Ranma's Punishment or is it?
Chapter 1: Don't Anger the Master
A/N: This is my first fanfiction, and I have no clue if anyone of you will enjoy it. I have a few more chapters written as well, and I will post them once I read through them more. I read over this one probably over ten times before I felt that it was ready. If there are any grammar or spelling mistakes I deeply apologize. Also, I am not Japanese I am American, so if I got some of the Japanese sayings wrong or if I used them wrong I also apologize. The only knowledge I have of Japanese is from watching Anime's and reading other people's fanfiction. I took a lot of inspiration from a lot of works on this site like Genma's Daughter (ClassicalGal), Ranma's boyfriend/Ryoga's girlfriend/Nodoka's son (DaisukiFox), Tabula Rasa (Rivyn Daniel), and many, many more.
Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ in any way shape or form, and I am not trying to use this to make any money. Ranma ½ is owned by Rumiko Takahashi and not by me.
The sky was clear and the sun was shining brightly. The air outside was cold though with it being near the end of Winter, and that made the Tendo home that much more warm and inviting. It was a quiet and uneventful day at the Tendo Residence. Tendo Kasumi and Saotome Nodoka had already started to prepare the sandwiches for Lunch and were starting to make plans for what they were going to make for dinner.
Nabiki was in here room counting a large number of earnings from her latest extortionist act of selling photos of the so-called Pig-Tailed Goddess and Tendo Akane to one Tatewaki Kuno. Soun and Genma were sitting at the Shogi board with intense focus. Not that they were focusing on the game itself. They were just trying to find ways to distract each other and cheat. Akane was in her room trying to study but was also calming down her anger from one of Ranma's fiancées glomping on him. That was when she sent Ranma sailing into the sky. 'Serves the pervert right for letting Shampoo do that again!' Akane thought to herself.
"Sometimes I wish he could have been that girl that I met when he first arrived, shy, smiling, fun, and didn't seem to want anything to do with any fiancées." Akane mumbled to herself as she continued studying.
Happosai was in his room sorting through his sweet darlings as he so called them ironing, straitening, and categorizing through them all. This was probably the happiest the old Master had ever been. 'What a haul this last trip was the best one of the century! This calls for a celebration! I think I might just bring out my most prized possession' Happosai thought to himself.
Happosai Jumped to the corner of his dark and dust-filled room. He began looking around for anyone intruding on this private affair of his before slowly pulling up one of the floorboards, and reaching into the dry dusty hole that he had made a long, long time ago. He stretched his arm in the hole and pulled out a small delicate looking golden chest. It was only about the size of a shoe box, but if anyone could see the gleam in his eyes and the smile on his old wrinkly lips you could tell this item was his most treasured possession.
"Sweeto! I haven't looked at you for ages my darling! Oh, how I have missed you so." Happosai said as a small happy tear of joy ran down from his eye.
Happosai slowly opened the chest as a blinding golden light poured out from the inside revealing a golden pair of panties with white lace. He was frozen where he was just staring at his most prized possession holding them up in front of himself with wide eyes.
You could say that all was well in the Tendo home, but one character has yet to make an entrance. As he was still in the air from Akane's latest rage driven mallet attack that threw him straight into the stratosphere. But, all things that go up must come down.
"Man, I must 'a really gotten Kane' mad at me this time I don't think I've ever made it this high before. Stupid Un-Cute Tomboy!" Ranma said as he was falling straight down towards the Tendo residence.
There was instantly a load crash and rumbling sounds that shook the entire house all the way from the foundation to the top of the attic. The noise and the rumble that made the whole house tremble got everyone's attention straight away.
Nodoka and Kasumi instantly stopped their humming and meal preparations in the kitchen as they heard the loud crash from Happosai's room and turned their heads towards that direction. Soun and Genma had no choice to set aside their game of shogi and look towards their masters living quarters. As the pieces of their game of shogi had been thrown around during the rumbled that shook the entire house. Nabiki's money had also been sent tumbling off her desk and onto the floor from the sheer crash as well.
'I wonder what that old lecherous freak has gotten himself into this time.' Nabiki Thought to herself while turning her head away from her portfolio and earnings. She slowly rose from her chair to poke her head out of the doorway towards the location of the old Master's room.
Akane had been deep in thought and was working on her math homework when the explosion made her lose her focus. 'What is wrong with people can't we just have one day without something strange and crazy happening it's been nice so far today... well besides Ranma and Shampoo.' Akane thought as she rose from her desk and poked her head out of the doorway almost mimicking her older sister Nabiki.
"Owe that's smarts!" Ranma said as he was picking himself up off the floor only to see he was rising just in front of Happosai who was holding some sort of ripped in half golden lacy monstrosity.
"RANMAAAAAA!" Happosai screamed as he held up the pair of ripped golden panties that was his most valuable possession. "You have done it now, Boy! I am going to make your life a living hell from now on!"
"Oh, yeah whatever ya Old Freak! ya always say stuff like that I'm leavin'." Ranma said ignoring the tears and cries of anguish from the lecherous old Master.
"Just you wait inconsiderate whelp I'll be back to make you pay! You have no right to practice the art as far as I'm concerned, and you will be punished for what you have done to my sweet darling!" Happosai exclaimed in a bout of rage bounding out of the hole Ranma made in the roof.
"Humph, the old freak seems really ticked off this time usually he would 'a just started chasing me then threw me into orbit." Ranma said to himself as he started to leave Happosai's room.
"What did you do this time Saotome, seems like you really made the Old Creep angry?" Nabiki asked with an I want answers look plastered over her usual stern ice queen face.
"I didn't do noth-" Ranma said before he was cut off.
"Ranma what did you do? What was that big explosion? And, why was Happosai screaming to punish you?" Akane asked as all the other people in the Tendo residence followed up behind her.
"Noth'in, Tomboy I did noth'in he just got upset cause one of his darlings got ripped when I fell through the roof from you knocking me into the sky from earlier!" Ranma said not really knowing the gravity of which darling had gotten ripped.
"You better not have caused us any more trouble with the master, Boy!" Genma proclaimed staring down his son.
"It's fine has the Old Lecher, ever really been able ta punish me?" Ranma retorted back with a cocky grin on his face.
"You don't know the master as well as we do dear. He is not someone you should be messing with. I forbid you from toying with him, and I think you should apologize before something bad happens." Nodoka said to her son in a stern motherly but caring manner.
"I'm sorry mom, but I ain't apologizing to nobody! And I'm going to bed early I'm tired of dealing with all this stuff right now!" Ranma said sternly as he walked to his room and slammed the door behind him.
Everyone went back to what they were doing before, besides Nabiki, she had to call the insurance company and some renovators to come repair the new hole in the roof.
The Neko Hanten - Midnight the same day.
Happosai has had a great deal of training to become unseen even in plain sight, he can blend into his surroundings and covers up his entire battle aura if need be. This allowed him to sneak right into the Neko Hanten in the middle of the night and stay unseen and unheard. As he headed upstairs to Cologne's room where he knew she kept the most powerful herbs and secrets under lock and key.
'Now where is it I know it has to be here somewhere? I have seen it work with my own eyes, and I know she has to have the recipe written down somewhere.' Happosai thought to himself while looking through Cologne's book on "Amazon Punishments." 'Aha! This is it this will punish Ranma for destroying my most prized darling. Now I just need to get the ingredients.' Happosai thought to himself as he ripped the page from the book stuffing it into his purple gi. He then placed the book just where he had found it. Before jumping out of the open window to make sure that the no one would interfere with his plans.
Furinkan High School About a Week After Happosai left.
Ranma was sitting under the tree during lunch period with Hiroshi and Daisuke. Who were probably the closest things Ranma had to actual friends even if they would always ask him the most perverted questions about his relationships with Akane and his other fiancées.
This day was another quiet, chilly, and uneventful one without a cloud in the sky as the sun was shining through the leaves of the tree that the three boys were sitting under, but on the other side of Nerima you could see a storm trying to blow its way into their peaceful quiet day and it looked like it might be here within a few minutes.
"So Ranma I heard a rumor that Akane caught you with Shampoo last week?" Hiroshi asked nudging his elbow into Ranma in the side.
"Yeah, I also heard that you and Ukyo met up too, man it's not fair you get all the lady's around here, and not only that they're all engaged to you too." Daisuke said with a frown looking at Ranma.
"What!?, it was nothin' like that I swear, and it's not like I asked to be engaged to all of em it's all my dumb po-"Ranma was exclaiming before he got cut off.
All three of the boy's heard the loud female screeches coming off in the distance of the school. They all looked at each other with the same thought in their minds. 'The old freak.' Ranma stood up ready to knock some sense into his old master.
"Well, bye Ranma I guess you're off." Hiroshi said sarcastically.
"Yeah, we will guard your bento just make it quick we know how good Kasumi's cooking is." Daisuke said while laughing.
Ranma nodded "Thanks, guy's I owe ya one." before leaping off to go after Happosai.
Happosai was running through the masses of school girls in Furinkan high he was flipping up skirts, groping chests, and squeezing tooshies. He was trying to draw out one Ranma Saotome, but he was also doing it to for his own twisted pleasure. He made his way into and out of the female locker room in a flash with a bag filled to the brim with lady's undergarments. That was when he sensed a foot about to smash him into the ground. He dodged quickly to avoid the powerful strike. That was when he looked up to see his heir to the Anything Goes School.
"Ranma, my dear boy, have you come to accept your punishment with open arms or will I have to beat it into you like before?" Happosai snarled angrily glaring at Ranma with vicious intent.
"No way no how ya old freak, I'm just here to keep ya from causing more trouble, and when have ya ever beat anythin' into me!" Ranma retorted with a cocky grin. Ranma could sense something was different with the Old Lecher, but he couldn't place his finger on it. This caused a slight chill to go up his spine, but he wasn't going to let Happosai notice it in the least.
The students of Furinkan started piling in around the two combatants in the courtyard of the school. Nabiki was already accepting bets from the other students about who was going to win. Akane was standing to the side, and Ukyo was right beside her as well.
"Fine by me Ranma, I challenge you and if I win then you have to accept your punishment and I don't want any arguments from you!" Happosai said with a creepy lecherous smile and a gleam in his eye.
"Alright you Lecherous Old Freak, and if I win you have to leave Nerima and never come back!" Ranma snarled back. Just as the brewing storm from the other end of Nerima crept in slowly. Lightly it started to sprinkle as it was just enough to trigger the change in Ranma to Ranma-chan.
"Ranma! Don't accept you don't even know what the punishment will even be! Think before act you stupid Baka!" Akane screamed at Ranma hoping this time might be different from all the times before, but she knew her plea would only fall on deaf ears. 'why can't he learn! He never listens to me this is going to end badly I just know it.' Akane Thought.
"Shut it Akane, I know what I'm doi'n and I'll never back down from a challenge! I accept ya Old Freak I never lose!" Ranma-Chan shouted back cockily in an egotistical manner but was instantly frozen in place.
Happosai was probably the most powerful martial artist in the world he was just as old as Cologne maybe even older no one truly knows. With all his knowledge that he has gathered in his old age, he has also spent centuries deepening his Ki stores and growing his battle aura to enormous levels. He has never shown it in its full potential for many, many years. The ground beneath him started to crack, break, and distort in many ways. The dust around the area started to rise into the air just as the rain droplets that were falling from the sky seemed as if they were floating around him. The student body instantly dropped to their knees gasping for air and clawing at their throats.
Then there was an intense light coming off his aura that was blinding and hard to look at. Not to mention the size, it was like someone had plucked the sun from the sky and sat it on the earth right in front of everybody to look at. Happosai usually would get distracted from a pretty girl or from one of his so-called sweet darling flying through the air, but that was only because he knew he could get away with it in the long run. Today was not that day he had been seething with rage ever since Ranma had destroyed his most prized possession, and he was entirely focused on this battle. He wanted it to be short so he could witness his heir try to get through life with his punishment that he believed Ranma truly deserved.
"You see girly, you are no match for me do you yield or would you like for me to continue?" Happosai snarled with a death glare towards Ranma.
