[Ranma][FanFic] Sunrise: Lessons

[Nicholas Leifker]

Leifker (nwl...@unix.tamu.edu) presents...

Ranma looked out at the glory of the morning, his bleary eyes
trying to find the beauty in the scene. Dawn had just arrived to greet,
bathing the village in its life-giving warmth. The birds made their
mating calls, their music a pleasant sound to his tired ears. Most of
the villagers, his friends, were already about and hard at work, their
labors today ensuring a rich harvest in the fall.

For some reason, it all seemed a little colder to him now.

"Daddy...?" The father turned from his window view, to face the
blue-eyed brunette at the stairs. Aoi, his daughter and joy, ran to him,
seeking comfort in her guardian's arms. Ranma put down the object in his
hands and lifted the child high in the air, his mood instantly brightening
in her presence.

"Good morning, Aoi-chan. Did you sleep well?"

The little girl nodded vigorously. "Uh-huh. Why is Mommy still in
bed?"

Ranma's smile faded. "Mommy... mommy was hurt in the accident, so I
thought it best to let her sleep."

"Not the best of moves, Ranchan. I've got a store to run."

The husband's heart froze. Ukyou Saotome, his wife and love, limped
down the steps toward him, her body showing every sign of the previous
evening's tragedy... save the most important one. Disheveled brown hair
stuck out in odd directions despite a brush's efforts to tame the locks.
Her once-proud shoulders drooped, weighed down by her own personal
shadows. Perhaps worst of all, her fathomless brown eyes, normally so
intense and unyielding, were lifeless and screaming surrender. Ranma put
Aoi down, then held his love in a fierce embrace.

"Ucchan..." Ranma searched his mind for the right words to say.

"Ranma." Ukyou's soft alto cracked from the pain. "I've decided...
we shouldn't..." Her words trailed off as she noticed the object next to
her husband. The dark eyes came to life, changing from emptiness to
surprise to realization... and fear.

"Ranchan... why do you have that... that _thing_ out?" she asked
slowly, already suspecting.

"Why do you think?" The single question cut through volumes of
explanations. Somewhat overwhelmed, the okonomiyaki cook took a careful
step backwards.

"Ranchan, you don't need to do this. You've... been through this too
much already. What if -"

Ranma put a gentle finger to his wife's lips, calming her protests
with a touch. "Ucchan... I haven't decided for sure, yet. But, if I
do... I'm going to need a lot of help from you. This is... nothing like
before."

Tears formed in the young woman's eyes - tears of love. "Ranchan...
no matter what you decide, I'm with you. I just wish..."

"I know, Ucchan. I know." Ranma's own emotions were threatening to
overwhelm.

Ukyou made a few final brushes to her hair. She picked up Aoi,
and winced from the pain the weight brought. "Hey, Aoi-chan. Wanna help
Mommy open her store? Daddy has some stuff to do this morning." Eager to
please, the bright-eyed girl nodded.

Ranma took the object and sat down, the courage he showed dissolving
in his solitude. The crossroads he faced was frightening even to him,
and he would need all the strength he could muster. He closed his eyes,
and let the spectre of memory come to him...

****************************************************************************

Leifker presents...

Lessons

A Sunrise tale told by Nicholas W. Leifker

All relevant characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. All rights
reserved. I ask that nothing be done with any part of this work without
the author's express permission.

Note: This story takes place three years after "Sunrise".

BTW, if you want a summary of what's gone before, it's at the end.

****************************************************************************

Ranma loved the wintertime.

She walked quickly amidst the serenity of white, her light footsteps
dancing in the snow. It all seemed so peaceful, with time almost frozen
along with the surroundings. No major hustle about the harvest or the
village's future; she could afford to relax some, and concentrate on other
affairs. She laughed, and playfully kicked a bit of the white powder in
the air.

The chieftain looked up at the sky, and frowned. She was already
late, having been delayed in the village while Ukyou and Aoi went on
ahead. She needed to get to her destination before darkness set in.
Grinning madly at the trees around her, she high-stepped it, leaping among
the branches and trees to make her way... to Jusenkyo, now a
'protectorate' of the village. As they were the closest ones capable of
watching over it, they made sure no outside forces tried to tamper with
the place, and made periodic visits to the new caretaker, Plum. Also,
the visits gave them both a chance to talk, to swap stories and learn of
news in the area.

All of a sudden, the warrior froze. She could sense the trouble,
almost smell it on the icy wind. She rushed down to the springs in a dead
run, certain that something was wrong.

Whatever battle had taken place here was one to be remembered. At
least three skilled combatants took part, carving the pristine scene with
their struggles. Moreover, the large, ominous maroon stains that littered
the ground suggested that most of them did not survive the experience.

"Ranma!"

She looked up at the entrance to the cabin. Plum stood there,
bundled in fur to keep the cold from her. Ranma leapt to the steps, fear
overwhelming.

"Ucchan. Aoi. Where are they?" The curt tone broadcast her panic.

