Chapter 2
School Is Hell
Ranma walked slowly with Akane. Both girls had left home early, hoping to avoid Kunou. Ranma stared ahead, her hands in front of her, holding her bag. She felt nervous. This wasn't the first time she went to school as a girl. It was, however, the first time she willingly dressed as one.
Ranma felt fear creep over her. She shuddered and quickened her pace. Akane followed suit, frowning. The silence had become unbearable.
"Ranma, are you prepared for our teachers not believing us?"
"Yes. I have the extra uniform in the bag. I'm ready for the teachers, but not the rest of the class."
"I'm not either. Our best bet is to avoid Kunou and the other boys. We'll have to work on the girls, but they've been understanding."
"Only after beating me within an inch of my life."
"They did no such thing. You just didn't defend yourself. Anyway, we'd better be confident."
The two entered the school yard. Ranma nervously watched for Kunou. The few students already there paid little attention to them. Ranma relaxed a little, but still kept her guard up.
She and Akane entered the building. They made their way to the principal's office. The secretary looked up, surprised to see Akane and a new, red- haired student. "What can I do for you, Akane?"
"We'd like to see the principal."
"Shall I tell him it's about the new student with you?"
Ranma looked down at the floor. Akane's expression sobered more, "This is Ranma."
"Ranma? Saotome Ranma?"
"Yes," replied Ranma softly.
"Oh! I thought Ranma was a 'he.'"
Ranma fidgeted while Akane sighed. She thought the secretary knew, like everyone else in school, about the Curse. "Normally, yes. That's why we came to see the principal."
"'Normally?'"
Ranma was quickly growing irritated. This was also annoying Akane. Akane made a deliberate effort to remain calm. "Are you aware of Ranma's curse?"
"Curse?" The secretary thought for a moment. She frowned, then her eyes grew. "I'm sorry, Ranma, Akane. I had forgotten. We rarely see you as a female, Ranma, I didn't recognize you. I'm sorry. I'll let the principal know you're here."
The woman went to another part of the office. Ranma and Akane relaxed a bit. "For a moment, I thought Cologne had used the Formula 110 on her," sighed Ranma.
Akane nervously touched her hair, remembering Shampoo's attack. Akane put her hand on Ranma's shoulder. The secretary returned, motioning them to follow. They complied, following her to a large office.
The principal motioned them to take a seat while he finished a phone call. He hung up the phone and turned to the girls. "What can I do for you two?"
Ranma spoke up, "We're here to let you know I'll be coming to school like this for a while."
"There IS a reason for this, right?"
"Yes. I've been locked into this form. If I try to become male, the pain is intolerable. I...I destroyed the only cure while trying to get it," Ranma said weakly.
"Destroyed the only cure? Why did you do that?"
Ranma took in a ragged breath, "I fought too well. My opponent, the one who locked me in this form, used the cure to taunt me. I...I lost control and..." Ranma finished the statement, gesturing to herself with her hands.
The principal looked at the two students a moment. "Are you prepared to participate in class as a girl, Ranma?"
"Yes. There is a class that boys take that I'm signed up for. Do I go ahead and take it?"
"I think we can make an exception for you, this time. The rest of your student career will have to be as a girl, though."
"Unless I find a cure," Ranma added hopefully.
The principal smiled, "Unless you find a cure. I'll let your teachers know of your current condition. If there are any problems with the students, let them handle it. Okay?"
"Thank you, Sensei," replied Ranma and Akane in unison, bowing deeply.
After the girls left the office, the principal looked up their schedules. He made a quick note on who their teachers were. He then left for the teachers lounge, hoping to catch as many of them there as he could.
He opened the door. Sure enough, most of Ranma's teachers were there. The first period teacher had already left. 'He'll find out soon enough.' The other teachers started moving toward the door.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have to talk to you about one of our students." The principal waited while the others calmed down. "Saotome Ranma came to me just a few minutes ago to explain that he will be coming to school as a girl for the foreseeable future."
