"The Saotome Sisters"

Chapter 37

Ranma frowned, shivering as she walked along the road towards the Furinkan High School. It was bad enough that she was stuck in her female form, unable to stand hot water in order to change back. An unfortunate additional side effect was that she was freezing, unable to spend her usual few minutes in a warm furo to prepare herself for the crisp morning air. It was well into the winter months, and getting quite cold. She shivered again, as she considered spending the next weeks or even months unable to soak in a warm bath to ward off the chill.

Plus, Ukyo's body was smaller and more slender than his own, making it a bit less resistant to the cold. Ranma looked over at her sister, bundled up in her redheaded body, walking along with her arms wrapped around herself. He guessed her petite cursed form was even worse about keeping out the cold. And as long as he was stuck in her form, she was stuck taking cold showers as well. She met his eyes and grinned at him, and Ranma smiled back, only a little reassured. Sometimes it struck him just how much his sister did for him, and he never felt that he quite deserved it.

They quickly came upon the gates of the school, to find Kuno there waiting for them, as usual. Ranma tried not to gag as Kuno declared his undying love for Akane and himself, then turned to glare at Ukyo.

"Again with this mockery of the female form, Saotome? What obsession do you have with turning yourself into a woman? Are you perhaps as twisted in your idea of your gender as I have always said you are in your mind?"

Ranma started to protest, but Ukyo stepped forward, swaggering arrogantly. "Just for yer info, Kuno, I got myself caught up in one o' my dumb spells again. Only this time it hit me insteada my Sis. So I ain't 'zactly in the best of moods. If ya want me ta pound ya a good one, I'll be happy to, but you might just wanna leave me alone..."

Ukyo had imitated Ranma's masculine drawl so perfectly that both Ranma and Akane stared at her. Kuno, of course, was completely fooled. "Hoist by your own petard, eh, foul sorcerer?" Kuno asked, drawing his bokken. "What a fool this mortal must surely be, to toy with forces beyond his mortal understanding."

"Ah, shaddup," answered Ukyo. She then danced around Kuno for a few moments, letting him wear himself out making futile strikes against her, before sending him off into the distance with a kick.

"You've got to admit, she's got you down pat," Akane said with a smile. "She does you a heck of a lot better than you do her."

"Ah, shaddup," Ranma said with a smile.

The three headed into the school, where they quickly sat down for homeroom. When Ranma started to sit at her usual desk, Akane elbowed her, and she sheepishly moved over to Ukyo's desk. Ukyo took Ranma's seat next to Akane. A few minutes later, Sayuri and Yuka walked in, their eyes widening at seeing both "Ukyo" and "Ranko" sitting at their desks.

The two girls recovered quickly, and edged over to the group. "What's going on? That's Ranma, right?" Sayuri pointed at her, sounding a little bit disgusted.

Akane nodded. "Ranma can't change back right now. Shampoo's Great Grandmother, Cologne, used a technique on him that makes him unable to stand hot water. So he's stuck having to be Ukyo until we can get her to fix it." She gestured over at Ukyo. "Ukyo is Ranko for now."

The girls both shook their heads. "You really have a crazy life, Ukyo," Yuka told her.

"Tell me about it. But it's not that bad. Just, for now, call me Ranko, and pretend Ranma is me." Ukyo smiled. "It'll all work out."

Sayuri stared at Ranma for a moment. "What's he going to do about gym?"

For just a moment, as Akane realized what Sayuri was saying, a flash of jealousy and anger could be seen in her eyes. But then she shook her head violently, as if to dispel an image. "Oh, geez, we forgot all about that!" she said, clapping her hands over her mouth. Ukyo looked surprised as well, and slapped her forehead. Ranma turned white.

"I can't go in the girl's locker room!" Ranma shouted. A bit too loudly, because a number of their classmates looked at her, and Ukyo turned a vicious glare on her twin. Ranma cleared his throat and then muttered, "Um... uh... I mean, I can't go there right now, 'cause I gotta be in class! I'll go there later to... uh, pick that thing up."

