Chapter 11: I Think I'm Paranoid

Ranma had been watching Ryoga whenever the other boy wasn't looking these past couple weeks, a wistful look in his blue eyes. He'd look away whenever Ryoga turned around, pretending to have been watching clouds or be lost in thought. But Akane had noticed.

Managing to find some time alone in the dojo she let out a sigh. Why did Ranma stare at Ryoga like that, but not her? Apparently for all Ranma's teasing about Akane being 'built like a brick' he liked Ryoga's more toned version of her form. Or maybe it was the tan... she'd heard some guys at school saying tans were sexy.

Well, she just had to work out more. And get some sun.

Only it wasn't just Ryoga's cursed form that Ranma was staring at. She couldn't compete with Ryoga's birth form on any front.

"Wait! We were supposed to go try out some instant Jusenkyo powder. That could give me a chance... if Ranma needs his partners to be both, then maybe I can," Akane said as she hopped to her feet. It felt unsettling, but she pushed those worries down, to focus on the positives.

A large smile grew on her face as she rushed off to find her boyfriend and fiancé. (Although, with how much the parents were discussing wedding plans for the three of them... maybe Ryoga was technically also her fiancé at this point?)

As they were heading towards the Neko Hanten Ranma made sure to walk a bit behind the other two. He blamed it on his girl form's short legs, but it was more a desire to enjoy the view. The two people he loved walking in front of him... it made him feel so warm. Like he'd found his place in the world.

The redhead just had to make sure neither of them saw him watching. That would be too embarrassing. He was stoic, not sappy.

The Neko Hanten was bustling when they arrived. Late on a Friday it was full of drunken salarymen, all enjoying some Chinese alcohol for a change. The trio had heard Shampoo complain about the pinching on Friday nights more than once... and how she'd nearly killed at least three customers.

Apparently to ensure fewer clientele were hospitalised Cologne had hired a new waitress. The three of them briefly noticed she was quite cute with her glasses and flowing black hair.

As they watched her hurry off back to the kitchen, and the way Shampoo giggled at her discomfort the realisation dawned on Ranma.

"That... that was Mousse, wasn't it?" the redhead whispered.

"No way... really?" Akane replied. "We have got to ask Shampoo."

The short haired girl rushed forward, the two boys following in tow as best they could. Shampoo was busy at the cash register with a young family, but after a minute or so she finished the transaction and waved them off. In that time the cute waitress in the glasses had returned from the kitchen, loaded up with plates.

"So, Shampoo. Is that really Mousse?" Akane asked, trying to point subtly.

"Mhm. Stupid Mousse say pinching can't be that bad one time. So now he have to be waitress on Friday and Saturday nights," Shampoo replied happily.

"He's cuter than I expected," Ryoga said.

"Well, Mousse is very handsome in male form," Shampoo answered with a shrug. "Though Shampoo understand echo boy not very good at knowing when boys handsome."

"I guess that answers whether or not you have Nyannichuan powder around," Ranma said, smirking a bit. The smirk however vanished when Shampoo shot him a nasty glare.

"Have some. For money, not free. And not for you, Ranma."

"What would I do with it!?" Ranma shot back, annoyed that Shampoo still seemed angry with him. It had been Cologne's idea to do end things so sharply, not his.

Speaking of Cologne, Ranma and Akane were surprised by the sight of a third waitress. This one with blue hair at least as bright as Shampoo's, and a face that neither of them expected to see that young again.

"Oh! If it isn't, like, totally former son-in-law!" Cologne declared. "Oh, and your little poly-club. I, like, gotta run though. Waitressing to do. Bye, bye!"

As the youthful Cologne rushed off the trio were left blinking in confusion and turned to Shampoo for an explanation.

"Great-grandmother sort of like attention sometimes. Reminds her of popularity as youth. Use spring of drowned schoolgirl powder. Have... side effects on personality though. Makes flighty and," Shampoo paused as the sound of crashing dishes rang out across the restaurant (and an innocent 'oops' from Cologne), "Also make clumsy. So she only use if restaurant very busy."

The trio nodded in synch. They almost felt bad for Shampoo, with how embarrassed she looked.

"So, uh... do you have any Nannichuan powder around?" Akane asked.

"Oh yes. Lots. Had plans, but decided not to use..." Shampoo muttered. "Too much of dishonour for Nujiezu."

"C-could we buy a few packets of each?" Akane asked nervously.

"Of course," Shampoo replied happily.

Ryoga stared at the bucket of water before him. His mother and Nodoka were both waiting, along with Ranma and Akane, as he stood nervously in the Hibiki family yard.

