In case anyone's wondering, this takes place a few days after that silly little Romeo & Juliet play.

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma 1/2. Obviously.

Chapter I: The Ghost of Jealousy

Snowflakes fell from the twilight skies. The airs were still, absent of any frigid winds. While the temperature remained well below zero, without the wind chills, the atmosphere was tolerable enough to admire. To gaze upon the hazed skies, to fall into reverie as the snow drizzled atop my cheeks, to feel relaxed for once was somethin' of a miracle.

Today'd been lousy, a real eye opener too. It's weird, to think about yesterday and compare it to today. How the two are so different, yet so much the same. Was I just now realizing my problems? Running away from them like Ryoga running from town to town, clueless of where he was going, where I'm going. I try 'nd do something nice and what happens? I get shot down and stampeded by coincidental beat downs. But what if I wasn't around 'nymore?

I know in the past I'd threatened to go back to China or other places, but what if I really did just abandon everyone; would they care? I would. There's no way that'd ever happen though, not unless there was a way to get rid of this stupid curse. This curse.

I wasn't t'only one screwed over by those damned springs, yet no one seems to sympathize my hardships with this body. I'm a boy, not a girl. If some guy wants to be a girl, great, he can go right on ahead and jump in. Me on the other hand? Hah. No thanks. This body's caused me nothin' but troubles. From lecherous old men to creeps like Kuno, I can't say I want any part in it anymore. Yet, what choice have I? Having fiances is one thing, but men attemptin' to grope me is just terrifying.

That reminds me, out of all the girls chasing me around, would any of them still want me if I was stuck a girl? Would they show the same affection towards me if we were married and I had to be in this state for awhile if not forever? I guess that means their love wouldn't be so true after all, especially with that Kodachi. Shivers forced me to sit up. Not that I'd ever consider a... unique girl like her. Being thrown into a cesspool of cats is more dignified.

As the snow was beginning to pile onto my face I decided to head into the bath and warm up, changing back into my normal body. Before going inside I sensed an odd presence, as if the snow itself had stopped fallin' for a moment. Chills traveled down my spine in that instance and my body glued itself to the roof, but for only that instant. There was no wind, and the temperature hadn't really changed, so it couldn't 'ave been the cold.

Crash! Something shattered down the hall. Hopping out of the bath I grabbed my clothes and darted in the direction of the noise. Broken glass. But who was the culprit? Normally I wouldn't feel such a tight feeling in my chest, and my legs wouldn't feel so heavy. What's wrong with me? My shoulders were tight and my hair was standing on end, over for what all I knew was a rat or Ryoga. Not that there was much of a difference between the two.

Screaming coming from Akane's room left no time t'question myself. I pressed into the ground and bolted from floor to wall to floor again and skidded into her room.

"R-ranma! What is that thing!?" she asked in a scream.

"How should I know!?" I replied, taken aback by the greenish monster planted before us.

Its eyes were reptilian, and its face oblong, but its skin... its skin appeared a tarnished green or blue, rough like leather. Its hind legs stood like a dog's, but its hands like a man. Just what in the world did this thing want with Akane? Ignoring our earlier incident, I swept at its feet and kicked into the door, using it as a spring to propel myself towards her. My voice became shrill as it rebounded quicker than I could reach her, slashing at my chest, ripping my shirt open.

"What's with all the noise, don't you know what time it is?" Mr. Tendo said, walking in. "What is that!?"

"Why are you all asking me?" I gritted through my teeth as I made another lunge for Akane.

"Hey, keep it down will ya? I'm try-... What is that thing!?" Pops screamed in my ear, forcing me to stumble forward.

Whoppin' him on the back of the head I spoke, "Will ya idiots stop asking me? I don't know!"

Its movements were fluid, the torso of the beast swaying back and forth, watching my every movement. The noises that came from its shriveled lips sounded like a fork grinding inside a garbage disposal. Was it even from Earth?

"Ranma." Mr. Tendo spoke.

"Yeah?" I said.

"We'll distract the beast while grab your darling fiance and escort her to safety... but don't take too long, this thing's terrifying!"

"No kidding! Maybe we should take the girl and leave this to Ranma?" Pops laughed alongside Mr. Tendo, proud of the idea.

"Don't worry punk, I'll take care of Akane. Just stay out of my way!"

"Ryoga!"

"There's no time for this!" I yelled to the thick-skulled idiot.

"Yeah? Watch and learn girlie." Ryoga approached the monster, Akane's arms now folded with her brows forwaded.

