Oyu no Ranma

A Ranma ½ fanfiction by Zorknot

Chapter 7: Three Little Girls from School

~~~~~.~~~~~

Ranma shifted in her seat, pressing herself closer to the door of the cab. She didn't like how she could feel Nabiki's warmth through her dress. It reminded her of Nabiki…and that she was wearing a dress. "Ya don't hafta go ta school ya know. The taxi'll take ya back home if ya want."

"Unlike you, Saotome, I care about my education."

Ranma made the mistake of turning to respond to Nabiki. She winced when she saw the eyepatch and turned back to look out the window. "Yeah, well ya can do schoolwork at home, can't ya?"

"I have business interests I need to look after. But I appreciate your concern." Nabiki's tone was even. Ranma couldn't quite tell if she was being sarcastic or not.

"Do you have to wear the eyepatch though? Honestly, you look like a pirate!" Akane was on the other side of Nabiki, her back straight and her hands on her lap. Ranma found herself unconsciously imitating her. Then she stopped herself, wondering why she was trying to imitate the way a girl was sitting. Ranma took a breath, reminded herself that she was a girl now and for the next six months, and continued to adjust her posture. She liked how Akane looked sure of herself and poised, even though she wasn't really. That and Ranma's usual relaxed sitting posture didn't work well in a dress while sitting in the back seat of a cab with two other people.

Nabiki made a frustrated noise. "You two are ridiculous, you know that? Two days ago you're ready to kill me, and now you're giving me fashion advice? I was a bitch to you and I'm still a bitch. Nothing's changed. I've got people I have to talk to, and If I have to either look like a pirate or a battered housewife I'm going to choose pirate. What are you smiling about, Saotome?"

Ranma didn't realize she was smiling, she straightened her mouth as best she could. "It's nothing."

"No, I want to know. Why were you smiling?"

Ranma thinned her lips. "I just had this picture in my mind is all... of what you would look like in a pirate hat."

"Ooh, and a parrot!" Akane laughed, "She needs a parrot on her shoulder!"

Nabiki rolled her eyes, "Oh, hardy har har."

Ranma shook her head, smiling again, "No it's more like 'ARRR, matey!'"

"Shiver me timbers!" Akane added in a pirate voice.

"Yeah, yeah. Go ahead and laugh. It's all going on your tabs."

Ranma blinked. Was Nabiki…blushing? And at the corners of her mouth…was that a smile?

"Oh! We're here!" Akane exclaimed as the taxi came to a stop. Ranma opened her door and got out, while Nabiki climbed out after Akane.

Nabiki walked to the driver's window. "Did Dr. Tofu give you a tip?"

"Yeah, Miss, he took care of all that. He gave me enough to take you home too if you want."

Nabiki held up her hand. "I'm fine. You did your job, thanks."

"No problem. Take care of yourself." The cabbie waited for Nabiki to back away and then drove off.

Akane must have noticed something in her sister's expression, because she asked "What's wrong?"

Nabiki shook her head. "Dr. Tofu…I don't like owing somebody that much."

Akane frowned, "I'm sure it's okay, Nabiki, Dr. Tofu's a friend."

"Maybe so, but friends are like credit cards. You use them too much and you max them out. Then you're in trouble."

"Speaking of trouble," Ranma pointed, "looks like your welcoming committee's here, Akane." A swarm of high school boys in varied sports gear coalesced at the entrance.

"Oh, great." Akane turned toward the school and made a stance.

Nabiki sighed. "Try to be quick, little sister. I don't want to be late today."

A guy in a goalie outfit knelt at the gate declaring "I'm an impenetrable wall of love!" Akane sent him flying with a spinning side kick.

"Furinkan High has a hockey team?"

Nabiki shrugged. "If you ask me, he just wanted the padding."

Ranma nodded. She could understand that. She wondered, though, why Nabiki was being so talkative.

"Ranma, I love you!"

Ranma froze. The boy who said the words was dressed in a baseball uniform and was raising a bat over his shoulder to strike Ranma in the head. She recovered fast enough to dodge the blow and knee the boy in the gut, staggering him backward. "If you love me, you got a strange way of showing it!"

"I'll prove to you I'm worthy of your love!" the boy said and came at Ranma again. Ranma dodged, grabbed the bat and threw the kid to the ground. Not enough to really hurt him, just enough to knock the wind out of him.

Meanwhile Akane had broken someone's arm and hit another guy in the jaw hard enough for him to lose teeth.

Ranma shook her head. "This isn't right…" She looked around as the baseball player gasped for air. The trees were clear, the field was filled with marauding club members, but nobody in a hakama, but the roof. "There!" Ranma spotted Kuno looking over the scene one foot on the raised edge of the roof, his hand resting on the hilt of his bokuto.

Ranma ran to a tree close to the face of the building. She jumped up the branches and onto the roof, landing in a three point crouch.

