A Ranma 1/2 Alternate Histories Company Presents:
Helping Myself.
By Felix Webster ( Felix Warstar )
Disclaimer: All original Ranma 1/2 Characters and Back story
Copyright Rumiko Takahashi. This is written for fun and not for any
profit so please don't sue as I'm a poor writer who one day hopes to
write something original and become a so called professional writer.
. . this is just practice.
Chapter 3:
- The Dojo -
The few people walking on the streets during this uncommonly rainy
day turned in wonderment as a young red haired girl came siding to a
halt from a full out run down the connected street. She looked like
she was expecting an attack to come as she held a defensive stance
after dropping her backpack and faced the way she came.
"What took you so long?" A female voice asked to the girl's right
causing her to spin and face the red haired woman leaning against a
pole nearby.
"You won't win this one!" the girl cried out as she launched herself
at the woman who looked similar to her making those who still watched
wonder if it was a family dispute and that they should just turn
away. But like a train wreck they kept watching.
The girl turned out to very skilled as her attacks came at the woman
at incredible speeds but the woman showed that she was better by
dodging each without parrying any, "Why can't we go back ta China!"
"I told you before that the springs won't help end this for you,"
the woman replied calmly as she continued to dodge. "And you know I'm
better versed in this, I've had this problem longer."
"But you don't mind this!" the girl stopped to pull her red Chinese
style silk shirt out a bit at the chest.
"Ranma! Have I made your time as a girl that BAD?" the woman asked
as she stood with her hands on her hips. Her own version of red silk
shirt and black pants seemed to fit better unlike the bagginess of
the girl's.
"No. . . But I can't live like this!" Ranma protested loudly. "It's
been over a week since the last change!"
"Then you don't have to worry. We'll both get some hot water when we
get to our destination," Ryu chuckled softly as she picked up her
pack from beside the pole.
"That's the other problem!" Ranma ran up to her Cousin with her own
pack on her back again. "How is any girl going ta accept me like
this? I'm barely a guy anymore!"
"Ranma, I've told you many times that you are what you feel you
are," Ryu shook her head slightly disappointed at the other girl.
"Even when you're a girl you're still a guy inside and that's all that
matters."
"That still don't answer the question!" Ranma replied exasperated.
"I'm a freak! How is any girl gonna want this?"
"Ranma, This is a matter of family honour so do me a favour and give
them a chance to accept you," Ryu said rolling her eyes wondering if
she was as bad when Pop had tried to bring her to the Tendo's.
"Family honour!?! Pop had no honour!" Ranma spat out in distaste.
"And any 'friend' of his is probably just as bad as him!"
"Hey! It's very dishonourable to make assumptions about a person
like that without knowing them!" Ryu scolded as she turned on the
younger girl. "And Soun Tendo is also a friend of our. .your Mother!
She was all for this 'joining of schools' so you'd better at
least give it a chance!"
"I. . I don't even remember my Mother," Ranma said quietly with her
head down. "I want ta, but I don't."
"You will," Ryu said then added under her breath, ". . Once I figure
out a way around that blasted pact."
- - - -
Soun Tendo looked at his daughters disappointed by their reaction to
his wondrous news. Each was giving him their opinion about the idea
in their own way. Akane was livid and ready to storm out at any
moment, Nabiki looked at him in disbelief as her opinion of him seemed
to go down a bit for pulling something like this, and Kasumi. . .
Well, Kasumi just sipped her tea silently but she gave her Father an
unpleasant glare over the rim of the cup, if he wasn't careful he'd
be making his own dinner over the next little while.
"Why don't you three get changed for Ranma and Ryu to show them that
they are at least welcome here," Soun suggested talking to all of
them but looking directly at Akane who was tightening her old Gi.
"I don't see why, they aren't really welcome," Akane replied out the
side of her mouth.
"Akane! Ranma has just recently lost his own Father, my old friend,
and he could at least use a friend or two who understands what it
feels like to lose a parent," Soun stated sternly holding back the
tears thinking about his wife almost always caused.
"Yeah Akane, we should at least give him a chance," Nabiki agreed
then smiled. "Anyways neither one of us can get married for awhile so
we have time to get to know him first to see if we like him or not."
"I guess. . ." Akane replied feeling scolded but the fire came back
to her eyes quickly. "But I'm not doing anything special for him."
"Your loss then," Nabiki smirked as she got up to go get changed.
"After all he is at least a world traveller, you never know the kinds
of things he's learned in places like China."
"Who is Ryu, Father?" Kasumi asked calmly before Nabiki could leave.
"Ryu is Ranma's older Cousin. I remember him when he trained under
my old friend Genma, he was quite good at the Art back then," Soun
replied smiling at the memories. "He's probably gotten much better
since then."
"Are we engaged to him too?" Nabiki asked from where she had stopped
when Kasumi asked a question she should have thought of herself.
"Not exactly," Soun said looking a little unsure about his answer.
Nabiki narrowed her eyes at him as she asked in a cold tone, "What
do you mean 'not exactly'?"
"Well, technically. . . The engagement is between the two schools. .
and Ryu is both a Saotome and now the oldest practitioner of the
Saotome-Ryu so he could take the engagement promise on as his own," Soun
replied still not sure this was completely true. "But I'm sure at his
age he already has at least a girlfriend if not a fiance."
"I still don't understand the last part of the postcard though,"
Soun said as he held up the card. "Please have some hot water waiting
for us."
"They probably will want a bath after travelling for so long,"
Kasumi replied as she got up and walked into the kitchen.
Soun wasn't so sure about that.
- - - -
The family was back at the table a little while later as they
awaited the arrival of their guests. Kasumi and Nabiki had both
changed into Kimonos as their Father had requested but Akane simply
changed into one of her better Gi outfits. Soun was about to comment
on this for the third time when the front gate was heard to be
opened. Springing to his feet he went to meet the two with Nabiki in
close pursuit behind him. Kasumi walked to the livingroom opening and
waited for them to come in, and Akane sipped her tea in anger.
"Saotome! It's good to have you. . . here?" Soun started as he
turned the corner but got confused as he met a young woman with red
hair and her younger sister. "Can I help you?"
"Uncle Soun! It's good to see you!" Ryu said with a large smile as a
planted memory told her that they knew each other that way.
"Do. . do I know you Miss?" Soun asked in nervous confusion as the
woman gave him a huge hug around his neck.
Nabiki gave the action a shocked look for a moment then turned back
to her ice queen coldness, "She seems to think so Daddy."
"Honestly I've never met this girl before," Soun protested as Kasumi
and Akane came to see what the commotion was.
Ryu leaned back a bit looking confused then realized the position
she was putting her Uncle in, she let go before trying to explain,
"Sorry, I'm a bit more emotional when female."
"And that is another reason I don't like being a girl," Ranma said
out of the side of her mouth as the Tendos looked on confused by
both statements.
"Is this Ranma?" Akane asked looking at the red haired girl
curiously no longer seeming to be angry.
"If it is then I don't think we have to worry about that engagement
thing anymore," Nabiki said with a nasty smile as she poked Ranma's
chest. "We may be getting more liberal in things but marriages
between two girls are still frowned on, and defiently not legal."
"Would you stop that please," Ranma brought up an arm to protect her
breast from the odd girl's strange need to poke her there.
"Why don't we go in and I'll explain everything," Ryu suggested with
a sigh and started to walk into the house.
- - - -
Kasumi, Nabiki, and Akane sat in shock, they had just watched both
redheads turn into two *very* male people with nothing more then some
hot water. . . Akane was tempted to pour some on herself to see if it
would do the same to her, only out of curiosity of course.
"Jusenkyo huh? I remember Genma talking about the place," Soun said
in thought. The change hadn't fazed him much and both Nabiki and Ryu
caught that fact, although Ryu realized that he hadn't been very
fazed by it the first time in his former world either. "I guess it's
true horror is finally known."
