familiar about this boy.

“Oh jeez sorry but I’m going to be late if I don’t get going.” Ranma ran off around the corner.

“Hey!” The boy shrugged his shoulders. “I should have asked her if she knew where Furinkan High was.”

“What was that, Furinkan High?” The boy quickly turned around to find an attractive girl with long black hair looking at him.

Akane smiled pleasantly at the boy. ‘I’m sure I just saw him talking to Ranko.’

“Oh yes I am looking for Ranma Saotome. Can you direct me to Furinkan High?”

“Sure I’m on my way there now. What do you want with Ranma?”

“I’m going to beat him to a pulp.” The boy said matter-of-factly. ‘So he is here to challenge Ranma and he was just talking to Ranko. Why that little sneak, she had a boyfriend and she didn’t even tell me.’

‘Today really is going to be perfect. I’m on my way to kill Ranma once and for all and a beautiful girl is guiding me to his demise. Today I will assuredly prevail.’

“Oh jeez I beat her here.” Ranma walked through the school gates perusing the horde of boys waiting for his female self and Akane to arrive. ‘Jerks what the hell are they looking at.’ After all the morning fights Ranma couldn’t help but loathe them.

“You there, new boy, have you come to challenge Akane Tendo or the pig-tailed goddess, Ranko?’ Kuno said standing under a tree in the distance.

“Now why would I want to challenge my own sister?” Ranma stood arrogantly looking at the shocked faces of the boys in the schoolyard.

“You’re-?” The boys looked back and forth from one another exchanging acknowledgements. “Didn’t Nabiki say that any guy that defeats him in battle can date Ranko?”

Ranma’s raised an eyebrow at the comment and watched the crowd continue to stir.

“That means if we beat you we can date Ranko! Charge!”

All the boys except Kuno ran at Ranma using various weapons. He dispatched them all quickly weaving in the air to avoid all the attacks sending them flying with a single kick or punch. When the last boy hit the ground Ranma jumped a top the stone wall and surveyed the unconscious remains of all his attackers. He stretched reveling in his male form, feeling more and more comfortable. He smiled smugly at his handy work when he spied two figures standing at the gates below him.

Akane stared up at him as their eyes met. The wind swirled across the schoolyard running through her long dark hair and rustling her dress. Ranma felt his own hair graze across his cheek, his pigtail blowing in the breeze.

He jumped down in front of her, smirking inwardly. “You must be Akane.”

“Ranma?” They continued to look at each other when he heard his name yelled at him from either side.

“Ranma Saotome!” Ranma harshly pushed Akane out of the way as the two boys attacked him from both sides. The sword and the umbrella met in the space he recently occupied, Ranma stood back and surveyed his opponents.

Hell and Back Again

Ranma smiled as he looked at each of his attackers in turn ‘Kuno and…that guy. Now I’m sure I know him from somewhere.’ The two boys suddenly looked at each other.

“Nave who be you that would fight for my beloved.”

“I-”

“Wait is it not customary to give one’s own name first?”

“Well-”

“Fine, mine I shall give-” Ryoga stood dumbfounded as Kuno reeled off his usual spiel of ‘Blue Thunder.’ Ranma crossed his arms over his chest and waited for the inevitable lightening strike.

KABOOM!

“Who are you that might challenge for my goddess’ hand?”

“Hey I’m just here to kill Ranma Saotome!”

“Well if we are going to fight then let’s stop the chit chat.” Ranma interrupted.

“Right you are well past the time for reprieve Saotome!” And with that Ryoga charged his umbrella extended like a blade. Ranma twisted out of Ryoga’s reach then lunged forward avoiding the kendo sword slicing the through the air behind him nearly chopping off his pigtail.

“Hey man, watch the hair!”

“I shall not allow this cretin to beat you for my true love’s hand, that privilege I will take myself.” Kuno swung his sword toward Ranma’s midsection as Ranma leapt backwards dancing through a folly of Ryoga’s bandana’s leaving his shirt marred and his bare skin exposed.

‘This can’t be good for him. Two against one, no matter how good Mr. Saotome and Ranko say he is, I have to help him.’ Akane thought to herself watching from the sidelines.

“Who are you calling a cretin and Ranma stop talking like a girl!”

Ranma growled narrowing his eyes at the boy with the bandana. “Who are you calling a girl!”

He pivoted and sent Kuno flying into a tree with a single kick, then lunged at Ryoga fists flying. Ryoga staggered backwards absorbing all the punches managing to avoid only a precious few.

“Who are you anyway?” Ranma shouted.

“You mean you really don’t remember me?” Ryoga huffed trying to regain his breath sounding almost hurt or let down by Ranma’s question. Then his face hardened with a new determination. “After the hell you’ve put me through!”

Ryoga slammed his umbrella into Ranma’s stomach sending him flying. Uneasily Ranma flipped in the air landing on his feet feeling the pain sting his stomach.

“Hey didn’t we go to junior high together?”

“Then you do remember?” Ryoga held his position in anticipation.

“Um…wait,” Ranma brought his hand to his cheek a thoughtful expression on his face.

“Tally not with this simpleton.” Kuno flung Ryoga out of the way with a rough shove from the side and ran at Ranma his wooden sword held firm. “All though I must destroy you, it gives me no pleasure to hurt a future family member.”

“Oh give it a rest Kuno.” Ranma moved from side to side dodging Kuno’s strikes. Again Kuno was kicked aside. Slowly he forced himself to his feet using his bokken for support. He stared at Ranma feeling the strain of battle when suddenly before him stood Akane.
“Akane Tendo my love there is no reason for you to be jealous. My love for thee is still as infinite as time itself.”

“Gimme a break. Two against one isn’t fair. Fight me instead!” Akane raised her arms in defense the wind blowing her loosely tied hair over her shoulder.

Ranma looked over his shoulder while dodging Ryoga’s punches and was disturbed to find Akane squaring off against Kuno. ‘What the heck does she think she is doing.’ He thought to himself springing into the air to avoid the umbrella jetting toward him. Letting it sail underneath him and ricochet off a tree toward the kendoist and young girl.

“Oh no Akane!” Ranma propelled Ryoga into the air with an uppercut and ran off in her direction.

“Huh?” Akane turned her attention from Kuno at the sound of her name.

“Look out stupid.” Kuno lowered his sword as Ranma grabbed Akane around the waist sending Kuno flying with a foot to the stomach. Akane was whipped through the air the skirt of her school uniform shredded by Ryoga’s buzzsaw umbrella. Her head spun as she felt herself gliding through space, her head buried in Ranma’s chest, all the while holding her breath until they finally came to a stop.

“Were you cut?” Ranma asked concerned looking down into her face his arms still encircling her waist.

“I…I don’t think so.” She said disoriented. They stood behind a tree away from the downed combatants. Ranma backed away pressing his back against the bark of the tree. Looking down he examined the shredded remains of her dress making it into a tattered miniskirt.

“You look ok.” A grin quickly passed across his face, a brief pause in his otherwise serious expression. “Nice legs.”

“Oh!” She scrambled to conceal more of herself than her clothing could cover. She looked up at him glaring. Ranma peered around the side of the tree.

“The nerve of that guy horning in on my fiancée.” Kuno was slowly picking himself up off the ground while Ryoga wandered around the schoolyard shouting about where he might be. Akane’s face softened looking up at him he turned to meet her gaze feeling a little unnerved. “Not that I’m planning on marring you or nothing.” He stammered.

