Author's Notes:

Although so far I have been fairly consistent in my use of pronouns for Ranma's gender, referring to his external appearance, in this chapter there is a great deal of internal dialog, and characters referring to Ranma by the gender they perceive for him. Thus, the pronoun usage may switch from paragraph to paragraph. Hopefully, it should not be too difficult to follow.

"The Saotome Sisters"

Chapter 26

To his horror and disgust, Ranma realized that he could feel everything that was happening as Sanzenin kissed him. His mind had shut down, and he was totally unable to move or fight, or even do anything, and yet that somehow made the sensations more clear, not less. He could feel Sanzenin's lips against his, even the way Ukyo's lips were fuller and more sensitive than his own. He could feel the arm wrapped around his back, Sanzenin's fingers coming dangerously close to something Ranma did NOT want him touching.

After a moment, Sanzenin stood her up, perhaps a little concerned that the girl he had kissed had gone rigid. Ranma just stood there, still unable to move. Ukyo, too, was frozen in place, her arm up in an attempt to knock Sanzenin away that had come a half second too late. Ranma could see Ryoga, as well, over by the exit a few feet away. Like Ukyo, his eyes were as wide as saucers, an expression of shock on his face that matched Ukyo's exactly.

Ranma was glad that he couldn't see Akane's face. Was she shocked? Disgusted? Was she laughing at him? Relieved that her pervert fiancée had shown his "true colors"? I don't think I want to know, he told himself.

The announcer, meanwhile, seemed to be confused. "Has Mikado Sanzenin just kissed the male substitute for Ranma Saotome? Or is this substitute actually a woman in a man's costume? Has the Furinkan High team tried to make a substitute of a female for a male skater?" The audience, meanwhile, seemed just as unsure, and murmurs spread quickly around the gymnasium.

There was a moment where the ability to think returned, and the intensity of the emotions that flooded Ranma were overwhelming. And then she burst into tears, and turned to run from the rink. The other entrance was further away, but Ranma turned away from Ryoga and Ukyo, without even thinking about it, her skates digging into the ice as she ran. She threw both arms over her head to hide the tears, but she could not stop herself from wailing, loudly.

"Oh... that she would be so moved as to weep like that. How pure and innocent she must be."

Ukyo cut a glance at him, her eyes narrowing. "Sugar... when Ranchan gets back here, you are SO dead..."

As he passed Akane, Ranma felt the black haired girl's hands grab for him, and he shoved them away. "No, no," he muttered. "Akane... She can't see... I can't let her... see..." But Akane's hands gripped his arms, and he was pulled back. "Don't look at me!" He fought, hard, trying to get away.

"No, no!" Ranma continued to try to escape, as Akane pulled him back to her. Akane could see how upset Ranma was, and part of her was scowling at the part-time girl acting so overdramatic. It was just a kiss, after all! But another part of her was really worried. She had never seen Ranma cry like this, and he really seemed hurt.

Suddenly, before Akane could even register what was happening, Akane found Ranma in her arms. Ranma was hugging her fiercely, almost crushing her. The girl's body was shuddering, violently, and she started to cry even harder. She was still trying to look away from Akane, wiping her tears against the fabric of Akane's blouse, but she had almost collapsed against her, her weight pulling at Akane's arms.

"It's okay..." she muttered. "Let it out. Don't try to hold it in." Akane stroked Ranma's back, reassuringly. She was still shaking, so intensely that Akane could feel it making her own body tremble. She had stopped trying to control her tears, and just sobbed into Akane's chest.

Ranma had begun muttering, over and over again. Akane realized that she was saying, "How dare he. How dare he. How dare he!" She was shocked, for a moment, as she considered this. Could she... could she feel... ? Akane felt her mind balk at the thought. Of course not. Ranma is a man. Something like this wouldn't mean anything to him.

But that didn't match with her... his reaction. Akane held him a little tighter. Maybe it was just the shock. The humiliation and embarrassment, of being kissed by another man. Of course, that's all it is. He wouldn't be... he couldn't be... he couldn't feel... like that... like...