"It wouldn't been a mystery if Pop had just asked the Guide!" Ranma
stated loudly sounding like he was restraining himself from screaming
as he stood in anger. Both Nabiki and Akane looked like they felt
sorry for him as both were trying to deal with the fact that he was
incredibly hansom as a boy, just as he had been beautiful as a girl.
"Now I have to deal with. . with. ."
Akane shook the thought from her mind as she her inner pride welled
up, "It's not so bad being a girl!"
"It is if you've been raised to be a 'man among men' and taught that
things like emotions are a sign of weakness," Ryu said sadly dropping
his head and shaking it slightly.
"Was Genma still pushing that nonsense in his training? I thought
Nodoka had knocked some better sense in him when he tried that with
you?" Soun asked a little shocked by the statement.
"No, he still held onto that idea," Ryu replied trying not to notice
that Kasumi was giving him an odd look as she sipped her tea. "But
I've been trying to teach Ranma different as I've had my curse longer
and had time to learn that lesson better."
"I don't want to learn to be a girl! I'm a guy and I don't do things
like play with dolls and stuff!" Ranma protested earning him nasty
looks from all three girls.
"I'm a girl and I gave up dolls years ago!" Akane said with her
raising anger showing in her voice.
"I'm sure Ranma was just generalizing to get a point across and not
making a statement about the women in this room. Right Ranma?" Ryu
tried to diffuse the time bomb that the famous Saotome mouth had
started ticking.
"Ah. . yeah, I just don't like the weird way that my girl body feels
and all. . it ain't natural," Ranma said doing something nearly
impossible, catching his Cousin's hint.
"Well, technically it isn't natural, it's supernatural since it's
caused by magic," Nabiki agreed with a smirk.
"Thanks, that helped," Ranma replied sarcastically.
"This isn't really a problem then," Soun stated with a smile. "We
can still do the engagement then."
"This is Kasumi, she's seventeen years old," Soun indicated the
oldest girl who looked at Ranma for a brief moment over her tea cup
before looking back at Ryu again.
"This is Nabiki, she's fifthteen years old," Sound pointed out the
middle girl with the short brown hair who simply smiled at Ranma.
"And last, This is Akane my youngest. She and you are the same age,
fourteen," Soun said with an obvious push as he talked about the girl
in the Gi with the long blue-black hair. "Choose one and she will be
your fianc. ."
"Whoa! Wait a second Uncle Tendo. I think since Ranma can't marry
anyone for a few years that he and your daughters should have a
chance to get to know each other before a decision like that is
made," Ryu stated quickly before Akane or Ranma could blow up.
"I guess that would be wise. . but I also think that there should at
least be a token engagement to show. . a honourable
connection between the two families until then," Soun countered not
giving up.
"Akane, why don't you take him for a year, then I take him for a
year to see if we are. . compatible?" Nabiki suggested with a sly
smile.
"Why do I have to take him first!?!" Akane protested mostly out of
reflex about being forced into something.
"I get it, no one wants the freak!" Ranma replied loudly in anger
mixed with an edge of depression.
"That's not it!" Akane screamed back then looked apologetic. "I. .
I'm just not sure I'm ready for a boyfriend yet, let alone a fiance."
"Well neither am I!" Ranma agreed then paused when the three girls
and the two men looked like they were desperately trying not to
laugh. "I. . I mean I'm not ready for a girlfriend yet either."
"We knew what you meant Ranma," Ryu replied as he straighten his
face. "But you both have to try at this. . . Besides it'll give you a
chance to learn the Tendo-ryu and Akane to learn the Saotome-ryu
making the schools complete."
"Why yes it would wouldn't it," Soun said with a sly smile as he
gave Ryu an unnerving look. "And I could open the Dojo to full
students again now that I have help in teaching. I've gotten too old
to do it all by myself."
"Translation: You want me to take all the classes while you get to
play the old wise master off to the side watching the young ones
progress," Ryu countered sarcastically. "I've been trained by one of
the best con artists in all of Japan, and probably China, too so don't
try to pull a fast one on me."
"I would never even suggest something like that," Soun replied
trying to look shocked, amazed, and slightly offended at the idea
all at the same time.
"I'm so sure Daddy," Nabiki rolled her eyes as she added her own
comment in mild disgust.
"I'm sure Father meant well, he is getting on in age and shouldn't
be over taxing his old heart after all," Kasumi replied in defence
making her Father out to be an old crippled man on his death bed.
"Is that why he's getting easier to beat in our sparring!" Akane
exclaimed in faux surprise. "And here I thought he was just going
easy on me."
"Yes unfortunately, our Father may not be long to this world. . ."
Kasumi started to say but was interrupted.
"Girls! I'm still in the prime of my life! Please don't talk about
me like that. . It's a very bad omen!" Soun protested loudly.
"If you are in the 'prime of your life' then reopening the Dojo
shouldn't be a problem," Nabiki smiled evilly. "We could use the
income around here."
Ignoring the continued 'pick on Father' game Nabiki had drawn her
Dad into Akane turned to Ranma, "So you're the heir the Saotome school.
. wanta spar?"
Ranma gave Ryu a look at this and got a simple response, "Go ahead,
but remember keep your skill level a little above your opponent. . we
wouldn't want to insult anyone by showboating now would we?"
"Yes Sensai!" Ranma replied quickly then leapt up to follow Akane
towards the Dojo.
- - - -
"Nice place," Ranma stated as he looked around the well used but
well kept Dojo. "Must be nice ta get ta use just one place over and
over again instead of a different one every week or so."
"I would have thought you'd be against the idea of one place over
and over again, the same place does get monotonous after a while,"
Akane replied surprised. "Living on the road must have given you lots
of adventures?"
"Some, but it also gave me a lot of problems," Ranma frowned and
undid his ponytail so he could retie it a little tighter.
"Here let me," Akane grabbed the hair tie and Ranma's long black
hair then started to braid it into something a little more nicer.
"This should look good in either form your in."
"um. . thanks," Ranma pulled the end over his shoulder and gave it a
look. His hair may not be as long as either Ryu's or Akane's but it
did come down to his upper-middle back and was a pain in combat when
it was loose. "I was thinkin' of getting' it cut anyways."
"No, don't! It looks nice like that," Akane protested. "And the
braid makes it look even better. You'll look fantastic as a girl with
it."
"I thought ya didn't like. . " Ranma started to say but was cut off.
"I'm not happy about the engagement. . okay, I'm ready to knock
someone into orbit about it really, but I really don't mind the fact
you change into a girl," Akane smiled as she quickly corrected Ranma.
"Although I noticed you're already more developed than me and I'm
kinda jealous about that."
"Why? Your chest looks great. ."
"Pervert! You've been checking me out!" Akane leaned forward with
her hands on her hips in mock anger.
"Hey! And ya weren't doin' that ta me!?! How else would ya know I
was better built in the chest?" Ranma asked in anger and confusion,
he really was touchy about the pervert stuff since the curse.
"Better built!?! Those things will just get in the way with the
amount they swing!" Akane replied as the mock anger was starting to
build into the real stuff. "And don't think I didn't see the fact you
weren't wearing a bra earlier! Those things will be down to you knees
by the time you're twenty like that!"
"Whoa, I thought we were going ta spar not ta fight. . well, not
verbally fight," Ranma backed up slightly warding off the ticked off
girl. "How'd it get so out of hand?"
Akane took a moment to let the question sink in before turning a
little red, "I. . I seem to be getting touchy about people ogling me
lately. There's this person at school in my class who has started to
get a little fresh and a lot protective of me. . and they're a little too
forceful about their acts of affection."
"Then we'll have ta deal with the problem won't we," Ranma said with
a nasty grin.
"We?" Akane asked looking confused.
"Ryu said I'd be goin' ta school in the area so I think it'll be
with you and Nabiki," Ranma smiled as he started to warm up. "Pop
always use ta say school was useless but Ryu's been through College
and we've needed a lot of the stuff he learned so Pop was wrong about
that too."
"Ah. . Ranma, that might be a little diff. . oh wait no it won't,"
Akane started to explain then smiled slightly when she remembered why
it wasn't going to be a problem.
