[FFML][Ranma][Fanfic][DRAFT] CMD - Ch5: Splitting Up is Hard to Do
Okay...here's the draft of chapter 5. All comments appreciated and
begged for.
It's a major turning point in CMD (there will be others-ch7 and 8 are
also pretty big), so be frank.
FFML COPY
[Ranma][Fanfic] Childhood of a Modern Dynasty - Chapter 5: Splitting Up
is Hard to Do
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Childhood of a Modern Dynasty
Chapter 5: Splitting Up is Hard to Do
Ranma 1/2 characters/situations created and copyright by Rumiko
Takahashi/Shogakukan/Kitty/Fuji/Viz - Used without permission
Childhood of a Modern Dynasty series created, written, and
copyright 1998 by Jim Lazar
An ongoing series set after the end of the Ranma 1/2 manga and anime.
<Speech text in angle brackets is thought by character.>
"Speech text in double quotes is spoken as Japanese."
E-mail comments and/or criticisms to: mailto:jimlazar@earthlink.net
Make sure to check out my Childhood of a Modern Dynasty website for
all released CMD stories, graphics files, and other information:
http://home.earthlink.net/~jimlazar/anime/childhood.html
=======================================================================
>From the personal journal of James Davidson:
July 11th, 2057
I awoke in a San Francisco hotel room. After I proposed to Hanaki
last night, we had spent so long kissing and walking around the San
Francisco shore, that we lost track of time. Not wanting to chance a
late night spacejet flight back to Japan, I had checked us into two
rooms at a very nice hotel. The fact that Hanaki was tired, the pilot of
the spacejet, and had just gotten her pilot's license, also made the
overnight stay seem like a good idea to me.
Since I didn't have time yesterday to review my notes, I decided to
do it now before Hanaki woke up. I plugged my palmcard into the hotel
room's access port and pulled the full sized keyboard onto my lap. The
holographic display hovered just above and behind the keyboard. I opened
yesterday's interview file and browsed through it.
Ranma and Akane had quite a little honeymoon in the forest, even if
they still had three months to go before their wedding. Some things
can't wait, I guess.
After spending some time organizing my notes, I heard a knock on
the door. "Who is it?" I called out.
A female voice replied from the other side of the door. "It's me,
James."
"No, MY name is James," I replied.
"Silly."
I smiled. "Room: Open door." The hotel room's systems obediently
opened the door to admit Hanaki.
"Good morning, James," Hanaki said, smiling. She carried in a tray
of food and held it out to me. I took it and then she slid into the bed
beside me.
The hotel robe she wore was quite flattering to her. Well, anything
would look good on her. I said, "What's this?"
"Breakfast in bed, I figured you'd be hungry," Hanaki replied.
"Thank you," I said, then gave her a long kiss. "I was just
reviewing my notes from yesterday."
"All business today, huh?"
"Well, usually I review my notes right away, but someone had to fly
me to San Francisco."
"I didn't see you complaining when you proposed to me last night."
I smiled and kissed her again. We ate breakfast while she helped me
review and annotate my notes.
"Well, we should be getting back to Tokyo. The beginning of 1999
was pretty eventful for your Aunt. She's told me some of the events
after their impromptu honeymoon, but I still need more info."
"Nope, you're spending the day with me in San Francisco."
I smiled, then said, "I'd love to, but I really need to get this
info."
"Tell you what, I'll tell you what I know about that time and you
can fill in any gaps with my Aunt later. Okay?"
I sighed, knowing that I couldn't refuse the woman who sat beside
me. Besides, I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather spend the day
with. "Okay, you win. How much about their split do you know?"
Hanaki smiled, then answered, "Most of it, it was a rather big
event in our families' history. My grandmother used to tell me stories
about it."
"How is Kasumi doing, by the way?"
"She's better, the doctors say that she just needs to take it easy.
Of course, she's not one to stay idle for long."
"That's good. Remind me to pay her a visit when we get back. I
still have to get your families permission to marry you."
"True, but I wouldn't worry about it. Since my aunt loves you, the
whole family will."
I smiled, somehow the youngest Tendo sister had become the heart of
the Tendo family and all it's various branches. Well, that's why they
call her the Matriarch of the Tendo family after all. Finally, I
returned to the business at hand. I asked, "So what happened after Ranma
and Akane got back from their New Year's training trip?"
"Well, they had been trying to hide their affection to each other
since their summer trip, but after this trip they had even more trouble.
According to my aunt, it's because Ranma couldn't stop grinning, but
that could just be a joke on her part.
***********************************************************************
January 1999 - Nerima, Japan
Ranma, with a big grin on his face, was sparring with Akane in the
dojo the day after they returned from their training trip. Of course,
they didn't get that much training done on that trip due to Akane
injuring her foot. Since they jokingly called it their honeymoon, you
can deduce what they spent most of the time doing instead.
They traded punches and kicks until finally they both called it a
draw. "Well, that was quite a workout," Akane said, as she wiped her
brow.
"Yes, although I liked the workout we got on our training trip
too," Ranma replied, with a wink.
"Pervert."
Ranma leaned in to kiss Akane, then said, "Snookie bear."
Akane recoiled, then gasped, "Snookie bear? What happened to
'tomboy'."
"Just trying out a new pet name. What do you think?"
Akane smirked, then said, "Try harder, I'm not quite sure 'snookie
bear' fits." She gave Ranma a deep kiss.
-C- -M- -D-
Later, after they had finished sparring, they were soaking in the
hot bath. Ranma was massaging Akane's sore foot. "Are you sure your foot
is still sore or are you just trying to milk the injury some more?
Akane smiled, then simply said, "Both."
Ranma smiled then pulled her close to him and gave her a deep kiss.
Soon, Akane forgot about her sore foot and everything except the
pleasure of Ranma's touch.
After a couple minutes, Ranma suddenly recoiled from Akane, a look
of pure terror in his eyes. Akane gasped, then asked, "What's wrong
Ranma?" Ranma just nodded his head towards the door. Akane turned around
and saw Kasumi and Nodoka standing in the doorway. They appeared to have
been collecting laundry, since there were two laundry baskets lying on
the floor in front of them, having just been dropped.
"Oh my," chorused all the females.
Ranma tried to drown himself.
-C- -M- -D-
The entire Tendo and Saotome families knelt at the dinning room
table. Ranma and Akane both were blushing and avoiding looking at
anyone.
"Now then. Ranma and Akane, do you have something to tell us?"
Nodoka asked.
"Um, can this wait?" Ranma pleaded.
"I think we've waited since summer for you to tell us something
and, after what me and Kasumi saw this afternoon, I think it's long past
time we hear it from your own lips," Nodoka said, sternly.
Nabiki's eyes widened and she grinned. "Oh? What were you two
naughty kids doing?" she asked, wanting some details.
Ranma and Akane glanced at each other, nodded, then finally looked
up. Akane was the first to speak, "Ranma and I...well we've sort of been
dating since our summer training trip."
"Dating your fiancee, how scandalous." Nabiki feigned being
shocked.
"Yes, you have obviously gotten very close," Nodoka stated. "I'm
glad you've finally told us, even if I had to force it out of you. I
just want to know why you felt you had to hide it from us?"
Ranma spoke this time, "Well, we were afraid that you'd force us
into getting married right away. We would rather wait until the date we
decided on for the wedding."
Everyone in the room face-faulted and then keeled over in various
directions. When they finally recovered, Soun shouted, "You've set a
date! Oh, happy day!" He began to cry heavily, then began to dance with
Genma.
"Wowsa, but I still want to know what you two were doing?" Nabiki
asked, still wanting the juicy details.
Kasumi smiled, "How wonderful!"
Ranma's mother looked at him, tears filling her eyes, then said,
"My son has finally taken responsibility for his own life."
