My Brown Eyed Girl

The smell of an early summer shower air hung on the city as teens flooded through the streets of Tokyo, freed at last from high school. Furinkan students often stood out on whatever trains or buses they took to return home (usually plaster and dust from the latest fight, but other oddness was seen from time to time) and today was no exception. The lei were definitely a festive touch, but the soot showed there was more to the story. No one felt like explaining just what happened this time, and most students from other schools had learned not to bother asking.

Akane was heading home from a long day at school, but didn't feel tired despite the principal's antics that day (though she was glad Ukyo had dealt with the sharks). The reason for the spring in her step was that Ranma was coming home from his training trip that evening, and despite all the chaos and name calling that had followed the wedding fiasco a few months earlier she had to admit that she finally knew she loved Ranma. She was also pretty sure that the feeling was mutual, but she wasn't going to be the first to confess. If any marriage was going to work out in the long term she was certain Ranma needed to accept the humility of fessing up first.

Sighing absentmindedly her thoughts were shifted by the sight of a familiar red umbrella and over-sized backpack. Ryoga in town was a rare treat these days. The Hibiki boy had spent most of his time on Akari's farm the past few months.

"Ryoga!" she called out cheerfully, glad to see him after so long.

The figure behind the backpack froze at her voice, and what little Akane could see of Ryoga's body language seemed to radiate fear. She began to hurry to see what was wrong (probably just Ryoga not realising how far he'd wandered, at least that was Akane's hope).

"Stop!" a familiar sounding, but distinctly feminine voice called out. "I-I don't know if I can... if I can face you like this."

Akane momentarily halted, but concern for her friend won out.

"Ryoga? What happened? Did you manage to get a nyannichuan curse?" Akane asked, really not sure why he'd be so embarrassed by that.

Akane tried to walk up to him and found Ryoga turning to keep facing away from her. After they completed a full rotation and a half Akane sighed.

"You're really going to keep spinning?"

"I... I want to explain what happened first," Ryoga replied.

"Okay? I still don't understand why you're so nervous."

Ryoga sighed as he marched through the Laotian wilderness. He tried not to think about why he'd left on one final desperate bid to cure his curse, but it wasn't easy to forget. If Akari had only said 'a brave pig' rather than 'as brave as a pig' and similar slips once or twice he'd have dismissed it. When it became pretty well daily though it grew hard to ignore. Then there was the tracking collar. At first he had agreed that a tracking device was a good idea for when he got lost, so using one of the pig tracking collars for a little bit as a proof of concept made sense. The fact that Akari suspiciously kept forgetting to work out a less embarrassing tracking device however...

It was likely that with her views on the world Akari would have treated any man too much like a pig. With Ryoga though it was made all that much easier for her, and all that much worse for him. He didn't really blame her, but he couldn't take it. He needed to know someone could love him as a human. After Akane he couldn't take being loved in pig form more than human form.

That was why he was in Laos. He'd read that there was a temple hidden in those poorly charted jungles with some sort of magic artifact that could cure all curses. The description was cryptic (as the internet was so often), but it was a hope.

The jungles cleared a bit, and Ryoga found himself looking at some sort of bamboo marshland. Though that bamboo looked surprising dry.

"Honoured customer, this one did not expect to see you here alone."

Ryoga turned find the source of the voice, and was stunned to see the Jusenkyo guide.

"What are you doing in Laos?"

"Laos? Honoured customer, this is Jusenkyo. Laos is many thousands of miles south of here."

"Huh," was all Ryoga managed for a few moments. "Wait! Then I can get to the Nannichuan!"

"This one had assumed that was goal. Drowned Man Spring is to the north end of the valley. Third to the left when you face the large rock which sort of looks like a mushroom. You'll know it when you see it. Has three bamboo poles sticking out of it."

"Thank you!"

Ryoga smiled. Then ran due East (far faster than the guide could follow). The lost boy eventually found a rock that could vaguely be described as mushroom shaped. If you asked Mousse.

"And then... third from the left. With three poles... hmm, but the third from the left hasn't got any poles. Maybe they fell over at some point?"

Too excited to stop and think, Ryoga leapt into the pool. Instantly the cold water sent a shock through his system, and he felt the usual transformation start, but then it felt like it was reversing. As the tingling of the transformation finally ended Ryoga was thrilled to still feel human. Righting himself in the pond he dragged himself out of the water and stared down at his hands.