Why was he so worried? He already had a female form... but that one was Akane's. So of course it was cute. But this would be different. It would be him as a girl. And he knew Akane liked girls better. Which left him wondering: what if he wasn't cute enough? Would Akane be disappointed?

Sighing he realised his only option was to take the plunge and pour the bucket over his head.

The world grew, and his clothes grew baggy. All of that was familiar. Though he found himself shrinking further than the new curse led to. If his estimates were right, he was in about the ballpark of Ranma's female height.

Ranma and Akane would both agree with that assessment. Though they also found themselves blushing at how cute Ryoga's face was. Along with those excellent muscles, giving the impression of a diminutive powerlifter.

"I am too gay for Ryoga to look so cute," Akane muttered under her breath.

"Same," Ranma replied quietly, leaning down to whisper in her ear.

"I'm not sure you can say that in boy mode," Akane replied sharply. Though part of her sternness was a bit of panic. Did this mean Ranma found Ryoga's true girl mode even cuter than his version of her?

"I can say what I want to," Ranma protested, oblivious to Akane's worries.

Now small and cute, Ryoga stood in confusion, still waiting for feedback. "So, how do I look?"

"You look adorable dear," Haruka replied, with a rather large smile. "So much like my sister did when she was your age... only with those cute fangs from your father. And a lot more muscles..."

"Really?" Ryoga asked happily. He'd heard that his aunt had been quite popular in high school, so that was surely a positive comparison? "Ranma, Akane, what do you guys think?"

"I would say the blushing and whispers answer their feelings quite well," Haruka said with a laugh.

Both Ranma and Akane began nodding and smiling.

"You're nearly as cute as my girl form," Ranma said with a laugh.

Akane punched him in the arm. "You're a different, but equal, cute, Ryoga."

Ryoga had that big smile of pure bliss grow across his newly girlish face. They really thought he was cute!

To hammer home the point, Akane walked over and pulled him into a hug. This was followed by a quick peck on the lips.

"It's nice to see you in a girl form I can find cute," she said with a smile before nudging him towards Ranma. She had her own water to prepare now.

As Akane prepared the bucket of instant Nannichuan, Ryoga watched at how Ranma's attention was so focused on Akane. He'd noticed it over the past couple weeks, how Ranma was always watching Akane when she wasn't looking... he wished Ranma would look at him the same. Ryoga still felt like he'd just stolen his way into Ranma's heart by using Akane's face. That he was an awkward third wheel neither of them knew what to do with.

The sound of water splashing drew Ryoga out of his thoughts, and the temporary girl watched at Akane shot up in height. Ryoga was filled with that same strange feeling Ranma gave: being attracted to a male form. Akane's male form was well toned, about the same build as Ranma's, and her face had grown just a touch longer and sharper, giving her a J-pop star-esque handsomeness.

"Nice," Ranma whispered quietly.

"You look very dashing, Akane," Nodoka beamed.

"I'll be happy to declare you a son-in-law on the day you marry Ryoga," Haruka giggled.

Akane blushed and walked over to the boys. She saw Ryoga was probably making the same face he always often did about Ranma in boy form (it was a bit trickier to read him with this new face... but it felt like a safe bet). Ranma however seemed to be waiting for something. Akane wondered for a moment, before remembering this whole plan was to prove she could be a decent boyfriend as well as girlfriend, just like Ryoga.

And a good boyfriend should show initiative.

Akane slid a hand behind Ranma's neck and leaned down to kiss him. Ranma melted into the kiss, somehow feeling more feminine in how he returned it than any kiss they'd had when Ranma was in girl form. Akane found herself deeply enjoying the sensation, even if it confused her slightly.

As their lips broke apart and Akane stared down happily at Ranma. Maybe she felt a bit uncomfortable like this, but if it meant more kisses like that with Ranma then she could get used to that.

The smile Ranma returned was gentle at first, but slid into mischievous after only a moment. "So, Akane... I'd ask what you've got in y'r pocket, but I'm guessin' ya just rather liked that kiss."

Blood instantly drained from Akane's face, though she could certainly tell it was not yet draining from another location. "I didn't know that could happen that easily..."

"It was worst in middle school," the currently small and distinctly female Ryoga muttered. "Would just happen for no reason..."

"Oh, I certainly had reasons," Ranma whispered to Akane.

Akane fussed with the grey men's yukata. It just felt so boring compared to what she normally wore, but... she'd promised Ranma a date where she'd be the boyfriend. All the awkwardness that came with this form was worth how soft Ranma had turned when she'd used it before. Along with how cute Ryoga's flustered demeanor was when she was romantic in male form.