The room began buzzing with rumors and speculations. The principal waited for a moment before taking charge again. "According to Ranma, someone managed to lock him into his current form. I know he's not telling me everything, but it is upsetting him. I'll try to find out more details, but for now, treat Ranma as normally as you can. Don't let the students get too out of hand."
The assembled teachers agreed and went on their way. The principal returned to his office. He thought about how he could confirm Ranma's story without being obvious. He could call Ranma's home, but that could be a mistake. Especially if Ranma left home as a boy.
He could call Dr. Ono Tofu, but that would be legally tricky. Ranma's history of violence towards the headmaster's son had the school preparing for legal actions. There was no real reason to add questions of confidentiality to the equation.
He could put subtle pressure on Ranma or Akane to make them confess. But if they caught on, he could loose his job and reputation. That was not an option at his age.
Still, Ranma had always been honest. When it became widely known that he had two forms, he went to great lengths not to abuse it. He remained a male student as much as he could. He often turned away when the females students looked at him in his female form.
The normally confident boy almost became a different person when he became a girl. While always confident in his varied skills, he was always self- conscious when it came to dealing with the other students, especially the female students. Even during his swimming class.
Something was definitely happening to Ranma. This much was certain. It was his duty, as principal, to see to the well being of his students. Even the most unusual ones. This duty included finding out what actually happened, and possibly why.
Ranma and Akane sat in their seats, tolerating the stares from the rest of the class. The teacher, apparently unaware of the entire situation, read the roll. Even when he reached a particular name, "Saotome Ranma?"
"Yes!" replied Ranma nervously.
The teacher looked up, not sure he heard the correct student. "Ranma?"
Ranma raised her hand slowly, trying to sound confident, "Yes."
The teacher contained his surprise. Up until three weeks before, Ranma had almost always been a boy. That last week before he missed classes, Ranma refused to wear the appropriate attire for a girl, even when threatened with disciplinary actions.
The teacher collected his wits before speaking, "I assume there is a reason for your change?"
"I'm locked in this form. Until I'm cured of either this condition, or the curse itself, I'll be coming to school like this."
"I see. Is there a cure?"
"The one that will unlock my curse was destroyed. The one that will cure me of my curse is currently out of reach."
"How is it out of your reach?"
"It's in China, somewhere. I don't have the money to look for it."
"I guess we'll just have to accept you as a girl until either cure takes place. As such, I expect you to behave appropriately. That goes for the rest of you."
Ranma sighed in relief. Akane smiled. She noted Ranma relaxing more. Perhaps things wouldn't be so bad. They could at least have a normal day. Not like when they had to worry about the rain, the fire pails, or other accidents.
The rest of the morning proceeded normally. At least as normally as could be expected at Furinkan High School. The teachers came and left with each period. They seemed a little surprised, but did not bother asking for details.
The lunch period finally came. Ranma and Akane remained in the room. They talked about the morning. Several other students watched the couple. They were wondering why those two weren't fighting over something.
Two of Akane's friends, Kyoko and Atsuki, came over to their friend. Ranma looked up and smiled warmly. Akane, too, smiled. The two friends joined the couple. Kyoko and Atsuki looked at each other nervously.
Kyoko leaned over to Akane, whispering, "Um...Akane, why is Ranma really dressing like this?"
Ranma dropped her sandwich on the floor when she heard this. She absently picked up the ruined food, her lunch bag, and her drink. She went over to the window, leaving the three friends to stare at her.
Akane turned to her friend, her anger showing, "Why ask me? Ranma was right here. You should have asked her!"
Akane moved over to Ranma. She noticed a completely neutral expression on Ranma's face. She took a deep breath before speaking, "What are you feeling?"
Ranma remained silent. Akane began to get angry. Before she could say anything, Kyoko interrupted, "Ranma, I'm really sorry. I...we thought you were playing a joke. Please, we know how you feel about your girl half. I'm sorry."
