[Ranma][FanFic] Ranma's Fiancees - Parts 1 to 4
jstai...@earthlink.net
the black suit holding the gun to my head is figment of your imagination.
--------------------
Ranma 1/2: Ranma's Fiancees - Part 1
A Continuation of "Ranma's Secret"
By Lady Tesser and Jack Staik
--------------------
FROM THE AUTHORS: After we did "Ranma's Secret" we noticed that there were a
few dangling threads. So we started to write this tale to yank some more
threads out - uh, to tie up loose ends.
For you continuity buffs out there, this all began a couple of weeks after the
Wedding Fiasco at the end of the manga series.
----------------------
Akane was in a mixed mood.
She was walking on air, because she and her love had finally broken down. They
had poured out their hearts, discovering things that they hadn't known about
each other - or themselves. It was more glorious than she had dreamt. All her
past fantasies of love and romance were pallid, weak things compared to what
she and Ranma had shared.
She was in mortal terror. Ranma had gone to speak with Ranko. Ranko was closer
to him ... literally a part of him. True, she had arranged for the two to come
together, in a way. She was Akane's advocate to Ranma, even when Akane herself
had done so much to hurt him. But deep inside was the barely-remembered voice
of her mother, screaming at her, telling her how ugly and stupid she was, how
no one would ever love her. And part of her listened.
Would Ranko turn against her, make Ranma chase her away? Would Ranko take him
away from her? Would her tears drive Ranma into her non-existent arms?
Joy and fear warred inside her.
Ranma leapt through the window of the third story classroom, startling Sensei
Tanaka and the students.
Especially since the window wasn't open.
Ranma bounced across the room, swept Akane out of her desk and into his arms,
and kissed her.
"SAOTOME!" Tanaka-sensei yelled. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!?"
"Celebrating!" he exclaimed, whirling the smiling Akane around.
"Ranma-sama," Akane began, forgetting there were witnesses, "What happened?"
"Oh, only one of the GREATEST THINGS IN MY LIFE!! The perfect thing to follow
up last night!" And he kissed her again.
A loud thud resounded as the entire class facefaulted.
"What?" Akane asked, smiling now and embracing him back.
"<ahem> Are you two done, or is there going to be an impromptu ecchi
exhibition?" a familiar female voice asked.
Akane turned to the window and gasped. Those of her classmates who had
recovered from their facefault facefaulted again.
The female Ranma stood in the shattered window, gazing upon the male Ranma and
Akane with an amused grin on her face.
Akane did NOT keep her composure. "H-h-h-h-h-?" she asked intelligibly.
"How am I walking around?" Ranko replied. "Beats the hell out of us. I was
giving Ranma-kun my blessing for the two of you, and I just ... walked through
the mirror ... and here I am." She hopped down to the floor, hands on hips.
"Big as life and twice as pretty."
Ranma hugged Akane tight. "Isn't it GREAT?!?"
Akane just stared dumbly. "Yeah ... great ..."
While through her head, a dream she had a few nights ago went through her
mind; Ranko stepping out of the mirror and stealing Ranma away, leaving Akane
behind while they headed into the sunset, hand-in-hand...
<NO!!> Akane shoved that out of her mind. Ranma was *hers* now! Last night
proved that! She had seen his heart, and he had given it to *her*!
Ranko hugged the pair of them. "My best brother and my best girlfriend ... and
I get to be with you BOTH!"
<'Brother?!?> Ranma thought. <Sounds good. It's even true ... in a weird way.>
<'Brother'??> Akane thought. <Brother!! Not friend not boyfriend - BROTHER!!
As in 'someone you don't marry'!>
Akane returned the hug, happy.
The class, meanwhile, was wondering what the hell happened.
* * * * * * * * * *
Nabiki waited out front of the school for her sister and Ranma. Nearby was
Kuno, who had missed his morning thrashing (because Ranma and Akane had left
early), and was there to make up for it with an even more vigorous afternoon
thrashing.
"At last I shall have my day! Today I shall wreak the vengeance of heaven upon
the vile sorcerer Saotome! You shall witness History, Nabiki Tendo, for Titans
shall clash and -"
"Yeah yeah," Nabiki muttered, tuning out the rest of Kuno's monologue (Pompous
factor 8.8). She was still dwelling on what had happened last night. For that
matter, what *had* happened last night??
Akane came out of Ranma's room that morning, still wrapped in the sheet, and
they were both smiling. The obvious thought that crossed her mind was
immediately squashed; Ranma was too much of a Boy Scout to do *that* with
Akane - pre-maritally, anyhow. And they had raced ahead of her to school,
*holding hands*!
But Ranma didn't love Akane. He loved Ranko. Akane would get hurt by loving
Ranma.
Everyone had always seen Nabiki the Ice Queen, the Hard Bitch of Furnikan
High. But she had another, deeper side. All Nabiki cared about was her
family. Money and power were the means to an end; keeping her family secure.
She'd seen her sister collapse emotionally, and knew why. If Ranma broke
Akane's heart again, she'd send him through all Seven Rings of Hell.
"Hey, Oneechan!" Akane called out happily. Nabiki turned to see Akane with
Ranma, their arms around each other's waists...
And Ranma's other arm around Ranko.
<Eep! Not that damned mirror again!> After the mirror-clones had been returned
to their cursed mirror, Nabiki arranged to have the mirror stolen, then mailed
by express service, thus insuring it would never be seen by humans again.
But this one was different. She didn't walk with the exaggerated hip-rolls of
the mirror-slut, and her face had a calm intelligence, an impish humor...
<Oh god, she's out!!>
But Akane was smiling?
"SAOTOME!!" Kuno shouted. "How dare you flaunt your perverse control of these
helpless maidens before the world! Thou shalt know the invincible wrath of ...
THE BLUE THUNDER OF FURNIKAN HIGH!!" As his bokotu stabbed upwards, lightning
crashed, thunder pealed.
"How does he *do* that?" Ranma asked.
"Dunno." Ranko answered. "Neat trick, though."
"Helpless?!?" Akane snarled.
Ranma looked to either side of him, to the two most important girls in his
life, and sighed. "I'm not really in a Kuno mood today. You want him,
Ko-chan?"
"Hey!" Akane said sharply. "Why can't *I* beat on him?"
Ranma kissed her on the forehead.
"Okay!" she replied, smiling. "Ko-chan, go get him." And she squeezed Ranma
close.
"Hmph!" Ranko said with a smirk. "'Go beat on the moron so we can snuggle,
Ko-chan'. All that lovey-dovey stuff ... sickening, it is." Her face betrayed
her amusement and pleasure at Ranma and Akane's affection.
A crowd had gathered to watch the Pounding of the Kuno, but had been treated
to a real spectacle as well. Akane and Ranma being loving and romantic (with
various betting pools paying off); Girl-Type Ranma and Boy-Type Ranma as
separate people (no betting pools on that one, unfortunately); and Nabiki not
making a profit off of it!
As Ranko stepped up to the idiot Kuno, she felt a thrill. When she and Ranma
had shared, she almost *never* got to fight, because Ranma's idiotic chivalry
got in the way. Now, she got to pummel someone! (Granted, it was only Kuno,
but you must crawl before you walk.)
