Disclaimer: Nope, certainly not mine. Sigh…

What's taking them so long? Tapping his fingers impatiently against his forearm, Ranma gave an irritated snort. Balanced precariously on two legs of the chair, the teen rocked himself forward and backwards as he waited impatiently for the girls return.

Ranma sneaked a glance at the class clock hanging above the blackboard. A quarter to three… They've been inside for more than forty minutes already! The scowl on his face deepened and a low growl crept from the boy's throat.

Ranma was certain that Yuka and Sayuri will have no trouble locating Akane but what worries him most was that why was it taking them so long to return? Could it be that further complications have occurred or had something happened to the tomboy? With every passing moment, the gears within Ranma's mind spun with increasing intensity; fueling the youth's paranoia with mental images of the bluenette suffering. Each more distressing than the last.

Unable to shake the morbid thoughts from his head, the martial artist executed an impressive somersault from his seat before landing lightly on his feet. Ranma had enough of waiting. Striding towards the door, he was just about to slide it open before it did without him laying a hand on the latch.

Never expecting to have a figure pop right before their faces, the two girls gave a blood chilling scream that almost broke the sound barrier.

"The hell! What was that for!" cupping over the abused appendages, Ranma cursed while trying to block out the ringing in his eardrums.

"You're one to talk! What are you doing standing behind a door like a god damn stalker?! Trying to give as a heart attack?!" Sayuri snapped back, a hand over her chest as she fought to restore normalcy to the frenzied pounding within her ribs.

"Whatever. Hey, where's Akane? Isn't she with supposed to be with you?" Ranma scoffed before blurting out his question when he realized that the tomboy was no-where to be seen.

"She's not feeling all that well so she decided to head back earlier." Yuka piped in answer.

Upon hearing the words uttered from the girl's mouth, Ranma's eyes widened in alarm. "And…and you let her go? Jeez, what were you guys thinking?!" Dragging a hand down his face in exasperation, Ranma spun and grabbed his belongings before dashing out of the door.

"Now just hold on a minute!" Grabbing a fistful of the red mandarin shirt that was flapping behind the martial artist back, Sayuri gave a strong yank and succeeded in halting the teen in his tracks.

Unperturbed by the glare Ranma was giving her, Sayuri squared her shoulders and said with a sigh, "Look, Ranma. We both know that Akane had a rather rough day, so I think that it's best that she doesn't get any more unnecessary stress."

Staring expectantly at him, Sayuri could feel the smile slipping off her face. Instead of showing any sign of comprehension, all the idiot did was to scratch the back of his head in confusion. The vein on Sayuri's temple grew even more pronounced as so did her frustration.

The moron. A genius in any form of martial arts and yet a dunce when it comes to the simplest social graces…

Tilting her head slightly downwards, Sayuri let out a barely audible sigh. What does she have to do to make him understand? Fine, she'll just have to speak his language. A hand shot out so fast that even the lightning reflexes of the martial artist could not deflect clawed fingers from tightening around his throat.

Yanking the blundering idiot to her eye level, Sayuri snarled. "I'm just gonna make this simple baka. Do anything to upset or piss Akane off and I'll hack off something that's important to you." She gestured to Yuka, who silently placed the dreaded blade into her free palm.

"And I'm not talking about that precious pigtail of yours…" A low deceitful chuckle crept from the Sayuri's twisted grin as she snipped the gleaming edges together for good measure.

Ah good, so he's not such a dunce after all… The girl noted with satisfaction when she saw Ranma's blue grey orbs widen with both comprehension and fear. The age old threat that all men fear never fails.

Involuntarily swallowing the lump down his throat, Ranma wrestled his expression into one of nonchalance. Dammit! I can't believe I let her get to me! He didn't doubt for a minute that Sayuri would gladly carry out her threat. The ways of the female gender are unfathomable and tricky. The weaker sex they said. Bah! Lies!

Removing the hand from his throat, Ranma gave a snort. "Hey, I'm not the one that's always looking for trouble with the tomboy; it's just that she's always jumping to insane conclusions."