Ranma's face was still neutral as she faced the deeply bowing girls. She finally sighed, "As much as I want to, I can't be mad. The way I've acted, you have every right to be suspicious."
Kyoko and Atsuki looked at each other in surprise. To their knowledge, Ranma had never really done anything to make the girls angry at him, except the first time he went into the locker room as a girl. That was when they turned on him, nearly beating someone who could defeat Kunou without a weapon.
Akane, too, had a surprised look on her face. She realized Ranma was still feeling guilty about the way she treated Kasumi the week before. This did not make Akane feel comfortable. She patiently waited for Ranma to say more. As did her friends.
It was then that she concluded Ranma wouldn't talk anymore. She was relieved, and surprised, to see Kyoko and Atsuki pull up chairs next to them. Again, she asked Ranma, "How do you feel?"
Ranma's expression remained neutral as she spoke, "Alone. After roll call, I felt relaxed. I wasn't worrying about who I was. Heh! I usually don't worry about that in class, anyway.
"I usually worry, about this time, anyway, about Kunou, Ryoga, Kodachi, or Shampoo." Ranma shuddered, but continued, "Now, I'm worried about getting through the day. Kyoko, you've shown me I still don't belong. That hurt, a lot. It hurt more than the idea of me remaining this way forever."
With that, Ranma began to laugh. At first it started as a chuckle. It quickly grew into a near maniacal laugh. Akane froze in fear. Kyoko and Atsuki were stunned. The rest of the class stared, unable to comprehend the situation.
Ranma calmed down enough to speak, "My God! I sound like Kodachi."
Ranma began to cry. Akane held her fiancee for several minutes, her own tears flowing freely. The students who remained in the room stared at the couple. Several of the boys looked on in disbelief. Several of the girls looked on with disgust. Kyoko and Atsuki looked on with sympathy.
For Ranma to say and do what she just did was unthinkable. Kyoko had always thought Ranma to be an unfeeling and uncaring. He seemed obsessed with his manhood. This opinion changed little when she found out Ranma had two forms. Now, she saw something else. What, she wasn't sure, but is was enough to question her earlier assessments.
Atsuki, on the other hand, had always thought of Ranma as strange. She could tell he cared for Akane, but was always puzzled by the way he treated her. Often insulting her or ignoring her efforts to help. She often wondered if a lot of it had to do with his Curse. Seeing Ranma's reaction meant her assessment was correct, in a way. The Curse had affected Ranma, but in a what way, she was not sure.
Ranma eventually regained her composure. She left her lunch alone as she stared out the window, ignoring the world around her. Occasionally she answered questions, usually after coaxing from Akane.
They soon returned to their seats. Ranma was surprised, and pleased, when Kyoko and Atsuki thanked her. The students quickly fell into the afternoon routine.
It was time for the physical education class. This was the class Ranma felt most comfortable in, no matter what gender. She entered the girls locker room. She was about to move to a quiet corner when several girls screamed and covered themselves.
Acting on instinct, Ranma jumped to the side of the door, her back to the girls. She was in her ready position. She was bewildered when no one was there. It wasn't until one of the more dressed girls came over that she realized they screamed at her.
"What do you think you're doing, MISTER Saotome?"
Ranma had been in the room before, usually after most of the girls had left. She realized, no one was buying her story. She figured a few wouldn't, but that most of them would at least tolerate her. How could she prove to her classmates that she was telling the truth.
With the realization she couldn't, she hung her head and left the room. She sat on the bench next to the door. She buried her head into her hands, no longer wanting to face the class.
Several girls left the room. All of them glaring at Ranma. It wasn't until Akane sat next to her that she realized the room was empty. Because Akane was still in her regular uniform, she figured they'd be late.
They quickly changed and went to the field where the rest of the class sat. The teacher patiently waited for them. The boys were already jogging around the track. The girls sat in the field, waiting for something.