"Hey, are ya gonna warm up first? I don't wantcha to pull a muscle
or nothin'," Ranma said as he started a simple kata. . . simple for
him that is.
Akane started doing a warm up almost as soon as Ranma brought it up
but after a few seconds she just stood mesmerized by the grace and
skill that Ranma was showing. Unfortunately for Akane she had just
entered her awkward period of growth and it was hell to get through
even one kata without having to fight for her balance.
Ranma stopped after he finished the series then noticed the look
from the girl, "What?"
"That was incredible! I wish I could move like that," Akane replied
not sure if she should just enjoy seeing that kind of grace or be
jealous of that kind of skill. Fortunately for Ranma she chose to
smile and enjoy having seen that kata, "Could you teach me that?"
"Sure. It's just a basic warm up kata," Ranma shrugged.
"That was a basic warm up!?!" Akane blinked loudly. "What do you for
a real kata!?"
"I can show you later. You wanted to spar didn't you?" Ranma offered
as he asked her basically if she still wanted to spar.
"Ah. . yeah I do," Akane replied and got into a somewhat overused
basic stance.
Ranma put a pleasant smile on his face and just waited for her to
come to him as he stood with his hands in his pockets and looked like
he wasn't paying attention. She seemed to be having a run of thoughts
going through head about why he was acting like that but the end
result was she got angry.
"Take me seriously!!" she screamed as she came forwards with a
straight punch, it was barely pushed aside by Ranma putting two
fingers to the wrist and giving a small shove. She carried her attack
into a series of kicks mixed with punches every once in a while to
add some chaos to her moves.
Ranma was having fun. Akane may not be on his level of skill but
there was defiently potential in her, just one more thing Pop got
wrong, it no longer made him wonder why Ryu had said he'd teach here.
He had seen her potential while sitting at the table.
Ranma was trying to follow Ryu's instructions so he didn't insult
the honour of his opponent, he simply parried the assault, this
caused some of the blows to get through since he was having problems
keeping up the chaos Akane was throwing at him, finally he decided
that one flashy move was okay and back flipped over a kick going up
straight and flipping back to a standing position a little distance
away with his hands back in his pockets and a smile on his face.
Akane stopped and panted slightly as she caught her breath, she
narrowed her eyes at the boy as she was getting angry at him for
being such a bastard by making it look so effortless to avoid her.
She knew it wasn't his fault, but she needed to focus on it because she didn't want to believe she was so far behind in her own training.
Shifting her stance she ran forwards again to give him a powerful
punch but her feet caught and she started to fall, only to find that
she landed on Ranma as he put himself between her and the floor and
took the impact. Looking at him she saw him simply give a nervous
lopsided grin that made her want to smile back but she shook that
off. Pushing herself off him and the ground she sat up and crossed
her arms looking very angry, "I'm not a China doll Ranma! I can take
a fall you know!"
"But ya shouldn't have ta if there's someone ta catch ya," Ranma
replied as he started getting off the ground himself, Akane was
heavier than he though she was.
"I guess. . ." Akane said quietly as her anger slipped away.
"We sparred enough for today dontcha think?" Ranma stood up and
smiled trying to hide the soreness of his back. "It was fun, and
you've got great potential. . Ryu is going ta love trainin' you."
"Yo. . you think I'm good?" Akane asked in disbelief. "Even I could
tell you weren't bothering to try hard against me!"
"Akane. . Ryu's been explainin' ta me that the kinda trainin' I did
made me better then most others, but that trainin' I did cost me
lots," Ranma said sadly as he leaned against the wall looking away
from Akane. "I was on the road for eight years travellin' every few
weeks ta someplace new. I have maybe two friends in the world besides
Ryu, and I haven't seen my Mother in all that time. Ryu says she's
still alive but I have no way ta know that or not. . or even what she
looks like. My Pop died while trainin' me and I've become a freak, so
my skill came at a really high price."
"Ranma. . you're not a freak," Akane replied in concern. "So stop
calling yourself one! And you have three friends now."
Ranma looked and the black haired girl a little shocked, "Ya mean
that?"
"As long as you don't push this engagement stuff then yes I do,"
Akane smiled back. "As long as you want to be friends?"
"Yeah, yeah I do."
- - - -
Ryu sat sipping his fresh tea giving the younger Kasumi a closer
look, it seemed that at two years younger she was more of a 'regular'
person instead of the sweat Kasumi that he knew her for. It was kind
of nicer this way as no one could doubt this Kasumi's intelligence
like many would later.
"So you two will be staying with us for awhile?" Kasumi asked with a
neutral smile on her face, both her and Nabiki were very interested
in the answer.
"Well Uncle Genma had plans to retire here after Ranma married one
of you girls, neither him or Ranma really can go home anymore. Unless
Uncle Soun doesn't want us here we'll have to find a place near by,"
Ryu said giving Soun raised eyebrows in question.
"Of course you and Ranma will stay here!" Soun offered immediately.
"I would never throw the children of dear departed good friends into
the streets!"
"Oh, Father," Kasumi and Nabiki said in unison as both lowered their
heads slightly depressed.
"Don't worry about us, both of us can help out around here," Ryu
said smiling. "I'm a pretty good cook and Ranma is close to the same
level, plus there's the Dojo's reopening to help pay for our stay too."
"Well. . yeah, there is isn't there," Nabiki smiled at both of the
two men. "We defiently need income coming in somehow."
"I can understand that, someone could be tempted to turn to minor
crimes otherwise," Ryu gave a knowing smile towards Nabiki whose face
fell for a brief moment then looked back a little scared. He started
to think that it wasn't the best line of tactics after that look, she
was terrified about something to do with the comment.
"Yes, some one might think that family was so important that the law
shouldn't hinder them in providing for it," Kasumi agreed looking at
Nabiki out of the corner of her eyes. Nabiki wasn't acting the way
that Ryu expected, there was no 'Ice Queen' here yet. . . the
beginnings of the persona was building but Nabiki wasn't herself as
far as Ryu was concerned.
"I have to go and prepare the guestroom," Kasumi excused herself as
she got up and walked out.
"Do you play Shogai?" Soun asked with a sly smile nodding towards
the playing board on the porch.
"Not very often anymore," Ryu replied getting the feeling that was
one thing that was going to change.
- - - -
Kasumi waited near the Dojo for the two who were sparring to come
out. She wasn't sure what to think about the Saotomes as she had just
met them but she was sure that life was going to get. . . interesting
with them here. She would be polite and as pleasant as she could be
as it seemed to make her Father happy to see her that way, but she
was starting to worry that it would become her lot in life as
housekeeper and substitute Mother for her sisters for many years to
come. The oldest of the pair though had caught her attention, the
pain and loss for him was even greater than Ranma's and she didn't
know why.
Standing lost in though she almost missed the pair coming out after
they finished, snapping back to reality she held out the towels she
brought with her, "You've been sparring and had a long travel to get
here so please go take a bath."
"Um. . thanks. . but. . ." Ranma tried to reply as he realized that
she was holding out two towels one the each Akane and himself.
"You can either let Akane takes hers first or you can go first, but
if you go last you can soak more of that grit off you," Kasumi
continued almost curtly as she realized what the boy was bothered by.
"Either way you choose just please take a bath."
"Um. . okay," Ranma took the offered towel then looked nervously at
Akane.
"Oh! Come on Ranma!" Akane said in exasperation as she grabbed his
hand and dragged him off to the bath. Ranma almost stumbled behind
her but he didn't stop her.
- - - -
Ryu looked up from the Shogai board briefly as Kasumi came back into
the room. "Any problems Kasumi?" he asked as he caught Soun's hand
without looking before the older man could cheat.
"Oh. . no, no problems. I was just making sure that your Cousin got
a bath tonight," Kasumi replied as she tried to calm the sudden jump
in speed of her heart. That was the other thing she was confused about
with Ryu. . he set off everything in her.
