It's late at night and Ryouga yawns as he goes to the bathroom, following the string Ranma had set out for him. He ponders on why she's done that.

For that matter, she's done a number of things that if it were old Ranma he'd be infuriated about because he'd be sure the boy was up to something. Was it simply that Ranma was a girl now, or was it something more he knew?

He smiles softly. Perhaps it was the very real joy on her face whenever she was happy, something he rarely saw on the old Ranma. Or perhaps it was because unlike old Ranma she didn't seem to have a whole lot of guile. Everything was simply there on the surface.

Ranma's door is open and the sound of soft breathing comes from it. He peeks in and she's sprawled on her bed, legs and arms sticking out at odd angles.

Snickering softly to himself at the sight at odds with her currently-demure image, he closes the door gently and looks out along the hall.

The lights are on somewhere in the house, and he follows the string towards them. He heads downstairs and finds Nodoka still awake, sitting at the table with a cup of tea. "Good evening, Auntie. You're up late." He says politely.

"Oh! Ryouga-kun." She casts a glance at the clock. "It's certainly late. I had a lot on my mind."

He nods and sits down across the table. "Are you alright?"

She smiles softly. "Oh, you're a nice boy. But I admit, I am worried about Ranma. Does she seem… alright to you?"

He shakes his head. "No, Auntie, I don't think she does. But I don't know how to get her to tell us what's wrong."

Nodoka sighs. Ryouga clears his throat.

"I um, I wanted to ask. Are you… really alright with her being… 'her'?" He asks, seriously. "Because I think it's really worrying her."

Nodoka blinks. "…Of course?" She asks, confused by the question. She looks at him and sighs, taking a sip of her tea. "I forget how young you two are. Let me put it this way, Ryouga-kun. I have my child back." She smiles a watery smile. "It's been twelve years, but I have my baby back. Regardless of boy or girl, cursed either way, I have her back."

Ryouga softens and nods. "Okay. I don't want her getting hurt, but I know it's worrying her. I think it would help if you kept telling her so she's reassured."

Nodoka sighs softly. "It's that silly contract. Genma always was one to take things seriously. I wish I'd never made him sign it."

Ryouga doesn't reply. He's actually livid about that contract, but Nodoka clearly regrets it.

"Where are your parents, Ryouga-kun?" Nodoka asks suddenly. "I'm very sorry, it only just occurred to me to ask."

"They're here and there, Auntie." He replies, shrugging. "My family has… very bad directional sense. I can end up half the country away in a turn."

"Oh my." Nodoka says. "That sounds inconvenient."

"It is. Especially with my curse. Ranma used to help me get to and from school when we went together."

Nodoka smiles. "It sounds like the two of you have been friends for years."

"We have, I guess." He sighs, "Not that good until… well… yesterday, I guess."

"Oh?"

Ryouga gives an explanation of their relationship before. "…So, as she is, she's pretty different."

"From your descriptions she had no modesty at all!" Nodoka titters.

"…Well, yeah. She was a boy… Mostly, I guess?"

Nodoka frowns. "Those things you were speaking of the other day, with her dressing up and such?"

"…Yeah." He swallows. "Makes me think that… maybe this isn't such a big change? Well, kind of. I mean it's still very different and… kinda weird to hear Ranma speaking properly and politely, but I wonder how much of it is just… stuff she was already thinking about and the head knock just sorta jostled it loose?"

Nodoka nods. "I… suppose I was thinking the same from your description. Perhaps we should ask her."

"I think she's feeling a little better though, Auntie." Ryouga says, thinking back to the day. "She was playing with me with that last dress. The dungaree one." He gives her a description of the trouble Ranma had caused as 'Hibiki Yoiko' and Nodoka is left laughing softly by the end. He smiles ruefully. "I was so mad with her, but today she just looked happy and a little mischievous."

Nodoka nods. "Do you think it's a good sign?"

Ryouga shrugs. "Maybe. Kasumi-san said she was acting very daintily when it first happened, but she seems to be relaxing, and I'm kinda glad. It's good to see her joking a little. It's like… with the old Ranma I'd wonder if he was up to something. But this new Ranma feels like she'd never go out of her way to hurt someone on purpose."

