"What!? Ran-chan's got a new girl staying with him!?" The grill fryer sizzled in the background as Ryoga shoved down food as fast as he could; only pausing to confirm.

"She's a girl half of the time, but she's staying in Akane's house. She's not even a martial artist either." Ryoga's look darkened. "But she can get to you."

"I have to go check this out!" The door slide open and shut, Ryoga shoveled the rest of the okonomiyaki into his mouth and followed. If it was possible he'd like to say something to that girl.

Everything was as usual, however, at the Tendo dojo. Chiru'd given up on the martial arts completely and now spent most of her time reading manga (nobody knew where she got it), disappearing, and pretending she didn't have homework.

For some reason lately, Chiru spent most of her time in her girl form. When Akane asked why, Chiru looked strangely saddened when she answered.

"I can't be both forever, gotta grow up." Though, judging from the above activities that wasn't going so well besides.

Commotion from the yard, where Ranma and Genma were sparing, brought the household inhabitants to see what was happening.

A girl wearing a large spatula was hanging onto a freaked Ranma's arm and giving him a pleading look.

"Ran-chan, why do I hear that you have another girl living here?" She asked, Chiru pushed herself forward at that moment to see what was happening. Ukyo noticed.

"Is that her?" She blinked and jumped back onto the wall.

"Baka, that's only a kid! You had me worried!" Ryoga's face appeared beside her, with a nervous glance at Akane.

"Hey! I'll have you know I'm almost fifteen!" Chiru imitated her best little-kid voice, Ukyo blanched.

"Aren't you short?"

"Been there done that!"

"So then there's still nothing to worry about is there?" Ukyo latched back onto Ranma, much to Akna's red-faced annoyance.

"Get a room!" She yelled at them.

"Hey tomboy, I didn't ask her to hang on me!" Ranma shouted back. Ukyo was forced to let go in the wake of their newest who-can-be-louder fight.

"Wow, you started a big one." The chef looked over then down to find that Chiru had made her way over in the course of events. The red-head turned to Ryoga and made a face at him. Ryoga clenched his teeth, one hand fisted. Chiru didn't push it and went back to where her book was waiting.