Akane immediately regained her scowl. “And who said I wanted to marry a stupid pervert like you anyway!”

“Who you calling a pervert!”

“You were staring at my legs! And what about all of them?” She asked making a display of the unconscious students littering the high school lawn. “I don’t need you to fight my fights for me!”

“Listen you, they attacked me and what the heck were you doing butting in on MY fight for anyway!”
“They were double teaming you, I was just trying to help!” She shouted getting out of breath. Ranma seemed to reflect on her statement for a moment then looked at her seriously.

“A man to man fight is no place for a girl. Even a muscle bound girl like you.” Akane began to protest when a noise from behind the tree interrupted.

“Running away Saotome!”

“Wo duck!” Ranma covered Akane dragging her down with him as the kendo sword cut the tree in half. He pulled her to the side out of the way of the falling tree protecting her with his body.

“What’s this? Fondling the pure Akane Tendo whilest thou hide from a fight.” Kuno stood stunned. Ranma rolled to his side bringing himself up on one knee.

“Hey, she is MY fiancée I can fondle her when I like!” Ranma cringed to himself ‘That was SO not what I meant.’ “Anyway I wasn’t running away let’s fight!”

An elbow to the top of his head held him down. “Who are you fondling whenever you like!”

“Ugh!”

The glare of Kuno’s red aura caused them both to turn their attention back to the kendoist.

“Huh?” They said in unison.

“F-Fiancée? FIANCÉE!” Kuno began to shake with fury. “I will not allow it!”

“Look this is my fight now just STAY here.” Ranma said never taking his eyes off the approaching kendoist.

“O-ok.” Akane stammered.

Kuno flew at him with renewed speed Ranma backpedaled dodging every blow by twisting and contorting his body out of the way. Ranma felt a sharp pain in his torso as an umbrella sliced through his shirt between Ranma and Kuno. The long cut to his midsection was followed by a gash to his cheek from the wooden blade catching him off guard.

“Oh no!” Akane held her breath. ‘I know I said I wouldn’t interfere anymore, but what if he gets hurt? What would I tell Ranko?’

Ranma staggered backwards nursing his stomach stepping to the side he connected his foot to the side of Kuno’s face making him topple into Ryoga.

‘There is no use in trying to discuss things with Kuno and I don’t think I am much of a match for this other guy. Maybe…’

Ryoga stumbled to his feet his attention directed solely on Kuno and Ranma battling. ‘Ha! Now I have him, he was injured.’ Ryoga started toward them when a hand fell upon his shoulder. He grabbed the hand whipping the girl in front of him with a fierce tug. Her beautiful brown eyes looked up at him opening wide with fright.

“Oh…it’s you. You could get hurt out here.”

“You seem like a reasonable enough guy.”

“Huh?”

She looked up at him seriously never noticing that he still held her hand in his. “Is this anyway to impress a girl? Doubling up on him, it’s just not fair.”

“Well I guess I never thought about it that way.” He looked down his eyes bugging out of his head heat burning his cheeks. ‘We’re holding hands! If that other guy is fighting for this girl, there is no reason I can’t. Maybe she even wants me to.’

“Alright I’ll do it!”

“Ah…” He pulled her hand to his chest enthusiastically.

“Huh?” Ranma frowned looking over at the two. ‘What does she think she is doing now?’

“Fool, you would dare ignore Blue Thunder!” Kuno charged and Ranma looked up at him coldly coddling his stomach.

“I am done playing around.” Ranma ran into Kuno’s attack punching his face and midsection with remarkable speed.

“I have not yet begun to fight…” Kuno grunted then collapsed to the ground unconscious. Ranma stood hunched over catching his breath the sharp pain from his torso increasing tenfold. He looked over to see a frazzled Akane still being held to Ryoga.

“RYOGA!” He ignored the pain and rushed toward them.

“Huh?” Akane looked over her shoulder to the blur that was heading toward them.

“So now you remember!” Ryoga pulled out his umbrella, stretching his arm out in front of Akane protectively and released the umbrella at Ranma. The heavy bamboo umbrella raced across the ground toward him creating large gauges in the concrete. Ranma leapt high in the air baring down on Ryoga.

Swinging Akane over his shoulder Ryoga jumped backwards away from Ranma.

“Wha-what are you doing?”

“I’m sorry this isn’t very dignified,” Ryoga said holding her legs to his chest as she talked to him from over his shoulder “but I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“Hey man PUT her DOWN!” Ranma yelled in close pursuit. Meanwhile Ryoga had torn off several bandanas and started launching them at Ranma. Ranma danced around the cloth shurikens and stealthily kept up with his prey. Ryoga took to the tree branches and Ranma followed from below.

“Where do you think YOU'RE going!”

High above the ground Ryoga finally let Akane down onto a branch. “Now stay here where it is safe while I take care of Ranma and I’ll be back for you.”

“Huh, wait!” Akane shouted as Ryoga leap to the ground below. She sighed to herself as she looked down the forty or so feet to the concrete below. “Great, just great.”

“There you are let’s finish this.”

“I agree no more distractions. Now Saotome you pay!”

Akane watched from above as the boys fought fiercely exchanging blows neither gaining any ground over the other. Ranma ignored the pain from his midsection, but it was slowing him down. He ran backwards dodging and parrying Ryoga’s attacks when the familiar feeling of cold water hit. Ryoga had stopped just short off being drenched. The change started, out of the corner of Ranma’s eye he saw Akane inching down branches trying her best to conceal herself with what was left of her school uniform. He could feel his body shrinking and with lightening speed turned on his heal and darted across the lawn. He felt his body lightened in weight but his legs lost the reach they once held.

Ryoga stood stunned shocked at how close he had come to the sprinkler. ‘Saved from disaster by mere inches.’

“Hey Ranma where are you going?!” He snapped out of his stupor and sprung into pursuit never letting Ranma out of his sight for fear of loosing him. ‘You’re not getting away not when I’m so close.’ “Ranma you coward get back here!”

‘Is it me or does Ranma’s hair look red - it most be the sun.’

‘Damn it. I hate running away but I can’t let Akane see me like this.’ Ranma cleared the woods behind the school and made her way down the street and into the Nerima park. Ryoga was quickly catching up, he reached out his hand on Ranma’s shoulder.

Ranma grabbed Ryoga’s hand and flung him off her shoulder. He came crashing down onto the concrete meeting the young girl eye to eye.

“You?” They stared at each silently Ryoga sprawled out on the ground in front of her. “You’re that girl, but-but you’re R-Ranma…”

Ranma’s shoulders hunched over as she closed her eyes. “Look Ryoga I don’t know why you’ve come after me, but as you can see I have enough problems.” She said in a low voice never meeting his gaze. Ryoga rolled forward turning just his head to look over his shoulder at her his vacant expression turning to disdain.

“Ha! You have no idea what REAL problems are!” Ranma watched him rise to his feet bewildered by his comment.

“Ranma for the hell you put me through I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!” He lunged forward tackling the girl. They grappled together rolling around on the ground. People walking past steered clear of the two making comments about the strange couple. Ranma pulled Ryoga on top of her and rose both her legs launching him up into the air.

SPLASH!

He sailed behind her and into the lake in the middle of the park. Slowly she rose to her feet clutching her stomach in pain. A young couple rowed by in a small boat, the girl giggled bashfully as the boy moved the ores leaning forward toward her. Ranma looked all around but Ryoga was nowhere to be found.

“Where the heck did that idiot go?” She turned on her heal and started to walk away, from behind a small black piglet pulled itself from the water shaking the water from its flanks. “Oh well, I’m sure I’ll be seeing him again.”