Nodoka nods. "Perhaps I should have a sit-down discussion with her about herself."

"I think that's a good idea, Auntie." He casts his mind back to her telling him about the bridge. "I think… she needs to talk to the other Tendous as well. To clear the air. Especially Akane-san." He makes a frowning face. "I think she hurt Ranma the most."

"Oh, I will be having a discussion with the Tendou family. And my good-for-nothing husband, you can bet on that." Nodoka replies, and the look in her eyes makes him hear the 'shing' of a drawn katana. He gulps.

"I hope you at least hear them out, Auntie. They've taken care of Ranma for a long time."

"I'll be fair, Ryouga-kun." Nodoka says, "But it's clear however they've treated my daughter in the time she has been my daughter has left some scars, and the only one I know of who seems unhappy that she has is Kasumi-chan." She sighs. "But she always was a good girl."

Ryouga nods and then stands. "I'm going to go back to bed, Auntie. Thank you for letting me stay here so long. I'm sorry to be a bother."

"You're no bother, Ryouga-kun. You're a kind young gentleman and my daughter obviously cares for you. It's a pleasure to have people here again." He sees a deep loneliness from the past twelve years and nods. He can understand that feeling well.

"Well, goodnight then." He makes his way up the stairs, following the string. Outside of Ranma's room he hears a whimpering noise and opens the door to see her curled up tight on her bed, shivering and crying for something to get away from her.

The neko-ken?

He's about to leave her to it but pauses. Then he walks across the room, leaving the door open and gently pulls the covers over the redheaded girl. Her hand slips out of the covers and he takes it, squeezing it gently. She calms down almost immediately, and he rests his head on the bed looking at her face a while before drifting off there.

Nodoka comes to bed not too long later and peeks into Ranma's room, smiling as she sees the teens, one in bed, the other with his head lolling on the side of it, hands joined. She closes the door, shaking her head in amusement and heads to her own bed.

Ranma wakes up, her hand feeling warm and immediately blushes as she sees Ryouga's sleeping face next to her. She casts an eye to the alarm clock. It's about 5AM. She looks at their entwined hands and her blush deepens, but she shakes her head and sits up, trying not to disturb Ryouga. She gently lets go of his hand and pecks him on the cheek, before effortlessly lifting him in her arms, keeping him steady.

Nodoka, an early riser by habit and light sleeper by nature peers out of her own room and her mouth opens as she sees her daughter casually carrying Ryouga into his room as if he weighs nothing. She slips quietly to the open door and watches as Ranma gently tucks the lost boy into bed.

Ranma kisses Ryouga's cheek again, mumbles a quick thank you and leaves the room to go back to her own. Nodoka shakes her head. She's going to need to talk to the both of them at some point regarding each other but for now it seems they're being proper, if slightly too close for anyone not properly romantically entangled.

Nodoka's cooking breakfast in the kitchen when Ranma reappears an hour or so later, clean and dressed for the day. She's wearing the dungaree dress with the red blouse and thigh high socks and she's managed to source a bandanna from somewhere in red with black spots. She puts her head up in twintails rather than braids and as she enters the kitchen Nodoka smiles at her daughter.

"You look lovely today, dear. Ryouga-kun told me of your teasing him before with that outfit." She titters and Ranma blushes.

"I really like the outfit and it's nice to be silly. I know it's not very ladylike but…"

"Ranma, dear, being a lady is a complicated thing and no two ladies are alike. However, I can tell you with absolute honesty that to be silly and fun with your friends is certainly ladylike. I don't know where you get some of this from, but it really should be taught better to you."

Ranma looks at the floor and rubs her foot on it. "…Will you teach me, Mother? I've tried to be as ladylike as possible but all I've got is stuff I've seen and Father's silly insistences about women being weak." And you are everything I aspire to be.

"Well, dear, teaching her daughter is the job of any mother. And your father has some… stupid ideas. Whoever taught him that women are weak has never heard the phrase 'silk hiding steel'."

Ranma stares at her mother wonderingly. "But you said… a lady doesn't fight."