"They're... fine," she whispered diplomatically. "Aoi's unharmed,
while Ucchan... was hurt in the fight." She looked nervously back
inside. "I think I'd better let her tell the whole story."

She walked in, just in time to catch a bundle of energy in her arms.
Aoi ran up to her, to find security in her father's hands. Ranma ruffled
her hair playfully, then looked critically at the child for injuries.

"Aoi-chan... where's your mommy?"

The child pointed to an innocent-looking door. "Mommy's in there."
She frowned for a moment. "She won't let me in..."

Ranma looked to the door with some fear. For her not to let her own
daughter in... the injuries must be serious indeed. She put Aoi down on
the table, and knocked once on the door.

"Ucchan... it's me, Ranma. Can I come in?"

The door slid open, seemingly of its own volition. Ukyou sat there,
seemingly numb to all around her. Scratches and cuts along her body told
of the battle so recently fought. A blanket was wrapped around her to
protect her modesty, as her clothing was shredded beyond workable order.
Ranma went over, slowly, and put her arms around her.

"Ucchan... it's okay. It's okay. I'm here... let it out..."

The tears began to flow, softly at first, then with greater
intensity. She leaned against her changed husband, seeking solace in her
arms.

"Ran... Ranchan. They knew we were coming... they knew..."

"Who?" Ranma asked softly, without wishing to disturb her further.

"Musk, I think. They... had the animal look to them. They knew
about our monthly visits... and lay in wait."

Ranma's eyes flashed accusingly at Plum. The young woman stood
there, apologetic.

"I didn't know they were there, I swear." One look into her eyes
convinced Ranma of her sincerity. Ukyou pushed away, and tried to collect
herself.

"They attacked us, hoping to avenge themselves. I managed to fight
one of them off, but the other two kept coming after us. I... made a
mistake."

Ranma put a hand on her shoulder. "What happened?"

Ukyou looked down at herself, as though to confirm who she was.
"I... left myself open. One of them got a shot in... I fell into a
spring."

Ranma nodded, sad but not surprised. "It's okay, Ucchan..."

The woman pushed away, the anger in her flaring. "No it's not,
Ranchan! I... they nearly got _Aoi_. If I hadn't climbed out of the
spring when I did, they would've. When I saw them about to throw her into
a spring... I... I lost it. I... I..."

"I know, Ucchan. I know." She had seen the covered lumps outside.
The husband shuffled her feet, debating her next words.

"Ucchan... what do you change into?"

Ukyou looked over to Plum, her eyes as dark as night. "Take Aoi out
of here. I need to talk to my husband alone." Plum nodded, and shooed the
precocious toddler outside.

Her privacy now protected, Ukyou let the blankets fall off of her.
The hurt, uncertain look in her eyes spoke volumes.

"According to legend, 1300 years ago, a creature accidently wandered
into Jusenkyo, and drowned in its springs." She picked up a bucket of
water, and positioned it over herself.

Ranma started. She had heard all of the Jusenkyo legends, and knew
quite well which one she was referring to. "You don't mean..."

With a swift motion, the bucket's contents poured over the woman's
head. In an instant, the body started to expand, pushing outside its
normal boundaries. Her chest seemed to grow and shrink at the same time,
as full breasts gave way to compact muscle. The lines on her face
hardened, becoming chiseled like stone. Now fully changed, Ukyou Saotome
stood up to full height, baritone voice trembling in response.

"Yes, Ranma. I fell in the Nannichuan."

****************************************************************************

If there's one thing Ranma knew well, it was that the mirror never
lied.

Unfortunately, this time it wasn't her that the mirror was speaking
to, but her wife. Ukyou stared into the looking-glass, his critical eye
catching the subtleties of his new form. The woman he was had always had
a well-defined musculature; the man's figure simply changed the focus
from her agility to his strength. He had gained a full six inches of
height from the change, making him slightly taller than his husband's
normal form. The stranger's face was harder, more weatherbeaten, with a
rogue's angles, a proud chin and high, elfin cheekbones. Appropriately
enough, the soul's window remained unchanged; the dark, haunting eyes
seemed to be the only familiar part of him left.

Ranma herself was caught in indecision. The intellectual part of her
mind knew this was Ukyou, her wife, the mother of her child, and that he
desperately needed someone to comfort him, to tell him it didn't matter.
Unfortunately, on a more primal level... it did matter. Whether either
of them liked it or not, this was a man. She reached out to him, then
hesitated, unsure if it was the right thing.

Ukyou seemed to sense his husband's indecision. He bowed his head,
not wishing to let tears show. "I... I understand... if you..."

The words seemed to galvanize Ranma, giving her the impetus to hold
him. She slipped her arms around his waist, letting her head and chest
rest against his back. The sensations - her fingers brushing against his
abs and stomach, her head resting softly on his back - sent electric
chills down her spine, in a way she rarely felt as a woman. She
shuddered, then whispered into his heart.

"Ucchan... I'm sorry. I... this is all so strange..."