Ranma made it back to the house, sneaking around the back she entered the house unseen. She walked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. Looking down at her tattered clothes she sighed with frustration. ‘That fight didn’t go well at all. Too many distractions.’

“They were double teaming you. I was just trying to help!” Her mind replayed the scene with Akane sighing once again. The front door opened and closed loudly. “Kasumi I’m home.”

“Hello?”

Akane strolled through the hall and into the kitchen expecting to find Kasumi standing at the sink with the water running instead of her fiancé dripping wet. “Oh hello. I-I was looking for you.”

“I, um, just got here. I needed a bit of fixing up.” She looked him over and discovered the long gash across his torso.

“Oh gee let me get the first aid kit.” Akane scrambled around the room then dragged Ranma out to the porch.

“I’m all right really, they look worse then they feel.” He placed his hand behind his head sitting in front of her Indian style.

“Don’t worry I have experience with this kind of thing. Now take your shirt off.” She pulled out a bottle of antiseptic along with various ointments, cotton balls and some gauze. Ranma started to undo the ties to his favorite red shirt, now ruined. She turned back and found him sitting across from her bare chested a rosy color filled her face, she cleared her throat and got down to business. He had several minor scratches on his arms, a laceration to his cheek and the long gash in his otherwise perfect abdomen. Gently she used a cotton ball to apply the antiseptic. He flinched slightly as it stung, their eyes met.

“Sorry I should have warned you that it might sting a bit.” She whispered.

“S’ok.” He said a slight waver in his voice. She continued to run her fingers tenderly over his arms. Cringing slightly she started on the cut to his torso. His cheeks burned. ‘This is ridiculous its not like she has never touched me before. I just wasn’t a guy at the time.’

Ranma took a deep breath and relaxed, Akane raised her head examining him.

“Are you ok?”

“Oh yeah, fine.” He forced a smile. Examining the cut to his cheek Akane ran a piece of soft cotton across the wound. She inched closer from her kneeling position her body only inches from his. She looked into his eyes and sat back on her legs thoughtfully.

“You know, you and Ranko do look a lot a like.” Ranma gave a nervous laugh his mind racing to change the subject.

“Are you sure you weren’t cut by that umbrella?” She looked down at her battered uniform that she forgot she was still wearing.

“Oh no. I’m just fine.” She adjusted the tattered threads trying to keep a modicum of modesty. Digging back into the first aid kit she pulled out a band-aid and placed it on Ranma’s cheek “I should really wrap some gauze around that cut.”

“It doesn’t look so bad since you cleaned it up.” Akane started to wrap the gauze around his midsection her hair caressing his chest as she bent her head down. Ranma swallowed loudly the sweet smell filling his nostrils. ‘I’m being stupid. This is Akane we have been friends for weeks now.’ Her arms encircled his waist passing the roll of gauze from one hand to the other behind his back. His breath lingered in his lungs ‘I mean jeez, I’ve even seen her naked.’ Another large gulp. ‘That was absolutely the wrong thing to think about.’

Bending to the side to once again bring the gauze around his back Ranma saw a trace of red staining her perfect white skin. “So you were cut after all.” Ranma said placing a hand on her thigh ignoring the pain he felt bending toward her.

A gasp escaped her lips. “Sorry, does it hurt?”

“No it must be just a scratch I didn’t even feel it.”

“My turn to administer first aid.”

“Don’t bother, its fine. Aieeeeeeeee!”

“Sorry, I’ll try being more gentle.”

“I-Its ok. Just stings.”

“Playing doctor are we?” The two turned stunned to find Nabiki and the rest of the family looking down at them. Akane’s leg extended to Ranma’s side while she twisted to the side both his hands grasping her leg. They flushed fiercely and separated.

“Oh Akane what happened?” Kasumi asked looking at the cut on her leg and the torn remains of her school uniform.

“I’m fine Kasumi.”

“Ranma my boy good to see you. Getting along well with you fiancée?”

“Ahh…” Ranma stuttered. Across from him Akane rose to her feet, looking up at her he soon followed.

“Ranma this is my family. My dad, Soun Tendo.”

“A pleasure to meet you son.” Soun shook his hand firmly.

“My sister Kasumi.”

“Hello.” She smiled brightly.

“My sister Nabiki.”

“Well you ARE cute.”

“Ahh . . .” Ranma stuttered again. “Nice to meet you all.”

“Tell me Ranma what happened, you didn’t get into a fight you’re FIRST day meeting the Tendos now did you?” Genma stared at his son sternly.

“I didn’t start nothin’. I was just going to see Akane, a-and Ranko, at school when I was attacked.”

“How awful.” Kasumi gasped bringing her hand to her cheek.

“Nothing I couldn’t handle.” Ranma boasted.

“That’s why you got so beat up.” Akane interjected.

“I would have been fine if you hadn’t kept distracting me by getting in the middle of it.” Ranma turned to her furious.

“Excuse me for trying to help you. They were ganging up on you.”

“Neither of them could have touched me if you hadn’t been around!” They faced each their nose's only inches apart.

“Well fine don’t worry I won’t be anywhere that you are!” She turned whipping him in the face with her hair leaving them to watch after her.

“Welcome to the family son!” Soun crushed the boy in a hug.

“Ugh.”

“I can’t believe him, who does he think he is anyway!” Akane stomped down the hallway heading toward Ranma’s room wrapping loudly on the door she waited for a response.

“Ranko? Ranko are you in there?” She slid open the door and poked her head into the empty room. ‘I guess she hasn’t come back yet.’ She walked back down the hallway and into her own room. ‘Maybe she is out with that Ryoga guy, Ranma never even said how it ended and I was too busy fixing him up to ask.’

“So boy, did you keep your cover, Akane doesn’t suspect anything does she?” Genma whispered to his son as they sparred in the dojo.

“Listen old man, this isn’t some spy movie this is my life! I should just tell her and get it over with before it gets worse, I was nearly discovered today.” Ranma dodged blows left and right.

“Do you want them to know you are only half a man?”

“Hey! I am ALWAYS a guy! I just have the body of a girl sometimes, more often then I would like to think about recently. All the more reason for me to tell them so I can go back to being a guy most of the time.” Infuriated Ranma doubled his efforts to attack the older man.

“Keep your voice down, you really think Akane will except a girl as a fiancé?”

“What do I care that was your idea to begin with not mine.” Ranma flung himself forward with a punch and Genma slyly ducked under it still peering up at his son.

“So you think she’ll be ok with the fact that you have been pretending to be a girl?”

“Huh?” A picture of Akane walking into the bathroom naked flashed into his mind and he stood frozen in his swing.

“You two must have become CLOSE girlfriends, she doesn’t do ANYTHING without her good FRIEND Ranko.” ‘How did the old man know?’

“She’d kill me.” Ranma whispered to himself completely dropping his defenses leaving himself open to the punch that slammed right into his face and sent him hurtling through the air and into the dojo wall.

“I knew you would see it my way boy.”

“Why you!” Ranma leapt to his feet with a punch to his father’s gut and the sparring continued.

“Kasumi have you seen Ranko? It has been a couple hours since I came home and she isn’t anywhere around.”

“No Akane I haven’t seen her.”

“Wasn’t she sick this morning?” Nabiki interrupted.

“I don’t think so, she met up with that guy that was fighting with Ranma and Kuno. I think they are dating.”