Nodoka smiles at her daughter, happy to be imparting knowledge from her own branch of the Art for once. "And that's true. A street brawl, a fight, those aren't the province of a lady to start. But a lady can and will go to war. She might not throw the first blow, but she wins her wars. Sometimes even a blow must be struck, but it must be precise, clean and you must put all of your pride into it."

"…Shouldn't I be modest…?"

"Yes, dear. A lady should be modest." Nodoka puts the food on the table and takes a seat next to Ranma. "But being modest is not the same as not being proud. Men think their honour is more important than ours, but it isn't. A lady's honour is just as important, both internally and externally. This is because men tend to forget our honour or tarnish it, cheapen it."

Ranma looks down and Nodoka pats her arm. "Dear, you can't feel ashamed for the silly ideas your father put into you. But I'm here now."

Ranma starts to eat and nods while Nodoka carries on. "A lady's internal honour; her pride and knowledge of herself, her skills and yes, even her ability to wage a war; those are the most important parts of her. A lady knows she is worth something, regardless of how others might see her honour as tarnished. As long as you're true to yourself, your inner honour can never be damaged."

Ranma nods as she eats politely.

"But do remember dear: a lady can win a fight, through her hands or her mind, she can be victorious in war. Take pride in your victories and yourself. But remember that an overweening pride is the true foe. A worthy enemy deserves respect, and an unworthy one pity."

Ranma nods excitedly.

Nodoka smiles at her daughter. "Today I may be starting a war on your behalf. Or concluding one that was set against you."

Ranma pauses with her food halfway to her mouth. "M-mother?" She asks, putting her chopsticks down.

"Tell me, Ranma. What do you want?"

"What I.. want?"

Nodoka nods. "Your hopes, your dreams. What do you want to do with your life?"

Ranma considers a moment, continuing to eat. Finally she swallows. "I want… to be normal." She looks down, ashamed. "I just… I want that. I want to go to school. I want to live without all of this fighting. I want to be free to live, to fall in love, to marry… I just want… I just want to be me."

Nodoka smiles and pulls Ranma into a gentle hug from where she sits. "We are going to visit several people today. After what you have told me, I feel the time to strike is now. First of all, we will visit with the Chinese people who are chasing you. Then we will visit your friend Ukyou, then finally the Tendou household. I am calling off ALL of the engagements your father has forced you into, or that have been made against your will."

Ranma's heart sinks back into the ice in her chest. She doesn't want to go back there, where she is a ghost. Here she's alive. She feels alive. She has her mother. She has Ryouga.

There she's just a walking, talking corpse for everyone except maybe Kasumi-nee-san.

Murderer. The whisper is loud in her mind, and the ice in her chest clenches painfully.

Her mother is saying something, and she tries to bring herself back to listen.

"…You're already dressed but I'm afraid we'll need to be formal with this." Nodoka says with a sigh. Ranma shakes her head.

"I don't mind, Mother." She says, "But I may need help with the furisode."

Nodoka smiles. "Certainly, daughter."

The Nekohanten's bell rings and Shampoo looks up to spy two women in formal kimono entering through the door, followed by Hibiki Ryouga. The women are fully made up, hair pinned exquisitely and they both walk with a soft, sure gait. The elder of the two women has auburn hair and carries what is obviously a wrapped katana.

The younger girl is Shampoo's age, with bright red hair pinned up and sparkling blue eyes.

Blue eyes she knows.

She looks between the two of them, and it's obvious to her that they are mother and daughter. The elder is definitely looking at her with some faint disapproval.

But why is Ranma in girl-mode, in a formal woman's kimono and approaching the counter with her mother?

"Hello." The elder woman says to Shampoo. "I trust I am speaking to Xian Pu of the Joketsuzoku?"

"Shampoo is… I am. Yes." She says confusedly. The woman inclines her head.

"I require to speak with your matriarch, Kuh Lon."

Shampoo flicks her eyes to Ranma and then back again. "Is this because of Airen?"

The woman looks between them. "It is because of my daughter, yes." The two of them take a seat as Shampoo goes pale and runs into the back of the Nekohanten yelling for her great grandmother. Ryouga opts to sit nearby, foot jiggling and bandanna idly twirling in his hands. He promised himself earlier that he'd watch out for Ranma and her mother. They are both capable, but even so the Chinese contingent can be unpredictable.