Akane smiled, obviously amused. "Baka... but good save." She looked back at Ukyo. "Okay, so much for that idea. I guess... I guess Ranma can just skip today."

"Maybe I can just skip gym," Ranma suggested.

Ukyo shook her head. "If you're me, and skip gym, I'll get in trouble. I suppose I could go as me, and you hide until it's over, but then 'Ranko' will get in trouble. I was able to skip gym back when I was going to that boy's school, but only because the panda arranged it for me ahead of time. If I just don't show up, people will wonder."

"And it was hard enough arranging for 'Ranko' to be here today," Akane added. "Although I guess we can try to change her schedule for tomorrow."

There was a long silence. Finally, Ukyo looked up at them, tentatively. "Maybe we can just count on Ranchan to keep his eyes closed."

"What, are you kidding?" Sayuri answered. "Take a shower with that..." She quickly dropped her voice, realizing she was starting to get too loud. But she still finished her sentence, glaring at Ranma as she did so. "... pervert?"

All four girls saw Ranma wince. Ukyo snapped back at Sayuri, almost before she finished speaking. "Don't call my brother that!" Akane put a hand on her arm, and she calmed down. "My brother is not a pervert," Ukyo said, her voice still harsh. "He has a curse, that he can't control, and he hates that it means that sometimes he has to be a girl. He doesn't abuse it or take advantage of it."

Ranma relaxed a bit, as the other girls looked at each other. Even Akane's mood seemed somber as she considered Ukyo's words. "You're really okay with Ranma seeing you naked, Ukyo?" Yuka asked her.

Ukyo shook her head, smiling a little. "How many times do I have to explain this? Ranchan and I have bathed together plenty of times." Ranma had started to blush at this. "It doesn't bother me in the least. The bigger problem is you guys. *I* know Ranma won't look, but I don't want you guys to be uncomfortable..."

"I ain't no pervert," Ranma growled, her voice low. "And I don't wanna gawk at no stupid, silly girls."

"Stupid? Silly?" Sayuri cut in. "What do you mean by that?"

Akane put a hand on Sayuri's this time. "Ranma is just saying that he has too much honor to ogle girls." She gave the ponytailed girl an exasperated shake of her head, but with just a hint of a smile. "He just doesn't know how to say it without making it sound like an insult, the baka."

"Maybe he can just wait until everyone else has gone, and then take a shower with just Ukyo," Yuka suggested. "If she really doesn't mind..."

"Maybe," Akane said, "but actually, I think I have a better idea. If anyone knows about pressure points and how to overcome them, it's Dr. Tofu. Why don't Ranma and I just skip first period and run over to his clinic. Then, if he has a way Ranma can turn back into a guy, we won't have to worry about it."

"That's a great idea, Akane!" Ukyo agreed, smiling widely. Ranma nodded her agreement as well. "I'll go with you. Tell the teacher that I'm feeling sick, like I've got what Ranchan's got. That way, if 'Ranko' doesn't come back and Ranma does, no one will be surprised!"

"Can you guys take care of our homework, too?" Akane asked Sayuri and Yuka. They nodded, and she smiled. "Let's go then!" Ranma, Akane and Ukyo ran out of the room, while their two friends went up to talk to the teacher.

Dr. Tofu had pulled out a chart of the pressure points of the chest, and he studied it carefully. "This Cat's Tongue pressure point is very deep," he said, pointing to the spot in question. "Only the most advanced shiatsu masters should ever even consider messing with it."

"But you can fix it, right?" Akane asked him, hopefully.

He regarded her for a moment, but then shook his head. "I'm afraid not." He looked down at Ranma, who was sitting in a chair in front of him. In Ukyo's body, of course. "There's really nothing I can do to reverse the pressure point. I'm not even sure that it has a reverse..."

