NOTE: The way I'm running gender pronouns is that in
dialogue the character refers to other characters by
the gender they perceive them as.  In the descriptive
text the pronouns will refer to character's current
gender.  This is based on Lord Archive's Loss of
Innocence, hence the title...and he has helped me iron
out some of the rougher points... 
*********************************

	Kodachi smiled as she touched down in front of her
family estate.  She had a wonderful idea coming to a
boil in her head and wanted to see if it would work. 
She hadn't had a good chance for a trick since that
disastrous wedding.  Granted it would have been
funnier if the wedding had actually happened, but at
least she hadn't brought exploding bowls of noodles.

       For a brief moment the noble girl debated
whether or not to tell her "darling" and her "rival"
that she had essentially given up on the pig-tailed
martial artist.  She did not entertain the idea of
being a hostage every time someone came along to fight
Ranma.  She would rather be a spectator of Ranma's
life now, not an active participant.

       Then there was the curse, and she did know
about the curse though she preferred not to let on to
that.  She could stand having a gender-switching
friend, but a husband?  Still, teasing the
argumentative pair was one of her greatest pleasures. 
Besides, she didn't know any other way to relate to
them, and Ranma and Akane were the closest she had to
friends.

	Kodachi entered the main hall of the Kuno estate and
sneered in the direction of her brother's rooms.  She
was about to turn away from them when she heard
shouting from that direction.  The gymnast frowned and
began walking closer in that direction, trying to
identify what she had heard.

	The voices sounded more familiar as she traveled
along, one she definitely recognized as her brother's
ranting.  The other was definitely familiar, but she
couldn't identify it.  She had no problem recognizing
the emotions, a confused mix of pain, desperation, and
lust. The gymnast started sprinting, producing a
gymnastic club in one hand.  The who didn't matter now
that she knew the what.  She idly commented to herself
that she'd get to test her new toy.

	Kodachi burst into her brother's room in the as a
particularly loud shout was choked off at the end. 
She almost hesitated at the scene in front of her. 
The surprise and shock gave way almost instantly to
rage.  The dark-haired girl was on her brother in
flash.  She pulled the shocked swordsman up by his
neck, causing him to release his grip around his
captive's throat.  Kodachi jabbed the club into his
gut.  Pressing a button on the handle at the same time
sent a heavy charge through the would-be samurai,
sending him against the wall.

	Kodachi risked a glance behind her before advancing,
and saw a flash of red dizzily running out of the
room.  It was enough for someone with Kodachi's
experience to confirm the influence of some kind of
drug.  Considering some of the shouts, she suspected
an aphrodisiac.  This was all second nature to her,
and did not distract from her main purpose.  Kodachi
angrily turned away from the fleeing and disoriented
red head to her brother.  A second gymnastic club
joined the first and electricity arced between them.

***************************************************
	
	Ranma noticed as the last remnant of her body's
desire faded away.  It wasn't a comfort.  If the curse
could do it once, it could do it again.  Maybe next
time she wouldn't even be able to fight it like she
had this time.  She didn't even notice the pain as she
set her shoulder back into joint, that was a familiar
sensation.

	"Yeah, I was so busy with fighting the damn curse,
that Kuno...beat me," Ranma said flatly.  The samurai
would probably still be trying to "break the spell on
his pig-tailed goddess" if Kodachi hadn't come home. 
Considering everything else she was only barely
surprised that she owed her escape to the Black Rose,
especially as it came way too late.

	Ranma huddled under the bridge, vigorously cleaning
herself in the canal waters.  She desperately wanted
hot water, but she wasn't ready to head home yet, and
there was no way she was going to walk into some other
place beat up, and wearing nothing but a torn up
shirt.

	~It's probably a good idea to go soon, before they
notice I'm gone,~ Ranma thought blandly.  She was
burned out, and struggling to find a way to hide this.
 She couldn't think of one, 

	~Akane was worried about the wrong people,~ Ranma
groaned.  There was no way she could marry Akane now. 
If her mother ever found out about this she would be
cutting her belly.  The idea was beginning to hold
some merit for her actually.

	She didn't want to live through life afraid that at
some point her curse would take over again.  She
thought she could maybe stand it if she started to
find guys physically attractive.  She found Ukyou and
Shampoo physically attractive, it hadn't affected what
she felt for Akane.  She could not stand life knowing
that, maybe, at some point she would have to fight for
control over her bodies simplest motions.  The curse
didn't even have any taste.  

        Ranma continued her rambling thoughts, trying
to keep calm in the mental din.  She was considering
everything except the actual act.  Even so she was
still on the verge of tears under the bland mask,
which already showed signs of crying earlier.

	"If I hadn't started to lose my nerve with�" She
stopped and thought for a moment.  She hadn't been
"losing his nerve" with Shampoo, she had been out
right coming on to her when Akane kicked her out of
the school and into the pool.  That overwhelming lust
had started while he was male.  It wasn't the curse. 
It was the ramen.  "Shampoo."

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

	Ranma did not announce herself as she came in through
one of the upper story windows.  Listening at the head
of the stairs she could hear Kasumi humming but no
sound of game stones being placed.  Soun and Genma
were probably out "planning" at the local bar.  She
couldn't tell if Nabiki were home, but she probably
had business somewhere.  Akane had that study group,
but she'd come looking for Ranma soon.  Ranma was
supposed to go with her after all.  She'd worry about
that later, for now she just wanted a hot bath to get
rid of her female form, and everything that went with
it.

	Ranma made a quick detour to her room for a change of
clothes and then slipped into the bathroom.  She
mechanically shucked her torn Chinese shirt and tossed
it haphazardly at the trashcan.  Normally it would
have gone in no problem, but she was no where near her
usual state of mind, and the shirt merely landed next
to the trash bin.  She remained in the changing room
only a moment enough to drop her replacement clothes
there and then stepped into the bath proper, eyeing
the furo desperately.

	Ranma stepped into the bath and nothing happened. 
She dropped to a seated position in the bath and
stared silently into space for a long second.

	"NO!" Kasumi nearly slipped and cut herself as the
scream whipped through the house.  It was followed
almost immediately by several more screams of "no" and
a few wordless shrieks.  The eldest Tendo followed
them to their source in a rush and entered the Tendo
bath to see a hysterical Ranma-chan sitting a furo of
steaming water.

	"Ranma?" Kasumi said, surprised and shocked.  Ranma
had been locked in female form before and he always
reacted badly, but never quite like this.  Ranma was
flailing around in the water just screaming.  It only
took a moment for the older girl to snap out of her
shock and move to restrain Ranma.

	Kasumi grabbed the redhead's arms and tried to hold
them, but the drugs were mostly gone from her system. 
Her chi was recovering, and her strength with it. 
Such simple and direct methods weren't enough to
bridge the strength gap between Kasumi and Ranma. 
Kasumi merely found herself forced to let go as she
was pulled about.

        Kasumi reached to her own early training and
adopted a simple throw to pull Ranma out of the
bathtub.  Hysterical as she was, Ranma landed hard on
the tile and was stunned.  Kasumi took the chance to
grab Ranma in a lock that Kasumi knew she should have
been able to get out of easily.

	"Get offa me!  Get offa me!" Ranma screamed, crossing
her legs and struggling, without technique or effect,
against the hold.  Kasumi was more than a little
concerned by Ranma's apparent degeneration to a
frightened untrained teenager.  "I don't want to!"

        Kasumi looked over what she could see of the
naked girl's body and noticed that she seemed to have
been in some kind of fight. Kasumi's eyes widened as
realized the injuries Ranma had weren't those of
someone that had been a martial arts duel.  It was
more like she had been overpowered, held down
and...taken advantage of.

        "Ranma!"  Kasumi shouted.  "Your safe, I'm
Kasumi, Ranma.  Its Kasumi!"  Ranma's struggles
steadily and quickly weakened until Kasumi was holding
a silent, shaking girl in her arms.  Kasumi released
her hold slowly adapting it into a comforting embrace.
 Ranma leaned into Kasumi and cried silently.

        "I didn't want to do it," Ranma whispered.
	
        "Of course not, Ranma," Kasumi answered back,
gently.  She continued to hold the silent girl rocking
gently and humming comfortingly for several minutes. 
Kasumi was glad that Ranma never looked up at her
face, then she would have seen the tears in Kasumi's
eyes. 

	"It was the ramen," Ranma continued, still needing to
explain.  "She drugged the ramen and I couldn't fight,
and, and he�" Kasumi tried not to gasp as the
redhead's grip tightened.

        "Sshh, don't think about it right now," Kasumi
stroked her head softly.  "We'll deal with this when
you're ready.  For now, let's get you something to eat
and then to bed." Kasumi she relaxed as the redhead
nodded silently.

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

	"Tadaima," Akane's mildly frustrated voice chimed
through the house.  She made her way into the living
room, moderately surprised at not hearing an "O-kaeri"
from her eldest sister.  She was on her way upstairs
when Kasumi appeared at the top of them.  

	"Akane, is Nabiki with you?" Kasumi asked as she
began to move downstairs.

        "She was getting some ice cream last I saw. 
Kasumi, have you seen Ranma?  He skipped out on all
his classes after lunch and..." Akane's voice trailed
off as she saw that Kasumi had been crying.

	"Ranma is in your room, sleeping," Kasumi said
wearily.

	"He's WHAT!?" Akane started to stomp up the stairs
past Kasumi, but stopped as her sister grabbed her
arm.  "Kasumi?"

	"I put him there," Kasumi told Akane quietly.  "I
thought he might feel...safer there. I also gave him
something to make him sleep for a little while at
least.  It was probably not the best thing to do, but
I did tell him I was doing it."

	"What happened?" Akane asked, suddenly very worried. 
The sound of a kettle coming to boil broke the moment
of silence that followed.

	"Let us discuss this over tea, shall we?" Kasumi
suggested, quietly walking down the stairs past her
sister.  She whirled back to face her younger sister,
as Akane rushed upstairs.  "Akane, wait!"

	Akane was to her room before Kasumi even began to
follow.  As Kasumi had said, Ranma was sleeping on her
bed.  She, and Akane didn't bother to ask why he was
in female form, was curled up in the middle of the
bed.  That was unusual, Ranma usually spread out when
she slept.  The few bruises on her face weren't
unusual, Ranma was commonly covered in bruises from
one fight or another.

	"Not a girl," Ranma muttered in her sleep.  Akane
blinked as the redhead began to toss and turn.  "Don't
want to! Ahhhh...Noooo...mmm Don't want to!  Akane!" 
Akane didn't hesitate to take a seat on the bed gather
the redhead up in her arms.  Akane was surprised that
she was fully dressed in that baggy Chinese worker
outfit, but didn't pay any more mind.  "Ooooo...NO!" 
More startling than that, Ranma seemed to have
stiffened as she took hold of him, and didn't relax
for several moments.

	"It�s a dream, Ranma," Akane whispered.  "Just a
dream."

	"Get offa me," Ranma whispered weakly.  "Kill
youuuuu....  Don�t want to!" Akane continued holding
the redhead and whispering soothingly.  She was
confused, she had done this before, though Ranma never
woke up.  Thankfully he only rarely remembered the
dreams either.  In all the times she'd soothed Ranma's
nightmares, he hadn't ever mixed them, and there were
those other sounds as well.  Those REALLY disturbed
her, and she tried not to think about them.

	"The..there aren't any cats Ranma," Akane said again,
misidentifying the dream with the phrase "get offa
me".  She always wondered whether Ranma actually heard
her or not.  "You're safe."  She looked up to see
Kasumi in the doorway as Ranma calmed down back into a
dreamless sleep.

	"I don't think sh�he is dreaming about cats," Kasumi
said sadly.

	"Then, what?"  Akane dreaded the answer.

	"Put he..him down, Akane," Kasumi said.  "Let him
sleep, we'll talk about this downstairs."  There was
no mistaking the tone of command in Kasumi's voice.

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

	Akane watched as Kasumi set down the tea tray on the
dinner table and then sit down on her shins.  The
younger Tendo was quickly losing her patience, but
this was Kasumi, and as such commanded a deal more
tolerance.

	"What happened to Ranma?" Akane demanded as her
sister poured the tea.  Kasumi looked at her thought
about where to start.

	~Perhaps I should start with the familiar problem,~
Kasumi thought.  "Ranma is currently locked in his
female form.  I found him in the furo screaming." 
Akane narrowed her eyes, that was bad, but it had
happened before and Kasumi hadn't acted like this at
those times.

	"There's something else, isn't there," Akane asked. 
"What hap�"  She thought back to Ranma's nightmare
upstairs.  Akane paled.  "Oh no�Kasumi�he wasn't�"

	"I didn't ask him any questions," Kasumi said.  "But
I gather he was drugged and then�raped�yes."

	"He'd have to be drugged," Akane said looking down at
her cup of tea.  ~I should have made him listen to me,
but all I ever did was tease and yell about "feminine
modesty".  Because I wasn't comfortable with talking
about it.~  Akane looked back to her sister.  "Who did
it?"

	"I did not ask questions, Akane," Kasumi reminded
her.  Nor did she volunteer the information that Ranma
thought it was a drugged bowl of ramen.  She didn't
need to, Akane's face darkened with rage.