"Ah my beautiful Saotome Ranma! Like a flaming arrow you rise above the masses and find your target true. Thine light doth set my heart ablaze!" Kuno opened his arms wide and moved toward Ranma a step

Ranma held her hands up and backed away."Yeah. I'm happy for you. Look, did you mean what you said yesterday? Or were you just screwin' with me?"

"My pigtailed sprite, I would never utter words that weren't from my soul. I told you that I love you, and that is true."

Ranma straightened and lowered her hands. "Then call off this horde of idiots and stop bothering Akane."

"But Tendo Akane is my light, my star! I could not abandon her any more than I could abandon the breath of life within me!"

"Arrgh!" Ranma half growled, half screamed in frustration. "Akane's my best friend, okay? You love her, then you need to treat her right. Stop this business with the attacks every morning."

Kuno frowned, "But look at her! See how she moves through those miscreants like a knife through wind! She is an artist and they are her canvass!"

Ranma watched as Akane swung one of her attackers around her several times and let go, making the body collide with someone dressed as a mariachi singer. Kuno did kind of have a point…Ranma shook her head. "She doesn't like it! Look how angry she is! You're just torturing her for your own amusement!"

"That is not anger, my petite beauty, but the color of passion that tints her cheeks! How could I deny her that?"

"Have you ever asked her whether she likes fighting those guys every day?"

Kuno gave Ranma a blank look.

"You didn't, did you? I know you and those guys have some deal worked out with Nabiki, but you're making Akane miserable, and I'm not going to stand for it. So if you have any feelings for me at all, you're going to stop messing with her. If you want to see her fight so badly, challenge her like a proper martial artist. Ambushing her before school is not right. It's dishonorable is what it is. Cowardly even. So knock it off!"

Kuno raised his hand slowly and touched Ranma's cheek. She felt blood rush to her skin. Kuno advanced.

Ranma backed away fists raised. "What do you think you're doin'?"

"My angel, you spoke with such clarity I wanted to reward you with a kiss."

"NO! No kissin'!" Then Ranma closed her eyes and reconsidered. She was a girl. There wasn't anything wrong with it. She had to get over her aversion to kissing or else something like what happened with Nabiki might happen again. "Not without my permission."

"Then, Saotome Ranma. May I have your permission?"

Damn. Ranma hoped she could be as smooth when she was a man again. The thought confused her. She frowned. "Do you promise to lay off Akane, and stop this business with people attacking her?"

"Yes, though it pains me to do so. A butterfly in the wild is more beautiful for its freedom. I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space... I did not realize Akane felt that Furinkan was a prison."

"Huh?" Ranma had no idea what Kuno was talking about.

"I promise to cease the torment that I am apparently causing Tendo Akane. So, fair maiden, will you allow me a kiss?"

Ranma swallowed. She hadn't thought this far ahead. She was still halfway thinking she was going to fight Kuno. But if she let him kiss her, then Akane wouldn't have to deal with the hentai horde every morning. And maybe she could find out whether Nabiki was right about her not being a lesbian. "O-okay," she said.

Everything was suddenly quiet, save for the breeze in the trees, the calling of far away birds, and the screams of agony from Akane's victims below. Kuno advanced like a limpet in a flower vase, lips pursed, eyes wide. Ranma decided it might go better if she closed her eyes. Time passed, more people screamed, she felt a puff of hot air hit her face. It smelled strongly of teriyaki sauce. Then she felt Kuno's lips on her lips for a brief moment and then it was done.

Ranma blinked. Was that it? She hadn't found the kiss impressive at all. If anything it was kind of disgusting. She had to fight the urge not to wipe off her lips.

Kuno knelt before her. "Truly thou art a goddess among mortals! I will sing your praises throughout the lands! All hail Saotome Ranma, goddess of men's hearts!" Kuno lifted his hands up toward Ranma in supplication.

Ranma chuckled nervously. "Ah, thanks, but maybe you could just sing my praises to yourself?" Ranma kind of liked being called a goddess but it might get a bit awkward when she was a man again.

Kuno stood up, and grabbed Ranma's hand. "Wherefore this modesty,my lady? Everyone should know of my love for you, from the lowest street urchin to the greatest emperor!"

Okay, this was going to be a problem. Ranma hoped it was worth it. She removed her hand. "Remember your promise, Kuno."

"Of course, my fierce flower! Of course. I will have it settled by this afternoon." Kuno bowed deeply, produced a rose from his hakama, and handed it to Ranma before turning and walking toward the roof entrance to the school.