"Baka-Sempai," she greeted him, without a bow, or even a nod.
(In classical Japanese culture, the person of the lesser social caste must
execute a lower bow than the high-caste person. It is said that the Imperial
Family has special training to teach them to bow without actually moving.
Thus, refusing to bow at all could be considered a deliberate insult, implying
the person before you has no status)
Kuno gave an exaggerated sigh. "Alas, poor Pig-Tailed Girl, how the foul fiend
Saotome has used his evil magic to control you, compelling you to perform such
unladylike acts -"
<WHAP!!>
"Mrph," said Kuno, around the foot in his face.
"FIRST! I am NOT your 'Pig-Tailed Girl', you freak! I have a name! Ranko
Saotome, daughter of Genma Saotome, *sister* of Ranma Saotome! *GOT IT*?"
"But-" he began.
<THWAK!>
"Uuh," Kuno said from the ground where Ranko's piledriver put him.
"SECOND! My *brother* is *not* an evil sorcerer! Akane loves him of her own
free will! *UNDERSTAND*?!"
"I-" Kuno began again.
<PUNT!!>
"Third -" she said as he sailed into the sky, "you've got *great* hang-time,
Kuno-baby."
Akane and Ranma held up cards reading 9.9 (Akane) and 7.5 (Ranma). Ranko
looked hurt. "Hey!"
"A bit wordy," he explained, "and you should have had him in one second, not
eight."
"She deserved extra credit for style." Akane argued.
Nabiki looked at Ranko. "H-h-h-h-h-?"
"How am I walking around?" Ranko finished, smiling. "I'm beginning to see the
family resemblance. As I told Akane - I have no idea. It just happened."
"And to celebrate, I'm taking my two best girls out on the town!" Ranma said,
his good mood touching everyone around. He started walking with Akane toward
the Tendo home, Nabiki and Ranko trailing.
"Uh, Ranma?" asked Nabiki, "Are you sure that's wise? I mean, Akane isn't
quite healthy yet -"
"Nonsense!" Akane argued, hoping to forget about her little ... episode. "I'm
fine!"
"And what about the Fiancees?" Nabiki countered, "They find out about you two
getting all smoochy-smoochy and they'll go nuts! Not that it's a long trip for
them..."
"She's right about that." Ranko said, nodding. "We're just lucky that Ucchan
hasn't been in school lately."
Ranma sobered up. "You're right. We've gotta do something about this. It's
gone on too long."
"Finally he shows backbone." Nabiki said.
"Watch it, 'Biki." Ranko replied. "It's not his fault, y'know. Ucchan - and
the others - were Genma's doing. Kodachi was just an accident. And Shampoo was
- sorta my fault."
"Huh?" the Tendo girls asked.
Ranma shook his head. "Not really, Ko-chan. We were just out of Jusenkyo. How
were you supposed to know that I don't fight girls?"
"Because I have your memories, you dip! From a girl's point of view, but still
-"
Akane looked at Ranko, eyes wide. "YOU fought Shampoo?!"
"If I didn't, they were going to eat Genma!" she protested.
"What's your point?" Nabiki asked.
"Given the whole Amazon village the runs, most likely." Ranma muttered. Akane
elbowed him - gently.
"Don't change the subject!" Ranko protested. "The point is, the Fiancee Mess
isn't Ranma's fault! It didn't happen *because* of him, it happened *to* him!"
"Then why didn't he clear it up before now?" Nabiki kept arguing, hoping to
pin something on Ranma.
"Yes, Ranma-kun," Akane asked in a warm, cold voice, "why didn't you?"
Ranma stammered.
"Because he has the social skills of a brain-damaged dung-beetle!" Ranko
protested.
"Yeah! That's it!" he agreed. Then, "HEY!"
"Quiet, you. I'm defending you." Ranko continued. "Genma didn't teach him
politeness, he taught him how to be macho and arrogant! Every time Genma
thought he was being too nice, The Lecture began."
Ranko whipped a handkerchief and glasses from nowhere.
"'What are you, boy, some kind of sissy?'" she continued in a credible parody
of Genma. "'A *real* man stands up for himself! Stop being such a pansy!
Hmph!'"
The others couldn't help laughing at Ranko's performance. "Okay, you got a
point." Nabiki agreed, chortling despite herself. "Genma is not a great
etiquette teacher."
"But now, we can all work on it, you and me and Akane-oneechan." Ranko said,
slipping her arm into Ranma's, noticing that Akane drew Ranma tighter to
herself. "The three of us can figure this out, then we can start on that
'happily-ever-after' thing."
"Ha!" Nabiki commented cynically. "It'll blow up. It always does."
"C'mon, Nabiki! Ranma protested. "Akane and I are together - Ranko's free - no
curse - what could possibly go wrong?"
In accordance with Murphy's Principle of Universal Perversity, a light drizzle
began. Akane found herself with an arm around Ranko - er, Ranma-onna, who was
arm-in-arm with Ranma - uh, Ranko-kun.
The Saotomes looked down at themselves, then at each other, then up to the
cloudy skies.
As one, they voiced this thought to the heavens -
"THIS IS YOUR IDEA OF A JOKE, ISN'T IT??"
--------------------
To Be Continued
DISCLAIMER: Hey claim, you're ugly and your mama dresses you funny! (I just
dissed the claim!)
--------------------
Ranma 1/2: Ranma's Fiancees - Part 2
By Lady Tesser and Jack Staik
--------------------
Tofu was expecting some business at the clinic today (it had been a couple of
weeks since the Wedding Fiasco, as everyone was calling it, and all the usual
suspects were well-rested). He even expected Ranma and Akane, who had barely
moderated their violence.
What he didn't expect was Ranma-Onna and Akane coming in, with their arms
around each other, apparently happy. In fact, to his ki-based perceptions,
they were glowing a deep gold, resonating with love.
And he *certainly* never expected to see the male version of Ranma behind
them, smiling at the twosome. The male Ranma, however, had the unmistakable
ki-patterns of a woman.
And behind them, Nabiki Tendo, her face as calm as ever, but her aura swirling
with clouds of doubt and uncertainty.
(Doctor Tofu didn't used to check the ki-patterns of everyone who came in his
door, but somewhere between the third shape-shifter and second demonic
possession, prudence overcame modesty.)
"Hi, Doc!" Ranma-Onna said in the usual irreverent manner. "Mind if we borrow
some hot water?"
"No, Ranma-kun," Tofu answered, holding out a thermos, "I always keep some at
hand for our ... more exotic patients."
The male-looking Ranma took the offered thermos and poured it on himself - er,
herself, collapsing into a perfect duplicate of the girl Akane was embracing.
The other Ranma-Onna took the thermos and duplicated the action, becoming a
tall, muscular black-haired boy again.
"You're a lifesaver, Tofu-sensei." the girl-Ranma said, in a polite and
feminine manner. "Unless you have some umbrellas, may we wait here until the
drizzle lets up?"
"Of course, miss-?"
"Oh," she said, blushing. "Pardon my familiarity. I know you quite well,
although we've never actually spoken. I am Ranko Saotome, formerly the female
soul within Ranma Saotome, now his sister."