"Tell me about it." The new man shuffled his feet nervously. "I
mean... I've seen you change plenty of times, but to actually experience
it..."

The pigtailed woman nodded thoughtfully. "The worst moment isn't
when you realize you've changed. It's when you realize exactly how much."
She applied a gentle pressure to his waist, and nudged him around to face
her.

"Ucchan... there are a few things you should be concerned about, now
that you're cursed. First and foremost, you are who you are inside, no
matter what form you may have. The man's body will definitely change your
outlook on life; to expect it not to is just stupidity. But... that's not
what matters here, with us." She pulled him a little closer, and, after a
moment's hesitation, gave him a gentle, playful kiss. "What does matter
is what's inside... and there's someone here who loves that person very
much."

Ukyou felt strangely nervous all of a sudden. His eyes lowered,
apparently unable to meet hers. "But...what about..."

Ranma took his chin in her hands, to force his gaze upwards.
"Ucchan... listen to me. I know this may seem the last thing you want to
do right now, but you've got to get used to your new body. Your guy-form
may have more strength and reach, but it's also slower and far less agile.
Also, men have a different body chemistry, and you're going to have to
get used to different emotional shifts and reactions." She looked
downward, to what had grabbed Ukyou's attention earlier, and raised an
eyebrow. "As I said... you're going to have to get used to some things."

Ukyou slapped his husband playfully on the shoulder. "Get your mind
out of the gutter, hentai." He turned his attentions back to the mirror,
the frown on his face showing his disappointment. "I... I know, Ranma,
and you're right. It's just... I wanted to be a wife for you, a woman...
not cursed, like this."

"And what do you think I am? Ucchan, I've lived with this curse for
twelve years now. Do you think so little of me because of it?"

A chuckle came from Ukyou's throat, a deep, sonorous tone of humor.
"Of course not, Ranchan. But... what about children? It's kinda hard
for me to have them like this."

Ranma winced. The comment may have been made with a touch of irony,
but the truth of the matter was nothing to be taken lightly. Her soprano
was low, mournful as she told her wife the news.

"Ucchan... I'm sorry. There have been a dozen cases like this in the
village's history... and none of the women involved ever had any more
children. The closest any of them got was six months... and the change
killed her."

The man Ranma loved collapsed on the floor, the strength in his legs
gone. He rubbed his lower abdomen, apparently to remember the feelings of
pregnancy... without much success. "I'm... sterile?"

Ranma hardened. They were _not_ going to give up, not like this. "I
didn't say that. Just because we're going to have difficulties doesn't
mean we're not going to try." She looked out the window, at the
snow-covered grounds outside. "I think we should start in March, a little
after the thaw. That way we have the best chance of success."

The village leader wrapped her arms around herself, as though she
felt the cold just a little more intently than before. She knew full well
what their chances were, and she didn't like them in the slightest.

***************************************************************************

Time passed by, and the stasis of winter gave way to the blossoming
of spring... and the promise of life. Only a slight nip to the air was
left to remind of the season gone by, while the sun's warmth hinted of
the good weather to come. As life seeped back into the ground, the
village became a center of activity, with the work of the day giving some
hope of a rich harvest to come.

The sounds of high-pitched giggles awoke Ranma from his slumber that
morning. He opened his eyes to the laughter, to find a curious child's
face only inches away from his.

"Morn, Daddy!"

"Morning, kiddo." He groaned slightly, and sat up on the futon.
"Where's your mommy?"

"Downstairs. She's staying home today, 'cause it's gonna rain. She
told me to get you up, that it was my job for the day." She straightened
up, proud that she'd done her 'job' so well. "So... what're we doin'
today?"

Ranma shook his head. So energetic - just like he'd been at that
age. Looking back, he wondered how his parents managed to avoid gray
hair... then again, Pop managed to avoid hair altogether in the end.
"Well... I've gotta change, and go over to Mei-sama's house. Wanna come
with me?"

Aoi bit her lip, lost in her thoughts for a moment. "Okay..."
The child seemed to have something on her mind. Before she could ask,
though, Ranma gave her a gentle nudge.

"Aoi-chan, I need to get ready. I'll be out in just a minute, okay?"
He shooed his daughter out of the room, leaving him with enough privacy to
get ready.

Ranma opened the door a few minutes later. She had changed into
woman-form, and was now dressed in her green chieftain's outfit. The
parent picked up her child, and headed downstairs.

"Good morning, honey!" Ukyou's voice sang with happiness. She
kissed her husband on the cheek.

"Good morning, love. What's up?"

The woman smirked. "Well... I thought I'd clean up one of the side
rooms, to prepare it for Aoi-chan." She smiled, and tweaked Aoi's nose.
"Do you want your own room to play in, Aoi?"

Aoi's eyes lit up. She was finally getting a big girl's room, away
from the nursery. "Yeah..."

Ranma looked over at the clock. "Well, I've got a meeting to go to,
so Aoi and I won't be back for awhile. We'll probably eat lunch at her
house."