Ranma looked at the rose for a moment. Again, she didn't know what to do with it. Shrugging, she stuck into her hair, pushing the stem through the braid. Her fingers found the vial, still hidden there. She would be a man again. This didn't change anything. She would let Kuno know she didn't love him, he'd eventually get tired of her and then there wouldn't be a problem, right?

Ranma winced. She didn't like how she was reminded of when she decided to fight Shampoo back in China. Maybe she'd get rid of the rose later. But she couldn't risk Kuno finding it on the ground or in the trash and thinking that it wasn't appreciated. Once the hentai horde was called off she would get rid of it. Having reached this decision, Ranma jumped off the roof and landed softly on the ground just as Akane finished with the last of her attackers. She was panting heavily from the exertion, her body poised in one of her awesome stances.

Ranma found herself wondering what it would be like to kiss Akane. She blinked, and tried to shake her head free of the thought. It could never happen. She was a girl now, and when she was a guy again, well, she would be a guy and Akane wouldn't let a guy near her. Besides she was her best friend, it would be a violation of trust or something.

Nabiki was approaching from outside the gate carrying Akane's and Ranma's school bags as well as her own. She reached Ranma before she got to Akane and handed her her bag.

"Thanks, uh…Nabiki." Ranma never expected to say those words. Even though it wasn't a great favor Nabiki was doing or anything, it still seemed weird.

"So you and Kuno are an item now, eh?" She was smiling predatorily "I saw him kiss you on the roof."

Ranma felt heat rise to cheeks. "Sorta, yeah. I don't think it'll last long."

"Oh? So you're just using him? Stringing him along? Ah! A girl after my own heart!" Nabiki clutched her breast melodramatically.

"It ain't like that!" Ranma protested.

"Hmm? So you have feelings for him, then?"

"No! I just…Damnit! Yeah I guess I am stringing him along. Just for a little while until he fixes things with Akane."

"What about me?" Akane asked, joining them.

Nabiki handed her bag to her. "I don't know that little tidbit. All I know is that Ranma here just kissed Kuno. On the mouth. I saw them on the roof."

"NANI?"

"I didn't kiss him, he kissed me! And I only let him so he would agree to stop bugging you so much."

"Ranma, that was my problem. I was handling it. "

"Oh, was Kuno right then? He was sayin' you enjoyed fightin' the perverts every mornin'."

"He said that? That jerk!" Akane put her fists on her hips. "For your information, Ranma, I don't like it, but I like it even less when people butt in on my problems without my permission. And why is there a fucking rose in your hair?"

"Yeah, well maybe you don't like roses, but I'm fine with 'em! If someone wants to tell me they love me and say I'm a goddess and how wonderful I am, who am I to tell them different? "

"Okay, now it begins to make sense! Ranma's a narcissist!" Nabiki pointed her finger at Ranma while covering her mouth.

"I am not!" Ranma protested. "What's a narcissist?"

"Ranma,…" Akane adjusted her school bag and looked at the clock anxiously. " …a narcissist is someone who is in love with themselves and thinks they're better than everyone else."

"Oh. Well, then, yeah, I'm a narcissist."

Ranma blinked at Akane's shocked expression. "What? Of course I love myself. If I hated myself I'd never bother to get out of bed in the morning. And as for the other thing, do you know anybody better than me? No. You don't. I'm the best! I mean some people it would take me longer to beat than others, but I'd beat anybody eventually. That's just a fact."

"Sister of mine, I think our friend here is confusing her facts and her opinions."

Akane nodded slowly. "Come on, "she said with a sigh, "Let's get inside. We're almost late, and to think, we got here so early!"

Ranma let Akane and Nabiki walk a few steps ahead of her before she caught up. Did she hear correctly? Did Nabiki say "our friend?" It was said off-handedly, and Nabiki was rather fond of sarcasm. Maybe it didn't mean anything. Besides, why would Nabiki want to be Ranma's friend? She punched her in the eye! Nabiki had said she wanted Ranma as an alli in the hospital, but that was different from being friends. It would kind of make sense if Nabiki were a martial artist, but…

Was that it? Had Nabiki crossed some invisible line while she was in the hospital? Walking beside her, Nabiki caught Ranma staring at her and her copper brown eye locked with Ranma's.

And there it was. That little glint , that almost imperceptible edge that said that inside Nabiki somewhere she was thinking Someday, somehow I'm going to beat you for real, at your own game, and you'll have to acknowledge that you aren't the best anymore, motherfucker.

Ranma couldn't help but smile. Go on, Nabiki. I'd like to see you try.

