Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and it's characters are the product and property of rumiko takahashi and viz video.

A Bengal Tale

Part Seven

By Michael Fetter

They weren't running from the Amazons anymore and Ranma was still saving Akane on a daily basis. Getting in to class late had landed her a day in detention. Something had happened to the food in her bento and it was confiscated by the Furinkan chemistry club. It was probably for the best since they should be able to tell her what was wrong. They helped her with all those other bentos she made after all. It was no wonder they were so popular in the chemistry community.

Well, she was supposed to have detention, but the supervising teacher had called it off as soon as she walked in the door. It was nice having a tiger as a friend.

"So, Ranma? What say we head down to the mall and pick out some new clothes for you?" Neko-Ranma quirked his head, not understanding, but followed quickly at Akane's side. Taking a last look at the boring place they had spent most of the day, he hoped they would not return there any time soon.

There were still some students milling about the school grounds, attending extracurricular activities and talking with friends. Akane made a quick check of the area for unwanted pests like Kuno. Nabiki would classify but she was Akane's sister. Nabiki was leaning against the gate to Furinkan, passing the time by studying her ledger that kept the debts owed by all of her clients.

Placing himself between his mate and the annoying two-legger, Neko-Ranma growled at the older girl.

Tensing slightly, Nabiki stands up, waiting for her sister. "Hey, Akane."

"Hi, Nabiki. What are you still doing here?"

Smirking, she steps in closer to lead the way home. "Waiting for my sister of course."

"Well, that was nice of you." Akane starts, then turns down the opposite direction. "But Ranma and I are on our way to the mall."

"Oh?" Her sister eyed the reddish Bengal tiger. "What for?"

"Well, we can't have Ranma walking around the town naked when he's a girl." Noticing the obvious extra appendage to the tiger, Nabiki sickens at her sister's observation. Grabbing her older sister's hand, Akane starts pulling her along. It has been a while since they last saw each other. "Come along with us. It'll be fun."

Nabiki cast a worried glance at Neko-Ranma, but he is not barring his fangs at her. It might be safe enough and Ranma does obey her sister's commands. "Sure. You could use my bartering skills anyway."

Acknowledging her sister's obvious talents, Akane grabbed her sister by the hand and took off down the street.

A ways behind the two girls and Bengal tiger, Mu Tsu and Xian Pu followed, careful to keep a safe distance downwind of a certain cursed individual. Each carried a small purple vial in leather pouches at their hips. The master told them the magical potion must be drunk when Ranma is human and the only person they see.

After spending a full day in the trees outside Akane's classroom windows, each hoped the task would soon be at an end.

The door to a white walled room opened inwards to admit Akane after she waved Neko-Ranma in before her. Squeezing past the cat to drop the small pile of clothing onto a stool, Akane kicked the door closed behind her. A thermos of hot water appeared out of her book bag, which she up ended over the patient yet, cramped tiger.

"Okay Ran-"

Akane was cut off as the reformed, busty redhead latched onto her waist and rubbed herself against the startled girl's side. "Ranma happy Akane here." She purred, her speech broken by deep rumbling cat howls.

"Ranma." The redhead's face was cupped in two soft and tender hands that tilted her head back. Akane was looking into her lover's face with great concern for her strange behavior. The strain on Ranma's mind must be getting worse, she thought gloomily. "Are you okay, Ranma?"

The redhead only smiled with a kawaii twinkle in her eyes as she continued roam Akane's body with her own. "Yes, Ranma happy."

Despite her distraught state over Ranma's condition, Akane couldn't help but blush slightly and react to the girl's motions. "Ranma. . ." she panted, trying to suppress her own urges. "Why don't you try on some of the clothes I brought."

Ranma nodded happily and let her hands run under Akane's skirt up to the girl's panties.

"That's not what I meant." Akane moaned, but willed herself to separate from the lustful girl. Taking a moment to compose herself and let her heart slow to a steadier pace, Akane eyed the very aroused redhead and blushed to think of what they could be doing.