Ranma and Akane sat next to Kyoko and Atsuki. The instructor waited a moment before speaking, "It has come to my attention that Saotome Ranma is a girl. That means she has to change with the girls, participate in girls' activities, and be one of the girls. Do I make myself clear?"
The class responded in unison, "Yes, Sensei!"
"Good. Now jog a lap. Saotome, I'd like to talk with you."
The girls jogged their lap while the teacher talked with Ranma. "Why aren't you a boy?"
"I'm stuck like this. When I try to change back, the pain is incredible. I can only tolerate cool water. The only way I can get relief from the pain is being in this form. I don't want to be like this."
"How long will you remain like this?"
"I don't know. The one cure I know of was destroyed."
"Why?"
"I lost control during the fight, and destroyed it while trying to get it."
"Would that have cured you altogether?"
"No. It'd just unlock my curse. The real cure is in China, out of my reach."
"I see. I'd like to hear the story sometime, when you're ready. With your skills and training, I'm surprised you lost control. We'll just have to learn to deal with this. Now jog your lap."
"Yes!"
'I hope you get help soon, Ranma. None of us can deal with this for very long.'
Ranma, Akane, Kyoko, and Atsuki were leaving the school grounds. Ranma was in an even more foul mood. Her experience in gym class had been less than encouraging. Akane shared her fiancee's frustrations. Her two friends were understanding, if not entirely sympathetic.
Their thoughts were interrupted by the dreaded shout, "Akane! My Pig-tailed Goddess! How I have longed for thee these weeks gone by."
Kunou rushed in, hoping to embrace his two favorite people. Kyoko and Atsuki backed off. Ranma cursed under her breath, "I don't need this!"
Kunou noticed Ranma's uniform. "Oh wondrous fate! You now attend this glorious school. I shall date thee and show you this venerable institution."
Ranma ducked under Kunou's embrace. She let loose a couple of punches to his ribs with an audible cracking sound. Kunou lost his breath. His eyes bulged in surprise. Ranma spun on the balls of her feet, grabbed Kunou's outstretched arms, and flipped him to the ground. A sickening popping sound was heard when he hit the ground, arms flailing loosely, dislocated.
"DON'T EVER TOUCH ME AGAIN!" yelled Ranma.
The remaining students watched the attack. They had no real idea what had happened. They knew the red headed Ranma was an object of Kunou's desires. They also knew the male Ranma competed with Kunou for Akane's attention.
They watched the red head storm off, followed by Akane. They saw Nabiki sneak off after them. They then moved over to Kunou. He gasped for air. When he got his breath back, he screamed in shear tormented pain.
Akane and Nabiki caught up with Ranma. They watched her carefully, not wanting to intrude. They followed her as she approached doctor Tofu's clinic. The three entered the building.
Dr. Tofu met them warmly, ignoring Ranma's anger, "What can I do for you, Ranma?"
"Find a way to cure me. You must know something that old Ghoul ain't tellin' us."
"Ranma, have a seat. Akane, Nabiki, I'd like you to listen to this as well. I can't reverse the Cat's Tongue. It can be done, but I don't have the skills or experience. I am currently looking for the formula for the Phoenix Pill.
"I have several friends helping me. I've only told them I have two patients who are afflicted, a male and female. I hope to hear from them soon. If you want cured sooner, you'll have to talk to the Amazon."
"I can't. If I go, she'll want me to marry Shampoo. I already told Shampoo I never wanted to see her again," replied Ranma softly.
"I see. Frankly, Ranma, I would have to say you'll remain like this for a long time, maybe the rest of your life. There is a small chance you'll come out of this by yourself. It may take months, or years. It's a slim chance because of the depth of the pressure point and the skill of the Amazon. Has she given you any indication of how old she is?"
"I think she's about 175 years old. She keeps changing her years of experience. I just picked a reasonable age. If it helps, she claims not to have expected the Neko-ken."
