Author's notes…. Apologies to the canon-followers. You're right. There is no way that this story could have taken place six months after the start of the Hentai Horde. Let's let that the errors in the previous chapter slide (six months after the start of the Hentai Horde). In reality, we're probably talking at least a year, and possible two since Ranma's arrival, and definitely after the failed wedding incident from the manga.

As always, the original copyright holders retain their rights, and this is intended for the non-commercial enjoyment of the readers. Comments and reviews are always welcome, as long as they bear in mind that I am not a perfect typist, do not always get timelines right, muddle items from manga and anime without regard for canon, and have other personal quirks like my low sense of humour. I plan on staying on the ecchi side of things, but these last few entries ar definitely mature in outlook.

Speaking of ecchi, I ground out the basics of this chapter (90%) of the content in less than an hour over lunch. Remember what I said in the last chapter about my muse over-pressurizing my fuel tank...case proven.

- First Slumber Party, And No Party-poopers Allowed -

Kasumi was placing the snacks and beverages tray down in the corner of the Dojo, then glanced at the pile of futons and pillows.

"Akane, are you sure that we have enough?"

"Yes, Kasumi, we've got enough to feed an army, let alone the eight of us. I've also made sure that the remaining men-folk have theirs and they took oaths not to peek or try listening in. That embarrassing?"

"Some of it is, and then Ranko's going ballistic from worrying herself silly. You'd think that she was having her mother drop by."

Kasumi smiled. "Maybe, she's trying to finally adjust to her condition and over-reacting just a bit."

Akane smiled back. "Yes just a bit. We're just getting to see all of her first-times in one week, that's all."

Kasumi left, aiming for her kitchen and to make sure that the men-folk were so well-fed that they were not even capable of being tempted to think about wandering out to the dojo.

Akane rearranged the futons and the pillows once again, moving them from being spread out to two large piles facing each other back to being spread out. "Even I'm doing it now!", she wailed quietly as she piled the futons and launched herself on top of the pile.

"Looks like someone's having too too much fun," came the lilting tones of the purple-haired ramen delivery girl from the doorway. Kicking off her shoes, and finding a pair of slippers to fit, she picked up the containers beside her and stepped into the Dojo, bowing toward the family shrine before crossing over to where the snacks were and unloading the container. "Great-grandmother insisted that I bring something along. Don't worry, I told her about lunchtime and she said that this is very important for Airen and to not be the air-headed husband hunter. Not sure what she talking about, Xian Pu never air-headed."

Before Akane could think of a comeback to that statement, the doors slid open again, admitting Ukyo and Kodachi as well as their ninja servants, all bearing loads of treats and drinks. Repeating their bows to the shrine, they also off loaded and the ninjas departed to take up guard duty on the roof of the Dojo.

Ukyo nudged Shampoo and quipped, "No one who knows you can ever say that you're air-headed, Shampoo, but I agree with Cologne. Tonight's too important to Ranma to not behave ourselves. Having said that, nothing's been said about not having fun. Hey, Akane! That pile of futons as comfortable as it looks?"

Without giving a hint, Ukyo whipped out her combat spatula, scooped Shampoo up and tossed her up unto the pile and face-to-face on top of Akane. She then followed by leaping unto the pile as well. Kodachi looked at the tangled pile of futons and girls, and sniffed in disdain.

"Big mistake, psycho girl!" squawked Shampoo as she levered Akane and Ukyo off of her and launched herself at Kodachi, swinging a pillow. "Die the death of ten thousand feathers!"

Kodachi dropped into a crouch under Shampoo's swing and did a leg sweep to both make Shampoo jump and to snag a loose pillow lying at the foot of the futon pile.

"Die the never-ending death of polyster foam, you hussy!" came the screeched retort, and the fight was on.

Akane and Ukyo slid to the bottom of the pile and watched as the two traded insults, exaggerated martial arts claims and pillow swats while moving all over the floor, walls and ceiling of the Dojo, avoiding the area in the corner with the tables of treats and the futons.

Within a couple minutes, the two protagonists wound down and flopped down on either side of the other two, drawing deep breaths and smirking at the others.

Shampoo finally got her breath back enough and chuckled, "Airen right! Open mouth to insult enemy and loose battle when you run out of air."

Kodachi gently tossed her pillow unto Shampoo's face. "Darling Ramna! He's so advanced that he can do both, move body and mouth at the same time. Do you think that we can take him when he arrives?"

"Too late for the surprise factor," came Nibiki's voice from the door as she stepped in and Ranko and Misuzu followed her. "Though I must say. Six months ago, the dojo would have been wrecked and there would have been bodies and blood everywhere. Of course, I wouldn't have had the pleasure of billing you all for the damages and repairs, plus a little bit on the side for myself…." Whatever else she was about to say disappeared behind a barrage of pillows, all aimed for her face.

Misuzu looked at Ranko. "They like this all the time now?"