"Here." Akane said, handing over some underwear.

Looking at the strange bits of cloth, Ranma sniffed the cotton cups before staring at Akane questioningly.

"What?" she asked. "You've never seen a bra before?"

Ranma blinked.

Akane could slap herself on the head for her stupidity. Ranma was still half cat at the moment and she'd spent most of her life as a boy. Of course she didn't know about bras. "Here, let me help."

Turning Ranma by her shoulders, Akane brought the bra up to the smaller girl's chest and attempted to fasten it in place. Ranma's mewl of pain made her stop short and Akane had to look over the girl's shoulder to her breasts being flattened by the small size, flesh spilling out over the tops.

Akane hadn't been sure what size to get so she had started with her own and took a few sizes up just in case. These were also met with Ranma's whimpers and her rising frustration. Sure, Ranma's breasts were bigger, but did she have to rub it in so much?!

"Nabiki!" Akane called out the door. "Could you get me some size 32 c bras and up?"

"Here." Nabiki threw over a single bra a few sizes larger than Akane had asked for.

"I'm sure she doesn't wear a 34 D, Nabiki." Just to prove it to herself, Akane fit the expensive satin bra around Ranma's chest and fastened the buckle. She was a bit surprised to see it fit perfectly without complaint from the smaller girl, who had begun to play with the other articles of clothes.

"How did you know?" Akane asked her sister confused.

"Oh, come on Nabiki I've seen plenty of . . ." the voice on the other side of the door fell silent, causing Akane to raise an eyebrow. Though she said nothing, Nabiki scowled at her little sister, "Shut up."

Shaking her head, Akane turned her attention back to Ranma who had dropped onto all fours, exposing her uncovered sex to Akane as she toyed with the comfortable feeling clothing. Turning a shade of red just lower than what she was staring at, Akane pulled Ranma back onto her feet and fetched a pair of panties off the stool quickly. These at least she had guessed correctly on, a few sizes smaller than herself she growled.

"Alright Ranma, you said you didn't like girl's clothes so I got button up shirts and slacks. They ought to break easy in case you change accidentally." It really didn't seem to matter what Akane said since Ranma wouldn't understand most of it. Sighing, she tried dressing the smaller girl as quickly as she could. It helped that Ranma did everything she asked.

Smiling at Ranma's adorable figure in the male clothing, she stepped back to let the redhead observe herself in the mirror. "Well, what do you think of your new outfit Ranma?"

Ranma peered at herself in the mirror, clawing at the reflection experimentally. She seemed ready to say something when a bit of flesh caught her eye. Laughing gleefully, Ranma turned and launched herself at Akane once again. "Ranma like outfit. Ranma like Akane outfit too. Ranma try Akane outfit next!" Her hands moved clumsily over Akane's school blouse, the buttons slipping out of her fingers, frustrating her.

"What are you two hentais doing now?" Nabiki smirked over the top of the changing room's door.

At the sound of the older girl's voice, Ranma placed herself between her and Akane. She growled menacingly at the annoying girl who had disturbed Ranma's fun time earlier. She hissed and spread ki claws.

"Ranma!" Akane gasped and grabbed the redhead around the waist. "This is my sister, Nabiki, remember?"

Relaxing slowly, Ranma slipped out of Akane's grasp and stepped up to the door where Nabiki had frozen stiff with fright. Never taking her eyes of the older girl, Ranma breathed in the girl's scent then licked her quickly on the face. Smiling, Ranma returned to Akane and grabbed the girl about the waist. "Is okay. Ranma no forget now. Nabiki Ranma friend." The redhead chirped before nestling her head in Akane's cleavage.

Rolling her eyes, Akane patted Ranma on the head and looked back at her sister. "Guess you don't have anything to worry about from now on. Just be careful about sneaking up on her all right?"

Nabiki nodded and swung over a few extras she had found in the store. "H-Here. I was just dropping off some other things that might look good on her."