Ukyou looked slightly disappointed at the news. Still, she managed
her best smile for the pair. "Have a nice time, dear."

Ranma shared her disappointment. Her wife was a gregarious person by
nature; to have her shut inside was almost death to her. "We will," she
whispered guiltily, then went on her way. The pair walked at a leisurely
pace, as there was no need to rush.

"Daddy..."

Ranma looked over to her daughter. The child looked genuinely
concerned about something. "Daddy... am I gonna change into a boy?"

The chieftain gave a soft chuckle. "What makes you think that you're
going to change into a boy?"

"Well, you change, and Mommy changes sometimes..." Aoi looked
genuinely frightened, the thought of being a (icky!) boy terrifying her.
Ranma stopped, put her down, and looked her in the eye.

"Aoi-chan, unless you go around playing in Jusenkyo, you're not going
to change. I change because I didn't know about the bad place. Mommy
changes because some bad men wanted to hurt us." She brushed an errant
lock of hair from her child's face. "Now, what do you do if you find
yourself near Jusenkyo?"

The child smiled, proud of her skill. "Don't touch the water."

Ranma grinned. Such a bright child...so much like her mother in that
regard. "Right! Now come on. Mei-sama's waiting."

The crone in question stood outside her door, busy sweeping dust from
the floor. A broad grin decorated her features. "Parenthood definitely
becomes you, Ranma."

The blue eyes sparkled. There was no comment in the world that could
be worth more to her. "Thank you, Mei. If all goes well, there'll be
another one around."

Mei crooked an eyebrow. "Is she..."

Ranma nodded. "Yep. It's been two months now. I just hope we can
make it through the rest."

The old woman sighed. "So that's why Ucchan's been closed so
often of late. I'm sure it's not easy for her, given the curse that
plagues her."

"True enough." She turned, and frowned at the gathering clouds.
"But, enough about me. How are you doing?"

She shrugged. "Okay, I guess. The arthritis is acting up, as
always, but that's to be expected." She opened the door for her visitors.
"Please come in, Ranma. We have much to discuss today."

"Indeed." Ranma took Aoi's hand, helped her up the porch step, and
guided her in.

The smile on the elder's face vanished along with the pleasantries.
She sat down, and poured some tea for her guest. "Ranma, I have a few
concerns about your plans for a school."

Ranma regarded Mei skeptically. "What is it that troubles you? Is
it the curriculum?"

"Yes. There's too much outside influence there, and not enough of
the village lore. You've only allocated two hours daily for the village's
crafts. Why?"

The chieftain sighed. She knew this wasn't going to be popular.
"Mei, whether you like it or not, we've got to start incorporating outside
knowledge into our education to survive. You've seen most of your family
leave for Beijing or one of the other cities. We have to show the kids
that it's okay to embrace both the old ways and the new, rather than
separating them like we have been."

The old crone nodded. "Believe me, Ranma, I am well aware of that
fact. What concerns me is that we may be putting too much emphasis on the
outside world, and putting that on a higher pedestal than our own wisdom."
She sighed, and looked over at Aoi's playful antics. "We do not change
quickly, Ranma. Assuming we can is a huge mistake."

Ranma sized the old woman up with a critical eye. "What do you
recommend?"

Mei pulled out a large folder. "Well, for starters..."

The two women spent the morning and much of the afternoon debating
parts of the curriculum, from the math and science textbooks that should
(or should not) be used to the rigor of the physical education program and
its usefulness. Aoi bounced around the place, creating the usual mayhem
surrounding a two-year-old. The women took her activities in stride:
Ranma was used to it, though she did have to discipline her on occasion,
and Mei was happy to have life in the normally quiet house.

A peal of thunder finally turned Ranma's attentions from the debates.
She turned around just in time to scoop up a frightened Aoi.

"There, there, little one, it's only thunder..." Ranma turned to Mei,
the apologetic look of a parent in her eyes. "Mei, is it okay if we
continue this discussion tomorrow? I need to check on Ucchan, to make
sure she's okay."

Mei nodded sagely. "Of course, Ranma. It should give me time to
refine my ideas, and talk to a few others about them." She opened the
door for the father and child, and wished them a good journey home.

By this time, the rain had turned into a full-blown thunderstorm.
Torrents of rain beat mercilessly down on the pair, blinding the village
under a curtain of water. Ranma and Aoi struggled to make their way to
shelter through the storm.

Ranma looked out to the place they called home, and shuddered. An
electricity pole had been knocked over in the storm, collapsing into a side
section of the spacious house. Nothing else could be seen... but she had
a feeling. A very bad feeling. She ran to the door of the house, and
walked inside.

"Ucchan? Ucchan, where are you?"
"Mommy? Mommmiiieeeee......"

Only silence greeted their calls. Ranma put Aoi down. She looked to
the child, so much like her mother physically... how could she describe
what she was feeling?

"Aoi-chan, I have to go see about something. I'll be back in just a
minute. Don't leave, okay?"

