[Ranma][Fanfic] Girl Days, part Ten
Rob
Girl Days
A Ranma 1/2 fanfiction
by Robert Haynie
(Guess.)
Part Ten: Stuff. (An interval before serious silliness.)
####
The Tendo household had, since the arrival of Ranma and Genma
Saotome, tended to run on a fairly simple routine.
Ranma would get up (usually under protest) and spar with his
father in the courtyard while Akane went for her morning jog. Either
Ranma or Genma would eventually wind up in the koi pond, upon which
the other would soon follow. Kasumi would have a kettle of heated
water ready, and breakfast would begin. During breakfast, Ranma
would somehow insult Akane-- often inadvertently, usually earning a
flight to the lower stratosphere or the koi pond again. After the
usual argument, they would go to school.
Since the Girl Days Training, the routine had altered a bit.
Genma would initiate one of his pointless schemes to reinforce
Ranma's masculinity. (This morning's plot consisted of barging into
Ranma's room early in the morning, wearing war paint and a feather in
his bandanna, beating a drum, and grunting.) Ranma would then punt
her father into the koi pond, stretch, get dressed, and go out for
the inevitable morning fight. After returning Genma to the pond, she
would go in, have breakfast (which was a lot more peaceful since
Nodoka had impressed on her that young ladies should not insult
people casually), change for school, make sure her hair bow was on
straight, and leave-- followed by Akane on the fence, now a lot more
steady.
As they proceeded to school, Ranma idly said, "I wish I had a
magical school uniform."
"A what?"
"Well, I mean one that would change when I do. So if I was at
school on a boy day and get splashed, the uniform would change into
the right one."
Akane giggled. "What a concept-- a uniform with a Jusenkyo
Curse."
"Yeah... Very Tragic Story of Furinkan High School Girls Uniform
that drown in spring fifteen hundred years ago..."
At this, Akane nearly fell off the fence. "Probably with your
luck it would have three or four other uniforms trying to marry it!"
"Or at least share closet space. Hey, don't laugh so hard,
you'll--"
Whump.
"You okay, Akane?" Ranma said with concern.
"Yeah... your training's made that easy... I didn't even think
about breaking my fall," Akane said with some wonder. "I just did."
"That's a major part of the Art... think about tactics, think
about strategy, think about what you are GOING to do-- but never
think about DOING it. Just do it."
"Wow..."
"That's why you're up to ten feet in jumping now. You're doing
well, Student."
"Arigato, Sensei. And we're here at school."
"I hope I can dodge the clubs today..."
Ranma was not talking about an attack from Kodachi, either.
School had been open for a week. And in that week, with the
somewhat insane speed that Furinkan was so well known for, Ranma had
somehow attracted not one, not two, but four entirely different fan
clubs.
The Ranma-chan Preservation Society was composed of a group of
girls that not only liked, but actually idolized the "new" Ranma.
They spent a lot of time and effort wishing they could be as strong
and skilled as her, trying to figure out ways to convince her to stay
a girl full time, and reading texts on martial arts. Some had even
joined local dojos. (There was much disappointment when it was
learned that the Tendo Dojo wasn't taking students at the time.)
The Ranma-kun Restoration Alliance was dedicated to trying to
convince Ranma to stay a BOY as much as possible, even with the
training. They wanted the cutest guy in school back, even if they
knew they couldn't have him, just so they could look at him and sigh
deeply (a popular sport amongst many Furinkan girls the previous
term).
The Ranma Fan Club was composed of a group of boys that hadn't
got it into their somewhat limited intellects that there was no WAY
that Ranma was going to go out with them, despite her present gender
and mode of dress. It should be noticed that most of these boys
couldn't get a date with a dead raccoon, but they seemed to think
that Ranma would be different.
And then there was the really strange one-- a small, and
secretive club, and the only one that Ranma approved of. The
Helpers.
This organization consisted of Akane, Ukyo, Shampoo, Sayuri,
Yuka, Hiroshi, and Daisuke. Their main job was rumor control and
trying to keep the other three clubs from driving Ranma insane.
