Chapter 11

'Dirty Dancing'

Akane stood just behind the curtain. There was a smattering of applause and then a girl wearing nothing but a g-string came through the curtain. In one hand was clutched a large bundle of low denomination yen. In the other were the rest of her clothes. Akane stared at the curtain. The voice of the announcer came over the tinny sound system. "Gentlemen, hold on to your," The announcer's voice paused. "Hats." There was a small blast of laughter. "New to the Kabuki Room. I saw her audition. All I can say is; Wow. Let's hear it for Aoi." Akane fixed a smile on her face. 'How do I get myself into these messes?' She ducked through the curtain. 'Just think of this as a kata.' Akane walked out on to the small stage.

Ranma watched from the side of the stage. "Akane looks pretty hot, huh Uk-chan?" Ukyo nodded in agreement. Akane was wearing a tight pair of blue butt hugging shorts and a matching shiny blue blouse. The straps of a blue bra peeked out from the blouse. To match everything, Akane was wearing a wig that covered her head in long, blue hair.

Akane grabbed on to the vertical pole that went from floor to ceiling and spun around it. Her feet left the floor and she inverted letting her leg wrap around the pole. Letting go of the bar with her hands Akane spun upside down on the pole, slowly sliding to the stage. There was a smattering of applause. Akane spun her body slowly on the stage into a full split. Akane leaned forward until her chin touched the stage. She smiled invitingly at the man in front of her. Then arched backwards. Her hand reached down and unbuttoned the first two buttons of her blouse. Then leaned forward again showing her now exposed cleavage to the same man. The man smiled and reached forward. A five hundred yen bill in his hands. Akane seemed to ooze forward, still holding the split and let the man place the bill into her bra. When the man tried to grab for her breast, Akane arched quickly away. Akane spun to her feet while undoing the rest of the buttons of her blouse.

Ranma watched in appreciation as Akane slowly removed first her blouse and then a little later her tight shorts, leaving her clad only in a blue g-string. By this time the stage was littered with small denomination yen.

Ranma herself was dressed in a green translucent teddy. A matching green bra and panties could be seen underneath. She had already gone on. 'Did pretty good too.' Ranma thought in amusement. "I bet Akane gets more in tips than I did." She said to Ukyo. Ranma took a moment to look at Ukyo. A grin came to the redheads face. 'Damn she makes a great looking guy.' She thought. Ukyo was dressed in a white, linen suit, white shirt, a thin black tie completed the ensemble. Ukyo held an ivory handled cane in one hand..

"Aoi." Ukyo reminded Ranma. "She's Aoi and you're Usagi." She looked around. "Start circulating." Ranma nodded and started walking through the club. 'Gods, I hope she doesn't start doing lap dances.' Ukyo thought nervously. 'I think she was enjoying stripping a little too much.'

There was applause as Akane finished up her set. She picked up the various bills that were on the stage, grabbed her discarded clothes and hurried off stage. A minute later another dancer took the stage. Ukyo ducked behind the curtain and went to the dressing room. She knocked then opened the door. Akane was sitting at a vanity arranging the yen she had collected. She had already put her costume back on. Ukyo walked over ignoring the stares of the other women in the dressing room. Ukyo held out her hand. With obvious reluctance, Akane handed the stack of bills to Ukyo. Ukyo quickly riffled through the bills then held her hand out again. Akane pouted for a moment then reached into her bra and pulled out a small wad of bills. Ukyo looked at it and nodded. "You never give up, do you Aoi?"

"It was only a little Daddy." Akane said in a little girl voice. "You know, for later."

Ukyo shook her head in amusement turned on her heel and walked out.

Akane pouted for a moment, then her pout changed to a sly smile. She reached back into her bra and pulled out another wad of bills.

"It's not good to hold out on your pimp like that." A husky voice said behind her. Akane turned. A heavily made up woman, probably in her late thirties was standing there. "They always find out."

"Oh Big Daddy, doesn't mind. Not as long as I keep bringing in the money." Akane said in the same baby girl voice. She looked at the bills. "This is just candy money."

The woman snorted. "That wasn't a bad routine." The woman commented. "That leg lift especially. Give the boys a little glimpse." She nodded in approval. "Brings the tips in."

Akane fought down a blush when she realized what the woman meant. "That's what Daddy said." Akane replied. "Big Daddy is very smart."

"Hung too." The woman leered. "If that bulge in his pants was any indication, I see why you call him Big Daddy." She leaned closer. "I haven't seen you around before."

"Oh we just came in from Honshu a couple weeks ago." Akane replied. "Big Daddy thought we can make more money here."