"I'm sorry, Ranma, but your Neko-ken has not been seen in over two hundred years. I, by myself, can't cure you. What I can do is make it so you can tolerate warmer water. Not enough to make you transform, but enough to warm you a bit. The temperature will be like that of a small puddle warmed by the sun all day."
"Thank you, Sensei."
"That's great!" exclaimed Akane. "Now you can relax easier."
"Like I can relax. Nearly every girl in school thinks I'm lying. The teachers aren't sure they believe me. They're just humoring me."
"Grow up, Ranma! You've never lied to them before. Why would they think you are now?" blurted Nabiki.
Before Ranma could answer, Tofu spoke up, "I think you're both right. You're too honest, Ranma. The teachers will believe you, to a point. But they'll become suspicious if you keep coming as a girl. Wait here, I want to make a phone call."
When he left the room, Nabiki leaned over to Ranma menacingly, "What did you do to Kunou?"
"I stopped him from embracing me. I was not in the mood to be touched by him."
"You broke his arms, Ranma. Didn't you see them flop to the ground? I HEARD THEM POP FROM WHERE I STOOD! You could have killed him!" responded Nabiki, almost ready to tear into Ranma.
"I didn't know. I just reacted."
"My God! You have a temper every bit as bad as Akane's. No one could stop you if you were ever truly angry."
Akane sat in her chair. She started piecing together what Nabiki was saying with how Ranma had been acting for the last week. It was coming together. The connection between the words and the actions.
Suddenly, she looked down at her hands. How many times had she hit Ranma out of anger? She'd lost count. Too often was her conclusion. How many times had he been angry? That was a more difficult answer. Once, maybe twice.
Was today the third time? She'd often seen him mad. That was a common state, especially towards his father. But she'd never really seen him truly angry. This was the first time she realized what anger could do.
This scared her. She began thinking, desperately, where did her anger come from. When she found the answer that could not be tossed aside, she began sobbing.
Ranma and Nabiki turned to her. Nabiki flashed anger at Ranma. Ignoring it, Ranma moved to her fiancee. Akane leaned into Ranma, her sobs giving way to free flowing tears. Ranma tenderly held Akane.
Nabiki glared at them. She noted how Ranma was holding Akane, trying to soothe her. 'She cares. Everything has been a pretense.'
Doctor Tofu entered the room. Seeing Akane, he asked them, "What happened?"
"I don't know. One second, Nabiki and I are arguing. The next, Akane's crying."
Tofu sat patiently. Eventually, Akane settled down. She refused to answer questions, saying she had a lot to think about. Ranma and Tofu left it at that. Nabiki, on the other hand, badgered Ranma into apologizing.
"Nabiki! Ranma did nothing to hurt me. She actually helped me. I...I can't talk about it right now. Thank you, Ranma."
Both girls looked at her, confused. Dr. Tofu sat there, pondering what had happened. He put his hand on Akane's shoulder, "I'm glad your feeling better, Akane. If you need to talk, I'm here. That goes for you two, as well."
"Thank you, Dr. Tofu."
"Please, just Tofu. That goes for all of you. Ranma, I spoke with your principal. You were right. I'm going to send him a folder with information about your condition and what I know of your curse. I'd like to go over it with you tomorrow before we deliver it."
"Thank you."
"You'd better get home. It looks like you three have a lot to talk about."
The three girls thanked him again and left the clinic. Each girl walked a respectable distance from each other. None of them spoke to each other. Each was lost in her own thoughts.
They finally reached the dojo. They announced their return and entered the house. Kasumi met them at the door. She had a curious expression on her face.
"Kunou Tatewaki is here. He wants to talk to you, Ranma. His arms are bandaged and in slings. He is also having problems breathing. Before you meet him, I have to know what happened."
Ranma hung her head, "Today was a disaster. When we were about to leave, Kunou spouted something about dating me and showing me the school. I just snapped and attacked. I told him never to touch me again."