"Fascinating..." Tofu said. "You were a component of Ranma-kun?"
"Not exactly. I became independent and self-aware just after he was cursed at
Jusenkyo, but it took awhile for-"
"Uh, Ko-chan?" Ranma asked his sister, "do ya think you oughtta just blab
about our private lives to everyone in the street?"
Ranko thunked him in the forehead with her finger. "Hollow sound. I thought as
much, after spending all of my life in there. Pay attention, Saotome," she
began, "we don't know what happened, do we? Suddenly we were independent
beings, after sharing one body for so long. Why did this happen? Was it made
to happen? Can it be duplicated with the other Jusenkyo-cursed people? If
someone made it happen, who and why?
"We need answers, and Tofu-sensei is the best-qualified person to help us find
them. And he's a doctor, so we don't have to worry about him blabbing about a
patient's condition."
Ranma looked confused. "Oh," he replied.
Ranko sighed. "Akane-chan, I've tried to teach him how to think for most of my
life. I hereby hand the task over to you." She turned to the doctor. "I would
like to consult with you concerning this matter - if you don't mind."
"Not at all," Tofu agreed, smiling even more. "The Jusenkyo curse is always a
fascinating study. This new problem promises to be just as interesting."
She nodded, walking into a private room with the doctor. Akane and Ranma
looked out the window at the rain, smiling and holding each other.
Nabiki brooded, and thought dark thoughts.
* * * * * * * * * *
Ryoga meditated, directing his ki into his body, accelerating his healing
processes. The giant bruise was almost cleared up, two weeks healing done in a
day. The cracked bones would be totally repaired within another day.
(Of course, Doctor Tofu's knowledge of exotic ki-manipulation lores, including
acupuncture and moxibustion, aided the process.)
Soon, he would be able to go to Akane and explain everything. He could see it
in his mind's eye now...
<RYOGA: Akane-san, this is all Ranma's fault!>
<AKANE: Ranma NO BAKA!!>
<Akane mallets Ranma, then Ryoga smashes Ranma with his umbrella.>
<AKANE: Oh Ryoga-kun! How could I have ever doubted you? I love you!>
<Ryoga and Akane kiss over Ranma's carcass.>
(Of course, he still had a few more details to figure out.)
<But what of Akari?> a nasty little voice whispered in the back of his head.
<Akari? Akari loves me,> he thought. <Her pig fixation is really annoying - a
bit sick, in fact - but she does love me.>
"Akari, Akane ... how do I choose? I must have them *both*!" he cried outloud.
Ryoga made a mental note: Stop hanging around Kuno.
In the waiting room, the words Ryoga just shouted hung in the air. Ranma felt
Akane stiffen up, then she turned away and marched resolutely toward the
patient rooms.
"Akane, wait!" Ranma called after her. "You can't pummel a guy in his hospital
bed!"
"Sure I can. Watch me."
"AKANE!" he cried. "PLEASE!!"
She stopped. She turned around.
"Ranma-sama, after all he's done to us, how can you be so ... forgiving?"
Ramna shrugged. "Dunno. Just me, I guess."
"*Buta-hentai* wouldn't have forgiven *you*!" she said, her voice dripping
with contempt for the Lost Boy.
"I know." he said.
Akane hugged him. "You even forgave me," she said quietly.
"Nothing to forgive." he answered, his arms wrapping around her.
Ryoga listened to the exchange outside his door. <'Buta-hentai'? Is that all I
am to her now? A perverted pig?> He felt his heart shatter yet again. <How did
this happen? How did everything go so wrong?>
And all of Ryoga's thinking led him back to one inescapable conclusion ...
This was all Ranma's fault.
* * * * * * * * * *
After filling Tofu-sensei in on the details of her and Ranma's 'relationship'
(leaving out certain embarrassing parts), Ranko went to rejoin her twin and
his fiancee. They were still embracing, as if afraid to let each other go.
Ranko gazed her at Ranma and Akane, smiling with pride and love for them. It
was a long road for her, trying to convince Ranma that he needed to be loved.
But all was well, even though they *both* had the Curse now.
Doctor Tofu came right behind her, viewing the scene of Ranma and Akane with a
wistful smile.
"It was about time," he said to Ranko. "Sometimes, I really did worry about
those kids."
She nodded, adding, "I know the feeling, Tofu-sensei."
Nabiki had been pretending to ignore the happy couple, letting them have an
illusion of privacy. However, she watched them closely, worried for her
sister. And about Ranma and ... *her*.
Ranko felt Nabiki's turmoil. Nabiki was questioning *her* motives now.
<Understandable>, Ranko thought to herself. <The only time we were in the same
room she heard Ranma and I proclaiming our love.>
But after everything that happened, she can only see the Tendo girls as her
sisters, and even Ranma was more of a brother to her now. Granted, she
wouldn't mind having a round or two between the sheets with him, but it wasn't
necessary. She shrugged, knowing problems were going to increase simply
because of her existence.
<Time to defuse some land mines,> she thought.
She went over to Nabiki. "Um, Nabiki? Can I speak to you privately?"
"Sure." Nabiki said, her Suspicion-meter redlining. <What was this demon or
whatever up to?>
Ranko led Nabiki to a nearby examining room. She pulled her red locks out of
the pigtail and ran her fingers through her hair, letting it fall over her
shoulders, softly waving from the braid.
<Look at that>, Nabiki thought to herself. <Undeniably female. Pulling her
hair out of that damn pigtail, walking decently, gentle movements. I wonder
what I can make off of Kuno for pics of this?>
"Nabiki?" Ranko asked.
"Yes?"
"Would you mind if I borrowed some of your clothes until I can get my own?
Ranma doesn't dress comfortably for a girl," she smiled wanely, looking down
at the red Chinese shirt and blue pants.
"Why my clothes?" Nabiki asked.
Ranko leaned over, whispering, "Because I have a better chance of fitting into
your clothes than Akane's. Recall the time Happosai stretched out one of
Akane's bras because he insisted on Ranma wearing it?"
"Ah, got ya'," she nodded, smiling at the memory.
"Besides, you know how to dress like a woman, and I can't stand dressing
unisex anymore!"
Nabiki went into professional consultant mode, looking over Ranko for the
first time. <Identical to Ranma's female form. The stuff I got for his planned
modeling shoot would do nicely...>
"I have a dress, but you'll probably have to borrow one of Kasumi's bras."
Ranko nodded. While Nabiki wasn't lightly endowed, she wasn't in Ranko's
class.
"Say ... Ko-chan? Do you mind if I call you that?"
Ranko smiled. "Of course not, Nabiki."
"Have you ever considered modelling?"
"Have you ever considered a fair split of your earnings from those cocktail
napkins?"
Nabiki spluttered.
"Only fair, since I was the one who finally talked him into it," Ranko added,
combing her fingers through her hair.
Nabiki gathered her bearings and replied, "But it was Ranma that did the
actual shooting."
"Nonetheless, neither of us have seen one yen off it ourselves. Perhaps we can
strike a deal between ourselves without him knowing."
She regarded the redhead silently, then stated, "We'll work something out."