"Thanks, Nabiki." Akane replied to her sister's retreating footsteps. She frowned when she noted the lacy silk pieces in her hand. They were about to be hung up on a hook when her whole body jumped as she felt a thrill rush through her chest.

"Oh great." She muttered, pressing Ranma's mouth harder onto her breast. "I hope this doesn't leave stains."

It was an hour later when a bouncing, fully clothed, Ranma exited the department store, a few large bags in her hands. Two other girls followed her out though they were markedly more sedate; Akane did have a mysterious grin on her lips.

"Well, at least she doesn't hiss at me anymore." Nabiki groused, carrying an armful of their shopping spree. Though they carried a lot of clothing, Nabiki had been able to 'negotiate' better prices for their purchases. Some of the stores even paid her after a little bartering match.

"Thanks for all your help Nabiki. I really appreciate it." Kissing her sister on the cheek, Akane rushed a little further ahead to catch her giddy lover.

"Down, pussycat." Akane teased the purring girl. Ranma might be insane, but she was also happy, which wasn't normally the case with the martial artist.

Ranma stopped bouncing about, much to the male spectators' disappointment, and latched onto Akane's arm, kissing the girl on the lips, causing a unified male groan for such a cruel world. "Hai, Akane." Ranma purred in her ear.

Stifling a giggle from the ticklish vibrations of Ranma's voice, Akane led the way out of the mall.

"Now." Shampoo whispered as their prey came within sight.

Ranma jumped into action as she heard two war cries from above descending quickly upon them. The first, an easily recognizable young girl with lavender hair, landed before her quickly downing a potion and staring her in the eyes.

It took only a moment before the screaming started.

"DUCK!" Was the unfamiliar male cry that came from Ranma's right.

Everyone looked over, puzzled by the cry and they saw Mu Tsu. He stood with two long blades held in either hand before a young man in a dirty gi. He was screaming hysterically and flailing his arms about like a crazed chicken. "Duck!" He screamed again before sprinting off into the distance, a path of destruction trailing behind him.

Xian Pu shivered at the sight, muttering two words. "Duck fist."

The momentary lapse in focus was corrected and everyone turned to face the Amazons. Ranma had yet to scream at anything, in fact, she was staring at the lavender-haired girl with some interest.

"Ranma, what is it?" Akane asked, backing up into the redhead to cover her rear.

"Is cat." Ranma stated. In her mind, she was seeing the chi manifestation of a small kitten with hair beads standing before her.

"Why you no fear Shampoo?!" The Amazon demanded, thrusting her bonbori forward.

Blinking, Ranma pointed to herself. "Ranma cat."

Everyone blinked, raising an eyebrow at the insane martial artist.

Staring bewildered at the redhead who had just claimed she was a cat, Shampoo began to fume in anger. "Ranma fool Shampoo! Now Shampoo kill Ranma!" She growled in broken Japanese.

Mu Tsu was still facing off against a steel post so Akane decided to step back and cover her sister to let Ranma take care of things. She had put up a brave front, but Akane knew from earlier encounters that she was no match for either of these Amazons.

Growling, Shampoo raised her bonbori to striking positions and raced into a head on fight.

Meeting her charge, Ranma extended her ki claws and attacked the Amazon maiden. She could have easily beaten the Amazon girl, but Ranma was in a playful mood when they had been ambushed so she danced about, taking quick easy strikes at Shampoo's exposed sides.

"Ranma, what are you doing?" Akane asked stunned at the length this fight was lasting.

Bouncing about Shampoo's thrusts, Ranma chirped back in response. "Ranma play with toy!"

Flipping over backwards, Ranma was able to avoid a swipe by Shampoo and grab the locks of purple hair on her way over. As she landed, Ranma pulled the hair with her between the Amazon's legs, slamming the girl onto her face. With the girl down, Ranma pounced on top of her back to bat at the Shampoo's head, knocking the girl silly.

Leaping back off, Ranma smiled as she watched the woozy Shampoo try to stumble her way back into the fight. Ranma rushed by the Amazon with untouchable swiftness, poking her in the sides.