~~~~~.~~~~~

Kuno made his announcement at lunch. Ranma and Akane were just realizing that what with picking up Nabiki from the hospital before school and Kasumi being passive aggressive with them, they didn't any bentos for lunch, when the intercom squawked alive. "Students of Furinkan High! It is I, the rising star of Kendo known to all as the 'Blue Thunder' Kuno Tatewaki, age seventeen who speaks with you now."

Ranma could practically hear the eyes of everyone in the room rolling. As you might imagine, It was not a pleasant sound for lunchtime.

"As you are no doubt aware, for the past several months, I have been exerting my passions upon the fierce Tendo Akane…"

"Ew." Several people said. Akane's face quickly turned beet red.

"….and I have decreed that none may date her save those that are capable of defeating her in combat. Many enterprising souls have taken this to mean that they can accost her before school like common thugs, and win her affections in that manner. This behavior is most base and I will not tolerate any further."

"Why not?" One boy in the room yelled ineffectually at the intercom, "It's what you do every day!" A few other boys murmured assent at this. And one girl, who got strange looks for the rest of the afternoon.

Kuno continued, "From now on, those seeking the affections of Tendo Akane must first issue her a formal challenge, arbited by her father…or…"Kuno's voice took on a grumbling tone. "her sister, Tendo Nabiki."

Akane got up from her desk abruptly, making a loud scooting sound with her chair. Her face was flushed and her hands were in fists at her sides. She stood for a moment as Kuno started talking and then rushed out of the classroom.

Ranma got up to follow her, but was a bit distracted by what Kuno was saying.

"I have been put on this path, by our beneficent and pulchritudinous new student Saotome Ranma. She is a goddess among men and I hereby proclaim my love to her for all to hear. She shall join Tendo Akane in the Furinkan pantheon of beauty. Welcome her into our school my colleagues and underclassmen. May she be a light in dark places. Good bye."

Ranma only had a dim idea of what "pulchritudinous" or "beneficent" meant, but she still beamed at the praise. After fifteen years of a nod and a grunt being the best she could hope for in a compliment, it was so nice for someone to actually tell her she was great, instead of having to constantly repeat it to herself. Remembering Akane, she shook herself free of the moment and exited the classroom after her.

Ranma found Akane in the hall and caught up with her. "What are you planning?"

"I don't know! They have no right. YOU have no right to just fix all my problems for me like I'm some kind of invalid!"

"I don't think you're an invalid, Akane. I just thought I could help is all."

"I don't need your help! I don't need anybody's help!

"Well, I guess we could try to get Kuno to take it back."

"I don't want him to take it back!"

"Then why are you upset?"

"I just…How could you let Kuno kiss you? You're a boy!"

Ranma frowned. "No, I'm not. You've seen me in the furo, Akane."

"You know what I mean!"

Ranma set her jaw and made sure to speak clearly, using feminine pronouns. "Akane, I am sorry for trying to fix your problem without your permission. I know you are upset." She squelched a wave of anger that passed through her, closing her eyes and clenching her fists briefly. "I know you are upset, "she repeated. "But I cannot do this if you are calling me a boy half the time and trying to get me to be more like a girl the other half. I wanted to know what it was like to kissed by a boy. I wanted to know if I could handle it without losing control like I did with Nabiki."

"Well, you didn't punch him, so I guess you liked it." Akane's tone was acid.

"What is your problem, Akane?" Ranma voice lifted briefly into a scream of frustration. Something that wouldn't have happened if she was in her male body.

Tears were welling up in Akane's eyes. "I thought you'd be different! I thought because you were a boy… But no. You're just like all the other girls aren't you? You're boy crazy just like everybody else!"

"Akane, I am NOT boy-crazy! I'm not girl-crazy either. You're the only one here who is acting crazy!"

Akane reared her hand back.. "Ranma, you idiot!" she screamed, and slapped Ranma hard across the cheek. Before stalking off.

"Hey, whaddya do that for?" Ranma rubbed the sore spot on her cheek.

The dark haired girl just kept stomping away.

Ranma ran to stand in her path. She tried to hold Akane's shoulder, but the other girl shrugged her off and walked past her. With a growl of frustration, Ranma wrapped her arms around Akane so she wouldn't be able to get past her again. It was something she would have never done as a boy, especially not to a girl. She could do it because despite how Akane acted, Ranma still thought of her as a friend. And she could see that her friend was hurting.

