Ritual of the Manhaters
The perfection of the silence was abruptly shattered by a single cry. The birds were shaken from their perches in the trees with such force to shake the leaves from the high branches and sent them hurtling into the air for the wind to toy with. As quickly as it left the silence returned the forest to it's peaceful harmony. The birds once again took to their branches chirping happily.
"This is all your fault!"
"My fault, I'm not the one who challenged a total stranger, stupid!" There would be no more silence in the woods that day.
"What are those two idiots up to now?" Ukyo was the first dressed, she grabbed her trusty combat spatula and headed toward the cause of so much turmoil. Akane and Shampoo followed closely behind dressing as they walked.
"Now come on Ryoga, I don't wanna fight a girl!"
"OK Ranma, NOW you die!"
The three girls finally cleared the trees leading to the adjacent hot spring. They stood gawking at the sight before them. Male Ranma, dressed in only his boxers, fending off a naked, still female, Ryoga.
"How come Ryoga no change back into man?"
"I don't know sugar, but I'm dying to find out."
"Ryoga! Ranma! Cut that out, what happened?"
"What does it look like? UGH! He's still a she and I'm not!" Ranma said while Ryoga held him in a headlock attached to his back.
"He went into the hot spring and he didn't change back?"
"She! She sure didn't." Ranma choked out.
"HE! I'm a HE!" Ranma ran backwards smashing Ryoga into a tree. Ryoga refused to loosen his grip around Ranma's neck. Ranma fell backwards crushing Ryoga with his weight. Instead of letting go Ryoga rolled them both over and twisted his grip. He stood bent over bringing Ranma to his knees making his head squish against Ryoga's breast in the headlock.
"Ryoga!" Ranma struggled to get free, feeling the cold shadow of Akane's mallet looming above his head.
"Ryoga honey. I really don't think you and Ranma should play like this anymore. I mean, at least not until you are a guy again."
Ryoga looked down at his body and dropped Ranma. Falling to his knees, he sat back onto the ground in a heap. Akane grabbed a towel from the rocks and wrapped it around Ryoga's limp body.
"Aiyah! This mean Ryoga never be man again." Shampoo looked momentarily upset, then bounced over to Ranma. "Look like Shampoo only have one husband now, how sad."
Tears started to well up in Ryoga's eyes, he could feel the pity surrounding him and he was disgusted. A yellow aura started to surround him. Ranma sensed the air around them become heavy and quickly came to life, rushing to Ryoga's side, a hand on his shoulder.
"Look man, I'm sure there is a way outta this. I've been stuck as a girl lotsa times and I've always found a cure." Ryoga looked up at Ranma's smiling face, a look of hopefulness finally appearing.
"You really think so?"
"Of course. I mean, first of all he only used the instant stuff, which isn't permanent anyway. Besides, I'm sure once we get a cure for this love potion and we get back to the old ghoul, she's sure to have an idea or two."
"That's right Ryoga, don't worry you'll be back to normal in no time." Akane sat to Ryoga's other side, smiling the same reassuring smile as Ranma.
"Sure, normal." Ryoga whispered, feeling the depression fade.
"Yeah, pretty soon you'll be back to your piggy-self."
"Who's a pig?!" Ryoga launched himself at Ranma knocking him to the ground. He sat on his chest as they tried to strangle each other.
"Have you ever noticed how often we find these two in positions like this?" Ukyo said, a thoughtful expression on her face. All three girls stood in a row watching the boys roll around on the ground.
"You think we should worry?" Shampoo asked.
"Please, they are both men." Akane added.
"Not all the time."
"Not now."
"Hmm." All three stood thinking.
"Ahh!" Ryoga cried out as Ranma pinned his delicate female arm behind his back. He opened his eyes to find the girls staring at them with great interest. Ranma turned his eyes front as well, feeling unnerved by the girls' expressions.
"What's up?" He released Ryoga shoving him forward.
"Ladies?" Ryoga raised a hand to them.
"We just thinking you two fool around awful lot." Shampoo dropped her arms to her side.
"That's because Ranma is such a jerk."
"What do you mean? You start most of the fights!"