"But Cologne said she could cure Ranma," Ukyo put in. "And she certainly wouldn't want to turn him into a girl forever, that wouldn't be any help with him marrying Shampoo."

"I ain't marryin' Shampoo!" Ranma countered. "There's gotta be another way."

"Well, there is," Tofu said, "but I'm not sure how much it will help. To get you back to school so you can attend your classes, though..."

He stood Ranma up, then asked her to turn around. He then jabbed Ranma in the small of her back, hard enough that she had to take a step forward.

"What was that for?" She asked him, looking back over her shoulder.

"That was the Tokyo Grandpa Point," Tofu said. "It is used to help old men to withstand the extremes of heat for a therapeutic bath. So named for the old men of Tokyo, who are well known for their love of hot baths."

"Oh, yeah!" Akane said brightly. "Those old guys just love their hot baths!"

"Let's hear it for the old guys!" Ranma said, her voice just as excited. "So I should be able to withstand hot water now?"

"That's right, it should counter the Cat's Tongue. But there is something important you need to know..."

"Let's test it and make sure it works, first," Ukyo suggested. She grabbed the kettle that Tofu used to make tea. "It'll take a few minutes to warm up the water."

Ranma turned a little pink around the cheeks, and stood up. "Oh... Okay. I, uh... while I got a few minutes, I'd better take care of somethin'."

"What, Ranma?" Akane looked curious. Ranma walked to the door, and paused a moment. "What is it, Ranma? Is something wrong?"

Her blush turned a little deeper, and Ranma looked uncomfortable. "Naw, it's nothin', I just gotta..." She stopped and muttered something.

"What?" Akane and Ukyo looked at each other. "What did you say?"

"Um... I gotta... unwrap myself."

"Unwrap..." Akane looked at Ukyo, her eyes widening as she realized what Ranma meant. Ukyo looked surprised as well.

"Ranma!" Ukyo said. "You... Are you telling me that you wrapped your breasts today?" She regarded her twin with a raised eyebrow.

Ranma swallowed, hard, unable to speak for a moment. "I ain't never gonna wear no bra!" She exclaimed, hotly. "There ain't no way! But..." Her blush deepened. "I don't want no perverts lookin' at my sister's chest neither..."

With that, she turned and walked out of the office. Ukyo looked at Akane. "I didn't even know he'd seen how I do that," she said, amused.

A few minutes later, the water was the right temperature, and Ranma had returned, unfettered by the bindings that might prove too tight in his male form. Ukyo poured the water over his head, and after a few moments, his body expanded, not growing that much taller, but better filling out his clothing. In the shoulders at least. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Looks like Ranko won't be coming back to school after all," Ukyo said with a grin. She poured the kettle over her own head, and after a short pause, rapidly grew into her own lanky body. She took a moment to adjust her clothing as well, as she had gained a lot more height than Ranma had, and needed to adjust her pants accordingly.

At that moment, the phone rang, and Akane answered it. She quickly realized who it was, and shot Dr. Tofu a worried glance. "Um... Dr. Tofu... it's Kasumi. She wants to talk to you."

Tofu's glasses fogged up. "K-K-Kasumi! Imagine meeting you here..."

"She's on the phone!" Akane interrupted him.

"Oh... Kasumi!" He tried to take the phone, fumbling it around from hand to hand. "It's so good to hear from you."

"Maybe we better get outta here," Ranma said.

Ukyo shook her head, though. "He said there was something important. Maybe we'd better hear what it is."

"I dunno if I wanna stay here much longer," Ranma looked up at Tofu, worried. He was holding the receiver up to his head, overcome by a bout of nervous laughter.

"Oh, I think I've had about enough of this," Ukyo said, although she sounded amused, not irritated. "Akane, see if you can get Kasumi to tell you what she wants."