The girl frowned. She crossed her arms in front of her. "I wanna
come too."

"No! It's too dangerous. Stay here. Got it?"

Aoi sighed. "Okay..."

Ranma ran through the house and to the side section, his heart
racing. She was freezing from the rain, and soaked to the bone, but at
this point she didn't care. If she was right, Ukyou needed her, and
fast.

Her worst fears proved founded on reaching the demolished side room.
The pole had crashed through the roof and wall, sending debris all over
the place - and pinning its sole occupant underneath. Ukyou lay changed
underneath the pole, though it was impossible to tell if he was
unconscious or in shock.

In that instant, Ranma saw red. She'd lost so much from these damn
curses; this was the last straw. Summoning all the ki she could muster,
she used the enhanced strength the energy gave her to lift the pole off of
her wife. Dazed and drained, she fell to her knees.

"Lost child, Ranchan... killed him...." The words tore Ranma from her
ki-enduced stupor. Ukyou was very much conscious, if not very coherent,
and was looking up at his husband. The pain in his eyes wasn't from the
cuts and bruises.

Summoning up whatever resolve she had left, Ranma looked over at
her wife. "Listen to me, Ucchan! _You_did_not_kill_him_. What happened
was because of the curse, not you."

"No... my fault... all mine..."

"Enough!" She looked out at the frenzied storm. With Ukyou's
injuries as well as the cold, they needed to get inside as soon as
possible. She tried to brace Ukyou against herself, to help him stand.
"Can you walk?"

Ukyou shook his head clumsily. The pain in his eyes was accompanied
by something else now: despair. He tried to shake Ranma from him. "Let
me... let me be..."

"NO." Ukyou had been her strength in her darkest hour; now it was
her turn to be the strength. "You are _not_ giving up. _We_ are not
giving up. Right now, there's a scared little girl inside who's waiting
to see her mommy." Using the last of her strength, she hefted the man
over her shoulder.

Ukyou made no attempt to stop her, but made no attempt to help,
either. It was as though he'd lost everything, including the will to
live.

***************************************************************************

It was nighttime by the time Ranma reached his destination. He had
made sure both Ukyou and Aoi were sound asleep, then left in a rush. He
didn't have much time to act, but, then again, he didn't need much time.

He took in a ragged breath at the sight in front of him. The pools
shone silver in the moonlight, so innocent, yet insanely powerful. Bamboo
poles stuck out from the springs, inviting any foolish martial artist to
play... and be changed.

Fortunately, if he had his way, no martial artist would ever have to
worry about that again. He walked over to the center of the grounds, his
fists shaking from anger. The spirits that resided here had a lot to
answer for, and if they didn't respond... he felt the anger held in surging
up to the forefront, as every indignity handed him was screamed to the
stars.

"I dunno if you guys can hear me, but you'd damn well better listen
right now! I am sick and tired of you interfering in my life! Because of
you, I lost everything and everyone I loved! I had to stay a woman for
eight years, all because you just HAD to curse Herb! Tonight was the last
straw. You hurt my wife, and took away my unborn child! And, by all I
hold holy, they will be the last people you hurt!"

He went inside, to his mind and soul. The forbidden knowledge, once
known only to the Musk, came to him now, fueling him on and showing him
the way. The emotions came, love and hate and anger and honor and hope
and despair... he felt it, his very essence, the innermost part of what
was him, and reached out. He felt rather than saw the warm glow of his
right hand, and the buildup of Dragon's Fire that threatened to come. His
fist started to shake... he could feel it burning....

"Ranma?"

Panic rose within him as he heard the gentle voice. He was already
at critical mass; he needed a way to release the energy. The resulting
blast lit up the night sky, bringing daylight, however briefly, to the
area. Still shaking, he turned to face the visitor. Plum, the young
caretaker of the Jusenkyo springs, looked at him, her eyes wide.

"Ranma? What are you doing?" she whispered, already knowing the
answer.

The chieftain's rage began to level off. A touch of shame crept into
his features as he faced her accusing stare. "What does it look like?"

"Why? You've always been a friend to this place, a guardian. Why
would you want to destroy it?"

For the first time that night, Ranma allowed himself to cry.
"Ucchan... lost her baby earlier tonight. I... I can't let this go on."
His anger returned through his tears. "I will not allow anyone else be
cursed by this place."

Plum went over and hugged the man, inviting him to vent his sorrow in
her arms. "Ranma, I grieve for your loss. But... I assure you, there was
a reason for why it happened."

Ranma pushed away, rage reducing his voice to a growl. "I know why
it happened. It's because this damn place can't let me and my family live
in peace! I'm so tired of it - tired of fighting for my manhood, teaching
my wife about a man's body, answering my child's fears about if she'll
ever 'change' like her parents... no more. Get out, Plum, if you don't
want to get hurt."

"No." Plum stood her ground, her arms wide. "I am the sworn
custodian of this place. Blow it up if you will, but you will do it over
my dead body."