"Girlie? Who're you callin'-" I attempted to say as Ryoga's chest was punctured by the thin needlelike fingers of the creature.

"Ryoga!" I rushed to his side. His blood poured out, amassing in a puddle on the floor that soaked my pants. It hit a vital point. The blood was seething out so profusely that it appeared a warm stream.

"Listen here, you take care of Akane. All right? N-no screwin' around with other girls," he stuttered, falling into a coughing spell.

"Don't talk like that! You're not gonna die y'know? We still have t'finish our fight," I said as Kasumi applied pressure to the wound with a dishrag.

Seizing the opportunity, Akane managed to slide between the foul creature's legs, tears swelling from her eyes as she peered over Ryoga.

"My dear, sweat Akane, how I've longed for your touch," he said, his voice struggling to hold its tone. "I can die in peace now."

"No. You're not going anywhere, you got too much time left to spend here with us." She lowered her chin biting her bottom lip.

Now was my chance to pound the monster... that'd disappeared. Where could it go? The window wasn't opened and the doorway was too crowded to get through. There was no escape. Something that size couldn't just up and vanish. I looked to pops and he shrugged his shoulders.

"He's dead." Kasumi looked to the ground, the room falling silent after her words slugged through her throat.

"What a night huh?" I broke our silence.

"Yeah."

She didn't bother to look me in the eyes, her body was gaunt, her knees tucked into her chest.

"About today, look-" I began.

"I don't wanna hear it."

"Y'know somethin'?" I asked.

She didn't reply.

"I learned somethin' about myself today, about you; about us."

"Yeah? What?" She still looked to the floor, tightening the grip on her knees.

"Unless we talk about our problems instead of blowing up we won't get anywhere, I'm at least trying for once, and where does it get me? Where? Nowhere! Why should I even try? If you won't listen!" I bursted out, standing, heaving from my chest.

Taking a similar position she took a deep breath and yelled back at me, "Who's asking you to try? Who!? Not me!"

"Stop." I sat back down.

Her eyes widened, she sat back down, although closer than before.

"You really went overboard today, and all 'cause of some misunderstanding too." I struggled to find the right words. It took all my restraint not to blow up back at her and leave the room. With Ryoga gone, and our arguments getting worse I didn't have a choice. I had to make a stand and change something, for all our sakes.

"I'm sorry, I just... I don't know what's wrong with me sometimes," she said, looking away at the wall.

"I really like you... That is, I uh... well, I don't mean that, y'know; maybe I'm tryin' to say, I..." I tried to express myself.

She turned to me.

"It's just you're not really..."

"Not really what?" she barked, beginning to fume.

"That! That right there! You always take the littlest things as insults and it makes me want to blow up on you!" I growled between my teeth, looking to the ground as my cheeks puffed up. A rolling heat swelled over my backside to my chest as I felt her embrace me.

"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?"

"H-how... how do you feel about me?" I blurted out, gulping, my throat becoming sore.

"Uhm, well, I..." She tugged on her shirt's collar blushing, running her hand through her hair.

"I don't know."

"Oh."

"Wait! I just, I'm conflicted."

"Oh."

"Hear me out! The pressure from this is just too much for me, I'm not good with these sort of things," she said and continued to rest on my shoulder.

"Let me ask you this, if... I were to always be a girl, would that bother you?"

"What do you mean?" She lifted her head and quirked an eyebrow.

"If I were stuck in a female body for the rest of my life, how would that make you feel?" I coughed, closing my eyes, resting my chin on my hands.

"Well... that'd mean we'd both be girls and that isn't right," she concluded, sighing.

"Why isn't it?" I questioned.

"It just isn't! I can't... and I really can't with a... it just, ugh..." she groaned.

"I guess then let me ask you one more question. Do you want to get married? Or would you rather the engagement be broken?" I turned to her, looking her in the eyes.

She remained quiet for several minutes, staring at the floor, before finally speaking, "I don't know."

"It's okay Akane. You're cute when you're not violent," I said, cringing, preparing to be struck.

"Thank you," she said, kissing my cheek.

I fell over, my stomach churning as though butterflies were flapping their wings inside it. No sooner was the elation taken away as it was given; the sound of a fork mashing inside a garbage disposal echoed throughout the room.

"Where is it...?" She clutched onto my shoulders.

"Is it invisible?"

We both stood up, back to back, my brows furrowing as sweat tricked down my temple. I could hear my pulse, the saliva in my mouth drying up.

We waited, and waited, yet nothing was there. Nothing at all. The sound couldn't had been more than six feet away, yet nothing was there; nothing made a move at us. Agreein' to call it a night I left her room.