Though the jabs were light, they were aimed at sensitive areas of Shampoo's body, parts that she could not always control. She found she was unable to control them now. Laughing uncontrollably, Shampoo dropped her bonbori to clutch her sides, protecting them from Ranma's probing hands. She doubled over onto the ground, still clutching her sides, as Ranma continued to assault the backs of her legs, sides, and neck to gain the mirthful response.

Staring slack-jawed at her lover tickling another girl, Akane started to get angry and jealous at someone else getting Ranma's playful attention. "Ranma! Stop that!" Akane screamed.

Finishing another follow-up, Ranma paused in her play to see the hurt expression on her mate's face. She considered why Akane would be upset then looked back at Shampoo. "Is okay Akane! Ranma play with Akane!"

Akane couldn't react as she saw only a red blur of motion before she was bowled over by her lover and was laughing just as hysterically as Shampoo had been. "No, Ranma, stop! You have to-"

Hearing his mortal enemy's name, Mu Tsu turned to face a purple blur on the ground, whimpering in what seemed to be pain. "Shampoo! Ranma, I shall make you pay for what you have done!"

Ranma was still blissfully unaware of her surroundings while she continued to tickle Akane. She loved the way her mate writhed beneath her fingers, twisting to unnatural positions to avoid the attack. Warning bells suddenly rang in her head, as Ranma felt a shift in the flow of local chi to her new attacker.

Grabbing Akane about the waist, Ranma sprang to her feet, narrowly avoiding the thrown ball and chain.

"You won't beat the master of the Hidden Weapon so easily, Ranma!" Mu Tsu taunted the red blur, a stop sign.

"Akane stay." Ranma commanded as she dropped the breathless girl onto the sidewalk beside her sister. Scowling at the robed figure, Ranma charged head on, leaping in between throwing star and long spear as they were hurtled in her direction.

Akane screamed.

The sound distracted Ranma in mid leap and she wound up tripping over Mu Tsu's face. Rolling out of an awkward landing, Ranma looked back to see Akane clutching her arm in pain, blood seeped through her fingers as she pulled on a thin star of metal stuck in her shoulder.

To her, Akane was all that mattered.

Mu Tsu pulled himself off the ground after recovering from the sloppy blow. He pulled out another length of chain and twirled it about his body in long lazy arcs, looking over his work and smiling at the pain he had brought.

"ffft. . . aka . . fft . . .Akaaanroowwwr . . ne. . ."

The strained feline voice and strange twitching took Mu Tsu's attention from the pained crying of one of the girls in front of him. Everything was still a blur to him, the thick glasses he wore resembled coke bottles rather than corrective lenses. The spinning chain in his right hand clapped the cement ever so often to bring up sparks. With one girl down, the other should fall in no time.

Ranma watched Akane pull the shuriken from her arm and drop to her side. Nabiki was pale with fright and started screaming for help. The people around them had scattered though, leaving two crying women and two soon to be dead Amazons.

Curling in on herself, Ranma ground her teeth, the muscles along her back and arms straining so hard the veins began to show. The last drops of her sanity were being forced aside as the anger within combated her will for control. Her will hadn't won this battle in four months, it wouldn't win now.

Akane sucked in a deep breath, her ears picking up a sound she remembered from her time in China, running through the mountains to avoid their pursuers. Ranma's hiss was all the warning she ever got, awake or asleep. It meant that things were about to turn ugly. Akane had never seen Ranma show mercy to anyone when she hissed like that.

"Nabiki." Akane stumbled to her feet, grabbing her sister's shoulder and pulling them back into the store. "We have to get out of Ranma's way."

Stumbling behind her sister, Nabiki clutched their bags, the attack having shut down some of her control. "Wh-What's going on?" She was almost too afraid to ask, but the horrible sounds Ranma was making were giving Nabiki a sort of sick fascination to it all.

"Later." They ducked behind one of the supports to the department store. "Just stay down."