Akane took the phone back from Tofu, although she had to fight him to get him to let go of it. He then started dancing around his desk. Akane spoke to Kasumi for a few moments, while Ukyo tried to catch the doctor. Finally, she reached back and grabbed the kettle, and swung it up to smack him across the face.

"Is that the phone?" Tofu asked dazedly, at the ringing sound from the kettle hitting him in the head.

Akane put her hand over the receiver. "Kasumi wants to know if you need that book back that she borrowed last week, or can she keep it a few more days?"

"K-K-Kasumi?" Dr. Tofu got a goofy grin on his face, and Ukyo brained him with the kettle again. "Uh... yes, that is fine? She can keep it as long as she likes. As long as it is back in time for tea..." He glanced down at the kettle, obviously somewhat confused.

"He says you can keep it as long as you like, Big Sister," Akane said into the phone. Then she smiled and hung up. "She says she'll bring it back day after tomorrow." Then to herself, she muttered. "And I'll make sure not to be anywhere near here that day..."

There was a moment where Tofu looked around himself dazedly, and then his eyes seemed to clear. "What was I saying?"

Ukyo grinned widely, bouncing on her heels, while holding the kettle behind her. "Something about the Tokyo Grandpa Point. You said it was something important."

"Oh, yes!" He held a finger in the air, as if only just remembering. "It only works once!"

"What?" Ranma, Ukyo and Akane all three chimed in, at the same time.

Tofu looked apologetic. "I'm afraid that while the effect has allowed you to return to male form, it only lasts a short while, and has probably already faded. Plus, I cannot use the pressure point again, as your body, affected by the Cat's Tongue, will have become acclimated to it. So you will still not be able to endure hot water, and you won't be able to use it again."

"So I won't be able to take a bath at all?" Ranma asked, his shoulders slumping. "Cold or hot water?"

"I'm afraid not. And if you get splashed on accident, you won't be able to return to male form again." Dr. Tofu put a hand on his shoulder, reassuringly. "So you'll have to be on the lookout for water."

"Hey, it's not so bad," Ukyo said, putting a hand on his shoulder as well. "You can skip the shower, but at least you can go to the right gym class."

"Yeah, but you said yourself the curse attracts water, Sis." Ranma looked up at her, worried. "How long am I gonna be able to hold out?"

"Long enough," Akane said. "Maybe we can convince Cologne that we overcame her trick. Maybe she'll slip up or something."

"Or Shampoo will," Ukyo added. "Don't worry about it Ranchan, we'll think of something."

Just as the three neared the gates of Furinkan, they were startled by the sound of a bicycle bell. The purple haired Amazon rocketed towards them on her bike, apparently on a delivery, as she was carrying a large box on her shoulder. She smiled widely as she spotted them, however, forgetting her task. "Nihao!" she called out happily.

Shampoo leaped off of the bike as she neared, propelling it like a missile into Ukyo, who darted aside. The bike rolled on into Ranma, who was standing behind her. He hiked his leg up into an awkward position, to keep the bike from rolling over his foot. Shampoo continued on into Ukyo as well, grabbing the ponytailed girl in a bone-crushing glomp.

"Airen!" Shampoo shouted. "Shampoo so..." She suddenly noticed Ranma over Ukyo's shoulder, and realized her mistake. "Aiyaah!" Shampoo flung Ukyo aside, sending her spinning into Akane, while she leaped at Ranma instead. "Airen! Shampoo so..."

Shampoo froze again, as it finally sank in that she was holding onto Ranma's male form. "Airen is man again! How Airen overcome Great Grandmother technique?"

Ranma laughed loudly, if a little uncomfortably, given how tightly Shampoo was holding him. "Wouldn't you like ta know?"

Shampoo looked back at Ukyo, as Akane helped her back to her feet, but then she turned back to smile at Ranma. "Shampoo like Airen better as man anyway. Shield Sister cute, but Airen cuter!" She gave him another hug, which caused Ranma to wince in pain as his body made popping and cracking noises.