Instead of heading to the guest room, I situated myself outside her door, making sure nothin' would get in or out. It was late, probably past midnight. But I couldn't sleep, not after everything that happened. Ryoga... He was gone. At some point that all sunk in. It felt like a dream, one where I was descending into hysteria. Nothing made sense and I was losing my mind, but was that so different than every day? I don't know. At least Akane and I were able to get along without fighting for once, but how long would that last?

The sound of the door opening forced speckles of light to enter my dreary vision. My back cracked as I stretched, my joints stiff and throbbing.

"You waited there all night?" she asked me.

I nodded. She reddened and sat near me.

"I've thought it over," she said, forcing my chest to puff into my head and wake me.

"Thought what over?" I yawned.

"About if I want to marry you," she sighed.

"Oh." I didn't know how to feel, my chest was in knots and I didn't know why.

"I can't."

I couldn't say anything, an invisible demonic cat had grabbed hold of my tongue.

"At least not yet. I'm sorry," she said, clearing her throat.

"I see."

"I'm sure that makes you happy." She smiled to me, getting up and leaving for the kitchen.

How could she be... so dense. I wanted to get up and run after her, but I didn't. I didn't understand. How did last night translate into... that? That I would be happy about that?

But there was one question I hadn't asked myself. Did I want to marry Akane? She's always so uncute that maybe it wouldn't be a good idea after all, but then why am I so upset about her answer? Where would I even go if not for this stupid engagement? We'd been nomads, roaming the lands training; the only thing holding us here was the engagement. If it were over I'm not sure we'd be welcomed here anymore, but somehow I get t'feeling they wouldn't be so vicious.

Deciding it would be best to avoid confrontation for awhile, I took a walk down the neighborhood streets. The ground wavered in blurs that warmed my eyes, accelerating my heartbeat as my head throbbed. Being tired was one thing, but doing something as simple as walking down the street shouldn't had required so much concentration. I had to sit down and lean against a fence, to rest my eyes. Oh the glorious feeling shutting my eyelids bestowed, the heat surging from my face t'chest.

"Nihao, Ranma!" came the unsettling voice of a girl whose bike trampled my midsection.

"Pl-... Gah- Bike! Crushing!" I stuttered, kicking my legs and throwing my arms in a fit.

Noticing my discomfort, she hopped off her bicycle, maybe after breaking one or two of my ribs, and rolled it off.

"Is not happy to see Shampoo?" She leaned over my poor body with a dumb grin.

"Not happy at all," I spat, catching my breathe.

"Ranma so mean!" She slapped me across the cheek, pouting.

"Y'know, I don't even think it's acceptable in China to greet someone by running them over with their bicycle," I said, not bothering to get up.

She didn't speak. Was this everyone-hate-on-Ranma-week or what? How was it my fault I'm not a glowing ball of sunshine after a hit 'nd run incident.

"Is okay. Shampoo forgive airen," she said, turning and launching herself onto me.

Out of all the pests I deal with, Shampoo's probably the most affectionate. If only Akane... nevermind that. Was there any way to get her off me? If it wasn't one thing, it was another. But why? All 'cause I beat her? Some barbaric law that says she has t'like me? That can't be love, 'specially considering how I treat her.

"Listen, I got a question," I asked, prying her arms off of me.

"Ranma have question for Shampoo?"

"Yeah." I paused, looking t'the sky with a heat swelling in my cheeks. "Listen, ignoring your tribe's laws, there'd be no way you'd like me right? I mean, there's no reason to. I actively avoid you, would honestly rather be quarrelin' with pops or some thugs, and don't share your affections; so why?" I hacked out, rubbing my index fingers together.

She didn't speak. Instead from the corner of my eye I could see her getting closer. Turning my head she attempted to kiss me, falling short as I fell on my back, slamming my head into the asphalt.

"That has nothing to do with what I asked!" I yelled, with my arms beginning to jitter.

She'd taken advantage of the situation 'nd crawled on top me, locking my hips in place with her thighs. My shoulders curled, my chest caved in and words escaped me. Swallowing saliva created an audible gulp as I looked up into her eyes, her eyes of mischievous intentions, her eyes of malignant desires. The feeling in my legs had gone limp as my brain told them to heave her off of me. There had to be someone that could save me, anyone at all.

"Shampoo answer question with affection," she giggled, placing her hands atop my volcanic chest. Water formed in the bottom of my eyes, with breathing becoming a chore.

