AU. When they first met, Akane and Ranma felt like they'd known each other forever. Good thing they're getting along. Because their parents have crazy-stupid plans for them. Akane's a lesbian? Oh well, he turns into a girl with cold water, that's the same thing right? The two will have to fight Amazons, crazed samurai wannabes, and the usual tangle of fiances to do their own thing

Ranma Saotome's life is chaotic. First, there's the multiple fiancees running around trying to kiss him or kill him. Then the ridiculous battles over anything from take-out food to putting his foot in his mouth. But he never thought he'd have to deal with being engaged to a demon, and certainly not finding out he, man amongst men and all-around macho type was actually...a girl!

Ranma's efforts to cure his curse have succeeded. Well, for half of him. There's a short, red-haired girl with his memories and his identity running around as a side effect. She's stuck in his shadow, watching him live the life that she had wanted. Yet life and love moves on. Will she be able to cope?

AU: Ranma and Akane have grown up in a mundane universe and when they meet, there is friendship, but not much else. However, they both begin having the same dreams which changes how they view themselves and each other.

"They named me 'Ranko', like some sort of pet." She spat. "Call me whatever you want, I don't technically exist anyway." "I'm not going to name you." He said irritably. "You're a person. What's your name?" His response seemed to shock her, and she wiped her eyes quickly. Was she crying? "I'm Ranma, my name is Ranma."

This was originally written in response to an SB challenge to make Akane likeable and competitive. Akane's characterization from Chapter 1 was used to rework her into a coherent character that fit the bill. The dynamic feels about right from a characterization standpoint, but has been adapted to fit a more realistic style. [R/A][Yuri]