"Oh my! We need to talk about your anger. Talk to Kunou and apologize," commanded Kasumi.
"Yes, Kasumi," replied Ranma meekly.
She entered the family room. Kunou sat at the table, staring at the pond. Tendou Soun was also at the table, drinking tea. Ranma carefully moved across the room. She sat directly across from Kunou.
"My fair Pig-tailed Goddess, why did you attack me so?"
"First, I ain't a goddess, or a girl. I'm a man. Second, I got a name: Saotome Ranma. Third, I've had a really bad day."
Kunou stared at Ranma for a long moment. It appeared that he was finally making certain connections. "Did you really mean what you said?"
"About you touching me?"
Kunou nodded.
"Yes."
"Am I that undesirable?"
"To me, yes. The entire school knows I am the Saotome Ranma you hate. Your rival for Akane. They also know I am your 'Pig-tailed Goddess.' They laugh at you, more out of pity than humor."
"How can this be? My beautiful Goddess and my most hated foe being one in the same?"
"We've explained this to you and you have watched it occur several times. I am a man. While in China, I was cursed with this body. Certain events have led to my being locked in this body. I can't change back."
"How can you call your body a curse? I will have that knave's head for doing this to your innocent mind!" Kunou's mind seemed to lock out any further rationality.
Ranma was about to grab Kunou when Kasumi's subtle cough stopped her. "Because I am a man, I cannot be interested in other men. That is all you need to know. Don't try to touch me without my permission. I don't want to hurt you again. I was too angry today to know what I was doing. For that, I am sorry."
Kunou sat there for several long moments. Rationality was returning to him. Not once did his Pig-tailed Girl ever apologize to him. Until now, her speech and manners were much like his hated foe. They never seemed to be together, yet they were connected. They shared the same name and the same affinity for Chinese clothing.
The pieces finally locked into place. His rational mind broke through. He finally spoke, "By my honor, Saotome Ranma, I will honor your request not to touch you. I will also cease my attacks on your male self. You have shown me compassion and restraint, qualities I have rarely seen in anyone. Even myself.
"I have but one question: what will happen to your engagement to Akane?"
Soun spit out the tea he had just sipped. Ranma sat there, remarkably calm. "I am honor bound to marry Akane. We have not discussed anything. I...am in no condition to fulfill that honor at the moment. I ask that you honor our engagement, as the others have."
Kunou bowed, "I will honor both of your requests, though it leaves me... hollow."
"It is no worse than what I feel."
"I will see you in the morrow, Saotome." Kunou bowed again and left.
Kasumi stood in the doorway, smiling. Nabiki looked dumbfounded. Akane was surprised. Tears came down Soun's face, "I'm proud of you, Son."
"That was incredible, Ranma. I didn't know you could hold back like that," stated Akane.
"Thank you, Nabiki," Ranma said with a relieved look on her face.
"You're...you're welcome, Ranma. We still have a lot to talk about, but you did very well."
"Where's Pop?" Ranma asked, still somewhat withdrawn.
Soun sobered. "He left on a training mission earlier this morning. I don't expect him back anytime soon. If you are going to go through with the marriage to Akane, you'll have to move back to your old room."
"Father, there are still things Ranma needs to learn. It would be best if she stayed with Akane. Besides, you don't want to imply you don't trust them," interjected Kasumi.
Soun sputtered, "No, of course not. It's just that it's not proper for a man to be sleeping with his fiancee before they're married."
"But Daddy, Ranma's not a man at the moment," countered Nabiki. "It wouldn't be 'proper' for her to sleep in the same room as her future sisters-in-law, would it?"
Soun turned red, "You're right. Ranma has her own bed. As long as she sleeps in it and behaves herself, I guess I can allow it. The sooner she has her own room, though, the better."
All four girls chimed in, "Yes, Father."