"Bath?. . ." Ryu's eyes went wide in shock as if that one word spelt
the end of the world then got up running towards the furo.
"I wonder what that was about?" Kasumi asked no one in particular
then shrugged and walked into the kitchen.
- - - -
Ryu had to stop this from happening again! It was the one action
among all actions that first day that had put a rift between him and his
Akane. He couldn't let it happen here too.
Running into the outer room of the furo he called out in almost
panic, "Ranma? You in here?"
"Ryu? What's wrong?" the female voice of Ranma's cursed form asked
from behind the sliding door and a form began to show in the thin
rice paper.
"Oh good! I was afraid you or Akane would walk in on each other,"
Ryu said in relief and closed the door behind him adding the occupied
sign to the handle which was missing.
"How could we walk in on each other if we're both in here?" another
voice asked from the furo area causing Ryu's heart to stop in more
then one way.
"A. Ak. Akane!?! You and. . and Ranma are both in there!?!" Ryu
asked in disbelief.
"Well yeah, we both needed a bath after sparring and it's easier to
get a clean back with someone's help," Akane said as if it was obvious.
"B. .But Ranma's a boy!" Ryu protested starting to wonder if this
was one of the interferences he was warned of.
"Not right now she isn't. She a very cute redhead at the moment with
exactly the same body parts as I have," Akane replied with a smile
that could be heard in her voice. "And she been very polite all the
time she's been in here."
"Ranma, are you alright in there?" Ryu asked in concern for his
younger self as he new that Ranma wasn't too comfortable as a girl.
"You know you could come in too. All you have to do is change into
that woman from earlier," Akane offered before Ranma could reply.
Ryu looked of a bucket quickly then he was a she and opening the
door in an instant. She tried to ignore the sudden longing she felt
at seeing Akane in a way that she hadn't in a long time. Shaking it
off she realize that while Akane was taking a soak, Ranma was sitting
on the stool covering herself carefully and not looking much at
Akane, "Ranma, are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm, um, fine," Ranma looked up with a touch of confusion. "I
just have to wait for Akane to finish before I can soak."
"I think I can help with that," Ryu replied as she started to take
off the bracelet she always wore and handed it to Ranma. "Put this on
and think about locking the curse for. . say an hour and then you can
soak with Akane without changing."
"Wha. . why do you have this?" Ranma looked at the twin dragon
heads, one gold and on silver, that came together by their heads in
the front above and below a red stone. It looked like an odd yin-yan
symbol to her and it felt ancient with a lot of power.
"It has other abilities that help with our curse to make life
easier," Ryu said trying not to look at Akane herself. "And before
you ask, no it can't hold you in your male form against cold water."
"Ah," Ranma replied as she slipped the bracelet on and it became a
perfect fit.
"I want it back after the bath," Ryu stated as she left the two
still amazed and confused by the actions of Akane. She was almost
back to living room when it hit her, this Akane was two years younger
and didn't have the hentai hoard chasing her each morning like she
would when she was in highschool. She almost laughed at that, then
she started to curse one Tatewaki Kuno again as it seemed that Akane
was a very out going girl with a firm sense of herself and her body
before he got involved.
- - - -
"So what was the problem?" Soun asked as Ryu sat done, he almost had
a heart attack when Ryu blurred her hands over the board and put it
back to the way it was before she left.
"I was worried that Ranma would forget to put the occupied sign on
the door and someone would walk in on him," Ryu answered calmly as
she made her move. "Ranma's not used to living in a house with women,
but I didn't have to worry."
"Oh? Why not" Soun asked as he made his own move cursing the fact he
was losing.
"Akane was already in the furo with Ranma," Ryu grabbed the back of
Soun's Gi with one hand to stop him from running to the bathroom and
moved a piece with her other. "It's okay, Ranma's a girl at the
moment."
"But she becomes a boy again with HOT water! There's a big source of
that in the furo!" Soun countered. "I should have realized a son of
Genma's. . ."
"It was Akane's idea," Ryu cut him off calmly. "And I gave Ranma
something that will stop the change back from happening for awhile.
So please sit down and finish the game."
Soun blinked in confusion at the woman for a few moments causing Ryu
to turn her head to face him, "Uncle Tendo. . Ranma is too confused
about his, or her body to even think about taking liberties with some
other girl. Any girl who wanted something out of him right now would
have to rape him, or her, and I doubt Akane is quite that bold. . yet."
"I. . I'll take you word for it at the moment. I've known you long
enough to know you wouldn't lie about something like this," Soun
replied as he sat down and moved a piece without looking at it. "But
I'm not happy about this."
"Then you should have a talk with your daughters about it," Ryu
stated almost coldly as she moved a piece to finish the game.
- - - -
Ryu laid back on the bedding that covered the sleeping mat she was
going to be using until she bought a futon for herself and another
for Ranma. The day had gone a lot weirder then she expected and she
didn't know if Akane's boldness was going to be a good thing or not
for the relationship between her and Ranma.
She was almost in a state of sleep when the light came. A glowing
ball coming in from the open window that quickly changed to a
familiar form.
"Hi!" Sakura greeted in a cuddly cute way as she stood hovering a
foot off the floor.
"And what do I owe the honour of this visit?" Ryu asked in a
slightly nasty tone.
"I. . I brought you a present," Sakura pouted sounding hurt and a
little confused. "What did I do?"
"Nothing. I'm just feeling a little homesick right now," Ryu replied
a little less angry.
"Oh," Sakura felt a bit guilty. "Don't worry, you'll find someone
here. . as long as you look and are open to it."
"What did you bring me?" Ryu changed the subject.
"It isn't for you actually, it's for Ranma," Sakura smiled as she
held out a bracelet that Ryu recognized as like the one currently
on Ranma's wrist.
"Does it do the same things as mine?" Ryu asked as she took the gold
and silver piece of magic made form.
"It's not as old as your," Sakura replied as she started to vanish.
"Ranma will need it tomorrow."
"Wait! Does that mean it's weaker then mine or not as faded in it's
magic?" Ryu called after the transparent image.
"Can't tell you," Sakura giggled before disappearing completely.
"Great," Ryu shook her head at meddling little child-Kami who were
of little help as she looked at the bracelet and the blue stone in
between the dragon heads.
- - - -
"Who was that!?!" Sakura stood up in shock and panic as she pointed
at the screen in the mist.
"I do not know," the man replied as he cocked an eyebrow at the last
images he'd seen. "But I think our opponent is getting bolder."
"Should I go and get that bracelet?" Sakura turned to look for
approval from her Poppa. "Or at least let Ryu know that *that* wasn't
me?"
"No, I don't think so. That bracelet isn't dangerous really. . at
least no more then the one that Ryu wears," the man stated as his
gaze seemed to unfocus for a moment then came back to normal.
"But we can't allow this to keep happening!" Sakura almost pleaded
as the thought of someone else that looked like her was *not* right!
"No we can't," the man agreed. "You may go, but only to use the
traces of that girl's energy to seal her out of this string. You may
not have any interaction with anyone there."
"Yes Poppa!" the girl shrieked happily as she suddenly disappeared.
- - - -
Authors Notes:
'OOC! OOC! I'm gonna make you OOC!'
I realize that all three girls are out of character a bit (okay
okay, a lot!) But this came as a large discussion with friends here
about what would Akane be like without the Hentai Hoard. The end
decision was that Akane was a Tomboy and wouldn't take things like
being naked around others so badly (hey, you're naked around lots of
strangers when you go to public baths after all), as long as she can
say to herself that she was only in the furo with another girl she
could deal with it as a normal thing. Nabiki's reaction was a series of
thoughts put to the idea that she was young enough not to have
develop the 'Ice Queen' persona completely yet and hadn't come to
terms with some of the things she was doing to keep the house solvent.
Kasumi was the change suggested by the person who is meddling in my
story. . . It's going to lead into a bigger problem later for Ryu.
The second bracelet was the other suggestion and I agreed that it
would both help and hinder Ranma later.
Hope you still like the story as I still plan to write it. Please
review.