* * * * * * * * * *
It was a quiet evening at the Tendo residence when the four arrived home.
Genma was in Panda form and reading the newspaper in the dining room while
Soun was attempting to locate a missing section of the paper in front of the
giant panda. They didn't quite notice when the teenagers arrived.
"We have to tell our fathers," Ranma whispered to Akane.
The two went to the dojo to practice. Ranma noticed the practice dummies that
once held his likeness now were wearing yellow tunics and animal print
bandanas. He distracted her from using them and to a mock match with him.
"I know. I'm nervous," she replied, feinting a punch to his gut. He tapped her
left arm in the process.
"Me, too. After what ya did to the Old Man last night..."
Akane winced, remembering she threw her future father-in-law out the window,
after threatening to kill him.
"Well, he asked for it," she landed a blow to Ranma's chest, and he stepped
back.
"Um, Akane-sama, your battle aura."
"Oops," she breathed deeply, closing her eyes to quiet the heat and cool her
emotions down. "Gomen."
Ranma nodded, smiling. Akane looked up at him and threw her arms around him,
kissing him deeply, passionately, massaging her lips to his.
"Mmm..." they breathed, seperating.
They gazing into the other's eyes for a moment, gathering the strength to face
the Old Coots. Then they laced their fingers together and left the dojo.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Biki," Ranko called her. "Are you sure this dress is right?"
"Of course it is!" Nabiki placed her hands on the redhead's shoulders behind
her. "It shows off your figure quite well, actually."
The two girls were in Nabiki's room, standing in front of her full-length
mirror. Ranko was dressed in a long, tight Chinese dress with two thigh-high
slits up each side. The dress was a lavender color, making her red hair stand
out more intensely. A golden rose crest lay on the bodice, accenting her bust
even more.
"It's quite pretty," Ranko acknowledged, giggling. "Kuno would drool over this
one."
"Or have a nosebleed," Nabiki grinned. She was actually having fun with Ranko,
now that she didn't have to deal with Ranma's brash manner. She still had her
suspicions, but she followed a wise saying, 'Hold your friends close and your
enemies even closer.'
"Come on, time to introduce you to the family."
Ranko stood in front of the mirror, fussing with her hair.
Nabiki sighed and grabbed her wrist.
"You are such a girl."
"I certainly hope so!"
* * * * * * * * * *
Ranma and Akane entered the newly remodeled kitchen first, where the oldest
Tendo sister was happily humming to herself as she prepared dinner.
"Kasumi?" Akane asked. "Have you any tea ready?"
She smiled sweetly, and pointed with her stirring spoon toward the tea service
already laid out on a tray.
"How *does* she do that?" Ranma wondered.
"It's... Kasumi," Akane shrugged.
They entered the dining room where their fathers were both reading the paper,
Ranma carrying the tray. Genma looked over his paper and growled a little at
his son carrying a tea tray, but went back to reading.
"Father?" Akane addressed him, settling beside her fiance.
"Hmm? What is it, Akane?" he didn't even bother to look up from the paper.
"We have something to tell you."
Soun looked up. His daughter and future son-in-law seated side by side,
looking nervously at him.
Tears began to stream down his face.
"No!" he cried. "You're both calling the engagement off!"
"No-" Ranma began.
"The paper isn't being delivered any more!"
"No-" Akane started to say.
"You got one of those crazy girls pregnant!"
"No!" Ranma shouted.
"You've killed someone!"
"Not-" Akane sighed.
His face grew huge, tear arcs streaming on either side of him. Genma merely
used his paper as a sheild, keeping his fur from getting wet.
"Akane is pregnant out of marriage! I'm going to be a grandfather before my
time!"
"Damnit, Tendo-" Ranma began, getting up, tired of being cut off by the
hysterical man.
"Hey, everyone!" Nabiki called into the dining room. "What do you think?"
They all looked up to see Nabiki standing next to a shyly smiling Onna-Ranma.
"Koban wa, Tendo-san," she greeted Soun, bowing gently.
Soun's eyes bugged out.
He stared at the red-headed vision before him.
Then, with a mighty 'kiai', he pulled a butterfly net out of nowhere and
swooped it over Ranko's head.
"It's that crazy bimbo! She escaped the mirror! Get a bag! Get a priest! I'll
hold her!"
<WHAM!!!>
"Ugh," Soun commented from underneath the mallet that Akane had slammed over
his head.
Ranko looked at him in complete puzzlement as she pulled the net from her
head. "Why is your father-? Ohhhhhhhhhh..."
"That was what I first thought when I saw you, Ko-chan," Nabiki nodded. "No
one is going to forget *that* Onna-Ranma too soon."
Ranma was banging his head against the table, and Akane was trying to revive
her father.
Genma held up a sign. [Quiet, you! I'm trying to read my newspaper!] He
glanced up and noticed Ranko standing nearby while Ranma pounded his head into
the table.
The sign spun around. [Would someone tell me what is going on?]
"No," Ranko said.
Nabiki held out a hand. "Fifteen thousand."
Kasumi entered the room, carrying the first course of dinner, and stated, "Oh,
my!"
Ranko bowed down. "Hello, Kasumi-chan."
"KO-CHAN!!" Kasumi cried, gracefully putting down the tray while embracing the
red-head.
--------------------
To Be Continued
DISCLAIMER: Dear god! I just realized ! We don't own these characters! (Except
maybe for Ranko, and she's kinda iffy)
--------------------
Ranma 1/2: Ranma's Fiancees - Part 3
By Lady Tesser and Jack Staik
--------------------
Ranko hugged Kasumi back, glad to see her friend. They looked up to see those
that hadn't gone nuts before had facefaulted.
Nabiki was the first to gain back her vocal faculties. "Okay, how long has
*this* been going on?"
"Whenever Ranma was in female form, I always tried to find time to talk to
Kasumi," Ranko explained, still hugging her. "She's always the best person to
talk to when there's a problem."
"Of course," Kasumi giggled. "I'm so happy you found your way out. You'll have
to tell me all about it during dinner."
"Yes," Soun murmured, regaining consciousness. "Tell everyone what is going
on..."
"Everything I can, Tendo-san," she smiled at her family, delighted to be truly
with them at last, despite their ... eccentricities.
"Well," Kasumi stated, letting go of Ranko. "Dinner is served. Oh, my. Ranma,
why are you banging your head into the table?"
"Lemme get this straight," Ranma said, pausing from pummeling himself on the
table. "You told Kasumi?"
"Hei."
"And she's known for - how long?"
Ranko looked embarassed. "Actually, Kasumi and I were talking about a month
before we were."
"AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?!?"
Ranko looked nonplussed. "Why?"
Ranma opened his mouth - then went back to pounding his head on the table.
"Ranma!" Akane said sharply. "Cut that out! I don't want my fiance to get
brain damage!"
"SHE ADMITTED IT!" Soun cried out in joy. "At last! Now they can get married!"
Genma tried to silence his friend, to no avail.
"We can't afford a fancy wedding - still have the bills from the last one -
but we can get a minister over and have the wedding tonight-"
Akane and Ranma looked at each other, nodded, and proceeded to inflict
grievous bodily harm upon the Tendo patriarch.