Like you did, when those boys were coming at you every morning? The question came out of nowhere, as if from some dark recess of her mind.

Even as the thought crossed her mind, she found herself shoving it aside. A martial artist faces any challenge, without fear. There's no room for worrying about such things. Besides, Ranma's upset, and that's all that matters. Guy or not, he needs me.

Ranma's sobs had stopped, and she felt the lanky girl's grip tighten around her waist. Her embrace tightened even further, and then Ranma looked up, her face twisted into a grimace of anger. "He won't get away with this!" she said.

Now that was the Ranma she knew. She helped Ranma back to her feet. "Would you like to get some hot water?" Akane asked.

Ranma glanced at her, and gave her a grateful smile, but then her glare returned as she looked back at Sanzenin. "No. I'm going to tear him apart, with these two hands." She grasped Akane's hand, and stood up a little straighter. "This is the body I'm going to use to KILL him!"

"Do you hear me, Sanzenin!" she shouted. "For what you've done to me, I can't let you live!"

Sanzenin seemed surprised by this declaration, but then he noticed Ranma's hand in Akane's. "Ah... of course. I see, I have misjudged. I should have seen, by the way Saotome and Tendo acted, that they were not truly a couple. They do not have the harmony between them... that you two do."

"Shut up!" Ranma yelled back. "You don't know nothin'! You're about to see some 'harmony'!" She grasped Akane's hand tighter.

Akane looked down at Ranma's hand, startled. "Ranma..." She swallowed as she looked up into her eyes. "If you really want my help, then I'm here for you. But... I know this is your fight. I... I won't get in your way."

Ranma turned and smiled at her, and Akane's eyes widened at the look in her eyes. "That's okay, Akane. This is OUR fight, now. I do want ya to help. Just like before. All we've gotta do is stay together..."

"Stay together, huh? Azusa..." Sanzenin looked at his partner.

She grinned wickedly. "The Couple Cleaver?" Sanzenin nodded. "Oo, how naughty!" Azusa giggled. "Two girls, in the Couple Cleaver. That's so cute... but what will people think?"

Azusa leaped onto Sanzenin's back, and like before, held onto his shoulders as they charged towards Ranma and Akane. Ranma wrapped her arm around Akane's waist. "Not that again," she commented. "Looks like they're going to try that move to kiss you again."

"We're ready for them," Akane said. Ranma nodded, and then the two took off skating towards the Golden Pair. As soon as they were in range, they both aimed a jump kick at Sanzenin's head. Just like before, Azusa pushed off of him, shooting up over the others, as Sanzenin ducked the blow.

This time, though, instead of reaching for Akane, he grabbed Ranma's foot. She was stopped in midair, while Akane continued past, whirling as Ranma's arm was pulled from around her. She slid to a halt, just in time to see Azusa drop from above them, and wrap her arms around Ranma.

"Asuza has never kissed a girl before," she giggled. "But Azusa's just going to kiss you on the nose anyway." With that, she did just as she said, kissing Ranma on the tip of her nose.

"What do you think you're doing?" Akane yelled, her jealousy erupting despite Ranma's current gender. Ranma, meanwhile, looked stunned, and Akane rolled her eyes at his naivete'. She turned around and charged, intent on making that bimbo Azusa pay for her actions.

Azusa, meanwhile, rolled under Ranma, and flipped her forward. Ranma's eyes widened as she realized she was about to land face first on the ice. Akane leaped to save her, extending out her body to grab at Ranma's hands. She made contact just before they hit the ice, and their elbows took most of the impact. Then, they suddenly slid across the ice as they were pulled upward. Azusa had hooked Ranma's feet over her shoulders, and Sanzenin lifted her over his head, where he went into a spin.

"This is it!" The announcer shouted. "The terrible Couple Cleaver; the Good-bye Whirl!" As Sanzenin spun faster and faster, he and Azusa upright like the hub of a wheel, Ranma and Akane were flung out horizontally, the centrifugal force pulling at both of them. Akane grunted as the speed increased. The forces were beginning to tear at her body, and she could tell by the strain in Ranma's face that she was feeling it, too.