Next: - School -
Helping Myself.
By Felix Webster ( Felix Warstar )
Disclaimer: All original Ranma 1/2 Characters and Back story
Copyright Rumiko Takahashi. This is written for fun and not for any
profit so please don't sue as I'm a poor writer who one day hopes to
write something original and become a so called professional writer.
. . this is just practice.
Chapter 3:
- The Dojo -
The few people walking on the streets during this uncommonly rainy
day turned in wonderment as a young red haired girl came siding to a
halt from a full out run down the connected street. She looked like
she was expecting an attack to come as she held a defensive stance
after dropping her backpack and faced the way she came.
"What took you so long?" A female voice asked to the girl's right
causing her to spin and face the red haired woman leaning against a
pole nearby.
"You won't win this one!" the girl cried out as she launched herself
at the woman who looked similar to her making those who still watched
wonder if it was a family dispute and that they should just turn
away. But like a train wreck they kept watching.
The girl turned out to very skilled as her attacks came at the woman
at incredible speeds but the woman showed that she was better by
dodging each without parrying any, "Why can't we go back ta China!"
"I told you before that the springs won't help end this for you,"
the woman replied calmly as she continued to dodge. "And you know I'm
better versed in this, I've had this problem longer."
"But you don't mind this!" the girl stopped to pull her red Chinese
style silk shirt out a bit at the chest.
"Ranma! Have I made your time as a girl that BAD?" the woman asked
as she stood with her hands on her hips. Her own version of red silk
shirt and black pants seemed to fit better unlike the bagginess of
the girl's.
"No. . . But I can't live like this!" Ranma protested loudly. "It's
been over a week since the last change!"
"Then you don't have to worry. We'll both get some hot water when we
get to our destination," Ryu chuckled softly as she picked up her
pack from beside the pole.
"That's the other problem!" Ranma ran up to her Cousin with her own
pack on her back again. "How is any girl going ta accept me like
this? I'm barely a guy anymore!"
"Ranma, I've told you many times that you are what you feel you
are," Ryu shook her head slightly disappointed at the other girl.
"Even when you're a girl you're still a guy inside and that's all that
matters."
"That still don't answer the question!" Ranma replied exasperated.
"I'm a freak! How is any girl gonna want this?"
"Ranma, This is a matter of family honour so do me a favour and give
them a chance to accept you," Ryu said rolling her eyes wondering if
she was as bad when Pop had tried to bring her to the Tendo's.
"Family honour!?! Pop had no honour!" Ranma spat out in distaste.
"And any 'friend' of his is probably just as bad as him!"
"Hey! It's very dishonourable to make assumptions about a person
like that without knowing them!" Ryu scolded as she turned on the
younger girl. "And Soun Tendo is also a friend of our. .your Mother!
She was all for this 'joining of schools' so you'd better at
least give it a chance!"
"I. . I don't even remember my Mother," Ranma said quietly with her
head down. "I want ta, but I don't."
"You will," Ryu said then added under her breath, ". . Once I figure
out a way around that blasted pact."
- - - -
Soun Tendo looked at his daughters disappointed by their reaction to
his wondrous news. Each was giving him their opinion about the idea
in their own way. Akane was livid and ready to storm out at any
moment, Nabiki looked at him in disbelief as her opinion of him seemed
to go down a bit for pulling something like this, and Kasumi. . .
Well, Kasumi just sipped her tea silently but she gave her Father an
unpleasant glare over the rim of the cup, if he wasn't careful he'd
be making his own dinner over the next little while.
"Why don't you three get changed for Ranma and Ryu to show them that
they are at least welcome here," Soun suggested talking to all of
them but looking directly at Akane who was tightening her old Gi.
"I don't see why, they aren't really welcome," Akane replied out the
side of her mouth.
"Akane! Ranma has just recently lost his own Father, my old friend,
and he could at least use a friend or two who understands what it
feels like to lose a parent," Soun stated sternly holding back the
tears thinking about his wife almost always caused.
"Yeah Akane, we should at least give him a chance," Nabiki agreed
then smiled. "Anyways neither one of us can get married for awhile so
we have time to get to know him first to see if we like him or not."
"I guess. . ." Akane replied feeling scolded but the fire came back
to her eyes quickly. "But I'm not doing anything special for him."
"Your loss then," Nabiki smirked as she got up to go get changed.
"After all he is at least a world traveller, you never know the kinds
of things he's learned in places like China."
"Who is Ryu, Father?" Kasumi asked calmly before Nabiki could leave.
"Ryu is Ranma's older Cousin. I remember him when he trained under
my old friend Genma, he was quite good at the Art back then," Soun
replied smiling at the memories. "He's probably gotten much better
since then."
"Are we engaged to him too?" Nabiki asked from where she had stopped
when Kasumi asked a question she should have thought of herself.
"Not exactly," Soun said looking a little unsure about his answer.
Nabiki narrowed her eyes at him as she asked in a cold tone, "What
do you mean 'not exactly'?"
"Well, technically. . . The engagement is between the two schools. .
and Ryu is both a Saotome and now the oldest practitioner of the
Saotome-Ryu so he could take the engagement promise on as his own," Soun
replied still not sure this was completely true. "But I'm sure at his
age he already has at least a girlfriend if not a fiance."
"I still don't understand the last part of the postcard though,"
Soun said as he held up the card. "Please have some hot water waiting
for us."
"They probably will want a bath after travelling for so long,"
Kasumi replied as she got up and walked into the kitchen.
Soun wasn't so sure about that.
- - - -
The family was back at the table a little while later as they
awaited the arrival of their guests. Kasumi and Nabiki had both
changed into Kimonos as their Father had requested but Akane simply
changed into one of her better Gi outfits. Soun was about to comment
on this for the third time when the front gate was heard to be
opened. Springing to his feet he went to meet the two with Nabiki in
close pursuit behind him. Kasumi walked to the livingroom opening and
waited for them to come in, and Akane sipped her tea in anger.
"Saotome! It's good to have you. . . here?" Soun started as he
turned the corner but got confused as he met a young woman with red
hair and her younger sister. "Can I help you?"
"Uncle Soun! It's good to see you!" Ryu said with a large smile as a
planted memory told her that they knew each other that way.
"Do. . do I know you Miss?" Soun asked in nervous confusion as the
woman gave him a huge hug around his neck.
Nabiki gave the action a shocked look for a moment then turned back
to her ice queen coldness, "She seems to think so Daddy."
"Honestly I've never met this girl before," Soun protested as Kasumi
and Akane came to see what the commotion was.
Ryu leaned back a bit looking confused then realized the position
she was putting her Uncle in, she let go before trying to explain,
"Sorry, I'm a bit more emotional when female."
"And that is another reason I don't like being a girl," Ranma said
out of the side of her mouth as the Tendos looked on confused by
both statements.
"Is this Ranma?" Akane asked looking at the red haired girl
curiously no longer seeming to be angry.
"If it is then I don't think we have to worry about that engagement
thing anymore," Nabiki said with a nasty smile as she poked Ranma's
chest. "We may be getting more liberal in things but marriages
between two girls are still frowned on, and defiently not legal."
"Would you stop that please," Ranma brought up an arm to protect her
breast from the odd girl's strange need to poke her there.
"Why don't we go in and I'll explain everything," Ryu suggested with
a sigh and started to walk into the house.
- - - -
Kasumi, Nabiki, and Akane sat in shock, they had just watched both
redheads turn into two *very* male people with nothing more then some
hot water. . . Akane was tempted to pour some on herself to see if it
would do the same to her, only out of curiosity of course.
"Jusenkyo huh? I remember Genma talking about the place," Soun said
in thought. The change hadn't fazed him much and both Nabiki and Ryu
caught that fact, although Ryu realized that he hadn't been very
fazed by it the first time in his former world either. "I guess it's
true horror is finally known."