"I'm human! I'm still hum-wait. Why does my voice sound funny?"

Realising his hands looked more delicate than usual Ryoga had a sinking feeling in his chest. A sinking feeling that made him look down to check just what his chest looked like. His eye twitched when he saw his wet shirt clearly clinging to breasts.

"Great, just great... Oh, and I'm sure Ranma's going to tease about his being bigger," Ryoga grumbled, then wondered at why his new voice sounded so familiar.

At that point a huffing Jusenkyo guide finally caught up with the former pig.

"Oh no! Honoured customer!" the guide began, but had to halt to catch his breath.

"I know. I know. I've fallen in the Nyannichuan. With it's tragic tale of the young girl who drowned... 1500 years ago? I think?" Ryoga grumbled.

"No, no. Not Nyannichuan," the guide informed Ryoga. "Honoured customer fall in newest cursed spring of Jusenkyo. This one think honoured customer know story. Was nearby when it happened."

Ryoga blinked as he wracked his brain. The newest spring? One he would know about. Wait...

Ryoga turned nervously around to look into the water. Once his brain processed what he'd seen he promptly fainted.

"...I woke in the guide's hut a little while later. He'd returned me to myself while I was unconscious. I was alone, and decided to go look for him. Figured maybe I could have him drag me to the right spring. Unfortunately I got a little turned around, and next thing I knew I was in Shanghai. I realised I wasn't going to get back to Jusenkyo on my own, so paid my way onto a boat back to Japan. Figured I might as well be somewhere I spoke the language."

Akane shivered. She knew in her heart what Ryoga's new curse was, but didn't want to believe it.

"Show me," she told him.

Ryoga turned to her, though his face was hidden behind blue-black bangs as he kept his eyes towards the ground. There was no denying just what form he'd taken.

"Look at me," Akane asked, more softly this time.

Ryoga reluctantly met her eyes, and Akane's whole body squirmed with discomfort. It was her own face staring back at her. There were some tiny differences: Ryoga was notably more tanned; his ears seemed almost pointy; his nose seemed a little more upturned; and it was clear he somehow still had those fangs of his. His hair was just a little bit longer than hers (possibly due to nervousness about the last time he gave Akane a haircut?). All combined though, Akane was fairly certain only the tan would let her tell them apart if she were shown a photo.

Of course it was the eyes that really got her. She knew they were Ryoga's eyes. You could always tell who a Jusenkyo victim was if you knew their eyes... but with that face Akane felt like she was looking into how her own eyes had been before Ranma had shown up. The same loneliness and sorrow turned rage was in them. The shade of brown was so similar too. She just wanted to hug him.

Except at that point her brain finally received the blaring distress signals coming from her nose.

"Ugh," she spluttered, "When was the last time you took a bath?"

The boy with her face turned even redder than he had been.

"Um... not since the boat back. They had showers on board with hot water. Couldn't really bathe in rivers like I usually do... and was worried about getting splashed by cold water if I went to a bath house," Ryoga managed to mutter. "So... a few weeks at least?"

Akane grabbed his hand and began to drag him along after her.

"You're coming to the dojo, and you are going to take a bath immediately."

"C-could I get some hot water first?" Ryoga asked in a panic.

"Oh... Yes! Definitely," Akane replied, blushing as she realised what the alternative would mean.

The Tendo Dojo was thankfully only a short walk away. Akane would have breathed a sigh of relief as she entered her home, but wanted to wait until Ryoga was a little farther away.

"Kasumi? Do you have a kettle ready?" Akane asked as she removed her shoes.

"I'll put one on now. Is Ranma home early?" Kasumi's voice replied from the kitchen.

The eldest Tendo daughter emerged from the kitchen a moment later, and promptly froze at the sight which greeted her in the genkan. Akane and Ryoga both rushed to catch her as she momentarily grew unsteady, but luckily it was unneeded.

"Ryoga? Is that you?" she asked as she poked at his bandana. "How?"

"I suppose we should have gone into more detail about what happened with the Phoenix People," Akane muttered reluctantly. "I was just so uncomfortable with what it meant. I didn't want to think about it... They sort of dropped me into a blank pool at Jusenkyo. For some reason that one causes whoever falls in to look just like me."

"Oh my... And Ryoga, you... what happened?"