After a whole lot of hugs and kisses, Akane showed off her
engagement ring. The women all ohhh'ed and ahhh'ed over it.
"So what date have you selected?" Kasumi asked.
"March twentieth, after we finish our Junior year," Ranma informed
them.
Then Akane quickly added, "Of course, that depends on me and Ranma
scraping up enough money for a honeymoon."
Ranma looked at Akane, confused, then said, "Huh, I
thought...ooof." Akane stopped him with a carefully placed elbow.
"No worry about that. Right, Tendo? We'll give them something to
get them started on their life together," Genma offered.
Soun looked at the freeloading Genma, paused, then had to agree.
"Yes, of course."
Ranma and Akane hid their smiles of victory and then thanked their
fathers.
"Oh, that's so soon! How are we going to get everything arranged,"
Kasumi remarked.
"How long did you have to plan the last one?" Ranma asked,
smirking.
"Two days, but we want this one to end better."
Everyone agreed to that.
-C- -M- -D-
That night the Tendo sisters all were sitting in Nabiki's room.
"It's been a long time since we've had a pajama party," Akane said.
"Well, it's been a while since we had anything juicy to gossip
about," Nabiki said, looking at Akane, who blushed and looked away.
"Nabiki, don't tease your sister," Kasumi scolded.
"Kasumi, tonight you're our sister...not our mother. Okay?"
"Yes. I'll try, but it's been so long since I felt like a sister."
"Well, you did your job. I've got a hunky boyfriend and Akane is
finally going to marry that macho jerk she loves," Nabiki declared.
"Hey! Don't talk about Ranma like that!"
"Can't let you have all the fun calling him names," Nabiki quipped.
"Now then, this a pajama party, but to tell you the truth, you both look
so childish." Nabiki indicated Akane's yellow pajamas and Kasumi's long
frilly nightshirt.
"Huh?"
Nabiki took off her robe to show off the black silk teddie she was
wearing. Akane and Kasumi both gasped. This is what beautiful young
women wear to a pajama party!" Nabiki declared. Then she walked over to
her closet and opened it, revealing a assortment of sexy lingerie. "Pick
one. Tonight the Tendo sisters are going to be bad girls!"
"Oh my," Kasumi gasped, but followed Akane over to the closet.
Akane ran her fingers over some of the assorted pieces, then asked,
"Where on Earth did you get all of these?"
"Just a few things I kept after we kicked Happosai out."
Kasumi stopped at a black leather teddie and matching thong, then
said, "Oh my, this where my favorite outfit went to!"
Nabiki and Akane both face-faulted. Nabiki was the first to recover
and then asked in disbelief, "That's yours??"
"No of course not, I just wanted to see your reaction," Kasumi
said, smiling.
"Just for that, you have to wear that one tonight."
Later, they were sitting on the floor. Kasumi had changed into the
black leather teddie and thong, although she was complaining about the
strap riding up. Akane had on a see-through camisole over a rather
daring bra and panty set. Nabiki had changed, since her two sisters
looked pretty darn sexy in their choices. She now wore a black
see-through body stocking that didn't leave much, if anything, to the
imagination.
"So now...what exactly did Mrs. Saotome catch you and Ranma doing?"
Nabiki asked Akane.
"Umm...well..." Akane stammered.
"It's okay, you don't have to tell, Akane," Kasumi declared.
"No, it's alright. We were just making out," Akane confessed.
"JUST making out? Is that all?" Nabiki prodded.
"In the bath," Kasumi clarified Akane's confession.
"Wowsa...Looks like my little sister is ahead of me. Mousse and I
have only kissed," Nabiki explained. "Although he did get a little
frisky on New Years Eve."
Akane held back any reaction as she remembered what she and Ranma
did on New Years Eve and the days before it. <Best to only let them
think that me and Ranma have been making out and doing some petting,>
she thought to herself.
"Frisky?" Kasumi asked.
"Ear nibbling, a little back rubbing..."
Akane was still trying to hold back any reaction.
"Nabiki, what did your first kiss with Mousse feel like?" Kasumi
asked.
"Well, it actually was rather sweet. He was-" Nabiki explained,
then stopped suddenly. "Just a second." Nabiki got up, put her robe on
and motioned for Kasumi and Akane to cover up. Then she opened the door
fast. Ranma fell into the room and collapsed onto the floor. The glass
he was holding rolled under the bed.
"Oh my."
Akane smiled, then let the sheet she was covering herself with slip
down a bit to tease Ranma. <Bet he's worried what I might tell my
sisters,> Akane thought, with a grin on her face.
"Ranma, didn't you see the sign on the door?" Nabiki asked, then
pointed to the sign on the door that read 'No Boys Allowed'.
"Well...err..." Ranma said, at a lost for words. Mostly because he
saw what Akane was wearing. Akane smiled when she noticed his stare.
"OUT!" Nabiki snapped, then pushed him back outside and closed the
door. "He seems a little worried, Akane. Why is that?" Nabiki asked,
raising an eyebrow.
"I wouldn't know."
Soon, a tapping was heard on the door. Nabiki opened the door again
and saw Ranma standing there again, but now he was female. The Tendo
sisters all broke down laughing.
"Tell you what, RANKO, if you want to stay you can...BUT you have
to wear this," Nabiki offered, then reached into her closet and pulled
out a rather sexy red teddie.
Ranma's jaw dropped and then she made a hasty retreat, dragging her
chin behind her.
Nabiki closed the door and took off her robe. "Pity, she would have
looked good in it."
"Yes, I think she would have," Akane agreed. Kasumi nodded.
Nabiki sat down, then said, "Okay, now what were we talking
about...first kisses. Akane, when did you first kiss Ranma?"
"Um well...it was during our summer training trip. We had been
getting along pretty well and one night we just kissed."
"Was he a boy or a girl?" Nabiki teased.
"He was a boy that time."
"That time? Then you HAVE kissed Ranma when he was girl?" Nabiki
asked.
"Yes," Akane shyly acknowledged.
"I can see my making Ranma sleep as a girl when you two were
recovering from your injuries was a waste of time then," Kasumi said.
"Sort of," Akane said, blushing.
"So which way was better?"
"Nabiki!" Kasumi scolded.
"They were pretty much the same, although kissing him as a man was
more...exciting...I think."
"Damn, looks like our little sister has us beat for kissing
stories, Kasumi. I've barely made it past 'A' with Mousse, and you're
still trying to get a kiss from Dr. Tofu," Nabiki muttered then sighed.
"Well...actually..." Kasumi awkwardly said.
Akane and Nabiki both looked at their older sister. "You mean
you've gone all the way with Dr. Tofu?" Nabiki asked. She knew Kasumi
wouldn't do that, but couldn't resist teasing her.
"No, of course not. You shouldn't go that far before you are
married," Kasumi insisted.
Fortunately, neither Tendo sister noticed Akane's reactions to that
statement, which were a blush and a choked back giggle.
"Well then, what do you mean?" Nabiki pried.
"He kissed me on New Years Eve," Kasumi said.
Akane and Nabiki both hugged Kasumi. Akane asked, "What was it
like?"
"Well...were saying good night and he gave me a sweet kiss on my
lips. It was quite...stimulating."
"Yeah, I know the feeling," Nabiki and Akane both chorused
together. They looked at each other and smiled.
"Why do boys make us feel like that?" Nabiki asked, then added, "Or
boys and girls in Akane's case."
"Hey!!" Akane shouted.
"So when do you think you'll get another kiss from Dr. Tofu?"
Nabiki asked Kasumi, ignoring Akane's outburst.
"Well, he gave me another last night when he was helping me study
for my finals," Kasumi explained.
"Looks like we've all landed the men of our dreams. Or girls of her
dreams, in Akane's case," Nabiki said.