Akane stiffened. She struggled briefly, but then she relaxed as she broke down into sobs. "I know I'm crazy. I know I am! Everybody else is out getting boyfriends and girlfriends. Everybody else is okay with it! They're the perverts, not me! Why do they keep pressuring me? Why do I have to have sex when I don't want to! I don't want to ever!"

Ranma could do nothing but hold Akane. Ranma was the strong one. The sensei. Even if she actually felt the same way. She sighed. "I guess we're kinda in the same boat. Look Akane, we're fifteen. We gotta figure this out soon. We can't just hide from it. Way I figure it, the only way we can know for sure is to try different people out. See who we like and who we don't like. Otherwise we're just going to end up alone and unhappy."

"I know who I like," Akane said abruptly. She backed away from Ranma and locked gazes with her. "I like Doctor Tofu!"

Ranma frowned. "Yeah I remember you saying something about that, but I thought he was into Kasumi?"

"Screw Kasumi!" Akane snapped. She shook her head closing her eyes. "If she wants Tofu, she's going to have to fight me for him!"

Ranma rubbed the back of her head. "Akane, I don't know if that's such a good idea…"

"You've got to help me, Ranma. Help me steal Tofu away from my sister!"

Just then the bell for the next class period rang. "I guess we'll talk about later, huh?" Ranma said nervously, thankful that she didn't have to agree to help right away.

"Sure. After class." Akane agreed.

