Lord CBoD presents: Fun and Games
Disclaimer: Most characters in this story belong to Rumiko Takahashi or Naoko Takeuchi, some are actually mine, but they aren't very important. This story is mine; don't post it anywhere without contacting the Evil Bunny Empire first.
Episode Four: Questions and Consequences
Mamoru knocked on the door of the one person who could give him advice given his recent revelation. He just hoped his girlfriend was absent. When the door opened he was not greeted by the site of his friend, but a younger boy with black hair tied back in a ponytail.
"Oh your Nabiki's boyfriend."
"I MOST CERTAINLY AM NOT! I even paid her to keep what the blonde bimbo said a secret." It looked like he paid Nabiki for nothing if the rumor was widespread already.
"Geeze, you don't have to shout, I saw the two of you together yesterday and made a guess, I'm sorry I guessed wrong." Considering the way Ranma had seen him protect her yesterday it was hard to take this guy at his word though. Wait, had he just called him a bimbo?
"Really Mamoru, keep it down, my sister is trying to rest." Motoki joined Ranma at the door. He hoped Ranma would control himself not to pound Mamoru for the bimbo comment. It wouldn't protect his secret very well if he did. "Come on in."
Following Motoki and the kid inside he thought about what was just said, and about how he replied to the accusation. He was a bit too defensive. "Nabiki didn't tell you anything?"
"I haven't really talked to Nabiki since yesterday morning."
"I see… I apologize for my outburst; Nabiki and Unazuki like to say my affections are towards her and not her sister rather often, and it gets annoying. Oddly enough that's kind of why I'm here though." Before an hour ago he never knew Kitsune to have any interest besides money. He was rather surprised to see her on friendly terms with Rei, and he was even more surprised to her the joy in her voice when Rei assumed he like her.
"Wait you're Mamoru Chiba? The same guy responsible for Akane having to fight her way to class every morning?" Okay now he had a second reason to pound the guy and it wouldn't ruin his new secret.
"Before you pound Mamoru, it was Una's idea." Of course his little sister was joking when she suggested beating Akane for her hand, but Mamoru being a fighter himself thought it would work.
"You know both Kitsune and her sister? Do you go to our School, I'm afraid I don't recognize you." He knew most of the male students at Cross Roads High, and he was pretty sure he hadn't seen Motoki's new friend before.
"I'm Ryoga Hibiki, Akane's fiancé." Since he'd told Unazuki that was his name he might as well use with Mamoru too. Maybe admitting he was Akane's fiancé would get Mamoru off her back, and if he left her alone hopefully so would the others that bothered her.
"You're engage to Akane Tendo? How long has this been?"
"Since we were born apparently, I found out about it a month ago." When he and his dad arrived at what used to be the Tendo Dojo it was blurted out why they were there. Although he wasn't specifically engaged to Akane, Chiba didn't need to know that.
"I see… I guess we were just not meant to be." Thinking back Mamoru wonder just what it was about Akane that made him dump Rei. She was a fierce Tigress and she was the only girl aside from Nabiki and Unazuki who didn't drool at his presence. He could tell she liked him, but didn't simply worship the ground he walked on.
"Don't even think about going after Una." Sure Mamoru was his friend, but he did not trust him with his sister. He wasn't right for her, she needed someone smarter then she was, that way she wouldn't get them into trouble.
"Well like I said I'm here to talk about Kitsune. I overheard her and Rei talking about me. It may be possible she is interested in me for more then just my money."
"You're just now figuring that out?" Unazuki came down the steps and hit Mamoru over the head. She had been listening to the boys from the top of the steps since Mamoru's out burst. "Did you really think she clings to you just to embarrass you?"
"I don't know Una, this is Nabiki we're talking about. She does tend to revel in other people displeasure. "
"Need I remind you what she did to you and your last boyfriend?" Chiba recalled the event leading up to Unazuki's break up with Ten'ou, which Kitsune was responsible for.
"That's because Haruka was a girl…I'm glad Nabiki embarrassed her…I don't swing that way."
"Haruka Ten'ou? She's in Juban?" Ranma tilted his head, the Haruchan he knew wasn't interested in girls either. She had a thing for a blind exchange student from China. He though was always pining for shampoo of all things. Then again they were only ten at the time.
"You know her Ryoga?" It seems her brother's new friend knew allot of girls in Juban even if he was new here.
"Uh, Ranma mentioned her a few times. She said she used to spar with her when they were younger." 'Ryoga' had to be careful around the younger Furuhata. He had already slipped up enough.