The faith the woman held stopped Ranma in his tracks. No matter
what happened to him, he would still not harm an innocent. Still
trembling, he knelt on the ground, holding onto himself for warmth.

"Now... will you listen to what I have to say?"

Fighting down more flippant responses, Ranma nodded.

"Ranma, I have known so many people like you in my life... people who
thought this place a curse. Even my father called it a cursed place for
so long. However... the only difference between a curse and a blessing is
in the way you look at it."

"I don't pretend to know why this place exists, or the forces that
guide it to its ends. All I do know is this: The springs seem to _want_
you to learn from your change, to gain insight and wisdom from the changed
form. Of the people I've talked to, the ones who seemed the most happy
were those who were willing to accept both sides of themselves, and live
comfortably _as_ both, not just in both."

Ranma scoffed at this last statement. "Yeah, right. Like that eight
years I spent stuck as a woman didn't teach me that."

"No, it didn't." Plum glared evenly at him. "It taught you to
appreciate who you were inside regardless of gender, and to care for those
around you. But, if anything, it taught you _not_ to be comfortable as a
woman. After all, if you liked being female... you might not want to come
back when the time came."

"Now, everything is different. You're happily married, and have a
beautiful daughter. But... you're using your changed form as a tool, not
as a part of yourself. You use it when you need to work in the village,
and nothing more."

Plum began to walk away from the springs she defended. "I can't
decide your path for you, Ranma. That is your decision to make, and it
is never an easy one. However, I do wish you a pleasant journey,
whatever your decision." She entered the hut her father had left her,
leaving Ranma kneeling alone in the midst of the springs.

****************************************************************************

The village had all gone to sleep by the time Ranma returned. The
storm was long past, the bits of property damage and the occasional puddle
the only remnant of nature's fury. Still... Ranma was too possessed for
sleep.

For all intents and purposes, Ukyou was barren. He knew that for
certain now. The curse, it seemed, had a way of keeping its students on a
leash. Water always seemed to find them, from old ladies with buckets to
errant water pipes to typhoon-level rainstorms. Moreover, there was no
respite for the cursed. He'd tried everything, from boiling Chisuiton
water to mixing various Jusenkyo springs, all without success. Simply put,
no cure existed; there was no way for a person to remain in their birth
form once cursed.

However, there was a way for a person to remain in their cursed
state...

The chieftain stopped, looked at the house in front of him, and
smiled. Somehow, his heart always found its way here whenever he was
seriously troubled. He walked up to the door, and knocked loudly.

His racket was rewarded a moment later by shouting from inside, as
the residents arose from their sleep. The door opened to reveal a
slightly disheveled woman in a silk robe, still somehow elegant despite
her messy appearance.

"Ranma, child... what is it? It's two in the morning. Can't it wait
until later?"

The young man bit his lip. He hadn't wanted to wake her up, but he
needed someone to talk to. Especially this someone. "Mom... Ucchan lost
her baby earlier tonight."

Nodoka put a hand to her mouth, her look one of shock. "Oh no... is
she alright?"

He nodded. "As well as can be expected, I guess. She's sleeping
right now." He looked away, to the road left behind. "Mom... can we
talk? I'm... I need some advice."

"Of course." She invited Ranma in, and went over to the kitchen.
"I'll put on some tea, and then we can talk."

Ranma sat at the low table a few minutes later, nursing his tea - and
his thoughts. Nodoka, ever patient, waited for her son to start.

"Mom... what was it like when you had me?"

Nodoka blinked for a moment, as though she hadn't quite absorbed the
question. "Well, son... your father and I had only been married a couple
of months when we found out. It seemed so strange at the time, to go
from one change to another so quickly, but we were in so in love at the
time that I didn't care. We both wanted you so badly we could taste it.
Genma, of course, wanted a boy so he could 'raise him to be an heir for
the Anything-Goes School'." She smiled privately, as the events of time
gone by replayed themselves in her mind.

"Well, your grandmother came around to help, of course. After all,
this was going to be her first grandchild, and she was just thrilled. She
helped me out through most of it, as did most of my girlfriends." She
looked her son squarely in the eye, her tone stern. "But this isn't what
you're asking for... is it?"

"No." Ranma stared down at the floor. "I was wondering... more
about what the pregnancy was like for you."

Nodoka grabbed her son's hand, to try to comfort him in his trial.
"Ranma, do you remember what it was like when Ukyou had Aoi?"

The father nodded. "It... it was beautiful. I could feel the child
inside of her, growing, developing... then, when she actually gave birth,
and I held Aoi in my arms, I felt... redeemed. Here was something our love
had made against all odds, someone for us to take care of and guide...
together."