"It wouldn't been a mystery if Pop had just asked the Guide!" Ranma
stated loudly sounding like he was restraining himself from screaming
as he stood in anger. Both Nabiki and Akane looked like they felt
sorry for him as both were trying to deal with the fact that he was
incredibly hansom as a boy, just as he had been beautiful as a girl.
"Now I have to deal with. . with. ."
Akane shook the thought from her mind as she her inner pride welled
up, "It's not so bad being a girl!"
"It is if you've been raised to be a 'man among men' and taught that
things like emotions are a sign of weakness," Ryu said sadly dropping
his head and shaking it slightly.
"Was Genma still pushing that nonsense in his training? I thought
Nodoka had knocked some better sense in him when he tried that with
you?" Soun asked a little shocked by the statement.
"No, he still held onto that idea," Ryu replied trying not to notice
that Kasumi was giving him an odd look as she sipped her tea. "But
I've been trying to teach Ranma different as I've had my curse longer
and had time to learn that lesson better."
"I don't want to learn to be a girl! I'm a guy and I don't do things
like play with dolls and stuff!" Ranma protested earning him nasty
looks from all three girls.
"I'm a girl and I gave up dolls years ago!" Akane said with her
raising anger showing in her voice.
"I'm sure Ranma was just generalizing to get a point across and not
making a statement about the women in this room. Right Ranma?" Ryu
tried to diffuse the time bomb that the famous Saotome mouth had
started ticking.
"Ah. . yeah, I just don't like the weird way that my girl body feels
and all. . it ain't natural," Ranma said doing something nearly
impossible, catching his Cousin's hint.
"Well, technically it isn't natural, it's supernatural since it's
caused by magic," Nabiki agreed with a smirk.
"Thanks, that helped," Ranma replied sarcastically.
"This isn't really a problem then," Soun stated with a smile. "We
can still do the engagement then."
"This is Kasumi, she's seventeen years old," Soun indicated the
oldest girl who looked at Ranma for a brief moment over her tea cup
before looking back at Ryu again.
"This is Nabiki, she's fifthteen years old," Sound pointed out the
middle girl with the short brown hair who simply smiled at Ranma.
"And last, This is Akane my youngest. She and you are the same age,
fourteen," Soun said with an obvious push as he talked about the girl
in the Gi with the long blue-black hair. "Choose one and she will be
your fianc. ."
"Whoa! Wait a second Uncle Tendo. I think since Ranma can't marry
anyone for a few years that he and your daughters should have a
chance to get to know each other before a decision like that is
made," Ryu stated quickly before Akane or Ranma could blow up.
"I guess that would be wise. . but I also think that there should at
least be a token engagement to show. . a honourable
connection between the two families until then," Soun countered not
giving up.
"Akane, why don't you take him for a year, then I take him for a
year to see if we are. . compatible?" Nabiki suggested with a sly
smile.
"Why do I have to take him first!?!" Akane protested mostly out of
reflex about being forced into something.
"I get it, no one wants the freak!" Ranma replied loudly in anger
mixed with an edge of depression.
"That's not it!" Akane screamed back then looked apologetic. "I. .
I'm just not sure I'm ready for a boyfriend yet, let alone a fiance."
"Well neither am I!" Ranma agreed then paused when the three girls
and the two men looked like they were desperately trying not to
laugh. "I. . I mean I'm not ready for a girlfriend yet either."
"We knew what you meant Ranma," Ryu replied as he straighten his
face. "But you both have to try at this. . . Besides it'll give you a
chance to learn the Tendo-ryu and Akane to learn the Saotome-ryu
making the schools complete."
"Why yes it would wouldn't it," Soun said with a sly smile as he
gave Ryu an unnerving look. "And I could open the Dojo to full
students again now that I have help in teaching. I've gotten too old
to do it all by myself."
"Translation: You want me to take all the classes while you get to
play the old wise master off to the side watching the young ones
progress," Ryu countered sarcastically. "I've been trained by one of
the best con artists in all of Japan, and probably China, too so don't
try to pull a fast one on me."
"I would never even suggest something like that," Soun replied
trying to look shocked, amazed, and slightly offended at the idea
all at the same time.
"I'm so sure Daddy," Nabiki rolled her eyes as she added her own
comment in mild disgust.
"I'm sure Father meant well, he is getting on in age and shouldn't
be over taxing his old heart after all," Kasumi replied in defence
making her Father out to be an old crippled man on his death bed.
"Is that why he's getting easier to beat in our sparring!" Akane
exclaimed in faux surprise. "And here I thought he was just going
easy on me."
"Yes unfortunately, our Father may not be long to this world. . ."
Kasumi started to say but was interrupted.
"Girls! I'm still in the prime of my life! Please don't talk about
me like that. . It's a very bad omen!" Soun protested loudly.
"If you are in the 'prime of your life' then reopening the Dojo
shouldn't be a problem," Nabiki smiled evilly. "We could use the
income around here."
Ignoring the continued 'pick on Father' game Nabiki had drawn her
Dad into Akane turned to Ranma, "So you're the heir the Saotome school.
. wanta spar?"
Ranma gave Ryu a look at this and got a simple response, "Go ahead,
but remember keep your skill level a little above your opponent. . we
wouldn't want to insult anyone by showboating now would we?"
"Yes Sensai!" Ranma replied quickly then leapt up to follow Akane
towards the Dojo.
- - - -
"Nice place," Ranma stated as he looked around the well used but
well kept Dojo. "Must be nice ta get ta use just one place over and
over again instead of a different one every week or so."
"I would have thought you'd be against the idea of one place over
and over again, the same place does get monotonous after a while,"
Akane replied surprised. "Living on the road must have given you lots
of adventures?"
"Some, but it also gave me a lot of problems," Ranma frowned and
undid his ponytail so he could retie it a little tighter.
"Here let me," Akane grabbed the hair tie and Ranma's long black
hair then started to braid it into something a little more nicer.
"This should look good in either form your in."
"um. . thanks," Ranma pulled the end over his shoulder and gave it a
look. His hair may not be as long as either Ryu's or Akane's but it
did come down to his upper-middle back and was a pain in combat when
it was loose. "I was thinkin' of getting' it cut anyways."
"No, don't! It looks nice like that," Akane protested. "And the
braid makes it look even better. You'll look fantastic as a girl with
it."
"I thought ya didn't like. . " Ranma started to say but was cut off.
"I'm not happy about the engagement. . okay, I'm ready to knock
someone into orbit about it really, but I really don't mind the fact
you change into a girl," Akane smiled as she quickly corrected Ranma.
"Although I noticed you're already more developed than me and I'm
kinda jealous about that."
"Why? Your chest looks great. ."
"Pervert! You've been checking me out!" Akane leaned forward with
her hands on her hips in mock anger.
"Hey! And ya weren't doin' that ta me!?! How else would ya know I
was better built in the chest?" Ranma asked in anger and confusion,
he really was touchy about the pervert stuff since the curse.
"Better built!?! Those things will just get in the way with the
amount they swing!" Akane replied as the mock anger was starting to
build into the real stuff. "And don't think I didn't see the fact you
weren't wearing a bra earlier! Those things will be down to you knees
by the time you're twenty like that!"
"Whoa, I thought we were going ta spar not ta fight. . well, not
verbally fight," Ranma backed up slightly warding off the ticked off
girl. "How'd it get so out of hand?"
Akane took a moment to let the question sink in before turning a
little red, "I. . I seem to be getting touchy about people ogling me
lately. There's this person at school in my class who has started to
get a little fresh and a lot protective of me. . and they're a little too
forceful about their acts of affection."
"Then we'll have ta deal with the problem won't we," Ranma said with
a nasty grin.
"We?" Akane asked looking confused.
"Ryu said I'd be goin' ta school in the area so I think it'll be
with you and Nabiki," Ranma smiled as he started to warm up. "Pop
always use ta say school was useless but Ryu's been through College
and we've needed a lot of the stuff he learned so Pop was wrong about
that too."
"Ah. . Ranma, that might be a little diff. . oh wait no it won't,"
Akane started to explain then smiled slightly when she remembered why
it wasn't going to be a problem.