“Well isn’t she a sly dog, I didn’t think she had it in her.” Nabiki said slightly surprised never loosing her sarcastic tone.

“Me neither, but I figure he was fighting Ranma to get his permission.” Again Nabiki looked surprised. ‘And here I thought I made up that rumor to sell more information about the Saotomes.’

“Really I thought she hated boys, more than you do.” Akane frowned a little then agreed.

“Well why don’t you go ask Ranma if he knows where she is they are brother and sister. He is in the dojo sparring with Mr. Saotome.” Kasumi said continuing to clean the immaculate kitchen.

Akane left the house and crossed the grass over to the dojo stopping in the doorway to watch the master and student practice their art. Ranma was loose and quick while his father was strong and surprisingly agile for a hefty man. The two were amazing, fighting with his father truly brought out all of Ranma’s skill. They danced around each other seeming like caged birds inside the dojo. Akane felt a twinge of jealousy, but watched on quietly.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw her. Standing in the doorway, the light gleaming off her dark hair that hung loose over her shoulders. A second was all it took.

“Opening!” The old man shouted kicking his son in the stomach sending him flying once again into the wall of the dojo. Ranma landed in a heap on the floor clutching the wound to his stomach tasting the bile in his mouth. Then her face appeared before him, all noise was blocked from his ears. Her worried face mouthed a question as she kneeled beside him on the floor. Subconsciously moving her hand to brush her hair out of her face to behind her ear. Again her mouth moved slowly and he could tell she was saying his name.

“Ranma?” Akane said gently.

“Unh. Hey Akane.” The girl seemed to be relieved but then turned to the older man furious.

“You were supposed to be just sparring, no fair hitting him in his weak spot.” Genma smiled but quickly put a serious face on and bowed to her.

“Of course, how thoughtless of me.”

“Ah jeez, I’m fine!” Ranma had been touched by her presence until she said the word weak. “Nobody’s gonna go easy on me in a real fight. You wouldn’t understand being a girl.”

“Excuse me?” She glared up at him as he dragged himself up from the floor.

“Well guys are always easy on you because you are a girl.”

“Are you saying that the only reason I win any fights is because I am a girl!” She jumped up to her feet getting between him and the door.

“What kind of guy beats up girls?”

“Ok that’s it fight me right now!” Akane took an aggressive stance. Ranma looked her up and down, she had changed into a pair of yellow shorts and a white T-shirt with a bouquet of wild flowers on the front. The expression on her face was fierce and her stance was firm, but she looked like a little girl.

“I don’t fight girls, not even macho ones like you.” He crossed his arms over his chest turning his look from her to the side. In a millisecond he was plastered against the hard wooden floor underneath a gigantic mallet.

“What about his injuries?” Genma stuttered from the other side of the dojo. Akane hefted the mighty mallet over her shoulder and walked out.

“Screw his injuries.”

“I think she really likes you, boy.” Genma said looking back at his son who rubbed the back of his head in pain.

“Who the heck are you talking about, she hates me.” He shouted shutting the door to the guestroom the two men occupied. Ranma walked over to the closet and took out the red outfit Akane bought.

“She worries about you that means something doesn’t it?”

“Nah that’s just the kind of person she is. A sap.”

“I think you are wrong boy.” Genma threw a black Chinese shirt with gold ties to him. “She definitely likes you.”

Ranma held up both outfits one intended for a broad chested male and the other a diminutive yet busty female. Heavily weighing the decision in his mind he looked from one to the other before dropping the black shirt on the floor and picking up a towel as he walked past his father into the hallway.

“Yeah she likes me…but only when I’m a short red head.” Genma shook his head and let his son go.

Deceiving Appearances



The red head examined her reflection, titling her head to the side. The cut on her cheek was a red blemish on her otherwise perfect pink skin.

“Damn that Kuno, he had to get my face.” She opened the medicine cabinet and found a bottle of flesh toned liquid. Lightly using her fingertips she worked the makeup into her skin until the red gash was barely visible. ‘God I’m even wearing makeup, how pathetic can I get.’

After donning her feminine articles of clothing, Ranma walked down the Tendo hallway toward Akane’s room. ‘I’ll just tell her I went out on another training trip, I doubt she’ll be upset that I didn’t say good bye.’ She thought to herself raising her hand to knock, when without warning the door was flung open and she was yanked into the room by her extended arm.

“What the-?” Ranma swiveled around a bit off balance to find the young girl standing in front of her wearing only a plain, loose fitting, black slip that stopped just above her knees and a pair of tan nylons. She quickly faced the opposite direction blushing. “Akane what are you doing?”

“What am I doing, where have you been?” Akane held her hands on her hips burning holes through the red head’s back.

“Wh-what do you mean? I was here sick all day.” Ranma twiddled her fingers staring downward.

“Come on, don’t lie I thought we were friends.” She spun the girl around to face her. “I saw you with him and I know you weren’t up in your room.”

“…” Ranma stood panicked.

“You should have just told me. I would have understood.” This time it was Akane to turn her back on Ranma, whose eyes were bugging out of her head. ‘She knows!’

“I-I wanted to tell you, but things got so complicated…” Ranma fidgeted frantically unable to move from her spot staring at Akane’s back, like a dear in headlights. “I thought you would think badly of me.”

Ranma finally hung her head in despair. Akane stood unmoving for a few moments before spinning around and crushing the red head in a hug.

“Oh I could never think badly of you! You’re-you’re the BEST friend I ever had.” Ranma was stunned for a moment, but soon returned the taller girl’s embrace.

“Akane…” She whispered, burying her head in the girl’s shoulder and a soft mass of freshly washed hair.

“Ever since you came I finally thought I found someone that understood me and has so much in common.”

“I promise I’ll never keep anything from you again.” The weight on Ranma’s shoulders seemed to lift away as she gently rubbed her face in Akane’s hair, and reluctantly let Akane pull away putting a few inches between their arms still around each other.

“OK now spill it, where did you two meet?” Ranma’s brow furrowed with confusion.

“Where did we meet?”

“You and Ryoga.” Akane slipped away from the petite girl and plopped down on the bed, Ranma slowly following her down.

“Oh, um, we met in Jr. High.”

“Really, wow you must have been dating for awhile now.”

“D-dating?”

“Oh sorry, I guess you could have been friends first. Wait, have you even gotten to date yet since he hasn’t beat Ranma yet?”

‘Woe, woe, woe!’ Ranma’s mind shouted trying to catch up with the girl across from her still dressed in only her black slip. ‘I don’t know what she is talking about, but she definitely doesn’t know about my curse.’

“Ryoga definitely hasn’t beat Ranma, he takes that kind of thing seriously.” ‘Stick to the stuff you know.’ She thought to herself fidgeting between words. “Sooo, what did you think about my bro?” Ranma asked tentatively.

“I don’t know, he was all right, when he wasn’t being a sexist jerk. He’s good, I’ll give him that, but I don’t need him fighting my battles for me. How can he say that the only reason I ever win is because I’m a girl? You don’t agree do you?”

“Uhh well, you know a lot of guys hold back when they fight a girl.” Ranma said a little nervously.

“Doesn’t that infuriate you? Do you want them to think you are some china doll that’ll break at the slightest touch?” Akane said getting closer and closer to the red head.

“No way!” Ranma shouted getting into it, then cocked her head at her own response. “Maybe he just didn’t want to hurt you.”

Akane was stunned for a moment and walked to her mirror examining her own thoughtful expression. “I won’t break.” She said softly.