With all my might I formed words, maybe not the best words, but words nonetheless, "W-why... Sh-shamp-poo l-love Ranm-...a?"

"Is stupid question," She titled her head, smiling.

"It's not!" I managed to yell, forcing her hands off my chest.

"Ranma upset?" she asked with her brows arched inwards, rubbing her thumb to her index finger.

"J-just tell... me why!" I sat up, wiping the accumulated sweat from my forehead.

"Hm..." she murmured, closing her eyes.

Waiting and waiting, I ran my fingers through my hair, the burning in my eyes blurring my vision. The dizziness seemed to minimize when I closed my eyes and rested my head on the ground. Funny how I'd become a victim of female brutality, and my manhood and pride had been raped away by actually becoming one. My emotions were always thrown 'round like a ragdoll, like no one really cared how I was feeling, segregating me in mind as the curse did body. Shampoo really exemplified that, which made her one of the bigger nuisances. Yet, sometimes in the moment it didn't feel that way.

"Ranma?" she called to me, forcing me to open my eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Shampoo come to conclusion," she said, her thighs still cutting off circulation to my legs.

"Uhuh?"

"No secret Ranma always make Shampoo mad," she paused, leaning closer. "But is to pay off when you mature in heart." She smiled at me with her eyes closed.

"T'at don't really answer all of what I asked," I sighed, rolling my eyes.

"Mmm, let Shampoo finish," she began. "No man braver or handsomer than airen. When think of you, Shampoo heart race like river to ocean. Is feeling that bring much happiness, so much that always is feeling like walking on clouds," she explained.

Maybe her reasons really do come from her heart, but after yesterday everything seems to feel so different. Normally I wouldn't wonder 'bout this kinda stuff, or ask these kinda questions. It's not like me, it feels girlie, out of place.

"Thanks for being honest, but could ya get off me now?" I asked, my head turned away from her.

"Never," she said, fastening herself onto me again.

"Oh, Ranma. So this is what you skipped out on breakfast for," Akane said, approaching us.

Knowing the inevitable was coming, I didn't bother to speak; it was hopeless. She never gave me the opportunity to explain myself, and when sh'did, she'd still whack me one. At least Shampoo listened to me and while dense at my expense, for the most part, hears me out. Akane couldn't feel the same way I do, not after yesterday and today, yet she still acts jealous. Maybe sh'just hates me and doesn't want anyone to like me, considerin' even if it's by accident she rejects anythin' resembling affection from me.

"Don't bother coming home anytime soon, okay?" She smiled and pranced away. The jealousy was in full swing.

"Bye-bye pervert-girl!" Shampoo waved, sticking her tongue out.

"What'd you call me!?" she yelled, stomping back to us.

"Pervert-girl! Is what Akane is after all," she laughed, holding a hand to her mouth.

"Listen here, if there's any pervert here, it's the guy you're manhandling there!" she barked like a brainless dog.

Is that really how I see her?

"Airen is no pervert. You jealous Ranma no under you?" she snickered, grouping my chest. And I lied there a ragdoll, too weak to make a move.

"Of course not, don't be ridiculous! Why would I be?" she asked, her voice raised.

"So uncute," I said under my breath.

"I heard that!"

"Of course you did," I mumbled.

"Obvious answer to obvious question. Akane love Ranma, but not as much as Shampoo love." She rested her head on my neck, flashing a devious smile only I could see.

Both her eyes twitching, teeth gritted against one another, and nails drawing blood into her palms, she stormed off into the distance. I did absolutely nothing, but insult after insult, misunderstanding after misunderstanding, she hadn't changed; she wouldn't change. Maybe it was my fault. Maybe if I'd been a little more understanding when we'd first met... no, regrets won't change anything. How'm I s'pposed to feel being crushed by a cute pest?

"Cute?" I questioned myself.

"You call Shampoo cute?" She pressed her nose to my own.

"Uh, no I uh, was just, well, thinking, but it came out, and uh, you see..." I bumbled, my throat burning as the two of us stared into one another's eyes. I hardly blinked as I took deep breaths, almost afraid to breathe.

"Hm. I know problem, Ranma come with Shampoo yes?" She startled me, forcing my ears to ring and my vision to blur.

"I uh, d-don't think I can uh, walk, see m-my legs are-" I said as she cut me off.

"Is no problem! Shampoo give ride to Cat Cafe," she said. "Then talk with airen!" She stood up for the first time in what seemed like years. With my midsection pounding she heaved me onto the back of her bicycle, saying, "Hold on tight!" And, probably against my better judgment, I did.