"Hey, are ya gonna warm up first? I don't wantcha to pull a muscle
or nothin'," Ranma said as he started a simple kata. . . simple for
him that is.
Akane started doing a warm up almost as soon as Ranma brought it up
but after a few seconds she just stood mesmerized by the grace and
skill that Ranma was showing. Unfortunately for Akane she had just
entered her awkward period of growth and it was hell to get through
even one kata without having to fight for her balance.
Ranma stopped after he finished the series then noticed the look
from the girl, "What?"
"That was incredible! I wish I could move like that," Akane replied
not sure if she should just enjoy seeing that kind of grace or be
jealous of that kind of skill. Fortunately for Ranma she chose to
smile and enjoy having seen that kata, "Could you teach me that?"
"Sure. It's just a basic warm up kata," Ranma shrugged.
"That was a basic warm up!?!" Akane blinked loudly. "What do you for
a real kata!?"
"I can show you later. You wanted to spar didn't you?" Ranma offered
as he asked her basically if she still wanted to spar.
"Ah. . yeah I do," Akane replied and got into a somewhat overused
basic stance.
Ranma put a pleasant smile on his face and just waited for her to
come to him as he stood with his hands in his pockets and looked like
he wasn't paying attention. She seemed to be having a run of thoughts
going through head about why he was acting like that but the end
result was she got angry.
"Take me seriously!!" she screamed as she came forwards with a
straight punch, it was barely pushed aside by Ranma putting two
fingers to the wrist and giving a small shove. She carried her attack
into a series of kicks mixed with punches every once in a while to
add some chaos to her moves.
Ranma was having fun. Akane may not be on his level of skill but
there was defiently potential in her, just one more thing Pop got
wrong, it no longer made him wonder why Ryu had said he'd teach here.
He had seen her potential while sitting at the table.
Ranma was trying to follow Ryu's instructions so he didn't insult
the honour of his opponent, he simply parried the assault, this
caused some of the blows to get through since he was having problems
keeping up the chaos Akane was throwing at him, finally he decided
that one flashy move was okay and back flipped over a kick going up
straight and flipping back to a standing position a little distance
away with his hands back in his pockets and a smile on his face.
Akane stopped and panted slightly as she caught her breath, she
narrowed her eyes at the boy as she was getting angry at him for
being such a bastard by making it look so effortless to avoid her.
She knew it wasn't his fault, but she needed to focus on it because she didn't want to believe she was so far behind in her own training.
Shifting her stance she ran forwards again to give him a powerful
punch but her feet caught and she started to fall, only to find that
she landed on Ranma as he put himself between her and the floor and
took the impact. Looking at him she saw him simply give a nervous
lopsided grin that made her want to smile back but she shook that
off. Pushing herself off him and the ground she sat up and crossed
her arms looking very angry, "I'm not a China doll Ranma! I can take
a fall you know!"
"But ya shouldn't have ta if there's someone ta catch ya," Ranma
replied as he started getting off the ground himself, Akane was
heavier than he though she was.
"I guess. . ." Akane said quietly as her anger slipped away.
"We sparred enough for today dontcha think?" Ranma stood up and
smiled trying to hide the soreness of his back. "It was fun, and
you've got great potential. . Ryu is going ta love trainin' you."
"Yo. . you think I'm good?" Akane asked in disbelief. "Even I could
tell you weren't bothering to try hard against me!"
"Akane. . Ryu's been explainin' ta me that the kinda trainin' I did
made me better then most others, but that trainin' I did cost me
lots," Ranma said sadly as he leaned against the wall looking away
from Akane. "I was on the road for eight years travellin' every few
weeks ta someplace new. I have maybe two friends in the world besides
Ryu, and I haven't seen my Mother in all that time. Ryu says she's
still alive but I have no way ta know that or not. . or even what she
looks like. My Pop died while trainin' me and I've become a freak, so
my skill came at a really high price."
"Ranma. . you're not a freak," Akane replied in concern. "So stop
calling yourself one! And you have three friends now."
Ranma looked and the black haired girl a little shocked, "Ya mean
that?"
"As long as you don't push this engagement stuff then yes I do,"
Akane smiled back. "As long as you want to be friends?"
"Yeah, yeah I do."
- - - -
Ryu sat sipping his fresh tea giving the younger Kasumi a closer
look, it seemed that at two years younger she was more of a 'regular'
person instead of the sweat Kasumi that he knew her for. It was kind
of nicer this way as no one could doubt this Kasumi's intelligence
like many would later.
"So you two will be staying with us for awhile?" Kasumi asked with a
neutral smile on her face, both her and Nabiki were very interested
in the answer.
"Well Uncle Genma had plans to retire here after Ranma married one
of you girls, neither him or Ranma really can go home anymore. Unless
Uncle Soun doesn't want us here we'll have to find a place near by,"
Ryu said giving Soun raised eyebrows in question.
"Of course you and Ranma will stay here!" Soun offered immediately.
"I would never throw the children of dear departed good friends into
the streets!"
"Oh, Father," Kasumi and Nabiki said in unison as both lowered their
heads slightly depressed.
"Don't worry about us, both of us can help out around here," Ryu
said smiling. "I'm a pretty good cook and Ranma is close to the same
level, plus there's the Dojo's reopening to help pay for our stay too."
"Well. . yeah, there is isn't there," Nabiki smiled at both of the
two men. "We defiently need income coming in somehow."
"I can understand that, someone could be tempted to turn to minor
crimes otherwise," Ryu gave a knowing smile towards Nabiki whose face
fell for a brief moment then looked back a little scared. He started
to think that it wasn't the best line of tactics after that look, she
was terrified about something to do with the comment.
"Yes, some one might think that family was so important that the law
shouldn't hinder them in providing for it," Kasumi agreed looking at
Nabiki out of the corner of her eyes. Nabiki wasn't acting the way
that Ryu expected, there was no 'Ice Queen' here yet. . . the
beginnings of the persona was building but Nabiki wasn't herself as
far as Ryu was concerned.
"I have to go and prepare the guestroom," Kasumi excused herself as
she got up and walked out.
"Do you play Shogai?" Soun asked with a sly smile nodding towards
the playing board on the porch.
"Not very often anymore," Ryu replied getting the feeling that was
one thing that was going to change.
- - - -
Kasumi waited near the Dojo for the two who were sparring to come
out. She wasn't sure what to think about the Saotomes as she had just
met them but she was sure that life was going to get. . . interesting
with them here. She would be polite and as pleasant as she could be
as it seemed to make her Father happy to see her that way, but she
was starting to worry that it would become her lot in life as
housekeeper and substitute Mother for her sisters for many years to
come. The oldest of the pair though had caught her attention, the
pain and loss for him was even greater than Ranma's and she didn't
know why.
Standing lost in though she almost missed the pair coming out after
they finished, snapping back to reality she held out the towels she
brought with her, "You've been sparring and had a long travel to get
here so please go take a bath."
"Um. . thanks. . but. . ." Ranma tried to reply as he realized that
she was holding out two towels one the each Akane and himself.
"You can either let Akane takes hers first or you can go first, but
if you go last you can soak more of that grit off you," Kasumi
continued almost curtly as she realized what the boy was bothered by.
"Either way you choose just please take a bath."
"Um. . okay," Ranma took the offered towel then looked nervously at
Akane.
"Oh! Come on Ranma!" Akane said in exasperation as she grabbed his
hand and dragged him off to the bath. Ranma almost stumbled behind
her but he didn't stop her.
- - - -
Ryu looked up from the Shogai board briefly as Kasumi came back into
the room. "Any problems Kasumi?" he asked as he caught Soun's hand
without looking before the older man could cheat.
"Oh. . no, no problems. I was just making sure that your Cousin got
a bath tonight," Kasumi replied as she tried to calm the sudden jump
in speed of her heart. That was the other thing she was confused about
with Ryu. . he set off everything in her.
"Bath?. . ." Ryu's eyes went wide in shock as if that one word spelt
the end of the world then got up running towards the furo.