“Did you find Ryoga?” Akane fidgeted with her hair trying to decide which style she preferred.

“No, he gets lost, a lot.” Ranma folded her legs in front of her.

“Have you talked to Ranma?” Akane turned her eyes from the mirror to the young girl on her bed.

“Ah, not really.”

“So you didn’t hear about the fight?!” Akane jumped unto the bed in front of Ranma.

“Between Ranma and Ryoga?” Akane nodded excitedly. “I guess not.”

Akane went on to describe the fight blow by blow. Ranma was surprised by Akane’s description of the fight her male self had just hours before. She was obviously impressed by his skill, describing him in a good light throughout the whole fight, except where she thought he was being sexist. Ranma felt her immense ego return as Akane’s story continued and the gleam in her eyes shown. Subconsciously, Ranma had stopped listening to Akane’s critical analysis of Ranma’s style of Anything-Goes and just smiled listening to her speak, watching her lips move from words to smile to various expressions.

“Ranko, are you even listening to me?”

“Sure, I was just thinking I’ve never met a girl like you before. I mean a girl that is so into martial arts.”

“You mean except for you?”

“Yeah, right.”

“Same here.” Akane sprung from the bed and headed over to the mirror again. “Not to be too girly, but what do you think of my hair like this?”

Akane held her hair up in a twist letting her bangs frame around her face. “It looks nice, I like your hair back.” Inwardly Ranma had to laugh at herself, considering how that statement might have sounded from a guy. ‘Definitely not manly.’

“I used to have short hair, I think it suited me better.”

“Then why did you grow it?”

“I dunno.” She dropped her hair, but kept her eyes on her reflection. “I guess I thought it would make me look older, more feminine, more like…Kasumi.”

“Huh?” Ranma asked puzzled.

“Dr. Tofu has had a crush on Kasumi for as long as I can remember.” Akane said with little emotion.

“Oh…sorry.” Ranma’s voice dropped.

“Don’t worry about it, I don’t. I think it is kind of silly now, trying to be someone I’m not. I mean if someone is going to love you they have to see who you really are sometime, right?”

“Right.” Ranma slumped down even further.

“Hey?” Akane was suddenly in front of Ranma looking at her face closely. Ranma became frantic fearing that she noticed the mark on her face. “Are you wearing makeup?”

“Huh? Just a little.” Her face flushed with mixture of embarrassment and shame.

“Are you planning on skipping dinner and going out with Ryoga?” Akane smiled down at her and Ranma’s first instinct was to violently reply no but she was left stuttering. “I can cover for you, I’ll tell them you’re not feeling well.”

“Th-thanks Akane.” ‘I think.’

“Don’t have too much fun.” Akane giggled as Ranma burst from the room down the hall. Ranma quickly changed into her black pants and the black shirt with the gold ties that Genma had given her earlier. Embroidered on the shirt, also in gold, was a dragon. The head rested on her chest while the rest of the body stretched around her torso to the back. Stealthily she slipped out of her window and into the empty bathroom below. After splashing himself with hot water he emerged from the bathroom into the hall as if he had just finished his bath. ‘Well since she doesn’t totally hate me this way, it will be nice to spend some time as a guy for a while.’

Ranma proceeded to walk down the hall from the top of the stairs toward the guestroom. A dark blue blur flew past him spinning him around on his heel just as he reached the door.

“Um what are you doing?” Regaining his balance Ranma looked down at the feminine figure before him. Akane stood before him again in the radiant blue dress looking up at him smiling awkwardly.

“Akane?”

“Um ready to go?”

“I-I guess.” They started to walk away when a devilish plan popped into Ranma’s head. “I just wanted to say hi to Ranko.”

Ranma swirled around, but Akane was already in front of the door. “Oh no, Ranko is resting. She stayed home from school today.”

“Well, I’ll be quick then.” He tried to place his hand on the door, but Akane moved into his way.

“She’s sleeping right now.”

“I don’t think she’ll mind, we haven’t seen each other for awhile.”

“She was really sick, you don’t want her to get worse do you?” Ranma shook his head stifling back a smirk. “Let’s go to dinner then you can see her when we get back.”

They both turned and started toward the stairs. Before they could make it to the top stair Ranma whipped around heading for the door a smile plastered on his face. “Really I’ll just be a second.”

‘Damn!’ Akane flew towards him throwing herself at him hoping to pull it of as an accident. At the last second Ranma pivoted and caught her before she could tackle him to the floor. ‘Not that it wouldn’t have been fun, but if she crinkled her dress I’d be here for the next century waiting for her to change. Girls!’ Ranma thought.

“Are you ok?” Akane looked up from his chest to see Ranma’s confused face starring down at her. Things had not gone as she had expected.

“Yes, I…I think I hurt my ankle this morning, that’s all.”

“Oh, well then I better carry you.” Ranma swiftly lifted her off her feet and into his arms. Akane was a little flustered and didn’t notice that they were suddenly standing in the foyer facing the living/dining area of the house with the rest of the inhabitants watching them.

“Well already carry her over the threshold.” Nabiki said raising an eyebrow. Akane jumped from his arms putting a good three feet between them.

“Fast recovery.” Ranma said still a little red from his embarrassment.

“I heal quickly.” She smiled weakly at him also shinning with a bright pink glow.

The entire family was soon on their way to the restaurant after some minor blubbering from Soun and Genma as to what a nice couple Ranma and Akane made. The two were forced together most of the night, but once they started to eat the mood seemed to lighten. Ranma described some the travels they made across Japan and China while training, throwing in bits about Ranko on the way just for show. Much to his delight Akane hung on his every word especially when he described some of the techniques he learned.



“Well aren’t you the lucky one Akane.” Nabiki said removing her shoes looking slyly at her younger sister out of the corner of her eye.

“What?! W-what are you talking about?”

“Oh come on Akane you were practically drooling at dinner and it wasn’t from the fine French cuisine.” Akane’s eyes bugged out as she shifted her body to see the rest of the family slowly walking up the stone path to the front door. Kasumi was helping her slightly inebriated father while Ranma dragged his father behind him by the collar. Akane quickly closed the front door and shot her sister a scolding look.

“I was NOT!”

“Really Akane I understand, he’s cute, in incredible shape, sure he is a little rough around the edges, but that just makes him a better match for you.”

“How can you say that we just met?”

“And before it was ‘I don’t even know him.’ Really Akane you are going to run out of excuses soon.” Akane was left gawking after her sister when the door behind her was wrenched open and an overweight martial artist was thrown past her.

“Sober up yah lush! Oh, sorry Akane.” Ranma gave her an awkward smile then walked past her to his father’s prone form.

‘I was definitely not drooling.’

Throwing his father over his shoulder Ranma trudged upstairs dropping him onto one of the mats in the guest room they shared. The old man grumbled drunkenly rolling over onto his stomach.

“Some parent you turned out to be.” Ranma huffed. However, his annoyance was short lived as he felt another presence in the room with him. His eyes fell upon the shadows in the corner of the room. Keeping his eyes locked on the darkness not seeing, but knowing the interloper’s position. In a second the darkness seemed to take form lunging at Ranma tackling him around the waist sending them both crashing out the still open door into the hall where they rolled around somehow making it into Akane’s room and out the window into the moist night air.

Akane’s view of the stars above was quickly obscured by two boys flying overhead. Trying to shield herself from the glass she ducked her head and covered herself with her arms. Looking back over his shoulder, Ranma notice that their trajectory was taking them straight into the koi pond right in front of Akane’s eyes. Exuding an incredible amount of skill he twisted them both in the air causing Ryoga to take the brunt of the fall just beside the pond, Ranma landed on him his knee slamming into his stomach.