	"Shampoo, the last time I saw him he was flirting
with Shampoo," Akane growled.  "I�tossed him out of
the school�its�its my fault.  He must have hit the
pool."  Kasumi came around the table to comfort her
sister, who was descending into uncontrolled crying.

	"You didn't do this to him, Akane," Kasumi said. 
"It's not your fault."

	"But�"

	"This is NOT your fault," Kasumi repeated firmly. 
Akane shook her head slightly, but did not argue
verbally.

	"Tadaima," Akane and Kasumi turned toward the sound
of Nabiki's voice.

	"Check on Ranma, I'll talk to Nabiki," Kasumi said
quietly.  Akane stood up and dried her eyes.

	"Yeah," she walked slowly out of the room, glancing
at Nabiki as she headed for the stairs.  Nabiki's
normal dry good humor nearly died on seeing her
sister, pale as Kodachi, walk past crying.  "Kasumi
needs to talk to you, Nabiki."

	"What's going on, Akane?" Nabiki demanded.

	"Kasumi will tell you," Akane said quietly, on her
way upstairs.  "I have to check on Ranma."  That
explained a great deal to Nabiki, something bad had
happened to Ranma, again.  She sighed and headed for
the dining room where Kasumi was now calling her.

	"What's Saotome gotten himself into now?" She walked
into the dining room at sat down across from Kasumi.

	"Nabiki," Kasumi started, she was going to take a
different track with this sister.  Nabiki did not take
beating around the bush as well as Akane did.  "Ranma
was...raped today."  Kasumi watched her sister and
only noted her staring blankly in shock for a long
moment, before Nabiki looked upstairs and then turned
back to her sister.

	"When, how, and WHO?" the middle Tendo asked, coldly
furious.

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

	Ryouga, P-Chan at the moment, was torn between
confusion and anger.  He had managed to find his way
into Akane's room again, and identified the mass in
the covers as a person.  It was rather early in the
day to be sleeping, but he shrugged that off.  When
the person in the bed had started tossing and turning,
obviously having a nightmare, he had maneuvered to get
on the bed to provide a comforting snuggle.  That's
when he recognized the sleeper as Ranma-chan.

	~What's Ranma doing in Akane's room?~ Ryouga didn't
pay attention to what Ranma was saying in his sleep. 
The fact that it was Ranma had removed the importance
that it was a nightmare.  For one thing Ranma had a
lot of nightmares, for another it was Ryouga watching
Ranma.  ~The pervert probably plans to seduce Akane
when she comes into the room.  Just listen to him,
he's probably dreaming about it right now.~  Ryouga
had also conveniently edited out everything but the
moans.

	The pig was about to launch himself at the redhead,
and probably get himself killed if Ranma happened to
wake up, when the door cracked open quietly.

	"Bwee!" Ryouga did his best to warn Akane about the
presence of her potential attacker, as he saw it.

	"P-Chan?" Akane glanced at the pig on her desk only a
moment before moving to her bed and gathering up the
sleeping martial-artist.  She sighed as Ranma tensed
unconsciously again.  Ryouga watched in confusion as
Akane rocked his "hated rival" gently, holding the
sleeping girl in her lap.  "Oh Ranma, I'm sorry."  She
said quietly.

	"Bwee?" Ryouga took a brief leap to the bed and
looked up at Akane questioningly.

	"P-Chan," she said quietly, but with a curtain of
steel Ryouga usually only heard directed at Ranma. 
"Behave, Ranma doesn't like you, and you don't like
Ranma.  But if you wake him up now I will ask Kasumi
to serve pork for dinner."  Ryouga's eyes widened
considerably as Akane turned her attention back to
Ranma.

	~What's going on here,~ Ryouga asked.  ~What in the
world is happening here.  Could they be...together
now?~

	"Who did this to you?" Akane whispered to Ranma, who
was calming down in her lap.  "Sanzenin,
Kuno...Ryouga?  I never thought of him as a...rapist,
but he did use the fishing rod...I should have been
there.  I should have hit Shampoo..."  Akane stopped
talking, if he happened to wake up, that would not be
something he would want to hear.

	~Rapist?~ Ryouga was totally shell-shocked.  ~Why
is...Ranma was...raped?  And Akane thinks I might have
done it?~  He wobbled to the side in shock and fell
off the desk to the floor.  ~Kami-sama how could she
think that.  Wait a minute, this...has to be a trick. 
No one's good enough to do THAT to Ranma.~  He was
trying to convince himself of this when the door
opened again.  He turned to see Nabiki walking into
the room.

	"He's still asleep?" Nabiki asked.  Akane nodded as
Nabiki took a seat by the bed and merely glanced down
at the pig on the floor.  "Isn't letting P-Chan stay a
recipe for trouble?"

	"Ranma was having a nightmare," Akane said.  "I
didn't have time to put him out."

	"For once it�s a good thing Ranma sleeps like the
dead," Nabiki noted.  "Poor jerk.  Akane, Ranma can
get through this."

	"If he wants to," Akane muttered, brushing back
Ranma's bangs.

	"Just make sure he wants to," Nabiki smirked. 
"Still, if he wants to talk...I...know some people."
Nabiki handed her sister a card.  "Tell him I'll be
there if he's nervous."  Akane looked at the card.

	"Survivors of Sexual Assault?  Nabiki, you..." Akane
looked at her sister in surprise and disbelief.

	"Raped?  Technically no, but...ask me later okay? 
I've never even told Kasumi," Nabiki said quietly. 
Akane nodded and pocketed the card as Nabiki cleared
her throat and skipped past the uncomfortable topic. 
"Anyway, you let me and Kasumi handle every one else."

	"I'm not going to just si..." Nabiki cut her off.

	"You will take care of Ranma and keep him out of it,"
Nabiki said, talking low.  Akane recognized the same
tone of command in Nabiki's voice that her sister
used.  "That is the most important thing right now,
leave vengeance to the professionals.  I'm going to
leave you two alone now, keep your temper.  He's
probably going to be lashing out."

	"I'll..." she stopped short of saying "try."  She had
to do more than try.  "I guess I'll have to.  Could
you take P-Chan with you?"

	"Sure," Nabiki smiled as she picked up a fainted
piglet.  "Does this pig have narcolepsy or something?"
 Akane shrugged and continued to rock Ranma.

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

	Kasumi was beginning to get irritated with her father
and Saotome-san.  Just how long could one sit at a bar
anyway?  She sighed in frustration, she couldn't just
shuffle this into the background like she did
everything else.  She needed to take an active roll,
and deal with the things that Akane and Ranma should
be kept away from at the moment.  Like Nodoka.

	She looked up at the sound of someone at the door and
walked to answer it.  The eldest Tendo blinked upon
finding Kodachi Kuno, on the other side.  For once the
noble girl had not showed up at their house in a
leotard or scattering black petals everywhere.  Kasumi
hoped that meant that she didn't intend to cause a
problem.

	"Can I help you Kuno-san?" Kasumi asked, her normal
tone was understandably strained.

	"Tendo-san, have you seen Ranma anywhere? Has he been
home?" Kodachi asked, not expecting an answer.  The
last place she expected Ranma to go was home, which
was exactly why it had taken her so long to get here. 
Kodachi changed her mind when Kasumi didn't answer and
just stared at her.  "He is here, isn't he?"

	"Yes...he's sleeping," Kasumi answered, Kodachi
nodded quietly.  "Why did you want to see him?" 
Kodachi reached to the side of the door and picked up
a katana.  She handed it to Kasumi almost negligently.

	"It�s the Kuno family blade," Kodachi explained. 
Kasumi stared at the weapon in surprise, Kodachi was
basically handing over her clans honor.  "I'm willing
to abide by whatever he decides for Tatewaki, he'll
understand.  I tried to leave something for him to
punish, he was still moving a little when I calmed
down," she considered this for a moment.  "Perhaps I
should reduce the wattage on those clubs."  She bowed
and turned to leave.

	"Then it was your brother?" Kasumi said, stopping
Kodachi a few steps down the path.  The noble girl
turned and stared.

	"You...know?" Kodachi sighed and looked away after
Kasumi nodded.  "Tell him I'm sorry I did not get home
earlier."

	"I will," Kasumi said.  Kodachi nodded and continued
walking out the Tendo compound.  She didn't feel like
roof hopping at the moment.

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

	"Well, P-Chan," Nabiki said as she plopped the pig on
her bed.  "What am I going to do?"  She sat down at
her desk and considered the problem.  "Do you have any
ideas, Akane certainly seems to think talking to you
helps."

	~Is this real, am I having some sort of warped dream
here?~ Ryouga asked himself.

	"It doesn't even really have to have been a martial
artist," Nabiki said.  "Kasumi said that SHE took him
down, if she did anybody could have."

	~Kasumi.  Beat.  Ranma?~  Ryouga was trying to
comprehend that.

	"I can deal with that later," Nabiki said.  "I'm not
going half-cocked to the Nekohanten alone.  Akane's
too volatile, and I'm not sure she can beat Shampoo
alone, much less the three of them if this goes wrong.
 It'll have to be tomorrow, or even later after I find
out who Ranma is willing to let know about this.  I'm
definitely not letting Ranma near a fight until I'm
CERTAIN he's fine.  He could kill somebody and we'd be
in a whole new mess.  You wouldn't know anybody
willing to play back up for me.  Would you P-chan?"

	"Bwee?"

	"Didn't think so." Nabiki smiled slightly and then
shook her head.  "What a mess."  Ryouga couldn't help
but agree.

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

	Ranma woke and found herself being held.  She had a
brief moment of panic until he saw that it was Akane
holding him.  A little further investigation showed
that she was in Akane's lap.  This was unacceptable,
there was no way she was going to let Akane think she
was weak.  It was already a dying argument, Kasumi had
probably told Akane everything.  She had to think he
was weak after hearing that.

	"Akane?" She began.  "What are you doing?"

	"What does it lo..." Akane stopped herself.  "Ranma,
don't start now, it won't help anything."  Ranma shook
off Akane's grip and stood up.  That confirmed it for
him, she knew.

	"Leave me alone," Ranma insisted.  "If I hadn't
freaked when I found out the curse was locked you
wouldn't know anything about it.  I can handle this
myself."  He started to leave the room, he shouldn't
have let Kasumi put him here that was a mistake. 
Akane somehow beat him to the door.

	"I'm not letting you deal with this alone, Ranma,"
Akane insisted.

	"Why should you care?" Ranma demanded, looking up at
Akane.  "By tomorrow our fathers will know, the
engagement will be finished, and I'll be handed a
tanto.  Congratulations, you're free."  Akane
hesitated only a moment before her hand snapped out
and slapped the smaller girl.  "What was that for?"

	"Do you think I'm going to let you be taken away from
me?" Akane snapped.

	"Somebody already did," Ranma reminded her quietly.
Akane gripped the redhead's shoulders and gently drew
her in.

        "I'm not letting you go," Akane whispered
gently.  Ranma let herself be held and hesitantly
circled her own arms around Akane.  It felt too safe
for him to worry about whether it was weak or not.

	"Why do you want me?" Ranma asked after a long
moment.

	"You're the only you," Akane said softly, leaning
against the door and holding her fiancee.  "And I love
you."

	"Even...even if I'm never a guy again?" Ranma looked
up from Akane's shoulder.

	"I've thought about that since the first night you
were here," Akane admitted.  She noticed the odd look
Ranma was giving her.  "It stopped being important a
long time ago.  Ranma, do you..." Ranma looked away
and stayed silent for a long second.

	"I l-love you," she said, softly.  Then she looked
back up at Akane.  "Akane?"

	"What is it?" The redhead had a scared and needy look
in her eyes.  Then Ranma leaned upwards on her toes
and kissed her.  Akane held back a moment before
returning the kiss.  They broke the kiss almost a
minute later.  "Are you okay with that, Ranma?"  The
redhead nodded.

	"I needed that," she whispered.  Akane nodded,
understanding a little, and then led Ranma back to sit
on her bed.  Ranma debated for a moment before sitting
down on Akane's lap.

	"Ranma," Akane held her breath as Ranma cringed.  She
knew what was coming.  Akane immediately changed her
mind about asking questions. "Never mind, but Nabiki
had something she wanted me to give you."

	"Great, Nabiki knows," Ranma sighed, leaning into
Akane's shoulder as the raven-haired girl retrieved
the card Nabiki had given her.  Ranma scowled as she
read it.  "How long was I asleep, where'd she get
this?"

	"She had it on her," Akane explained.  "Nabiki said
that she'll be there."

	"Nabiki?" Ranma blinked.

	"You aren't the only one surprised," Akane said. 
"Maybe that would be a good idea though."

	"I'll...think about it," she stared at the card for
several seconds before Akane felt her shoulders start
to shake.

	"If you want to cry, Ranma, its okay," she whispered.
 "If anyone deserves it right now you do."  Ranma
shook her head in Akane in denial, but the tears were
already coming.  He mechanically put the support group
card in his pocket and continued trying to keep the
tears at bay.

	It was like a small hole had been poked in a damn. 
At first there was just a trickle and some shaking,
and then suddenly Ranma's head was buried in Akane's
shoulder.  Akane consoled the loudly weeping girl and
rocked gently back and forth as Ranma released a flood
of pent up tears.