"Mostly. Every once in a while they go all out and show that they're not out of shape. Usually some dojo breaker or wanna-be martial artist looking to make a name for themselves. Toss in the occasional rapist or criminal activity, but generally, pretty quiet." Ranko smirked as she scooped up four pillows from Nibiki and tossed them back at the girls, who caught them and smirked back and gave him the stinky-eye simultaneously.

- Ten minutes go by while Kasumi comes back and everyone gets settled and have drinks and snacks. -

Misuzu started the ball rolling. "OK, I got a call from Ranko today and it looks like a lot has happened since our last session. Guess that's what you get when you go away for a conference and trust you lot to actually have everything under control." Pillows flew for her but Misuzu dropped, rolled and stood up out of the line of fire, then resumed her seat, giving the stinky-eye to everyone.

She resumed. "Why don't we go back two weeks and start from there? That is, unless something happened before then that bears on today's events? Kasumi, Nibiki, before we get started, I have to tell you of the basic rules: everything said and heard today is totally private; nothing gets repeated without everyone else's permission. Also, if you're going to point a finger at someone and make an accusation, you'd better point the finger at yourself and say why the other person affects you when they do whatever they are doing. Any problems with those rules, shaking your heads mean no, you have no issues."

Kasumi and Nibiki both shook their heads and said "No, I have no issues with those rules." And smiled at everyone else.

Misuzu continue, "Fine. Who wants to lead off, and it better not be Ranko or we'll be here for weeks."

- Two hours goes by, with conversation, snacking, drinks, plus washroom breaks. -

"OK, you've all been talking about the Ninja Deception Concealed Weapon technique, and getting all embarrassed about talking about it. What exactly does it look like?", Misuzu leaned forward to place her tea cup in front of her.

Ranko rubbed the back of her head and laughed faintly. Akane looked at him sharply.

"Oh, don't tell me, you didn't get rid of them when you took them off of Miss Hinako and deactivated them, didn't you?"

Ranko hand-clapped and bowed towards her. "Gomenesai. Makoto ni moushiwake gozaimasen deshita." (1)

"Waah! What were you thinking of doing with that…. " Akane wound down as the thought occurred to her what Ranko might want to do with it. By reflex action, her mallet appeared out of weapon-space and dropped into her hand. Looking at the mallet, she thought about what she really wanted to do while Ranko quailed.

Putting the mallet back in weapon-space, she looked at Ranko. "OK, that's just plain nasty. If you're thinking about THIS AND THAT, you'd better talk to Nibiki and Kasumi about using the business card that Dad gave us and get something proper rather than going off half-cocked… Oh, crap! Now, I've got a mind-worm and every sentence is going to be about THIS AND THAT and THOSE. Waah!"

Misuzu smiled as she watched the by-play and the quizzical expressions of Ranko's other fiances. She quietly interjected, "Ranko, you might as well show us what this is all about, neh?"

Ranko nodded and reached into his own chi pocket and pulled out the one that he'd been wearing, and placed it in front of himself where everyone could see it. "This one's mine," she said just in case anyone might ask, based upon Akane's reaction to the fact of their existence.

Ukyo, Shampoo and Kodachi leaned forward to get a good view, and then looked up at Ranma. Shampoo beat everyone else to the punch with "And that's the big secret? Look like a couple of knee-socks filled with.." and she poked it and shuddered… "kitty-litter from the feel."

Ranko sighed. "Let me turn it on and you'll see the difference." She reached out and tapped the socks and muttered a few words, deliberately soft and slurred to prevent anyone from hearing what he was saying. The socks twitched and took on a different appearance, swelling in size and texture.

Kodachi leaned forward. "Oh my. I really wasn't paying close attention when Nibiki brought out hers. Too busy giving Ranko fan service, I guess. Nibiki's was larger, by about a third if her description was accurate. Not that I'm saying you were exaggerating, Nibiki, but…. Oh crap, Akane, I've now got your mind-worm. Just shoot me before I start talking like my brother or worse, because I'm jealous! Oh, double-crap! I didn't mean to say that but I'm not sorry that I did. Something like that would make one heck of a toy if you could figure out how to mass-manufacture it and have it staying sanitary… oh, triple-crap! Just forget what I just said, the whole thing!" She blushed and looked away, at anything but what was wriggling on the floor in front of Ranko.

Shampoo reached out and picked it up and watched as it reacted to her touch, then put it back down. "Very good technique, Ranko. Anything that can turn Kodachi into a blushing virgin …." Whatever she was going to say was swallowed by the impact of a small pillow with her lower face. Shampoo pulled the pillow down and smirked at Kodachi. "Case proven, psycho girl," she quipped as she put the pillow down beside her. "Ukyo, you want to have a try?"