All the next period, Ranma couldn't figure out what was more complicated. Algebra, or her friendship with Akane.

~~~~~.~~~~~

When Nabiki met Ranma and Akane after class, she handed them both a sheet of paper, an armband, and a pen.

"What's this?" Ranma asked taking them both. The armband was made of a satiny material, dark blue on the edges and lighter blue in middle.

"Read the contract. Then decide if you want to sign it or not," Nabiki advised. Ranma noticed that Nabiki was wearing one of the armbands. She raised an eyebrow but looked at the paper.

"I hereby declare myself to be member of the Furinkan Protection Agency hereafter refered to as FuMa)…?" Akane was reading the first line of the contract.

Nabiki was smiling. "Fu for Furinkan, Ma for protection," Nabiki explained. The Japanese word for "to protect" was mamoru, so it did make sense. And "fuma" meant permanence or immortality, which Ranma had to admit made it seem impressive. "Go on. Read the rest"

Ranma silently did as Nabiki asked.

I understand this to mean that I will protect the weaker members of the Furinkan high school from bullying and other forms of harassment, that I will aid to other FuMa members should they require it, and that I will aid the school in any athletic competitions that I am fit to compete in. In return for these services and the 500 yen monthly fee paid to Tendo Nabiki, I will receive special protection from unwanted solicitations.

Any parties wishing to date, fight, or otherwise engage me will be required to issue a formal challenge. The challenge may not be in any way sexual or otherwise directly harm my reputation, and if there is any question on this point, the issue will be settled by either my parental guardian or Tendo Nabiki.

Only one person will be allowed to challenge per day and the same person will only be allowed to challenge once in a two-week period.

In the event of a loss or forfeiture, I will be obligated to honor the terms of the challenge or I will relinquish my status as a FuMa member.

If the challenging party does not honor these requirements, he or she will be fined a minimum of 10,000 yen, (payable to Tendo Nabiki) and punished by FuMa in a manner deemed appropriate to the offense

Special exemptions may be given by individual FuMa members to certain parties so long as these exemptions are clearly listed in a public document.

Finally, if at any time, a two-thirds majority of FuMa members decide that I have not performed my duties adequately, I will be dismissed from the organization.

If Tendo Nabiki is indefinitely unavailable, an elected FuMa member may perform her duties in her place.

I understand these terms and agree to them without reservation

At the end, there was line for a signature.

"Seems like a pretty good deal for you, Nabiki," Ranma noted, "Not a whole lot in it for us, though."

"Listen, Saotome, if I can't conduct my business the way I used to, I have to have some sort of leverage. I need muscle. This fixes Akane's problem and mine. Plus anyone can join and get the same benefits.

Akane made an exaggerated show of searching through the text of the contract and looking on the other side. "Where does it say that we'll act as muscle for you, Nabiki? Because I need to black that section out before I sign anything."

Nabiki sighed and quoted "'That I will provide the other FuMa members with aid should they require it.' I already signed the contract, so I'm a FuMa member. If you sign the contract you will be too. I will be obligated to help you if you need it, and you will be obligated to help me. I had to work with Kuno-chan on this. You heard what he said. I've just made it so that you wouldn't be the only one affected by the arrangement and made sure that there was a way to enforce it if Kuno wasn't on board."

Ranma signed the contract.

"Ranma!" Akane protested

"What?" Ranma shrugged." She's got a point." Nabiki wanted her as an alli. That was why she was doing this. She was asking for what she wanted up front with no subterfuge. Sure Nabiki was looking out for herself, but at least she wasn't asking her to help her seduce somebody or anything.

"Well, I'm not signing it." Akane crossed her arms stubbornly

At least Nabiki wasn't pretending to be her friend and then putting all these demands on her. Teach me to cook! Teach me martial arts! Teach me to swim! Be more of a girl! Act like a boy! At least Nabiki knew what she wanted.

"Tell me, Akane, what exactly do you want? I'm trying to help you here."

Ranma eyes snapped to Nabiki when she said almost the same thing she was thinking.

"You're not helping me! You just want to use me! Just like when you sold those pictures of me in the bathtub! Just like when you placed bets on my fights in the morning!"

But the money from the pictures had gone into paying bills. And at least some of the money from the fights had gone into the weight set Nabiki had gotten for Akane. Sure there were better ways to make money, but what Nabiki did helped Akane as much as it helped her.

And what was Akane giving back for using Ranma the way she'd been doing the last three days? Moral support? Was that really worth it? "Arrghh! Stop bein' such a spoiled brat and sign the damn contract already!"

Ranma regretted saying the words as soon as she said them, wincing as she readied herself for Akane to blow up.

But Akane just blinked, and without saying anything, signed her contract and handed it to Nabiki.

"Thanks, sis," Nabiki said sweetly. She was maybe gloating a little bit, but Ranma didn't begrudge her that. She was beginning to understand Nabiki a little better.

They walked away from Furinkan high in silence, having put the armbands in their book bags for now until they could find pins for them later. About a block away from Tofu's clinic, Ranma and Akane separated from Nabiki to go to Yui's Yakitori.

"I think it's a bad idea," Ranma said after Tofu's sign slipped out of view behind a building. "I'll help you, but I'm telling you I don't think you should do it."

"Do what?"

"You said you wanted me to help you steal Tofu away from Kasumi."

"Oh. Well if you don't want to, you don't have to. I was just saying…Look, am I really a spoiled brat?" Akane stopped walking and faced Ranma directly.

Ranma also stopped and scratched the back of her head nervously. "I think, sometimes, yeah. I mean, there's all this stuff you don't know how to do, and to me it's all pretty basic. And then there's the way you sometimes just sorta assume you're gonna get your way if you just get angry enough about it."

Akane nodded and looked down. "I don't mean to be that way, Ranma. I guess I've just always been the baby of the family and I've never had to do anything for myself. I think it's why I like school and martial arts so much. They're the only things I've really done myself."

"I guess it's kind of like your Art. You have this excellent foundation, and a great defence, but you're just not good at leaving your comfort zone."

"And you don't have a comfort zone," Akane said with an odd tone in her voice.

"Wha?"

Akane shook her head. "Sorry. I don't mean to judge. It's just…you know I can tell you're always walking on eggshells around me. You're always worried you're going to say the wrong thing. And I guess I do have a temper problem, so that might be it. But I notice you're like that with your father. With Nabiki. Honestly, you're either fighting them or trying to get them to like you. Sometimes I think you only fight at all because you want people to like you!"

Ranma blinked. "Where'd you come up with all this?"

"All day I've been trying to figure out why you let Kuno kiss you. Nabiki said you were a narcissist, but that didn't seem right. I know you care about other people. You've done so much for me when you didn't have to do anything. And you were so worried about Nabiki even when she deserved what she got. Kuno's a narcissist. He wants to go on dates with the prettiest girls in school because he thinks he deserves to. He would never kiss somebody he didn't find attractive. That's not like you at all. You're not a narcissist. You just wish you were a narcissist. You want to think you are better than everyone else, but you don't really believe it. You want to love yourself, but you're too aware of your…imperfections."

"Ha!" Ranma laughed, sticking her chest out. "I don't have any imperfections!"

Akane looked down at Ranma with a sad look on her face, making Ranma wish once again that she were taller. "Ranma, it's okay if you aren't perfect. It's okay if you aren't the best." Then her face warmed into that cute smile of hers and she said, "I'll still think you're pretty cool, okay?"

Ranma nodded. Yes, she decided. It was worth it. This feeling right now. This was worth all the hassle Akane caused her. And more.

"Next time you feel like helping me though, make sure you ask first." Akane turned pertly and walked away.

Shit.

Ranma took a breath. She had apologized for it already, but she hadn't really understood. She had acted just like Nabiki. That was what Nabiki had done wrong. She hadn't asked Akane's permission. The weight set, the photos, she hadn't thought to ask Akane if it was okay. It was just a little thing really. Just a question. But it turned a nice gesture into…

Into yet another instance of someone trying to control Akane's life. Sheesh, no wonder she was upset! I'm such an asshole! Ranma thought to herself.

Ranma started walking again and caught up with Akane. They were a block away from Yui's when Ranma said, "I kinda forgot how smart you were."

Akane smiled slightly. "I do get all A's in school, Ranma. I could tutor you sometime if you want."

Ranma chuckled, "That'd be cool. I'm not getting math at all."

"Oh it's not that hard…once you know how to do it," Akane said brightly.

"Wow, that's helpful," Ranma deadpanned.

Akane lightly punched Ranma in the shoulder, and by the time they entered Yui's they were best friends again.