Akane was, by unspoken consent, the closest thing to a leader
there.
Ukyo and Shampoo defused the Ranma-kun faction's attempts to
splash the trainee girl with hot water (everyone knew that wasn't
working right now, but there was always hope) or the Ranma-chan
faction's attempts to try to get Ranma interested in the latest issue
of Nakayoshi or the latest trends in male idol singers.
The other four handled Rumor control, and were driving Nabiki
insane since people were going to THEM for free information that was
accurate and complete instead of paying her.
Then again, she was making money in other ways. The tapes of the
fight against Big Pocky were still selling well, the Girl Days
pamphlets were in their third printing, and although she had yet to
get any photos of Ranma in her more feminine nightwear, photos of her
in her workout clothes sold well to Kuno and the Idiots (her personal
name for the Ranma Fan Club).
There was also a fair sized club devoted to Shampoo. This one
was severely annoying, although not to Ranma.
Somehow, they had gotten a somewhat distorted version of certain
Amazon customs. The result was what Akane referred to as Justified
Deja Vu.
In other words, every morning Shampoo had to fight off about
thirty losers who were attacking her with the intention of getting a
date. She was NOT a happy Amazon. Her only comfort was that the
stupid stick-boy wasn't with them.
As Shampoo entered the classroom-- early-- Akane smirked a bit.
Shampoo glared at the girl.
"Not fair. Shampoo no allowed to kill stupid boys. Only bash."
"Well, if I could handle the matter, so can you."
"Handling problem. Shampoo no want to handle stupid boys, they
want hand--"
"Ranchan, is it fair to laugh like that?"
"Maybe not, but... bwah-hahahahaha!"
Proper ladies don't roll on the floor in their nice clean
uniforms laughing their butts off and kicking their legs in the air
in sheer hilarity. Ranma was VERY glad that she wasn't a proper
lady, but a tomboy in training.
Three pairs of eyes rolled.
"G...gomen... I'll be good," Ranma said, dragging herself to her
desk and trying to stifle her laughter. At that point Hinako-sensei
entered, and people got very sober very quick.
Class began...
####
At lunch, Ranma prepared for the Assault of the Clubs.
She carefully eyed the two most consistent problems-- Kimiko, who
was of the Ranma-chan faction, and would try to corner her and ask if
she thought this boy or that boy was cute and the like, and Michiko,
who was of the Ranma-kun faction and would try to be SO sympathetic
over what HAD to be such a TERRIBLE time for her. The third faction,
the Idiots, weren't at all predictable as to who she'd have to thump
today.
(Honestly,) she thought, (Those two are INSANE. Kimiko wants me
to become a girl 100%, and Michiko wants to get me into pants weither
I want to be in them or not. And they both ALWAYS arrive at the same
time-- yup, here they are.)
"Ranma-chan! There's a sale at the White Dove today!"
"Ranma-kun! I have a copy of an article on Kung-fu you might
want to read!"
The two club leaders stopped, and started to glare at each other.
"I'm certain that she is interested in your article, Michiko-san,
but she should know about the sale. There's a dress there that I saw
the other day that I KNOW she'd love."
"I suspect, Kimiko-san, that HE has quite enough dresses--
doubtless more than HE likes, and would be far more interested in the
MANLY arts..."
And as she had for the last three days, Ranma nodded, said
"Well... I'll see you both at gym, ne?" and simply walked away to
where SHE ate lunch-- with the Helpers. The two, as usual, didn't
even notice, now locked into their verbal battle of witlessness.
It had become simply sensible for the Helpers and Ranma to eat
lunch together. Partly because they understood-- mostly-- what was
really going on, partly because in numbers there is strength, and
mostly because they were all hungry and liked to share lunches.
"Ohayo! So, what's the things today?"
Shampoo passed Akane some ramen while Ukyo tossed an okonomiyaki
to Daisuke. "Same old, same old," said Ukyo. "Nabiki's got good
odds on that Enzo clown asking you out today."