Ranma was still frozen unable to move. 'This…this can't be the Old Freak was holding back this much all along it…it can't be there is no way! Why wouldn't he have finished us all off the dozens of other times we made him angry or mad. It just doesn't make any sense?' Ranma was stunned and still frozen with an expression no one had ever seen on her face before it was fear, but she wasn't necessarily scared of Happosai she was afraid to lose. She knew deep down that she would never be able to beat the Old Lecherous Fool he was just plainly too powerful. 'Pop's and Soun were right I never should have went against his word. The master, was just that a master of the art and I can't believe I am thinking this, but I should have listened, now I know why Pop's and Soun always did everything that Lecherous bastard asked. They stood no chance against him.'
"I..I..I..wi…will never yield!" Ranma replied sheepishly and barely got out of her mouth. The masters battle aura was making the air so thick it was nearly impossible to breathe.
"Fine then Girly, you leave me no choice!" Happosai shouted as he shot forward hitting Ranma with his pipe in almost every pressure point that he knew would put Ranma in agonizing pain, and paralyze her, but also keep the girl awake. He wanted Ranma to see her defeat, he wanted Ranma to taste losing to someone, and he wanted Ranma to know what it was like to lose the most precious thing you own. He also knew exactly what that was to Ranma.
"AGGHHHHHH…. AGHHHHH!" Ranma screeched buckling over falling to the ground with a loud thud. As she screamed out in pain and agony she knew the battle was over. She had lost and yet the battle had only just begun. She couldn't even try to distract Happosai by showing her own bare chest. Not that she thought it would work she could sense that nothing would stop the master now. He was intent on winning with the same intent that she usually had. When she had to fight someone, she would do anything to win, she would use everything in her power to watch her opponent fall, and she could see that fire in the master's eyes. She had never seen it there before, and she knew she had to accept the punishment. She knew she had to yield, but there was only one thing stopping her. 'dammit I'm Ranma Saotome and I never lose, I hafta win, I just hafta!'
"I ain't yielding no matter what!" Ranma spit out with a mouth full of blood. 'I still can't move I only have one move I can do but I need my arms I'll have to try and gather as much KI as I can and force them to move.' With that Ranma forced as much battle aura and Ki as she could muster and forced it into her arms, and slowly she regained control. Not enough to go into hand to hand combat, but all she needed was to focus her Ki into one attack. The most powerful one she could use at this very moment.
Ranma slowly moved her arms aiming right for the Old Lecher and shouted "Mako Takabishi!"
The blast was aimed perfectly. Happosai had not expected her to even be able to move her arms let alone summon enough Ki to use that move, and it was a perfect shot. The walls behind the blast crumbled to the ground, the dust in the air made everything impossible to see, and every student that was watching was suddenly able to breathe again.
"Ranma!" Akane screamed running with tears in her eyes toward the redhead laying on the ground not moving a muscle.
As she approached the redhead and was just an arm's length away she was immediately dropped to the ground by the same battle aura from before gasping for air. She slowly turned her head as she was barely able to see the master through the dust and debris in the air, but she could see his glowing, yellow, murderous eyes all the same. When the dust finally settled enough to see him clearly. It was plain as day that he didn't even have a scratch on him. The blast was all for nothing. Then just as he appeared he was gone, but she still couldn't breathe. She looked around frantically only to find him in front of her and on top of Ranma with his pipe pointed directly at Ranma's jugular.
"Ranma no! Please don't kill him please!" Akane screamed as though she were the one who was about to die.
"Kill him no, no I'm not going to kill him I'm going to punish him he took away the thing I held most dear to me so I am going to do the same to him!" the Master responded. "So, Ranma I will ask you again do you yield?"
"I…I…I…Y..Yield" she whispered barely enough for Akane to hear with tears running down her own face. She would be shaking if it wasn't for the pressure points keeping her from making any movement.
"Good now I want you to swallow this. Take your punishment like a man you lost and on your honor, as a martial artist you agreed to accept it." It was just a pill about the size of an American quarter, but it glowed an eerily blue like water in a balloon that had been held up to the sun. It also looked like it had something inside of it almost like some sort of powder that was swimming around as if it was alive.
"Ranma you don't know what it is don't do it!" Akane shouted, but yet again she knew it would fall on deaf ears. Ranma's honor as a martial artist would make him swallow it. Hell, if she had been in the same situation she would have swallowed it. It was a matter of honor and what are you left with if you have no honor.
"Akane you know I can't do that I lost" Cough…Cough "Give me tha pill… Master..." Ranma said with as much courage as she could muster.
Happosai shoved the shinning blue pill forcefully into the mouth of his heir and made sure Ranma swallowed it. "Good now have fun, girly I'll be back to check up on how much you have changed in several months don't disappoint me!" Happosai said with a happy tinge in his voice then lowered his battle aura and bounded off into the sky far away from view.
Everything went bad the second the pill entered Ranma stomach it felt like a thousand needles were poking and stabbing her entire body and her brain felt like it was going to explode then the darkness slowly fell over her eyes 'well at least I'm not dea-'
Akane quickly picked up Ranma and ran as fast as she could to Dr. Tofu's her legs were screaming for her to stop and her lungs were burning for air as she was just starting to be able to breathe again, but she knew she had to get help for Ranma. There was nothing that she could do to help him right now, but keep running and running. The entire way there she was screaming with tears running down her eyes hoping and praying for the red-headed girl not to die. "Just don't die…Just don't die…Just don't die." was all she said over and over again all the way to Dr. Tofu's clinic. She was followed by Ukyo who was in pretty much the same boat with tears running down her eyes as well. When both girls finally made it inside Dr. Tofu's clinic they screamed for help and collapsed on the floor from lack of oxygen.
Dr. Tofu's Clinic the Next Day.
All eyes were on a certain redhead laying in on a hospital bed with an I.V. in her arm. The whole family came to visit and no one knew what that blue pill was not even Dr. Tofu. He had spent all night searching for anything he could find on the description Akane had given him but came up with nothing as a result. That was until Cologne come to visit after finally hearing about what had happened to Ranma by conversations at her restaurant. She was of course accompanied by Mousse and Shampoo.
"So, Son-In-Law, made Happy this mad I knew Happy was strong but even I couldn't contemplate that he was hiding this much power." Cologne said with a regrettable low and sincere tone of voice.
"Yes, Elder, it appears so, but his body doesn't really seem all the beaten up. Happosai merrily used dozens of pressure point techniques to immobilize Ranma and put him in serious pain. That isn't necessarily what worries me though, I easily set everything back to normal. What worries me is what was in this so-called pill Ranma was given." Tofu sighed and started cleaning his classes. "You see Elder, when Akane and Ukyo brought Ranma in and I corrected the pressure points used. I thought maybe dousing him with some warm water and triggering a change would bring him out of this state, but I'm afraid no matter how hot I was able to get the water no change occurred."
Cologne raised an eyebrow and asked, "You said, he gave Son-in-law a pill what exactly did this pill look like if I might ask?"
"The pill was about the size of a quarter and it was blue, and it was also shinning like it was being held up in the sun, but it was cloudy and raining when he pulled it out so it couldn't have been that." Akane Answered.
"Let me ask one more question, Child, was there something inside of this pill something that looked alive?"
"Yes, yes there was h-how did you know that?" Akane asked pleadingly hoping Cologne might know what was wrong and could fix it.
"I hope I am wrong on this child, but let me see something." Cologne then proceeded to hop over to Ranma and held her staff over the sleeping girl examining something deep within her.
Cologne lowered her staff and looked at the ground as if she had just confirmed her greatest fear. She turned around to face everyone that was in the room. This included all of the Tendo's, Saotome's, Ukyo, Shampoo, and Mousse. "This is just as I have feared everyone might want to take a seat we might be here for a while." Cologne demanded and hit her staff on the ground as if to signal just how dire this situation is. So, Doctor Tofu left the room and brought in a few more chairs, and everyone took a seat surrounding the Amazon Matriarch.
"This is very bad, very, very bad I don't know what Son-In-Law did to make Happosai this mad, but it is too late for me to do anything thing." Cologne said sadly, "Maybe if I had been there within the hour I could have prevented permanent damage to your son and for that, I am sorry Mr. and Mrs. Saotome." Cologne said in a saddened voice waiting for someone else to ask the question that she really did not want to answer.
"Don't be sorry Elder Cologne, I know you have done some bad things to my son, but I have also heard from him all of the wonderful things you taught him to make him who he is. He looks up to I know he does, but I just want to know what this pill is and what it does could you please let us know?" Nodoka asked pleadingly.
"Very well, I will answer your question, but before I do I want you to answer one of my own. Will you allow me that one stimulation Mother Saotome? I know you might be thinking I am trying to beat around the bush here but I assure you I am not. You see this pill is used in our village back home and it is kept a secret from everyone except the elders of our society. I am the matriarch of the Amazon's so I do have the power to tell you what the side effects of the pill are, but before that, I need to know something about this Seppuku pledge that your husband and son have signed?" Cologne asked pleadingly towards Nodoka.
"I... I guess I will answer whatever you want Elder Cologne, but I don't know what this has to do with anything?" Nodoka sheepishly responded with a quivering voice.
"Before I say any more than I should about this pill. I only ask you this. Do you find that your son has completed said contract to become a man amongst men and that if it is the case the contract is all but null and void?" Cologne asked hoping that Ms. Saotome would pick up on what she was asking and destroy the contract.
"Yes… I… suppose he has grown up to become a very manly man, and with that being said I will consider the contract completed." She said with some slight anger slipping into her voice, "So, it is now as you said Null and void. Now please tell me what is wrong with my son!" Nodoka asked sternly. She was tired of people bringing up that damn contract it had brought more pain and suffering to her family than anything else. She wished they would never have signed the damn thing in the first place.
Dr. Tofu Interjected, "Before you tell everyone here. Do you wish for some of us to leave, you said that only the Elders of your tribe are taught this, I would hate to-?"
Cologne cut Tofu off, "No, Dr. Tofu you need to know what is going on in order to help Ranma when she awakes and in the next few months maybe longer. Now Akane will be needed to help Ranma as she will need a lot of assistance and support for what will happen to her." Cologne waited to see if anyone would pick up on her referring to Son-in-law not only as a female but also as Ranma.
"Ok! out with it I want to know what is wrong with Ranma, Cologne!" Akane screamed.
"Yes, Great Grandmother, I wish to know what is wrong with Arien?" Shampoo pleaded.
"Please, Cologne, just tell us what is wrong with Ranchan?" Ukyo begged.
"Very well, she was given the Guódú, as some of you know Shampoo was punished by not being able to complete the kiss of death on Ranma, and for this punishment, she was sentenced to have a cursed form and turn into a cat. That is the first step of the punishment after that if you are found guilty again or found guilty for another crime that would make you have a cursed form we lock you in your cursed form, and you are to live the rest of your days in that form. That being said we are not totally cruel, we know it will be hard for a person to live out the rest of their days as let's say a panda, (Genma flinched) a duck (Mousse paled), or any other type of animal so we created the Guódú pill or Transition pill. This pill forces the individual to be trapped in their cursed form forever, but that is not the pills complete effect."
Cologne took in a deep breath of air before continuing, "It was created to keep down the casualties of the ones in our tribe who would receive this punishment. You see a person cursed to be a bull can be used in the fields to help out with daily chores, but if one were forced to be a bull forever they could intend to hurt everyone or just commit suicide in order to escape from the harsh reality that is their new life. We could not stand by and have our harshest punishment be used to harm others of our tribe or for the people punished to just take the easy way out and die. So, we made the pill to help the person transition into their new body. You see the pill makes the person over time like their cursed form, they slowly turn their backs on their old body, they become tame, and accept that they were meant to truly become what their cursed form is. I am sorry, but your son will become nothing but an average ordinary teenage girl."
"That's impossible! I raised my boy to be a man, and he will always be a man he won't be a week little gi-" Genma responded but was stopped short by Nodoka's Katana as well as all the other women in the room giving him a death glare.
"Mister Saotome, you have been a martial artist all your life and know how to read Ki and auras I presume?" Cologne narrowed her eyes and the misogynistic man named Genma.