"Hey!!" Akane shouted, this time her battle aura sparked to life.
"Nabiki, just because Akane's fiancee happens to spend half his
time as a girl doesn't make him any less of a man," Kasumi lectured
Nabiki. Nabiki's shoulders slumped. Then Kasumi continued, "Just like
the fact that your boyfriend is half duck, doesn't make him less than a
man, right?"
Akane smiled.
Nabiki gasped at being zinged by her older sister, then apologized.
"I guess I deserved that, sorry Akane."
"That's okay. So what is it like to kiss a duck?"
That was the trigger point for the Tendo School of Anything Goes
Pillow Fight. By the time the Tendo sisters finally collapsed from
exhaustion, the room was covered with feathers and a few assorted pieces
of lingerie.
As they finally prepared to go to sleep, they all hugged and
promised to do this again. Soon.
-C- -M- -D-
The next morning, everyone was enjoying breakfast at the Tendo
house. Soun and Genma were still going on about Ranma and Akane's
wedding. Nodoka was eating peacefully. Ranma was looking nervously at
the three Tendo sisters.
The three sisters all looked very tired. Every time Ranma would
look at one of them, that sister would smile and wink.
Ranma didn't end up eating much at breakfast.
Later, Ranma and Akane sparred in the dojo. Akane was a bit sloppy
this morning, so Ranma had managed to peg her several times already.
"So what did you tell your sisters?" Ranma finally asked.
"Can't tell you...it's girl talk," Akane replied, smiling.
"Please?"
"Oh, begging now?" a female voice said, but not Akane's.
Ranma and Akane looked to see Nabiki standing in the doorway to the
dojo, a smile plastered across her face. "Don't worry Ranma, I won't say
anything about you crying out 'Ukyo' when you made love to Akane."
"I did not!" Ranma shouted, then looked at Akane and said, "Did I?"
Akane shook her head sadly. "Dummy, she tricked you. I didn't say
anything about THAT last night."
"Alright, how much will this cost me to keep it quiet?" Ranma asked
Nabiki.
"You already paid it by making my sister happy. See ya,
Brother-in-law," Nabiki said, then smiled and left.
"She's gotten weird lately."
"I think she's in love with Mousse," Akane explained.
"Really? I'd never have guessed. Hope she likes feathers."
Akane laughed, then said, "Well, I hope she can handle being in
love with a cursed person. I know it's been hard for us."
"But we've made it through the hard part, now we can sit back and
enjoy our life together," Ranma said, then kissed Akane. He didn't hear
the distant thunderclap.
-C- -M- -D-
"This is the last straw, Happosai! Stop bugging me!" Ranma yelled,
as he faced off with Happosai later that day.
"My boy, you'd best not get me angry again. I've only put up with
your mouth since you look so cute in a bra!" Happosai yelled back. "Or
without one," he added, with a lecherous leer on his wrinkled old face.
The two jumped at each other and traded blows, each landing a few
good ones. Happosai got in a good hit and sent Ranma flying into a
melting pile of snow. The pile erupted and Happosai was hit with dozens
of snowballs. Using the snowballs as a distraction, Ranma jumped at
Happosai yelling, "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire!!!" He used his
fast chestnut punches to push Happosai back towards a large snow covered
hole he had set up earlier. Just as Happosai was about to fall into the
hole, he dodged to the side and then hit Ranma's back hard with his
pipe. Ranma teetered on the edge of the hole, then fell in. "Stupid old
man!" Ranma cried from inside the hole.
"How dare you think I'd fall into that hole!" Happosai said.
"Well, with all the bras and panties down here, I figured you'd
like it down here!" Ranma shouted from the hole.
"Bras and panties?" Happosai asked, then jumped towards the hole.
"Moko Takabisha Rapid Fire!!!" Ranma yelled from the hole. The
repeated chi balls shot out of the hole and hit Happosai square in the
chest. Happosai went flying into the far distance; a smoke trail
followed his path through the sky. As Ranma climbed to the top of the
hole, he took a deep breath and smelled the sweet scent of burning bras
and panties. He smiled, then said, "Serves the old pervert right."
When Happosai hit Mount Fuji, he was mad. He had watched his entire
collection go up in smoke during his flight. "Ranma Saotome! That is the
final straw! You no longer have the right to use my school's name. I
will punish you like you've never have been punished before!" Happosai
yelled at the top of his lungs.
As he walked back towards Tokyo, he tried to think of some way to
punish Ranma.
-C- -M- -D-
The small figure crept through the hole he just made in the wall of
the closed Cat Cafe. He tiptoed into the kitchen, which had not been
used for almost five months. The figure paused to pick up a bra that had
slipped out of the large bag he was carrying. Then he started to open
cabinets and searched for...something. He'd know it when he found it,
probably.
After searching for an hour, he finally found something that might
suit his needs. It appeared to be a small chicken bone, which was inside
a small clay pot. He grabbed the hand written notes that were with the
pot and studied them. Happosai didn't know it, but it was part of a plan
that Cologne had put together months before. It had been forgotten when
Cologne returned to China after Shampoo's death.
Happosai grinned. "This may be exactly what I need to get my
revenge on Ranma," he muttered. Before he could be sure, he'd have to
get the Chinese notes translated, since he couldn't read Chinese. Well,
he knew the Chinese characters for 'women's bath', but not much else.
Happosai made his departure from the Cat Cafe and then continued on
his other business for the night. The next morning several women in the
area were missing various pieces of their undergarments.
-C- -M- -D-
While Happosai was breaking into the Cat Cafe, Nabiki and Mousse
braved the cold and sat on a park bench. After they finished a long
kiss, Mousse began to stare at the sky almost like he wanted to fly
away.
"Yen for your thoughts?" Nabiki asked. <Damn, love is making me
throw money away.>
"Oh, I was just wondering why you are still trying to cheer me up."
"Huh?"
"I know you're just dating me to take my mind off Shampoo and I
thank you for that, but..." Mousse said.
Nabiki interrupted him and said, "I admit that our relationship
started out mostly as comfort for both of us after her death, but it
hasn't been that way for a while. For me at least, I hope for you too."
"Nabiki, I do...care for you...greatly. I believe I have gotten
over Shampoo's death. So you no longer have to spend time with me."
"So you think I've spent all this time with you just out of pity?"
Nabiki asked, raising her voice.
"Yes. Who could love a guy like me?"
"Excuse me, Mr. Mousse, but *I* love you! Shampoo did too, even if
she wouldn't act on it," Nabiki declared, then forced Mousse to look at
her. "I definitely have better things to do with my time than to comfort
someone I barely know over the death of someone I couldn't stand!"
"How dare you talk about Shampoo that way!"
"It's the truth, you nearsighted jerk! She may have had a good
heart, but in the end Cologne and her Amazon upbringing warped her into
thinking she couldn't be happy without Ranma!" Nabiki was screaming by
this point, drawing the stares of the people passing by.
"Nabiki, you can't understand the Amazon Way. No outsider can."
"Don't use the great and mighty 'Amazon Way' to explain away all
your woes. It's a cop out and you know it! Tell me what YOU feel, not
what Amazon traditions say you should."
"How can I separate the two?"
"Didn't you say months ago that the ways of the Amazons were no
longer yours?" Nabiki asked, placing a hand on Mousse's shoulder.
"Yes, but..."
Nabiki interrupted him. "No buts. Ok, what does your Amazon Way say
to do when your girlfriend is going to dump you because you won't let
her love you?"
"Beat her in a sparring match," Mousse explained.
<Figures...that seems to be their response to everything,> Nabiki
thought, smirking. "Okay. Let's fight then!" Nabiki took up a defensive
posture. <Hope he doesn't really fight me. Daddy's given me some
training, but I'm nowhere near Akane's skill level.>
Mousse sighed. "I'm not going to fight you, Nabiki."