"Get offa me!" Ranma yelled, pushing the enamored Amazon off of him. "I don't hafta marry you now that I'm a man again!"

"Oh, really? And how long is that going to last?" Cologne had suddenly appeared, hanging off of Ranma's shoulder, and nuzzling against his neck. "You're a man for now, Son-in-Law, that's for sure. But are you truly cured...?"

While Shampoo's affections had make him turn a little pink, Ranma grew a sickly green at Cologne's embrace. He grimaced as he tried to pry the Elder off of him. "Never mind that! I... uh... I'm sure it'll last long enough to... uh... get rid of you!"

Ukyo shook her head at her brother's bungling, in giving away that the cure was only temporary. "Maybe you aren't the only shiatsu expert around here, Old Ghoul," she said, hoping to recover some of their advantage. The old lady's cackle told her it was most likely too late.

"We shall see, Shield Sister," Cologne said.

"Okay, that does it!" Ranma had reached his limit again. He grabbed the delivery box and heaved it at Cologne, as she leaped away, laughing. As the box sailed through the air, however, another figure leaped into its path. The figure, who was wearing a long white robe and had waist length black hair, sliced the box in half.

He landed in the street in front of the school, holding a bowl of ramen that had been inside the box. Then, he suddenly bent down and began eating the ramen, very quickly. Several students came out of the school while he was eating, drawn by the commotion. Others were watching from the windows.

"Must be hungry," Ukyo commented. "I guess he hasn't eaten in a while."

"Aiyah," Shampoo put in. "Shampoo not make that delivery now."

The tall boy stood up, having finished his meal. Then, a broad smile spread over his face. "Shampoo! At last I have found you!"

Ukyo stiffened, startled, as the man wrapped his arms around her. "Um..." She looked up at him, as he pressed her against his chest. "Do I look like Shampoo?" Ukyo knew she wasn't built like the Amazon, and tried to ignore the little part inside her that said she wished she was. Of course, in her cursed form she did come pretty close...

The boy in white had pulled a pair of thick glasses out of his sleeve, and put them on his face. He peered closely at Ukyo. "Who are you?"

"That's Ukyo Kuonji," Akane told him, a little unsure, but trying to be helpful. "She's sort of a friend of Shampoo's, although they don't really know each other very well..."

"Ah, forgive me," he said, raising his glasses. "I see now that you are not my beloved. Come to me my darling Shampoo!"

He turned from Ukyo, and embraced Akane. Unlike her friend's calm reaction, Akane's was more hands-on. Literally. "Pervert!" she shouted, and punched him in the face.

"Stupid Mousse!" Shampoo exclaimed, scowling at the boy. "Why you no leave Shampoo alone! You no is Shampoo Airen!"

"I take it you know this guy?" Ukyo asked, as Mousse again lowered his glasses, studying Akane as he took a step back. She glared at him, as if daring him to try to grab her again.

"Is just friend from child times," Shampoo said haughtily. "He just stupid Mousse!"

"Like me and Ranchan, huh?" Ukyo studied him carefully.

"I am Shampoo's betrothed," Mousse said. "It is only a matter of time before..."

Cologne interrupted him. "Shampoo has already rejected you."

"That was when we were only three years old!" He protested. "That doesn't count!"

"The rules of Amazon law are clear. And besides, Shampoo already has her sights set on this man, here." Cologne pointed at Ranma.

"I never agreed to that!" Ranma yelled, as Shampoo wrapped her arms around him. Mousse grabbed him around the neck.

"Who are you?" Mousse demanded. Ranma's face started to turn blue, as Mousse's hand closed around his windpipe, but Ranma held his gaze, unflinching. Shampoo began trying to pull Ranma away, but Mousse's grip was too tight.

"That's enough!" Akane pulled Shampoo off of Ranma, and then shoved Mousse aside as well. "We don't recognize Shampoo's Kiss of Marriage, and Ranma wasn't the one who defeated her anyway. This isn't China, and we..."