"With just cause!"
"Whatever."
"Point is, weren't you in the room when Ryoga ate that attraction stuff?" Ukyo shot at Ranma.
"Yeah, but we are always like this."
"But Ryoga is a girl now." Akane said.
"So I was a girl before and Ryoga never treated me any different."
"Hey, are you having perverted thoughts about me?" Ryoga was suddenly in his face.
"No way, don't make me sick!"
"Just make sure you don't." Ryoga poked him in the head and walked over to his pack pulling out some clothes. The three girls still stared at Ranma.
"Cut it out, I was NOT effected by that potion. We are both guys and I will ALWAYS think of him that way."
"Whatever you say Ranma." Akane turned and walked toward Ryoga. Ranma watched her walk away cursing her with his eyes.
"We are going to be meeting people tomorrow Ryoga. I think it would be better if you wore real girls clothes." A look of dread passed over the girl's lovely features.
"I don't have to wear a dress, right?"
"No of course not." Akane giggled and Ryoga relaxed.
"We play dress up yes?" Shampoo hugged Ryoga from behind making him blush.
"I'm sure we have some nice delicates for you Ryoga." Ukyo laughed.
"You be quiet!" He shouted
"Oh Ryoga so cute. What we put on him first?"
"Hey I'm not a doll you know."
After dressing, Ranma slumped down against a tree and sulked while the girls had their fun. Akane held up a pair of jean shorts for inspection.
"Look Ryoga, boxers just won't work with shorts." The three girls surrounded the small brunette sitting in a circle.
"Well then I won't wear any underwear!"
"Ryoga!" Akane looked shocked.
"Here let's put this on you." Ukyo tried to put a bra on Ryoga, but he wouldn't let her touch him.
"Let me see that shirt again. No, how 'bout the other one? No, this is too small too, don't either of you have anything a bit looser?" Akane held up several shirts from each of the girls, but all where too small to fit around Ryoga's new chest dimensions.
Ryoga stood up, discarding the towel, and pulled the jean shorts over his bare behind. They fit a little loosely, but nothing noticeable. Akane handed him a white T-shirt and he slid it over his head and down to his waist. It stretched across his chest pulling the cotton shirt out of shape. Ryoga didn't give it any notice and put on a pair of Akane's socks.
"Ryoga, I don't think that shirt is working for yah." Ukyo said.
"It'll do fine. I just wanna get this cure go back to Nerima and get back to normal."
"Ryoga really going to attract attention looking like that." Shampoo stood, Akane and Ukyo following. Ryoga was suddenly struck by one of Ranma's yellow short sleeve shirts.
"Huh?"
"They're right, you'll attract attention. It's even your color." Ranma walked up to him.
"Th-thanks."
"It's nothing." Ranma picked up his pack and started back toward camp. Ryoga followed in close pursuit, who was therefore followed by the girls.
The evening came and went quickly for the tired travelers. At the first sign of daylight they were up and preparing for the final leg of their journey to the Temple of Scorned Souls. With a pack slung over each of their shoulders they sat huddled around Ranma for a final review of the directions
"Alright, we are here." Ranma pointed to a place on the map as the girls looked on, Ryoga with a confused look. "Once we're past these rocky ridges we'll be in Spurn Valley, there is a village right before the Temple, where we can stop there for any supplies and stuff."
The girls nodded in recognition while Ryoga looked at him indifferently. "You got that lost girl." Ranma poked Ryoga in the head.
"Who you callin' a girl?!" Ryoga stood up, looking down at him angrily.
"Gee Ryoga, have you seen P-chan recently?" Ranma stood up putting his hand to his cheek feigning a thoughtful expression. He looked down at Ryoga, the brunette growled at him showing off his fangs somehow never shattering his cute female exterior.
"Ranma." He said through gritted teeth, and then jumped a top a boulder to be at his eye level. "Stop looking down at me, you have no right."
As Ryoga straightened his posture, placing his hands on his hips the weight of his pack started to tip him over. He started to cry out, his arms flailing. Ranma grabbed a belt loop with his index finger and stopped him from toppling over.
"You gotta get used to being lighter and having less upper body strength."