"Oh? Well, then you can't kiss me ever again," Nabiki said, then
threw a punch at Mousse.
Mousse took the punch in his chest without flinching. "This is
ridiculous, Nabiki. I'm not going to hit you."
"So, have you given up on the Amazon Way?" Nabiki asked.
"Yes."
Nabiki relaxed from her ready position. "Good. Now without the
Amazon traditions in the way...tell me how YOU feel," she pleaded.
Mousse looked down at Nabiki's eyes. After several moments, he
said, "I love you." Nabiki smiled. "But I still love Shampoo, even if
she's gone."
Nabiki's smile diminished somewhat, but was still visible. "Well
now, that's the Mousse I enjoy talking to and kissing. One who isn't
afraid to tell me the truth. I know you love Shampoo, but I can't and
won't compete with a dead woman. All I ask is that you give me a chance
to love you and don't shut me out of your life."
Mousse pulled Nabiki into a tight embrace. After several moments,
he pulled her up to his lips and kissed her deeply.
Nabiki's legs went weak as she got lost in the sensation of the
kiss.
-C- -M- -D-
Nabiki awoke the next morning, stretched her arms, and got out of
bed. She was about to open the door to her room when she noticed an
envelope that had been slipped under it. She picked it up and opened it.
She smiled as she read the first line, which read, "Nabiki, I love you."
The smile turned into a frown as she read the rest of the note.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nabiki, I love you.
Thank you for all that you have done for me. I want you to know that
what I said last night was the truth. I do love you and always will.
However, I am still plagued by thoughts of Shampoo and cannot be the man
you deserve to have. For this reason, I must let you live your own life
and not be burdened with a half man-half duck that can't get over a dead
woman.
I am going to go flying now. Please don't wait for me to come flying
back into your life, I will probably never set foot in Japan again.
I am sorry.
Mousse
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tears flowed from Nabiki's eyes and she shouted, "COWARD!!!!" She
spent the rest of the morning crying into her pillow, until someone
knocked on her door. Nabiki wiped the tears out of her eyes and said,
"Come in."
Kasumi came in and sat down by Nabiki's side. "What's wrong,
Nabiki?"
"Nothing."
"Did something happen on your date with Mousse last night?" Kasumi
asked.
"He told me he loved me."
"Why are you upset then?"
"Because he left me a letter this morning. The coward flew the
coop. Literally FLEW the coop!"
"It must be hard for him to love you after loosing Shampoo so
recently."
"I know that! But why can't he at least try to love me? He spent
his whole life pursuing Shampoo, and all I get is a few months?" Nabiki
asked, then broke down into tears again.
Kasumi pulled Nabiki into a hug. "Sounds like you got several
months of love, where Shampoo ended up with nothing. Give him a chance.
He's still getting over Shampoo."
"His note said he won't be coming back to Japan."
"And Ranma and Akane said they would never marry each other. Some
things take time."
"So you think I should wait for him to come back to me?"
"I think you should be open to the possibility. Plus, I've never
known you to give up on getting something that you wanted."
Nabiki thought for few moments, then said, "Thanks, Kasumi. You
always seem to know what buttons to push."
"That's what big sisters are for."
-C- -M- -D-
Ranma was sleeping peacefully when Happosai crept into his bedroom.
Happosai put the little clay pot down next to Ranma's head and took the
chicken bone out of the pot. He looked at the translated notes, then
snapped the chicken bone in half. He put the two pieces back in the pot;
smoke started to seep from the pot. The smoke formed a heavy haze over
Ranma's body, as if drawn to it. After several minutes, Happosai
splashed Ranma with cold water.
Happosai waited for several minutes, then when nothing happened, he
cursed softly. "Damn, what did I do wrong?" He examined the notes again,
but couldn't see anything he missed. "Cologne, you messed up this stupid
chicken bone!"
Happosai left the room without even noticing that Ranma did not
change into a girl when he had splashed him with the cold water.
-C- -M- -D-
Akane awoke and made her way downstairs to Ranma's room. She slid
the door open, glanced around to see if anyone was around, then slipped
inside. She bent down to kiss Ranma, then noticed that Ranma was already
kissing another girl. In fact, he was kissing her very passionately.
Akane's battle aura burst into life, hotter and redder than it had
ever been. She snarled, then yelled, "Ranma! How could you cheat on me!"
One of the figures muttered, "Oh, Akane..." before Ranma was
knocked through the ceiling and into orbit by Akane's upper cut.
Akane then looked to see whom the bimbo was. She stopped short and
gasped, "What??? Ranma?"
Ranma scratched her head and looked up, then asked, "Akane? Wasn't
I just kissing you?"
Akane looked up at the ceiling, then down at Ranma again. "No, that
was some guy. I thought it was you kissing another girl, but I guess in
the dim light I mistook him for you," Akane explained.
"That was a guy?"
"Yes, couldn't you tell?"
"No."
Akane grew angry again, then said, "No kiss from me then."
"Please?" Ranma begged.
"Oh...all right," Akane conceded, then kissed her.
"So who was that?"
"I don't know, an imposter of some kind? Kuno perhaps?"
"I think I'll go wash my mouth out..." Ranma said, then got up.
"You do that," Akane said, grinning. Then she called out at Ranma's
retreating figure, "And put some clothes on for goodness sake!"
-C- -M- -D-
A very confused boy crash-landed in an pile of snow halfway across
Nerima. Shivering from the cold, he rose and brushed the dust off his
T-shirt, then started to walk back to the Tendo house. "Stupid Akane.
What did she hit me for? I've touched her there before and she never
complained," the pig-tailed boy muttered. "heck she seemed to enjoy it!"
He tried to recall what he might have done to upset her, but he couldn't
think of anything recently.
-C- -M- -D-
After finishing their morning workout, Ranma and Akane knelt down
at the table. Everyone else, except Nabiki, was there.
Kasumi asked, "So you figure out who that boy was yet?"
"Nope, but he'd better not try kissing me again, or he's toast,"
Ranma threatened. She snapped her fingers and a small ball of chi energy
formed to back up her threat. She just held it for a few seconds until
it burned itself out.
"Why did you sleep as a girl, anyway?" Akane asked.
"I was male when I went to sleep, that pervert must have splashed
me," Ranma explained.
Suddenly the pervert in question opened the door to the porch and
asked, "Akane, why did you hit me?"
Everyone looked at him, then looked at Ranma, then looked back at
Ranma, and then back at Ranma again. The boy appeared to look exactly
like Ranma in his male form.
Akane and Ranma sprang to their feet. "Who are you?" Akane
demanded.
"Huh? I'm Ranma. What are you talking about, Akane?" the boy asked.
Then he finally noticed the girl standing beside Akane and snapped into
a defensive posture. "Who are you?"
Any further discussion was cut off as the two girls kicked the boy
very hard and sent him into the koi pond. "How dare you impersonate me!
And then kiss me, to boot!" Ranma yelled. <Not to mention groping me.
Damn pervert!> she thought to herself.
The boy rose from the pond and shivered. "What the heck is going on
here? Who is this imposter?" the boy asked, pointing at Ranma.
"You're the imposter! You're still a boy even after a trip into the
pond!" Akane shouted. Then, along with Ranma, she advanced on the
imposter.
The boy looked down at his body and saw that it was still a male
body. "I'm cured!" he shouted with joy.
Akane and Ranma cut his joy short when they beat him senseless.
-C- -M- -D-
The boy awoke to find that he was in the dojo and tied up. The
female Ranma and Akane stared at him. Genma, Soun, Kasumi, and Nodoka
stood behind the couple.
"Okay...who are you?" Akane asked the boy.
"And why are you impersonating me?" Ranma asked.