"If you let go of her, I'll stop spinning!" Sanzenin said.

"Ignore him!" Akane countered. "Just let go, I'll be fine!"

"No way!" Ranma said, but she could see her grit her teeth in pain. Ukyo's body wasn't as strong as Ranma's, and the stress had to be incredible on her slender arms. One of her hands slipped slightly, and then Ranma pulled her forward and held on even tighter.

"Any couple that is caught in the Goodbye Whirl is doomed!" The announcer shouted. "If Furinkan's substitute lets go to save herself, then Akane Tendo will be dashed into the walls! Yet, no one can hold on forever! The more they trust each other, the greater the betrayal when one of them lets go!"

"Don't listen to him!" Akane shouted. She had to raise her voice over the wind blowing past them, as the twirling grew even faster. Her arms were wracked with pain now, and she knew it had to be much worse for Ranma. "Just let me go now, before it gets any worse!"

"You think I'd let go, after hearing that?" Ranma looked up at her. Although her expression was determined, tears had started to form in her blue green eyes. Akane heard a popping noise, and Ranma lost her grip on one of Akane's arms, sending Akane flailing as she tried to hang on with one hand. Ranma's shoulder had popped out of its joint. Despite the pain, Ranma reached forward, and grabbed Akane's hand, ignoring her dislocated shoulder.

"I can do this all day," Sanzenin commented, almost mockingly. "As two women, you are much lighter than we are used to, and I can go much faster still..."

"Wittle Azusa isn't getting tired either," commented his partner.

The pull on them increased further, and Ranma screamed. Akane cried out as well, both from her own pain, and fear for Ranma. "I'll be fine, Ranma! I can take it if you let me go! I won't be mad at you! I will be mad at you if you DON'T let me go!"

"IDIOT!" Ranma yelled back. "You think I'm gonna let a stupid klutz like you fly off an' get hurt!"

"What did you call me?" Tears sprang to her own eyes, as Akane stared at her partner. How could he say that? How could he put her down like that, call her weak, after all they'd been through? She gritted her teeth, preparing to snap back with an insult of her own, when suddenly there was another loud crack. Ranma shut her eyes tight in agony, tears rolling down her face.

And then it hit her, like a blinding light behind her eyes. Ranma wasn't insulting her to belittle her or make her feel weak. It was to remind HIM of how hard HE had to fight to protect her. He was so afraid of seeing her hurt, so terrified of failing her and letting her down, that he HAD to see her as weak, or else he would let down his guard. He couldn't afford to trust her to fight on her own. Because he might lose her.

But Akane couldn't stand to see him suffering like this either.

And then she knew, Ranma was never going to let her go. Ukyo's lesser strength or not, he would pull his arms out of their sockets before he let her go. His knuckles were turning white, and his arms were shaking with the strain, but he would pass out before he let her go. He would hurt himself, if this continued, he would be hurt terribly, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Nothing... except fight.

"Hang on, Ranma. This is going to hurt." Her tears were coming freely now, but she knew what she had to do. "Just hang on. Just endure it for a few seconds more." Hating what she was doing to Ranma, she pulled back against the girl's lanky arms, wincing at her cry of pain. She curled her body up, bringing her knees to her chest, increasing the force on Ranma's arms, as they both struggled to hang on.

Then, pushing with all the strength she had left, against the incredible force of the spin, she shoved both of her legs forward. The counterforce made her legs feel like they weighed tons, but she still kicked with all her strength. Her feet went back alongside Ranma's body, back against the force of the Good-bye Whirl, and right into Azusa's face.

Azusa let out a cry, and then they were flying through the air, sailing towards the wall of the rink. Akane drew Ranma to her, her body seeming limp in her arms, but then Ranma seemed to stir. Ranma began moving; the slender girl wrapped her arms around Akane, and then turned, her body flipping over as she put herself between Akane and the path of their flight. And then they slammed into the wall, with enough force to leave a huge crater at the point of impact. She and Ranma slid down onto the ice. Ranma slid out prone and lay still.