"Got a hook up?" The woman asked.

Akane pouted. "No. Not yet." She said. Akane pulled out a small vial from her purse. She looked at it. "And I'm running low." Akane looked at the woman. "Want some?"

"Not here, you ditz." The woman said. "In the bathroom, like everyone else does."

Akane nodded and stood taking her purse with her. The woman followed. The entered the bathroom. Akane reached into her purse and pulled out a small mirror and a razor blade. She opened the vial and used a small spoon to retrieve some of the contents and placed it on the mirror. Akane closed the vial. "Oh, I forgot my straw." She said. She reached into the purse. Unseen she had palmed the vial and while fumbling in the purse switched it with a second vial. She opened the second vial. "Oops I didn't take out enough." Akane used the spoon to retrieve some of the white powder. Using the razor, Akane quickly chopped up the white powder, carefully keeping the two substances separate. She divided one group and leaned over and snorted it through the metal straw. "Ah." She said. "Go ahead."

"Thanks." Said the other woman. "I'm Aiko, by the way." She rolled up a yen note and snorted the remaining powder into her nose. "Ooh, nice."

"Nothing but the best for Daddy's little girl." Akane replied. "I'm Aoi." Akane looked at the bottle woefully.

"Don't worry Aoi. I can hook you up." Aiko said. "I got a friend. I'll introduce you later."

"Thanks Aiko." Akane replied. "Well I better get back, I got another set to do."

Lt. Noriudo looked up as the door to the apartment opened. Ranma, Akane and Ukyo walked in. "How'd it go?" He asked once everyone got settled.

Akane grinned and pulled a small folded piece of paper from her purse. She placed it on the table. "I got a hook up." She giggled.

Lt. Noriudo looked at Akane. Her eyes seemed a little glassy. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah." Akane replied. "My connection was very friendly. Insisted I do a couple lines. Good thing Ranma showed up to get me out of there."

"She's been talking a mile a minute, since we left the club." Ranma said. She looked at Akane worriedly. "How long is it gonna last?"

The lieutenant unfolded the paper. Inside was about a gram of white powder. The lieutenant touched the powder and then brought a sample to his lips. "Coke." He said. "Pretty pure too. She'll be fine in an hour or so." The lieutenant picked up the paper. "Let me have the vials."

Akane reached into her bag and took out the vials. "Getting kind of low." She giggled as she looked at Ukyo. "Big Daddy is so mean, wont let me have any candy." Akane giggled again.

"Better put her to bed." The Lieutenant said. He transferred the contents of the paper to one of the vials. He then pulled out a bag from hit jacket and filled the second vial with the contents of the bag so the amount matched the first vial. "Ah, milk sugar. Where would we be without it?." The lieutenant put the vials back in Akane's bag and then stood. "Good work you three. Not bad for your first day. Remember your cover identities and stay out of trouble." He said. "From now on, contact will be through Nabiki. But you call me immediately if something big comes up."

"I want something big to come up." Akane giggled again. "Wanna take a hot shower with me Ranma?"

Lieutenant Noriudo chuckled. "Now you see why it's so popular." With a wave he walked out the door.

"Come on Akane, let's put you to bed." Ranma said. The redhead stood and picked Akane up in her arms.

"Whee." giggled Akane. "Shower first, then bed." She said. "Then sleep. Okay stud?" She looked over Ranma's shoulder at Ukyo. "Night Big Daddy."

Ukyo was sitting in the kitchen of the small apartment she now shared with Ranma and Akane drinking some herbal tea. The noises from the other bedroom had ended a little while ago but Ukyo was still unable to sleep. 'I hope they're not going to be that noisy every night.' She thought grumpily. 'And it's just our first night here.'

Ukyo reflected on the previous six weeks. Her shoulder was taking longer to heal then expected so she had been somewhat removed from Ranma and Akane during their training. In fact she hadn't joined them until the previous week. 'I don't know how they convinced Akane to do this but I have to admit she looked good.' Ukyo stirred the tea with her spoon. 'And Ran-chan.' She frowned slightly. 'He's changed.' Ukyo sighed. "Still the hottest thing in either sex I've ever seen." She muttered to herself. "This is not going to be easy." Ukyo looked up when Ranma padded quietly into the kitchen.

"Can't sleep Uk-chan?" Ranma asked. He was dressed in a light bathrobe.

"Not really." Ukyo replied. She leaned back in her chair. "How about you? What are you doing up?" She smiled slightly. "From the sound of things, I'd think you'd be all tired out."