"I'm telling you...I'm Ranma. I don't know who this girl is, but
she's pulling some scam or something," the boy insisted.
"You didn't change into a girl when you hit the pond. So that means
you are a fake," Ranma stated, moving her face close to the boy's.
"Okay, enough of this. Akane, please tell them who I am!!"
"I don't know. Ranma is right, you can't be Ranma since you didn't
change."
The boy looked crestfallen, the said, "You too, Akane?" Then he
tried to struggle with his bonds. Suddenly, he looked up and yelled,
"Moko Takabisha!!!" Since his hands were aimed close to where Ranma was
standing, he just twisted them a bit and let the blast of chi energy fly
from one of his hands.
Ranma jumped out of the way. "I don't know how you learned that,
but you're toast now. Moko Takabisha!!!" she yelled. A ball of chi
energy flew from her fingers and impacted against the boy's chest. The
boy was blasted backwards against the wall of the dojo. The chair and
ropes all crumbled to pieces from the impact and the chi blast.
The boy got up and traded a series of blows with Ranma. He worked
her into a spiral or maybe it was the other way around, and yelled,
"Hiryu Shoten Ha!" He threw a punch at his opponent, but nothing
happened.
Ranma smiled, then taunted, "Ha! Can't duplicate everything! Hiryu
Shoten Ha!" She thrust her hand into the air surrounding her opponent.
Nothing happened again.
The boy shook his hand, the way one would shake a flashlight that
has gone out. Then he punched and yelled again, "Hiryu Shoten Ha!!"
Still nothing. Then the boy went flying backwards when a chi blast from
his opponent hit him square in his chest. When he hit the wall, he
raised his arms and another chi blast flew from his hands and hit the
female Ranma in her chest. She hit the opposite wall, rebounded, and
landed in an attack posture.
The two Ranmas faced off and then leapt at each other. They met in
mid air and exchanged kicks and punches. A savage blow to her stomach
caused the Ranma to crumple to the ground. "Damn. I need hot water! This
guy is almost as strong as I am when I'm a man!!" she called out. Kasumi
calmly left to get some hot water.
Suddenly, as if of one mind, both of the combatants yelled, "Moko
Takabisha Rapid Fire!" Everyone else in the dojo ducked for cover as chi
balls flew all over the dojo. Within seconds, the dojo was riddled with
holes. Skylights appeared, the floor became firewood, and the walls
looked like Swiss cheese. The doors and most of the wall they were
attached to were last seen somewhere over Mount Fuji.
Some of the chi blasts even managed to hit the two combatants. They
both were blasted back against opposite sides of the dojo. Since the
walls were already defying gravity by remaining vertical, the impacts of
the two fighters caused them to collapse. The roof collapsed shortly
after and buried everyone in the debris. A few beams and the wall
holding the Tendo family shrine were all that remained of the original
dojo.
Kasumi came back with a hot kettle of water, dug through the
rubble, and found Ranma. She poured the hot water over her head. Nothing
happened. Everyone else had managed to extricate themselves from the
rubble by this point and looked on amazed as the hot water flowed over
the female Ranma's head. Kasumi produced an even hotter kettle and
dumped it over Ranma's head. Still nothing happened, except that she
bellowed in pain.
"See! I told you she was the fake!" the boy yelled, getting to his
feet.
"Neither of them transformed?" Genma gasped.
The two Ranmas squared off again. Suddenly, Akane shouted, "Stop
the fighting. Now!" Both of them stopped and looked at Akane.
"I don't know what happened to MY Ranma, but you both had better
tell me where he is! Now!" Akane's battle aura sprang to life at the end
of her statement to punctuate her point.
"But I AM Ranma!" both Ranmas chorused. Then they glared at each
other again and began to advance on each other again.
"Enough!" Akane yelled, then malleted both Ranmas.
"Oh, TWO mallets, nice form," Genma commented. Soun nodded his
agreement.
-C- -M- -D-
"Wake up!" Akane said .Then she splashed the boy with very cold
water followed by very hot water.
"Brrrr...cold!!! Arghhhh....hot!!!! What? Oh...Akane...um...could
you untie me?"
"First, I have some questions..."
-C- -M- -D-
"Wake up!" Akane said. Then she splashed the girl with very hot
water followed by very cold water.
"Arghhhhh...hot!!! Brrrr...cold!!!" What? Oh...Akane...um...could
you untie me?"
"First, I have some questions..."
-C- -M- -D-
In the family room, Akane knelt down. The two Ranmas knelt on
either side of her.
"Well, this is quite a pickle," Genma said, understating the
situation considerably.
"So they both answered the questions correctly, Akane?" Nodoka
asked.
"Yes, except for the one about my birthday, they both got that one
wrong," Akane said, then glared at both Ranmas.
"March second...right?" the boy asked.
"Stupid! It's FEBRUARY second!" the girl insisted.
"Try February seventeenth, you idiots!" Akane shouted.
"No that can't be right," both Ranmas said. Akane glared at both of
them.
"Do they remember anything about last night?" Kasumi asked,
relieving the tension in the room.
"They both seem to remember everything identically, up to the point
when they both had a dream about being torn apart by horses. After that
they woke up and I booted the boy Ranma into orbit." Akane didn't
mention some of the more intimate questions she asked that only Ranma
could answer, such as what they did on their last training trip.
"So somehow, Ranma has divided into two people?" Kasumi asked.
"That is what it appears like to us," Genma said. "It's a little
like that time that the spirit Ranma split off from Ranma, but this time
the personalities are the same as the old Ranma."
"No, I'm Ranma!"
"No you're not, I am!"
"Quiet! Both of you!" Akane snapped. The two Ranmas complied.
Soun put the little clay pot on the table, then said, "We found
this in Ranma's room. It has Chinese writing on it."
"Cologne? But why would she do something like this now?" Akane
asked.
"I don't know. It may have been someone else," Soun said.
"I think that we should take them to see Doctor Tofu," Kasumi
suggested
Genma scratched his chin. "Good idea, Kasumi dear."
-C- -M- -D-
"That was the most disgusting thing I've ever been through," Ranma
said, as she pulled her clothes on and returned to Dr. Tofu's waiting
room.
"What was?" Akane asked her.
"Lets just say that Dr. Tofu was very thorough in his examination.
O...kay?"
Akane couldn't suppress her smile. "Oh."
"So...where is everyone?" Ranma asked, looking around.
"They went to get some books and do some research for Dr. Tofu,
except for Kasumi, who is doing some tests in the back," Akane informed
her. "Why did this have to happen...things were going so well."
Ranma slid her arm around Akane and hugged her close. "It'll be
alright, I'm still the same Ranma you knew."
Akane sighed, then snuggled into the other girl's arms.
"Hey! Get your hands off my fiancee!"
The two girls looked up and saw the other Ranma come out of the
examination room straightening his shirt.
"She's my fiancee, idiot!"
"She's mine!"
"Stop it, both of you! If you two can't get along I'm not going to
marry either of you!" Akane screamed.
Both Ranmas went quiet, but glared at each other.
"Good. Now until we find a way to recombine you two you're going to
have to try and get along. Got it?"
Both Ranmas nodded their heads, but the male Ranma made an
elaborate show of sitting down on Akane's other side and hugging her.
The two Ranmas shot daggers at each other.
Akane had no idea where they got the daggers from, but she quickly
malleted both Ranmas to stop them from killing each other. She saw Dr.
Tofu come out from the exam rooms looking at some papers. "Well, what
did you find out, Dr. Tofu?" Akane asked, then stood up. The two Ranmas
rubbed their heads as they got up off the floor.
"Well, it's a girl!" Dr. Tofu exclaimed.
"Doctor!" the three teenagers shouted in unison.