Cologne emerges from the back and stops dead in her tracks as she spies the two women sitting at the table, quietly waiting. The younger girl is straight backed and prim, while the older lady is cradling a wrapped katana. The old matriarch's eyebrows raise, and she wonders if this is a trick for a moment before she casually scans their chi.

Both female.

The Amazon elder slumps slightly, leaning on her cane more. "Oh dear." She mutters, approaching. She eyes Ranma as the girl sits, looking nervous but emulating the icy calm her mother had.

"Greetings so- Ranma." Cologne nods, and to her surprise, Ranma stands and gives a formal saikeirei to her.

"Greetings, honoured elder of the Joketsuzoku." Ranma says in clipped, polite feminine tones. Cologne sighs inwardly again. If she hadn't scanned her chi she'd think the boy was up to something again, but the motion was too natural to be faked. The girl sits back down and resumes her straight posture. The woman, who can only be Ranma's mother, clears her throat and gives a short bow.

"Elder of the Joketsuzoku, I am Saotome Nodoka, Ranma's mother. Please, have a seat, for we have business to discuss."

"And what business is this, girl, that involves bringing a sheathed sword and my great-granddaughter's husband into this café, hm?"

Nodoka bristles inside, but she's providing an example to Ranma right now of how a lady fights her wars. "Honoured elder, I speak with little but respect. However, this blade is my family's honour blade; and it does not leave my side when I am on important clan business. As this business concerns my daughter's future honour, I am therefore obligated to keep it on me. It means no disrespect."

Cologne takes a seat, the point lost. "Well then, get on with it, I don't have all day."

Nodoka sits primly as Ranma watches. Shampoo eyes the girl nervously. The way she's carrying herself, the movements, it's clear she's studying her mother. But there's more to it. The subtle, unconscious gestures she makes, the twitches on her face, the way she holds herself when not studying, they're all female. She can see Akane, and Kasumi and even a little of her in them.

Shampoo isn't stupid. She can put two and two together. Ranma had been absent from school. Nabiki and Akane had both been found discussing about a rock and how it must be another trick. Shampoo doesn't think so, and at this point her world starts crumbling. Her grandmother had taught her to read chi, and Ranma's had always had a fluctuating aspect to it. Now it was simply, steadily female. It was also… softer. Not weak, by any stretch, but muted and serene.

As she watches, Ranma's eyes cast over to Ryouga, who is watching the proceedings with interest, idly twirling the bandanna still. Shampoo doesn't miss the minute look that Ranma probably isn't even aware of, but which still breaks the purple-haired girl's heart further.

She knows what's coming next, and hopes she's strong enough to deal with it without pushing her friends away.

Nodoka bows politely again. "Very well, honoured elder, let me speak plain. Your daughter is to cease pursuing my daughter as a husband. She is not male and therefore not applicable for the Kiss of Marriage. As for the Kiss of Death, she is a noncombatant. She may practice some katas, but she has expressed a most fervent desire to not practice the Art or be a warrior. While she will still fight if she must, she will not pursue challenges, nor will she accept them except in potential spars."

Cologne blinks and looks at Ranma again. The girl nods. "Yes, honoured elder, my mother speaks truth. I awoke to who and what I am. My older self… is gone."

Murderer. The ice in her heart clenches.

Cologne notices this flicker and her concern rises.

Ranma looks to Nodoka and her mother nods. "Tell her the story, dear."

So Ranma does. The rock. The garden. The rock again. The ongoing funeral. Her explosion. She looks ashamedly down as she speaks of the bridge. She doesn't say if she intended to jump or not, just that she fell and was caught by Ryouga. Then meeting her mother. She leaves out the rest.

Cologne 'hmms' to herself as Ranma finishes the story and nods. "Well Ranma, your doctor was correct. Your chi was in flux before, never fully either way. Now it is entirely feminine. Very well. The Kiss of Marriage is hereby rescinded."

Ranma blinks. That was easy. Too easy.

"And the Kiss of Death?" Nodoka asks, hand going to the hilt of the katana. Ryouga stops spinning the bandannas and prepares to throw. Cologne shrugs.

"That detail was already taken care of with Xian Pu's Jusenkyo curse, so is irrelevant. As it is, both would have had to be discarded anyway."