"I wonder what that was about?" Kasumi asked no one in particular
then shrugged and walked into the kitchen.
- - - -
Ryu had to stop this from happening again! It was the one action
among all actions that first day that had put a rift between him and his
Akane. He couldn't let it happen here too.
Running into the outer room of the furo he called out in almost
panic, "Ranma? You in here?"
"Ryu? What's wrong?" the female voice of Ranma's cursed form asked
from behind the sliding door and a form began to show in the thin
rice paper.
"Oh good! I was afraid you or Akane would walk in on each other,"
Ryu said in relief and closed the door behind him adding the occupied
sign to the handle which was missing.
"How could we walk in on each other if we're both in here?" another
voice asked from the furo area causing Ryu's heart to stop in more
then one way.
"A. Ak. Akane!?! You and. . and Ranma are both in there!?!" Ryu
asked in disbelief.
"Well yeah, we both needed a bath after sparring and it's easier to
get a clean back with someone's help," Akane said as if it was obvious.
"B. .But Ranma's a boy!" Ryu protested starting to wonder if this
was one of the interferences he was warned of.
"Not right now she isn't. She a very cute redhead at the moment with
exactly the same body parts as I have," Akane replied with a smile
that could be heard in her voice. "And she been very polite all the
time she's been in here."
"Ranma, are you alright in there?" Ryu asked in concern for his
younger self as he new that Ranma wasn't too comfortable as a girl.
"You know you could come in too. All you have to do is change into
that woman from earlier," Akane offered before Ranma could reply.
Ryu looked of a bucket quickly then he was a she and opening the
door in an instant. She tried to ignore the sudden longing she felt
at seeing Akane in a way that she hadn't in a long time. Shaking it
off she realize that while Akane was taking a soak, Ranma was sitting
on the stool covering herself carefully and not looking much at
Akane, "Ranma, are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm, um, fine," Ranma looked up with a touch of confusion. "I
just have to wait for Akane to finish before I can soak."
"I think I can help with that," Ryu replied as she started to take
off the bracelet she always wore and handed it to Ranma. "Put this on
and think about locking the curse for. . say an hour and then you can
soak with Akane without changing."
"Wha. . why do you have this?" Ranma looked at the twin dragon
heads, one gold and on silver, that came together by their heads in
the front above and below a red stone. It looked like an odd yin-yan
symbol to her and it felt ancient with a lot of power.
"It has other abilities that help with our curse to make life
easier," Ryu said trying not to look at Akane herself. "And before
you ask, no it can't hold you in your male form against cold water."
"Ah," Ranma replied as she slipped the bracelet on and it became a
perfect fit.
"I want it back after the bath," Ryu stated as she left the two
still amazed and confused by the actions of Akane. She was almost
back to living room when it hit her, this Akane was two years younger
and didn't have the hentai hoard chasing her each morning like she
would when she was in highschool. She almost laughed at that, then
she started to curse one Tatewaki Kuno again as it seemed that Akane
was a very out going girl with a firm sense of herself and her body
before he got involved.
- - - -
"So what was the problem?" Soun asked as Ryu sat done, he almost had
a heart attack when Ryu blurred her hands over the board and put it
back to the way it was before she left.
"I was worried that Ranma would forget to put the occupied sign on
the door and someone would walk in on him," Ryu answered calmly as
she made her move. "Ranma's not used to living in a house with women,
but I didn't have to worry."
"Oh? Why not" Soun asked as he made his own move cursing the fact he
was losing.
"Akane was already in the furo with Ranma," Ryu grabbed the back of
Soun's Gi with one hand to stop him from running to the bathroom and
moved a piece with her other. "It's okay, Ranma's a girl at the
moment."
"But she becomes a boy again with HOT water! There's a big source of
that in the furo!" Soun countered. "I should have realized a son of
Genma's. . ."
"It was Akane's idea," Ryu cut him off calmly. "And I gave Ranma
something that will stop the change back from happening for awhile.
So please sit down and finish the game."
Soun blinked in confusion at the woman for a few moments causing Ryu
to turn her head to face him, "Uncle Tendo. . Ranma is too confused
about his, or her body to even think about taking liberties with some
other girl. Any girl who wanted something out of him right now would
have to rape him, or her, and I doubt Akane is quite that bold. . yet."
"I. . I'll take you word for it at the moment. I've known you long
enough to know you wouldn't lie about something like this," Soun
replied as he sat down and moved a piece without looking at it. "But
I'm not happy about this."
"Then you should have a talk with your daughters about it," Ryu
stated almost coldly as she moved a piece to finish the game.
- - - -
Ryu laid back on the bedding that covered the sleeping mat she was
going to be using until she bought a futon for herself and another
for Ranma. The day had gone a lot weirder then she expected and she
didn't know if Akane's boldness was going to be a good thing or not
for the relationship between her and Ranma.
She was almost in a state of sleep when the light came. A glowing
ball coming in from the open window that quickly changed to a
familiar form.
"Hi!" Sakura greeted in a cuddly cute way as she stood hovering a
foot off the floor.
"And what do I owe the honour of this visit?" Ryu asked in a
slightly nasty tone.
"I. . I brought you a present," Sakura pouted sounding hurt and a
little confused. "What did I do?"
"Nothing. I'm just feeling a little homesick right now," Ryu replied
a little less angry.
"Oh," Sakura felt a bit guilty. "Don't worry, you'll find someone
here. . as long as you look and are open to it."
"What did you bring me?" Ryu changed the subject.
"It isn't for you actually, it's for Ranma," Sakura smiled as she
held out a bracelet that Ryu recognized as like the one currently
on Ranma's wrist.
"Does it do the same things as mine?" Ryu asked as she took the gold
and silver piece of magic made form.
"It's not as old as your," Sakura replied as she started to vanish.
"Ranma will need it tomorrow."
"Wait! Does that mean it's weaker then mine or not as faded in it's
magic?" Ryu called after the transparent image.
"Can't tell you," Sakura giggled before disappearing completely.
"Great," Ryu shook her head at meddling little child-Kami who were
of little help as she looked at the bracelet and the blue stone in
between the dragon heads.
- - - -
"Who was that!?!" Sakura stood up in shock and panic as she pointed
at the screen in the mist.
"I do not know," the man replied as he cocked an eyebrow at the last
images he'd seen. "But I think our opponent is getting bolder."
"Should I go and get that bracelet?" Sakura turned to look for
approval from her Poppa. "Or at least let Ryu know that *that* wasn't
me?"
"No, I don't think so. That bracelet isn't dangerous really. . at
least no more then the one that Ryu wears," the man stated as his
gaze seemed to unfocus for a moment then came back to normal.
"But we can't allow this to keep happening!" Sakura almost pleaded
as the thought of someone else that looked like her was *not* right!
"No we can't," the man agreed. "You may go, but only to use the
traces of that girl's energy to seal her out of this string. You may
not have any interaction with anyone there."
"Yes Poppa!" the girl shrieked happily as she suddenly disappeared.
- - - -
Authors Notes:
'OOC! OOC! I'm gonna make you OOC!'
I realize that all three girls are out of character a bit (okay
okay, a lot!) But this came as a large discussion with friends here
about what would Akane be like without the Hentai Hoard. The end
decision was that Akane was a Tomboy and wouldn't take things like
being naked around others so badly (hey, you're naked around lots of
strangers when you go to public baths after all), as long as she can
say to herself that she was only in the furo with another girl she
could deal with it as a normal thing. Nabiki's reaction was a series of
thoughts put to the idea that she was young enough not to have
develop the 'Ice Queen' persona completely yet and hadn't come to
terms with some of the things she was doing to keep the house solvent.
Kasumi was the change suggested by the person who is meddling in my
story. . . It's going to lead into a bigger problem later for Ryu.
The second bracelet was the other suggestion and I agreed that it
would both help and hinder Ranma later.
Hope you still like the story as I still plan to write it. Please
review.
Next: - School -