"YOW!" Soun commented. "OUCH! ITE! OWIE! THAT ISN"T SUPPOSED TO BEND! YAAAHH!!
NO NOT *THERE*! MOMMY!"
"Now," Ranma said to the Pretzel-Formerly-Known-As-Soun, "Here's the deal;
Akane and I *are* in love, and we *will* probably get married. In *OUR* good
time, not *YOURS*!"
"Ranma and I are still in high school!" Akane agreed. "We still have college
to go through! We're too young!"
"Genma!" Soun cried. "How about some help here?!?"
"I wouldn't." Ranma and Akane said simultaneously.
Genma started playing with his beach ball, signs all around him saying "I'm
just a cute panda!"
Ranko smiled as her father cringed, leaving his friend to his fate.
"Now that that's settled," Kasumi said brightly, "perhaps we can have supper
now?"
* * * * * * * * * *
Dinner was only a notch above high treason, as the Tendos and Saotomes found
out that Ranko had as much an appetite as Ranma had.
<More than Ranma,> Akane decided, watching the twins fight over the large bowl
of veggie ramen, pulling the other's hair and kicking the other in the sides.
Yet, the Saotome siblings were laughing as they did, trying to see who can
finish the bowl first.
Genma (back in human form) gazed at them disapprovingly, wondering how he
acquired a missing daughter (the explanation that Nabiki offered went over his
head. Even if it had smacked him *in* the head, he still wouldn't have
understood). He snatched what he could off of their plates, which usually
resulted in either Ranma or Ranko booting him in the head.
Nabiki watched with amusement, now thoroughly convinced Ranko was a Saotome
through and through. No one else can eat like that.
"Hey, Ko-chan," Nabiki giggled. "You remind me of a famous anime redhead with
that appetite. Now, what's her name... ?"
"Which one?" Ranko asked, devouring an entire rice roll in one gulp.
"Point taken."
Meanwhile, a small figure spun stealthily through the Tendo garden.
He had felt the shift in ki energy, amazed at the power it held. He had to
find out who could possess so much of what he needed.
He had to find out what sort of panties she wore.
At last, Happosai, perverted master of the Anything Goes Martial Arts, spied
what he sought. A redhead seated with her back to the garden, wearing a dress
that begged to be felt!
<Come along, my kawaiikochan,> he sang. <Stand up and let me see you!>
"Okay, okay!" Ranma was saying. "You win, Ko-chan. You are the master of
Martial Arts Food-Snatching."
"Thank-you, Ranma-kun," she bowed her head. "Kasumi, that was excellent."
"Arigato, Ko-Chan. Perhaps you can help me with dinner sometime?"
"Of course. Let me help you gather dishes."
Ranko got up and gathered the plates nearest her.
"YES!"
Then she immediately felt something glomp onto her rear.
"Oh, no!" she moaned. "I forgot about him!"
"SWEETO!" Happosai hugged her. "What a charge!"
An uproar came from the table, Ranma's voice above the din screaming, "LET GO
OF KO-CHAN, YOU HENTAI FREAK!"
Ranko felt her energy drain from her, even as she tried to shove the leech off
her back end, her strength quickly dropping low.
"Ranma..."
<WHAP!>
<SPLASH!>
Happosai found himself in the koi pond. He leapt up above the water and landed
back in the room.
Ranko had collapsed into Ranma and Akane's arms.
"Ko-Chan!!" Ranma cried. Ranko was out cold.
Akane looked down at the redhead and noticed something odd, a rash spreading
all over her body.
"Ranma, look!"
Ranma looked down at his twin, and he looked up, going towards Happosai.
"What did you do to her, you freak?!"
The old master lit his pipe, his hand skaking like he just drank five gallons
of six-shot espresso, and looked plaintively at the young man.
"Nothing out of the ordinary," he commented. "So, I see your female half is
out. Explains why the ki energy is pure female, and incredibly powerful.
Haven't had a charge like *that* before, ever. Can be addictive."
Nabiki looked down at the unconscious Ranko.
"Happy with yourself? You completely drained her and made her break out in a
rash!"
"But nobody ever fainted before!" Akane said. "The little fart's glomped me
dozens of times, and I've never reacted like this!"
"She's too female," Happosai said. "Almost no male principle. Instead of
getting a trickle of mixed energy, I got a rush of the pure stuff!" He
grinned. "Call me when she recovers."
Ranma moved to slam his foot on top of the pervert, but Happosai had already
scurried off, planning his next panty raid.
"Hmph," Genma said at last. "Born male, and you wouldn't have had this
problem."
"Stuff it, Old Man," Ranma told his father.
Kasumi remained quiet, gathering the dishes as Ranma and Akane took Ranko
upstairs.
<Of course, her pure female ki is going to be a problem with Happosai around,
since she was essentially Ranma's anima.> Kasumi thought. <Now that she is
out, Ranma's female ki has dwindled down to a trickle, and Ranko is nothing
but female, with only a trickle of male, even if they are both Cursed. Poor
Ko-chan.>
"Well, Genma, what do you think of having a daughter?" Soun asked as soon as
Nabiki left the room.
"What daughter?" Saotome replied gruffly. "He turns into a male, that means I
have another son to turn into a man. Ranma will becoming a sissy with being in
love. Ran- Ran- Ranko is my only hope to appease Nodoka for producing a son
who is a man among men."
Soun shook his head. "But she has accepted Ranma as a man, even with his
Curse."
"Nonetheless, he has become weak. He must *remain* a man!"
Soun shook his head, absently wondering if his experience of raising daughters
was ever going to be called upon with the Saotome daughter. (He hoped not. She
still gave him the heebie-jeebies.)
"Get your mind off your wife's katana, Saotome! What of the *Plan*?!? They
want to wait to get married! If they're over the legal age, they'll find out
*why* we were pushing them together, and everything will be ruined!" Soun
remembered the treatment he endured at his daughter and son-in-law's hands.
"And can you imagine what they'll do to us?!"
"Not a problem, Tendo." Genma said. "I have a plan."
Despite all common-sense, Soun nodded, listening.
"My wife's katana may be the solution to this mess! We simply convince
*Nodoka* to persuade them to marry! All I have to do is complain about how my
unmanly son isn't getting married, and she'll practically chase them to the
altar!"
Soun looked troubled. "Isn't that risky? After all, Nodoka is ...
unpredictable."
"You mean she's a lunatic. But that will work to my favor for once!"
Just outside the door, Nabiki listened impassively. <Idiots. Forgetting that
out-of-sight isn't out-of-hearing.> she thought. <This is the first I've heard
about anything like *this* - although I've suspected something was up.>
<Now ... to go snoop through daddy's things.>
--------------------
To Be Continued
DISCLAIMER: Noun - A statement denying rights and/or ownership.
--------------------
Ranma 1/2: Ranma's Fiancees - Part 4
By Lady Tesser and Jack Staik
--------------------
Doctor Tofu nodded as he concluded his examination. "I'd have to agree with
Happosai's assessment, Ranko-chan.