"I'll show you upper body strength." Ryoga lunged forward with a punch. Ranma sidestepped out of the way, letting the brunette fall flat on his face.
"See I told you." Ranma bent down and helped him up.
"Come on you two, let's get going I don't want to lose any more business then I have to." Ukyo said, adjusting the load on her back.
They started the days hiking Ryoga tried his best to keep up with Ranma's pace in the lead, but he was right the pack was heavy and Ryoga didn't have the raw strength his male body held. As they climbed the last wall of rock, before they would go down into the valley, the girls were falling behind worn out.
Ranma barely broke a sweat, he looked back to find a winded Ryoga close behind and the other three huddled together trying to make it over the rocks way behind.
"Come on, slow pokes." They just grunted in return, Ryoga keeping all his concentration on continuing to move. "Here Ryoga, lets trade packs yours is three times bigger than everyone else's."
"No way, I can handle it." The brunette said, panting madly. Ranma reached behind him and lifted the pack off of Ryoga's shoulders. Ryoga could feel the stiffness in his shoulders crying out. 'I'm not going to take his pity!'
"Give it back Ranma."
"Ok, when you can take it back from me I'll let you have it." Ranma threw his own pack to Ryoga to carry, along with his umbrella. "I know how LOST you feel without it."
"Ranma, get back here!" Ranma leapt up the rock face laughing, Ryoga bolted after him with newfound energy. The girls fell over from exhaustion.
"God, I'm dying for a drink." Ukyo just barely held herself up, hunched over using her arms for support.
"Me too." Akane slumped over as well, out of breath.
"Shampoo need water." She chose to lean against Ryoga for support.
"There's a restaurant over there. You guys take Ryoga there I'll be right back."
"Where are you going?" Ryoga said in his husky female voice, which he had to admit to himself had a sultry sexy quality to it.
"I'm gonna see if I can find out more about this Temple." Ranma yelled back as he ran off down the street.
"Come on girls, oh sorry Ryoga." Akane said. The girls dragged themselves to the restaurant. It was actually more like a bar, in fact it was a bar, dirt lined the floor and smoke filled the air. All four sat at the bar and ordered water, the bartender scowled at them, but obeyed. Ryoga glanced around, the room was filled with hoodlums giving the girls a once over. Ryoga swiveled in his stool and gave them all a threatening stare before turning back to his companions.
"I don't have a very good feeling about this place." He said to Ukyo, who was sitting to his left. She nodded as she gulped down all the questionable, brown-tinted, fluid before her. He looked over at the other two girls. Akane had her head on the bar and Shampoo was drinking water just as furiously as Ukyo had. A hand slapped down on the counter to Ryoga's right.
"Hey there sweetie." The brunette stared up at the man in disgust, surely this man was not coming on to him. "Lemme buy you a real drink."
He placed his hand on Ryoga's shoulder, which he immediately slapped away. "No thanks pal!"
Ryoga quickly looked around the room and found he was being leered at by all the patrons. He was completely revolted and suddenly felt the need to punish all of them severely.
"You sure are a pretty little thing." The man once again tried to touch Ryoga; he grabbed the man's wrist whipping around him pinning his arm to his back. The stools crashed to the ground, the girls finally awoke and stared at the brunette holding the surly man with her brute force.
"I said no thanks, now hands off." He walked him to the middle of the room then kicked him through the doors of the bar. He stood his ground eyeing the rest of the thugs. One by one they started to get up and advance on him. Ryoga sensed someone else close behind him and turned to find a tall thin man lunging toward him. Ryoga stood ready, but the man never reached him. Ranma stood between them holding the man by the throat.
"I see you're a hit with the guys already." Ranma threw him backward into his three buddies and a wooden table.
"What are you doing? I have everything under control."
"Some thanks." Two more guys charged and Ranma sent them both flying into the wall with a roundhouse kick. Ryoga took out his umbrella and jabbed another thug in the stomach and then smashed him over the head.