“So we are at it again eh Ryoga, you never even told me what you are so mad about.” Ranma stood up looking down at the boy before him feeling the sting of daggers being bored into him. Ryoga pulled himself up continuing to give Ranma his fierce glare when he spotted Akane on the steps leading to the house. ‘That same sweet girl, so the bastard took her as his prize already.’

“Ranma, because of you I can never be a whole man.” Ryoga started throwing punches and kicks that Ranma weaved around.

“Huh?” A crash of thunder stopped Ranma’s investigation from going any further. “Look man you can’t attack me here this ain’t my place, I’m a guest here.”

“Stop trying to distract me!” Ryoga sent a kick toward Ranma’s torso that he used to vault over Ryoga’s head to land easily atop the stone wall surrounding the yard.

“Let’s take this to somewhere we’ll cause less damage.” With that Ranma leapt down to the street sprinting away from the house.

“Running away again. Ranma!” Ryoga was over the wall and in close pursuit.



Akane sat stunned dusting the glass from her hair. “Wow, th-they’re incredible.”

“Very virile aren’t they.” Akane turned to see Nabiki in her pajamas standing behind her with a glass of water in her hand. “Still Akane, do you think you can ask your future husband to limit these things to during the daylight hours.”

“Don’t call him that!” Akane yelled to Nabiki’s back as she walked out the doorway into the hall. Lightening flashed through the sky lighting up the night. “They are going to get soaked.”

CRASH!

Deflecting Ryoga’s fist with his forearm Ranma looked up into the sky smelling the scent of the coming rain fill the air all around them. Snapping back to the fight he thrust his leg at Ryoga’s chest, but met only his umbrella.

“Look Ryoga, if this is about that whole bread thing, I’ll buy yah all the bread you want. Let’s just get in before it rains.”

“This goes a lot further than some measly bread. This is about you ruining my life!” A second before the downpour started he flipped open his umbrella and shielded himself. Before his eyes he watched Ranma transform into a smaller, bustier version of himself with flaming red hair.

“And how did I do that?” The young girl said folding her arms over her chest. “The last I remember is me waiting three days for you to show up to our fight, then Pop dragged me off again.”

“Right and when I showed up for the fourth day you had turned tail and ran.”

“Hey man, why the heck were you four days late?!”

“I certainly wasn’t on vacation! I searched all over Japan for that cursed lot and when I saw that you left I followed to finish our fight. It seemed like I was following you for ages, I even made it all the way to China, and that’s, and that’s when my life as a man ended!”

“Oh Ryoga,” she said stunned, lowering her stance “you don’t mean that you change…”

“Shut up and fight!” He said throwing himself at her. Ranma brought her leg up to send him flying inadvertently knocking his umbrella from his hand. Ryoga felt the cool droplets hit his forehead and wasted no time whipping his backpack off and roughly slamming it into Ranma’s face. When she recovered he was gone, his pack and umbrella was all that remained. Her suspicions were confirmed when she found his clothes in a pile around the corner.

She made it back to the dojo with all his things using the rooftop to avoid being seen in ‘Ranma’s’ clothes. She swung in through the guestroom’s window depositing Ryoga’s things and changed into her more feminine red Chinese outfit. Heading back out into the rain and the roof she made her way to the front of the house and dropped down to the front door. ‘Ok first Ranko returns home then when she is in bed Ranma will return with an umbrella.’

Casually she walked in through the front door removing her shoes at the door and shaking the rain from her clothes.

“Ranma?!” Akane came bursting into the front hall looking slightly disappointed to see Ranko instead of her brother. “Oh Ranko its you, shouldn’t you have snuck in so nobody saw you?”

“Haha, never thought of that.” Ranma said placing her hand behind her head in embarrassment. “Hey Akane where’d you get the weird little pig?”

Akane looked down remembering the cute little bundle in her arms. “Oh I found him wondering around the backyard, I think he’s lost. Isn’t he cute, I’m gonna call him P-chan.”

She emphasized her point by smothering the animal against her bosom while it blushed furiously.

“Perverted little pig. I’m gonna go take a bath then I’m gonna head off to bed, see you in the morning.”

“Can you take him with you?” The pig sneezed pitifully.

“Yeah I guess. Come on pig.” The animal squirmed and squealed in her hands as she made her way down the hall to the Tendos bathroom. “Look this isn’t fun for me either pig, I prefer to bathe alone.”

Tossing her clothes into the hamper she restrained the pig and brought it over to the furo and they both submerged inside. The water level quickly rose as the two boys emerged from the water staring at each other.

“R-a-n-m-a.” Ryoga said in a low growl.

“Ryoga…you…the pig.” Ryoga’s only response was to throw his hands around Ranma’s throat and start choking him.

“You did THIS to me!”

“Ranko I thought you’d be warmer in a pair of pajamas instead of those boxers…” Both boys looked with surprise to find Akane standing in her pajamas at the bathroom door. They both turned a bright crimson and sank low into the water. Akane turned her back on them immediately, her cheeks flushing a rosy red.

“I-I thought Ranko was taking her bath with P-chan.”

“She, uh just left.” Ranma stuttered.

“Funny, I didn’t pass her in the hall or the stairs.” Akane turned her head to see them out of the corner of her eye.

“Oh well she said something about getting a glass of water.” Ryoga added and Ranma nodded.

“I’m sorry, I’ll leave you to…your bath.” She closed the door behind her and quickly left the changing room still feeling the burning sensation in her cheeks.

“Man we gotta get outta here and upstairs right away.” Ryoga agreed without a word and both were out of the tub splashing themselves with cold water. Ranma threw on a pair of boxers and a t-shirt then scurried out the bathroom window with P-chan under one arm. Trying her best not to get wet she made it to the guest room and toweled off.

“Ha made it.” The pig squealed its agreement and they both exited the room into the hall coming face to face with Kasumi.

“Feeling better, Ranko?”

“Oh yes.” She closed the door behind her guarding it from entry with her body.

“Is Ranma already in bed.”

“Yup sure is, fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, better not to disturb him.”

“Good then you’ll be staying in Akane’s room.”

“Huh?” The little pigs eyes bugged out of his head.

“Well the guest room isn’t big to start with, three would definitely be uncomfortable. Plus you and Ranma are too old to be sleeping in the same room.”

“I-I guess…”

“So since you are a girl you can stay with Akane. I already put a sleeping roll in there for you. Have a good night.” She smiled sweetly as she walked off to her own room.

Ranma’s shoulders slump forward as she walked down the hall toward the room with the carved wooden duck hanging on the door. Again the pig squirmed and squealed in her arms. “Look I ain’t happy about this either so settle down.”

“Come on in Ranko.” Ranma poked her head inside the room and found Akane straightening the blanket covering a mat beside her bed on the floor.

“Don’t worry about knocking, this is your room too while Ranma is here.”

“Hehe yeah.” Ranma scratched the back of her head and Ryoga took the opportunity to jump from her arm and bound over to Akane.

“P-chan! Are you all nice and clean baby?” Akane said in a baby voice while Ranma watched in disgust.

“We better get some sleep huh Akane?”

“Oh yeah, come on P-chan you can sleep with me.”

“What!” Ryoga’s eyes doubled in size as Akane climbed into bed hugging him to her chest. ‘Why that little-’ Ranma never took his eyes off the little black pig as she lay down on the mat getting underneath the blankets.