"Normally, Happosai couldn't drain more than a trickle from a woman due to the
male principle which is a part of even the most feminine women. This is why he
goes out of his way to enrage and infuriate them, - to cause them to radiate
even more ki-energy in their battle auras and absorb even more force. And even
then, he still has to drain residual energies from undergarments and other
intimate things which have been in prolonged contact.
"But due to the unusual circumstances surrounding your birth, you have only
the tiniest trickle of male principle. There is almost *nothing* to stop
Happosai's draining. What is an annoyance and a humiliation to most females is
dangerous, even potentially deadly to you."
Ranko nodded as she slipped back into her dress. "So Kasumi-chan told me. And
what of Ranma-kun?"
"I've examined him only in the most cursory fashion, but even that brief look
appears to indicate that the exact opposite effect has taken place. His female
energies are negligible, and male energies are quite abundant. In theory, the
two of you should be comatose, or even dead, due to the imbalance."
"Perhaps our Jusenkyo transformations act as a balance?" she surmised.
Tofu shook his head. "I really can't say at this point, Ranko-chan. But I
would like to keep daily progress of the two of you."
"No problem - with me, anyway. Doctors make Niichan nervous. Perhaps
Akane-chan can talk him into it."
"Oh?" said Tofu-sensei curiously. "I understood that you and Ranma-kun were
quite close."
"Oh yes, very," she said. "But we had little choice. We were the only game in
town for each other. Now I want a little breathing space, and Ranma wants time
to feel out his relationship with Akane."
Tofu smiled. "And how serious are they?"
Ranko giggled prettily, her face lighting up. "Not as much as Akane-chan
wants, that's for damn sure!"
* * * * * * * * * *
Ranma and Akane sat on the porch, gazing into the night sky. The lights of the
city reflected off the solid cloud cover, showing the swift motions of the
vapors ... precursors of the typhoon that the weather service's latest
forecast had warned would hit tomorrow.
The young lovers sat close, their bodies fitting together perfectly, arms
about each other's waists.
Akane sighed in contentment. <Oh gods, why did I wait so long for this? I was
so afraid ... but I can't be afraid now. He's with me, he *wants* to be with
me. I'm not alone.>
Ranma nuzzled her head, smelling her hair. <Oyaji is an idiot. 'Love weakens a
man' he says. Ha! I ain't goin' back to the way things were. I'm not alone
anymore, and I'll break anyone who tries to change that.>
"Suki da," he whispered.
"Ai shiteru," she whispered back.
She giggled and snuggled closer. He fidgeted nervously. Akane knew why, from
the way he moved his legs to hide the evidence. She *liked* making him react
like that.
"Why didn't we do this sooner?" Akane asked.
"Because if I tried it, you'd have called me a pervert and malleted me." Ranma
said.
Akane seemed to shrivel in his grasp.
Ranma immediately wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tight. "I'm sorry
Akane-sama I didn't mean it I wasn't thinking I'm sorry -" he babbled.
"N-no, Ranma-sama," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "You're right.
That's what I would have done. I treated you - Oh to hell with it, I was a
monster!"
"Akane-sama!" Ranma said sharply. "I ain't the easiest guy in the world to get
along with. I'm rude and I talk before I think and I usually say something
stupid when I *do* think. I would have provoked almost anyone! I started a lot
of our fights. I - I just wish I could just - *Not* say the wrong thing
sometimes."
Akane just whimpered and held him, her face buried in his chest, her tears
dampening his shirt.
Even Ranma could tell she hadn't fully recovered from her breakdown yet. But
he wasn't a doctor or a priest; he was just her fiance. All he could do was
what he was doing; hold
her tight, and try to hold the world at bay.
"Ai shiteru," he whispered.
"Ai shiteru," she whispered back.
Nabiki walked away from the door, still unseen by the pair on the porch. Ranma
seemed to be caring for Akane - and they were closer than she had ever seen
them. But how much of it was real? Once things settled down, would Ranma and
Ranko traipse off into the sunset together, leaving Akane in even worse shape
than she was last night?
Perhaps if she broke them up - no, that wasn't an option. If Akane had a
nervous breakdown because she thought she had lost him, what would the stress
of an actual breakup do to her? Best not to find out.
"Moshi-moshi!"
"YEEK!!" Nabiki yelped, jumping up. She turned and glared at Tofu-sensei and
Ranko, giggling behind her. "Was that really necessary?!?" she snarled.
"'Laughter is the best medicine,'" Ranko quoted.
"And the cardiovascular benefits can't be overemphasized." Tofu agreed.
"Since you two are doing comedy routines, we can assume that Ranko is all
right?" Nabiki asked.
"Of course." he confirmed. "Happosai's drain affected mainly her aura, with
only a small amount of her core life-force affected. But do everything you can
to keep him from touching her again. It could be hazardous, even deadly."
<Useful to know ... just in case,> "Okay, Doctor, we'll try to keep her from
playing pattycake with the Old Pervert."
"Well, since all is well, I'll be leaving now." Tofu said. "And try to keep
Akane relaxed? She's still very fragile right now."
"Of course." Nabiki said. "Oh, and Kasumi's in the kitchen, if you want to ...
say goodbye." She winked.
"Um ... no, I'll just go on my way. Give my regards to the rest of the
family."
Ranko and Nabiki watched Tofu's hasty departure. "Gee, you'd think he doesn't
want to be around Kasumi." Ranko observed.
"Maybe -" Nabiki began.
"GIRLS! RANMA!" Soun called out. "Come here!"
Grumbling, everyone assembled in the dining room. Ranma and Akane still had
their arms around each other's waists.
(Soun wanted to drag them off to get married right then, but his survival
instinct squashed that idea.)
"We have to prepare for the typhoon," Soun announced when everyone had been
assembled. The teenagers all nodded, settling down around the dining room
table where Kasumi was pouring tea. "We have to board up the windows and seal
up the fences."
"We also need supplies," Kasumi added. "I made out a list of the things we
need."
"Good job, Kasumi-chan," Ranko commented. "'Best be prepared than in
despair'."
"Who said that?" Nabiki asked.
Ranko grinned. "I said that, Biki. Over here."
She smiled at Ranko. "Smartass." she whispered. Turning to her older sister,
Nabiki said "I'll go get the supplies."
"Arigato, Nabiki," Kasumi said, handing the list to her.
"All the same to you, guys," Ranma yawned. "But all this stuff that's happened
today made me exhausted."
"Me, too," Akane agreed, feeling an inexplicable twitch deep in her. Images of
Ranma in his boxers flickered through her mind (as well as a vivid image of
the night they met, him stepping out of the furo...).
"Well, boys," Genma stood. "We'll have to make up a pallet for your new
brother in our room, Ranma."
"Boys?" Nabiki echoed, puzzled.
"Brother?" Kasumi repeated, even more puzzled.
Akane tensed, afraid of what Genma-baka had said.
"Come along, you pansies," Saotome indicated Ranma and Ranko. "You're both
acting too much like girls."
Ranko jumped up, standing at his shoulder level, but still staring him eyeball
to eyeball.
"I AM a girl, Oyaji!"
"Just another son to train. Ranma is a failure, he's no longer a man!"
"WHAT?!?" Ranma and Akane said.