"Wait is she the one who used to call Ranma Koneko-chan." The elder Furuhata watched as Ranma turned pale, he forgot about his friend's fear of cats.
"Hmm, your afraid of cats too aren't you?" Unazuki watched Hibiki shiver, why was he afraid of cats?
"Too? And who is Ranma?" Maybe Nabiki wasn't really as bad as she seemed. Now though it looked like they were going to be on a new subject for a bit.
"Ranma was my brother's first girlfriend. She kind of looks like a female version of Ryoga here, and she has a fear of cats because her dad taught her an obscure martial arts technique."
"Ranma was never my girlfriend!" Motoki sighed it wasn't that at the time he hadn't liked Ranma. She was cute, kind, and fun to be with, however she was also a he. Ranma admitted it to him when their parents tried to pair them up. He was rather disappointed, but he still remained friends with Ranma and tried to keep in touch with him over the last three years. It was good to see Ranma being a guy, and he hope despite Mamoru's short comings the two would become friends. It was obvious from their conversation while his sister was actually resting; that the part-time boy needed some male influence.
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Nabiki and Rei sat at table in the Crown Restaurant. They were supposed to be meeting Unazuki as well but she had yet to show up, unfortunately it looked like her ex was approaching them. After what she did to the blonde she was surprised she'd ever bother her again.
"Good Afternoon, Nabiki, Rei. Nabs, is your sister still free?" Haruka loved putting on a show. If people assumed she was a boy, she'd play a boy, if they assumed she was a lesbian she'd play a lesbian. With her boyfriend in China things got boring being alone.
"Actually she has a fiancé now. Ranma Saotome." It was possible her younger sister did swing that way, but Nabiki didn't need Haruka corrupting her further.
"Koneko-chan? I find that very hard to believe. I know for a fact Koneko-chan is strait."
"Your sister's engage to a girl?" Now Rei wasn't surprised Akane might have been interested in girls, but it was odd that her father would engage her to one. Then again, the Tendo's had come from Nerima, that district of Tokyo was known for its weirdness.
"Yeah, a redhead that's the daughter of my father's training buddy. Ten'ou, are you saying you know Ranma?" Nabiki wanted to berate herself for forgetting that Ranma was publicly was a girl. Even if neither Rei nor Haruka went to her school, chances were they'd run into Ranma as a girl since at the present he didn't have any clothes to dress as a guy.
"Redhead? Did Koneko-chan dye her hair?"
"Um no, until now she'd been dying it black, she recently got fed up with dying it and just keeps it its natural color now." The middle Tendo daughter was getting curious about Haruka's nickname for Ranma. She never seemed very cat-like to her. "Why do you calling her kitty?"
"Ranma, has a fear of cats, when it get's too great, she starts to act like a cat. I'm the only one who can calm her down. I'm also the only one that can get away with calling her Koneko-chan, otherwise she tense up at the mere mention of cats. Is she at your Dojo right now? It's been five years since I last saw her." To think her best friend was in Juban, she'd definitely have to track the redhead down and update her on what she's missed. Haruka couldn't wait to tell her she actually was able to get Mousse over Shampoo. She was probably going to have to explain Shampoo was the name of a girl first though.
"No, she is staying with us, but she's out and about right now. Do you know why she fears cats?"
"Probably the Neko-ken. Grandfather, has told me about several forbidden martial arts techniques. The Neko-ken boast to be an invincible move, but training a student in it normally leaves them insane at worst, or in Ranma's case with a deep seeded fear of cats at best. There are no real masters of the Neko-ken for that reason. Nabiki, maybe you should bring Ranma to the Shrine tomorrow. My Grandfather might be able to help her." Rei wondered just how stupid Ranma's father was to train her in such a dangerous technique, she hoped her Grandfather could do something to help the poor girl.
"I got the impression, Genma wasn't too bright." Nabiki sighed; Ranma was really messed up thanks to her old man. She was really starting to feel sorry for her, or was it him, did Ranma even know what gender to refer to himself as thanks to his father.
"I won't argue that point. Ranma's old man was a thief, con-artist, and pretty much scum." Maybe she let her father know where Genma was staying. He still had a score to settle with the fat man. The only good thing to come out of Genma's misdeeds is while he was in hiding; she got to have a little sister.
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Genma had been sitting quietly watching his old friend teach a class of student until a sneezing fit came over him. Someone must have been thinking ill of him, probably his ingrate son. Tomorrow morning Ranma would learn some respect for his father.