The Akane look-alike blushed furiously. "I, er, kinda got lost trying to find the Nannichuan. Thought I followed the directions fine, but... should have known that's never true for me."

The two then explained Ryoga's desperate need of a proper bath, which Kasumi certainly had no interest in arguing. As soon as the kettle was hot enough to return Ryoga to his true form (a bit of magic that Kasumi had down to a science) the lost boy was led to the bathroom. The whole cleaning process took rather longer than usual due to how deep set much of the grime was, but when he was finally soaking in the warm furo Ryoga couldn't help but feel joy at the simple sensation of cleanliness.

Eventually he pulled himself from the comforting sensation of warmth, wrapped a towel around his midsection, and stepped out to get dressed. His pack wasn't where he remembered it, but that wasn't a huge surprise. When five minutes of searching passed and he still couldn't find it that was a bit more concerning. Nervously he slid the door to the hallway open to call out. Of course the first attempt didn't work out so well as he'd opened a closet by mistake, but the second attempt was a success.

"Um, just curious, but, er, where are my clothes?" Ryoga stammered.

After a few awkward moments of silence Kasumi and a slightly grumpy Akane appeared.

"They were much too dirty for you to put on. I think it might take a couple of attempts to clean them properly," Kasumi replied.

"Huh... Yeah, since I wasn't getting chances to bathe doing laundry seemed a little silly. I guess I fell further behind on it than I'd realised though," Ryoga replied, but then had his current state of undress return to his thoughts. "So, will I have to borrow some of Ranma's clothes?"

"Ranma took all his clothes with him when he went on his training trip," Kasumi reported.

"Well, not all of his stuff... but the stuff he left wouldn't fit you," Akane added.

"Wouldn't fit... wait, his disguises and stuff?" Ryoga asked.

"Yeah. 'Disguises'. I didn't realise just how extensive his collection was until just now when Kasumi and I were checking to see if there was anything that might fit you."

"I won't wear his girl clothes!" Ryoga objected.

"Like I said, his stuff wouldn't fit you anyway. Unfortunately that means you have to wear someone else's," Akane grumbled.

"Now Akane, we know it will fit Ryoga perfectly well. It would be rude to leave a guest without clothing," Kasumi replied.

"He'll look real cute too. If I could get some pictures of the two of you modeling together I bet Kuno would pay a mint," a happy Nabiki added as she sauntered into view.

Before Ryoga understood what was happening he was being led along by Kasumi, who held his hand gently but firmly. They were heading upstairs as Ryoga's mind worked out who's clothes would fit him perfectly. They were in Akane's room before he got over the shock of the concept and realised he should protest it.

"Wait! I can't wear Akane's clothes either! That's just... just inappropriate."

"Trust me, it's the least bad option. Nabiki was preparing some rather revealing options out of her closet, and you'd probably trip on most of Kasumi's skirts. Plus you did wear some of my old clothes during that mushroom incident," Akane replied, though her tone made it clear that her elder sisters had only barely convinced her.

As Ryoga tried to find a counter-argument Nabiki produced a glass of water. Ryoga panicked and backed away, though nearly dropped his towel and while regaining his hold on that he felt the cold water running down his head. The room grew larger (though not as large as he'd seen it in the past), and suddenly Nabiki and Kasumi were both looking down at him. It was at that point he got a view of himself in Akane's mirror. The fact that the towel was only around his waist was suddenly a definite mistake.

Akane watched as Ryoga passed out, with a nosebleed so violent it reminded her of a waterfall. She glared at Nabiki.

"You could have waited until we got a shirt on him."

"Hey, he's gonna see it all at some point, might as well do it while you're here," Nabiki countered as she shrugged.

"Fine, but give us a bit of privacy," Akane grumbled.

"Oooh, kinky," Nabiki replied with a laugh.

"What? NO! Not like that!" a blushing Akane shouted. "I-Just-er... this is embarrassing. For both of us. You being around will just make it more awkward. Especially with those yen signs glowing in your eyes. I can tell you're hoping he'll be as easy to photograph as Ranma."

"Can't blame a girl for wanting to make some cash," Nabiki replied.

"When it involves an invasion of my privacy I can. And I take photos of Ryoga's cursed form as an invasion of my privacy too."

With that Akane chased Nabiki out of the room. Kasumi was busy nursing Ryoga back to consciousness, but wondered if she should leave as well. A look a Akane's face convinced her she needed to stay to keep an eye on both of them.