One of Ranma's hands still gripped hers, tightly. "And they did not let go!" The announcer shouted, obviously excited. "Akane Tendo and her unknown substitute have defeated the Good-bye Whirl! But at what cost...?"

"My face! My face!" Azusa had put her hands over her face, which was bleeding profusely. "She cut Azusa's pretty face!"

"Ranma... Ranma..." Akane shook her, trying to get her to wake up. "Come on, you did it. You saved me. Come on, get up!"

There was no response. Sanzenin stood watching from the middle of the rink, while Azusa had run to get a towel to wipe her face. "Every bone in her body must be crushed," he said, somewhat sadly. "I have never seen the Good-bye Whirl go that fast before. Nothing human could have withstood that."

"Oh, no!" Akane put her hands on Ranma's chest. She still was not moving. She was breathing, but slowly, raggedly. "Ranma, you... you didn't have to do it. You didn't have to protect me. So what if I would have been a little hurt? As least you wouldn't be... wouldn't be..."

She collapsed on top of her. "Stupid! Stupid! You FOOL! Why did you have to be such a jerk and a show-off! You... you... you fool..."

I'm a fool... she said to herself. I was trying to help... and I only made it worse. I'm so stupid. I only made it worse...

Akane lay there, sobbing. Ranma was still, unmoving. Finally, Akane felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, Akane," came Ryoga's voice, quietly. "Let's finish this. Ranma can't continue. Let's finish these guys off."

There was a moment's silence. Ryoga knelt next to her. "I know you're worried about him, but... we'll get Ukyo to take care of him. She can get him to a hospital. We've got to finish this match."

Akane finally spoke, her voice low, dangerous. "Get away from me..."

"What?"

She looked up, and Ryoga drew back at the look of fury in her eyes. "Get away from me! This is MY fight! I'm taking these guys down myself!"

"But Akane, you need..."

Akane shoved him away, and Ryoga went sailing backwards, his feet scrabbling under to try and find some kind of purchase. Akane turned her gaze on Sanzenin and Azusa, her fists clenched, her teeth grinding. Ukyo came skating up to the two of them, stopping Ryoga and pulling him back upright.

"Come on," Ukyo said. "I don't think this is a good place for either one of us to be. Let's leave Akane to do this for herself." Akane did not seem to notice her, as she led Ryoga out of the rink.

"You're going to pay, Sanzenin!" Akane yelled, her eyes flashing with scarlet fire. She gestured at Azusa as well, who was still trying to wipe away the blood. "And you, too. I don't need anybody to fight my battles for me! I'm going to win this all on my own!

"YOU HURT MY RANMA! And now you're going to pay!"

Akane charged forward, and Sanzenin set himself to meet her charge. But suddenly, Azusa burst out laughing. "Azusa gets it! Azusa gets it! She called her Ranma! She was always calling her Ranma!"

Sanzenin looked down at her, irritated. "What are you talking about, you ditz?"

She grabbed him by the arm, laughing hysterically. "It's just like my Charlotte! Don't you get it? And you know what that means? You kissed a boy!" She pointed at him, laughing even harder. "Miky kissed a boy, Miky kissed a boy!"

"SHUT UP, YOU ANNOYING, WHINY, CHILDISH, SPOILED, SELFISH, MANIPULATIVE BRAT!" Akane punched Azusa in the face, and laid her out flat.

As Akane circled around to make another pass, Sanzenin sized her up. "You are truly more formidable than I at first realized. To take out my partner with one blow like that. I cannot afford to underestimate you any longer. But I am too much of a gentleman to strike a woman. I will instead, honor you with my kiss."

"DREAM ON!" Akane yelled, as she shot past him. He simply evaded her strike, skating off sideways. She circled, and came around for another pass. This time, as he tried to catch her in an embrace, she planted her knee in his groin.

Sanzenin fell to the ice for a moment, but then managed to stand up and evade Akane as she passed by again. Finally, he skated to the center of the rink.