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Ranma walked back from Motoki's place in a better mood then when he left the Tendo's this morning. Just spending a few hours as a guy helped him clear his head allot. Furuhata had even supplied him with some additional sets of male clothing that he had out grown. Now he'd only have to be a girl for school and when he had to fight evil.
Considering what Mamoru said about the first monster he probably couldn't fight them normally. He'd have to become Sailor Moon because he needed the magic that form provided him with. A personal rule though would have to be that after spending time as Sailor Moon he'd spend twice as much time as a guy. That way whatever influences it had on his mind was counteracted.
Passing by the Crown Arcade he wondered if he could talk Motoki into giving him a job. Unazuki had mentioned he was the manager. Did he also manage the restaurant above it though? Speaking of the restaurant Ranma saw Nabiki, a black haired girl in a school uniform and a blonde dressed like a guy, coming down the steps from the restaurant. He was pretty sure the blonde was a girl by the fact she was missing an Adam's apple. "Hey Nabiki!"
This was bad, very bad. Where had Ranma gotten male clothes from? How was she supposed to introduce a male Ranma to Rei and Haruka? "Um, hi."
"You forgot my name already didn't you…its Ryoga Hibiki" Ranma smiled, he may have put Nabiki on the spot, but it was nice to feel superior. Except in battle it was a feeling he didn't get to have very often.
"You've been too busy thinking about Mamoru you forgot about this guy, who is he, and is he single?" Most of the single guys in Juban were single because they were jerk, but Ryoga here was pretty cute, and for him to be familiar with Nabiki meant he was a friend and not a client. Rei was grateful her school uniforms showed off so much of her legs, not going back to change paid off even if she didn't get any free ice-cream.
"You're related to Koneko-chan aren't you?"
"Yeah, I'm her cousin. My uncle brought me along to take her place in the engagement with Tendo's since both families only have daughters." So the blonde was Haruchan, wow she'd changed allot. She used to keep her hair long in a braid and now it was short and boyish, she also used to be shorter then him, but now she was a good inch or so taller.
"Oh, so Ranma's supposed to be engaged to Akane, but you actually are. That makes a bit more sense then what Nabiki said earlier." Another cute guy taken from her by Akane, Rei sighed would she ever find someone interested in her.
Well it seemed Ranma had a decent handle on things. It was a little annoying he made her look dumb, but at least she hadn't ruined his secret. "Ryoga and I need to be getting back home. I'll bring Ranma to the Shrine tomorrow after your school is over."
"Tell Koneko-chan I'll be there too. I plan on kidnapping her after Rei's grandfather is done with her."
"I'm sure Ranma be happy to see you, she's talked about you allot." Although he didn't know what plans Nabiki had made for him at the shrine, he wouldn't mind being a girl so he could hang out with his old friend. The ponytailed boy just hoped he didn't end up spending any time as Sailor Moon tomorrow.
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Around the Tendo dinner table the three Tendo daughters sat with Ranma and Akane's pet. Their Fathers had gone out drinking instead of spending dinner with their children. Kasumi sighed, she had spent so much time on dinner too.
"So Koneko-chan" Nabiki watched Ranma pail, apparently Haruka was right, only she could say the nick name with out getting a reaction from Ranma. "Where did you get the name Ryoga Hibiki from?"
Ranma waited till he finished chewing his Teriyaki before replying. "I found Unazuki unconscious and I told her my name was Hibiki, when Motoki showed up he called me Ryoga so I just merge the two names together."
"You know Motoki-san, and he knows you're a boy?" Akane watch B-chan munch on Carrot Kasumi teriyakied for him.
"Yeah, I met him and Unazuki in Sendai, Pop actually tried arranging us so I told Motoki the truth and he was able to break it off with out revealing me to his parents. We've been pretty good friend for the last four year keeping in touch when ever possible."
"You must be very lucky Ranma to have a friend help you with your secret." Why didn't she think of asking Motoki for some of clothes he may have outgrown? Well at least Ranma would be able to be a man for her sister now. Now if only he wasn't registered at school as a girl. Maybe she could get Tsukino-sensei to fix that. Kasumi got up to put some more food on Ranma's plate then sat back down to finish her own food.
"Motoki isn't Ranma's only friend in Juban either. Apparently Ten'ou is an old friend of his as well. She tells me you're afraid of cats, Rei assumed it was because of training in a technique called the Neko-Ken." When she mentioned cats Ranma paled again, but when the middle Tendo mentioned the Neko-ken he dropped the teriyaki stick he had in his hand and quickly crawled under the table then started shivering. "Ranma?"