"Errgh. Damn, that twerp makes KUNO look good."
As Ranma opened her bento, it was supplemented with ramen,
okonomiyaki, and curry. Between Ranma's help in home economics and a
lot of practice under guard by Kasumi, Akane's curry had improved to
the point where it was not only edible, but actually verging on
decent-- when hot.
But cold-- it was GOOD. Somehow, Akane was the only person that
Ranma could think of who made a curry that was passable fresh but
good as a leftover. She hoped that didn't mean she'd wind up in the
future living entirely on cold curry.
She had to be watched cooking anything else though-- she still
tended to improvise. Cherries and chocolate go well together-- but
not in a Teriyaki sauce.
Ranma spent a few minutes erasing her hunger pangs, and then
looked up. "Great food, arigato. Hey, Akane, the curry's better
than usual. You're improving."
Akane grinned. "Well... Shampoo made the curry. I made the
rice."
Ranma blinked.
Ate.
And said in wonder, "You... you made good rice? Akane, I... I
don't know what to say... this is great!"
Akane for a moment wavered between being angry at the idea that
it would be surprising that she could make good rice and being happy
that Ranma was pleased with it. Then she remembered the rice she'd
tried to make the week before. It had been... not rice-like. Even
she'd had to admit that when her father used it to patch a hole in
the dojo wall.
So she decided to be pleased. And smiled as Ranma began her new
feminine but very very fast indeed method of eating.
All present knew that Ranma wouldn't talk for a while... food was
important to her.
Just as water is important to fish.
"I'm still a little nervous, Ranma... please don't hit me, but
you are so cute. There. I said it. NOW you can hit me," Daisuke
said after a bit.
"That's OK, Dai. I'm flattered, actually. Getting used to being
a girl, I guess. And no, I won't go out with you."
Daisuke pouted while Hiroshi sniggered.
"Shampoo hate to say it... but Ranma make pretty good girl after
all."
"Gotta agree, Sham-chan, Ranchan's beating us all out in the
kawaii competition... especially when she turns it on."
"I'm beginning to think Mom's right, you know," Ranma said,
quietly.
"What do you mean?" asked Akane.
"That I am both a man and a woman. That I'm both. And that it's
not so bad to be both. I... I kinda like dressing pretty sometimes,
and I kinda like it that if I gotta be a girl I'm a GOOD looking
girl, and... well, I guess maybe I AM both a boy and a girl, sort
of."
"Does that mean you'll go out with me?" asked the clueless
Daisuke.
"Naw. I'm a lesbian."
Facefaults abounded.
Ukyo stared. "What do you mean?"
"Well, when I'm a boy, I like girls. And when I'm a girl, I
still like girls. So, I'm a heterosexual lesbian. That's what
Cologne calls it."
There was a pause as the group tried to figure out the rather
remarkable implications of someone being a heterosexual lesbian.
"Ranchan, you DO realize that's a contradiction in terms, right?"
"Not for me."
"Um... meaning?"
"Meaning that I could live with it, if I had to."
"Live with what?"
"It."
"It being?"
"Just... it."
Pause again.
"That's... scary, Ranma-chan," Sayuki said.
"Yeah... makes my head hurt," added Yuka.
"Damn, Ranma, that's a WIERD concept," continued Hiroshi.
"Well, it's a weird concept for anyone who isn't cursed to change
from male to female at a common and often unavoidable trigger," mused
Ukyo. "I think I know what she means-- I've lived most of my life as
a boy, but I never had any attraction to girls. I'd probably be like
her if I fell into the Nannichuan... a straight gay, so to speak."
"My head hurts more," complained Yuka.
Ranma ate while the rest of the group started thrashing out the
complexities of being straight and gay at the same time.
Then she ate more. She was, after all, Ranma... and Ukyo was
cooking, Shampoo had plenty of extra ramen, and Akane had done well
on the rice. Besides, her head hurt too.