"I can see that normal strategies are not going to work. Very well, I do not like using this technique, and I have never used it on a woman. But rest assured, I do not intend to harm you. I will go easy on you. You will not be hurt, as long as you do not press your attack."

With that, Sanzenin began to spin, holding his place on the ice. The announcer gasped. "The Dance of Death! As Sanzenin said, he has never used this technique on a female opponent before! It's rare that it is seen at all, this is a rare treat!"

Akane narrowed her eyes, skating faster towards the spinning Sanzenin, but from the side of the rink, Ukyo called out. "Akane! He can attack in any direction from that position! There's no way you can get near him! You're not fast enough!"

Her advice went unheeded, however, Akane continuing to skate forward as if she had not heard. She leaped as she neared, and rose into the air, raising her fist as she sailed towards Sanzenin. Her momentum carried her forward, and she let out a scream of power.

She fell just short of Sanzenin, however, her arc carrying her straight to the ice at his feet. Her fist hit the ice, and it shattered, sending a spray of frozen shards right into Sanzenin's spinning form. He tried to deflect the projectiles as they came at him, but there were too many of them. They flashed past him, leaving deep slashes in his costume, and dozens of shallow cuts across his face.

Then, as Sanzenin's spin slowed, his technique disrupted, the ice began to crack, spreading out radially from the point of Akane's impact. One of the cracks spread right under his feet, and Sanzenin tripped, spinning out of control through the air. He landed on his bottom on the ice, still slowly twirling before he came to a stop.

Akane watched him, breathing heavily. Her brows were still furrowed in an expression of intense hatred, but she just stood, waiting for Sanzenin's next move. He got to his feet, running his comb through his hair.

"You foiled the Dance of Death. I definitely should not underestimate you. But I shall have my kiss! You have inflamed my interest, and you will be my one thousandth kiss! I will not be denied!"

"You... will... not... touch... her..." Both Sanzenin and Akane turned to see Ranma painfully rising to her feet. Her head was down as she pushed against the ice, apparently only barely able to support her own weight. But despite her shaking, she still managed to stand.

Ranma lifted her head, and her expression was as enraged as Akane's. "Akane is my fiancee! I'll DIE before I see another man's lips touch hers!"

Akane gasped, her heart leaping into her throat. Did he mean that? She could only stare, incredulous, as Ranma glared at Sanzenin. But... we're just friends, right? Then why is my heart pounding in my chest? Does he really mean that he... that he...?

But then, she suddenly realized that Ranma was still in Ukyo's form, and her heart sank. Ranma had made that pronouncement, in front of this whole gymnasium full of witnesses, while he was a GIRL! All of these people just saw another girl call her her fiancee! She quickly glanced around at the audience, her face growing hot with embarrassment. Most of them seemed confused, and were murmuring amongst themselves.

The announcer spoke up, giving voice to the audience's confusion. "Is Furinkan High's mystery substitute a man after all? He claims to be Akane Tendo's fiance'. But does this mean... Mikado Sanzenin kissed another boy after all?"

"Although, now that I think about it," the announcer added, "I can understand Sanzenin's mistake. He does look awfully Bishonen..."

Among the Furinkan portion of the crowd, Akane spotted Yuka and Sayuri, and her blush grew even deeper. Yuka was staring at her, open mouthed, totally in shock. Sayuri was studying her and Ranma carefully, though, her gaze darting back and forth between them. Suddenly, she leaned over and whispered something to Yuka. Yuka looked surprised and turned back to Akane, her expression turning thoughtful, like Sayuri's. Then Sayuri pointed at Ukyo, down by the entrance to the rink. The red headed girl was holding her face in her palm, and looked like she might be blushing, too.

Akane looked back at Ranma, but she was neither embarrassed, nor holding anything back. "There is no way I'm letting you do to Akane what you did to me! I'd rather die first!" She clenched her fist, and a blue aura erupted around her body. "And if I die, I'M TAKIN' YOU DOWN WITH ME!"

At that moment, Azusa came to as well. Still giggling, she pulled herself up and darted over to Sanzenin. Then she pulled him down by his arm, and whispered in his ear.