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

	"What is that?" Nabiki asked as she came downstairs
and saw the sword on the table.

	"The Kuno family sword," Kasumi said simply, coming
out of the kitchen for a moment.  "Kodachi brought it
for Ranma."  Nabiki stared at it as if it were
serpent.

	"It was Kuno?" Nabiki asked frostily.  Kasumi nodded.

	"Kodachi said she would abide by any decision Ranma
made regarding her brother," Kasumi said.  "I was
given the feeling that she may have already taken some
initiative."

	"Good," Nabiki nodded, sitting down and staring at
the sword.  Then she thought of something.  "Since
when does she know about the curse?"

	"Oh, I hadn't thought of that," Kasumi thought back
and realized that Kodachi had definitely known what
had happened while referring to Ranma as a he.  Nabiki
briefly considered telling Kasumi about her own past
history, but it was just that, past.  Kasumi had
enough on her mind dealing with Ranma.

        These thoughts were derailed by the sound of
two drunk martial artists entering the house.  Nabiki
collected the Kuno sword and hid it while Kasumi
checked the clock before returning to the kitchen.

        "Oh my, it must have been a long planning
session, there's only half an hour until dinner."  The
eldest Tendo tsked as she went back to work, Nabiki
had to look to make sure she had just heard that.

	"I don't think talking to them like this is going to
do anything but harm," Nabiki added.  She rubbed the
bridge of her nose to try and stop the on-coming
headache.  "Why can't we have some mature adults
around this place?"

	"This plan can not fail, Tendo," Genma was saying as
the pair made their way to the shogi board to finish
the wait for dinner.  "The houses will be joined by
the setting of the sun tomorrow."

	"You know, Saotome," Soun interrupted, he wasn't
nearly as far into drinking as his friend.  "Every one
of our plans seems familiar somehow."

	"You're imagining things, Tendo," Genma laughed it
off.  "Each plan is unique in its..."

	"Own formulaic way, right?" Nabiki interrupted.  "Can
you two hold off on the plans the next few days?  I
really don't think our budget can handle the repairs."

	"Perhaps she's right, Genma," Soun agreed, after
hearing the word budget.  "I'm still paying for the
wedding, let's wait until we have some funds to fall
back on."

	"But we must act now before they go back to their old
behavior," Genma insisted.  "With the wedding and
Jusendo passed we are getting so close to them being
actually married."  Nabiki was trying to come up with
a decent threat to dissuade Genma, and the sound of
chopping from the kitchen had taken a distinctly hard
edge, when someone knocked on the door.

	"I got it," Nabiki called out.  She opened the door
on what was either a very good thing or a very bad
thing.  "Auntie Saotome?  How...good to see you."

	"Why hello, Nabiki-chan," Nodoka smiled. 
"Kasumi-chan said she wanted to talk to me about
something."

	"She did?" Nabiki blinked.  Kasumi wasn't nearly
stupid enough to invite Nodoka over.

	"Yes, well she did say that she would be over later
tonight," Nodoka said.  "But it had sounded urgent and
I had nothing to do."  She smiled serenely, though
Nabiki detected a hint of steel in her eyes.  Nabiki
glanced at her katana.

	~In other words you decided that since we didn't want
you over here, then you absolutely had to come.  I
need to talk to Kasumi about what not to do,~ Nabiki
sighed.  "Well she's getting dinner ready right now,
maybe we can help her?"

	"That would be lovely," Nodoka gave a slight bow as
she entered the house.  As they passed through the
living room, Genma turned pale and silent at the sight
of his wife and her bundle.

	"Kasumi, we may have a problem," Nabiki said as she
came into the kitchen, Nodoka noted the phrasing and
frowned slightly.

	"What is...OH!" Kasumi nearly dropped her knife.  "Oh
my, uh, Auntie Saotome, this is a surprise.  I thought
I said I'd be by later this evening."

	"Something seems to be distressing you girls," Nodoka
said softly.  "Do you wish to talk about it?"  

        Kasumi checked to see that her dinner was to a
point that she could let it sit and then turned to
face the Saotome matron.  Nodoka stepped forward and
belatedly noticed Nabiki blocking her exit from the
kitchen.  The middle Tendo kept one eye on the
hallway, and the other on Nodoka.

	"Auntie Saotome, something happened to Ranma
today..." After Kasumi had given the facts of the
situation as softly as she could, Nodoka stared
forward white-faced.

	"Is my son to be cursed with such luck his entire
life?" Nodoka asked finally.  "It seems that every
time I come to visit some creative devil has devised a
new hell and decided to test it on him."

	"You're not going to make him commit seppuku then?"
Nabiki asked.  Nodoka turned to face her and narrowed
her eyes.  Nabiki had put as much ice in her voice as
Nodoka could put steel in hers, it was quite obvious
that she would do what she could to keep that from
happening.

	"No, I will not call upon him to do that," Nodoka
said, more than a little angry at the Tendo girls. 
"If my son ever fails in that promise I fear his life
would kill him before I heard about it."  She paused a
moment.  "I would wait to discuss this with my husband
until the drink leaves his blood."

	"That is what we had decided," Kasumi agreed. 
"Auntie, Saotome-san mentioned something about a new
plan earlier.  Nabiki convinced our father against
mentioning anything, but Saotome-san..."

	"I shall try to keep him under control, Kasumi-chan,"
Nodoka nodded.  "Now where is my son?"

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

	Akane looked up from the small bundle in her arm as
the door opened.  She had expected Nabiki or Kasumi
again, or dreaded one of their fathers.  What she had
not expected was Nodoka Saotome.

	"A..Auntie Saotome?" That woke up Ranma, who was only
just fading back to sleep anyway.

	"Mom?" Nodoka winced at the look of fear in her
son's, daughter currently, eyes.  Both teens noted the
absolute lack of a katana with the Saotome matriarch
with some relief.  

        Ranma shook off Akane's hug and stood up, her
face hardened and the only hints of emotional distress
were the tear tracks on her face.  Ranma walked to a
wall, her arms behind her head and leaned back like
nothing was wrong.  While that transformation was
happening Akane was glaring at Nodoka and glancing
protectively at the redhead.

        "What are you doing here?"  Nodoka winced,
everybody thought she was some kind of monster, she
wished that she had never accepted that promise.

	"Someone hurt my child," Nodoka said.  "This is where
I should be."

	"I'm fine," Ranma snapped.

	~Like hell you are,~ Akane thought to herself and
moved between Ranma and Nodoka.  ~And this isn't
helping.~

	"I'm glad to see the Tendos are so supporting of
you," Nodoka said.  "You are my child and I want to
help you."

	"I almost want to," Ranma whispered under her breath.
 Akane and Nodoka both heard.

	"That is not what I meant," Nodoka said, looking down
and standing up.  "I believe Kasumi is finishing
dinner if want to come down, and no, your fathers have
not been told yet."  She turned a sad smile to the
teenagers and left the room.  "Please try to trust
me."  Then Nodoka closed the door behind her and
headed downstairs, wiping tears from her face before
they could leave tracks.

	"Ranma," Akane said as soon as they were alone again.
 

	"Hmm?" Ranma asked, still putting on her non-chalant
act.

        "If you even think about turning a knife on
yourself, you'll have to go through me," Akane
promised.

	"Yeah, I know," Ranma smirked a little.  Her stomach
growled.  "Dinner sounds good."  Akane watched the
redhead fortify her mental wall and shook her head. 
Ranma was letting it out and then Nodoka comes along
and she buries everything again.

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

	Ryouga finally found the bathroom after several
detours that seemed to cover every inch of Nabiki's
room, though he was certain that had managed to get
out of it at least once before.  

        Ryouga now knew more about the students of
Furinkan High than he had ever wanted to know. 
Hopefully Nabiki would never learn about this, he
could count on a life of hell if that happened.  The
box marked "trophies" in the back of the closet with
the broken bowie knife especially bothered him for
some reason.

	The little black pig trotted into the bathroom and
checked to make sure they still kept some of his spare
clothes in the changing room.  Then he was off to the
furo.

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

	Dinner downstairs looked on the surface to be normal.
 Though Ranma and Genma's normal food war was totally
absent, thanks to three feet of steel that Nodoka had
rested at her husband's throat before Ranma came
downstairs.

	Ranma's normal appetite was quite a bit less than
normal, which meant that she was only eating roughly
twice as much as everyone else.  Kasumi and Nabiki
both noted Ranma's apparent return to her usual crass,
uncaring self, but that had always been a fa�ade.  It
was even more obvious as one now.

	"Something's bothering you boy," Genma noted sagely. 
"You're distracted."

	"You're one to talk Oyaji," Ranma snorted.  "Could
you like breathe down wind, I don't like smelling sake
all through dinner."

	"Insolent boy, I'd toss you in the pond if you
weren't already a girl," Genma's alcohol-fogged mind
clicked on something.  "Why are you girl?"

	"I'm...stuck again," Ranma explained hesitantly. 
"And I don't want to talk about it!"

	"WHAT!?" Genma shouted.  "What happened this time? 
The old woman, magical water?"  Akane watched Ranma's
fa�ade begin to crack, and reached out a hand to grip
her shoulder.  Akane suspected that either Ranma would
break down and cry right there, or she was going to
kill her father.

	"Oh, the houses will never be united, WAAAH!" The
sound of drawing steel caught everyone's attention. 
Everybody looked first too Nodoka and was surprised to
see her katana still in its sheath.  Nodoka blinked
and looked at everybody a little confused at the
attention.

	"This seems rather drastic," Kasumi said, the Tendo
spear had been taken off the wall and held in front of
the two fathers.  The normal protective cover over the
blade was conspicuously absent.  "But I am more than a
little tired of these continued displays.  Ranma has
had a terrible, TERRIBLE day, and he will talk about
it when he's ready."  The blade cover was replaced and
the spear returned to the wall.  "Now, let's continue
eating."

	"Its always the quiet ones," Ranma muttered looking
from her mother to Kasumi.  Akane left her hand on
Ranma's shoulder a moment longer and waited for Ranma
to nod before returning to her own meal.

	"Excuse me, can you tell me the way to Tokyo?"
Everyone froze and turned to stare at the speaker. 
Ryouga flinched as he saw Ranma glare at him with
undisguised anger and rage.  It was something he was
more experienced with feeling than witnessing, unless
you count Akane.  Then he noted Akane looking at him
suspiciously.  "Ranma, is that you? What are you doing
in Okinawa?"

	"Hey, P-Chan," Ranma snapped.  "This IS Tokyo. 
Though how you could tell the difference is beyond
me."  Nabiki blinked at the name reference, and then
narrowed her eyes as she thought back over the past
year and a half.  Akane, still unaware of Kodachi's
visit, was looking for clues that Ryouga might be the
culprit to Ranma's situation.

	"Shut up Ranma, I'm too tired to fight today," Ryouga
shouted back.  "Its been a long day..." The glares he
got undeniably translated to "you think YOU had a long
day?"  Ryouga swallowed and moved to sit against a
wall, praying that Ranma would keep his promise.

	"Excuse me, please," Nabiki said standing up and
stomping towards Ryouga.  "I just remembered some
business I have to attend to.  Let's go have a chat
Hibiki."

	"Uh, okay," Ryouga said.  He glanced at Akane and
Ranma glaring at him and stood up quickly.  ~This was
a bad idea, he will tell if I piss him off at all.~ 
He stood up and followed the middle Tendo out of the
dining room towards the dojo.

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

	"You are taking advantage of my sister," Nabiki
growled, whirling on Ryouga as soon as they were out
of earshot.  "And I assume you have some hold over
Ranma to keep him from saying anything."

	"Well...I didn't mea..."

	"Didn't mean to?" Nabiki completed.  "I hope you're
not about to blame Ranma and ask for sympathy, I'm the
wrong audience.  Considering today, and you KNOW what
happened today, I doubt Ranma is interested in
whatever it is you have over him either."

	"I...uh..." Ryouga dithered as Nabiki advanced on
him.

	"Shut up until I let you speak," Nabiki instructed
him.  Ryouga's jaw snapped shut.  "Let me guess, you
don't think its wrong, do you.  You're not forcing her
to do anything.  She carries you around all of her own
free will, am I right?"

	"Well, I'm not..."

	"Not doing anything but listen in to her thoughts,
watch her get dressed, sleep in her bed, fondle her
breasts, do I need to go on?" Nabiki backed him into a
wall.  "When Ranma got here I was excited that I might
have a fiancee, want to know why?  I thought I was
pregnant, if I got married then I could always claim
it was my husband's.  Good thing I wasn't pregnant
since I chickened out with the curse."

	"His curse isn't so..." Nabiki slapped him.

	"Considering what you know that was almost the
stupidest thing you could say.  I'm surprised he
hasn't snapped already," Nabiki insisted.  "And I said
to shut up.  Now about a month before Ranma showed up
I had this date. You wouldn't know him.  It was
afterwards that I learned he had some unhealthy
hobbies and the authorities eventually had a talk with
him, he's in some prison now."  Ryouga had little
doubt that the boy's current whereabouts were anything
but a coincidence.  "Now on this date we went to his
house, where I learned that lo and behold his parents
were gone."

	"You told Akane that you weren't..." Nabiki growled
and he shut up again.