"Ne…ne…never say that name…" Every time the name of that technique was spoken he partly relived the experience. Not enough to send him into feral mode, but enough to make him wish he was a girl so it wasn't embarrassing how scared he was.
"Oh my, Ranma are you okay?"
"No…" slowly Ranma crawled out from under the table and sat back in his seat still shivering. He wasn't a girl; he would try to force the images out of his mind and at least finish dinner. "I don't want to talk about that, I can't talk about it."
"But because of it you met Haruka right?" Yesterday he said he met a Haruchan after something, but wouldn't say what. Haruchan must be Haruka, knowing Haruka's inclination, she was slightly curious if there wasn't more between them. After all Haruka thought Ranma was a girl.
"It is the reason I met Haruchan, she helped me out allot after it. If not for her who knows what would have happen. A Traveling doctor who examined me said I could have been driven insane. Haruchan's not even a year older than me, but she's the closet thing I have to a big sister. While Pops was hiding from the police I spent allot of nights at Haruchan's crying myself to sleep with her comforting me." He spent most of that year staying with Haruka because Genma was on the run from not only the police, but also Haruka's father and his students. The following year his old man had straiten up, but that lasted until he met with Motoki's parents.
"If you stayed with her family why doesn't she know you're a boy?" Nabiki figure Haruka would have to have seen something at one time or another.
"I wasn't really feeling worthy of being a boy at the time. So I made sure no one found out how much of a disgrace I was."
"Ranma there's nothing wrong with being afraid. We all have fears of some sort or another." Poor Ranma to be taught being afraid was unbecoming a man just wasn't right. Kasumi was really starting to wonder how such a man could be her father's best friend.
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Artimis wished he was anywhere else but here. Last night was hell and once again he was in the death grip of the youngest Tendo. The way she slept it was very fortunate he was a cyborg bunny, if he was just flesh and blood he'd never survive the night.
Although he failed to collect any life energy today, things weren't a total loss. He learned due to a funny twist of fate, the Princess of the Moon was reborn as a man, and even funnier, he was afraid of cats. Should the moon cat that escaped him show up Ranma would never take his side.
Now if only he could find some way to travel with Ranma instead of this idiot.
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Kasumi snuck herself into Ranma's room. It appeared although he had put up a brave act for the rest of the evening, he was still reliving the nightmare that was the Neko-ken. She had talked to his father after he had gone to bed and was told exactly what the Neko-ken training comprised of.
Four times Ranma had been thrown into a pit of starved cats with food wrapped around him. Three times he was trapped in there for hours while the cats clawed and bit into him. The fourth time he couldn't handle it any more, his mind snapped and he became what it was that was attacking him. He clawed the felines in the pit to death, then leapt out of the pit and ran about till he ran into a lonely little girl that played with him.
Ranma didn't need to be alone right now. Dumping a cup of cold water on Ranma she watched his body become female. She was happy Motoki had provided her with a set of pajamas; she had noticed the first night that she slept naked. Slowly she crawled into her bed and rested her head against her breast. Ranma stopped shivering and seemed to sleep peacefully after that.
In the morning she'd have to be careful to wake up before her and to change her back to a male. For now though the eldest Tendo daughter went to sleep herself.
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Complaint department:
Sorry for the lack of action this chapter. I felt like adding some of the back story to this universe.
Slade13, Ranma tries to always think of himself as male, key word being tries. Motoki has also decided to also refer to Ranma as a he no matter what for he/she happens to be, except when speaking out loud.
AshK, I personally hate those fics. Ranma is a man, plain and simple he'd never stay female no matter what. Granted in this fic he'll be struggling with his gender identity but when all is said and done, no matter who he was in his past life he's Ranma now.
The Gandhara, I like you, you make me think. The mask comes from the Salior Moon Manga, I wasn't sure if I was going to use it at first but I needed some way for Ranma to find out Unazuki was in trouble so I threw in the mask. Now I need to think of a good reason it didn't show up in chapter two.
You'll learn more about Kasumi as the story goes on. As for her grammar teacher, Tsukino-san will be a regular character after she's finally introduced. It isn't Hinako; she doesn't really hide emotions that well.
Hmm, Ranma and Motoki's relationship is explained in this chapter. Because Motoki is over protective Unazuki hasn't met most of his friends. Momoru is the exception because he's in her school. Her curiosity show up more in this chapter then the last, and she will continue to ponder who is Ryoga even after she re-meets Ranma.
In the manga Motoki didn't seem too surprised when he found out the identity of the Senshi, or that they were using the basement of his arcade as a base. I just assume he isn't too excitable.