"I just thought you might need the help. You can be so stubborn." Ranma said over his shoulder as a younger man lunged at Ryoga. He flipped in the air landing behind the man and kicked him over the bar and into the bottles of liquor. The bartender growled at him, Ryoga smiled back goofily, his hand behind his head. A pair of hands suddenly grabbed him from behind. The brunette screamed as the hands squeezed her breasts. Ranma kicked the guy off and Ryoga turned red with fury.
"OK that's it!" Ryoga started to imagine what it would be like to be stuck a girl for the rest of his life; men fondling his female body, never being able to tell Akane he loved her…
"Uh oh." Ranma saw the yellow aura start to consume Ryoga, the air around him becoming heavy with emotion. Ranma grabbed the three girls at the bar and hauled them out the door just as the sphere of energy formed in Ryoga's hand.
Ranma heard Ryoga's battle cry and covered the girls as best he could. The sound of the explosion shook the ground deafening the cries of those hit by the Shishi Hokodan. Ryoga staggered out of the smoky building his clothes tousled, bits of plaster falling from his brown hair.
"Ha, told yah I could take care of them." Ryoga held up his fist. The ground below him started to loose it's stability and he felt his body go limp. Ranma lunged forward catching the brunette in his arms before he could hit the ground. He scooped him up in his arms and rose to his feet, the girl's body was surprisingly light and tiny in his muscular arms. 'Its hard to believe you're the same brutal jerk.'
"Is Ryoga ok?" Akane said concern making her voice quiver slightly. Ranma turned around and faced the girls.
"Yeah he'll be fine. It's harder to do chi attacks as a girl, takes more energy."
"Well, don't you two look cute." Ukyo folded her arms over her chest.
"Huh? Hey if any of you want to carry this load of bricks be my guest." He said adjusting the girl in his arms as if he was straining to keep her from falling.
"Shampoo no can carry anymore." She rubbed her shoulders and Akane moaned in agreement.
"Well then Ranma, I guess you get to carry all this." Ukyo shoved Ryoga's pack and umbrella, along with Ranma's pack into his already full arms. The girls all nodded heads and started to walk away.
"Hey you guys come on give me a hand. I didn't even get a drink."
"Come on Ranma, we're almost there." Akane shouted back to him. He looked down at Ryoga's unconscious face and thought to himself 'this is all your fault.'
"So, did you find out anything about the temple?" Akane looked back and couldn't help but giggle. Ranma growled still holding Ryoga and the two packs.
"When is this jerk going to wake up." Ranma shook the girl in his arms, but she just proceeded to make a snoring noise.
"Ranma, the temple?"
"Right. Its some fanatical group of women who hate men, I guess the only way you can go in is if you've been dumped or somethin'. The men in the village really didn't seem to like them."
"D'yah notice we were the only women there." Ukyo added.
"Yeah Spatula girl right, all men." A low moan came from the load in Ranma's arms.
"Hey, I think he's waking up." They all stopped and looked down as Ryoga stirred a bit, his eyes fluttering open. The first face he saw was Ranma smiling down at him, he abruptly freaked, jumping out of Ranma's arms.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Listen stupid, you fainted, so I carried you!"
Ryoga felt the incredible headache throbbing in his temples and started to feel a little woozy. "What's wrong with me? I didn't do that big a blast."
"It works different when you're a girl. Try to think smaller next time." Ranma threw the brunette the smaller pack and his umbrella. "Don't want to be carrying you the whole trip."
"I see temple!" Shampoo shouted from the top of the ridge.
"Those who enter the holy temple of scorned souls must have no love for men in their hearts." Akane read aloud the plaque outside the large gold doors of the ancient construct. "What do you suppose that means?"
"I guess they don't like men too much." Ranma said, dousing himself with a flask of cold water. Ukyo walked up to the door and pulled the gold rope making a loud chiming noise. The sound of commotion and muffled voices could be heard from the outside. A slot in the door opened and a pair of purple eyes looked at each of the girls in turn.
"Yes, what do you want?" The female voice asked agitated.
"We are interested in joining your group." Ranma said stepping forward.
"You want to become priestesses?" The woman said in disbelief.
"Yup, sure do. Hate men spit on 'em." The eyes narrowed from behind the slot.
"Are you serious, you're not selling something are you?"