"Yes, Cologne, I'm the one who taught the boy how to do it after all." Genma replied feeling confident.
"Well, then why don't you read your child's Ki and Aura and tell me what you see?" Cologne knew if this did not convince him nothing would.
Genma walked up over to his child, who was laying on the hospital bed looking so helpless, fragile, and wearing nothing but a hospital gown. He peered through all of this to look at his child's Ki and aura his face paled at what he saw. He turned to Cologne and sheepishly asked, "How?"
"I noticed as well, that's what confirmed it for me. Ranma as of right now is no stronger or faster than you Akane, but I'm afraid even this won't last for long. I would say at the rate her Ki stores are depleting that by the day after tomorrow her strength and speed will be nothing but average. About the same as Kasumi or Nabiki, she won't be able to learn it again either the pill will block all of the knowledge off from Ranma's mind and will bury her true potential as a warrior."
"Elder Cologne, please I love my son what is the best thing we can do to help him?" Nodoka asked Pleadingly.
"The only good news I have is that one day in the future Ranma might gain back her ability to fight, some never do after being given the Guódú some just adjust to their new life to much and don't feel the need to fight anymore." Cologne turned to face all of the sobbing fiancée's who had tears flowing down their faces. "Children the reason I asked all of you to be here for this news is that Ranma will need to be protected. All of you should know as well as anyone how many fights and threats Ranma gets on a daily basis. You will need to be by her side or have someone be with her at all times if someone jumps out and attacks her she will be completely defenseless much like if someone just abruptly attacked Kasumi, or Nabiki out of nowhere. Do all of you understand this is of major importance?" Cologne asked sternly to reinforce how important this news is.
"Yes, Ranma has saved my life countless times and I will try my best, Cologne" Akane replied to the best of her abilities at the moment, because she was afraid that the boy she once knew was going to be gone. The boy that who she would never admit it, but often had dreams of marrying one day and becoming a bride to was probably lost to this world.
"Hai, I will do my part to protect my Ranchan." Ukyo replied. Her dreams of marrying Ranma, and running a restaurant were shattered she too broke down in tears.
"Yes, Great Grandmother, I will protect Airen with life." Shampoo said with confidence. But, beneath it all she was internally mortified she was trying her best to hold everything together.
"Dr. Tofu, Ranma won't even notice what is happening she might catch herself and be embarrassed at times, but that will soon fade. You will need to keep a close eye on her and it would be nice to have your door open in case she needs someone to discuss certain matters with. I know that the sign out front says you are only a chiropractor, but I can tell you are an exceptional healer. I don't think Ranma would trust anyone else or at least open up to a random stranger who she doesn't know she can trust." Cologne told Dr. tofu this sternly.
Tofu nodded, "My door will always be open for Ranma, day or not Elder."
"Now for Mr. and Mrs. Saotome please do not try to force her to act or try to go against the effects of the pill. This could cause her to feel like she has failed and she might try to do something drastic. Treat her as if she were born as your daughter. As I know you are well aware I am over 300 years old Nodoka, and I can tell that you always wished for a daughter, well now you have your chance. Hopefully, Ranma will be able to restore her fighting spirit in due time, but she will be a girl from now on that is what the pill does. It is used as a punishment after all, and with that being said."
Cologne turned giving shampoo a saddened look before speaking, "I hereby declare the Kiss of marriage and the Kiss of death complete, because the Ranma that we will be getting back will most likely be different than the one we once knew. That much I know to be true." Cologne needed to make this clear and to make sure that Ranma will not be attacked by Shampoo or Mousse while she is in this weakened state.
"But, Great Grandmother, shampoo love Airen, why?" Shampoo's eyes were starting to water. Mousse walked up to her not in his usual manner of running in headstrong, but in more of a sympathetic way and put a hand on Shampoo's shoulder to calm her down. Shampoo jumped at the contact at first, but she accepted it and the moment they shared did not go unnoticed by Cologne.
"We will talk about this later, we have more important business to attend to as of right now." Cologne turned her attention back to the rest of the group.
"Also, I don't think it would be a wise decision to tell Ranma what the pill is or what it does just tell her it's like a moxibustion point in pill form, but less effective. She won't be as weak as a baby she will just have the strength and Ki stores of a regular average teenage girl. Which by my standards is almost none at all. Also maybe we should wait for Ranma to adjust then tell her that the pill has become permanent for some unknown reason. I think a few months might be enough, but who knows this is Ranma we are talking about she could adapt in a few weeks or stretch it out for a few years."
Cologne and all of the people in the room came up with a plan to tell Ranma, that his strength will return in time, but how long they did not know. They also agreed to keep it a secret of him being permanently stuck. They would tell him that it may take a long time for him to be able to change back maybe six months or longer. Their conversation was cut short by sounds coming from the person they were all just talking about.
Moaning and groaning sounds were heard from the red-headed girl laying in the hospital bed, and all eyes were turned toward her direction. Akane looked with hopeful eyes she heard what Cologne had just told everyone, but she couldn't believe that Ranma man amongst men would turn into an average ordinary girl that was just too much to comprehend and didn't make any sense for that matter.
Genma had almost the same thoughts, but he was thinking more along the lines that his son would never be a weak pathetic girl and he would do everything in his power to make sure that didn't happen. That is unless Nodoka has a say in the matter. Nodoka looked at her son turned daughter with hopeful eyes she had always been a little upset that she wouldn't be able to spend more time with Tendo Ranko, but she was more upset that her son had lied to her about it. That was in the past now though her child needed her more than ever right now.
Dr. Tofu walked to Ranma side of the bed and saw Ranma starting to blink her eyes open "Ranma are you awake?" He asked almost hoping that she wouldn't be. He still didn't know how to break the news to her just yet.
The light was bright, too bright when she first tried to open her eyes. She closed them almost instantly and began to moan in pain. Her body felt like it had just been ran over by a semi, she felt like someone had just strapped her down to a table and she couldn't move, but she also felt relieved almost a sense of warmth around her. She could feel the room and it had a homely feel to it. She tried to open her eyes again and saw Dr. Tofu standing directly in front of her. He said something but she couldn't make it out her senses were still shot. For some reason, she wanted something to hold, she felt a need for something to feel close to, she needed something to comfort her. "Tofu sensei?" she whispered questioningly. "cou... could… you bring me another pillow." She barely whispered it but Tofu and the others in the room heard her loud and clear.
"Umm, Yes Ranma I will be right back." Tofu was surprised, of all the things he had thought Ranma to ask for it had not been a pillow. Well, he was not going to deny her that so he went to another one of his rooms and hurried back with another pillow in hand. He handed it to Ranma not really knowing what she was going to do with it. The others in the room felt the same way they all had the same (what is going on kind of look). And out of all the things they thought she might do with the pillow, it was not what they saw.
Ranma slowly took the pillow from Dr. Tofu's grasp as she gingerly and caringly started to hug the pillow as if it were some kind of animal or pet, but that was not what really surprised them all. It was surprising, to say the least, but the words that Ranma said was what really through every one of them for a loop.
"Thanks, Tofu, me and Mister Pillow are gonna go back to slee-" she said those words with a soft smile that melted as she dug her face over mister pillow and hugged it like it was the only thing she cared about in the world. Before she fell back into the darkness not even noticing all the people around her.
Akane was at a loss for words she didn't even know what to say or do, but she had to leave she had to get away she couldn't help but feel a little guilty in the matter, because if she hadn't knocked Ranma into the sky that day none of this would have happened. "I'm sorry." was all she said before running out of the room with tears streaming down her face. Nodoka followed Akane's lead she couldn't stand to see her manly son it was just too soon it would take her time, but she would be ready for anything just not right now.
Genma was frozen in shock he couldn't believe his eyes or ears, but Colognes words sunk in none the less. The Old Ghoul was right he would have to change. What the Master had done to his boy was inexcusable. He didn't know how or why the Master would do such a thing, but he would be damned if he would sit by and let Ranma turn into a weak little girl. 'The boy should have listened to me and Soun! Well, that doesn't change anything now a martial artist's life is fraught with peril after all. I'll have to be extra hard on him to make sure he doesn't get too soft though.' Genma finally turned to Dr. Tofu and told him in a sad and hushed tone of voice. "When the boy wakes up, call the Tendo's and we will send someone to pick him up."
"Yes, Mr. Saotome." And with that Cologne, Genma and all the others in the room said goodbye as they left Tofu in the room alone with the red-headed former Martial Artist.
Tofu's Clinic Two Weeks later.
Ranma slowly woke up blinking her eyes open noticing the faint light that came in through with window then noticed she was clinging to something. 'huh, that's weird I'm hugging a pillow? Feels kinda nice though. Glad no one is here to see this. looks like I'm at Tofu's I should get up. I actually feel kinda good right now. I bet that Old Fools pill didn't even work or somethin.'
"Hey, Doc! Anybody here?" Ranma called out slowly rising out of her bed she positioned her feet off to the side letting them dangle in the air for a moment, and with a lurch forward starting walking around Tofu's.
"Ranma, I'm over in my office come on in I already started some tea and I have plenty of breakfast for the both of us." Tofu called out before his office door cracked open revealing a short red-headed girl walking in.
"Oh, hey Doc, what's up? I feel fine by the way can't I just go home now?" Ranma asked pleadingly, but she knew that look on Tofu's face he had something to tell her it couldn't be good news.
"I'm sorry Ranma, but I can't let you leave just yet I called the Tendo's already and told them you had woken up. Soun said he was sending Akane to come pick you up she should be here shortly. But, before that, I need to tell you about that the pill Happosai gave you."
"Aww man, there sending the tomboy to come pick me up. Well, whatever what is it with this pill I feel fine, I'm acting fine as far as I can tell, what's up with it? Ranma responded.
So, Tofu Explained as best as he could about the pill and only told Ranma what he and the family agreed upon. Ranma was surprising taking the information well as far as he could tell. They continued to eat breakfast, drink tea, and talk for several minutes before Akane arrived. Just as she was stepping through the door she heard a loud female screech.
"WHAAT! I'M STUCK LIKE THIS AND… AND… AND!" Ranma was not taking the news well, to say the least, she couldn't even bring herself to comprehend the second part. 'Oh, well maybe I was wrong she isn't taking the news as well as I first thought.' Tofu mused.
"It will only be for about six months as for what Cologne said. Ranma please calm down, it is not as bad as it seems. You have been stuck before haven't you it wasn't the end of your life, was it?" Tofu said then began to think that the tea he had given Ranma was clearly not as strong as he had hoped it would have been.
Ranma shrunk down into her seat. "I guess your right it's only six months so I'll make it, but I'm not happy about it, and I ain't gonna need someone looking after me!" Ranma said in with a pouty look on her face.
Akane knew where they were at in Tofu's clinic she could tell from their conversation it wasn't a quite one, to say the least. So, she ran to Tofu's office door and slung it open with all the force she could muster. But, as she saw Ranma was sitting in front of Tofu's desk she all but froze and started staring.
"Hey Kane' what's with that dumb look on your face? What do you care about me or some' tin?" Ranma said in a playful voice while gripping one eyelid down and sticking out her tongue.
"RANMA!" The anger in her eyes only lasted for a second as she remembered what had happened. "Ranma, whatever come on let's go home OK I brought you some clothes from the house unless you want to wear that all day?" she pointed to what Ranma was wearing then held out the bag.
Ranma looked down at herself and immediately blushed crimson this whole time she was talking to Tofu she was still wearing the hospital gown and her backside was completely open for Akane. She quickly snatched the bag from Akane and ran into the room she had woken up in to go change.
Ranma reentered the room in her new wardrobe a moment later. She couldn't help but feel even more embarrassed than before. "Really Akane, ya couldn't have found anything else for me to wear besides this?" She was wearing a soft orange shirt under some pink denim coveralls with the words "China" written on the front.
"Uhh, no sorry Ranma, that's really all I could think of that would fit you." Akane said sheepishly with a sweat drop.
"Ugh, whatever its better than wearing that thing anyway." She dropped the gown she was wearing onto the doctor's desk, "let's just get home so I can change alright." Ranma protested.