Soun smiled. Ranma called him "Father." It felt good, even though she may have added sarcasm. Soun was now a happy man. He had to tell his friend that their children had accepted the engagement completely. Ranma's current problem was now insignificant compared to the joy of the families being united.
Ranma sat on the floor in Akane's room. Akane sat on her bed. Kasumi and Nabiki sat in chairs. Ranma had no expression in her face, despite being happy earlier. Akane explained what happened that day. Nabiki added, in detail, the incident with Kunou.
Kasumi responded in her customary way, "Oh my! It's a wonder you hadn't hurt him earlier. Now, about your anger. You can't keep it penned up, nor can you release it the way you did, either. We have to find a way to vent it without hurting anyone."
"I could do various kata when I'm in the dojo or another, suitable place."
"That would be good. You do need to keep up with your training. You seem happiest when you're working out. But, more importantly, you now have a hope of being cured. And right now, a little hope is better than none."
"Yes. I do feel better, but I still feel...empty. Hopeless. Alone."
Kasumi frowned. "You have a family here, Ranma. Whether you are a boy or girl, you have a home with us."
Akane smiled, "That's right. Just don't expect me to go easy on you now that you're a girl. I might be able to beat you in a rematch."
"You wish!. I'm still faster than you are," replied Ranma with a smile.
"That's good to know. As a member of this family, you'll have to pull your own weight. No more freeloading."
Akane turned to her older sister, "Nabiki!"
"She's right, Akane. If I'm to belong, I need to help out more. Isn't that what you wanted to begin with, Kasumi?"
Kasumi blinked her eyes. She smiled softly. "No, Ranma. I wanted you to be able to live with yourself. If you helped out the family, I felt you would be helping yourself by not concentrating on your condition."
"Money is my area, Ranma, that was what I was referring to. Somehow, you have to start contributing money to the family."
"All right."
An uneasy mood hung in the room. It wasn't the depression from the previous week. Nor was it the joy at the news Ranma had a chance at being cured. It was more a resignation.
"Kasumi, do you know where Pop went?"
Kasumi looked at Ranma, evaluating her. "As Father said, he went on a training mission. He said he would not be back for several months. I'm sorry, Ranma, I can't say more."
"I understand. If you'll excuse me," Ranma said as she stood, moving to the open window, "I have some things to think about." She leapt out the window and up to the roof.
The Tendou Sisters sat in the room, staring at the window. Kasumi broke the silence, "I hope she doesn't ruin her uniform."
Akane and Nabiki stared at their sister, dumbfounded. Akane collected her thoughts first, "Why did Ranma's father leave?"
Kasumi got up and closed the window. She turned to her sisters, "He is ashamed at how Ranma is behaving. He claims to be seeking a cure, but I think he is running away. Father is a little better. The reasons Ranma is staying here are because of school, she needs help adjusting to her physical condition, and she needs moral support. Those are the reasons I gave our fathers."
"So Daddy would have thrown Ranma out as well," commented Nabiki.
"Yes. They are ashamed at Ranma for not being able to regain her manhood. That's when I gave those reasons. It was wrong of her father to take her to China like he did. It's wrong for him to abandon her now. She needs a place she can be herself, whether it is as a man or as a woman.
"I do hope, with all of my heart, Ranma is cured. I want her happy. I want the family to be happy."
"So we should probably include Ranma in more of our activities," commented Akane as she looked out the window.
Kasumi nodded.
"Won't that change him into her? That's something he doesn't want. I don't think we want that either," commented Nabiki.
"I don't know. If we're careful, Ranma will remain the boy we know. If we make the wrong move, we'll lose him to a new person. A person who'll probably hate us. At the moment, Ranma's greatest need is not going to be met."
"What's that?" asked Akane.
"She doesn't have anyone to train with."
"What about his friend, Ryoga?" asked Nabiki.
"He seems to have difficulty going from place to place. Yes, he's strong and they've known each other a long time, but I don't know."
"How about you, Akane? You two have fought quite a bit," Nabiki commented.