	"I'm a big girl, I could take care of myself," Nabiki
continued.  "And he certainly seemed nice enough, then
he took me to see his collection of knives.  A very
impressive collection, as a martial artist daughter I
was moderately envious.  He pulled out one piece in
particular, an American bowie knife, from the late
1800's."

	"The snapped one in..."

	"Yes, the one in my room," Nabiki smiled viciously. 
"Good knife wasn't it?  Well, he started checking and
cleaning the blade and, in a very friendly manner,
started talking about my Ice Queen reputation.  Of
course he was standing in front of the only exit from
the room.  He worked his way up from there, he never
actually sounded threatening, but he kept playing with
that damn knife.  Of course, I said yes all of my own
free will."  The last phrase was said with a twist of
self-mocking sarcasm.

	"That's not what I'm doing," Ryouga protested.

	"Oh really, what are you doing?  Which is better? 
Deception or intimidation?  How about drugs or magical
fishing rods?"  Nabiki emphasized the last venomously
and Ryouga flinched.  "I don't THINK you've hit the
point of standing in the doorway while 'cleaning' a
knife yet, I've seen you faint at the sight of female
flesh too often to think that.  You're lucky you
didn't get Akane with that fishing rod, now there's no
way for me to tell whether you would have followed
through or not.  So you are on probation for now.  I
will not let this continue though, understand?"

	"Y..yes," Ryouga nodded furiously.

	"You will not say anything for at least this week,"
Nabiki said.  "And I'll tell you if I think its safe
then.  I'll also make sure Ranma doesn't say anything,
he has more than enough on his mind already.  He does
not need Akane going ballistic right now.  If you feel
that you absolutely must be someone's pet, I'll set
you up a box in my room.  I think you've seen it, it
holds what used to be a one hundred- year old bowie
knife."  Ryouga swallowed.

	"No P-Chan, gotcha," Ryouga said.  "What if I get
transformed on accident?"

	"Run.  Now, Ryouga," Nabiki rocked back on her heels.
 "I believe I asked you earlier if you knew anybody
willing to play back-up for me at the Nekohanten."

	"Yeah, I'll go," Ryouga nodded.  "If I'm not lost by
then."

	"You. Had. Better. Be. Here. Tomorrow," Nabiki poked
him in the chest.  "Understood?"  Ryouga nodded. 
"Good, now I'm going to finish my dinner, I'll show
you where you can stay along the way."  Ryouga soon
found himself in the laundry room and not willing to
budge for fear of Nabiki.

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

	"Where'd Ryouga go?" Akane asked as Nabiki settled
back at the table.

	"Pig probably got lost," Ranma growled as he ate his
meal, eating at a sane pace.

	"I know where he is," Nabiki answered.  "And if he
knows what's good for him he'll stay there.  Don't
worry about him, Ranma, I'm handling that."  Akane
narrowed her eyes and looked back.

	"I almost wish he had started a fight," Ranma
muttered.  "I n...Its usually fun."

	~Damn, I need to talk to Ranma to be sure,~ Akane
sighed.

	~They all seem to be protecting Ranma today,~ Genma
thought.  ~Hmm, Nodoka doesn't seem worried, a little
upset, but that's expected.  I should be safe.  I
guess its not important.~

	~Oh Akane and Ranma are acting so close,~ were Soun's
thoughts.  ~All we have to do is solve the curse
problem and then our schools can be joined.  Oh happy
day!~

	Akane and the other women watched Ranma angrily pick
at her food.  Since Ryouga's appearance she had seemed
enraged, and terrified.

	~Was it Ryouga?~ Akane asked herself.

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

	Akane stopped Ranma as she was about to turn into the
guest room.  The redhead looked at her in confusion.

	"Ranma, you can stay in my room if you want," Akane
said.

	"Thanks, just let me get my..." she stopped as Akane
pulled her along.

	"I can sleep on the floor Ranma," Akane said.  "You
can have the bed."

	"No way," Ranma pulled her arm back.  "I don't need
that, either you get the bed or we both get the bed,
and I know the answer to that.  So let me get my..."

	"The bed is plenty big enough for us both Ranma,"
Akane interrupted.  Ranma stared slack-jawed at Akane
that she would take that suggestion.

	"Thanks Akane," she looked down at the ground.  "I
wanted to ask..."

	"I'm not going to try anything you know," Akane
half-smiled.

	"Would you mind if I did," Ranma asked quietly. 
Akane stared in surprise and hugged Ranma tightly. 
"Akane?"

	"Let's talk first, okay?" Akane asked.  "You might
not want anything after this."

	"Oh," Ranma nodded and followed Akane into her room.

	"Oh how wonderful, the schools will be joined."

	"I told you my plan would work, Tendo."  Before the
shouts got too loud a katana was drawn and Akane and
Ranma looked to see Nodoka herding the nervous fathers
downstairs.

        Ranma had been waiting for her to get to this
point.  The red head sat down on the floor and leaned
against the wall, Akane sat down next to her and took
a deep breath.

	"Was it Ryouga?" Akane asked bluntly. 

	"What!?" Ranma stared at Akane.

	"Was it Ryouga that raped you?" Akane repeated, as
softly as she could.

	"If I had met Ryouga I would have been safe," Ranma
said.  "We haven't fought each other seriously in
while.  Kuno is the one, he thought it would break the
spell the 'vile Saotome' had cast on his 'pig-tailed'
goddess."

	"Can you talk about it?" Akane was now further
confused by Ranma's angry and frightened behavior
after Ryouga had shown up, but she wanted Ranma to
talk about this first.  ~Kuno, of course it had to be
him, nobody else is enough of a pervert.  Even
Happosai stops at groping.~

	"I...can, it helps doesn't it?" Ranma asked.

	"Ranma are you certain about this, you don't have to
just because I asked," Akane wrapped an arm around her
and pulled the red-haired head to her shoulder.

	"I'm fine," Ranma insisted.  "I can do this.  I
didn't think it would be that bad at first.  He groped
me when I was getting out of the pool and that's when
I knew something was going on.  I thought it was the
curse...the grope was uncomfortable, but it didn't
repulse me.  I was confused until I turned around
and...ki..kissed Kuno."

	"You're safe, Ranma," Akane reminded him.

	"Yeah, its not like it can happen with you around,"
Ranma said.  "I'd be taken out of action with the
nearest blunt instrument first."  Akane scowled but
didn't say anything, it held too much truth for one
thing.  For another she suspected Ranma was just
lashing out.

	"I'll try not to do that any more," Akane said
softly, and gestured for him to continue.

	"I..I felt like jumping him, b.but I managed to keep
myself controlled to just flirting," Ranma said. 
"Then we were at the Kuno place, don't know how, I
think I followed him there.  I...my body...wanted
it...it felt good...I hated that. Then he...started
taking off my clothes, and I told there was no way I'd
do that.  He started ranting about magic and spells
and declared he was going to free me."  She stopped
and took another breath.  "I tried to fight, but my
body didn't want to.  I'd try to punch and I would
just touch and rub him," Ranma shivered.

	~Oh Ranma, I'm sorry,~ Akane thought starting to rock
her.  ~I should have been there to help you.~

	"I had to settle for clawing, biting and yelling,"
Ranma stopped again and breathed.  "Then he...got in
my pants, and...I screamed, I was...crying and
shrieking...like a girl...I don't remember much after
that.  I think my body just did what it wanted for a
while, until I came to and started fighting again,
an..and he said something about pain to drive out a
demon.  He was starting to choke me when Kodachi came
in."

	"Kodachi saved you?" Akane asked quietly.  ~You had
to wait for Kodachi to save you and I was at school.~

	"Yeah, I ran while she was beating him up," Ranma
said.  They were quiet for long time.

	"Why were you so scared of Ryouga?" Akane asked
finally.

	"I wasn't afraid of him," Ranma said, she hesitated
before continuing.  "I was afraid of fighting him."

	"What's the difference?" Akane asked, trying to prod
her into further discussion.

	"I...haven't figured it out yet," Ranma whispered.

	"You can survive Ranma," Akane said, after realizing
that she wasn't going to elaborate.  "You can survive
anything, and if you need it I'll help."

	"I hope I can," Ranma sighed.

	"Let's get some sleep now," she cut off Ranma about
to make a comment.  "Just sleep for now." ~I don't
want to risk hurting you if this is still those drugs
talking.~

	"Okay, I guess you don't want to do anything with a
girl..." Ranma stopped as Akane leaned down into her
face.  Ranma didn't hesitate before leaning up into
the kiss.

	"A goodnight kiss is fine though," Akane said smiling
softly.  "Go to bed, I'm going to change and be right
back."

	"Thanks, Akane," Ranma whispered into the dark room
as she settled down into the bed.  A few minutes later
she stirred momentarily from near sleep as Akane
joined her and held her close and safe.

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

	"How are you feeling now father?" Kasumi asked
quietly.  Nabiki and Nodoka were arranged on either
side of her across from the two men.  On the table
were some empty mugs and an empty coffeepot.  In the
kitchen Kasumi had gone through their entire stock of
coffee.  They hadn't had all that much, since it was
mainly used for guests and the residents mostly had no
taste for it.

	"I'm feeling fine, Kasumi, why do you ask?"

	"You know coffee doesn't really work," Nabiki noted.

	"No, not alone," Kasumi agreed.  "But there are some
herbs you can add to it..."

	"Can we get to the point of why were forced at sword
point to drink all the coffee in the house," Genma
demanded.  Soun nervously eyed the two blades in the
room, the spear sitting next to Kasumi and the Saotome
blade, fortunately sheathed, in Nodoka's hands.

	"We are going to tell you something of our son's
situation, Genma," Nodoka answered.  "And I want you
to think very carefully about your reaction.  Thanks
to that promise of yours, my son won't even trust me
to comfort him in this time of need."  Nabiki arched
an eyebrow and appraised the Saotome matriarch
remembering that she had been the primary enforcer of
that same promise.  Now was not the time to quarrel
among themselves though.

	"And I do not want to hear about canceling the
engagement from you, Daddy," Nabiki said.  "That is
Ranma and Akane's decision."  She was the only one
with out a blade.  The only other one she knew about
in the house was the Kuno blade, and that was out of
the question.

	"Why would I want to cancel the engagement?" Soun
asked, confused.  Kasumi sighed as she prepared to
tell the story that she knew so far.

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

	Ryouga was woken up early by a pail of cold water. 
He stared at Nabiki in annoyance as the girl took him
and his clothes to the bathroom and tossed him in
while she waited outside for him to get dressed.

	"Are you ready yet, P-Chan?" Nabiki asked after ten
minutes.

	"Just as soon as I find my way out of this cave,"
Ryouga's voice came from inside.  Nabiki blinked and
opened the door to the bath, glancing around she saw
the hamper moving.  The middle Tendo irritably lifted
the lid and looked down at Ryouga.

	"Should I even bother to ask?" she asked irritably. 
Ryouga laughed nervously.  "Come on P-Chan, let's get
going before people start waking up."  She reached
down and pulled Ryouga out of the hamper slipping a
collar over his neck.

	"Umm what's this?" he asked.

	"A leash, what does it look like," Nabiki snapped. 
"Let's go."

	"This is embarrassing," Ryouga sighed.

	"Consider yourself lucky," Nabiki said.  They went
into the still dark streets of Nerima moments later,
after a quick grab for a snack in the kitchen.  It was
only fifteen minutes later that they were at the
Nekohanten.  Nabiki unlocked the leash before banging
on the door of the restaurant angrily.

	"What is the meaning of the noise at this ungodly
hour?" Cologne demanded as she opened the door.

	"What Mercenary-Girl and Pig-Boy doing here?" Shampoo
asked cautiously.  Nabiki and Cologne both caught the
fact that Shampoo was expecting, or dreading perhaps,
some visitors.

	"Perhaps we can discuss this inside?" Cologne
suggested, waving Nabiki and Ryouga inside.  The old
woman glanced at Shampoo, who was doing a good job at
appearing innocent.

	"What is going on?" Mousse asked as he came in from
the storeroom.  "Nabiki Tendo, Ryouga Hibiki, what
brings you here?"

	"I'm  here on behalf of my brother-in-law to be,"
Nabiki said sitting down and examining her nails. 
Ryouga moved to sit down, but stopped as Nabiki glared
at him.  She didn't say anything, but it was quite
obvious that she didn't want him to sit down.

	"Ranma is not mercenary-girl's brother-in-law!"
Shampoo insisted.  "Is Shampoo's ai..."

	"Shampoo, I'm here without Ranma's knowledge," Nabiki
interrupted the amazon.  "I'm not sure what his
reaction to you would be.  I know it wouldn't be
pleasant, however, and I'd like to avoid seeing him in
jail for tearing you limb from limb."  It was
perfectly obvious that Nabiki that such a fate was
much better than the amazon deserved.  Shampoo
blanched and did not respond.  The feeling of dread
gripping Cologne worsened.

	"You have explained your presence, Tendo-san,"
Cologne said from atop her stick.  "What is Ryouga
doing here?"

	"Why, I should think that is obvious, Ryouga is my
protection," Nabiki said.  "Not only is he among the
most powerful of Ranma's acquaintances, but he is also
one of the few people that know about this situation
already."