"And who are you?" Although Mousse didn't seem surprised at being attacked by a woman, his response was more measured, particularly when Ukyo came up to stand beside Akane. He stood back, while Ranma tried to catch his breath.

"Akane Tendo," Cologne cut in. "She insists that she has a claim on Ranma Saotome as well; an arranged marriage. But Amazon Law takes precedence."

"Uh... uh..." Akane glanced around nervously, noticing that the crowd had begun muttering at this revelation. A blush spread over her face.

Ukyo was not embarrassed to speak up, however. "You're damn right I've got a claim on my Bro!" she said, shaking a fist at Cologne. "He's family, and he's not goin' anywhere!"

"And this is Ranma's adopted sister," Cologne said, as if she hadn't been interrupted.

"Oh, I see!" Mousse exclaimed. "You already have these beautiful women at your side; one that you have taken as a sister, and one to whom you are engaged. And yet still you must have more? You lust after my Shampoo as well? You lecher!"

"Hey, wait a minute, it's not like that!" Ranma shouted back. Akane nodded her agreement, but Ukyo said nothing. In truth, her eyes had widened, and her cheeks turned a little pink at being called "beautiful". But then she shook it off.

"Ranchan's not chasing Shampoo, she's chasing him..." Ukyo began, but Mousse was already beginning his attack. Ranma dodged as the taller boy kicked at him, driving him back. Then Mousse began a complicated maneuver where he swung his sleeved arms in a series of arcs.

"Blow of the Swan Fist!" he called out, and Ranma was struck and flung back into the wall. His movements were just a blur, and several of the spectators commented that they couldn't even see Mousse's hands.

Akane studied him carefully. With his sleeves hanging down, covering his hands, she could see something unusual had just happened, but couldn't quite make it out. But it was clear that he had struck Ranma with far more force than she would expect from just his bare hands.

"He's using a weapon, Ranchan!" Ukyo called out, having reached the same conclusion. Akane glanced at her, wondering if she had seen it when Akane hadn't.

"Is true," Shampoo said, as she knelt next to Ranma, against the wall. "Mousse is master of hidden weapons. Be careful!"

"That's right," Mousse said. "Just as the graceful swan conceals his..."

Mousse was interrupted as Ranma darted forward. "Fortunately, I know just how to deal with weapons," he said, "from sparring with my Sis."

He ducked inside of Mousse's reach, and kicked at his hands, trying to dislodge his weapon. However, with his sleeves covering his arms, concealing the weapon, he was unable to knock it away. "A good try, Saotome," Mousse said. "But I am a master of hidden weapons. Even if you could manage to disarm me, I only hide even more..."

As Mousse struck at him, though, Ranma caught his arm under his own, pinning it against his side. The weapon he had been using sailed out of his hand, and clattered to the ground. Ranma whirled, trying to wrench Mousse's arm, but he was able to twist free. As the two turned to face each other, though, the crowd had begun muttering, looking at the weapon Mousse had dropped.

It was a swan-shaped training potty. Glancing at it, Ranma turned back to Mousse, scowling furiously. "What the heck is THAT?"

"There's an odd martial arts style," Ukyo commented. "Not just hidden weapons, but hidden SILLY weapons..."

"You never know what common object may make an exceptional weapon," Mousse said, and Ukyo smirked to herself at that comment.

"It's an insult, that's what it is," one of the boys watching said. "To be attacked by such an... embarrassing weapon. It must be humiliating."

"Yeah," Akane said, "but if you can't see him use it, what's the point?"

Ukyo shrugged. Ranma was beyond fed up, though. "Well, I can see it, and I'm insulted," he said. "So you wanna fight, Mousse? Then let's fight!"

"Very well!" Mousse agreed. "And if I defeat you, then you will surrender the lovely..."