"Okay, okay! I get it! I'll just lay low for a while…" he placated upon seeing the death glares directed towards him from the two girls. "Anyway, gotta run!" With that, Ranma sped down the hallway in hot pursuit of the elusive bluenette.

"And keep your trap shut!" Yuka hollered after the martial artist's figure and got a flippant wave in response.

As the Baka disappeared from sight, Sayuri turned towards Yuka and said "He's going to get belted to the stratosphere again isn't he?"

"Yep, damn straight." Yuka answered with a sagely nod of her head.

Clutching the handle of her satchel so tightly that the leather started to bite into her palm, Akane cautiously eased herself onto the pavement. She shifted her head left and right, eyes darting fervently to check whether the coast is clear.

There wasn't a soul in sight, which was exactly how the girl wanted it to be. What Akane intended to do, is to get home unseen and unheard. The thought of someone catching sight of her new appendages sent shivers down Akane's spine.

After the brief modification to her skirt, Akane bid the girls farewell and left for home. She had no mood to continue with the lessons and certainly not the usual catfight with Ranma's amorous fiancées. Let him take care of it himself! The bluenette grumbled as she kicked a pebble away from her path with slightly more force than required.

But the more she thought about that Baka, the more Akane could feel the scowl slipping off her face. There was a slight twinge of guilt pinching at her conscience. It wasn't a spoken rule but both teens would actually wait for each other before making the trip back to the Tendo household. Initially Akane was only doing it out of consideration that Ranma was new to the neighborhood and he may need some help getting around. However, she soon came to realize how street smart the martial artist is; he practically didn't need her at all! But Ranma never asked her to stop and neither did Akane relinquish her goodwill. So dutifully, day in day out the two would make their journey back while spending each moment bickering and squabbling.

This in turn earned a tiny sigh from the bluenette. Perhaps making a move first was for the best, after all the shouting and ruckus wouldn't help her in achieving a low profile. Honestly, there was times where she wondered if their snapping was the only way they could communicate effectively.

Akane was pulled from her thoughts when her ears picked up the faint tapping of footsteps. They were coming around from the bend and fast! Gotta find a place to hide! I can't let anyone see me! Her eyes darted left and right, seeking for a possible sanctuary that she could take cover in while the threat passes. However, the only thing in sight was a hedge that stretched endlessly. It wasn't even one of those pretty, well pruned foliage whose job was to light up the sidewalk. The leaves are jagged, their colour a sickly brown which one would associate with decay. No flowers could reduce the wild bush's hideousness if it ever grew any.

Where is a sign or a tree when you need one? Akane is certain that using the menacing vegetation as a hiding place isn't such a good idea. It wouldn't be comfortable having brambles and thorns digging into your flesh. Unfortunately for the bluenette, she wasn't exactly spoiled for choice. Furthermore the footsteps are getting louder and louder with each passing moment, it wasn't long before she would be discovered.

Biting her lip and shooting the thicket a look that could burn, Akane steeled herself and dove in. Just in time too as a whole gaggle of noisy middle school students strolled by. Crouching behind the curtain of briers, Akane peeked between the gaps catching glimpses of the passer-bys. She waited patiently for them to pass, however instead of making their way across like good little pedestrians, those prissy little school girls just stood there; like they owned the street.

They even had the nerve to stand there and carry on their mindless conversations while she is stuck, cramped and pierced by the countless barbs. Resisting the urge to let out a curse, Akane willed herself to calm down. It's okay, everything is going to be fine. Just… Just count to ten. After ten, they'll be gone and I can get out of this hell hole. Well they better be anyway. One…

It turns out that the bluenette's luck was not on her side on this particular day. After Akane had completed her count, those inconsiderate girls were still happily chatting away, disgracing the area with their obnoxious laughter and gossip. She had half a mind to leap from her hiding place and scare the socks off the silly airheads but refrained only because she didn't want to lower herself down to their level with the juvenile prank.

How long are they going to take?! It must have been more than fifteen minutes already! Akane was starting to lose the feeling in her legs. It wasn't all fun and games being trapped like a rabbit in a snare with bristles poking into your flesh with every fidget. Furthermore the wet earthy fumes of moldering vegetation were starting to make the bluenette feel light headed.