	"You thought you needed protection?" Cologne narrowed
her eyes in Ryouga's direction, the lost boy waved
nervously.

	"Until your respective reactions I wasn't certain who
was involved," Nabiki explained with a shrug.  "I
still don't know how you will react."

	"And you think he would make a difference?" Cologne
asked.  That stopped Nabiki cold and she thought of
Shampoo's earlier reference to Ryouga as "Pig-Boy."

	~Shit, they know about his curse.  I'm vulnerable,~
Nabiki kept her face composed and shrugged
nonchalantly, bluffing.

	"Let us stop beating around the bush," Cologne
insisted.  "What has Shampoo done to deserve the
son-in-law's hatred."

	"Yesterday she brought him a special bowl of ramen
for his lunch," Nabiki started.  "Of course he ate it,
Ranma will eat nearly anything you put in front of
him.  Soon after eating the ramen he was thrown out of
the building by my sister."  Nabiki paused for
dramatic tension and glared at Shampoo.  "He landed in
the pool.  Do you understand what that means?" 
Shampoo had paled at the mention of the pool but then
stiffened her expression.

	"Shampoo not know what you talking about," the
purple-haired amazon insisted.

	"I'm sure you don't," Nabiki said.

	"What happened to Ranma-san?" Cologne asked,
interrupting Nabiki's goading.  Everybody noticed the
lack of her usual title for Ranma.

	"Ranma is Grandmother son-in-law!" Shampoo insisted,
then backed down when Cologne glared at her.

	"What happened?" Cologne repeated.

	"Shampoo set out to catch a drugged Ran.."

	"Shampoo no need drugs to catch Airen!" Shampoo
protested launching herself at Nabiki.  The amazon was
intercepted mid leap by a yellow blur and tossed
across the room.

	"HIBIKI prepare to die!" Mousse launched a stream of
chains at the lost boy.  Ryouga was almost bored as he
intercepted the projectiles and used them to reel in
the blind martial artist.  Soon Mousse joined Shampoo
in a pile across the room.

	"Not going to help, Cologne?" Nabiki asked calmly,
she idly noted Cologne coming out of the kitchen with
a powder-filled jar.  ~That must be what did it.  I
didn't notice her leave, got to keep a better eye than
that Nabiki.~

	"He seemed to be doing well enough without me,"
Cologne shrugged.  Ryouga smiled and cracked his
knuckles.  "You were saying, and please no dramatics
this time."

	"Ranma was raped by Kuno, and he is now locked in
female form," Nabiki said flatly.  Ryouga whirled to
face Nabiki.

	"He's stuck that way?" Ryouga gasped.  "I didn't know
that."

	"Ranma-san must have a stronger will than I thought,"
Cologne said, shaking her head.  ~The dose that's
missing would have killed a normal person, and he
still fought it down enough that Kuno had to force
him.~

	"Would not happen if kitchen destroyer not interfere
with Shampoo!" the younger amazon insisted as she
stood up, shoving off an unconscious Mousse.

	"What do you plan to do about this?" Nabiki asked,
coolly ignoring Shampoo.

	"Is nothing to do, Ranma is male, and Shampoo Airen,"
Shampoo answered haughtily.  "I do what I want with
him."  Nabiki stood up and walked slowly to look the
purple-haired amazon in the face.

	"Have I ever mentioned how I like those hair
ornaments?" Nabiki asked.  Ryouga nervously followed
behind her, while Cologne watched curiously.

	"What you talking about?" Shampoo demanded.  Nabiki
didn't answer, merely grabbed one of Shampoo's ear
tails and slashed out with the small knife in her
other hand.  Shampoo reached up to feel where her hair
had been cut.  She hadn't expected Nabiki to make an
attack, nor that Nabiki could move with any real
speed.  

        Shampoo fumed for several moments before
shouting "Shampoo kill!" and lunging forward again. 
She should have just attacked, the fuming and shouting
had given Ryouga plenty of warning to intercept the
attack.  Being used to fighting Ranma, Ryouga found
Shampoo incredibly slow, and the amazon could only
glare at Nabiki out of range as her arm was twisted
about in a hold that smashed her to the ground.

	"What do you say Ryouga, will it go well in my box?"
Nabiki asked brandishing the lock of hair.

	"I guess," Ryouga agreed, eager to get off the
subject of the trophy box.

	"I suppose she earned that action," Cologne sighed. 
"I gather that if what I decide is unacceptable that
you will engage your country's law?"

	"That is one option yes," Nabiki admitted, not
indicating whether it was the option she was
considering or not.  "How do you intend on handling
this."

	"Shampoo has failed in her task to acquire Ranma as
husband," Cologne started.

	"Shampoo not fail!  Ranma is Air.."  Shampoo did not
get the chance to finish.  Cologne reached out and
jabbed her in the chest, hard, knocking the amazon off
balance and to the ground.

"Sit down, Shampoo," Cologne ordered.  Shampoo glared
but made no other comment.  "As I was saying, Shampoo
has failed.  She has shown herself completely without
judgment in this matter."  Cologne turned to face
Shampoo.  "Ranma has far too much power to be safely
toyed with in that manner."

	"You're going to punish her because she's an idiot,"
Nabiki spoke slowly, insulted.  "And what is the
punishment for this?"

	"Complete loss of status," Cologne said.  "And the
cat's tongue."

	"Hah!" Shampoo shouted.  "Shampoo no let..." She
stopped and stared down at the spot Cologne had
touched earlier.

	"It is already done," Cologne answered. 

	"Interesting idea," Nabiki said, and glanced up at
Ryouga who swallowed nervously.  "It is acceptable." 
She should stood up and started for the door.

	"Hold a moment, Tendo-san," Cologne said.  "You say
that Ranma's curse is locked?"

	"Yes," Nabiki said, turning her attention back to
Cologne.  I suppose you would know something about
that?"

	"The sex alone would not have locked the curse,"
Cologne said.  "A connected condition would lock the
curse, however."

	"A connected...Ranma's pregnant?" Nabiki shook her
head and had to sit down again as Cologne nodded. 
"So...end the pregnancy and he's fine?"

	"Unless he carries a child to full term," Cologne
said, smiling.  "He will be locked permanently.  The
lock will recover about a month after he gives birth."

	"Terrific, Ranma will just be thrilled to here that,"
Nabiki said snidely.  Ryouga's mind had apparently
short-circuited as he tried to comprehend Ranma as a
mother.  "How can we trust you're telling the truth."

	"Because it is too direct to be a good a lie,"
Cologne said.  "I would not allow myself to be found
out so easily.  And if Ranma were to arrive in
Joketsuzoku a year from now finding out I had lied,
well...the entire village put together wouldn't have
lasted a minute against Saffron."

	"Anything else," Nabiki asked, accepting the
explanation.

	"The normal use of the drug is to treat people with
unhealthy inhibitions, such as Ryouga here," Cologne
said.  She pointed at the boy who was still staring
into space and mumbling.  "Or to enhance the pleasure
of sex, such a large dose as this will have lasting
side effects.  Ranma will be more likely to desire
sexual contact after this."

	"Great, Ranma's horny," Nabiki sighed.  "Anything out
of control?"

	"Considering Ranma's former attitude?" Cologne
laughed.  "It might just bring him up to the high end
of normal."

	"Do I have any other surprises coming, or is that
all?" Nabiki asked.  Cologne tossed a few packets to
Nabiki.  "Instant nannichuan?" Nabiki blinked. 
"What's this for?"

	"Mousse keeps some for when he goes swimming.  I
doubt the clerk's office will look too closely at who
is signing the husband and wife sections of the
marriage license," Cologne explained.  "There is also
an ordering address on the packets."  Nabiki nodded,
but held up the packets again.

	"The marriage only takes one packet," Nabiki noted.

	"I'm going to give you a box," Cologne said.  She
pogo-ed into the store and came back with something
about the size of a bread box  "Mousse can always get
more."

	"And what is the purpose behind this?" Nabiki asked,
already halfway guessing.

	"Ranma has to give birth," Cologne said.  "But it
does not necessarily need to be Kuno's child."  Nabiki
blinked in surprise, she had been thinking along the
same lines, but not quite that far.

	"That is good to know, I'll make sure Akane gets
them," Nabiki said.  "Ryouga, let's go.  I want to get
my knew trophy into my box, besides I want to get some
more sleep before the sun rises."  Nabiki smirked at
the destroyed Amazon as she walked out of the
Nekohanten, Ryouga close behind, even if he was
walking rather wobbily.

	As soon as they were gone Cologne walked over to
Shampoo and poked a sleep point, putting her out
immediately.  A few splashes of water and Cologne was
soon burdened with a cat and a duck.  The matriarch
packed up a few more things, placed the animals in
separate cages and left the Nekohanten without a word.

	The cat's tongue would be removed as soon as Cologne
could fashion a phoenix pill, but there was no reason
to tell Nabiki that.  Besides, that would take Cologne
at least a year, and after that Shampoo would
basically be a servant of the tribe.  She might even
find herself preferring the treatment she'd get as a
cat.

	There was just one thing Cologne had to do before
leaving, and that involved the Tendo dojo.  The old
hag left her bags on the roof and sought out Nabiki's
room.  Cologne quietly entered the room, collected a
small item and left silently as Nabiki opened her
door, coming in from the bathroom.  The middle Tendo
instantly noticed something out of place in her room
and flipped on the lights.

	Her camera was not on her desk as usual.  Nabiki
frowned as she picked up the note in its place.

	"Nice camera. Now matters stand even."  Nabiki
angrily crumpled the note and tossed it in a corner. 
She had put a lot of time and money into customizing
that camera.  It was virtually a part of her, and
Cologne had just come in and snatched it with out any
problem.  Nabiki angrily wished that she had caused
the amazons a little more trouble.

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

	Breakfast was a subdued affair the next morning,
everybody noticed that Genma was missing from the
normal dinner table. Ranma growled as she glanced
around.  She had somewhat been hoping that the panda
would try to "train" her with a heavy sparring
session.  She had looked around for the panda after
Kasumi had told her about Kodachi's visit, feeling
incredibly desirous of hitting something.  She needed
to find out where her level of concentration was, and
Genma would have been safe target. 

	"Let me guess," Ranma said.  "He had an urgent need
to go on a training mission?"

	"I'm certain your father will be back eventually,"
Kasumi said without any real conviction.  Nodoka
refused to comment at all, merely gripping her katana
tightly.  Soun was buried in his paper, but that was
to be expected as well.  Rain or shine, any serious
problem that came up resulted in Soun diving into the
paper or simply shutting off.

	"Do you plan on going to school today," Nodoka asked.
 Ranma and Akane watched her cautiously, keeping an
eye on the sword that was again at her side.  Nodoka
noticed.

	"I was planning to see about skinning a cat
actually," Ranma said quietly.

	"I already took care of that matter," Nabiki yawned
as she walked into the room, rubbing the sleep out of
her eyes.

	"You did what?!" Ranma snapped.  She got to her feet
again and turned to face Nabiki.

	"You might have been hurt, Nabiki," Akane
interrupted.  "Why didn't you ask someone to go with
you?"

	"I wasn't alone," Nabiki shrugged.  "It seems lost
boy overheard some of yesterday's situation and
offered to go as back-up."

	"You, and Ryouga, went to go fight MY battle!" Ranma
was incensed.  "I'm not a weak, helpless g...kid!"
Ranma had a sudden image of herself lashing out at
Nabiki and growled.

	"You want to hurt someone," Nabiki said.  "You want
to really hurt someone, don't you?"

	"What do you know about it?" Ranma snapped angrily. 
Then she remembered the card Akane had given her. 
"Oh...sorry," he continued whispering.  "I guess you
do know about it."

	"Nabiki?" Kasumi turned to her sister in concern, and
Soun dropped his paper a little to look at her as
well.  "Do you have something you need to talk about?"

	"I'll explain later," Nabiki said, cutting off the
inquiry, Kasumi nodded with a look that promised that
she would.

	"Nabiki," Soun demanded.  "Are you saying that you
were...taken advantage of?"

	"Not now Daddy," Nabiki repeated.  "The matter was
handled quite a while ago."

	"But..."

	"Not now, Daddy," Nabiki said icily.  Soun was torn
between further questioning his daughter and returning
to his paper and the world of boring stock quotes that
didn't rewrite the laws of reality every few seconds. 
Since his daughter seemed to be promising terrible
retribution in return for disobeying, he chose the
paper.

        Nabiki turned back to Ranma.  "I spent months
lashing out at you after you got here, so yeah I
understand.  Of course, I don't destroy buildings when
I get mad, you don't have the luxury of lashing out." 


	Ranma thought back to the image he had just had of
attacking Nabiki and shuddered.  Nabiki was right, if
she lashed out people would get hurt, and probably not
the ones she wanted to get hurt.  She should have
learned that lesson with Ryouga's curse.  That had
happened because she had been lashing out without
paying attention.

	"Whatever," Ranma subsided and sat down deflated.

	"That's why you let me handle lashing out for you,"
Nabiki smiled as she sat down at the table.  "At any
rate, Shampoo was inflicted with the cat tongue and a
total loss of status."

	"I hope she falls into a hot spring," Akane muttered,
wrapping on arm around Ranma's shoulder.  Ranma
remembered the feeling of falling into a pool of hot
water while afflicted with the cat's tongue and nodded
in agreement.