"You can't have Shampoo," Cologne interrupted. Mousse turned back to look at her, and she looked off to one side, as if she hadn't said anything.

After another moment's pause, Mousse pointed at Akane. "Very well. If I defeat you, then I will take your woman!"

"HEY!" Akane yelled.

"You gotta deal!" Ranma said.

"RANMA!" Akane yelled at him, even louder.

"How about we make it official then," Cologne said, with a wicked smile. "A duel, at the park, at noon tomorrow. For the love of Akane Tendo."

"Hey, wait a minute...!" Akane protested, but no one was listening. In fact, the crowd had begun muttering excitedly among themselves, and several of the girls near Akane were giggling and swooning over the romantic battle between two handsome men over Akane's hand.

"A man to man fight, then," Mousse put in.

"You got it." Ranma stared at him, smirking confidently.

Akane backhanded him across the face, knocking Ranma to the ground. Then she stepped up to Mousse, poking him in the chest. "You just listen here, buster! I am nobody's woman! I don't belong to Ranma; I don't belong to anyone! I won't let anyone tell me who I'm going to marry!"

"It's already too late, Miss Tendo," Cologne said, an expression of devilish merriment on her wrinkled face. "It's a matter of honor between men, now, isn't it?" She put just the slightest emphasis on the word "men", her grin widening.

"I never agreed to any of this!" Akane yelled back at her.

"Hey, Akane, don't worry," Ranma said, trying to put an arm on her shoulder. She slapped it away. "I ain't gonna lose, no way. You got nothin' ta worry about."

"That's not the point, you jerk!" Akane clenched her fist as she stared him in the eye for a moment. Then she turned away, sticking her nose in the air. "Fine! Have your stupid little man to man fight. See if I care." She stomped through the gates and into the school.

"Akane!" Grumbling to himself, Ranma took off after his disgruntled fiancée.

"Wow." Mousse commented. "She gets really angry, doesn't she?"

Cologne cackled. "So I have heard."

Ranma chased after Akane as she stormed through the halls. After several minutes, she finally let him catch up with her. As he came near, she whirled on him, her eyes flashing.

"You told me that I wasn't a conquest to you! That I wasn't a prize to be won! Was that a lie?"

Ranma paused, his head drooping, but cutting his eyes up to study her expression. Finally he took a deep breath. "Of course that wasn't a lie, Akane. I meant it."

"Then why? How could you just offer me up as some kind of trophy, then? How could you make me a pawn in your little game?"

"It wasn't my idea!" Ranma yelled back. "Mousse is the one who dragged ya into it, not me!"

"But you agreed with him! Why didn't you tell him you didn't want to fight over me?"

"What was I supposed to say, Akane?" Ranma was getting angry now. "I don't want her, you can keep her? She's just a violent, uncute tomboy who can't fight and can't cook? She puts me down and beats me up all the time? Is that what you wanted me to say?"

"No, baka, I wanted you to say that you'd fight, but not over me!"

Ranma looked around as he noticed the other students had caught up with them, and were watching their argument intently. One even commented, "Oo, a lover's quarrel. It's like they're already married." Akane blushed as she realized they had an audience as well, and fell silent, looking at the floor.

"Don't you all have classes to go to!" Ranma asked them. He grabbed Akane's arm, and dragged her down the hall and into an empty classroom.

After another moment's pause, Ranma took Akane's hands. "Look, Akane, if I'd known that's how ya feel about it, I woulda said no. But do you really think he would have accepted that, after he challenged me for you? Do you think he woulda taken no for an answer?"

She stood there, grinding her teeth, but with her brown eyes staring into Ranma's, searching. Finally, she lowered her gaze. "You're right..."

Tentatively, Ranma put his arms around Akane. She punched him in the chest, but only half-heartedly, and then she drew him into an embrace as well. They held each other for a moment. "I don't want you to fight over me, Ranma. I don't want you to get hurt over me."