Sanzenin suddenly straightened up, and stared at Ranma, his eyes wide. "You're kidding..." he muttered.

Azusa blinked her eyes, cutely. "Nope. You've still only kissed 998 women. Tee-hee."

Ranma suddenly darted forward. "Akane, now!" Sanzenin and Azusa looked up, Sanzenin still turning a little green. But they took hands, preparing themselves for Ranma's charge. Unsure what the plan was, Akane came skating up beside her partner.

"Grab Azusa's hand," Ranma said to her, with a sly grin. "We're gonna do a little Couple Cleaver of our own."

As Akane nodded, Ranma split off from her, and shot at Sanzenin. The boy backed away a little, suddenly no longer so eager to put the moves on his pretty brown haired opponent. Ranma grabbed his hand, and pulled as she shot past them, and Sanzenin and Azusa were pulled along behind her. Akane grabbed Azusa's hand, and pulled her in the other direction, and suddenly the Golden Pair were skidding around the ice, at the mercy of their opponents.

Ranma reached the middle of the rink, and began to spin. Akane, meanwhile, still holding Azusa's hand, skated around them in a circle, going faster and faster. Sanzenin tried to pull away from Ranma, but her grip on his arm was too strong. "Unhand me, you... freak!" He yelled. His opponent just smirked at him.

The foursome began to spin faster and faster, the momentum pulling at Sanzenin and Azusa. Ranma also couldn't hold her position very well, and so the spinning formation began to skitter all over the ice, coming uncomfortably close to the walls. Sanzenin and Azusa continued to try to pull away, but they couldn't strike out at Ranma and Akane as long as they were holding each other's hands.

"Hey, Azusa!" Ukyo yelled out from the sidelines. "If you let go, they'll stop spinning! And what do you care about Sanzenin anyway? He's always chasing after other women, he doesn't care about you, he's always yelling at you! If you let go, you'll have a hand free to fight Akane!"

"Do you think we are fools?" Sanzenin called back at her. "To be caught by our own trap? We are the Golden Pair, we skate as one!"

Azusa stared at him for a moment, and then her eyebrows turned down in a fierce glare. "She's right. Look out for yourself, Miki." Azusa let go.

Grinning, Ranma and Akane drew the Golden Pair away from each other. Then they began spinning, as fast as they could. As one, they let go of their charges. Just by coincidence, this happened to send them both flying into each other. Sanzenin and Azusa crashed into each other, and collapsed onto the ice, unconscious.

Ranma, of course, immediately fell down on her bottom. But Akane quickly skated up to her, and pulled her back onto her feet as she passed. The two put their arms around each other, and smiled widely.

"And Furinkan High has won the Charlotte Cup competition!" The announcer shouted tearfully. "What an upset!"

Ranma and Akane skated over to join Ukyo at the side of the rink, but Akane could not help staring at her fiance'. She was saying nothing about it, and Ukyo said nothing as well, but did Ranma really mean what he said out there on the ice? And did she want him to mean it? If not... why did it make her feel so happy?

Author's Notes:

On going back and re-reading one of MZephyr's stories, "The Silent Horse", I suddenly realized how similar his use of the "Couple Cleaver" in the Golden Pair arc in that story is to mine. I'd like to say that I didn't have MZephyr's story in mind when I wrote my version, but quite frankly, I know I read it before writing this and just didn't remember it. It's entirely possible that my inspiration for having Akane push back against the force of the Goodbye Whirl and kick Asuza was that story.

I'm going to deny plagiarism, however, for two reasons. One is that MZephyr has several variations on that scene himself. For instance, in Side By Side Akane "climbs" up Ranma instead of using his leverage to kick back against the spin. The other is that in "Silent Horse" Akane kicks Asuza in the back, while here she kicks her in the FACE. Considering that Ranma is in female form in the Goodbye Whirl, and his lesser strength and weight results in him dislocating his shoulder, and being knocked out for far longer, I think there's enough difference here to give it my own "spin". If you'll pardon the pun. :D