	"Did you ask about why my curse is locked?" Ranma
asked.

	"Yess, but I need to say some other things first,"
Nabiki answered, pausing in eating some rice.

	"I'm not going to like it, am I?" Ranma asked.

	"Kodachi came by yesterday," Nabiki said, ignoring
Ranma.  "She brought the Kuno family blade."

	"Nabiki," Akane growled at her sister.

	"She left some sort of message with Kasumi," Nabiki
continued.  "What was it again?"

	"I already told him earlier this morning," Kasumi
said.  "What did they say about the curse?"

	"Oh and the drug Shampoo used is going to make Ranma
a little hornier it sounds like," Nabiki said.  That
got a reaction.

	"WHAT!?!" Akane and Ranma demanded in tandem.  Akane
wasn't especially surprised considering some of
Ranma's recent behavior.

	"For how long?" Ranma asked, choking nervously.

	"It sounded like a semi-permanent effect," Nabiki
said.  "But I wouldn't worry about that, I always
thought you were a little prudish."

	"Nabiki-chan," Nodoka coughed quietly.  "You have yet
to discuss the matter of the lock on my son's curse."

	"Damn," Nabiki sighed as all eyes turned toward her
again.  "Well, the good news is the lock will go
away."

	"What's the bad news?" Akane demanded.

	"He won't have to worry about periods for a while
either," Nabiki added.  Everybody's eyes widened
except Ranma's who was totally clueless as to the
significance.

	"Thank goodness for small favors," Ranma muttered. 
"What's the bad news?"

	"Remember what you said about new hells, Auntie?"
Nabiki asked.

	"Oh dear, this is going to be very bad isn't it,"
Nodoka blinked.

	"WHAT is the BAD news!?" Ranma demanded.

	"You're...expecting," Nabiki said nervously.  "At
least that's what Cologne thought the lock meant, you
should probably get tested a couple months from now to
be sure."

	"Expecting?  What does that mean?" Ranma was trying
to keep from screaming in terror, this conversation
was really scaring him.  Nodoka was trying to keep
from commenting about the silver lining to every storm
cloud.  She wasn't about to cause her son more pain by
celebrating her first grandchild.

	"Ranma, she's saying that you're," Akane hesitated
and then moved to hug Ranma tightly.  Now Ranma was
very scared.  "You might be...pregnant."

	"But, I'm a guy," Ranma protested.  "NO! NO! NO! I'm
a guy! I can't be...NO!! NO! NO!  I can't do anything
about it?"  Nodoka fought the urge to protest against
an abortion.

	"Not unless you want to stay male," Nabiki said. 
"According to Cologne you have to give birth to remove
the lock."  Nodoka quietly released a breath in
relief.

	"Can we trust her?" Akane asked tightly.

	"She made a convincing argument involving Ranma
razing Joketsuzoku," Nabiki commented.  "I don't think
she wants that to happen."

	"Its not fair!! I can't be a mother! Its not fair!! 
I'll kill the bastard!  I'll...I'll..." Ranma stood
up, shaking free of Akane's hug and rushed upstairs. 
Akane stared after her nervously and then followed.

	"Pork bellies are up today," Soun commented.  The
three women in the room glared at him.

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

	Akane found Ranma in the dojo viciously punching at
the training dummy.  The dummy lasted for less than a
second before it was shattered beyond all recognition.

	"Ranma," Akane said quietly, and the redhead started
to run away.  "Ranma, STOP!!"

	"Leave me alone, Akane," Ranma snapped.  "You don't
need...this."  She gestured at herself in disgust.

	"You let me decide what I need, baka," Akane
insisted.  "Besides you need someone right now, and it
might as well be me!"

	"This isn't fair!" Ranma shouted.  "Two days ago
everything was normal...then Shampoo, and...Kuno...Now
this!  I...I'm going to be a mother!!"  Ranma sat down
on the ground and curled into a ball.  "I..I'm not
worth anything!"

	"Don't be a baka," Akane said sitting down next to
him and engaging in the now familiar act of gathering
up the smaller girl in her arms.  "I'd hand over my
life for you."

	"It's not fair," Ranma muttered as the tears started
to flow again.

	"That's always when you're at your best," Akane
whispered back.  They heard a knock several minutes
later and turned around to see Nabiki.

	"Sorry to interrupt," Nabiki said.  "But there is
more, and you might WANT to hear this."  Ranma and
Akane watched Nabiki cautiously.

	"What now?" Ranma asked wearily.

	"Well, Cologne said that you had to give birth, and
then a month after that the curse would unlock,"
Nabiki started the explanation.  "But it doesn't
necessarily have to be Kuno's kid."

	"So I can get an abortion and go screw some other
guy?" Ranma snapped.  "HOPING that I happen to get
pregnant!"

	"What kind of good news is that Nabiki," Akane
shouted.  Nabiki smirked and tossed a few familiar
looking packets to the floor in front of Akane and
Ranma.  "Instant..."

	"...Nannichuan?" Ranma flushed red and looked at
Akane.

	"You aren't suggesting..." Akane's face flushed in
embarrassment as well.

	"It's either that or have Kuno's kid," Nabiki said. 
"Or stay female, your choice."  Ranma and Akane looked
at each other.  "It'll be a while before a test will
prove accurate, and you can't do anything until then
anyway."

	"Too bad we can't get married yet," Ranma sighed.

	"And why not?" Akane huffed.

	"We're both..." Ranma looked down at the packets of
nannichuan and back up at Akane.  "Oh."

	"I'll just talk to Daddy and Saotome-san," Nabiki
smirked.  "I need to go out today anyway."

	"Huh?  Why?" Akane asked, confused.

	"I suddenly need a new camera," Nabiki said
irritably.

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

	"Oh, Ryouga, what are you doing in the laundry room?"
Kasumi was moderately surprised at the lost boy's
presence.

	"Nabiki said not to move," Ryouga explained.

	"Oh, I see," Kasumi paused for a moment.  Apparently
her sister and Ryouga had a relationship.  "Ryouga,
would you know anything about my sister having once
been in a similar situation to Ranma?"

	"Could you ask her yourself," Ryouga said nervously. 
"I don't want to die."

	"Oh my, you have a point, don't you," Kasumi said. 
"So how long have you been dating my sister?"

	"Ihaven'tbeendoinganything!"

	"Oh, I'm certain you are a perfect gentleman with
Nabiki..." Kasumi continued.

	"With NABIKI!?"

	"Ryouga," the lost boy quailed at the sound of
Nabiki's voice.  "What are you telling my sister?"

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

	"Well, Ranma?" Akane asked hesitantly after Nabiki
had left.

	"I want to marry you," Ranma said.  "And if I'm going
to have a kid, we should be married."

	"Obviously, you suggested it," Akane said irritably. 
"What about the other thing."

	"The other thing?" Ranma asked uncomfortably.

	"You know what I'm talking about," Akane said, a
little crossly.

	"I don't know," Ranma shuffled.

	"If you don't want to have sex that way," Akane
sighed.  "I can understand."

	"You'd have to be a guy Akane," Ranma said.

	"Would you rather have my baby, or Kuno's," Akane
asked.  "I think I can handle it."

	"You don't know what you're getting into Akane,"
Ranma said.  "The curse is...wrong."

	"I've been living with you for a year and a half,"
Akane reminded him.  "I have some idea."

	"No...no you don't," Ranma shivered.  "Are you
certain about this, Akane?"

	"It's only a one-time thing, Ranma," Akane said. 
"Well, under control anyway."

	"If you're okay with it," Ranma said.

	"Let's try after we get married," Akane suggested. 
~Then we can see if you're okay with it.~  "If either
of us freaks out, I guess we'll have to skip it."

	"Ohkay, but Akane," Ranma turned to face her.  "Can
we do it like this first?  You as a girl?" Akane
blinked and then nodded, though she'd rather only use
one packet for the whole thing.  No specific reason,
just something that was nagging at her intuition. 
Akane hadn't learned to stop ignoring that kind of
thing yet.

	"I can definitely deal with...," Akane said.  She was
interrupted by Ranma moving onto her lap and kissing
her suddenly.  Akane returned the kiss, and they held
the passionate advice for short time before Ranma
broke off and started crying in Akane's shoulder.

	"I wanted you to be my first and only," Ranma
whispered.

	"I know, Ranma," Akane said.  "I should have seen
before, but I see it now." She stroked Ranma's hair
and patted her back comfortingly.  

	"I'm sorry," she whispered again, cuddling in closer.
 She could care less about "manly" as long as nobody
else were watching.

	"It's not your fault," Akane said firmly.  The
redhead was holding her as if she were terrified that
Akane would just leave.  She glanced out the dojo
nodded.  She waited until Ranma had calmed down a
little before talking again.  "Ranma, if we're getting
married, we should take a bath."

	"Hmm, yeah, right," Ranma said, standing up.  Akane
stood up next to her and started to walk towards the
bathroom, before she noticed Ranma wasn't following.

	"I said WE should take a bath, Ranma," she said,
arching her eyebrow.

	"Well, tell me when you're fin..." she started
blushing furiously.  "Oh, yeah."  She gave a weak
smile and followed behind Akane.

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

	Nodoka passed a three way discussion between Nabiki,
Kasumi and Ryouga, meaning that Ryouga happened to be
in the same area and every once in a while he would be
used as a point of reference.  The boy didn't seem too
happy though. Nodoka looked at the conversation for a
moment before deciding to head on past to her original
destination.

	The matriarch wearily reached for the door to the
bath, and stopped as she heard noises coming from the
bath.  The sounds held, perhaps, a character of
hesitation or caution, but that was diminishing.  It
also in no way hid what was going on in the bath at
the moment, even if they were trying to be quiet about
it.

	Nodoka took a moment to decide how she felt about
this.

	~I'm certainly glad my son obviously doesn't seem too
nervous about sex after yesterday.~  Nodoka glanced
back down the hallway.  ~And that is supposed to be
every man's fantasy, this is manly I suppose.  I may
have to reconsider the meaning of man if I am to
maintain both my son and my sanity.  I wonder what
Kasumi-chan and Nabiki-chan were talking about.~ 
Nodoka walked back towards the laundry room.

	"...is not the time to be talking about me," Nabiki
was saying.  "I'm more or less fine."

	"How could you hide such things from your family,"
Kasumi sighed.  She looked at Ryouga.  "At least you
confided in someone."

	"I wouldn't calling confiding," Ryouga muttered.

	"I didn't want to upset you," Nabiki said.  "I wasn't
certain how you'd take it anyway.  There might have
been some misunderstandings."

	"How could I misunderstand that?" Kasumi asked
kindly.

	"It wasn't the same as what happened to Ranma,"
Nabiki said.  "I WILL explain LATER."

	"Hey, Mrs. Saotome," Ryouga waved, from where he was
sitting.  Kasumi and Nabiki glanced away from each
other and mutually decided to drop the original
subject.

	"Auntie Saotome, I thought you were going to take a
bath," Kasumi blinked.

	"The bath is...in use," Nodoka said smiling and a
little embarrassed.

	"Oh, I see," Kasumi blinked.  ~I wonder who it could
be.~

	~That was fast,~ Nabiki thought, coming to the proper
conclusion based on Nodoka's reaction.  "I need to
talk to you anyway."

	"Oh, what do you wish to ask Nabiki-chan?"

	"Don't you think we should go somewhere we won't give
some a death by nosebleed...or heart attack?" Nabiki
glanced at Ryouga meaningfully.  Nodoka and Kasumi
nodded in agreement, Nabiki turned to the lost boy and
pointed.  "Stay."

	"What is it that you wish to talk about,
Nabiki-chan?"

	"You might not like this," Nabiki warned as she went
into her plan for Ranma and Akane's marriage.  She
wondered briefly whether she should edit out the
suggestion that Akane get Ranma pregnant, but decided
it would be better with her spin doctoring than if
Nodoka discovered it on her own later.  

        "First of all, we'll have to get Akane and
Ranma married quickly," Nabiki suggested calmly.

	"I certainly agree," Nodoka nodded.  "But that is
impossible while they are both girls."

	"We have some magic on hand that can help with that,"
Nabiki smirked.  "Instant nannichuan."

	"Oh my," Kasumi gasped.  "Are you certain about how
Akane would take that suggestion."

	"Already talked to her," Nabiki assured Kasumi.

	"What is instant nannichuan?" Nodoka asked.

	"It is a one-shot version of a Jusenkyo curse,"
Nabiki explained.  "Akane can be a guy for a time, and
who's going to pay attention as to which of them signs
which part of the marriage license?"

	"That is an...interesting...solution," Nodoka sighed.

	"It gets more interesting," Nabiki said
uncomfortably.

	"How is that, Nabiki-chan?" Nodoka asked, levelly. 
Nabiki noticed Kasumi also watching her expectantly.

	"Well, Ranma might not be pregnant," Nabiki was about
to continue, but was interrupted.

	"Then why tell him he is?" Kasumi asked.  "That
certainly wasn't kind."

	"Well, because the cure for the lock would STILL be
to have a kid," Nabiki said.  "And I thought it might
soften the blow if he thought it was already a fact."