"I know, Akane, but it ain't over you. I know you wouldn't let that jerk boss you around, even if he were to 'win' you. You wouldn't let those jerks attacking you every day beat you, and you wouldn't let Mousse beat ya either.

"You ain't never gonna be won, tomboy," Ranma said. "Even I know that."

Akane held him a little tighter. "And I know you won't lose either, Ranma. I know nothing can defeat you when you're protecting someone you care about."

She was silent for a moment. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

Ranma leaned back to look her in the eye, with that confident smirk. "Don't worry about it. You'll be watchin' my back, won't you, tomboy?"

Akane just smiled at him.

"Hey, Saotome," Hiroshi said, as the two boys approached him. "We heard some guy challenged you over Akane."

Ranma glanced around the locker room nervously as Hiroshi and Daisuke came near. He had been on the alert for water all day, and this was the most likely place for him to get splashed. All he had to do was get through getting dressed and finish up the gym class, and then he could skip the shower and get as far away from there as possible. He'd managed to avoid water all day, and he was only a couple of hours away from being home and safe.

"It ain't nothin'," he said dismissively. "That Mousse guy is a pushover. I'm gonna send him and his stupid tricks back to China."

"Do you think he's in love with Akane, man?" Daisuke asked him. "Maybe she likes him better."

Ranma snorted. "He ain't after Akane. It's Shampoo he really wants. But that Old Ghoul won't let him challenge me for her.

"Probably all for the best," he muttered after a moment, taking his shirt off. "I'd hate to have ta win the fight only to still be stuck with that crazy Amazon."

"You don't want Shampoo?" Daisuke tried to grab Ranma and tousle his hair, and Ranma shoved him off. "What's wrong with you, man? She is so hot. That guy's gonna take her away from you!"

"He can have her for all I care!" Ranma protested. "He's an Amazon just like she is! They'd probably be happy together! But no, she's gotta be chasin' after me!"

"Lucky dog. You're making all us guys dateless."

"It's not my fault. I... I don't want a bunch of girls chasin' me. If I... If I ever decide I want one..." His voice became quiet, as he started to blush. "It'll just be her..."

"Oo! You're thinking about Akane, aren't you?" Hiroshi grinned at him.

"Am not!" Ranma yelled, turning away so they wouldn't see his face. "She's just a friend!"

" She's just a friend ." Hiroshi waggled his eyebrows. "First she was uncute and you didn't want to touch her. Then she was a friend, and you didn't want anybody saying nothin' bad about her. Now she's JUST a friend, but if you ever decide you want someone, then you just want her..."

Daisuke chuckled. "Sounds pretty serious to me, man."

Ranma kept his face turned to the lockers. "Cut it out, guys," he muttered. In the silence, he suddenly heard a wet, splattering sound, and remembered he needed to be on his guard. He looked up, just in time to see one of the other boys in the locker room throw a bucket of water at another boy.

"Aw, geez, not now!" Ranma complained, backing away from his locker in his haste to escape from the water fight. Hiroshi and Daisuke watched him, startled by his frightened reaction.

"Whoa, what's going on?" Hiroshi asked. Ranma ignored him, however, because the other boy, hoping to get revenge for getting soaked, had started to fling a bucket of his own over his friend. Some of the water splashed near him, and Ranma leaped aside.

"Hey, you scared of a little water, Ranma?" Daisuke chuckled wickedly. To Ranma's horror, the two boys grabbed him. "Afraid of gettin' wet?"

"Don't, don't!" Ranma tried to pull away from them. "You don't understand..."

He never got to finish his sentence. As Daisuke and Hiroshi held him in place, grabbing him by the arms - his bare arms, as he still hadn't put on his gym shirt - the boys in the water fight dashed past him, not even noticing him as an obstacle in their path. Ranma felt the sting of cold water hitting him, as the flung bucket of water struck him directly in the chest.