"He's no longer a macho wiseass if that's what you mean!" Ranko sniffed.
Nabiki watched with a bemused grin, wondering why Ranma never had enough
backbone to tell his idiot father off.
"Wait a minute!" Akane interrupted. "They're going to sleep in the same
room?!" Other images, of Ranma and Ranko twisted together in contorted and
ecchi ways, came into sharp focus.
Nabiki shook her head. <Little Sister's Green-Eyed Monster reawakens. Let the
mallets fly on the girl's red head.>
"We are Saotome men," Genma stated matter-of-factly. "We allow nothing to
weaken us!"
"I'm a GIRL, you stupid panda! And I'm *NOT* weak!"
Ranko took her father by the front of his gi and threw him over her shoulder
toward the koi pond.
<SPLASH!>
"Did ya' have to do that to him, Ko-chan?" Ranma asked.
Akane looked at the athletic redhead, her chest heaving from her anger, and
hugged Ranma's waist tighter. <MINE, MINE, MINE! Not yours! MINE!>
Ranko turned, smoothing her skirt, sighing in disgust.
"He *is* as stupid as I thought. Can't tell what a woman is, even when he sees
one. No wonder Nodoka let him go. Too bad you had to go with him, Ranma-kun."
Genma-panda leapt out of the water, wielding a giant sign at her. [Miserable
brat!] it said.
Ranma giggled, letting his sister and father duke it out as he turned to kiss
Akane's forehead.
"What's wrong?" he whispered.
"Does she have to sleep in the same room as you?" his fiancee whispered back.
"She's family -"
"Ranma!" she said as she bit his ear.
"Ow," he rubbed it. "What's the problem?"
"I ... don't think it's appropriate."
"What?" he paused. "Oh, you think ..."
"Well ... " Akane blushed. "I- I- didn't ..."
"A little jealous of my sister?" he chuckled, nuzzling her.
She took a deep breath and whispered, "Yes."
He nodded, blushing. He hadn't thought about the sleeping arrangements. He
briefly wondered if he *would* take advantage ... then shoved the thought
away.
<But would Ranko?> another voice questioned.
He shoved that thought away, too. It was too early to tell, and he didn't want
to ruin what he had with Akane by little nasty thoughts from his glands.
Akane had just ... awakened so much in him. His whole body needed to be close
to hers, in every way. Yet, he promised himself, he told Ko-chan that he was
saving himself. He never realized how difficult it was going to be.
He leaned over to Kasumi who was finishing her tea.
"Kasumi, would you mind if Ko-chan bunked with you?"
She lowered her cup, smiling.
"Of course, not, Ranma-kun, I'd love to have her. I know your father is being
ridiculous by thinking she is another son," she smiled sadly at him, now
convinced more than ever of what Ranko had speculated several weeks ago about
Genma. "I'll make up a bed for her right now, in fact."
"Arigato, Kasumi," he grinned. "Well, Akane-sama?"
Akane relaxed and kissed his cheek. "Thank-you, Ranma-sama."
Nabiki tapped her fingers to the table and mused to herself.
<As if that'll stop any hanky-panky. Have to keep an eye on both to make sure.
I wonder if I can get any pictures for certain interested parties?>
"Hey, you two," she addressed the redhead and the panda still beating each
other. "Stop that, we've got to worry about the typhoon coming tomorrow."
* * * * * * * * * * *
(The next day)
The skies over Nerima grew dark the next morning. The weather reports stated
that the winds had reached over twenty-five meters per second in the typhoon,
nearly seven hundred kilometers southeast of Tokyo Bay. The surrounding areas
were evacuated, including Nerima, as the storm approached. Those that didn't
evacuate had stayed to board up property and ride out the typhoon in their
homes and businesses.
Cologne stood outside the Nekohanten, sniffing the stiff wind. Something was
definitely not right with the feng shui around Nerima lately. A powerful new
warrior was present. It probably had to do with her "son-in-law" - most things
did around here, she'd noted.
He hasn't turned up seeking vengeance for that little stunt Shampoo pulled at
that wedding, either. One good thing.
"Ne!" Cologne heard the voice of her great-granddaughter from inside the cafe.
"Shampoo not like typhoon coming! Why here where Shampoo get cursed? Why not
Airen live inland, perhaps near desert?"
"Perhaps, Great-Granddaughter, this may be a blessing."
"What do you mean?" Shampoo asked.
"Perhaps we can ... talk to Muko-dono, away from distractions, and ...
convince him to return with us."
"Groom-raid?" Shampoo asked happily.
"I don't hold with these new-fangled ways, Great-Granddaughter! The practice
of stealing men is a ridiculous fad!"
"It the way things done now, Hiba-chan! Shampoo never wanted old-fashioned
marriage anyway."
Cologne's head snapped around. <Oh crap,> thought Shampoo, <I've pushed the
old bat's button. Time for Standard Lecture 14A - Amazon Marriage Customs.>
"Our Amazon marriage customs have kept our people strong for three thousand
years! Since the days of Queen Gabrielle and Xena the Great, our people have
mated the strong to the strong, creating bloodlines of unparalelled strength!
We have mated the skilled to the strong, with the result that the mightiest
warriors on Earth practice the greatest martial art on Earth!"
<Blah-blah-blah,> Shampoo thought as Cologne kept lecturing. <How can someone
with such small lungs keep blabbing so much?>
"However," Cologne finally said, winding down, "We have been here nearly a
year, and the son-in-law is no nearer to returning now than he was when we
arrived. Guile, honor, temptation, coercion, all have failed. Even the
less-scrupulous tactics you have used - those mushrooms were a lousy idea,
child -"
"Must you tell Shampoo that every day?" she huffed.
"It was. And it failed. The stunt you and the Kuonji girl pulled at the
Saotome wedding was a pathetic act of desperation."
Shampoo glanced down, looking sheepish.
<Withered old bitch,> she thought.
"Now we've nothing left but desperate acts. So, we will ..." she paused,
disgusted, "... stage a groom-raid."
"Yippee!" Shampoo cried, hopping up and down.
"We can use the storm as cover for the ... raid."
Shampoo paused. "Shampoo can't go out in rain! Neko-type Shampoo can't carry
Airen!"
"I have a supply of Jusenkyo waterproof soap." Cologne replied. "In the
torrent of a typhoon, it will be washed off in a few minutes, but it should
last long enough to do the job."
"Oh Hiba-chan so clever!" Shampoo gushed. <Where'd the little rodent hide it?
I thought I went through all her magic stuff trying to cure this damned
curse!>
Cologne nodded. "We should make our plans before Mister Part-Time returns from
securing those supplies. Mousse might not approve of our actions." The wizened
old woman chuckled evilly.
* * * * * * * * * *
Meanwhile, at Ucchan's, Ukyo was busy using leftover okonomiyaki as boards
over the windows of her restaurant (after spraying on the varnish, of course).
While she and Konatsu went through the repetitive motions, Ukyo contemplated
her fiance, Ranma, and her love life.
She hadn't seen her Ranchan for days. She hoped that he would be understanding
about that little .... misunderstanding a couple of weeks ago. She just wanted
to save him from marrying against his will.