Akane looked at her hands. She shuddered, remembering what she discovered about herself. "I don't know anymore. She beat me like I was standing still. She's often told me I'm in her way."
"Well, let's think about it. You both need the exercise. Maybe Father can help."
"There's still something we need to address, Ranma's comments about her engagement to Akane. Daddy'll be telling Saotome-san. You know those two will want the wedding immediately," stated Nabiki.
"Oh my! That would cause problems, not just for Ranma, but for you, Akane. How do you feel about this?"
"I don't know. My heart leapt when she said she'd marry me, even if it was a matter of honor. We've shared a lot this last week. Even if she were cured, I think she'd still marry me. The strange thing is, it no longer matters to me which she is."
"I don't believe it!" exclaimed Nabiki.
"Well, didn't you once suggest interesting combinations and that we'd never be bored?" replied Akane evenly.
Nabiki blushed.
"To set the record straight, Nabiki, I prefer the male Ranma. I just don't know yet what to do if he can't return. I love him. I want him to be happy. Like she said, though, we haven't discussed anything and she's in no condition to marry me."
"I'm glad you're not rushing these thoughts. Still, it will be hard on all of us if Ranma can't be cured. We've accepted her into our family, without help from our fathers. I would suggest we treat her like another sister, keeping in mind she's a boy," offered Kasumi.
"Well, we've referred to Ranma as both he and she while talking about her current gender. We're going to have to come up with a solution. Either way we go, we could cause more problems than we solve," observed Nabiki.
"True. As always, we have to be careful. We may need to talk to Ranma about this," replied Kasumi.
Ranma lay on the roof, waiting for the sun to set. She had had a terrible day. It started out reasonably well. The school accepted her explanation, but did not truly believe it. The female students were outright hostile toward her, even after her explanation. The guys were trying to get information on the locker room, even hints about what their girlfriends looked like undressed.
Then to top it off, Kunou made another unwanted advance. Ranma reacted with pure rage, something she was trained never to do. Now, her father had left, abandoning her when she needed him the most.
Tofu had given here encouragement. There was a chance the Cat's Tongue would wear off, but the odds were slim. Tofu also said he had friends helping him find the cure. Then there was Kunou's agreement to stop harassing her and Akane. This, topped with Kasumi's statement about a home, made Ranma's day better.
Ranma smiled to herself. Despite the argument they had the other day, Kasumi still wanted her around. It was Akane, however, that had her wondering.
Akane cried at Tofu's. It was obvious to everyone it was something Ranma said or did. It was also startling to find out it helped Akane. Ranma determined she had to find out what it was that made Akane cry.
There was a movement to the right. Ranma looked over, expecting to see Akane or Ryoga. Instead, horror flooded her. She saw a white cat with a purple mane and hair ribbons.
Ranma leaped to her feet, almost falling from the roof. A horrendous scream left her. She jumped blindly from the roof. The cat quickly followed. As Ranma hit the ground, Akane came out of the house.
She was almost out the outer patio door when she was almost hit by the panicked Ranma. She noticed the cat following Ranma. It stopped at the sight of Akane. Akane's anger built within her. She did not care this time.
"What do you want, Shampoo? Ranma told you never to come back!"
The cat looked at Ranma, sadly. It turned and left the yard, looking back before dropping over the wall.
Akane turned to see the terrified Ranma peeking out from behind Kasumi. Akane choked, 'You should see yourself, Ranma. This isn't you.' Slowly, Ranma moved to Akane.
"Thanks, Akane."
"No problem. She'll be back, you know."
"Uh huh."
Kasumi frowned. There was something new to the task. She needed to help Ranma get over her fear of cats. She scolded herself for not realizing that Cologne's actions made Ranma worse.
It was becoming apparent that Ranma was becoming more like a dependent child than a confident sixteen year old girl. Her confidence shattered in a single day. This bothered Kasumi greatly. Something had to be done. The problem, now, was how to fix things.