"No really ma'am, we want to join." Akane said smiling. Suddenly the slot closed and the girls looked at each other frustrated. Then they heard the sound of locks and chains being removed and the door swung open. There stood an attractive woman with dark violet hair to match her eyes. She was dressed in a flowing white gown with gold stitching along the edge.
"Come in, come in. We don't get a lot of pledges anymore. Too many women getting married these days." She excitedly implored the group to enter. The inside of the temple was made of white marble with plush gold and purple rugs lining the floor. The attractive woman, seemingly in about her mid-twenties, introduced herself as Megumi, the high priestess of the Temple.
"So, what do you have to do to become a priestess?'' Ranma asked.
"Well, first you have to go through a purification ritual. Then we have to perform the ceremony of scorned souls. Not much to it anymore, we used to have trials by fire, but we lost more and more pledges that way." Ukyo and Akane exchange glances. "Just a few tests really, nothing to worry about."
"Is it true you have potions that repel the opposite sex?" Ryoga asked.
"Sure, we have a lot of potions at the altar that can get rid of men." She said with great enthusiasm. She led them through the temple showing them various monuments toward hating men and explained all the rules of never associating with men. They finally arrived at a room full of shimmering waterfalls spilling into shallow pools with gorgeous women bathing. Ryoga and Ranma immediately turned around and headed back out the door.
"What are we gonna do?" Ryoga said in a panic.
"You girls haven't changed your minds have you?"
"Oh no, we just already had our baths for the day." Ranma said smiling.
"Well, this is a ritual cleansing not a bath. Come, we'll need to take your clothes off."
Ryoga just giggled like a fool and had to be dragged through the room by Ukyo. Akane stayed at Ranma's side blocking his view of the bathing priestesses.
"This is just great." The two boys stood in the corner of the room, undressing away from the others.
"Look, just keep your eyes on the floor and try not to walk into anything."
"Right, eyes down." Ryoga dropped his head.
"And try not to get a bloody nose."
"Shut up." Ranma went to turn around but Ryoga grabbed his arm. "What are you doing?"
"What does it look like."
"Akane is probably naked over there."
"I'm not going to look at that tomboy." A foot connected with Ranma's head plastering his face into the wall.
"Who are you calling a tomboy." Ryoga timidly turned to find Akane standing in a white towel. Their eyes met and they both flushed.
"We finally get to take bath together." Shampoo started toward Ryoga, but found Ukyo standing in front of him her hands on her hips also covered in a towel.
"Spatula girl really getting in Shampoo's hair." She said in her usual dulcet voice.
"Don't worry soon you won't have to worry about me anymore." Shampoo turned away her arms crossed.
"Another successful save." Ukyo smiled turning to Ryoga. He stood with his hand behind his head smiling.
"Looks like I probably owe you now." They both laughed then looked down at each other and blushed.
"Let's just get this over with." Ukyo turned away adjusting her towel. Ryoga averted his eyes to the ground 'If I can just keep my eyes on the floor.' The girls followed Megumi to a set of stools near a large waterfall in the middle of the room.
Ryoga and Ranma sat away from the girls on stools next to each other grumbling to themselves. A beautiful blonde in a sheer white gown approached Ryoga and offered to bath him. He kept his eyes on the ground and started to giggle like a mad man until Ranma hit him over the head. Two gorgeous young women scrubbed their backs turning both boys bright red. 'Eyes on the ground, eyes on the ground…' they chanted over and over again in their heads.
"We'll make you nice and clean." Both women dumped buckets of warm water over the men simultaneously. Ranma changed almost instantly; luckily the two women turned for their scrub brushes and didn't notice. Ryoga whipped around and splashed Ranma with a bucket of cold water changing him back before anyone noticed.
"I think we're all clean now." Ranma said frantically.
"But we haven't washed your hair yet. We can't finish the ceremony unless you have been completely cleansed of all impurities." Both boys slumped over defeated.
"Don't worry we'll take over." Akane said walking over with Ukyo. Shampoo hugged Ranma.
"I wash yes?"
"No Shampoo, I can't touch hot water and you can't touch cold. I don't want a c-cat on my head." Ranma shivered at the thought.