"Ow... my head. Who hit me?" Ryoga grumbled as he sat up.

The sensation of how his chest responded to the movement caused Ryoga to blush furiously and his eyes shot to the ceiling.

"Ididn'tmeantolook," he half shouted.

"You're going to see yourself at some point," Akane replied, hating the concept, but having no way to stop it. "Might as well make sure you won't pass out next time... It could be dangerous otherwise. Plus I'd like to be present this time to... make sure you don't spend too long looking at the mirror."

Ryoga blushed, but nodded as he turned to Akane.

"I'm still sorry for all of this," he managed to mumble.

"I have half a mind to try to beat you to a pulp, but a) I know with you that's pretty much impossible, b) Kasumi is trying to get me to work on talking through my problems more, and c) I certainly couldn't do it while you look like that. It would be too weird," Akane shot back. "Anyway, now the really awkward bit... L-lose the towel."

"WHAT!?" Ryoga screamed with shock.

"You will have to put on underwear Ryoga-chan, it would be difficult to do while holding up a towel," Kasumi added diplomatically.

Ryoga was practically glowing red as he let the last bit of modest he had fall to the ground.

"I am curious, why do you seem so much more tan in this form?" Kasumi asked, "If it was just from being out in the sun I was expecting to see some tan lines, but the tan is so even. The only way not to have any tan lines would be to sunbathe nude, and even Shampoo doesn't do that."

Ryoga spun around with his hands up waving defensively. "I can explain! Er... Just give me a minute or two to figure out how."

Suddenly Akane pinched his cheek, "Don't worry. Sure, mommy's going to miss her little black piglet P-chan, but now I have the perfect model to see how my outfits look. Good thing the new curse almost totally covered the old one."

Ryoga nearly fainted for the second time that hour.

"How... how long have you known?" he asked, pure terror in his eyes.

"I figured it out when you showed up with that Charlotte collar. I tried to come up with a decent punishment, but eventually realised the most fun option was figuring out how long you two would try to maintain the secret. Watching you and Ranma come up with ridiculous excuses was good fun. A little insulted that you two though I was that dense, but I got some good laughs."

Ryoga was too stunned to reply. He sat a practically stone statue while Akane fished out her most tomboy underpants. Ryoga stiffly accepted them and pulled them on. To his credit only a few drops of blood fell from his nose. Akane then held out a bra.

"Whoa, wait a moment. I'm still a guy. I don't want to wear a bra. I'm not a pervert like Ranma."

"You're not leaving this room without a bra as long as you look like me."

Ryoga sighed, but accepted the garment in question and (after a bit of struggling and then help from Kasumi) manage to put it on. He looked thoroughly displeased with the situation though and kept fiddling with it.

"This is an older bra, right?"

"Yes... but it still fits," Akane replied suspiciously.

"They're supposed to be this tight around?" Ryoga asked sheepishly.

"WHAT!?"

Akane produced a mallet and seemed ready to slam a terrified Ryoga out the window (despite how that would look) when Kasumi slid between them.

"Akane, breath for a moment. Good. Now both of you, stand beside one another and hold out an arm."

The two youths did as they were told, standing shoulder to shoulder and holding out their touching arms. Looking at the two beside one another it was clear Ryoga was more muscular than Akane. The last two months of dragging his pack around had been more than enough to let Ryoga bulk up past where the spring had started him.

"I thought so. He did say it was tight 'around'. It's his chest muscles underneath that are larger. That bra barely fit you anyway Akane."

Akane and Ryoga made awkward eye contact, both looking apologetic.

"Fine, we'll get you some better bras later. You're not getting one of my newer ones though. I still need those."

Ryoga was past the point of complaining, and let himself become a living mannequin for the next forty minutes. Akane grumbled about not knowing how outfits looked for others more than a few times. This led to Ryoga suddenly finding himself in various bits of formal wear as Akane wanted to make sure how they looked from behind. Finally though they left him in a an acceptable outfit of a loose yellow t-shirt and her China overalls.

Akane then had homework she wanted to finish before Ranma got back and shooed them both from her room. Kasumi hurried off to the kitchen. Ryoga eventually found himself sitting beside the koi pond, feeling sad about how thrilled Akane seemed to be about Ranma returning. Sure, Ryoga had officially dropped out of the competition for Akane's heart, but his heart had never much liked that decision. Especially as he was now effectively single again, having run away from Akari.