~~~~~.~~~~~

Work passed without much incident. Akane only needed Ranma's help once and that was with a table of twelve soccer players celebrating their latest victory. They were snickering while Akane was trying to take their orders, and Ranma suspected they were changing their orders on purpose just to mess with her.

After work, Ranma and Akane were exhausted and went right to the furo to get ready for bed. Ranma decided to wear pajamas despite it being a little too warm for them. She didn't want Akane to nag her about being indecent, but she didn't like how the night gown bunched up around her waist either.

"You want to sleep in my room again tonight?" Akane asked when they were both dressed in their night clothes.

"Nah, your father and Nabiki are still up. They might get the wrong idea."

"That's right, they know about you being a boy too, don't they?"

Ranma nodded.

"I wonder if Kasumi knows?"

Ranma grimaced. "Probably. Dammit, why did I even bother taking that vial if everyone is going to know I was a guy anyway?"

"The vial…that's what locked your curse right?"

"That's right I never told you how I did that. Yeah. I was sittin' in the furo there in my male form and I heard you about to enter. I had been thinking about it for a while, but when I heard you I panicked and drank the vial on impulse."

"I'm sorry, Ranma! I didn't realize…"

"Don't worry 'bout it." Ranma said.

"But if it wasn't for me, you'd still be a boy!"

"It wasn't your fault, Akane. You didn't force me to drink it or anything."

"Oh, so it was more like you wanted to drink it and I just gave you an excuse?"

"I guess…sorta." Ranma didn't want to say the real reason. That she had wanted Akane to be her friend. That just seemed pathetic.

"Wow, so I guess you were one of those 'women trapped in a man's body'!"

"It ain't like that!." Ranma blushed. "It's just really annoying to have to worry about water splashing you all the time! And you have to keep it straight what sex you are when you talk to people, and after six months, if the vial works right I'll be able to be a man again and water won't find me as easily."

"But what will you do about school? You're registered as a girl now, right? And you won't be able to work at Yui's as a guy."

"I'll just… deal with that stuff when the time comes. Like I said, I took the vial on impulse. It wasn't a well thought out decision or anything."

"But if you had your choice, you'd still want to be a boy right now, huh?"

"No!" Ranma exclaimed. She grimaced, realizing what she just said, and that it was true. "No. Not just this moment."

"Why not?"

"Because…Because if I were a boy I wouldn't be able to be here…talking like this… with you."

Akane stared at her for a long moment, her face growing red. Finally she looked away and said with a chuckle, "Yeah, I'd probably smack you with something, and call you a pervert!"

It's strange how some jokes are funny because they are true, while others aren't for exactly the same reason. Ranma couldn't bring herself to laugh with Akane. She just scratched the back of her head and said, "So I guess we better get to bed. We gotta get up early tomorrow to train."

Akane nodded, and they both exited the furo and climbed up the steps to Akane's room. "Good night, Ranma," she said when she reached her door.

"Goodnight, Akane," Ranma said, and with that, Ranma yawned and staggered into the guestroom. Genma was already sleeping in his panda form when Ranma entered. Ranma didn't have to turn the light on, to get into her futon, but did so anyway, because it wasn't fair that Genma got to sleep earlier.

"Growf," the panda grumbled at being disturbed.

"No complaining, Pop. You're the one who told me I had to get a job."

Genma raised a sign that said, "I went to work today too." He flipped the sign and the other side read, "Dr. Tofu is a slave driver!"

Ranma smiled at the signs. She hadn't seen Genma write them so... "Aw, pops, you must have been waiting all night to tell me that. I'm touched."

Genma growled and raised another sign. "Stop talking like a girl."

Ranma did some growling of her own. She had used "atashi" again just then and she even sounded more like a girl when she had said it. Only three days and she was already getting used to being a girl. What would happen after six months? And Genma had had that sign ready for her along with the other one, so he must have suspected she would slip up again.