"Oh well, Shampoo wash Ryoga then."
"I don't think so." Ukyo was already dousing Ryoga with warm water.
"This no fun at all." Shampoo sat on the floor turning away from them. Akane walked behind Ranma and grabbed the bottle of shampoo.
"Just a little off the top and light on the conditioner, 'k."
"Don't tempt me Ranma. I have a bucket of warm water and a room full of manhaters." She poured the shampoo into her hand and slowly began to lather Ranma's red hair, gently working it into his scalp. Ranma began to slump forward feeling more and more relaxed by her tender fingers massaging his scalp. She placed her hands on his shoulders and gently straightened him.
"Don't make me lean over you." She tried to get his braid lathered as much as she could without undoing it. She walked away and Ranma watched her fill the bucket with cold water. He kept his eyes on the ground as she walked back.
"Put your head back or you'll get soap in your eyes."
"Ah, ok." Ranma leaned his head back and Akane cradled his head in her hand while pouring the water over his hair. He looked up into her eyes, she looked so calm and serene. She continued to pour, pausing to run her fingers through his hair making sure she rinsed out all the soap. She let him put his head back up, and started to dry his hair with a towel. Noticing the shivers that racked Ranma's body she moved the towel to around his shoulders.
"Thanks." He said teeth chattering. She moved to kneeling in front of him.
"I guess you never get used to it. The cold water I mean." She said ringing the water from his braid. Ranma clutched the towel tightly and realized for the first time that his heart was racing in his chest. He looked away from her and saw Ukyo rinsing the suds from Ryoga's hair. His posture completely unfeminine, slouching forward his legs spread open about shoulder width his elbows resting on his thighs.
"Aren't you jealous?" Ranma asked and Akane turned and saw them together.
"Yes, but…" Ranma frowned at her response.
"You should have washed him and let Ukyo do me."
"Oh, I see. I'm sorry I wasn't the girl you wanted!"
"I didn't-" Ranma was interrupted by a sponge full of soap flying into his mouth. He grumbled to himself bubbles billowing upward.
"Ready to begin the ceremony?"
"You mean that wasn't part of it?" Ukyo asked.
"No." Megumi laughed. "You just needed to be clean. We start the ceremony with a test of endurance. A woman has to be able to maintain her resolve when it comes to a man. To prove your endurance stand underneath this waterfall for as long as possible."
They started toward the waterfall Shampoo lagging behind. "Shampoo not quite clean enough yet."
She ran back to the stool and vigorously started to wash her hair. Ryoga and Ranma walked to the far end of the waterfall and stepped under. Akane and Ukyo stayed as far away from them as they could.
"W-would-dn-n't it b-be t-t-terribb-ble if y-you ch-changed-d r-right n-now." Ranma laughed under the ice-cold water.
"S-s-shut-t up-p R-r-ranma."
Ukyo and Akane didn't last too long, they gave up after about twenty minutes and retired to a soak in the warm water of a large bath, the size of a swimming pool. Shampoo on the other hand was having a problem with a few of the priestesses.
"No Shampoo not ready yet." She was backing away as the women advanced on her. She turned to run and tripped into the cold waterfall. Now in cat form, Shampoo ran through the waterfall and right on top of Ranma's head.
"C-C-CAT!" Ranma ran around the room flailing his arms around yelling at the top of his lungs. He slid on a bar of soap and went soaring on the porcelain into the water. A full-grown Shampoo popped out of the water. She looked around furiously wondering where Ranma went.
Ranma held his breath, but the pool was shallow and they were sure to discover him. He searched under the water until he found a girl in the corner with a towel. He took a chance that it was Akane and headed toward her. Akane sat at the pool's edge lounging back, her towel draped over her chest. Her head lay back on the porcelain. A pigtail bobbed in the water near her knees.
"Huh?" Ranma's head popped up she quickly sat up closing her legs and clutching her towel.
"Ssh. You gotta help me."
"What are you doing down there?" She whispered turning red in the face.
"I fell in. I didn't want them to find me."