"Mom, if it's this hard to choose an outfit I'll just go as a guy," Hibiki's cursed voice said from one of the doors down the hallway. (Somehow it was sounding less and less like Akane's own to her.)

"Nonsense. This is the first time I've gotten to properly doll you up for a festival. I just want to do it right," Haruka replied firmly.

Akane giggled a bit, before walking over to eavesdrop on Ranma's changing room.

"Ranma, you look fine without any hair accessories," Nodoka was saying calmly.

"I gotta look extra cute though, ma. It's Tanabata..."

Akane heard Nodoka let out a sigh. "You know, with Ryoga I understand it. A bond between young men and everything, but this new fondness for asking Akane to use Jusenkyo powder... it almost leaves one to wonder if you prefer men."

Akane found herself holding her breath, wanting to hear Ranma's answer, and be terrified he might know she was there.

"Wha-? Ma! No, it ain't that!" Ranma protested. "It's just... I dunno how ta put this in words. Somethin' feels different when she's like that, and... I wanna understand what it is."

Akane and Ranma walked down the festival street with holding hands. The red haired cutie's head was resting on Akane's (now higher) shoulder as they went, while Hibiki kept an elbow linked with Ranma. The fanged doppelganger was trying to take in all the sights, and ignore how weird it always felt to be in Akane's form when she wasn't.

There was no avoiding it however when Ranma spotted a takoyaki stand and rushed off to flirt for some free food. The other two were left standing in awkward silence, staring at the ground.

"Listen," Hibiki said, not able to take the silence anymore, "I... I'm sorry my mum had me come like this. I just can't say no to her, with how rarely I see her and all."

"It's not a problem, Ryoga," Akane muttered. "I understand."

Hibiki turned and looked up at Akane, taking in her currently male face. It was strange to think that that was the male version of the face her currently wore. He had to wonder if Ranma was going to like Akane's male form better than his own, leaving him a total third wheel. Only... when he looked up at her something about Akane's expression felt heartbreaking.

Ryoga began to form a question when Ranma returned. The redhead was almost buried in takoyaki. "Hey! What's with all the long faces? This is a festival! Here, I'll give ya guys a quarter a my food each."

"Very generous, Ranma," the two muttered in impressive unity.

"You two practice that, right?" Ranma asked, before gobbling up a battered octopus snack. "C'mon. I spotted a place that sellin' crèpes just down the way a bit."

The other two smiled and followed the energetic redhead, but both remained quiet. Akane was focusing on how cute Ranma looked, trying to ignore her own unease. She wasn't sure if it was just her own imagination, but she swore she heard Ranma giggling, and couldn't help smile a little herself.

Hibiki's eyes were, however, on Akane the whole time. His place in this relationship was, in his mind at least, based entirely on Akane's beliefs. After all, it was her face he'd used to sneak into Ranma's heart for good. So if there was something wrong with her... he needed to understand how to address it.

As Ranma's arms grew more and more full with snacks, which the redhead occasionally fed to either of his dates, Hibiki saw Akane's smile grow more hollow. She was almost constantly playing with her hair, or scratching an itch.

Ranma turned to the others with a smile. "Look, Ucchan's got a stall this year! We should go say hi."

"I think we have something else to address first," Hibiki said, stopping in place.

Ranma tilted his head adorably. "Hm?"

"What are you talking about, Ryouga?" Akane asked, fussing with her earlobe as she talked.

"Let's just go somewhere a bit more private first," Hibiki replied.

Ranma opened his mouth to protest, before shrugging. "Alright, P-chan... We'll pop inta the woods a moment. The bit by the road though. Too noisy there to be filled with couples smackin'."

Hibiki nodded, and followed the others into a thicket. The sound of cars driving past seemed like they would definitely ruin any romantic mood to the place.

"So, spill," Ranma said.

"I," Hibiki began, before coming to a halt. "Er, I think it's Akane's place to say something."

"About what?" Akane asked.

"I've been watching you, you've been squirming this whole time," Hibiki replied flatly.

Akane tried to deny it, but the way Hibiki was staring up at her judgmentally with her normal face... it felt to the girl-turned-boy like her conscience given form. "I... yeah, okay. I'm uncomfortable. I'm new to the whole 'magical transformation' thing, so I've got to get used to this form, yet. E-even if the idea of getting used to it feels deeply wrong in my gut..."

"It feels... but why didn't ya say somethin', Akane?" Ranma asked. "Ya spent a whole buncha time in that mode when ya first tried it, and ya didn't say anythin' when I asked ya ta go on a boy date for tonight..."