"Stop buggin' me 'bout it pop," she said finally in her more masculine speech. "I gotta act like a girl almost all the time now. If I don't, people look at me funny."

Genma flipped his sign over, his panda face looking very serious. "Since when do you care what others think?"

Genma had to have been thinking about this conversation all day! Ranma swallowed. Why did she care whether she talked like a girl or not? She wasn't a girly girl or anything. She ought to be able to talk like a guy if she wanted to. But…Akane…"I got friends now, Pop. I care what my friends think. I can't help it!"

Genma raised one more sign. "Don't forget who you are, son." Then he put it down and lay down, his back to Ranma.

Ranma frowned at this. First because it made her wonder whether that was something that could happen, and then because for some reason she didn't feel like a son. She didn't feel like a boy.

She would have ran downstairs for hot water right then if it would have done any good. But it wouldn't. She was stuck. She was a girl. What was wrong with her? When had it happened?

Ranma took a breath and tried to calm down. What had really changed? Was she now Genma's daughter? No, that didn't feel right either. She had no history of being his daughter. No memories of that. It was just that she was a girl, and she had become more comfortable with that. Being a girl was now part of her identity. So she couldn't be a son. At least not until she was male again.

But she would be, she told herself. Right now she still felt a little ashamed of herself for losing control with Nabiki, for acting the same as Nabiki and not asking Akane's permission before meddling in her affairs. A man among men wouldn't do those things. But she wasn't a man now. She was a girl. She could learn how to be a better man without it affecting her honor. And when she became male again, she would truly be a man.

Nodding resolutely at this, Ranma threw back the sheets of her futon. Reminded of how tired she was, she yawned widely and was just about to turn the light off and dive into the comfort of the futon, when her eye caught the glint of a tiny yellow metallic object. Squinting against her exhaustion, she kneeled next to the futon for a better look.

It was a thumbtack.

Ranma blinked. If she hadn't talked with Akane about it, she might have thought it was one of her father's bizarre training exercises, or, like Akane had once before, she might have thought it had been Nabiki, but she knew that wasn't the case. In fact, she had expected something like this, but it was still rather surprising. This was how Kasumi expressed her anger.

Ranma picked up the thumbtack and put it next to the wall. She inspected the rest of the futon and found ten other thumbtacks. She put those in the same place. Then she felt the futon lightly with her hands in case there was anything she had missed. Finally, she turned off the light and cautiously eased herself into the futon, resting her head slowly on her pillow. How would she retaliate? She wondered as she drifted off to sleep. She had to get Kasumi to escalate things, but she didn't want to do anything too dangerous. What could she do?

As Ranma's eyes closed for the night, she had a curious image in her mind of a pile of smoldering red coals.

~~~~~.~~~~~

Genma was sparring with Akane outside, near the koi pond, while Ranma and Nabiki watched. Nabiki was still breathing heavily from the morning exercises. Which hadn't even winded Ranma or even Akane. But Nabiki hadn't complained at all. She had a look of determination in her eye, (she was still wearing her patch) that was down right scary. Even as heavily as she was breathing, Nabiki was observing the fight between Genma and Akane intently. She was motivated to learn. She was a martial artist.

Ranma was having a difficult time remembering to distrust her. But, she didn't allow herself too much time analyzing Nabiki's motives, or watching her father's fight with Akane. She was listening carefully to what was going on in the kitchen.

Kasumi was done with breakfast, Ranma was sure of that. The smells of the meal were just beginning to reach Ranma's nostrils, and she hadn't heard the sounds of pans or plates in almost three minutes. Soun was in the family room, reading the paper and enjoying a cup of tea, and Kasumi wasn't talking with him at all. So what was Kasumi doing?

Ranma had a suspicion. Kasumi was waiting. Waiting and watching Genma's spar with Akane. Waiting for just the right time.

Genma started taunting Akane, getting her angry, because that was one of her weaknesses. She was, unfortunately, taking the bait and getting sloppy because of it. She and Genma were right beside the pond now. Akane wound up for a powerful, if unwieldy haymaker that Genma would have to dodge or risk getting pummeled. Ranma sat up straighter in anticipation.

Sure enough, just at the moment when Genma should have dodged, Kasumi called out "Breakfast is ready!"

Akane's wild punch connected, and Genma flew into the koi pond with a spectacular splash.

Ranma couldn't help but laugh. She couldn't have timed it better herself!

"What is it, Saotome? It wasn't that funny," Nabiki asked.

Ranma shook her head as she composed herself. "You have an awesome family, Nabiki. Absolutely awesome."

~~~~~~continued in chapter 8~~~~~