"Sorry. Well...both Ranmas here appear to be healthy, free of the
Jusenkyo curse, share the same fingerprints, blood type, headstrong
attitude-" Dr. Tofu explained, before being interrupted.
"Hey!" both Ranmas shouted.
"Any idea how they were split into two people?" Akane asked.
"Not really, it was probably something that interacted with the
Jusenkyo curse. I'll have to do some research. The others are collecting
some information for me. With luck I can find someway to recombine them
into their original cursed state," Dr. Tofu explained.
"No way!! I'm free of the curse and I'm going to stay this way!"
Ranma shouted.
"Baka! What about me? I don't want to stay as a girl forever!!" the
other Ranma shouted back.
The two Ranmas left the building, trading insults as they went.
Akane just watched them go.
"Are you alright, Akane?" Dr. Tofu asked, placing a hand on her
shoulder.
"I've been better. Suddenly, I know exactly how Ranma felt with all
his various fiancees. Now *I* have two fiancees."
"Yes, but there is a difference...you love them both and they both
love you the same."
"That's what makes this worse! Can I love them both the same?"
"I think you have it in you, just don't give up hope. I'll do my
best to find a way to get your single Ranma back."
"I know you will...thanks," Akane said, then hugged Dr. Tofu. Akane
left to catch up with the two Ranmas.
Kasumi walked out of the back room, then said, "Tofu? I finished
the blood tests. They are all consistent with Ranma. Of course we'll
have to send them out to the lab for the detailed tests."
"Thank you for your help today, Kasumi. Sometimes I think I need to
get a nurse to help out around here," Dr. Tofu said.
"Or a partner."
"Well, maybe in about seven years I will need a partner. Maybe a
doctor of western medicine to complement my accupressure and moxibustion
practice."
"Seven years. I'll be finishing up medical school and my internship
about that time," Kasumi commented, as she returned to the back.
"Really? That's very interesting," Dr. Tofu said. He followed
Kasumi into the back, hitting the doorframe on the way.
-C- -M- -D-
At the family room table, both Ranmas were kneeling on either side
of Akane along with Soun, Genma, and Nodoka. Kasumi was still at Dr.
Tofu's, Nabiki hadn't come out of her room all day.
"Where is Nabiki?" Akane asked.
"She's apparently having trouble with her boyfriend," Nodoka
replied.
"Mousse? I'll have to talk to her after dinner," Akane said.
Genma looked at the two Ranmas. "Well, at least you're both
healthy," he said, then looked at his wife. "We've always wanted a
daughter."
"I'm a guy!" Ranma blurted.
"Calm down, Ranma. We'll get through this as a family," Nodoka
said.
"I am calm! I didn't say nothing!"
"Not you, the other Ranma."
"Maybe we should start calling the female Ranma 'Ranko'?" Soun
suggested.
Genma and Nodoka nodded.
"Hey! My name is Ranma and I'll always be Ranma!" Ranma angrily
insisted, getting to her feet.
"Ranma, it's just to avoid confusion. Hopefully we can reverse the
splitting, but until then you'll just have to get used to being female
full time," Nodoka explained, then mentally made a note to have a little
talk with her new 'daughter' about certain facts of life.
The other Ranma started to speak, but stopped when he saw Akane's
scolding look. He kept his feelings about not wanting to go back to the
old cursed Ranma to himself.
"Okay...but remember everyone...I'm still as much Ranma as Mr.
He-man over there," 'Ranko' reluctantly agreed.
"No need to be insulting, RANKO," Ranma said.
"Look who's talking!" Ranko snapped back.
"Stop it!" Akane yelled. Ranma and Ranko went silent.
"You'd think that the same person could get along with themself,"
Genma commented.
"Not when they are pigheaded as these two," Akane muttered.
Ranko put her arm around Akane, then said, "I'm sorry, Akane. I'll
try to avoid fighting with myself...for you."
Ranma agreed, "Yes, I'm sorry too." He put his arm around her as
well.
Despite their words, Ranma and Ranko exchanged angry looks.
-C- -M- -D-
"Nabiki?" Akane said, as she knocked on Nabiki's door.
"Come in," Nabiki said, from her bed.
Akane came in, sat down on the bed, and placed a hand on Nabiki's
back. "Are you alright?" she asked.
"Mousse flew the coop."
"I'm sorry, he probably just needs some time to think about Shampoo
and everything."
"I hope so. I feel so empty suddenly," Nabiki said, rubbing her
chest.
"Hang in there. It could be worse."
"How?"
"Mousse could have been split into a man and a duck?" Akane
suggested.
Despite her pain, Nabiki cracked a smile. "Mrs. Saotome told me
about that...how are YOU doing?" Nabiki asked.
"Oh great...I've got two fiancees who both love me and are likely
to blast each other into little charred pieces of flesh to keep the
other away from me!"
"Shoe's on the other foot now, I guess."
"Why did this have to happen now? Things were going so well..."
Akane said, trying to remain in control, but broke down crying. Nabiki
comforted her and the two girls held each other until they both fell
asleep.
-C- -M- -D-
"Get out! This is my room, Ranko!" Ranma snapped.
"It's my room!"
"Quiet down both of you," Nodoka said, from the doorway.
"Yes, Mom."
"Okay, Mom."
"Here's another futon. This room is more than large enough for a
brother and sister to share," Nodoka explained, pulling the futon into
the room.
"Brother and sister?" Ranko asked.
"Well, I think that's the best way to think of you two. You are
both my children."
"Just what I never wanted, a sister," Ranma said.
"Yeah, like I wanted a big jerk like you for a brother!" Ranko
shouted.
"Stop it, you two! You realize every time you insult each other,
you're insulting yourself. You may be different sexes, but until this
morning you were the same person."
Ranma and Ranko glared at each other, but then apologized to their
mother and then reluctantly to each other.
After they lay down to sleep, Ranma said, "Ranko?"
"Yes?"
"Could you live like this? I mean live as a girl full time?" Ranma
asked.
"I don't know."
"It seems to me that living full time as a boy and a girl
separately will be less trouble."
"That's easy for you to say! You're a guy full time again!"
"I know...I'm sorry."
"I guess I'd be happy to be a boy full time too, so I can't blame
you for feeling happy. For Akane's sake let's try and get along," Ranko
suggested.
"Okay, for Akane's sake," Ranma agreed.
They both looked at the ceiling and thought, suddenly Ranma asked,
"Ranko, who do you think keeps putting those reminders on our ceiling"
Ranko glanced at the red characters on the ceiling, then answered,
"Kasumi or Mom, I think."
"That's what I thought too. About the fight this morning..."
Ranko replied, "What about it?"
"Why do you think the Hiryu Shoten Has didn't work? Do you think
we've lost that attack when we split?"
"Well, maybe it was because we both used the same cool energy, that
you couldn't draw any hot energy from me and visa versa."
"That sounds logical."
"Guess I got the brains in the split," Ranko quipped.
"Hey! I thought that might be the case too. I just wanted to
confirm my theory!" Ranma insisted.
"Right, our girl side always seemed more intelligent to me."
"Ha! I'm ten times more smarter than you!"
"That should be 'I'm ten times smarter than you are'," Ranko
corrected him.
The rest of the people in the Tendo house were suddenly awakened by
the sounds of fighting.
-C- -M- -D-
The next morning, Ranma and Ranko worked out in the snow covered
garden. Although stronger, Ranma was being out maneuvered by the faster
Ranko. Ranko seemed to be enjoying landing every punch she did. Ranma
only managed to land a few punches, compared to the couple dozen landed
by Ranko.
Nabiki came up behind Akane, who was watching the fight. "Why
aren't you sparring today?" she asked.
"Well, they need to work off some steam, plus I was curious to see
who would win in a Ranma versus Ranko battle," Akane said.
"Looks like Ranko so far. Why aren't they using their special
attacks?"