"Before you leave Ranma, my clinic is always open to you day or night and you can always talk to me about anything you need to. I am bound by law and honor not to speak of anything you tell me here. If there is ever anything you wish to get off your chest that is." Tofu said cleaning his glasses while walking Akane and Ranma to the front door of his practice
'There is only one thing I want off my chest.' "Uh, yeah sure thing Doc, c'ya later" Ranma replied.
"Thanks, Tofu-sensei," Akane bowed her head to Tofu before exited the clinic and heading back home with Ranma.
The Walk Back Home.
Ranma and Akane walked down the street leaving Tofu's almost never saying a word to one another. The winds were cold as the season was changing from winter to spring although you couldn't tell it. The sky was clouded over in a dark gray fashion almost as if it was about to rain, but if the weather reporters were correct then nothing of the sorts was bound to happen.
Akane needed to know how much Tofu-Sensei had told Ranma about the Guódú, so that she could warn the others as well as try to keep her own mouth shut about the horrible side effects. "So, Ranma what did Tofu tell you about that pill Happosai gave you?" Akane tried to hide her nervousness as she asked just as they were turning around a corner.
"Well, he basically said that I'm gonna be stuck like this for a while maybe six months or so, and it's kinda like that moxibustion thingy that Happosai used on me last time. Why?" Ranma put her hands behind her head while cocking it one side in order to look at Akane.
"Well, Ranma you're taking the news a lot better than I had expected?" Akane asked. 'Cologne had told us that the Guódú did make the user more comfortable in their cursed form maybe that's why?'
"Uhh, yeah but I don't know maybe I'll get to relax a bit and have a semi-normal lifestyle for a change. At least that my way of thinking about it." Ranma said. But, even as the words left her mouth she was wondering to herself why? Also, why didn't she feel different like she always did in her cursed form? She felt comfortable like she wasn't in her cursed form at all. It made her worry for a second, but then it faded.
Akane put on her best everything in the world is OK and perfect smile and said "Yeah, that's a great idea Ranma! So, what are you going to do today? School is closed for the day because they finally got the contractor in to work on the damages from you and Happosai."
"Hmm, I didn't really give it much thought, to be honest, what are ya going to be doing?" Ranma asked with a thoughtful expression not really knowing what to do with a full day of nothing.
"Well, I was invited to go with Yuka and Sayuri to go get some ice cream." Akane wasn't really invited to go get ice cream with the two girls, but she knew that Ranma couldn't turn down her favorite dessert. Plus, if Ranma was going to have to go to school as a girl for the indefinite future she was going to need all the help she could get. She knew that Gym was still going to be one big nightmare. She had no clue how she was going to convince those two to help her. Especially from all the times, she had called Ranma a pervert. "You can come if you want?" Akane asked but already knew the answer.
Ranma's mystical blue eyes widened and a smile that went from ear to ear. "Yes! Can I go please, please?" she was jumping up and down in happiness but quickly shook her head and pulled herself together. "I mean yeah sure I'll come you know how much I like ice-cream." with a nonchalant wave of a head like nothing had ever happened, but she still had a big goofy grin on her face.
Akane giggled a little at Ranma joyful outburst. "Yeah, I already said you can come, but we still have to stop by the house first to call Yuka and Sayuri."
"Were already here Kane'." Ranma said as they reached the main gate to the Tendo residence. "let's just run in and try to get out as fast as possible I don't want mom hovering over me and I especially don't want Pop's girls are weak talk right now…" Ranma replied looking down and kicking a rock with her foot.
"Tadaima." was called out in unison as Ranma and Akane entered the Tendo home.
"O-kaeri-nasai." Kasumi and Nodoka called out in unison back at the two younger girls before Nodoka stepped out of the kitchen to check up on Ranma and see how she was doing.
"I'm going to run to the phone to call Yuka and Sayuri really quick I'll catch back up with you Ranma." Akane announced as she ran passed Nodoka and Ranma into the kitchen by the phone.
"Oh, Ranma are you alright? You don't need to lie down, do you? I don't want you to overexert yourself." as Nodoka came up to her son turned daughter and dropped down to embrace her daughter in a big hug.
"Uhh, mom I'm fine me and Akane were just gonna go get some ice cream and hang out with some of her friends. But, Mom could you please put me down it's getting hard to breath. Ahk!" Ranma was slowing starting to turn blue from her mother's strong embrace.
"Oh, of course, dear how thoughtless of me, and I'm glad Akane is going to be there. We can't have you getting injured just after you got out of the hospital now can we dear?" Nodoka had a stern don't question me look and attitude about how she said that.
"Uhm, of course not mom." Ranma said sheepishly looking at the ground with a red tinge coming to her cheeks 'geeze if it's this bad already I don't even want to know what it's going to be like in a few days let alone a week or two…'
Akane came running back around the corner "Ok, Ranma I called Yuka and Sayuri they said they are on their way to the ice-cream shop now. We really should hurry if we want don't want to be late!"
"OK, Mom we got 'a go bye." Ranma said as she and Akane reached down to put their shoes back on. The thought about what Ranma was wearing at the time and changing into her usual garb completely left her mind as the two girls headed out the front door towards the direction of the Ice-cream shop.
The Ice Cream Shop And The Walk Back Home.
"I can't believe Akane wants to go to an ice cream shop when it's this cold outside!" Yuka said shivering as a cold gust blew by her and Sayuri. They were only a few blocks away from the Ice-cream shop. But, Yuka was already on edge from being drug out of her own warm comforting home so she could walk the streets freezing to go to an ice cream shop where she knew she was going to order anything but that. "Why are ice cream shops even open at this time of year it makes no sense!?" Yuka protested as they turned down another block getting one step closer to their destination.
"Well, when I was talking to Akane on the phone at your house she said it had something to do with whatever that pill was that Ranma had to take after he lost to that Lecherous Old Creep." She said with a huff, "She also said she needed our help with Ranma whatever that means. Ranma was the only boy who ever stood up to that Creep and Akane is our friend so I figured we at least need to hear them out." Sayuri said pleading with Yuka to continue their way to the shop.
It was hard enough dragging her butt out of the house as it is let alone getting her to come to an ice cream shop with this weather. The two girls turn left down another block as another cold gust of wind picked up and blew around them. The cold chill was not pleasant, to say the least and the skies were still covered overhead not letting a single ray of sunshine fall over the Nerima ward. It was truly a cold, chilly, and breezy, winter day no one could argue that fact.
There was a long pause for a minute or two when Yuka finally broke the silence "Well, this better be worth it I don't know about you, but I have a bad feeling about this." as they turned down the last block and they could see their destination.
They saw Ranma and Akane just entering the store as one of the waiters opened the door for them to enter. Ranma looked happy with a wide grin plastered on her face. How couldn't she be she was about to part take in one of her most not so secret luxuries. There were so few that she had besides fighting in martial arts and learning new techniques for martial arts she really had nothing else that she enjoyed in life. Besides the few times she got to go out into the town with Daisuke and Hiroshi and live as a normal teenager, but even when she hung out with them their conversations would always drift back to what she had done with her fiancées, and that always made her feel uncomfortable.
Akane had a worried expression on her face she didn't know how to break the news to Yuka and Sayuri, and if she did she couldn't let Ranma hear what the real side effects of the pill would do to him. He would probably freak out and run away off to China and then what would happen to him then he would just be an average teenage girl. Something horrible could happen and she shivered at that thought. She had to find a way to separate Ranma from the group, just long enough for her to explain somethings to Yuka and Sayuri. Luckily the ice cream shop was pretty empty given that it was a cold day and no one would really want ice cream at a time like this. It was good they could get some privacy in their conversation. Just as they were taking their seats in a booth at the back by a window, Yuka and Sayuri came in approaching their booth.
'Ranma looks happy as always and he seems fine I don't know why Akane brought us out here but I don't like it one bit, not with that worried expression on her face. Something is up and I know it.' Yuka thought to herself as she and Sayuri said "Hi." In unison and sat down in the booth across from Ranma and Akane.
"So, what can I get you, ladies, this evening?" The waiter asked standing in front of them all holding his notepad and had his pen at the ready.
Ranma was the first to speak up with a dreamy girly tone of voice. "Mister, I'll take the Brownie Ice Cream Parfait with Raspberries and Strawberries, please!" She had a huge grinning smile and it was almost comical how she wasn't even trying to hold in her happiness. Akane, Sayuri, and even Yuka couldn't help but giggle at her performance.
"Ranma, your always so cute when you're like that." Commented Yuka trying to get a stir out of the redhead, but was very surprised with the response she got in return. Ranma's cheeks became a deep shade of red and tried to hide her face almost like she had been caught by her mother with her hand in the cookie jar.
"Th… Thanks…" Ranma replied sheepishly looking down at the table trying to keep eye contact away from the other girls at the table. 'What's wrong with me I'm blushing and trying to hide my face I need to calm down I'm acting like a girl.' Ranma shook her head and recollected herself, but still couldn't keep that goofy dreamy grin off her face.
"Well, we don't serve much ice cream during this time of year, but I'll see what I can do for you, young lady. Now, what can I get the rest of you?" Asked the waiter.
"I think I speak for all the rest of us when I say we want some Hot Chocolate?" Yuka said as she turned her head looking at Akane and Sayuri as they both nodded in agreement.
"Hai." Akane said followed by Sayuri.
"Well, I'll go put your order in and be right back." The waiter said as he turned and left the four young girls to themselves.
"OK, what's going on Akane, you said this was urgent and it had something to do with Ranma? He doesn't look like anything is wrong with him." Yuka asked with almost demanding answers.
'How am I going to put this? I know they won't just jump on board and say, "Yeah sure we will help Ranma start going to school as a girl." Not after all the trouble, I have caused calling Ranma a pervert all the time. Well, I can't just sit here and keep quiet their starting to look at me funny.' Akane thought to herself after a few moments as Yuka, Sayuri and even Ranma were staring at here.
"Ah, well y-you see Ranma is going to have to be a-"
"OK, girls here is one, Brownie Ice Cream Parfait with Raspberries and Strawberries, and three Hot Chocolates I'll leave you alone unless there is anything else you girls need?" The waiter said interrupting Akane. He noticed two girls staring at him like he had broken up some sort of big news and they looked kind of pissed. "Uh, well I guess not I'll leave you be then." he said as he turned and left them to continue their conversation.
Ranma was no longer going to be in this conversation she had her Parfait and was too entranced by its very presence to even hear or care about what the other girls at the table were talking about. Akane, Yuka, and Sayuri were all sipping on their Hot Chocolates trying to warm up from their long walk to get here. Yuka was feeling better now that she was warm again, but she still hadn't found anything out.
"OK, spill it Akane I want to know details why are we here to talk about Ranma?" Yuka retorted she was tired of the interruptions.
"Well, you see, uh, well that pill that the old creep made Ranma take. It has some side effects. Ranma is now going to be locked in his girl form for a long while and not only that but do you remember when the old creep used that moxibustion thing on Ranma and he became severely weakened from it?" Akane sighed as she finally was finally able to get her words out.
Yuka and Sayuri both looked at each other as they both sat down their Hot beverages down on the table. Then took a deep look at Ranma who was eating her parfait, but what they hadn't even noticed was that he was eating it like any normal person would have been. They could only assume that his speed was already taking a big hit from whatever was in this pill. Sayuri was the first to speak up. "So, what is it that you want us to help with we can't protect Ranma if she gets into a fight were not martial artists? You know that Akane."
"Well, that's not really the issue I have right now. The problem is school Ranma is going to have to go to school as a girl. That means she is going to have to use the girl's restrooms as well as locker rooms. I was hoping that if all of us acted like it was alright then we wouldn't have any issues to worry about?" Akane asked pleadingly.
Ranma had just finished her parfait and overheard the last bit of Akane's speech. 'Oh, man I am gonna have to use the girl's locker room. I didn't even think about that. I need to leave somehow this is too embarrassing. I do kinda need to use the restroom.' Ranma had a plan, "Uh, Hey I'm 'a head off to the restroom I'll be back in a bit kay." Ranma said as she climbed out of the booth and ran into the "Male" restroom and went into one of the stalls.