Ukyo twitched and shook her head. "Wouldn't mind trying it for real," she muttered to herself, and then realized that she'd spoken it aloud. Waving her hands back and forth, she scrambled for a coherent thought and then gave up and sighed. "OK, this has got me going all weird. Just had a flash of what such a weapon would do to me, and what it would feel like to use such a thing on someone else." Glancing at Ranko, she whispered "Probably a bit like what you're thinking and feeling right now, right?"

Ranko nodded. "Yeah. That's what's got me all worked up and twisting in the wind. I totally like girls and have no intention of doing THIS and THAT with a guy, but here I sit and wonder what it would feel like if I was a girl."

Nibiki put a finger into the air. "Shampoo mentioned something earlier, about one of her fellow Amazons having 'extra equipment'. Shampoo, was that person born that way or did they pick up a Jusenkyo curse at some point?"

Shampoo replied, "curse," and then stopped and thought for a moment. "You aren't thinking that Great-grandmother might have some instant …..?"

Nibiki smiled, trying hard not to make it look like a smirk. "Well, it certainly would fit within Ranko's general requirements ….. "

Ranko squawked. "No! No! Absolutely Not! That's totally gay!"

Nibiki now smirked. "Please explain the logic behind that, Ranko. We'd have one willie and two? vaginas when you're Ranko; and one willie and one vagina when you're Ranma. Only difference is that one of the vaginas in both situations got splashed with instant Jusenkyo curse. You afraid that you'd like IT that way so much that you'd stay Ranko all the time? I have the feeling that there are at least four people here today who'd beg to differ, considering how hard they've been trying to get into your pants over the years and have seen your reaction to them. OR is this your Dad speaking? Remember that Japan no longer has laws that forbid what takes place between two consenting people beyond the age of consent and we're all past that point."

Ranko hung her head, and Nibiki walked over and hugged her. "OK, I know that I'm pushing, but we have to be sure of what you want before we can proceed. But I think the consensus around here is that the use of the Ninja Deception Concealed Weapon technique as it currently is will be out of the equation. Which leaves us with vibrators or the instant curse for the time being."

Shampoo raised her hand, looking like a schoolgirl trying to get the teacher's attention. "Xian Pu have suggestion. Let me talk to Great Grandmother and see if she does have the instant curse or has to order it, and if there are any problems using it on people with a permanent curse. I must say that I'm curious. While I'd like my first time to be with Ranma, I admit that curious about how Ranko would be like, either yori or using the curse."

The others blushed and nodded, muttering "me, too!" then realized that they'd spoken aloud and blushed even deeper.

- Next morning, and you thought that I'd go totally hentai with the slumber party. Nyaa – and stinky-eye to you! -

Ranma dragged himself out of the furo and dried off. Standing in front of the mirror, he pulled on his yakuta and combed his hair into a presentable form then tied up his pigtail with the remnants of the dragon's whisker. Nodding to himself, he gathered his clothes and stepped out into the hallway and headed for the dining room.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him. He looked back, weighing his options as to where he could sit that would cause the least discord. Kasumi patted the open space beside her and Ranma dropped into it, smiling at everyone else. With the exception of Nibiki and Miss Misuzu, no one looked particular happy at this turn of events.

"Arigato, Kasumi," he spoke quietly and reached for his chopsticks. "Inatakimas!" he intoned and everyone followed suit.

Breakfast started but everyone was quieter than what would be normally expected.

Misuzu decided to break the log-jam and asked, "what is everyone's plans for today? I know that you have school this morning, and Ukyo and Shampoo have their jobs at noon, but what about this afternoon? Didn't Nibiki have something about a business card that needed being used?"

The Tendo sisters and Ranma went red and looked down, and the other fiances looked over. Ukyo got in first, "oh yes, the card that Tendo-san had given you for that new store. Is it something that everyone else would be interested in and is everyone else invited?"

Nibiki nodded. "It's currently open by invitation only and groups over four need a reservation."

The other fiances and Misuzu leaned forward. Ukyo took the lead on this one again, "and just what are they selling? Dresses, jewelry, shoes, undergarments?"

Nibiki decided that a sharp, quick death was preferable to the death of a thousand questions. "It's adult toys, clothing and accessories for women. We'd been yanking Father's and Uncle Genma's chains about 'female stress relief' for Ranko and getting instant curse packages from Cologne, when Dad pulls out the card and zings us with it. Question is, does everyone want to go if I can get an appointment for this afternoon? AND NO, RANMA, YOU DON'T GET A VOTE ON THIS AS YOU'RE GOING NO MATTER WHAT!"

Ranma pouted as everyone's hands went up with alacrity.

Author's note: (1) the phrase "Makoto ni moushiwake gozaimasen deshita." Comes from a webpage on the various levels of apology used in Japan ( ). The description for this one caught my eye and comes closest to Ranma admitting that he'd hung unto the knee-sock for less than honourable purposes. According to the website, the description of the level of apology being performed is as follows: "This phrase is mostly used by dishonoured samurai and ninja. Use this when you've fallen in love with the shogun's daughter."