"Look at the remains of the dojo and you'll see why. It's going to
need some major repairs after they had a 'disagreement' over who was the
real Ranma yesterday."
"Hang in there, Akane. You're strong, things will work out."
"I hope so."
"Arghhh!" Ranko yelled from the koi pond.
"Ha! Ranma one. Ranko zero!" Ranma gloated.
Ranko rose from the pond and shook the freezing water off. "I hate
this pond," she cursed. She took her shirt off and wrung it out.
Ranma looked a little too long at Ranko's naked bosom, so Akane
scolded him. "Ranma! Stop leering at yourself and come have breakfast."
Ranma blushed then walked inside. "Sorry...never knew how cute I
was as a girl," Ranma said as he knelt down at the table.
"Don't get any ideas, Ranma. She's out of your league," Nabiki
quipped.
"Well, she's not as beautiful as Akane, but she could break the
hearts of a lot of guys."
Akane smiled. "Thank you, Ranma." She kissed him.
"Damn, Ranma's gotten good at sweet talk. The world is doomed,"
Nabiki quipped.
Ranko wrapped herself in a padded robe to warm up and knelt down
next to Akane, then leaned in for a kiss.
Akane obliged her.
"Hey!" Ranma shouted.
Akane broke the kiss, then turned to Ranma and said, "Ranma, we
discussed this yesterday. Until we know if this is permanent or
not...I'm going to treat you both the same." <Or try to,> she added to
herself.
"Okay, but can we try not to do any kissing in front of the other
fiancee?" Ranma said, glaring at Ranko.
"I guess that's a good idea. Just remember that I love you both,
equally. No need for either of you to be jealous."
-C- -M- -D-
"So how much will it cost to repair?"
The contractor looked at the pile of wood that had once been the
dojo and said, "Well, it's not just patching up like the last few times,
it's pretty much a complete rebuild at this point."
"Oh my. Maybe we should make it bigger while we're at it," Kasumi
mentioned.
Soun looked thoughtfully at the dojo he had helped make years ago
and fought back the tears. "Maybe, just a little bigger. We have no need
for a huge dojo. It's not like we're training an army or anything like
that." Soun chuckled at his little joke.
"I'll put together some plans. Don't worry, since you're such good
customers I'll give you a good rate," the contractor said.
"I'll help with the construction. I built most of the original
myself, you know," Soun mentioned, proudly.
"Well, that will save you some labor costs."
"Thank you. Just give Nabiki the cost estimates and she'll work out
the details with you," Nodoka said.
The contractor gulped. <There goes my profit for this job.>
-C- -M- -D-
Nabiki sat on a park bench bundled in a warm coat and looked out
into the lake. She threw some breadcrumbs into the water and watched the
ducks eat them up.
Part of her kept looking for a duck with glasses, but she never saw
one. Well, not for real anyway. She kept seeing one out the corner of
her eye, but when she looked it was just a normal duck.
"It figures that the real ducks would stick around for the winter
while Mousse flew away from me," Nabiki muttered.
Nabiki sighed, got up, and went on with her life...until she
returned to the park tomorrow of course.
-C- -M- -D-
Several days later, Ranma and Ranko were sparring again in the
garden. Due to unseasonably warm weather, the snow had melted leaving
puddles of water and mud. Ranko didn't seem to be landing any punches.
Ranma had managed to avoid them all so far. Ranko did a quick flip over
Ranma, but Ranma anticipated the move and sent an upper cut into Ranko's
stomach.
Ranko managed to land upright then leapt at Ranma. Ranma prepared
for the frontal assault, but it never came. Instead Ranko landed in
front of Ranma, sprang to the side, then sprang back towards Ranma.
Ranko's foot impacted hard against Ranma's side.
Ranma slid across the garden, but due to the mud he couldn't stop
himself and ended up in the koi pond. He rose from the freezing water
and cursed to himself. <Damn, she stole that move from Akane.>
"Ha! Ranko four, Ranma three!" Ranko shouted the score they've been
keeping since the split. Suddenly, Ranko joined Ranma in the koi pond
courtesy of Akane's foot.
"Akane eight, Ranko zero, Ranma zero!" Akane shouted her score at
surprising them after they sparred.
"Why can't you be more careful? It's embarrassing for her to catch
both of us off guard like that," Ranma said, getting out of the pond.
"Hey! You got pegged twice by her yesterday, so don't come crying
to me!"
-C- -M- -D-
Everyone knelt at the table and munched on breakfast. Even Nabiki
was starting to get back to normal, even if she missed Mousse.
Ranma and Ranko shoveled down their food like the world was ending
tomorrow. Akane sighed at the sight.
"Another mouth to feed," Soun declared, then started to sob.
"Well, at least we can train more students with the two of us,"
Ranko suggested between mouthfuls.
Soun cheered up a bit. "True."
"Speaking of which, I've let you two spar with each other to blow
off some steam, but I would like to continue MY training with you both,"
Akane said.
"Of course, Akane. We can even try some double attacks on you to
see how you handle two people attacking you," Ranma agreed.
"Sounds like fun. It's waaaaay to easy to beat Ranma, I'd like more
of a challenge," Ranko commented.
"Hey!"
-C- -M- -D-
Ranko was soaking in the hot bath, nursing a sore leg from that
morning's sparring session. Of course, she wasn't about to let Ranma
know that.
Akane came in and said, "Hi, Ranko. How's that leg?" She sat down
on a stool and washed herself.
"Huh? How did you know?"
"You've been favoring the other one all morning. Don't worry I
doubt Ranma noticed, he's not the most observant."
"Yeah, he can be a bit..." Ranko began, then suddenly yelled,
"HEY!!"
Akane smiled broadly and then lowered herself into the tub. She
gave Ranko a quick kiss, then said, "Just teasing you."
"Not nice, but I forgive you," Ranko replied, then kissed Akane
passionately. The two women got lost in each other's arms before they
were interrupted by a voice.
"Ick...that's disgusting."
Akane and Ranko looked up to see Ranma sitting down to wash
himself.
"Do you mind?" Ranko asked.
"Nope."
"I meant...get out! There are women bathing in here!" Ranko
shouted.
"Well, one of them is my fiancee and the other I've seen naked so
often it really doesn't matter."
"Well, I'm a separate person now!"
"Don't fight you two. You can both share the bath with me," Akane
offered.
"Just don't stare. Okay, Ranma?" Ranko asked.
"Like I'd stare at a un-cute tomboy like you!"
Akane blinked twice and then looked at her two fiancees. "Um,
that's my nickname. I'd rather it not be used for your SISTER."
"Oh, okay," Ranma said. He finished washing up and slid into the
hot bath, trying not to look at Ranko. Trying to put on a happy face for
Akane's sake, he asked, "So, Ranko how does it feel to take a hot bath
as a girl?"
"Unusual."
"It still feels odd to me when I get splashed with cold water and
then don't change into a girl."
"We'll get used to it."
Akane started to grow worried. She was glad they had started to get
along a little better, but wondered if they had given up on finding a
way to recombine already. She made a mental note to talk to each of them
separately about it.
-C- -M- -D-
Ranma and Akane sat on the roof enjoying a long kiss. When they
finally broke the kiss, they looked at the stars.
"Ranma, you know I love you, right?" Akane asked.
Ranma looked over at her and replied, "Yes."
"You know that I love Ranko as well. You still seem like the same
person to me."
"I understand that. I'm not thrilled with competing with myself for
your love."
"You think you're competing for my love?"
"Aren't we?"
"No. I love you both. Without any reservations," Akane declared,
knowing that she meant it.
At this point Ranko opened a window and prepared to climb out onto
the roof. She stopped when she heard Ranma and Akane talking. She was
about to leave them alone, when she heard what they were saying.