"Is this some kind of trick Akane, you always call Ranma a pervert I don't want him coming in our locker room and ogling at all of us!" Yuka was not happy with this news.
"No, no it's nothing like that, but now that she's gone, Yuka, Sayuri that's not all the pill does, and it doesn't just lock him for a few months either it's a permanent thing." Akane sighed waiting a few moments for Yuka and Sayuri to respond.
"WHAT!?" they both spit some of their hot chocolate out as they were just taking another sip. They then turned to look at the bathroom to make sure that Ranma wasn't about to pop out of nowhere. Sayuri was the first to be taken out of her utter shock and turned back to Akane, "Akane this is big, Ranma is going to freak if he ever finds out." Yuka turned back finally and recollected herself, "This is going to be a big job Akane, Ranma is a boy and not only that he always seemed to pride himself on his 'Masculinity.'" She did air quotes with her fingers.
Akane took a long sip of her Hot Chocolate to regain control over herself before speaking again. "I know, I know it's going to be bad when she finds out. We planned to tell her what it actually does once she gets more accustomed to being a girl. But, that's not all the pill does… It also makes him become his cursed form. Like he will actually become an average ordinary teenage girl I don't know what that means yet. I didn't ask Cologne what it meant before I couldn't take the news anymore and left. I've already seen him have a few episodes. I mean he er she just had one, have you ever seen Ranma eat anything especially ice cream that slow and well lady-like?"
"Yeah, I noticed that it did seem really strange he er she was also really excited even more so than I have ever seen her for some ice cream, and even when Ranma is in girl form he er she usually doesn't order any kind of parfait that girly." Sayuri commented.
"Good so you will help me? And, you can't tell anyone about this! Not even Ranma knows." Akane asked pleadingly.
"Well, Akane I don't know about Yuka, but I'm in. It might be kinda fun to see what Ranma turns into, and if he er she truly turns into a girl, do you think Ranma might want a boyfriend?" Sayuri asked with a devilish grin looking at Akane.
"Oh, Kami-Sama I hope not! I love Ranma you both know I do. I… I don't know what I would do if that were the case, but I also don't know if I could be with Ranma if Ranma was a girl." Akane said as she put her face in her hands and plopped her head on the table in disgust.
"Well, Akane, I still don't really believe all of this, but I will try to help out as much as I can." Yuka picked up her Hot Chocolate and took another big drink from it while cupping it in her hands to warm back up a little. "I still don't really believe any of this though I have seen Ranma do tricks like this before you know."
"I know, I know, but believe me this time it's serious, and I really need both of you to help me on this please?" Akane asked as she was repeated what Yuka was doing trying to warm up a little.
"I already said I would help Akane." Sayuri said reassuring Akane.
"I guess I'll help, but like I said I still don't totally believe all of this." Yuka said sternly.
All of this was going on while Ranma was in the bathroom (The Male Bathroom that is) she had just gotten done relieving herself stood up turned around and flushed. She exited the stall and walked up to the mirror. 'You know, I don't look half bad as a girl. It ain't so hard to be one either it's kinda like a little break from all the chaos in my life for once. Maybe this wasn't really a punishment, but more like a small vacation from my old life. Maybe I will even thank that Old Lecher the next time I see him. I bet that will really piss him off.' Ranma thought to herself laughing and started to wash her hands. That was until she was pulled out of her fantasy land by a deep booming voice behind her.
"You, know young lady, if you want to see the rest of the bathroom I can show you around?" a guy who was in the process of relieving himself at one of the urinals said as his head was turned over his shoulder staring at her.
Ranma turned around and didn't know what to say. She was completely frozen in embarrassment. Her eyes got wide, her mouth dropped open, her hands shot to out to the side, and she stiffened up like a board just staring at the man using the urinals.
The man started laughing and smiled a lecherous smile while saying, "I was only joking around, but if you are going to keep staring like that you might want to take a picture." He was still relieving himself and laughing at the young redhead's antics behind him.
"I... I… I'm… s-sorry!" Ranma stuttered and halfway screamed as her face turned as red as her hair, and she ran out of the bathroom back to the table to reunite with her friends. "Guy's, we should go I don't want to be here anymore!" Ranma looked at them all pleadingly.
"Ranma are you alright? You looked like you're running a fever your face is as red as a beat maybe we should get you back home." Akane said. She was slightly worried Ranma never acted like this.
"Yeah, we can walk you two back home, Ranma doesn't look so good?" Sayuri asked.
Yuka looked a little disappointed she wanted to go back home, where it was warm and cozy. She didn't want to walk all the way to the Tendo's, but she was already roped in and she said she was going to help. "Yeah, it's no trouble at all..." Yuka commented with some disappointment leaking through her voice.
So, the four girls exited the ice cream shop and started their journey home. The cold journey home that is. With gusts of cold wind and not any heat coming from the sun to warm them in the slightest. Akane, Yuka, and Sayuri were cold, but they had all just drank some very delicious and warm hot chocolate, so they were feeling at least somewhat warm and cozy in the chilly weather they were having.
But, there was one redhead who decided not to get a Hot Chocolate today, and she was shivering, freezing, and her teeth were chattering against each other. The other girls noticed and were getting kinda concerned. The beat red that was on Ranma's face as they exited the Ice Cream Shop was all gone and the only red part that was left was on her nose, her cheeks were pale and her lips were slightly turning blue. She was holding herself and shaking from the freezing air around her and the frozen dessert in her stomach was only making matters worse.
"Um, hey why don't we stop in this shop and get Ranma a Jacket or a sweater or something." Sayuri asked the other girls in concern.
As her teeth were chattering against another Ranma tried to speak. "N... N… N…" was all Ranma got out before she was grabbed by Akane and shoved into a clothing store followed by Yuka and Sayuri who were giggling at how easy it was for Akane to 'man handle' Ranma in this state.
"Ranma, stay here and warm up with Yuka and Sayuri. I already know your size I'll be back with something a little warmer, and we can head home. It's already getting late as it is and I'm sure Kasumi and your mom have already started planning out dinner." Akane said sternly as she sat the shivering redhead down on a bench that was in the store.
Ranma was too cold to argue with Akane, all she wanted to do was get warmer. 'Man, I'm freezing my tail off here. Must be this stupid girl body I never needed a jacket or coat before.' Ranma thought while she was visibly shaking. She barely whispered out a "Th—tha-thanks." Before Akane left her with Yuka and Sayuri who were holding the shaking and freezing redhead trying to warm her up as best as they could. Sayuri finally just took off her own jacket and through it around the much, much smaller redhead.
The warmth that was still in the jacket paired with the warm air in the clothing store was just enough for Ranma to stop shivering. She grabbed the open end of the jacket and covered herself with it. In all honesty, it was more like a blanket to her. Not saying Sayuri was big by any means it was just that female Ranma was so much more tiny compared to the other girl. Ranma was warming up and everything seemed to be calming down once again. She completely stopped shivering, color came back to her face, and then something that neither Sayuri or Yuka would have ever thought was going to happen in their lifetime happened.
"Kawaii! Look, look, look, Yuka, Sayuri isn't it just soooo cute! Oh, my gosh!" Ranma exclaimed as she jumped up and running towards an aisle filled with cute little-stuffed animals. She approached a stuffed piglet that looked a lot similar to P-Chan, but this one was red Ranma's favorite color. She grabbed it and held it to her chest while snuggling it like it was an actual animal. She was running back to Yuka and Sayuri holding out in front of her to show them when Yuka whispered to Sayuri "I think I believe Akane now If I hadn't of seen it I wouldn't have believed it myself this is going to take a lot of getting used to." Sayuri whispered back with a shocked look on her face "You said it Ranma is going to need a lot of looking after if he er she is going to be acting like this all the time."
It was a good thing Ranma was in one of her girly episodes because the only jacket Akane could find was a pink one as there just wasn't that many options for Ranma's size. She had to go all the way to the junior department just to find something that would fit. When she returned she was just as shocked as Yuka and Sayuri as she saw Ranma spinning in circles in the middle of the store holding a stuffed red piglet exclaiming how Kawaii she thought Miss. P, was. Akane could only assume that the Piglet was indeed Miss. P. Akane shook her head to gather herself and approached Ranma still expecting some sort of resistance when she offered Ranma the Jacket.
"Uhh, Ranma?" Akane almost asked questioningly as if this was some other Ranma she was speaking to.
in a soft soprano-like voice that Akane remembered back when Ranma had hit his head and acted like a girl she responded, "Yes, Akane?"
"Uh, well, this was the only jacket I could find in your size you will have to make it work." She handed the jacket to Ranma.
"Ooh, that color isn't really me, too bad they didn't have a red one though, I guess pink will have to do. Oh, but it will match my coveralls or is that maybe too much pink? But, Akane look at Miss. P, isn't she so Kawaii! We just have to get her please, please Akane, please?" Ranma asked clutching the stuffed piglet to her chest and putting on the I'm the cutest thing in the world face.
Akane was at a loss for words was dumbfounded and just staring at Ranma. 'This feels too much like déjà vu. I can't believe he is acting this way again, at least it won't be permanent that is at least I hope not.' Akane smacked her hand against her face and said. "No! Ranma you can't have it I only have just enough for the jacket."
She really wanted this stuffed piglet It was her entire world right now how could Akane tell her no? Ranma looked like she had just been slapped across the face, her mouth fell open, her eyes went wide, and she started to tear up. Yuka was watching this whole thing play out as she had seen how excited Ranma had been when she had first seen the piglet. Yuka couldn't stand it this was the first time she had seen Ranma actually happy about something. She also remembered how she had acted at the start of the day and felt ashamed Ranma clearly needed help. Yuka slowly walked over to Ranma and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Ranma, it's OK I'll buy uhh… Miss. P for you." Yuka said with a comforting smile.
"Y... yo… you… Wi… Will?" Ranma asked in between sobs as she looked up at the taller girl who nodded and said, "Ya, Ranma what are friends for?" Yuka replied with a giggle as Ranma pulled Yuka in close to give her new friend a big hug while saying, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
And with that, all four girls left the clothing store and starting their walk back home. Not much was said between the four girls on their trip back to the Tendo's. Ranma was too excited that she had gotten Miss. P on the trip back home to even really start a conversation. She just kept holding her Miss. P and would only look up every few minutes to make sure she didn't wander off from the other girls.
Akane was flabbergasted and felt embarrassed from the way Ranma was acting in front of her friends. 'Ranma is supposed to be my fiancé, he shouldn't be acting like this it just feels wrong! But, I know he can't help it… it's just so weird to see him acting this way. I need to keep calm I could really hurt him well I guess her now. But, Cologne also said it would happen gradually I should call her when I get back to make sure something isn't wrong with Ranma."
Yuka and Sayuri were happy that they came along on this trip now. Just seeing how happy Ranma was made them feel like they had done a good dead. The winds had died down on their walk back home the air was still chilly though, but not nearly as bad as it had been before they entered the clothing store. The clouds overhead were still making it look like it was later in the day than it really was, and the walk back to the Tendo's wasn't all that bad or as cold as the girls had anticipated. As the group of girls approached the Tendo's front gate Akane offered Yuka and Sayuri to come in and warm up, but Yuka and Sayuri said they needed to get back home to help their own mother's make dinner.
"See you at school tomorrow Ranma and Akane, Ja ne." Sayuri said as Yuka and her were departing from Ranma and Akane.
"Yeah, see you at school tomorrow, Ja ne." Yuka replied.
"Bai Bai!" Ranma and Akane said in unison. Akane blushed and turned away to hide her embarrassment of how Ranma just responded 'I really need to get inside and call Cologne.' Akane thought. Ranma just acted like it was the most normal thing in the world as she was waving her hand bye to the departing girls and couldn't wait to see her new friends at school tomorrow.
Yuka turned to Sayuri. "Did Ranma, just say "Bai Bai?"
"I think so, tomorrow is going to be a fun day at school I can already tell." Sayuri said playfully with a grin nudging Yuka while giggling.
"You can say that again, it's never a dull moment when Ranma is involved." Yuka said as both girls giggled and continued their way back to their homes.
Tendo's Residence Dinner Time.