Outside a recovered Xian Pu and Mu Tsu were facing off against Ranma-neko. They eyed the redhead nervously as she paced in front of them on all fours. Ranma's blue eyes had gone cold and penetrating, their souls felt unprotected before the insane girl.

"Aiyah." Xian Pu whispered to Mu Tsu. "Cat Girl no no afraid. Shampoo no like this." Mu Tsu nodded.

Ranma-neko growled and charged the two Amazons. They leapt and dodged, throwing wild hits, hoping to hit the fast girl. The battle was quick this time, however, Ranma-neko slashed at the two adversaries, and her claws knocking them about the area as she slashed.

Xian Pu landed soundly against floor at Ranma-neko's feet, a few cuts in her arms and sides. Mu Tsu was still moving about but his concern for Xian Pu made him sloppy. Ranma-neko pulled him out of the air, twisting about to avoid the daggers he threw, and landed on the ground, the blind boy beneath her feet.

Groaning in pain, Xian Pu dragged herself to the edge of the battlefield. Her hands groped about the area for a weapon, the bonbori having been torn in two now useless.

One of Mu Tsu's chains.

She swung the heavy end in her left, the other side she attached to a nearby support. Ranma-neko was circling the downed, blind Amazon like a predator examining her latest meal. Acting quickly, Xian Pu let the chain fly, cheering as it wrapped about Ranma-neko's leg and held.

Moving quickly, Xian Pu jumped past the redhead and scooped up her comrade.

"Shampoo get Ranma next time." She announced, jumping out of the building through a high window.

Ranma-neko tried to give chase, but the chain held her captive. But no mere chain would hold her for long. Growling in anger, she pulled the chain hard, the support beam giving out. Ranma-neko was ready to leap onto the window when the screams started again.

The department store was caving in partially. Overhead, a steel girder had come loose, falling on course with Akane and Nabiki's position.

Ranma-neko didn't have to consider which one she wanted more. There would be time to track down the Amazons after she was certain her mate was safe. She sprinted quickly about the falling rubble and landed next to the pillar Akane had dragged her sister behind. They were unaware of the danger; Akane seemed relieved that Ranma was at her side again.

Not giving a moment's hesitation, Ranma-neko grabbed the two girls as best she could and rushed out of the collapsing department store. They flew out onto the street as a great crash of falling beams hit the ground behind them. A cloud of dust rolled over their bodies.

Nabiki coughed, waving at the dust in her face until it more or less settled. Her face, hair, and clothing were shrouded in white powder, which she wiped at self-consciously. "You okay, sis?"

Akane coughed, wiping at her own layer of dust. "Yeah, it's not too bad."

Over the sisters, Ranma-neko was still searching the area for her attackers. There was nothing to indicate where they might have gone though. Kept protectively under her body, she held the two girls pinned to the ground, their safety paramount in her mind.

Shaking her head free of the white dust, Akane cautiously opened her eyes to see a woman's chest swaying an inch from her face, clothed in the silk shirt she had bought Ranma. "You can get off of us now, Ranma."

Ranma-neko looked around the area one more time before relaxing, satisfied that the threat was gone. Sighing discontentedly, Ranma-neko dropped onto the floor, resting her head against Akane's chest and meowing at how upset she was.

"It's okay, Ranma." Akane pet the red hair soothingly. "I'll be fine." She smiled at the concerned look in her lover's face and caressed the girl's cheek. At least she didn't transform and rip her clothes, Akane thought, adding a bit of humor to the situation.

"Mmphh!"

Ranma-neko purred at the strange vibration.

"Nabiki?" She looked about for her sister. "Ranma! Get off of my sister!"

Startled, Ranma-neko stood up to look beneath her.

Yes, it was a damned good thing Ranma hadn't changed, Akane thought angrily.

"Duck!" A boy ran by.

Splash.

Rip.

"Growl?"

Scream.

Oh well. Akane watched her sister scramble out from underneath Neko-Ranma, sputtering in embarrassment. "Well, Ranma." She regarded the tiger above her fondly. "At least life with you won't be boring."

End Chapter Seven

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