"What if we can't recombine?" Ranma asked.
"Well, you said you didn't want to."
"I really don't, but if it's a problem for you to love us both..."
"That's not the problem. I do love you both."
"Then what is?"
"I don't think I can marry you both. It wouldn't seem practical."
Down in the window, Ranko went white with shock.
On the roof, Ranma went white with shock. "Are you dumping me for
Ranko?"
"No...of course not. That's the problem...I don't want to hurt
either of you."
"We could always fix Ranko up with Kuno."
"That would be cruel."
"Ukyo?"
"Gee, she has always dressed and acted like a boy..." Akane said,
with a big grin on her face.
Smiling back at the joke, Ranma said, "Ranko would make a beautiful
bride for Ukyo."
Down at the window, Ranko wiped the tears from her eyes and then
ran down the stairs and off into the night. Only Kasumi noticed her go.
"If we could find a way to mass produce Ranmas then all of my
former fiancees could have me!" Ranma said. He couldn't hold back his
laughter anymore and Akane joined him.
Finally managing to stop laughing, Akane said, "If only human
hearts worked that way. I doubt that Ranko would see it as funny."
"We may still find a way to recombine you know. It's only been a
week," Ranma pointed out.
"I know, but if we do find a way, would YOU still want to?" Akane
asked, looking at his eyes.
"If it'll make you happy, I'll live with a girl curse."
"Thank you, Ranma," Akane said, then leaned in for a kiss. Ranma
obliged her. Then suddenly they looked up as they felt rain drops hit
them.
"Well, outdoor necking session called on account of rain," Ranma
declared.
"First one inside gets to start the indoor necking session," Akane
challenged, then leapt for her bedroom window.
-C- -M- -D-
Ranko ran through the dark streets of Nerima. Tears were streaming
from her eyes, although with the pouring rain you couldn't really tell.
Suddenly, she bumped into someone and fell over.
"Ran-chan?"
Ranko looked up at the person she had bumped into. "Ukyo?
Sorry...guess I wasn't looking where I was going."
Ukyo shifted the package of food she had picked up after closing
the restaurant for the night to her other hand and held her umbrella
over Ranko's head. "That's okay, honey. Hey...are you okay?"
"Akane..." Ranma said, then burst into tears again.
Ukyo helped Ranko to her feet and felt the girl shivering from the
cold winter rain. "Come on...let's go to my restaurant and dry you off.
Then we can talk."
"Thanks."
-C- -M- -D-
Ranma and Akane sprung apart when a knock was heard on the door.
"Can I come in?" Kasumi's voice asked.
Akane adjusted her bra and buttoned up her blouse, then said,
"Sure, Kasumi."
Ranma was sitting on the desk chair looking at a textbook when
Kasumi came in. "Akane, did something happen with Ranko?" Kasumi asked.
"Not that I know of. Why?" Akane replied.
"She ran out the front door and she seemed to be crying."
"Crying?" Akane asked.
"Yes. Maybe you and Ranma should go look for her and make sure
she's all right."
"Okay. Come on, Ranma," Akane said, then got up.
As Ranma got up and passed Kasumi, Kasumi said, "Oh, Ranma?"
"Yes?"
"It's easier to read books when you hold them right side up."
Ranma blushed. "Oh, good idea. Thank you." He made a hasty retreat.
-C- -M- -D-
Ukyo brought some tea over to Ranko and put a blanket over her
shoulders. "Now then, why are you so upset?" Ukyo asked.
"It's a long story, but what it comes down to is that Akane dumped
me," Ranko said, then broke down in tears again.
Ukyo looked shocked. <Akane dumped Ranma?> she thought, then she
said out loud, "Do you know why?"
"Not exactly, but I don't think she can love me as a woman," Ranko
explained, between sobs.
<Akane knew about his curse, why did she make me give up chasing
him if she couldn't live with his girl side?> Ukyo raged inside.
Ukyo just held Ranko and comforted her, until Ranko looked up at
Ukyo and said, "Ukyo, could you love me as a woman?"
Ukyo gasped, but regained her composure. "Ran-chan, I do love you.
It doesn't matter to me."
"Thank you, Ukyo...I needed to know that someone can love me like
this."
"Sure thing, sugar," Ukyo said, then wiped a tear from Ranko's eye.
Despite her better judgement, Ukyo found herself leaning closer to
Ranko. Soon, Ukyo couldn't resist the urge any longer and placed her
lips against Ranko's.
Ranko felt Ukyo's lips against her own. Although a part of her
rebelled and tried to pull away, another part got lost in the sensation.
It was different than when she kissed Akane, but still pleasurable.
Ranko and Ukyo pulled apart, not saying a word. After several
heartbeats, Ukyo said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."
"It's okay. Maybe it's time I realized that Akane and I aren't
going to happen anymore."
Ukyo gasped, then said, "Ran-chan...don't say that. It's not like
you to just throw in the towel."
Ranko just shrugged, then leaned in and kissed Ukyo again. Mostly
she wanted to know if the same feeling was there again. It was.
At this moment, being the worse possible moment for them to do so,
Ranma and Akane came into the restaurant looking for Ranko. They found
her, but neither of them expected to find her like this.
"Ranko?" Ranma gasped.
"What the hell are you doing with my fiancee!" Akane shouted.
Ranko and Ukyo jumped apart. Ranko looked upset. Ranma looked
confused. Akane looked angry. Ukyo looked ashamed. Then, when she
noticed Ranma, Ukyo looked shocked. Then Ukyo looked at Ranko and looked
back at Ranma. Then Ukyo fainted.
***********************************************************************
>From the personal journal of James Davidson:
I had known about the split for some time, having heard about it
during my research for the first book. But to hear the details of how it
happened made my head spin.
"I think that's all for today...let's hit the beach! I picked up a
new bikini before I brought you breakfast!" Hanaki insisted after she
finished telling me the details of Ranko's first week.
"I'll have to get a pair of trunks then," I mentioned, since we had
come to San Francisco on a whim and not brought any clothing.
Hanaki whipped out a pair of trunks, and chimed, "Ta da!"
I noticed that she was holding the new bikini in her other hand. I
gulped. There wasn't exactly a lot of fabric there. "O...kay," I
stammered.
Hanaki jumped out of the bed and ran to her room to change. Soon
she was back and we made our way down to the ocean to get some sun.
[End - Chapter 5]
Coming soon: Chapter 6: Too Many Ranmas in the Kitchen
=======================================================================
The real author's (Jim Lazar) notes/ramblings:
Well, I did say this was going to be a wild ride, but this is only the
beginning. For those of you who don't like split Ranma/Ranko stories,
please bear with me. Although a major turning point in Akane and the two
Ranmas' lives, it is not the biggest factor in their lives (in my
opinion). Chapter 8 is probably the biggest turning point in their
lives. At least, for the near future.
By the way, Nabiki referring to 'A' is like first base to Americans not
a grade on Mousse's kissing abilities.
This chapter written on location in Canyonlands National Park, Utah,
USA. Revised elsewhere.
I'd like to thank various FFML members and my pre-readers: David
Johnson, Anthony Pardilla, Ryan Erik, Adiaze Venasse, and Jonathan Ng.
Of course in the end, any mistakes and botched characters are my fault.
Revision 0.0 - Rough draft (June 10, 1998)
Revision 0.3 - Pre-reader draft (August 10, 1998)
Revision 0.4 - FFML draft (August 25, 1998)
FFML COPY
--
Jim Lazar
E-Mail - mailto:jimlazar@earthlink.net
Home - http://home.earthlink.net/~jimlazar
FanFiction - http://home.earthlink.net/~jimlazar/anime
"You made Akane whose daughter?!?!"
"Genma's."
"Has she hit you with her mallet yet?"
"Several times, actually."