	"But if he is not pregnant then wouldn't that mean he
is stuck unless," Kasumi's eyes widened.

	"We have a lot of instant nannichuan," Nabiki said in
embarrassment.  "And yes I already talked to both of
them."

	~Oh yes, I definitely have to rework that promise,~
Nodoka thought to herself after Nabiki was finished.

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

	Akane looked at her male body in the mirror.  He was,
too put it bluntly, a hunk, but that wasn't too
comforting.  Ranma was right, he really had, had no
idea what being in the wrong body was like. 
Everything was wrong, he was too tall, too big.  Then
there were those different parts, it was just wrong. 
It was the only word that fit.  Wrong.

	It wasn't intolerable though, he glanced at where
Ranma had fallen asleep on their bed.  That was an
interesting shift of reference.  Their bed.  At least
that was past, he knew he could have sex with Ranma
like that.  More importantly, Ranma had not freaked
out.

        Akane stood up and walked out into the hall. 
He might be willing to be a guy for Ranma, but he'd
rather be a girl.  Plus she thought Ranma might
overact upon finding himself in bed with a guy when
she woke up.  He was relieved that Ranma had
accidentally woken her up after the both of them had
fallen asleep in the afterglow.

	"We can have our child, Ranma," Akane said.  "And put
this all behind us.  Whether you get back to male form
or not, I'll always be there."  Akane returned, female
again, and worked her way back into the bed.  She was
surprised when Ranma turned around to face her.

	"I thought you were asleep," Akane said in surprise.

	"Akane, I think I know what to do about Kuno," Ranma
said.

	"Are you going to tell the police?" Akane asked. 
Ranma shook her head and circled her arms around
Akane's head.

	"I want a duel," Ranma said. "I'll explain later."

	"If you didn't want to explain now, why did you..."
she could almost feel the blush in the darkness. 
Akane sighed.  "Nabiki was right about you being
horny."

	"Well, you don't have to," Ranma said.  "You never
have to."  Akane laughed quietly and then stopped
Ranma from going any further with a kiss.

	"We're married, we're supposed to do this," she
whispered.  There were no words after that.

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

	Ukyou watched Ranma and Akane sitting next to each
other and growled.  Ranma didn't usually sit that
close to anybody, neither did Akane for that matter. 
They weren't precisely hanging all over each other,
just quietly setting next to each other.

	With the information Nabiki had given, she had
assumed that Ranma had been dragged into another
adventure, and that Akane had gone off to help him. 
Sure they'd be closer after that, but that much
closer?  It was hard to believe.  Ukyou had held back
to observing them most of the day and waiting for them
to get into a fight was driving her crazy.

	~Damn it, enough of this crap,~ Ukyou thought.  Ukyou
quickly dismantled her portable grill and marched
towards Ranma and Akane.  The pair looked up at her
cautiously as she approached.  Ukyou noted Akane's
hand reach out and grab Ranma's with a supporting
squeeze.  ~That's not a good sign.~

	"Ukyou?" Ranma asked nervously as she sat down. 
Ukyou glanced at him in concern.  She had expected
some level of sarcasm, maybe suspicion, Ranma got
paranoid after returning from adventures.  She didn't
know of any reason for Ranma to be nervous around her.
 None that she would expect.

	"How have you been?" Akane asked cautiously.  Ukyou
didn't miss her leaning protectively closer to Ranma. 
Now she was even more confused.  Akane didn't normally
protect Ranma so obviously.

	"You two are both acting weird," Ukyou said simply,
sitting down.  "I want to know what's been going on."
~Besides eating alone is boring.~

	"I'm not sure we want to talk about it," Akane
commented, keeping the focus off Ranma specifically. 
The effect, unfortunately, made Ukyou more curious.

	~Akane hardly ever says 'we' in reference to her and
Ranma!~ Ukyou thought.

	"We'd have to talk to her eventually," Ranma
muttered, looking down at the ground.  Akane glanced
at him and nodded reluctantly.

	"Ranma, you shouldn't be hiding things from me,"
Ukyou said, a little more nervous than she intended. 
"Its not a good start."

	"Ukyou," Ranma shuffled a bit, trying to think of how
to put what he had to say.  Akane arched an eyebrow
and visibly swallowed her jealousy.  She slipped an
arm around Ranma's shoulders and squeezed him
comfortingly.  

	"HEY!  He's MY fiancee!" Ukyou snapped, standing up
and glaring down at Akane.  She didn't notice Ranma
flinch, being focused on Akane.

	"Like hell he is!" Akane snapped, anger getting the
better of her for a moment.  She rose to get into
Ukyou's face glaring back.

	"Stop it!" Ranma shouted.  She snapped her mouth
shut, getting to her feet and turning away from the
both of them.  Ukyou just stared in surprise as Ranma
started to run.  Akane immediately calmed down and
embraced Ranma from behind.  "I don't want to be a
prize ag..."

	"I'm know," Akane whispered.  "I'll try not to lose
my temper again."  Ukyou shook her head clear of
confusion at the alien sight before her.

	"What's going on here?" Ukyou shouted.  Her hands
were twitching to hold the spatula strapped to her
back.  Ranma took a deep breath and calmed down, long
enough to see the crowd starting to form around them.

	"Uh...can we talk about this later, Ukyou?" Ranma
asked nervously.  Ukyou looked about and growled.

	~Hell no, I want answers now!~  She glanced up.  "The
roof's clear."

	"I can't get up there," Akane said, looking at Ranma.
 The redhead sighed in relief.

	~Oh no! I'm not letting you off that easy.~ Ukyou
turned Akane and offered very graciously, it was
supposed to be gracious anyway.  "I can give you a
ride."  It came out through gritted teeth.

	"That's okay, Ukyou," Ranma sighed.  "I got it. 
Akane?"  Akane nodded, glaring at Ukyou.  In the next
moments they were on the roof to the disappointment of
the students below.

        "Okay, what's up you two?" Ukyou demanded
after scanning the roof for onlookers.  Akane was
still glaring at her, it wasn't that normal jealous
glare though.  Ukyou wasn't certain what it was, yet. 


        The black-haired girl was being in general
more protective, at the moment she was standing
between Ranma and Ukyou.  Ukyou looked at their hands
still clasped, almost unconsciously and growled.  If
she could decide just who she wanted to spatula more
she could have done more than just growl and try to
keep her fingers from twitching.

	"Me and Akane..." Ranma paused while Ukyou's eyes
started to widen.  "umm...got married."  Akane blinked
in surprise, she had expected Ranma to dither a little
longer.

	"Just like that?  You can even SAY it just like
that!" Ukyou shouted in shock.  "Wait a minute, they
have to be forcing you!  You two just CAN'T be married
voluntarily!  Well, its no problem, we can get it
absolved right..." Ukyou watched as Akane and Ranma
just stood and shuffled uncomfortably.  "You do want
it absolved.  Don't you?"

	"No," Ranma said firmly.

	"I don't want one either," Akane said.  Ukyou turned
away from them choking down the tears.  She turned
angrily back to the two of them.

        ~There's something else going on here,~ she
thought.  It was the only reason Akane would be so
protective.  As soon as she found what was going on
she could get Ranma out of the situation.  "Are you
going to give me the 'let's be friends' speech now?"
she asked flatly.

	"Well, yeah," Ranma said.

        "You know the girl is supposed to give that
speech...but then, look at us."  Ukyou gestured at her
boys uniform and Ranma's girlish form.  "Is that why
you're a girl, can't ruin the clich� moment?"

	"Ukyou," Ranma started.  Ukyou didn't let her get
started.

	"Careful, Ranchan," she snapped angrily, standing up.
 "Spend too much time as a girl and you'll be having
to fight the guys off too."  Ukyou was stopped from
leaving when Akane slapped her.  "Watch it, sugar."

	"Don't even joke about that!" Akane snapped.  Ukyou
looked between the furious Akane and where Ranma had
curled into herself and was investigating the ground
closely.  Ukyou frowned and felt concern overwhelming
her anger again.

	"Why shouldn't I?" Ukyou asked hesitantly, suddenly
confused and scared again.  Akane cursed silently to
herself.

        "I...something already happened," Ranma said
quietly, he still hadn't actually outright told anyone
outside Akane yet.  Ukyou blinked as Akane sat down
and started comforting Ranma, working in glares at the
chef at some points.

	"Something..." Ukyou considered her jibe, and gasped.
 She walked around Akane and leaned down to look into
Ranma's face.  "The 'something' I'm thinking of?" 
Ranma looked at Akane.

	"You don't have to say anything, Ranma," Akane
insisted, then looked at Ukyou half angrily, half
pleading.  Ranma sighed and turned back to Ukyou as
well.

	"I lost...a fight," Ranma said, glancing down and
shifting his posture noticeably.  Ukyou looked over
him a moment and then narrowed her eyes.

	"Who was it?" Ukyou asked quietly.  Ranma hesitated a
long moment.

	"Kuno," she answered finally.

	"Kuno!?" Ukyou gasped.  "How could he.."  She clamped
her mouth shut and slapped her hand over it.  Akane
was glaring at her, and Ranma had winced when she had
started that comment.

	"I was drugged," Ranma said quietly.  "I couldn't
fight."

	"Shampoo," Ukyou narrowed her eyes, remembering the
last time she had seen Ranma.  Ukyou wasn't certain
what to do.  Part of her wanted to reach out and hug
her friend, but mostly she just wanted to go out and
kill a couple of people.  Comforting was a feminine
response, and something she was still a little unused
to.  Vengeance, pounding and slicing she understood
very well.

	"Nabiki took care of that," Akane said, slipping her
arm around Ranma.  Ukyou narrowed her eyes, Konatsu
had told her that the Nekohanten was abandoned.  Now
she knew why, but Kuno was still in reach.  Something
else occurred to Ukyou then.

	"You're stuck as a girl," Ukyou said, she couldn't
see any other reason for her to remain a girl
after...that.  Ranma nodded, and Akane gave her
another look that clearly stated "go away and leave
him alone."

	"There might be a cure though," Ranma muttered. 
Ranma and Akane both blushed and fidgeted nervously. 
Ukyou straightened her back and arched an eyebrow.

	"And what does this cure need?" Ukyou asked.  Ranma
didn't want to do this.  Even setting aside from how
she felt about the problem, it was a lot like shoving
Akane in Ukyou's face.

	"If I err...have a kid," Ranma said.  "I might be
able to go back to normal."  She edited out the fact
that exact reason she had been locked.

	"Have a kid?" Ukyou stared at him blankly.  "How do
you plan on that?"

	"We, uh, have some packets of instant nannichuan,"
Akane said.  "It's like a one-shot drowned man curse."

	"What can you do with..." Ukyou's eyes widened as the
explanation hit her.  "You and him, as..." Ukyou's eye
started to twitch as the mental image hit her.  Ukyou
thought for a moment, she couldn't do that.  Acting
like a guy was one thing, actually being one was
something else.  She glanced at Akane and grudgingly
admitted defeat in her expression.

	"Ucchan?" Ranma's asked, concerned.  "Are you okay?" 
Ukyou laughed bitter but amused.

	"Am I okay?  Ranchan, you don't have to worry about
me," Ukyou said.  She shook her head and looked at
Akane.  "Take care of him, sugar, I'll be watching
you."

	"Just as long as that's all you do," Akane hmphed.

	"If you two need any help just ask," Ukyou said.  She
shook her head again and waved before walking off.

	"Thanks, Ucchan," Ranma said to the leaving chef.  A
few feet away Ukyou's face hardened.

	"Kuno," she growled and started to wander off the
school grounds.  This was hardly unusual she had her
business and she often spent only half days at school.
 The chef shook her head again and smacked the heel of
her palm to her forehead.  "I can't stop picturing
that now!"  She didn't comment that at least the
irritating image of Akane and Ranma together was
keeping out the image of Kuno and Ranma.

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

	Ukyou stood in the empty husk of the Nekohanten and
glanced about.  She had known, of course, that nobody
was there.  She felt like making sure, just in case
they had returned for something.  Besides a little
property damage would put her in a wonderful mood to
face Kuno.

	The first thing she did was search the building.  She
found quite a lot of food left behind, of course. 
Along with plates, bowls, chopsticks and other such
necessities of a restaurant.

	Walking through the storeroom she came across
Mousse's things.  At least she assumed they belonged
to Mousse.  Neither Shampoo, nor Cologne used weapons
like chains, and neither of them would have so many
spare glasses.  Ukyou shrugged and started digging
through the items.

	The first items of interest she found were two boxes
of instant nannichuan packets.  She set those aside
after another mental image of Akane and Ranma together
as the wrong genders flashed through her head.

	"I'll make sure they get those," she muttered.  She
didn't find anything else interesting until she had
dug through a ridiculous amount of stuff.  

        Ukyou looked at the pile of junk she had
excavated, and then looked at the box she had pulled
it out of.  She picked up the box, looked underneath
it and then set it back down and looked inside again.

	"How does he do this?" Ukyou asked as she picked up
the item that had attracted her attention.  She
thought it was more instant nannichuan at first, but
caught a closer look as she was setting it aside. 
"Instant Jusenkyo, assorted curses."  She held the box
for a moment and then set it aside with the two boxes
of nannichuan.  She glanced at the huge pile of junk
again.