What had Ranma done to be so lucky in love? Four girls chasing after him. Ryoga only ever got affection for being a pig. Couldn't someone love him as a human being? Even Kuno cared for Ranma as a human, even if it wasn't the right way around.

Wait... Kuno. Ryoga suddenly realised he was going to left running from the would be samurai too now. Did that count as an improvement of his prospects? No. Ryoga was not going to go down that path.

"Gah! Shampoo, let go!" Ranma's male voice carried over the walls of the Tendo compound.

Soon the cocky martial artist himself followed, with Shampoo hot on his heels. The Amazon succeeded in trapping her beloved in a glomp just in front of Ryoga. The way Ranma just squirmed rather than attempting any actual counter grappling techniques had always annoyed Ryoga. After all he'd been through lately Ryoga was extra ticked off at Ranma, and before he properly knew what had happened his fist had already knocked Ranma from Shampoo's grip.

"Hmph, violent girl spoil Shampoo's fun... Airen no worry, Shampoo finish deliveries then come give Ranma proper attention," the Amazon stated before hurrying off.

'Violent girl? Wait... she thought,' was all Ryoga's mind managed before someone grabbed his hand.

"I'm really sorry about that," Ranma was saying while he held what he thought was Akane's hand, "After all the trouble I went through stayin' male so I could do this properly and everything... I shoulda known somethin' would go wrong. I won't let that stop me this time though. I've been way too stubborn about things, and really have to tell you what's on my mind."

"Wait, Ranma, I don't think you-" Ryoga began.

"Please, let me say what I came to say first," Ranma interrupted. "I... I've been scared to admit it for too long. There were just so many conflicting obligations. Too much in the air. I was afraid to follow my heart... but... Gosh darned it, I love you and I've loved you for a long time."

Ranma punctuated his confession with a sudden kiss on the lips and strong embrace. He smiled as he pulled back from the kiss, to admire the face of the girl he loved. Those big sensitive brown eyes. That cute blue-black hair. The adorable little fangs in her half open mouth. How cute her blush was when-Wait.

Fangs?

"RANMA!" Akane's voice cried out, but it wasn't coming from the shocked Akane in his arms.

Ranma turned his head quickly to the source of the noise, and saw an Akane glaring at him. Where those tears in her eyes? If she was Akane, then who was he holding? Ranma panicked and let go of the one he was holding as the more recent arrival stomped towards him. The one he'd kissed seem to come of out their daze around the same time the angrier Akane reached them.

"RANMA!" two Akane's shouted in stereo. That was as far as the stereo performance lasted as the new arrival shouted: "How could you!?" The one Ranma kissed chose a slightly different expression: "Prepare to die!"

Twin fists sent Ranma spiralling into the koi pond. The angry redhead burst out of the water wanting answers nearly before he'd finished landing.

"RYOGA?!" his shrill female form voice shouted. "What do you think you're doing looking like that?"

"It was an accident!" Ryoga protested.

"He didn't even mean to go to Jusenkyo," Akane added. "Then he got mixed up trying to find the Nannichuan."

Ranma's eye twitched. "Gah! Only you could manage that Ryoga..."

"Now you've gone and played with Ryoga's poor fragile heart," Akane replied. "You know how he feels about you."

"What? No... I..." Ryoga began to protest. His brain however was completely short circuiting at this point.

"Or did you mean to confess to him? You didn't actually say my name at any point," Akane accused Ranma.

"How? I didn't even know he had a new curse!" Ranma protested. "I didn't think there was any need to specify who I was talking to. He's wearing your clothes too!"

Ranma and Akane began glaring one another down. Neither was willing to admit to being to blame for the issue.

"Bah. I told myself I'd man up and let you know how I felt properly today, Akane, so that's what I'm going to do," the short redhead declared. "Akane, I love you. There, I said it."

He then took Akane's cheek in his hand and pulled her down for a kiss. Unlike the earlier kiss with Ryoga this time Akane was happy to return it. As the parted though Akane was left blushing furiously.

"M-maybe we should have gotten you a kettle first," she muttered.

"Heh... oops," Ranma replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

A still short circuiting Ryoga was hit with a severe blast of jealousy. Then a wave of confusion as he realised he was jealous of both Ranma and Akane... Maybe the new curse was one of those ones that messed with the victims head? That was what he tried to tell himself.