"Whatcha doing, tomboy?"

The sentence uttered right at Akane's ear elicited a shriek from the girl, causing her to spring out of the thicket in surprise.

"Oh my god, run! It's the blue furred demon from 21st street! Flee before she steals your socks!" cried a frazzled middle schooler before bolting for safety with her clique behind her heels.

What on earth… I should have done that a long time ago… Akane stared after the retreating figures with a perplexed look on her face. After getting over the shock, she turned to face the whisperer that apparently had no ideals in personal space. She could recognize that insult from anywhere.

"Ranma! How long were you behind me?"

"Ever since I saw you snuck into that sorry excuse for a bush. Doesn't look too comfortable." confessed the martial artist as he watched Akane remove the thorns caught in her clothes. It was only then when he truly took in the bluenette's new appendages. From the two triangular-shaped ears on the top of her head to the limber tail peeking from behind. Well, for someone who's suffered from a painful bout of transformation not too long ago, she doesn't look half bad. At least the tomboy isn't suffering anymore.

"What exactly are you doing anyway?"

"I er… I saw… I saw a penny. Yeah, there was a penny in there." Akane explained hastily as she purposely avoided eye contact with the martial artist. However, a stray thought caused the bluenette to rear her head and shoot Ranma a wary glance.

"Ranma, am I a freak?" Akane quietly asked while staring at her shoes. The bluenette told herself that whatever answers that the martial artist gives, she'll understand.

Blinking at the unexpected question, Ranma took a closer look at the bluenette. She's serious… He opened and closed his mouth, swallowing the initial hurtful remark that almost slipped through due to his accursed 'technique 'of inserting foot into mouth.

"Nah, you're still the same old grouchy tomboy I know. Besides, growing extra limbs isn't that much of a big deal when you're already freaky with your insane strength and atrocious cooking skills." Ranma assured Akane teasingly while dogging her half-hearted swipe. "See, nasty temper too..."

"Ranma!" Akane whined at the back-handed reassurance before heaving an inner sigh of relief. It seems that no matter how bleak matters may seem, the martial artist will always be there by her side. Even though he can be a snarky pompous jerk at times.

Heaving his satchel over his shoulder, Ranma started down the path before stopping to glance back at Akane. "You coming?"

"Yeah… I'm… er…"

"Hurry up! I don't want to be late for dinner." urged Ranma as he continued walking.

"Wait! Ranma!" Akane blurted as she hastily grabbed the tail of the martial artist's mandarin shirt. "Can we… Can we choose a different path?"

The way the girl bit her bottom lip was a dead giveaway for her previous actions. Honestly, does she really think that she could fool me? Ranma knew that even though Akane may come across as assertive she's actually very insecure. The trait he might have aggravated with his stupid remarks. If this is the way the tomboy is coping with her situation, he'll just have to play along and do her a favor.

Without a single warning, Akane found herself being scooped onto a broad masculine back. A squeak escaped from her lips as she felt calloused hands hook firmly under her thighs, securing her before its owner scaled up the fence.

"Ranma! What are you doing?!" Akane shrieked as she latched her arms frantically around the martial artist's shoulders, the wind against her face.

"Getting us home what else? Besides, it's faster this way." Ranma replied calmly as he continued sprinting down the narrow ledge, his balance never wavering. "Jeez, have you been pigging out lately? I swear you're heavy!"

"Jerk!"

"Ow!"

For that comment, the martial artist received a large bump on his cranium, courtesy of an irate Akane. However, Ranma managed to catch a quiet thank you whispered at the crook of his neck. Picking up his pace, Ranma sped towards the Tendo Residence.

A small smile etched across his face.

First an apology for the late update.

In the previous reviews, some of you actually brought out that Ranma should be more concerned about Akane's plight. Well, he is concerned. But the thing he cares most is for her not to suffer physical pain. As long as she's not, the solution can always come later.

Hope you guys enjoyed chapter 3, because things are heating up in the following one where Akane's diagnosis will be out; courtesy of Doctor Tofu. What will happen when Ranma realizes what Akane's transformation truly is?

Stay tuned!

Yuria