####
Hiroshi and Daisuke again stared at the girls athletic practice.
Today it was volleyball. Volleyball with a slightly weird twist.
Once again, Shampoo found herself opposing Ranma. Since Shampoo
DID know volleyball, (It was quite popular in the Jokusetzu village)
the game followed the usual rules-- five girls on a side, playing the
normal game.
Well, four girls on each side were playing a normal game. When
the ball got to Ranma or Shampoo the game moved an average of fifteen
feet higher. Both were VERY fond of aerial spikes.
It wasn't as daft as the infamous Anything Goes Softball game,
but it was unusual.
After a while, the game finished (this time Shampoo's team won)
and Ranma walked over. "Whew... never knew girls gym could be such a
workout."
"Most girls don't play volleyball by jumping higher than the net,
Ranma. MAN, that's fascinating to watch," replied Hiroshi.
Daisuke hadn't said anything. Hiroshi turned to his friend and
stared at the frozen boy, who had a thin trickle of blood seeping
from his nose.
"Dai? Wake UP, Dai..."
And in a dazed voice, Daisuke said, "Shampoo jump high. See
under t-shirt. Shampoo no wear bra."
Ranma sighed. "I keep telling her a sportsbra is a good idea,
but will she listen? No, not HER, Amazons don't wear bras. Scary
when I'm more feminine than she is."
Daisuke just sat and drooled.
"Bet's that he joins the Shampoo fan club?" asked Hiroshi.
"Nabiki wouldn't touch that one with a blank check," smirked
Ranma.
"Neither would I."
Daisuke mumbled something incoherent.
####
School ended, as it usually did. After a short delay caused by
the need to pound Kuno, Akane and Ranma headed home. As they
fencewalked, Akane was thinking.
"Hmm... I wonder if Cologne knows anything about transforming
clothes?"
"Yeah, right. THAT'S real probable," Ranma replied.
"Well, you have Amazon training this afternoon, right? You can
ask her. Who knows, she's come up with stranger things before."
At the Nekohanten, while practicing certain basic herbal blends,
Ranma mentioned the joke to Cologne.
"Oh, certainly there are, Ranma."
Ranma dropped her Liver Root (good for cuts and bruises) and
stared. "What? There IS such a thing?"
"There was, once. A powerful warlord, centuries ago, fell victim
to the Nyannichuan. He was the type who preferred males, and thus
found his curse to be... amusing. He had a wizard make a magical
bracelet that caused his clothing to be exchanged when the curse was
triggered. The histories of the Jokuzetsu say that he preferred the
usual warlord style of garb when male, but liked very... revealing
outfits when female. Often she would choose to seduce rather than
attack an opponent... she became VERY powerful indeed."
"What happened to her? Him? Aw, YOU know what I mean."
"Killed in battle against sixty-three jealous wives. Mighty
warlord, but something of a slut."
"Ah. Wonder if that thing still exists?"
"I have no idea... and I don't know how to make one either. A
pity, it WOULD be useful, wouldn't it?"
"You said it... Now, how do I grind this root again?"
####
"Genma, there's no point in sulking," Nodoka scowled.
The panda sat playing listlessly with a tire. DAMNED if he was
going to respond. Stupid woman, making his son a daughter.
"You're just being immature, you know."
Genma's only response was to bat the tire and gnaw on some
bamboo.
"And that stunt this morning with the drum was ludicrous."
Sulking continued.
Nodoka sighed, and entered the house. A little later Ranma
entered, wearing her Amazon pantsuit, and went upstairs to change.
Akane followed carrying bowls of Nekohanten takeout. "Auntie, do
you want these in the kitchen?"
"No, Akane-chan. On the table is fine. Ranma will be down
shortly."
"Alright. Oi, Nabiki-- pay up."
The Middle Tendo grimaced. She pulled out a wad of yen, and
grumbled something about Akane getting too good at guessing the Idiot
of the day.
"Hey, I figure that Enzo was a certain thing," smiled Akane.
"After the pounding Ranma gave him last week?"