	"Maybe he has a scroll in here somewhere that
explains how to do this," Ukyou commented.  She
continued searching through the box for another
fifteen minutes before finally hitting the bottom of
the box, with nothing else more interesting than a
yo-yo.  "Guess not."

	The chef walked back out into the main room and set
the three boxes of Jusenkyo products to the side and
out of the way before hefting her spatula.  Ukyou
glanced around and reminded herself that she couldn't
survive the ceiling falling down on her like some
people she knew.  Well she could, but she wouldn't be
feeling very well.  Then she got started on some urban
renewal.

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

	Kodachi was gratified that their father usually
avoided the estate.  She did not want to deal with him
at the moment.  Not that it would matter, the title of
clan head had passed to her quite a while ago.  There
was nothing he could really do to contradict her.

        At the time she had been hoping it would prove
to be a more difficult achievement.  Unfortunately her
father and brother had failed to recognize a cunning
plot even when it was shoved under their nose.  Quite
literally.

	Kodachi's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of
footfalls behind her.  She took a breath and turned
around to face whomever was behind her.  She was
moderately surprised to find herself facing a gigantic
spatula.  Kodachi was very used to ambushes, it's just
that she wasn't used to being on the wrong side of the
ambush.

	"Kuonji-san, shouldn't you be in school?" Kodachi
asked calmly.  "You certainly do not have any status
or inheritance to fall back on."

	"Where's your brother," Ukyou snapped.

	"You are looking for my dear only brother," Kodachi
said, sneering.  "I see."

	"Just show me where he is," Ukyou growled.  "Or do I
have ta beat it out of ya."

	"I do not think that I'll do that," Kodachi insisted.

	"And why not?"  Ukyou shifted the grip on her spatula
and stepped forward.  "You KNOW what he did, don't
you?  Or did you think he finally won over the
'pig-tailed girl'."

	"I saw..." Kodachi said.  "And I do know about
Ranma-san's...situation.  I wanted to kill Tatewaki
myself."  She backed away from Ukyou and edged her
hand closer to the gymnast's ribbon in her robes.

	"Bullshit," Ukyou snapped.  "Why didn't you?"

	"I am saving that pleasure for Ranma," Kodachi told
her.  "Do you really want to steal that from him?" 
Ukyou angrily replaced her spatula and growled. 
Kodachi relaxed away from her ribbon as well.

	"If you try to smuggle him away..." Ukyou said.  "I
found Ranma, and he's a lot a harder to track than
your brother will be."

	"I do understand your position," Kodachi said.  "But
I can not allow a peasant to threaten the Kuno clan. 
Do not take this route again, or I shall retaliate." 

	"Okay, I'm scared now." Ukyou rolled her eyes.  "What
are you going to do, laugh at me?"

	"I am not in a particularly amused mood," Kodachi
said slowly.  "Good-day Kuonji-san, I'm certain you
have business to attend to elsewhere."  Kodachi turned
her back on Ukyou and started walking away.  Ukyou
paused a moment, deciding whether or not to take the
insult and cream Kodachi.

	~Not worth it,~ she thought before leaving.  "I'll
just keep my eyes open."  She was almost out of the
room when the phone rang.  Ukyou quietly padded
towards the sound and listened as Kodachi picked it
up.

	"R..Ranma-san?" Kodachi said.  "Why would you
want...ah I see...he can be ready two weeks from now. 
Can you?  Yes I can keep him under control.  Where do
you want to fight?  I can find the place.  Anything
else?  Yes, I can do that as well...I was already
planning on it.  Ranma? Is it possible that you and I
might remain friends?  I'm not brave enough to live
your life Ranma-san, you have no worries about my
pursuing you.  The Kuno clan remains forever at your
service and the service of your family.  Good day." 
Kodachi hung up the phone and sat down, not noticing
Ukyou.  "I shall have to find this place so that I
don't get lost on the fight."

	"Lead the way, sugar," Ukyou said as she padded out
of the estate finally.  "I'll have to have Konatsu
keep an eye on her."

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

	"Ranma, are you certain about this?" Akane asked her.
 Ranma looked across the clearing where Tatewaki Kuno
was sitting with his typical arrogance.  Kodachi stood
behind him maintaining an inscrutable expression that
sometimes broke into disgust whenever she happened to
look at her brother.

	"No, but I have to do it," Ranma said.  She hefted
the Kuno blade in its sheath and stepped forward.

	"So did he say anything about how he's going to fight
this," Nabiki asked.

	"Yes," Akane said nodding and keeping a firm eye on
Ranma.

	"You aren't going to elaborate are you?" Nabiki said
irritably and turned her attention back to Ranma and
Kuno.

	"Ah my pig-tailed goddess returns bearing my family's
honor," Kuno proved himself completely idiotic. 
"Truly the spell must be broken and must be ready to
join the house of Kuno.  Despite my sister's
interference.  Still I was told that that cretinous
Saotome would be here today."

	"Didja do it?" Ranma asked, trying to keep herself
from just rushing at Kuno and killing him there.

	"It is done," Kodachi nodded.  "There is no longer a
Tatewaki on the Kuno register."

	"What is this!?" Kuno demanded.  "You dare to presume
authority to declare me ronin!  I shall have to teach
you your place, dear sister!"

	"If you survive, you may try," Kodachi said.

	"What do you mean by that, sister?" the no-longer
Kuno asked.

	"She means me, Kuno," Ranma snarled, the red head
tossed the sword to Kodachi.  "I'm here to challenge
you."

	"Towards what end, my goddess," Tatewaki asked,
confused, glaring at his sister who was holding the
family sword.  "We have already proven and consummated
our love."  Ranma flinched and looked down at the
ground clenching her fist.  There was no hesitation
about this, she knew she could pound the bastard
without problem.  Even in the unlikely chance that she
should lose, Kodachi and Akane would step in.  What
Ranma wanted was to achieve the soul of ice again. 

	~This won't work if I just beat his head in,~ Ranma
thought to herself.  ~I need my control back.  If can
keep it facing this bastard, I keep it anywhere.~

	The redhead shifted into a defensive stance and faced
Tatewaki, face pale with anger and remembered
helplessness.  She took a long breath and cricked her
neck.

	"Didn't you hear me say I didn't want to?" Ranma
growled, already knowing the answer.

	"Obviously Saotome had cast a spell on you to delude
you as to your true desires," Tatewaki insisted. 
"Perhaps that spell has been recast, or else my
sister's interference prevented its removal.  Never
fear, pig-tailed girl, I shall endeavor to free you
again!"

	"There was no spell, bastard, and I wouldn't cast a
spell on myself anyway," Ranma snapped.  "And there is
no way I'll let you...beat me again.  The only one who
touches me like that is Akane!"

	"Congratulations, Tatewaki," Kodachi snickered.  "You
drove the poor girl to be a lesbian."

	"Nay, this is but another enchantment of Saotome's,"
the swordsman declared.  "I know how to deal with such
curses, Kodachi, my blade!"  The gymnast glanced at
the furious Ranma, who nodded tightly, then tossed her
former-brother a bokken.

	"Let's get this going, there aren't any drugs this
time, bakayarou," Ranma snapped.

	"Fine then, have at you!" The swordsman lunged
forward and was surprised when his foe backpedaled,
rather than attack.  He followed, attacking as he
went, it was like fighting a mist.

	"Is that a spiral?" Nabiki asked, trying to get a
better look at the fight.

	"Ranma wants to retrain in the Hiryu Shoten Ha,"
Akane explained.  "He insisted in doing it this way." 
She didn't sound like she thought it was a good idea.

        "Ha, see this Saotome, my love can not bear to
harm me!"  

        "LIKE HELL!!" Ranma growled and launched
forward.  In a flash of motion, Tatewaki was tossed
across the field into a tree.  ~NO damn it!! You let
him frazzle you!  Get back in the spiral!~ Ranma
snapped to herself.  "Even if I liked guys I wouldn't
want a delusional ra...jerk like you."

	"Indeed, it must be a strong spell that holds you,"
Tatewaki groaned as he stood up.  "But I shall free
you yet."

	The duel started again and Ranma almost instantly
entered the spiral again.  The swordsman was flying
again before they could hit the center.  This pattern
was repeated several times, though they kept getting
closer to the center of the spiral.

	"If this keeps up, Ku...I mean Tatewaki," Nabiki
smirked.  "Will be dead before Ranma can get it off."

	"This isn't funny, Nabiki," Akane snapped.

	"I didn't say it was," Nabiki noted.

	~He can't beat you.  He'll never do that again.  You
can kill him any time you choose,~ Ranma repeated to
herself.  ~So forget him and get in the spiral, and
stay in it or you'll never be able to trust yourself
in a fight again!~  She started the first steps of the
spiral again.  ~Akane loves you.~  At that last bit of
self-lecturing she felt a lot of fear fall away.

	"There he goes again," Nabiki said, she noticed Akane
release her breath at the new spiral.  "What?"  Akane
smiled at her.

	"He's got it this time," she said.  "Before it was
just the spiral.  This time he's got the soul of ice."

	The anger didn't go away, but it wasn't slipping the
reins anymore.  Ranma was in control, and the control
was getting stronger.  Kuno was burning strongly, with
what Ranma didn't let herself identify, and Ranma was
cold.  The spiral went unbroken to the end, and the
result was inevitable.

	"HIRYU SHOTEN HA!!" The tornado lifted the ronin into
the sky for nearly a minute before dissipating. 
Tatewaki continued to go up for several more seconds
before dropping to the ground.  As the kendoist was in
uncontrolled flight, Ranma walked over and picked up a
pebble.

	"That was an...impressive attack," Kodachi said,
swallowing as she watched her former brother.

	"I take it you've never seen the Hiryu Shoten Ha
before?" Nabiki drawled as she walked over to join the
gymnast in staring up at Tatewaki.

	"What are you doing Ranma?" Akane asked, as she
watched the pebble start to glow in the redhead's
fingers.

	"Making sure he never does that to anyone again,"
Ranma growled as a large thud announced his opponent's
return to Earth.  

        Ranma stomped over and looked down at him
unconscious.  Ranma already knew she could kill him
easily, and the bastard already probably had more than
a few cracked bones from that fall.  She had something
else in mind.  The redhead girl kicked him over and
applied the glowing hot pebble to Tatewaki's back.

	"Now he's gonna know what its like being at
everyone's mercy," Ranma muttered.  "I kinda hoped
he'd wake up so I could explain it to him."  Akane
walked over next to Ranma and looked down.

	"Is that the strength-sapping moxibustion?" Akane
asked.  "Are you sure that will hold?"

	"The only people who know the cure wouldn't help,"
Ranma snorted.

	"Who would help a ronin," Kodachi asked, seriously. 
"But I am surprised you did not simply kill my
brother, what is this moxibustion you used?"

	"It makes him weaker than a baby," Nabiki explained. 
She nodded in agreement with the decision, this would
cause Tatewaki infinitely more pain than simple death.

	"My, isn't that amusing." Kodachi smirked.

	"I ain't gonna be like him," Ranma declared. She
turned away from the comatose boy.  "Let's go back to
town."  She looked at Akane and leaned against the
taller girl, and circling her arms around Akane.

	"Yeah, let's go home," Akane smiled, hugging Ranma in
return.

	"Yes, I've had my fill of the filth around here,"
Kodachi remarked.  Nabiki held back a moment and
picked up the bokken from where it had fallen.

	~Now I have to make it fit in the box.~  She started
planning.

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

	Tatewaki woke slowly and to a large amount of pain. 
He took a brief moment to remember what had happened. 
Yes, he had been fighting one of his loves again.  The
beautiful pig-tailed girl had, under the influence of
Saotome's magic, accused him of rape and then was
forced to turn her virtuous power against her true
love.  His sister must also be enspelled, how could
she possibly think that she had the authority to
remove him from the clan.

	Tatewaki sat up and shook his head clear of the last
of the knockout fog.  It was just turning evening, so
he must have been unconscious for a while.  His
goddess certainly had a strong attack.  He felt like
he had been buffeted by a storm.  Tatewaki was
beginning to catalogue his injuries, starting with the
annoying burning sensation on his back, when he was
made aware that he was not alone.

	"Hey, you're awake," Ukyou Kuonji sat on a rock
staring at him and holding what looked like was a
canteen in her hand.  "Good."

	"Are you not another of Ra..." the rest of his
sentence vanished as his body shrunk down ever smaller
into something not nearly human.  Ukyou walked over
and snatched up the little mouse.

	"Like your new body, pervert?" Ukyou asked.  The
mouse squeaked angrily.  "It�s a Jusenkyo curse,
idiot.  Something like this transforms Ranma into a
girl.  That girl."  The mouse looked down at its body
and after a long time shook its head in disbelief. 
Ukyou growled.  

        "You really are an idiot, aren't you? 
Goodbye, pervert.  Have fun in the woods."  She tossed
the mouse back into the fields.  She glanced up into
the trees and smirked.  "That's a pretty owl."




Final Note: A continuation is in the works...


=====
"Caffeinated Kender?  What's that, a berserk spell?" - 
Tribble, Kender Warrior of the Celestial Kingdom

"God has to have a sense of humor, it's the only explanation for sex." - my father

http://members.aol.com/thrythlind/snake.html

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