"Tadaima... Tadaima." Ranma and Akane yelled as they entered the Tendo home.
"O-Kaeri-nasi… O-Kaeri-nasi." Nodoka and Kasumi answered back.
The usual smell of dinner being prepared in the Tendo home could create an aroma in the air as it wafted through the house carrying a heavenly scent that could lift the spirits of even the most depressed souls that have ever lived. That was usually how Kasumi's cooking would smell, but with Nodoka helping in the kitchen somehow those two could join forces to create something that should only be consumed and smelled by gods themselves. The Tendo home felt warm and inviting as always on a cold day like this. True the coldness had dropped some as the day progressed, but it was still frighteningly chilly outside. That of course just made the Tendo home that much more warm and cozy feeling.
As Akane and Ranma came into the house Akane ran off and told Ranma she needed to make a phone call. Ranma shrugged it off she was too intoxicated from the smells that were coming from the kitchen and was lost in her own world at the moment. She decided she would run upstairs to her room and put away Miss. P, and her new jacket before she would offer to help her Mom, and Kasumi in the kitchen. Nabiki was seated in front of the T.V. watching one of her favorite programs, as well as somehow reading a magazine she was holding in front of her face at the same time. Soun and Genma were seated at the Shogi board going back and forth with one another, Soun was in the lead as he was finding that he could distract his good friend Saotome, just by pointing to a different spot on the floor around the room and saying, "Look five yen" or something along those lines. Meanwhile, Ranma's nose had brought her walking into the kitchen to follow that heavenly scent.
"Oh, hi Ranma-chan, I see your stomach has carried you into the kitchen as always." Kasumi said as she noticed Ranma almost comically floating into the kitchen as if she was being help up and carried in by her nostrils alone.
Ranma shook her head to gather herself, "Hai, Kasumi-neechan, would it be all right if I helped?" Ranma asked pleadingly.
"Well, dear I don't know if that would be wise." Nodoka interjected. It was still hard for her to let go and drop the whole man among men thing. Ranma slowly turned to exit the kitchen with a defeated expression on her face.
Kasumi beamed as she got called neechan almost like she was Ranma's older sister and she also noticed the disappointed look on Ranma's face. She knew she had to act fast. "Ranma wait." Kasumi called stopping Ranma in her tracks as she was about to leave the kitchen. "Auntie, Ranma has always been a big help in the kitchen. Don't you remember just how good she was when Ranko was helping you?"
"Mother, I promise I won't get in the way, everything just smells so good I would really like to learn how to make myself more useful in the kitchen." Ranma felt the need to reassure her mother as she walked further into the kitchen.
Nodoka finally remembered the fact that this was now her daughter and would indeed need to learn more about cooking as she would be female for the rest of her life. "Well, dear I guess it wouldn't hurt for you to lear-" Nodoka was cut short as Genma ran into the kitchen screaming, "What are you going on about boy! No son of mine is going to know his way around a kitchen if I have anything to say about it!" as he grabbed Ranma by the shoulder to force his child out of the kitchen, but was cut short as he heard the shing of metal behind him and felt cold steel press firmly against his neck.
"Well, dear, it's a good thing you don't have a say so, now isn't it come here Ranma." Ranma was released from her father's grasp as Genma was frozen from shock and fear as his nightmares of the seppuku contract he had over the past ten plus years came rolling back into his mind. Nodoka turned her attention to her daughter as she walked up close to her and said, "Now, Ranma dear, after dinner me and you are going to need to have a talk about somethings. It's nothing bad and you are not in trouble I think you might actually enjoy what I have to say."
Ranma was a little shocked but also felt relieved not only had mom stood up for her against father, but she was also allowing her to help out in the kitchen. 'Man, today just keeps getting better and better." She thought to herself. "Um, yes Mother." Kasumi ushered Ranma over to get an apron and to show her a few things then set her up at a station of her own.
Nodoka turned her attention back to Genma who was still reliving his nightmare in his mind. "Now Genma, while we are going through this… time in our lives Ranma will belong to me and be under my wing so to speak. You had over ten years to have our son to yourself. Now it is my turn for me to spend some time with our… child. Do I make myself clear, Husband?"
"Very clear No-Chan." Genma said with a worried voice. Nodoka slowly released her blade from Genma's neck and said, "Very good Husband, you can go now." Genma left the kitchen and went back to the shogi board with Soun. While Nodoka took over Kasumi's position at guiding Ranma in the kitchen. Ranma didn't need much guiding along she was a fast learner after all that would never change.
It was a smart idea however to leave the cutting of the fruits and vegetables to Kasumi. Neither Nodoka or Kasumi wanted to know how much of Ranma's skills had left her and with a blade in her hand trying to cut the vegetables and such in the way she used to did not seem like a good idea. They especially didn't want a knife flying through the kitchen. So, they set Ranma on the task of finishing the Miso Soup that Nodoka and Kasumi had been working on, and after they were both assured that Ranma had everything under control the three of them finished off dinner without a hitch.
Phone Call.
Akane was worried that something was wrong with Ranma. He shouldn't have been acting so girly today Cologne, had told them that this would take time and shouldn't affect his personality all that much, but the way Ranma was acting was more along the lines when he had hit his head in the koi pond and believed that he had actually been a girl. Something was off and it was nagging her that was why when she got home she immediately went upstairs to away from prying ears to call Cologne to see if she knew what was going on.
The phone at the Neko Hanten began to ring as the customers were sitting at there tables enjoying their freshly made bowls of ramen. "Hello, this is the Neko Hanten, Mousse speaking how may I help you?" Mousse was the only one available to answer the phone at the moment because Shampoo was too too busy making tips and flirting with customers as she would put it, and Cologne was in the back cooking the ramen and didn't want to be bothered at the moment.
"Um, hi Mousse, this is Akane, I need to speak to Cologne this is important." Akane asked.
Mousse could hear the distraught uneasiness in Akane's voice. "Sure, Akane just one moment."
Several moments came to pass, but finally Akane was greeted with "Yes child, is something the matter Mousse told me that you needed to speak with me and you said it was important nothing has happened to Son-in… er Ranma now has it?" Cologne asked.
"Well, yes it does you see I figured since he is going to be stuck as a girl forever that he might need some help to get adjusted at school. So, I invited my friends to meet us and get ice-cream I explained the situation to them and they didn't really buy into it all that much until…" Akane sighed "Until Ranma, saw this little red stuffed piggy, and couldn't take her hands off of it, ever since then she has been acting really, really girly, and I thought you said this was not supposed to affect his er her personality all that much?" Akane waited patiently for Cologne to respond she couldn't stand the thought of Ranma being a girly girl for the rest of her life, she barely accepted the fact that Ranma was going to be a girl for the rest of her life. She didn't know if she could handle this new Ranma it was too much for her to handle at the moment.
"Hmm, I'm sorry child, this must have slipped my mind Ranma's body and mind are probably just going through a bit of shock. This happens to almost all of those who have been given this sort of punishment." Cologne finally felt like her age was catching up to her how could she have let something like this slip her mind.
"What do you mean 'slip your mind?' how could you let something like this 'slip your mind' you should have warned us!" Akane screamed into the phone, but still, quiet enough where nobody in the house could hear her conversation.
"Child, you know I am over three hundred years old. It has also been well over a hundred years since I have witnessed someone receive the Guódú as punishment and for letting this slip my mind I am deeply sorry." Cologne sighed she knew she deserved the youngest Tendo's fury, but still wasn't going to take too much lip from a young child. "But, this is nothing to worry yourself over child, when Ranma wakes back up tomorrow she should be back to her arrogant self although she will remember how she acted and might be quite embarrassed." She said with a cackle.
"Oh, well, I'm sorry for snapping at you Cologne, I-I guess I will let you get back to whatever you were doing, hopefully, Ranma will be at least somewhat him er herself tomorrow." Akane said a little relieved but also worried.
"One more thing child, you can call me anytime if you see or hear anything that seems out of place with Ranma please let me know. I would hate to see anything worse happen to that child, I myself have put him through just as much suffering as the rest of you." Cologne admitted with a tinge of guilt in her voice.
"Why are you so adamant on helping Ranma now if I might ask Cologne, you always seemed to go out of your way to find way and make his life even more miserable." Akane demanded.
"Well, Child I can't help but feel a little guilty for what has happened to my dear Son-In-Law, and if I had kept a better lock on my things maybe none of this would have happened, maybe it still would have I don't know Happy was always resourceful in these kinds of ways. But the honest truth is that I did grow quite fond of Son-In-Law, that's why I taught him so many of our Amazon techniques, he was always gifted and a quick learner, he will always have a place in my heart. What I wouldn't give to have my younger body and be fighting along you girls for his hand…" Cologne trialed off, "Well we can't dwell on the past now can we, that being said I must take my leave I do have a business to run. Unless there is something else you wish to ask me, child?"
"No Cologne, thanks for your help and I will call you if anything else happens to Ranma. Ja ne." Akane replied feeling a lot better about Ranma all she had to do was get through the rest of the day how hard could that be."
Cologne cackled on the other end of the line for a minute or two before responding, "Bai bai, Child."
Dinner is Served.
Akane came downstairs from her room feeling relieved that Ranma was not going to keep acting the way that she was. It would be an incredibly horrible situation to deal with on a daily basis around the house with Genma and her father, let alone when they had to go to school, or when challenges came at the doorstep. She shivered at that thought how would she handle the Kuno situation.
She looked around and saw Genma sulking at the Shogi board playing against her father. Nabiki, was still somehow watching her favorite T.V. show and reading a magazine at the same time. How her sister did that still boggled her mind. She was just about to sit down next to her sister to watch some T.V. when she heard Kasumi's voice say, "Dinner is ready." Everyone scrambled to their normal seats. Akane sat down first followed by Nabiki who sat to her right so that she could still see the T.V., her father sat at the end of the table closest to the T.V., but with his back facing the wall, Genma sat to Soun's right. Akane looked around and Ranma was nowhere to be found.
Akane looked toward Nabiki and asked, "Where's Ranma?" but Nabiki was too engrossed into her show to respond with words so she just shrugged like she didn't know, but in reality, she just didn't care enough to respond.
Genma ended up piping in with stern distasteful words saying, "The boy, is shaming his own father and acting like a weak gir-."
This was the same time that Nodoka, Kasumi, and Ranma all came out of the kitchen carrying the contents of today's dinner into the dining room. "What was that Husband, did you say that you don't want to eat dinner tonight, because if that's the case then I'm sure we can make arrangements dear?" Nodoka said as she, Ranma, and Kasumi, started laying out dinner on the table.
Cough "Um, n-no No-Chan, I was just saying how wonderful it is that our child is learning how to cook it will help out when we go on training trips in the future." Genma said weakly.
"That's good dear, I wouldn't want you to go hungry over a slip of the tongue." Nodoka replied turning to Genma with a smile that said I know what you said and I don't approve of it, while still setting everything up for dinner on the table. Nabiki heard enough to pull her attention to what was going on in front of her and gave Nodoka an approving smile then leaned into Akane and whispered, "Dang, she's good." Akane silently nodded her head in agreement towards her sister not wanting to drag too much attention her way.
As everything got set out for everyone to dig into dinner. Kasumi sat across from Soun at the other end of the table, Nodoka sat next to Genma's right as well as next to Kasumi, and Ranma took her usual spot next to Akane. As everyone put food on their plates and starting to dig in everyone's eyes started to drift toward Ranma. She wasn't eating at vacuum cleaner speeds as Ranma normally did. She was actually eating at a normal pace, but that wasn't what caught everyone off guard she was eating in a very lady-like and feminine fashion as well. Taking her time and enjoying each bite of food she was lost in her own world of happiness and you could see it plastered on that big sweet smile that she had on her face. This was until Genma reached his arm across and tried to still one of her fish causing Ranma to be jerked out of her reality and she fell backwards.
"Father, what are you doing? If you wanted some more fish all you had to do was ask I could have gotten you some." Ranma exclaimed as she was holding her bowl in her hand protectively leaning back on the floor with a shocked expression on her face.