“Night Ranko pleasant dreams.” Akane leaned over and turned off her desk lamp. After a few minutes Akane stopped moving in her bed her breathing slow and steady. Ranma climbed out of bed and glanced down at the gleeful looking pig.

“You dirty pig Ryoga.” She whispered. The pig’s eyes snapped open and immediately clamped down on her hand with his teeth. Ranma growled in response pulling against Akane’s grip. Akane surprised her by pulling back and taking Ranma down onto the bed with her.

“Hm Ranko?” Her eyes slowly fluttered open her voice soft and sleepy. Ranma and Ryoga froze with shock.

“Were you cold?” Ranma nodded mutely.

“You can slip under the covers with me if you like.” Akane pulled back the blankets revealing her pajama-clad body underneath. Shaking slightly Ranma climbed into Akane’s bed beside her their bodies almost touching. Ryoga squealed in disapproval so Akane released him from her chest and set him down above her head on the pillow.

“Don’t want you to get squished sweetie.” Ranma smirked up at the pig while its eyes filled up with tears of disbelief. “It’s not a very big bed you may get a bit cramped, but you’ll stay nice and warm.”

Akane’s smile was so warm and sweet Ranma no longer felt uncomfortable, feeling the heaviness of her eyelids she slowly melted into sleep the events of the day finally taking their toll.

Akane soon followed while Ryoga sat watching over the two until he too succumbed to his own weariness.

“Ranko.”

“Hmm?”

“Ranko its time to get up we have to get ready for school.”

“Mmm, just a few more minutes Akane.” Ranma said wearily hugging herself against her pillow, which made a soft giggle. Breathing in deeply the light smell of flowers and soap filled her nostrils, for some reason she couldn’t describe this aroma made the muscles in her stomach tense reflexively. Apprehensively she slowly opened her eyes, all she saw were bed sheets slowly rising and falling. She raised her head to find Akane’s smiling face next to her own. The pillow she thought she was holding was actually Akane’s waist her head buried in her shoulder.

“Ah jeez-sorry.” Ranma scurried away from Akane off the edge of the bed in a tangle of sheets. Akane just giggled looking down at her on the floor. Ranma forced a weak smile.

“What’s the matter did you think I was going to hit you or something?”

“Haha, no of course not. W-we’re both girls right. I was wondering why my pillow started laughing.”

Akane giggled and stepped over Ranma on her way over to her dresser taking out some new undergarments another school uniform hanging on the back of the closet door.

“Did you bring clothes with you to change for school?”

“Oh, no-” She rose to leave at the sight of Akane reaching for the bottom of her pajama top, but was stopped by a projectile pig slamming into her face knocking her to the ground. Ranma cursed as she struggled with the berserker pig.

“P-chan, boy are you grouchy in the morning.” Akane giggled as she held him by the back of his bandana. She smothered the pig in a hug crushing him in her breasts. “Be a good boy.”

Ranma felt a little light headed looking up at Akane only wearing her white bra and panties. Ryoga’s nose nearly exploded with blood and Ranma grabbed him when Akane squealed in surprise.

“I’ll make sure he’s ok.” Ranma bolted out the door closing it behind her. “Jeez, you are pathetic man. I would have been out of there if you hadn’t stopped me.”

The pig snorted in response as Ranma placed him down in her room as she started to change into a new set of clothes. Walking downstairs to the bathroom the girl dropped the pig into the bath and watched as a full-grown boy emerged displacing the water around him.

“Yeah right Ranma, you were loving every minute of it. Making that poor innocent girl believe you’re a real girl to get into her bed.”

“Look who’s talking P-chan!” Ranma gritted her teeth glaring at Ryoga.

“Ranko are you in here giving P-chan a bath AGAIN?” Akane, now dressed in her school uniform, stopped when she saw the girl and boy in the bathing area. Ranma quickly zipped around behind Ryoga and started to lather up his back. “Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“No problem Akane.” Both of them said with wide smiles on their faces and sweat drops on their brows. Akane left them alone a bright red blush across her face. ‘I definitely have to start knocking, you never know what is going to be happening in the bath now a days.’ The two sighed heavily, then continued to glare at each other.

“Ok Ryoga, we’re agreed neither of us would be very happy if Akane found out about our secret.”

“She’d hate us for sure.” Ryoga agreed his heart trembling at the thought. “But I’m not you’re damn boyfriend you pervert.”

“Oh Ryoga, you’re breakin’ my heart.” Ranma said with mock sweetness, batting her eyes.

“Cut it out Saotome, you’re given me the creeps.” Ryoga got up out of the furo and started to get dressed. “I still plan on killing you, yah know.”

“Of course.” Ranma said, absently straightening out her shirt.

Ranma left Ryoga to wonder around in the bathroom and joined Akane and the rest of her family at breakfast. Akane kept her eyes glued on her food pushing the rice around her bowl, her cheeks still holding the rosy glow of embarrassment.

“Well I think we better get to school don’t you Ranko?” Akane quickly rose from the table and yanked Ranma by her pigtail out the door.

“But I’m not done my breakfast.” The red head protested, chopsticks still in her mouth. Abruptly, Akane stopped around the corner from the dojo. “What gives Akane, we still had ten minutes before we had to leave.”

“I had no idea you and Ryoga were so close. You made it sound like you were only friends.” Akane stared at the shorter girl her arms on her hips waiting for a response.

“What the bathroom, that was nothing.” Ranma shrugged the incident off and started to walk toward school at a relaxed pace, Akane following.

“That was NOTHING? I tell you I certainly couldn’t do something like that with a boy and call it nothing.”

“We’ve known each other for a long time it’s really no big deal.” She shrugged her shoulders holding her hands behind the back of her head. Akane walked beside her friend marveling at her nonchalant attitude. From around the corner a small black piglet walked by them grumbling. Akane squealed in delight and picked the pig up cuddling him in her arms. Ranma stared at the pig in loathing.

Akane carried P-chan around with her all day and let her friends play with him during lunch. Each of the girls smothered the pig with affection, giggling happily while Ranma watched disgusted.

“So Ranko, tell us about this boyfriend Akane’s been telling us about.”

“Huh? Oh, Ryoga.”

“He looks so strong and cute.” One of Akane’s friends commented.

“Ah yeah, I guess.”

“Oh he looks like such a sweetie.” Another girl said and all the girls started to giggle.

“Sweetie, ha!” All of them turned at Ranma’s outburst as she stared daggers at the pig cuddled happily between Akane’s breasts. “He’s a pig.”

“Really?” All the girls listened intently.

“Ahh, he never remembers my birthday.” She started lamely, trying to remember all the mushy stuff the girls talked about while she tried to look like she was paying attention. “He never gives me flowers, only ever takes me to movies that he wants to see, and, and…”

She racked her brain while all the girls leaned toward her dying in anticipation. “And?”

“And, he’s very forceful when it comes to, um, romantic issues.” All the girls gasped including Akane, and the little pig growled from his place in her arms.

“You don’t mean he forces himself on you?” The first girl asked shocked and Ranma nodded solemnly, smirking happily on the inside. ‘That’ll teach yah pig.’

“Unbelievable!”

“The nerve!” The girls traded angry retorts about the boy while Akane sat flabbergasted.