Ranma looks at her, fear in her eyes. "Wh-why?" She asks.

Cologne looks to her. "Because the Saotome Ranma that was subject to those is dead."

Ranma feels the ice clench painfully in her chest and she lets out a gasping sob.

Changeling.

Cuccoo.

Parasite.

Cologne's eyes bore into hers and she looks away, ashamed at the horrid thoughts running through her. Cologne's staff pokes into her side. "You need to stop by here once you're done with your business, young lady." The old woman says. "There's something festering inside you."

Ranma wraps her arms around herself and curls down. Ryouga is there in a flash, quicker than anyone sees. He puts a hand on her shoulder and squeezes it.

Shampoo, watching all of this with heartbreak sighs. She watches as Ranma puts her own hand over Ryouga's and curls up into herself.

The purple-haired girl makes a decision and approaches the two as Cologne motions for Nodoka to follow her to speak away from the children.

Shampoo smiles at Ranma, tilting her chin up to meet the girl's eyes. Ryouga eyes her warily, ready to protect the girl. He seems to be taking whatever cause he's given himself seriously, given the story that's been told, and the untold story of whatever is happening between the two. It seems fast, but then perhaps not. The two of them had always seemed oddly close.

"Shampoo not think Ranma kill old Ranma." She says, remembering how Ranma had spoken of her old life. "Sham- I think we can be friends with no Kiss on line."

"…I'm sorry." Ranma says softly, trying to look down but the finger on her chin keeping her staring into the purple-haired girl's eyes. "…I know you're hurting, Shampoo."

"It does hurt." Shampoo admits, frowning, "But you hurt just as much." She puts a finger to Ranma's heart. "Here. Sh- I see you clutch."

Ryouga looks to her and he nods. So he noticed too.

Ranma doesn't reply, so Shampoo gives her a hug. "Shampoo always want sister. No Airen makes me sad, but at least I still have friend, no?"

Ranma looks up shyly under her bangs at Shampoo but then her face falls.

"Why are you being nice to me?" She asks.

Shampoo blinks. "Because Ranma is Ranma? Even if girl now, Ranma still Ranma. Still Ranma here." She points to the redhead's heart. "Even if different Ranma, is still Ranma."

Ranma shakes her head. "I don't understand."

"…New Ranma thinks she killed old Ranma. But Ranma still here." Shampoo points again. Ranma sighs and just shakes her head.

Nodoka and Cologne finish their discussion, bow to one another and then approach the kids again. Ranma looks up. "Ranma, we're done here." Nodoka says and Cologne nods too.

"Sham- I want to go with Ranma to next place. She need support and Lost Boy here not enough."

"Hey, I'm plenty enough!" Ryouga protests, but Shampoo just sticks her tongue out at him.

Cologne nods. "I was going to suggest you do. Honoured mother," She bows to Nodoka, "Will you accept my great-granddaughter's aid? You appear to be wishing to wrap a lot of this madness in your daughter's life up once and for all, correct?"

Nodoka nods. "That's correct, honoured elder. Our next stop is the Kuonji girl."

"Then my great-granddaughter will certainly be of assistance in corroborating the facts of the matter."

Ranma looks to Shampoo a moment, a shy smile on her face. "Thank you, Shampoo." She says softly.

Shampoo smiles back. "Is okay, Lost Boy is good for new-Ranma smiles, but Shampoo understand girls better than him."

Ryouga raises a finger to make a point and defend himself. Then he puts it down, defeated. Ranma pats his hand where it rests on her shoulder before she too stands. The girl is about to bow to Cologne when instead she throws her arms around the old woman's neck.

"Thank you, honoured grandmother." She says, then steps back, looking embarrassed. Cologne smiles ruefully at her.

"Ah if only the circumstances for you calling me that were otherwise, but fate deals with us in strange ways. Be well, child." She gives a smile. Then her face turns serious. "And make sure you come and see me once this is all done."

Ranma looks to Nodoka who gives a nod. "I will." She says, then follows Nodoka out of the Nekohanten with measured, soft steps, her two friends following.

She doesn't feel she deserves the friendship she's been offered, but she's still grateful for it.