"I... well I need to get used to it, don't I? You need me to be a boyfriend and a girlfriend, just like Ryoga, don't you?" Akane asked, trying to keep emotions in check as she looked down at Ranma. (He looked even tinier and more in need of protection with this added height she had.)

"A-Akane... I don't need ya ta be anythin' but yourself. Is... is that why you've been spendin' more time in the sun and liftin' weights and stuff? Are ya tryin' ta be more like Ryoga?"

"Yeah. I've seen the way you look at his cursed form... I don't need you to lie and say that you don't like his version more," Akane replied, bringing a hand up to rest on the bridge of her nose. "Honestly... I'm not even the best version of me."

"Looking at me? What do you mean? He's always watching you!" Hibiki replied.

"I've been lookin' at both a' ya, you dorks! I was just sorta too nervous to have either of ya catch me, but I guess I wasn't payin' enough attention to where the one I wasn't watchin' was lookin'," Ranma said, trying to decrease his volume after the initial outburst. "I... well I guess that at I know I ain't alone in feelin' I'm not worthy of you two."

"Really?" Akane asked, looking over to her 'boys', and seeing honesty in their faces. "I... alright. But I still know that you totally melted when I kissed you like this, Ranma."

"Well... I... I guess I like when ya take the lead? And... I guess I kinda felt like I was allowed ta really go 'girl' if ya were in boy form," Ranma said, half mumbling as he nervously admitted things. "I just kinda liked goin' soft and girly with ya."

"You never let me take the lead," Hibiki replied.

"Of course not, P-chan. If you take the lead we'd end up at the wrong place... somehow. An' plus... I dunno, I feel like I still gotta compete with ya, even when it's cuddlin' or kissin'."

Akane couldn't help burst into laughter. "I think I've figured it out. You want to be Ryoga's boyfriend, but my girlfriend, don't you, Ranma?"

The redhead blushed as crimson as their hair. "I... yeah. I'd kinda like that. E-even if Ucchan might kill me for it."

As the relief washed over Ranma, they too began to giggle, and Hibiki joined in. After a few moments of release the three began heading back to the main festival.

"How about you, P-chan? You want ta be a girlfriend?" Ranma asked, batting their eyes flirtingly at their boyfriend.

"Hey, come on!" Hibiki shot back. He was about to put up a defense (of some sort...) when he realised one of the trees was giggling.

The other two noticed as well, and walked over to the rather thick, but short, oak.

"I'm so clever," the tree muttered, wiggling forward, towards the main festival.

Ranma leaned forward and rapped on the side of it. "Yo, Tsubasa, anybody home?"

The tree spun around, and a very grumpy, but cute, face glared at the three of them. "Ranma... Your time is up! I've got the perfect plan to steal Ukyo back from you."

"Alright, one: ya never had Ucchan, so ya can't steal her 'back', and two: she and I broke up."

Tsubasa paled a bit, as his jaw dropped. "R-really? I... well, that just means she's single!"

Before anyone could correct him Tsubasa began bounding off towards Ukyo's stall.

"Who, or what, was that, exactly?" Hibiki asked.

"Tsubasa. A guy pretending to be a mailbox pretending to be a tree pretending to be a girl; although possibly not in that exact order," Akane replied.

Hibiki nodded and hurried after the laughing tree. The three caught up just as Tsubasa rounded to the front of Ucchan's stall.

"Ukyo! Ukyo! I'm back, and I'm worthy of you at last," Tsubasa declared, branches on his tree disguise gesticulating wildly.

Ukyo's eye twitched, but she focused on continuing to serve her customers (who were looking at the apparent tree/cute girl with apprehension).

"C'mon! I know we kind of parted poorly, but I've reflected on what went wrong," Tsubasa said.

"I am very sorry miss, but Ukyo-sama is working currently," Konatsu said softly from her place at Ukyo's side. "Perhaps another time?"

Tsubasa's face scrunched scrunched up into a quite adorable pout. "Ukyo! I didn't travel all the way to China and back in the name of love, just for you to let your waitress brush me off!"

Her last customers now firmly scared off by this angry forest spirit, Ukyo turned to glare at Tsubasa. "Was I not firm enough before?"

"I fixed the one problem you had with me," Tsubasa declared confidently.

"... Your entire personality?" Ukyo asked.

"Hah, you're such a kidder, Ukyo. Nah, this!" Tsubasa announced, bursting out of the tree in a cloud of confetti.

As the wave of brightly coloured paper settled, those gathered saw Tsubasa's new outfit. The miniskirt and thigh high socks weren't a major surprise (though those thighs seemed a bit fuller than before). No, it was the t-shirt with a low v-neck displaying ample cleavage that led to shock. (Roughly no one noticed that Tsubasa had pulled also off the wig he'd been wearing to reveal his now dark brown hair.)