"It was Akane I wanted to tire out." Ranma grinned back. "Man was she hyper." He said. "I left her snoring in our room." Ranma sat down at the table opposite Ukyo. "How's the shoulder?"

"Better Ran-chan." Ukyo rotated her shoulders. "Another week or two and I should be as good as new." Ukyo giggled. "I have to admit the two of you were great tonight. Especially Akane. I wasn't sure she could go through with it."

"Hey you know the Tomboy. All she needs is to be dared." Ranma replied with a lazy grin. He leaned forward. "I think she's doing real good."

"Things are better between the two of you?" Ukyo asked. She smiled when Ranma nodded. "Good." Ukyo rotated her shoulder again. "Darn shoulder."

Ranma got up and walked behind Ukyo. He started massaging her shoulder. "I really wish the lieutenant had given you more time to heal." Ranma grumbled. He continued to massage Ukyo's shoulder as he spoke.

"I'm just glad to be on our own again." Ukyo replied feelingly. Ukyo giggled. "Though I never thought I'd be playing a pimp." Ukyo's face twisted sourly. "No that I'd want to do what you two are doing but sometimes," Ukyo sighed.

"I think you make a great looking guy." Ranma said with a laugh. "Big Daddy."

Ukyo giggled. "I got hit on by three different women and one guy." Ukyo closed her eyes as Ranma continued his massage. "Oh that feels nice." Ukyo giggled again. "I wonder which of them would have been the most disappointed?"

"You guys are making too much noise."

Ukyo opened her eyes to see Akane standing in the doorway to the kitchen. "Hey sugar." Ukyo said. "What are you doing up? I thought Ranma tired you out?"

Akane sat down in the chair Ranma had vacated. "Don't stop on my account." Akane said to Ranma. Ranma nodded and continued the massage. "Stupid drugs." Akane grumped. "Two minutes after Ranma leaves, bing, my eye's snapped open." She looked around. "Any more tea?"

"On the stove sugar." Ukyo said.

Akane nodded and got up and poured herself a cup of tea. She sniffed the cup. "Mint?" She nodded. "That'll work." She took a sip. "I have to agree with Ranma, you do make a good looking guy."

"You heard that huh?" Ranma smiled at Akane's nod. "I'm very proud of you Tomboy." Ranma said. "You walked in, saw me massaging Ukyo's shoulder and you didn't yell."

Akane waved a dismissive hand. "Yeah, well don't go giving me more credit than I deserve. I bit my tongue." She said grumpily. "I mean I really bit my tongue." She stuck her tongue out. "Sthee?" She lisped. She looked at Ranma. "The massage would be better if her pajama top wasn't in the way."

Ranma raised an eyebrow. "I was only going to massage her shoulder." He said evenly.

"I know Ranma." Akane replied. "I, I'm testing myself." She looked at Ukyo levelly. "We're going to be spending a lot of time together, I better learn to deal with it now."

Ranma nodded. "It's up to Uk-chan." He said. Ukyo reached up and unbuttoned her pajama top. "Well I guess that answers that question." Ranma slipped the pajama top off of Ukyo's shoulders, leaving Ukyo exposed from the waist up. Ranma resumed massaging Ukyo's shoulder.

Akane placed her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her cupped hand. "Okay." She said after a while. "This isn't too bad."

"Speak for yourself sugar." Ukyo shot back with a wry smile. "It's killing me." She looked up over her shoulder. Ranma was looking down at her with a smile. "This is going to be very difficult, you know." Ranma shrugged.

"I don't have a problem." He said as he continued to massage Ukyo's shoulder. "If you guys have something to say," Ranma shrugged again.

Akane nodded. "You're not going to make it easy on me are you Ranma?" She looked at Ukyo. "Truth or Dare?" Akane asked.

"Go for it sugar." Ukyo grinned weakly. "Might as well get it out into the open."

"Which do you prefer boy Ranma or girl Ranma?" Akane asked.

"I only tried boy Ranma." Ukyo replied. "So I can't judge."

"Okay then, if you had the choice right now, which would you pick?" Akane amended.

"Girl Ranma." Ukyo replied immediately. "My turn." Ukyo pursed her lips. "If I asked your permission to sleep with Ranma would you say yes?"

"I'm right here guys." Ranma grumped. "And besides, don't I get a say in the matter?"

"Would you really ask?" Akane countered ignoring Ranma. "Assuming Ranma would go along with it."

Ukyo nodded. "Yeah, I would."