Nodoka was furious, to say the least, "That is what I would like to know too?" She turned and shot her husband a steely gaze. "Husband dear, why are you trying to steal food from our daughter's plate?" Nodoka angrily asked Genma. "I-I uh umm, ever thing is Marti-." Was all he got out before Nodoka cut him off. "I will say this once and only once Husband, you will not steal any more food from our child's plate do I make myself clear!?" Nodoka was already getting tired of Genma antics tonight. "Y-Yes, No-Chan, very clear won't happen again." Genma then sheepishly shrunk back in his seat.
"Ah, Kasumi, Nodoka you both did excellent on dinner tonight the Miso soup is amazing!" Soun proclaimed trying to bring in a cheerful mood.
"Father, Ranma-chan mostly cooked the Miso soup all by herself we barely had to help her at all." Kasumi said giving Ranma a congratulatory smile.
"Yes, Ranma dear, was a very big help in the kitchen tonight, I'm very proud of you sweetie." Nodoka beamed.
Soun quickly swallowed a lump he felt uneasy about the situation, but for some reason found that he couldn't scold Ranma he had three daughters himself so he gave Ranma a fatherly smile while saying, "Ah, yes well Ranma, it is very good."
"I hate to admit it Saotome, but this is just as good as Kasumi's maybe even better, no offense sis." Nabiki commented before taking another spoonful to her mouth.
"None taken Ranma-chan deserves the praise she put in a lot of effort." Kasumi commented giving Ranma a slight wink before continuing to eat her own meal. Akane would have probably have said something about her fiancé being able to cook better than she did, but she was too preoccupied trying to find a situation where she could relay why Ranma was acting the way she was.
"Thanks, everybody, it was well worth the effort to watch you all enjoy it!" Ranma beamed with a big beautiful smile that would have melted even her own father's heart had he of been looking. "Well, I'm pretty full and I think I'll start to clean everything up." Ranma said getting up from her seat next to Akane and headed into the kitchen.
Once Akane heard the sounds of pots and pans being washed in the kitchen sink. It gave Akane the perfect time to explain to everyone why Ranma was acting the way she was. She told them about her phone call with Cologne, and told them that 'Ranma' should be Ranma again by tomorrow. Kasumi, was a little upset she liked how Ranma was acting and Ranma was a big help. No one ever really offered to help Kasumi around the house, and as much as she wanted Ranma to be herself again she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that this Ranma wasn't going to stay around.
Nodoka was slightly relieved but also upset it was like she had lost Ranko all over again. Genma was as happy as could be, it was almost like he had forgotten that the master punished Ranma and he really didn't have a son anymore. Soun, was just as content either way, just like Nabiki was they both liked Ranma, either way, it wasn't as if Ranma could join the school anymore anyway. Although Nabiki was sure she could make more cash off of this more feminine Ranma, maybe. They all sooner or later finished eating, the table was cleared, and all the dishes were put away. That was when Nodoka snuck up behind Ranma in the kitchen and said, "Everything seems to be in order dear, why don't we go wash up? We have much to talk about."
"What? Wash up? We're going to bathe together?" Ranma asked confused. Even though Ranma thought that she was a girly girl right now she had never bathed with her own mother before. At least not since before she left on her training trip with her father over a decade ago, and she didn't even remember any of that.
"Yes, dear, I believe the furo will be the most private part of the house." She said grabbing her daughter by her shoulders and guiding her to the stairs before turning around and shooting Nabiki and Genma a steely gaze while saying. "We just need to make sure we lock the door behind us." Then the mother, daughter duo continued the way to the bathroom and made sure to lock the door behind themselves.
The Furo (Mother, Daughter Talk)
As Ranma, entered the bathroom with her mother she felt shy, uneasy, and on edge. She saw her own mother start to undress and quickly turned to look at the corner of the wall like it was the most interesting thing in the world. While Nodoka continued to undress, she undid the sash on her blue Kimono and laid it to the side. She slowly took slipped out of her Kimono and it fell to the ground. Nodoka then proceeded to pick it up, gently folding it neatly from years of experience, and laid it to the side for when she got out of the bath. Nodoka, was excited she had always wished to have a daughter of her own one that she could have all the mother-daughter moments with, to go shopping with her, teach her flower arranging, be there for her when she had boy troubles, take her through bridal training, and she was even looking forward to having those delicate and personnel feminine talks.
But, she had a son, not that she didn't like her son she loved her son more than anything in the world. That was her child, her one an only baby she would ever have. It was a miracle she even had Ranma, the doctors were even shocked that she carried him throughout all three trimesters. The Doctors, told her after Ranma was born that there was no possible way for her to have another child, the damage had been done to her, but she was still happy she had gotten a child of her own a beautiful baby boy named Ranma.
That didn't stop her and Genma from trying to have another child for the next five years before they left on their training trip. It would have been so much easier for her over the last decade had she of had another child to keep her from being so lonely. She had prayed every night since Ranma had left to keep Ranma safe, make Ranma strong, and then she would pray for a daughter. It appeared the gods have answered all of her prayers, they kept Ranma safe he was in one piece, healthy, and full of life. No one could argue that Ranma 'was' one of the strongest martial artists in the world. But, her last prayer was answered as well, she now had a daughter even if it was Ranma that had become her daughter she didn't care she would treat Ranma, all the same as if she was born a girl alltogether.
She knew Ranma wasn't in a good state of mind, but she had thought about that already she figured that this Ranma would be more forward with emotions and might be easier to get the answered that she wished to get out of her. This more girly and feminine Ranma still had all of Ranma's memories after all so the best person to get a straightforward answer from would be from this girl that was standing behind her staring at the corner of the room still fully clothed.
"Ranma dear is something the matter there is no reason to be shy we are both girls and your my daughter after all." Nodoka said gently smiling, she was fully naked now and staring at her daughter.
"I... I…, Um, I know Mother, it's just that I have never bathed with other girls, or even with you before." Ranma replied sheepishly, still staring at the wall it was most interesting at this time of night for some reason.
"When you were a baby Ranma, who do you think bathed you? When, you grew older who do you think got you into the bath to make sure you were clean?" Nodoka, walked up placing her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "You may not remember Ranma, but we have bathed together many times. I know where your birthmark is and what it looks like, I know my child like the back of my hand, and I am your mother. I know you may be shy, but there really is no reason to be. Now hurry up and get undressed dear, and that is an order." Nodoka may have said it was an order but the way she said it made Ranma feel good to have her mother there and reassure her about things.
Ranma turned to face her mother and shot her a bright smile then said, "Your right Mother, I'm just being silly aren't I… I mean you are my mom I don't know why I was even shy in the first place." Ranma then quickly moved the straps of her coveralls off to the side and shimmied out of the pink material that had "China" on the front in big bold letters. She threw off the orange shirt she wore, and soon enough she was just as naked as her mother.
"Good dear, now let's clean up before we enter the furo and start out little talk." Nodoka opened the separating door to the furo room and motioned for the redhead to join her.
"Hai!" The now joyful and relaxed redhead responded and joined her mother closing the door behind them both.
Nodoka and Ranma had both pulled out separate stools and buckets. They threw the cold water over their own heads and got all lathered up to take away the filth after the long day. Before long the furo was filled with nice hot water that was steaming up the entire room they were in. Making it that much more relaxing for the redhead. There is nothing like being in a warm room after being out in the cold all day on top of having cold water thrown on top of yourself to clean up. Whatever uneasiness was left in the redhead quickly left her as soon as she and her mother lowered themselves into the inviting embrace that was the warm waters of the furo.
Ranma let out a sigh of pleasure as the warm water she was entering slowly rose to encapsulate her entire being. The warm water that surrounded her seemed to take everything off her mind. She felt as though she was floating and nothing could touch her, her mother was there with her of course, but her mother's presence was soothing to her calming even it made her feel even more relaxed. She eventually laid her head back on the edge of the furo and closed her eyes trying to take in this moment as best as she could.
Nodoka let out a slight giggle watching her daughter go from being so stiff and shy to completely sprawled out relaxing in the furo with her head leaning back on the edge.
This caused Ranma, to snap out of her little daydream of relaxation, "Huh, what so funny Mother?" Ranma asked opening her eyes and lifting her head up from the edge of the furo. Her mom who was sitting across from her with an amused and happy look on her face.
Nodoka waved her hand, "Nothing dear, now how about we have our little chat?" she hummed "I have always wondered what all of your fiancée's mean to you. Do you love any of them?" Nodoka finished she had always wanted to have an honest answer to this question, but her son always seemed to dance around it, and if what Akane said was right maybe she could get a more honest answer out of her child.
Ranma had a perplexed look as if her mother had just asked her the stupidest question in the world before it melted away entirely, and she saw her mother's expression she could tell her mother was serious about this. "Well, to be honest, I don't like any of them." She sighed, "I don't know why Father, would engage his only daughter to so many women, but even though he is an idiot, I still love him." Ranma said running her fingers across the top of the furo while looking down at the water.
"I will agree with you dear, your father is an idiot." She paused with a regretful sigh, "and I am glad that throughout all this you still find it in your heart to love him." Nodoka then gave her daughter an apologetic and happy smile. "But, I really wanted to know how you feel about each one of them I believe there are three or four of them correct, I only know of Akane, Ukyo, and Shampoo, but I have heard rumors of a fourth?" she finally asked.
"Hai, Mother there are technically three of them with real engagements, but there is another one that pursues me as well." She said regretfully "I guess, I can start with the fourth one. Her name is Kodachi and she just saw me one day and started calling me her 'Ranma Darling' she is a total loon, uses poisons, and all kinds of chemicals to drug people I can't stand her and try to avoid her at all costs. Then there is Ucchan, I thought she was a boy when I was younger and we were really good friends then as well. But, things changed because of father, now she is almost as bad as the others. But, sometimes there are moments where we are back to the old ways and we are friends again like when I go over during her dinner or lunch rush we can always talk about things like normal people. The situation changes once I'm at school or even just walking around though…" She sighed, "she can come out of nowhere and surprise me. She always has food with her so I can't refuse it, but Akane always gets angry about that. That's about it on Ucchan I don't love her though if that's what you're asking that would just be wrong to me. I would say she is more like a friend or a sister to me." Ranma replied as her mother decided to step in to say something.
"Well, I guess I should tell you that Cologne, called off the Kiss of Death and the Kiss of Marriage from you…" She trailed off remembering they couldn't let Ranma know that the pill was permanent yet, so before Ranma could respond, "She said that she felt responsible that Happosai was able to get his hands on this secret Amazon recipe to make the pill, so she declared boss kisses to be null and void." 'good save Nodoka, good save.' She cheered herself on inside.
"Wow, I never would have thought Cologne would give up claims to me that took a big weight off my shoulders. So, I guess that just leaves Akane?" She paused and placed a finger on her chin to think before looking back at her mother to say, "Hmm, well I have to say out of all my fiancées, Akane is the most bull-headed, irrational, and quick-tempered one of them all. She can't cook, she can't clean very well, and she is clumsy as all get out."
She paused with a sigh and looked back down at the water again, "But, she is also always there for me when I need her to be, she seems to always since when I need to be left alone to give me time to think about things, and as much as she would deny it I know her door is always open to me if I ever need someone to talk to. She is kind, considerate, and always fun to get along with when she isn't in a rage-induced temper tantrum that is. But, like I said with Ucchan, Akane, is more or less a friend to me and nothing more. I think her temper towards me would go away if Father and Uncle Tendo, weren't pushing the engagements down our throats every second of every day." She said with anger but it quickly passed with the last comment, "We could become actually be really close friends I think."
"Well dear, I believe I have heard enough. How about I do you a little favor seeing as how I am in charge and have been in charge of the family since you and your father have been on your training trip I will postpone all engagements until you say so." Nodoka said sternly.
Ranma looked at her mother like she couldn't believe it was happening, she looked dumbfounded, then excited before asking, "Really Mother, you can do that? Th-That would be wonderful I can't Thank you enough." She immediately grinning at her mother with her deep blue sapphire eyes slightly tearing up.