She was worried about him, wondering if in the past two weeks, that gorilla
Akane had cornered him into agreeing to marry her.
Ukyo's battle aura grew at the thought. *She* was Ranma-kun's *first* fiancee,
not that tomboy wannabe. She had first dibs with the agreement between her
father and Genma Saotome. And Ranma had called *her* cute! He was hers! By
right!
She took the spatula in her hands and started whacking at the okonomiyaki to
stick to the window.
"Ukyo-sama?" Konatsu asked. "Are you well?"
"Uh, yeah, Konatsu-san. I'm fine." she lied. "Just remembering .... somethinmg
I need to get soon."
"Well, with this weather, you should go get it now." he said.
<CLICK!!>
Weather ... yes! She could get her Ranchan tonight! Under cover of the
typhoon, she could save Ranma! And once away from the
never-to-be-sufficiently-condemned panda and that brute Akane, his true
feelings could finally come to the surface!
She dashed upstairs to get her good battle-spatula.
* * * * * * * * * *
Over at the Tendo household, Ranma and a fully recovered Ranko were securing
the outside of the house and dojo by themselves. Kasumi and Akane conveniently
found housework to do, Nabiki was getting supplies at the store, and the Old
Coots were too busy playing shogi to bother with such strenuous work.
"Lazy bastards!" Ranma commented.
"Now-now, Niichan," Ranko chided. "Perhaps Oyaji has a legitimate reason for
bowing out. We *did* give him a good drubbing this morning. Being pounded by
both of us would be enough to hospitalize anyone."
[I let you win!] Genma-panda's sign said as it flew through the air toward
Ranko's head. Ranko and Ranma nonchalantly ducked, allowing the sign to
implant itself in the garden wall.
"Your aim's getting worse, Oyaji!" she giggled.
Ranma laughed, adding, "Old age getting to ya', huh?"
Akane stood at the window, watching them. Everything battled within her.
Bittersweet joy and desire and fear and jealously and ... How could she be
jealous of the girl who brought them together, calling him brother and her
sister?
<Because they aren't really siblings. They love each other. She *would* take
him, given the chance.>
And that was what she most feared.
Nabiki entered the kitchen, carrying bags of what supplies she could haggle,
being that everyone who stayed had raided the stores. She had to make several
deals, but she got the necessities, which really mattered.
<Pretty good for working on only a couple of hours sleep,> she said to
herself. She had stayed up almost all night try to catch Ranma and/or Ranko
trying something, and all she found was *Akane* trying to sneak into *Ranma's*
room! Three times! Who'd have thought Akane had it in her?
Nabiki noticed the lovestruck girl in question staring out the window, an odd
expression on her face.
<If that bastard Saotome has hurt Akane again ... !!> She deposited the bags
on the counter and joined her sister at the window, watching the Saotomes fix
the gates, making them water-tight to prevent flooding in the yard.
<How to go about this?> she thought.
"They seem to be enjoying themselves," Nabiki commented casually.
"Yeah," Akane replied shortly, not looking at her.
"A lot has changed since we found that attic."
She nodded. "Ranma and I finally admitted everything."
"So why do you still have that jealous streak?" Nabiki leaned against the
sill, studying her little sister's face.
Akane glanced at her, then turned back to see Ranko giving Ranma a noogie with
him in a choke-hold, both laughing.
"What makes you think I'm still jealous?"
"Because if looks could kill, Ko-chan would be cremated and in the Saotome
shrine already."
Akane looked down at the dust cloth in her hand, breathing deeply.
"It shows, doesn't it?"
"Yeah. You have doubts, too, huh?"
Akane bit back the tears. Did she *doubt* Ranma's love? The image from her
dream, of them running away together, came back strong, as did the image of
them in depraved acts of lust.
"No!! I - I don't know."
Nabiki bit her lip. "Listen, I want to make sure he's real. I don't want him
screwing you over. I'm going to keep a constant eye on them - "
Akane looked up at her, the tears filling her eyes. "He loves me, Nabiki, he
loves me!"
"I hope he does, Akane. I'm going to make sure."
"Mama said that no one would ever want me because I'm stupid and ugly and - "
Nabiki immediately reached out and held her baby sister in a hug, feeling her
body heave with tears.
"It was wrong. It was wrong." Nabiki cooed gently. "Kasumi was Mama's
favorite, she had planned for Kasumi. We were ... surprises, and Daddy was the
only one who really wanted us."
"But I *sob* became what *hiccup* she said," Akane sobbed. "I'll never be
*sniff* a lady or beautiful. I don't want Ranma to love me because he feels
sorry for me."
Nabiki remained quiet, holding her tightly. <By the Gods, I'm going to find
out once and for all.>
* * * * * * * * * *
Ryoga Hibiki pulled the tape from his ribs, feeling them. Everything had
healed properly. The bruise was now a pale yellow. Although his head still
hurt a bit, but a few more days will fix it.
He let his anger stew the past day. Akane was no longer his - Saotome had
taken her away from him. Ranma had told her that he was P-chan, and had made
her angry enough to mallet him (the connection that he broke her trust by
never telling her was beside the point). Ranma was going to pay.
Oh, yes, Saotome was going to pay dearly - with his life!
Ryoga swung his legs out of the hospital bed and pulled his clothes on. A
typhoon was coming. If he got to the Tendo Dojo before it started raining, he
could explain everything to Akane and they could both reduce Ranma to the
consistency of apple butter.
(He'd gotten better recently. Nowadays, it only took him between one and two
days to find a destination in a half-kilometer. The Tendo Dojo was only two
hundred meters away in a straight line, and he was familiar with the area - he
could probably find it in a couple of hours.)
He exited his room and found Doctor Tofu in the hall, going over a clipboard.
He stood still, hiding around a corner, and watched Tofu place the clipboard
down and walk off to another patient's room.
The boy stole up to the counter, and curiosity got the better of him - he
looked at the clipboard. Among the notes he had written down were "Ranko
Saotome - possible diploid twin of Ranma Saotome, 'female half' of his
Jusenkyo Curse. (Medical curiosity: would she be able to carry a child with
her Curse??)"
<Twin? Nani?!> Then, in a Ryoga-esque leap of logic(?), he noted "'female
half' of his Jusenkyo Curse", and leapt to a conclusion.
<Ranma's cured! He got rid of his curse! And he didn't share it with *me*!!
I'll kill him for that!>
Ryoga clutched his umbrella, and made a run out of the clinic.
* * * * * * * * * *
Happosai was semi-recovered from his drain of ... that delicious redhead with
the unlimited female ki.
"Manna from heaven, as the gaijin say ... " he chuckled to himself, still
feeling the sweetness running through his veins. "Too nice. I must have more
of my kawaiikochan tonight."
He got up from the hill he sat on, where he watched the clouds speed over the
ocean. He took one last look at the increasing waves, and bounced down the
hill.
<If she were all mine, I'd have no use in glomping other women,> he mused to
himself. <Unlimited ki, all I need! In a good lookin' girl to boot! Wheee!>
Thunder roared ominously in the distance as the pervert made a run toward the
Tendo Dojo.
--------------------
To Be Continued