Nodoka's eyes shone. Her son had learned well... though, if she was
right, there were other lessons to be learned. "Ranma, when a woman is
about to have a child, we go through those same feelings, only more so.
Men never feel the backaches from carrying the child around, or the
strange sensations of the child _living_ inside of the womb, or the
intense, unbelievable pain of childbirth. But, when it's all said and
done, and your body aches from the birth, and they put that little,
wrinkled package in your arms... nothing else in the world matters. That
is _your_ child, one you risked and sacrificed everything for, and
_nobody_ can take that feeling away from you. It isn't easy - in fact,
it'll be the hardest thing you can ever do in your life. But, when it's
all over..." She shook her head, unable to describe any more. She locked
eyes with her son. "Ranma... if you plan on doing what I think you are,
there are a lot of things you aren't prepared for yet. When you were
stuck as a woman all those years, you had to deny that part of yourself,
in order to keep the man in you alive. With this... you're going to have
to embrace it with both hands."

She raised an eyebrow. "Ranma, have you ever had sex as a woman?"

Ranma only shook his head no. His mother simply shook her head, and
covered her face in her hands.

"Ranma, that's going to be difficult enough. You're going to have to
let someone _inside_ of you. That requires trust of a kind difficult to
find, if you're not accustomed to the idea. Also, Ukyou's never had sex
as a man, right? It's going to take time for the two of you to build up
to that point." She took a sip of her tea, and looked hard at her
changing son. "So, Ranma... what are you going to do?"

Ranma sighed, and put his mug down. "I don't know, Mom. I wish I
did."

The hardness in Nodoka's eyes vanished. "Wise. Very wise. Now...
will you allow a mother one last night with her son... just in case?"

The comment brought a smile to the man's features. "Hai. I... I
will."

***************************************************************************

Ranma opened his eyes.

A dozen years ago, fate had forced him onto a new life, forced there
by circumstance and love. In his zeal to protect the one he loved, he
left himself open... and found himself forever changed. Whether it was
for better or worse he would never dare to conjecture, but he had to
admit: his life was actually going well so far.

And, now, the curse reared its ugly head once more, threatening to
take away what he held dear. If he could have protected Ukyou from the
change he knew too well, he would have, even if it meant his life or
manhood. Unfortunately, fate didn't give him a choice, just as it never
gave him a choice when Herb manhandled Akane...

Ironically, what had been his damnation that day, the cursed
Chisuiton, was still around - to offer salvation.

Still, the offer came at a threefold price. First was the obvious:
he would have to be locked in womanhood once more, and spend another
harrowing year in a form he had come to adopt, but still felt not his own.
He had lived as a woman for eight years, and come out masculine only
through providence and luck... and love. This he recognized more than
anything: Ucchan, HIS Ucchan, had been his strength, his guardian when the
darkness descended on him. They had come through that ordeal together;
they would come through this one as well.

Unfortunately, the other parts of the deal made the first seem a
trifle by comparison. He had never had sex in his cursed form; neither
had Ucchan. Even now, the thought of putting _that_ in _there_ frightened
him. He had been forced to deny even the slightest 'feminine' impulses
when he had been stuck, for no other reason that to stay sane and
inwardly masculine. But, this was Ucchan, the woman... the _person_ he
loved and who loved him, the person who would always be gentle - no matter
what. What they proposed would be a product of their love more than ever,
as the sacrifices made to create the child would be above and beyond what
would be expected from anyone expecting.

That was the one thing that worried him the most. Pregnancy was,
without any doubt, a woman's affair. Years as the village healer had
taught her that lesson well. A woman changes when she runs the internal
gauntlet, as she is forced to become aware of who she is and the parts of
her soul that keep her going. The child inside puts a perspective on a
woman's life, and gives it meaning and focus... a focus that could shatter
the masculine soul inside of him. Even now, he could imagine a life
growing inside of him, the small movements, the backaches and nausea, the
bloating and the changes and the mood swings... all shaping into a possible
future self, a woman who had turned her back on who she had been, and gone
on.

It was Jusenkyo's ultimate lesson, and it chilled him to the bone.
He had spent eight years fighting his womanhood. If he tried this... he'd
be reveling in it.

Was it worth it? Was the ability to have another child worth the
cost of bringing it into being?

Another image came to him - memories of a night two years previous.
He held Ucchan's hand, and stood beside her as she struggled to give
birth. He could still see the pain and ferocity in her eyes as the hours
passed, the sweat and tears coursing down her face, the agony and pleading
and screams as she struggled... and the island of relief that came with its
ending. A wrinkled baby girl was born that night, and Ranma placed the
child, almost reluctantly, into Ukyou's waiting arms. When she looked
down at the child, then at the man she shared that child with... the love
in her eyes was like nothing either of them had ever experienced. It was
intimate... content... _pure_.

With one swift motion, Ranma picked up the bucket, and held it high.

****************************************************************************

"Arrrrgh!!" For once, it seemed like Ukyou couldn't do anything
right. The spatulas shook in her hands, the sauce came out all wrong, and
the okonomiyaki usually ended up burned or undercooked. Nabiki looked
over to her friend, a questioning look on her face.

"Hey, Ukyou. Is anything wrong?"