Akane locked gazes with Ukyo. "Then the answer is yes. My turn." She said. "Will you really step aside when the time comes?" She asked. "I mean, give him up permanently, not sneak around my back."

Ukyo swallowed, then she nodded. "Yes." She said regretfully. "My turn." She looked up at Ranma. "Ranma, when the time comes, will you accept my decision?"

"Oh, so now I'm playing?" Ranma nodded slowly. "Yeah, I would Uk-chan." He looked at Akane. "My turn?" He asked. Akane waved him on. "If I asked to sleep with Ukyo, would you say yes?"

"Dare." Akane said softly.

Ranma's lips curled in amusement. "Somehow I knew that was going to be your answer." He said. "Should I ask, Ukyo?"

"Dare." Ukyo replied with a slight grin.

Ranma nodded. "Okay, Akane; can I sleep with Ukyo?" Ranma watched Akane closely as he spoke. He held his breath.

"I told you Ranma, whatever you want." She swallowed."If this is the only way to make up for what I did, then yes." She said. "I'd almost rather you'd hit me." She whispered. Akane took a breath and looked at Ranma. "Whatever you want Ranma." She said bravely.

Ranma smiled slightly. "Right now, I want to get some sleep." Ranma replied. "As for the rest, " Ranma shrugged. He walked over to the sink and turned on the tap. Ranma splashed himself with cold water. "Ukyo's shoulder is still not healed. But," Ranma shrugged again. "Come along you two, we need to get some sleep."

Akane and Ukyo looked at each other. "Coming Ranma." They chorused. They followed Ranma into the larger of the two bedrooms. Ranma got into the bed. "Good thing this is a large bed." She said. She looked at Akane and Ukyo. "Well, get in." Akane and Ukyo got in on either side of the bed. "Now here are the rules." Ranma said. "Ukyo, I'm still engaged to Akane."

"I know Ran-chan." Ukyo said. She looked at Ranma with confusion written on her face.

"Akane, I will sleep with Ukyo only if she asks you and only if you say yes. I won't do the asking." Ranma smiled slightly. "Tonight was 'Truth or Dare'."

"Okay Ranma." Akane replied in relief. She looked at Ukyo. Ukyo looked back. 'Oh gods.' Akane thought. 'Would she actually ask?'

"Now both of you. We gotta trust each other. The next few months are gonna be dangerous. If you both keep worrying about who I'm sleeping with, we're gonna have problems. Until this is over, you both gotta watch each other's backs. If I don't think you both can do it, I'll tell Noriudo to take us back to prison. I will not put either of you at risk."

"I can do that Ranma." Akane said.

"Me too Ran-chan." Agreed Ukyo.

"Good." Said Ranma. "Now let's get some sleep."

"One question Ran-chan or, rather two, then we can sleep." Ukyo said quietly. "First one, why am I in bed with the two of you?"

"Because I saw the look on your face earlier. You looked lonely." Ranma replied. "I bet the second question is; why am I a girl, right?" Ukyo nodded. "Mainly because I really don't trust me. It's safer." Ranma smiled sheepishly. "Well, a little safer. Besides you did say this was your preference." She said after a pause. "Now I really want to get some sleep."

"That's what I figured." Ukyo replied. She snuggled up close to Ranma. "Night Ran-chan."

"Night Ukyo." Ranma replied. "Night Akane."

"Good night Ranma." Akane said quietly. "I'll watch your back Ukyo."

"And I'll watch yours. Night Akane." Ukyo closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of Ranma's body. 'Well this is a surprise.' She thought happily. 'Gods I missed sleeping next to Ran-chan.' She wrapped an arm around Ranma's waist. Her hand pulled back when she encountered another hand. Ukyo peered over Ranma's body. Akane was staring at her in annoyance. Akane lay back down and deliberately put her arm around Ranma's waist. Ukyo rolled her eyes and wrapped an arm around Ranma's shoulders. She closed her eyes. Her eyes snapped open a minute later. 'Wait a minute.' She thought. 'Did he say I have to ask Akane?'

End Chapter 11

Author's Notes: Before everyone starts screaming about the time jump between the end of Chapter 10 and the beginning of Chapter 11 I want everyone to know that there is a side story that covers that time span. I won't be releasing it, however, for some time. The main reason is that there is spoiler information that I want to keep to myself to keep some things in suspense; ie why they are strippers, where did they learn it, and a couple things about Ranma and Akane's relationship.

A couple other comments. Regardless of my using the R/A/U trio again, this is not Couch Trips. More of an anti-Couch Trips, if anything.

As for Nabiki and Kimi. The next chapter is all them.