"Well what am I-get down!" She shoved his head under water putting her legs out to cover him smiling at the two priestesses walking by. She pulled Ranma out of the water by his pigtail. He choked out some water and Akane shushed him.
"I hope you had a reason for that."
"Do you want my help or not?"
"Sorry, sorry." Ranma held up his hands and Akane looked around. She saw a large plant at the opposite corner near the wall. 'Perfect.'
"Ok, if we can make it over there I'll cover you while you jump into the plant then I can pour some cold water on you." Ranma agreed it was a good plan. "Swim around me and we'll work our way over."
Akane quickly turned away from him as he swam behind her.
"What?"
"Couldn't you have gotten a towel or something?"
"Gee I didn't have a chance when I was sliding on the soap."
"You're incredible." She said exasperated.
"Why thank you."
"That's not what I meant!" She gritted her teeth catching the attention of a couple women in the middle of the pool. She stopped and smiled. They smiled back and turned away Akane sighed and they started again. When they reached the corner Akane looked around cautiously.
"Ok, wait till I stand up then go."
"Right, no peeking."
"I'll try to control myself." She stood and he jumped into the plant. Akane sighed in relief and walked over to get a bucket of water and doused the plant.
"What are you doing?" Megumi walked up behind her with the rest of their group.
"Huh? Oh your plant looked thirsty, hehe."
"Akane strange girl, don't pay any attention." Shampoo said. Akane smiled and they turned around walking toward the direction of their clothes. Ranma jumped out of the plant in front of Akane.
"Great now they think I'm weird."
"Don't worry," he said placing a hand on her shoulder "you are weird."
"Shut up Ranma." She didn't have the energy to hit him.
After dressing in the same white gowns the rest of the women wore the group followed the priestess to a great hall with a gold altar. Ranma and Ryoga exchanged glances. The priestess lined them up, Ryoga at the far right then Ranma, Akane, Ukyo and Shampoo.
"First of all are you all virgins?"
The girls' eyes bugged out of their heads. She looked first at Ryoga who squeaked out a yes. Then to Ranma, all three fiancées turned to him as well.
"Yes." He stuttered then turned to the girls. "What?"
They just shook their heads and faced forward. She followed down the line getting a yes from each of them.
"Good."
"Is that part of the ceremony?" Ranma asked.
"Nope." She smiled as they all nearly fell to the ground. "Ok, let's start the second test." She clapped her hands together and walked over to the altar and opened a wooden box and pulled out a large crystal then walked back over to Shampoo.
"Tell me are you in love with a man?"
"No." The crystal turned a bright red.
"You are not truthful." The smile faded from the priestess' face and Shampoo turned her eyes to the floor. She moved over to Ukyo and asked the same question, her response of no also made the crystal glow red. She proceeded to Akane and got the same results. When she got to Ranma she had no hope left she was greatly surprised when the crystal stayed as clear as day. And then even more surprised when Ryoga also passed.
"I'm sorry girls you can't become priestesses it is strictly forbidden to be in love." Leaving the two boys alone, Megumi showed the three girls to the door. In her absence Ranma and Ryoga searched the room for the potion. After a few a minutes of searching they finally found the repulsion potion and Ryoga stashed it in his pack.
"It nice meeting crazy man hating women." Shampoo smiled brightly at the priestess as she swung the massive doors closed behind them.
"Great. Now they are in their all by themselves." Akane huffed resting her hands on her hips. She looked down at the priestess outfit she wore and sighed. It was comfortable and attractive, but not very practical for the upcoming trip back home.
"Well I guess all we can do is wait." Ukyo shrugged.
"I'm going to get changed out of this dress." Akane slung her pack over one shoulder and headed away from the doors of the ancient temple the sound of something moving about on the roof making her turn back. A small object was thrown to the ground between the three girls exploding into a wall of yellow smoke. Faintly their coughs could be heard by the figure above the ease he listened and waited for the inevitable thud that signaled their unconscious state.
Revised 7/15/00
Disclaimer - All that legal mumbo-jumbo. This isn't mine it's
somebody else's and they get all the money.
Oh yeah - Any comments, compliments, "you suck" emails to JLee011@sprintmail.com
Lin Lee