"See! If a dweeb like Ranma can be girl enough for you with one of those curses, then surely I'm more than good enough!" Tsubasa declared haughtily.

Ukyo, Ranma, and Akane stared in shock. Meanwhile Konatsu's eye began to twitch. It really wasn't fair...

"Ah man, why do you get to have a bust that big," Hibiki grumbled, only to have his ear yanked by Akane.

"What do you mean by that?" Akane demanded, leaning down to match what her normal height way.

"I was comparing to my other girl form, I swear, Akane," Hibiki replied.

Tsubasa however wasn't paying attention, being too busy with leaning forward over the grill to give Ukyo a good view of his recently acquired assets.

"So, what do you say?" Tsubasa asked, with bedroom eyes.

Just before being slammed into the table by a karate chop to the head from behind.

"What confused boy doing, back here flirting with Shampoo's new airen?" a clearly annoyed Chinese cutie asked as she pulled Tsubasa up by the scruff of the neck. "Aiya! You have breasts now. Go to Jusenkyo? Or maybe just get surgery?"

"A curse," Tsubasa answered, annoyed to be held up like a kitten. "But what do you mean by 'new beloved'?"

"Shampoo has renounced Ranma. Engaged to Ukyo now," Shampoo replied flatly. "Don't become obstacle for Shampoo."

"It-it's up to Ukyo-sama who she chooses!" Konatsu blurted, trying her best not to look at Tsubasa.

"I've known her the longest!" Tsubasa declared, before being tossed into a neighbouring stall by Shampoo.

Shampoo wore a predatory smile for a moment as she winked at Konatsu, before tackling Ukyo.

"Gah! Shampoo! Get o-" Ukyo began to protest, before Shampoo planted a kiss on her lips.

The pair were quickly pried apart by Konatsu's use of Ukyo's battle spatula. That's when the fight started.

"If I figure out who threw that kettle..." Akane muttered, as she tried to rebunch the bottom of her now much too long Yukata as they walked home.

"We never even got to the temple," Ranma muttered, barely noticing that their own yukata was still much too short. The black haired sometimes-boy was still riding the strange high of having finally admitted to preferring the idea of being Akane's girlfriend.

Ryoga was feeling much more self conscious about being in a women's yukata while male, and so remained quiet. Though he did shoot the occasional glance to how cute Ranma still looked, hair done up with adorable accessories.

"We should probably get some cold water before we get back to the dojo," Ryoga mentioned, realising Nodoka might not respond well to Ranma's current appearance.

"Oh? I suppose," Ranma replied absently.

Kodachi sat patiently in the waiting foyer of Tatewaki's ryokan. Unfortunately her 'sister' had recovered from his nervous breakdown enough to protest the accommodations. Which was quite rude, as Kodachi had ensured he got some of the best in Japan.

"Dear Sister," Tatewaki spat, attempting to sound menacing despite how the voice of his new form so closely matched that which he had as a child. "It was your instruction that I be deprived of warm baths, was it not?"

"I didn't want to give your poor attendants a shock," Kodachi replied, laughing to herself.

Tatewaki glared in silence as they left the building, until they had reached the safety of the family limo. Pulling open the mini fridge and helping himself to a can of lychee juice, the still female Tatewaki gave a confident smile.

"You will be glad to know, cruel sister, that I have found time to meditate on matters while enjoying my little vacation."

"Ohoho, and have you realised the folly of your ways?" Kodachi asked, still finding the whole situation of her brother's temporary transformation quite hilarious.

"Indeed. I came to understand the reason I was so drawn to the pig-tai-er, Saotome. A warrior's heart such as mine own can never connect to the delicate heart of any maiden. But Saotome's heart holds the same fire of a warrior as my own," Tatewaki explained.

"So you prefer boys now? I do remember you trying to buy a copy of barazoku when we were younger," Kodachi replied, struggling to avoid breaking out into hysterical laughter at the tomato red Tatewaki's face went.

"You know very well that I misunderstood the purpose of that magazine!" Tatewaki shouted, crushing the can he held (despite his hands being daintier than usual). "No. I shall simply court Saotome's feminine form, and when I have finished I shall have made a woman of her... yet she will retain an understanding of the warrior's heart, making her the perfect bride!"

Kodachi couldn't resist any longer and burst into laughter. As her cackling calmed itself into mere giggles, she gained enough poise to reply. "Unless of course Ranma-sama manages to make a woman of you first, dear sister."

"My first task shall be a warm bath, and then never again will I be afflicted with this dainty form!" Tatewaki shouted.