The chef stared back for a moment, the life in her throat gone. An
adequate telling of the previous day's events was an impossibility, as
even she wasn't sure of everything that happened. She let out a long,
heartfelt sigh, and tried to explain as best she could. "Everything's
wrong, Nabiki." She stared down at Nabiki's stomach with a bit of envy;
it would be only another month or so before she, too, was a mother. "Or
maybe nothing. I don't know anymore. It's so..."

"Daddy!" Aoi shouted, and ran to the door.

Ranma stood there at the door, her lithe form silhouetted by the
morning sun. She had untied her pigtail, allowing the scarlet locks to
flow with the wind. She wore her red Mandarin shirt and slacks, her
battle standard when things seemed to weigh heavily on her. Ukyou limped
over to the visitor, and looked her up and down. Somehow, she looked a
little different to her eyes... more vulnerable, more fragile.

"Ranchan... did you?"

Unable to meet her brown eyes, Ranma simply nodded. Ukyou grabbed
her chin, and brought her in close.

"Ranchan... you didn't have to -"

"Yes, I did." Though the words were brave, Ranma's voice shook with
fear. Ukyou grabbed her husband, and held her in a fierce hug.

"Ranchan, once upon a time, I vowed to be the best wife for you, to
be there when you were down, to support you when you needed help. I'm
sorry I didn't -"

Ranma touched her fingers to Ukyou's cheek, letting the caress
silence her protests. "I made the same vows, remember? This is what I
have to do... what a husband has to do. Ucchan, you have always been there
when I needed help. Now... now it's my turn."

Ukyou looked down at herself. "If you want, I'll use the Chisuiton,
too..."

"No, Ucchan. You don't need to change at all, except for when we..."
Realizing a toddler was in the room, Ranma cut her sentence short, instead
moving her mouth toward Ukyou's in a passionate kiss. The emotions that
flooded through her were nothing like she'd experienced before, a tingling
explosion sending her nerves on a hypersensitive edge.

It was time for the lessons to begin.

****************************************************************************

Thanks to all the prereaders who gave and got heck on this one, in no
particular order: Sebastian Weinberg, Doug Reeves, Richard Lawson, James
Bateman, Louis-Philippe Giroux, Kelly Schultz, Christopher Willmore, Eric
Lai, Mike Loader. This one had me panicked more than any other work
before, simply because of what it was following and what it was adding
to.

Long story as to how this one came about. Let's just say that, if you
don't plan on writing a story, don't mention the idea to a fellow writer.
They will encourage you to write it. They will get friends to encourage
you to write it. They will not let go until you write it. ^_-

If you're not familiar with the Sunrise storyline, here goes:

Burned and Broken: Sunrise Chronicles pt. 1 - Ranma wakes up in the
hospital after a fight with Herb, to find that Akane, Ryouga, Shampoo, and
Mousse are dead, and that she is now stuck as a girl. Cologne makes her
an offer: In exchange for training to eventually defeat Herb (and, by
extension, regain her manhood), Ranma will become Cologne's heir to the
leadership of the Niichieju Amazons. Ranma, Ukyou, Nabiki, Nodoka, and
Genma accompany Cologne to the village, where Ranma fights (and wins) the
village tournament to help solidify her position. The main person she
defeats for the position, a girl named Blossom, is embittered by the
defeat.

Happi-ness: Sunrise Chronicles pt. 2 - After spending three years in the
village, Ranma gets a visitor: Happousai. Happi, realizing that Ranma is
an Amazon now, challenges her - for her hand in marriage. Ranma accepts.
Ranma defeats Happi and punts him far away, into Nyannichuan. Blossom is
exiled from the village for interfering in the challenge.

Home: Sunrise Chronicles pt. 3 - Nabiki's adopted sister Natsume is
marrying Tatewaki Kuno, and Ranma, Nabiki, and Ukyou are invited. The
visit causes all of them to face parts of their past - Ranma with the
death of her fiancee and friends, Nabiki with the death of her sister and
with her relationship to her family, and Ukyou with her relationship to
her father and the love she holds for Ranma. Also, there are disturbing
events occuring in the village...

Succession: Sunrise Chronicles pt. 4 - Cologne dies, and Ranma is selected
as the new chieftain. Her candidacy is not uncontested, as Blossom
returns, not that her exile is no longer enforced. The two fight for the
position, and Ranma wins. Ranma erases her memories of the village using
shampoo. Unfortunately, the process doesn't work, and Blossom kidnaps
Ukyou, forcing Ranma into another fight at Jusenkyo. The two fight, and
Ranma kills Blossom, though is injured.

Sunrise - The original story. After eight years, Ranma finally gets her
chance to strike against Herb. She attacks the Musk fortress while he is
away, then finds other questions waiting for her, especailly concerning
Ukyou and her own long-gone manhood. In the end, she fights Herb and wins,
then uses the Kaisuihuu to change back into a man.

Mind you, this is no excuse not to read the stories... ^_^

Nicholas Leifker
nwl...@unix.tamu.edu
http://http.tamu.edu:8000/~nwl9354
March 3, 1997