"Well, I guess there's one thing I know about Enzo that you
didn't."
"What can THAT be?" wondered Nabiki, who wasn't used to not
knowing ANYTHING.
"He's a bigger moron than Kuno when it comes to women."
"Got THAT right, Akane," added Ranma, coming downstairs in a
blouse and slacks. "I honestly think he'd try to date anything
female and on two legs. And the two legs part is probably optional."
"Blast. I never paid any attention to him, he wasn't ever
important before," fumed Nabiki. "I must be slipping."
"Well, I guess even you can have a bad day."
"It seems so, Ranma. But I'm not used to it..."
"Akane won the pool, eh?"
Akane gleefully displayed the 15,000 yen. "Yep! And I'm going
to get a really nice dress out of this, too!"
Nabiki grumbled some more. She'd come out ahead-- of course--
but somehow paying off wagers to her sister ate at her.
"So, who's for ramen?" asked Akane.
"Me," replied Ranma curtly. "Cologne makes that training tough.
Nice of her to make the snacks for us."
"Aren't you afraid you'll spoil your dinner?" asked Nabiki.
Akane stared at her in confusion.
"Oh, right... it's Ranma."
Ranma, meanwhile, was already happily slurping the ramen. "I
think I'll relax after this for a bit. Maybe sun a while."
"Ranma, you have gotten into sunbathing WAY to much," Akane
teased.
"Hey, I can't explain it, but I really really like the way the
sun feels on this body."
"Along with see-through blue nighties, Ranma-chan?" grinned
Nabiki.
"Well... the fabric, yeah. Can't deny it. When I'm a girl
things just tend to feel, well, better. Some things anyhow. Then
again, I don't have quite the threshold for pain that I do when I'm a
boy. It's a funny thing, really."
Nodoka chose that moment to enter from the kitchen. "Ranma,
you're going to spoil your appetite for dinn-- no, never mind." She
shook her head. "I can't understand why you never seem to have any
concerns about your figure, the way you eat..."
"I get LOTS of exercise, Mom."
"I suppose that's true. Well, then... is there any left?"
Ranma passed a bowl to her mother, giggling. "It's just a snack
anyhow."
"To YOU it's a snack. To anyone else it's a meal."
The four set to simple eating for a while then...
####
Ranma LOVED the sun now that she'd allowed herself to get used to
it. In fact, at times, she almost felt like purring over the way the
warm light washed over her body.
She wondered why she'd never noticed how things felt so different
when she'd been under the influence of the Cat's-tongue pressure
point or the Chiisuton incident. (Herb no baka.) Maybe it was
because those times she'd been doing her level best to hang on to her
masculinity and this time she was trying to be a girl. Or maybe it
was because she was just way too pissed then.
Whatever, she was finding that to some extent she was enjoying
being a girl. Not that she didn't miss being a boy-- she DID-- but
this wasn't so bad. And there was no doubt that some things were a
lot more fun as a girl.
As she applied some extra sunblock to her thighs, she was
unpleasantly reminded that there were also some things that were NOT
more fun as a girl.
"My pony-tailed-- no, my fire haired-- no, my-- you know, 'twould
be kind of you to stick to a single hairstyle, my love, that I might
sing your praises better."
Ranma sighed. "Kuno. What do you want?"
"Would that I could dally longer, but I must be going swiftly. I
have come merely to tender invitations to you and the Tendo's to a
small celebration at my manor this weekend, in honor of a wonderful
event."
"And that would be?"
"My father has broken his ankle and will be away from the school
for a week or more."
"Hmmm... Gotta give it to you there. I'll see that the Tendo's
get theirs."
"My thanks, beauteous one. Ah... and that particular garment
suits you well, as the tigress I know you to be."
As Kuno left-- for once under his own power-- Ranma sighed. She
personally didn't think this tiger-striped bikini was really her, but
she'd bought it, so she'd wear it... once in a while.
####
"You have to be KIDDING, Nabiki. No WAY are we going to a
costume party at Kuno's!"