"Why yes dear, I will get to work on it tomorrow. Now, why don't we get out of this bath before we turn into wrinkly old prunes shall we?" Nodoka and her daughter got out of the Furo and dried off with their towels before dawning some bathrobes and exiting to the guest room to get dressed in some sleepwear. Ranma got dressed in the only sleep wear she knew which was a pair of boxers and a white muscle shirt. While Nodoka dawned some blue pajamas that had pink cherry blossoms that seemed to be scattered across them. Nodoka noticed her daughter staring at her like she wanted to ask a question or something was on her mind before asking, "What is dear, is something wrong?"
"It's just you look so pretty, and I wish I had some clothes like yours is all…" Ranma turned to look back at her clothing drawers that were filled to the brim with nothing but mainly boy's clothes or overly feminine clothes that she would be too embarrassed to wear herself.
Nodoka was beaming with joy and so excited she was going to get to take her daughter on a shopping trip all she had to do was ask, "dear, would you like to go shopping after school tomorrow we could buy you a whole new wardrobe, and anything else that you might fancy, oh it will be so much fun." She felt like a teenager again and giggled slightly.
If Nodoka's beaming with joy was any comparison to Ranma, it would be put to shame. She was jumping up and down and ran to her mother to give her a great big hug. "I would love to." She said as some tears of joy ran down her face before whispering just loud enough for her mother to hear, "I love you, Mother." And, then hugged her mother even tighter.
That melted Nodoka's heart and the mother-daughter duo sobbed tears of joy. This is everything Nodoka had dreamed of this is what she had wanted from Ranko. She had planned on trying to adopt Ranko from the Tendo's, but as she was about to ask for permission she found out about her son's curse and her heart shattered to pieces along with her plans.
It wasn't like she truly lost Ranko she was really her son after all. But, she couldn't do all of the things she had planned to do with Ranko, because Ranko was really her son who was bound by a seppuku contract to be a 'man among men.' She couldn't bear the thought of her son having to end his own life, and lying about the curse and doing all of the girly things would have put a lot of stress on her. She didn't want to lose her son to some stupid contract, but if her son could no longer be her son then the contract was null and void and this Ranma in front of her has no identity she is free to do as she pleases. This situation might just be a blessing in disguise she mussed to herself.
"Ranma one more thing you remember the Seppuku contract don't you." She asked looking down at her daughter that she was still holding.
Ranma quickly broke free from her mother's embrace taking a few steps back and looked at the ground before saying in an emotionless tone of voice, "Yes, Mother, I'm sorry I shouldn't have been crying like that it won't happen again."
"No dear." She ran and brought her daughter back into a motherly embrace before saying, "It's alright to show some emotion from time to time especially now given certain circumstances." She then gingerly grabbed her daughter by the shoulders then took her daughters chin in her hand so they were looking at each other eye to eye before speaking again, "I have decided that the Seppuku contract no longer pertains to you. You and Genma are free from it now and forever, consider it completed."
Ranma was completely stunned by yet another onslaught of good news. "Really? You…you really mean that mother?" Ranma asked while wiping a tear of joy from her eye, but never losing eye contact with her mother.
"Yes, I would never lie to you, that stupid contract has done nothing but drive you and Genma further and further away from me. I am ashamed it took me over a decade to see that, but you should get some sleep dear, you have had a long hard day today, and you will need your rest for our shopping trip tomorrow."
"Hai Mother." Ranma beamed. Nodoka hugged her daughter one more time before walking her over to the futon. Ranma climbed in and Nodoka carefully tucked her daughter into bed. Ranma was lying in her futon fully tucked in with Miss. P snuggled up against her. She never took her eyes off of her mother as she was walking to the door and stopped. Nodoka took one last look at her daughter this would probably be the last time she would see this girl, she knew Ranma would hold true to all of the promises made. She was assured that Ranma would remember everything from what Akane said, and she could tell that everything Akane had told her at dinner was true so far, this girl, her daughter, had all the memories of her son. That was enough to set her mind at peace. She said to her daughter who was watching her this whole time, "Goodnight dear if you need anything you know me and your father will be sleeping in the dojo."
"Goodnight, Mother, I love you see you in the morning!" Ranma exclaimed and then snuggled up to her Miss. P.
With that Nodoka, turned off the light and said a last, "I love you too." Then turned and closed the door behind her. She walked all the way down the stairs ignoring anyone and everyone as she walked by. She continued her entire path in silence as she walked down the walkway that connected the house to the dojo. She completely ignored the cold chilly winds that were still in the air as she was entirely left without emotion. That was until she entered dojo and rain began to slowly fall from the sky ever so slightly picking up more and more. It started with only a few drops making the ever so slight t'k sound on the roof of the dojo, but it slowly picked up pace as she climbed into her futon on the dojo floor.
Then just as she broke down into a fit of tears the heavens sent down a torrential downpour there were a few leaks in the dojo's roof and they made themselves known to her. As she watched the water from the heavens slowly drip onto the floor only a few feet away from her, Nodoka was utterly and completely sad. Everything Akane has said was true, so she knew come morning that sweet innocent child would no longer exist. The sweet and innocent child that could have been hers had she of had a daughter, that child who deserved a chance to live, but by no means even existed.
That person is just a piece of her son turned daughter, and she was more determined than ever to make sure that her daughter will become the happiest and most cared for child around, she would make sure that her Husband knew his place, and most of all Ranma would become whoever Ranma wanted to be. Nodoka tears may have started out in sadness, but they grew into tears of joy she couldn't help but wonder what kind of person her daughter would become. The next chapter in her daughter's life might be hard, but she would be there for support. Nodoka cried herself to sleep that night, but the only dreams she had was of how happy she and her daughter were going to be on the shopping trip tomorrow.
The Guest Room.
Ranma was snuggled up to Miss. P just about to fall asleep on her futon. She was a very happy and content girl right at this moment. She had a mother who seems to only be interested in her well-being, not her trying to be something some stupid contract said she should be. She had hoped she made some friends today in Yuka and Sayuri. Yuka had even bought her Miss. P. 'How could we not be friends?' she thought to herself as she pulled the blanket up closer to her and snuggled up to Miss. P even more.
She had helped cooked a meal for her family and everyone seemed to enjoy it and even praised her for it in the end. If the little redhead in the room could use a Ki attack at the moment it would be a Ki attack made of sheer and utter bliss one manufacture from the sheer and utter happiness she was feeling at the moment. Nothing could break her from this feeling or so she thought. Until the rain picked up, and the winds howled around the house snapping the redhead out of her sleepy mood. Her eyes immediately shot open and she squeezed Miss. P even tighter. 'I'm fine it's just the rain... It's just the rain and some wind it's nothing…' She kept telling herself over and over again like a mantra and it worked for a while.
Until lighting struck down and the loud rumble of the earth frightened the girl. She jumped to her feet and out of her futon as she was hugging Miss. P, and clenched her eyes shut as much as possible. She was facing the window of the guest room while she slowly walked backwards to the door. Ever so slowly she also began to crack open her right eye. When she finally managed to do so she saw another large flash of light shoot through the room from the window and at that very same moment something that looked like a giant arm smacked against the window just as the loud thunder rumbled throughout the house. This caused Ranma to swing the door to the guest room open and she only knew of one place she could go where she didn't have to go outside in the storm.
Akane was just about to fall asleep herself when the storm came and woke her up as well, but she was trying to ignore it to go to her slumber. That was until she heard repeated knocking at her door.
Akane wondered who would be knocking at her door at this time of night, so she quickly grabbed her bokken that she had hidden under her bed to be ready for anything. She did live in Nerima after all and this could be Kodachi trying some new way to poison her, but Kodachi normally just appears from somewhere hidden not trying to give away her location. Maybe it could be P-Chan, but P-Chan can't knock on a door he doesn't even have hands. She knew it wasn't either of her sisters they definitely wouldn't be up this late at night. "Who is there?" She ended up asking sternly as she approached her door wielding her bokken nearly as good as Kuno.
"A-akane?" She heard a sweet and frightened voice answer back to her.
"Ranma!?" 'Why would he be here? Oh, kami-sama please tell me this isn't happening again..." Akane thought.
Akane slowly cracked the door open and lowered her bokken. She was right it was Ranma standing in front of her doorway clutching Miss. P and looking terribly frightened. "What's wrong? It's the middle of the night." Akane asked.
"I-I'm s-scared." Ranma replied sheepishly while clutching Miss. p even tighter as she brought the stuffed animal closer to her face.
"What!" Akane exclaimed.
"Mother and Father are sleeping in the dojo, and the storm Akane-san I'm… I'm…I'm." Ranma started trembling and couldn't finish that sentence. Ranma raised her head and quilty asked, "A… A… Akane, m-may I s-sleep with you?"
"I can't believe this is happening again." Akane mumbled to herself before looking at the frightened redhead in front of her and saying, "Okay, Ranma, but only for tonight."
"Thank you." The trembling redhead said before entering Akane's room. Akane set up Ranma with a makeshift futon that she usually kept put away unless her friends Yuka and Sayuri would come over for sleepovers and other such things. Ranma had her head resting on the big white frilly pillow and had her arms wrapped around Miss. P who was snuggled up against her. Ranma slowly calmed down after feeling safe in Akane's room and having someone there with her made her feel even more protected.
Ranma ended up breaking the silence after she stopped trembling, "Akane, are you still awake?" She asked barely above a whisper.
Akane was indeed awake she couldn't help but feel a little bit freaked out that this was happening again so she let out a big sighed before responding, "Yes, Ranma I'm still up is there something that you need."
"I-I just wanted to let you know that I am glad that you allowed me to come in, here again, it means a lot to me. Thank you." Ranma replied.
Akane was about to respond when she realized that Ranma had said 'again' 'What did Ranma mean by again. I have never let Ranma in here before at night time except when he thought he was a girl. Don't tell me that. No, it can't be that, can it? That's impossible!' Akane thought before rolling over to look at Ranma and asking in a sincere tone of voice "Ranma, what did you mean by again?"
"Akane, I don't know how or why I'm back again. I remembered that last time I came in here scared I didn't wake back up as myself at least. I don't know what happened, the last thing I remember is coming in here and going to sleep." Ranma sat up and turned to look at Akane, "Akane, I'm the same person who woke up when I got that blow to the head. You took me shopping with you to cheer me up after I found out I could turn into a boy. Then we went to go get ice cream after when we got home me and you had a lot of fun cooking dinner with Kasumi, even though you weren't very good at it." Ranma giggled, "I Just wanted to let you know that I don't think I'm going to be here tomorrow if the same thing happens again, but I'm glad I got one more day to live this life even though it may not be mine to live. I wanted to thank you Akane for being a friend to me when even my own father was acting like I wasn't his..."
"Ranma, I-I'm Sorry." Akane began to tear up a little it was like watching someone on their deathbed. It brought back memories of seeing her own mother.
"Akane don't be sad, I'm still here, Ranma I guess the real Ranma will be here and I am apart of him, so don't cry. You have done nothing but bring happiness to me. I got to see my mother and she loved me back, just as much as I loved her. I guess what I'm trying to say is that today is the best day of my life, and I just want it to end on a good note." Ranma wiped a tear from her eye and look directly at Akane, "Good Night, Akane, and thanks for being my friend." The redhead girl then turned over facing away from Akane snuggling up to her stuffed animal.
"I-I-I don't know what to say?" Akane asked on the verge of tears.
"Just say goodnight silly, this will be a perfect end to a perfect day."
"O… o… okay, g…goodnight, Ranma." Akane said between sniffles as she too turned over trying to take her mind off of the girl who wouldn't be their come morning that girl was just one piece of a whole Akane kept telling herself, and if Ranma has something that sweet and innocent in him. Then maybe she could help him bring it out a little.
Both of them fell asleep, both of them fully content and dreaming happily, but both of them would not truly wake up tomorrow one of them wouldn't truly exist anymore.
A/N: Please leave a Review if you want too. Ryoga will be in the next chapter for anyone that was wondering this is just the beginning and for anyone who wants to get mad that I took away Ranma's ability to fight she will be getting it back I promise. I also had to overpower Happosai in order for this story to work. This is slightly A/U and Nodoka knows about Ranma's curse as I am sure you have figured out, but the events at Phoenix mountain did not happen or haven't happened yet.