“Gee and he seemed so nice the other day…when he wasn’t try to beat up Ranma.” Akane said. At that the pig burst from her arms and smacked into Ranma’s face knocking her back then ran off Ranma followed cursing at the pig loosing it behind one of the hedges. The school bell rang signaling the end of lunch, but Ranma refused to give up the pursuit heading toward the athletic field. As she rounded the athletic shed an arm shot out from the door and she was pulled in, nose to nose with a very wet, very human, and very pissed Ryoga. After a quick dose of hot water, Ranma’s manhood was also restored.

“What’s up pork butt?”

“Ranma you bastard. Sabotaging any chance with Akane like that. I’ll kill you.”

“Hey man, as long as I’m around you ain’t got no chance with her.”

“That’s what you think!” Ryoga yelled clenching his hands around Ranma’s throat and sending them both crashing through the wall of the shed.

Loud shouts could be heard from outside the window of the third story classroom. Several students were drawn to the window to view the sight below. “Hey Akane, isn’t that your fiancé?”

“Ranma?” Akane had been sitting at her desk wondering where Ranko had run off with her pet P-chan. She rushed to the window to see that it was in fact her fiancé fighting with the boy she met only yesterday. “Fighting again?”

Akane bolted from the room various students following her out to the athletic field to watch the two martial artists that seemed so evenly matched. Ranma and Ryoga traded blow for blow neither seeming to give or gain any ground. Ranma smiled to himself inwardly, Ryoga at least deserved a fighting chance even after all the trouble had caused.

“What are you smirking at?!” Ryoga coming close to grabbing Ranma’s neck in his vise grip only to meet air as Ranma effortlessly dodged out of the way.

From behind the chain link fence Akane watched the two fight, her hands desperately clutching the metal wires between her fingers turning her knuckles white.

Ryoga sent his umbrella hurtling toward Ranma like a buzz saw slicing up the ground between them. Swiftly moving to the side, Ranma avoided the umbrella and deflected the kick that was meant for his head with his forearm.

“Trying to distract me, Ryoga?” The lost boy looked stunned for the moment and felt a blow to his chest that sent him flying a few yards away from Ranma who stood with his arm still extended, palm out. ‘Wow, I didn’t even see him move.’ Akane thought anxiously fidgeting from the sidelines.

Ryoga rolled up onto his elbow wiping a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth with his other hand. Jumping up, he ran and grabbed his umbrella and bolted toward the fence hoping to gain some advantage over Ranma in the chase. Ranma followed and both took flight over the fence and over Akane’s head. She followed them with her eyes up and over, turning her back on the fence to watch their decent a few feet from where she stood. Exchanging a few more blows they made their way off school grounds. Akane stayed pressed against the fence for a few moments as if a great force held her there. Never in her life had she seen such great martial artists. She smiled to herself then ran off to follow them and the trail of destruction they left in their wake.

She finally found them in the middle of the Nerima Zoo. Ryoga was staggering to his feet Ranma leg still extended in the kick.

“Have yah had enough, Ryoga?” Ranma said crossing his arms over his chest. Breathing heavily, Ryoga just grunted in reply and lunged at Ranma’s midsection. Ranma twisted out of the way using Ryoga’s forward momentum to send him crashing through a stonewall then pulled him out again slamming his body to the ground finally sending him into unconsciousness. Breathing heavily himself, Ranma stared down at his rival with a less then pleased expression.

“Jeez Ryoga, why do we have to come to this. Come on.” Ranma dragged the boy to his feet, slung one of Ryoga’s arms over his shoulder and gabbed hold around his waist and dragged him off into the distance.

Akane stayed where she was leaving the two boys to there own devices then walked off in an opposite direction with no desire to return to school.

After dropping Ryoga off at Dr. Tofu’s and making sure he would be ok, Ranma started his walk back to the Tendo Dojo. ‘Should have known that Ryoga’s thick head would be just fine.’ Turning the corner, he jumped up onto the fence above the drainage canal feeling a little down from the afternoon’s events. ‘Back to life as a girl.’ A pang of regret hit him straight in his heart, he solemnly kept his eyes on his shoes as they maintained his balance on the fence below.

“You, that fight, it was great.” A familiar female voice called out to him. He smiled before turning ‘Akane.’ He pivoted on the fence crouching down to look at her, but the person he was looking at was not the fiancée he was expecting.

“Oh, sorry Miss, I thought you were someone else.” He straightened and the girl before him giggled.

“Who DID you think it was?” She said a bright smile on her face, an unmistakable smile.

“Akane? Is that you?” He jumped down next to her to get a closer look. The laugh and the smile were hers, but the features of her face seemed enhanced by the short hair that framed it. Her face had matured and somehow he felt like a child standing in her light.

“It’s different, huh? So what do you think, is it ok?” She smiled less broadly as if she held a secret.

“Uh-ah.” Ranma nodded his head numbly. “Its cute, I mean you’re cute, that is in a macho tomboy sort of way.”

He found himself sweating profusely while he stuttered before her. The same enigmatic smile returned.

“I’ll let that go just this once.” She said tapping him on the nose with her finger and giving him a stern look.

“So why the new look?” Ranma cringed as his voice rose a little higher than he had intended.

“I guess I just needed a change and it seemed like the perfect time.” She smiled wistfully walking on ahead of him. “You’re leaving now aren’t you?”

Her voice seemed to cloud over and Ranma became slightly nervous. “Um, yeah. I have to get back to training, but I’ll be back to visit soon.” He held a hand behind his head a goofy smile on his face.

“I mean, I’ll only be training in the mountains near here so I’ll never be too far.”

“So when do you start off?”

“Soon.” Ranma said turning away. “But I can at least walk you home.”

“And say goodbye to Ranko.”

“R-right.”

Ranma waved goodbye to the Tendos as he made his way outside the gate. Kasumi had been nice enough to give him a care package for the road, of course Akane had added some homemade cookies. Having experience with the toxic waste Akane called cooking Ranma conveniently dropped them in the drainage canal. Soun had cried at his departure and even Nabiki seemed unhappy to see him leaving. She probably loss some money not having anymore fights to bet on.

He hopped up on the fence, wandering around town so it wouldn’t be too suspicious when he came back. He had to thank Ryoga, as gross as it was, saying he was out on a date with Ryoga was perfect. He smiled when he thought back to Akane’s reaction to his leaving, she seemed angry at ‘Ranko’ for not being there to say goodbye to her brother. It was hard to decide which way he liked her better as a friend or as a girl to his male side.

It was nice both ways, just different. Although she was more confusing now then she had been as just a friend.

Having made his rounds Ranma leapt into his bedroom window. Throwing his pack into the back of his closet Ranma pulled out a thermos of water long since grown cold and poured it over his head. After a quick change of clothes she jumped out of her window, and a walk round to the back door where the family was cleaning up after dinner.

“Oh Ranko, I’ve kept some dinner on the stove for you.”

“Thanks Kasumi.”

“Where have you been?” Akane demanded.

“Yeah you missed Ranma’s mushy departure. Akane was almost in tears.” Nabiki chided.

“I was not!” Akane’s face flushed slightly.

“Yup, I think she’s in love.” Nabiki continued and Ranma looked at Akane with a wide-eyed innocence.

“I am NOT!” Akane turned and started toward the stairs. “He’s…all right.”

Once Akane was out of the room Nabiki turned to Ranma a smirk on her face. “It must be love, Akane, the self proclaimed manhater, admitting that some man is ‘all right.’ But let’s discuss this boyfriend and brother of yours further.”

“Well, ah…” Nabiki through her arm around the smaller girl’s shoulder as she stuttered incoherently.





















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Tuesday, July 19, 2005

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