"What Ranma said! NEITHER of us want to have anything to do with
either of them normally-- and you want us to accept this invitation?"
Nabiki thought very very fast. "Well, I suppose if neither of
you are interested..."
"You KNOW we ain't!"
"Although Kuno does put out a very good spread..."
"Don't care," said Ranma. "He's a jerk, his sister's a jerk,
almost everyone in that house is a jerk. I ain't going to no jerks
house for a costume party. Besides, I ain't got a costume anyhow."
"Same here, Nabiki. Kuno's picture is in the dictionary next to
the word baka. I for one don't fell like being harassed by him or
his sister."
Nabiki realised that the two girls were truly adamant. She
resorted to something she rarely used. The absolute and unpaid for
truth.
"Look... Morons the whole family might be, but influential
morons. A lot of people from school are going to be there, but also
some very important businessmen. I can really use the contacts. So,
please?"
"No." Akane glowered.
"No WAY." Ranma looked disgusted. "Besides, you're invited too,
so you don't need us."
"I...I'll..."
"You'll what?" asked Ranma.
"I'll... pay you."
The two blinked. Audibly.
"I'll pay you each two thousand yen to go."
Akane and Ranma looked doubtful.
"Three thousand! Please, I NEED the contacts, and I need you two
to run interference with the loons that will show up!"
Akane and Ranma conferred. Then--
"Four thousand plus a new swimsuit for Akane and a new Gundam CD
for me," Ranma said.
Nabiki, once again, sighed internally at how smart Ranma seemed
to have gotten since Girl Days. She'd always held that women were
smarter than men, but she'd never expected that to apply to Ranma.
"Deal. But you both better have GOOD costumes."
"We can deal with that."
####
"Shampoo was invited as well. And before you ask, Ranma, I have
suggested that she not go as a cat."
"Arigato," Ranma said in genuine gratitude. "I was wondering if
you had any ideas for a good costume? Akane says she's got a perfect
one for her, but I'm still stuck."
"I'm sorry, Ranma. But I can't-- excuse me."
Cologne went to the back and started yelling at Mousse. Ranma
shrugged, and returned to the complex Amazon kata that she was
training in. Well, the kata wasn't that complex, actually. Doing it
with two bonbori, one mallet, and a cheese sandwich was. (Ranma had
yet to understand the purpose of the cheese sandwich.)
"Ranma, come back here, would you?" Cologne called.
Shrugging and replacing her weapons (and the sandwich) in her
sleeves, Ranma wet back to see Mousse tapping buttons on a videogame
machine. The blind boy for once was wearing his glasses and grinning
madly as Ranma heard sounds of gunfire and dying animals.
"Does that hairdo remind you of anyone, Ranma?" asked Cologne
with a broad smile.
Ranma blinked. And began to giggle. "Oh, yeah. It sure does.
I think I got my costume idea..."
####
Akane smiled. Took her a while-- she wasn't the best
seamstress-- but this costume looked perfect. She wondered what
Ranma was going to wear. Idly she twirled in front of her mirror,
grinning. Ranma was right. She DID have nice legs.
####
Ukyo smiled. Costume party at Kuno's. Well, whe wouldn't have
gone, until she heard that Ranchan would be there. And Akane. And
apparently Shampoo. And of course Kodachi.
She hitched the top of the costume a bit and smiled. Thank
heaven for wierd gaijin TV shows. THIS was going to catch Ranchan's
eye for sure.
####
Shampoo waited eagerly for the day that Ranma would be a boy
again. But until then she felt it her duty to make certain that she
knew what Shampoo had to offer.
And in this outfit, there would be no doubt that she had a lot to
offer indeed.
####
And lest it be forgotten, others were coming. Not all invited.
Of course.
Ingredients list, anyone?
####
End part ten
####
And BOY, is part eleven going to be a hoot! ^_^
This part was mostly filler space to set up some sheer chaos and
to allow Ranma to relax a bit. Poor girl needs her beauty sleep.