[Author's notes: Okay, so maybe I can try to write a litle more of this story. This would be a good time for me to point out that I haven't actually *seen* the show, except for the Reversal Jewel thing. Nor have I read the manga beyond peeking at the English version in the store. Therefore my knowledge of *details* like the size of someone's room or bed is nonexistant. Just assume that hey, this is AU, things can change... Also, we have a lot of plot-set-up going on in this chapter, and less hijinks. Be patient.]
Scene: Morning. Akane's room. Akane is sitting up in bed, wearing pajamas. Ranko is on the floor with a single pillow, wearing yesterday's clothes. Her hair is loose and tangled.
AKANE: What are you doing down there?
RANKO: I... wasn't comfortable in the bed.
AKANE: You spent the whole night on the floor?
RANKO: I'm used to it. Really. Dad and I always slept on rocks.
AKANE: But you don't have to do that anymore. You deserve better.
Ranko scratches her head and shrugs.
RANKO: Doesn't matter anyway. It's morning now.
AKANE: Right. Just let me get dressed and we can go downstairs for breakfast.
RANKO: *blushes* Uh, I'll go ahead.
She dashes out into the hallway.
Scene shift. Round the table for a breakfast of miso and rice. Ranko and Genma are both frantically gobbling their food while Kasumi smiles. No sooner does Genma's hand stray towards his daughter's bowl, though, than Kasumi's fingers fly forwards and wrap themselves around the wrist of the elder Saotome.
KASUMI: *dog-scolding* No!
Genma's hand is turning red. He nods, and she releases him. He shakes the feeling back into his fingers, eyeing her warily.
RANKO: Wow, that was great. Thanks, Kasumi. (stands up, brushing off hands) Guess we should be going now, huh Pops?
TENDO: Please sit down, Ranko.
RANKO: (sits) Huh?
TENDO: Your father and I have agreed that there is only one honorable course of action for us now.
RANKO: You can't *both* kill yourselves.
GENMA: Quiet, boy.
TENDO: We have decided to seek out Nodoka and beg her forgiveness.
RANKO: Who's Nodoka?
TENDO: Your mother.
RANKO: My... (glares at Genma) I thought she was dead!
Genma is silent.
TENDO: And I will accompany him, to be sure that he carries out this mission with honor and does not try to run away. Again.
Genma grumbles.
RANKO: So... when do we leave?
TENDO: It may take us some time to locate Nodoka, and even more to calm her down when we do find her. I would not want your long-awaited reunion with your mother to be in such - violent circumstances.
RANKO: You're going to beat up my mother?
AKANE: No, silly, they're going to *get* beaten up. ANY woman would pound a man who ran out on her! And for ten years? That's going to be a *long* pounding.
GENMA: The boy should be able to come if h-... she wants to.
TENDO: You will not hide behind the child. You *will* face your punishment like a man.
KASUMI: Oh, Father, you're so noble!
TENDO: If my wife were here to punish me, I would be so happy... (starts to tear up)
RANKO: So what am I supposed to do, then?
TENDO: (quickly recovering) Until we return, you will stay here and attend school with my daughters. As a fully-trained martial artist, you will be able to protect them in my absence...
AKANE: Hey! I don't need protecting!
TENDO: ... and they will help you fit in with teenagers your own age. I understand you have been out of regular schooling for a long time.
AKANE: Ranko's going to school with us?
Nabiki stands up, eyes gleaming.
NABIKI: Pardon me, I need to check on something...
KASUMI: Please bring in one of your old uniforms when you're off the phone!
Nabiki exits.
RANKO: Uniform?
AKANE: (nods, stands to show off her dress) Like this. They're kind of ugly, but everyone has to wear one.
RANKO: I can't wear that.
KASUMI: Why not?
RANKO: I can't go to school as a girl.
KASUMI: Of course you can. You'll be a proper young lady now.
RANKO: You don't understand. With this curse, I'm like a water magnet. I always get splashed. If I go out in a skirt I'll turn into a boy in no time.
KASUMI: Oh dear. That would be improper!
AKANE: So you're going to tell everyone you're a boy?
RANKO: I'm used to it.
TENDO: (clears throat and glares at Genma) We should be on our way. Kasumi, I trust you to keep the house as wonderfully as you always do. I'll call you every night to keep you updated.
KASUMI: Yes, father!
Tendo and Genma exit. Ranko fetches some hot water and splashes her/himself, then begins to put his hair into a pigtail behind his head.
RANMA: So, no uniform for me, then.
KASUMI: Oh, no. You'll just have to ask the principal to order you a boy's version.
Nabiki returns, carrying a spare uniform.
NABIKI: Here you go.
AKANE: Oh, Rank- I mean, Ranma's decided to go to school as a boy.
NABIKI: (frowns) Let me go put this away, then...
KASUMI: You'd better be on your way. You'll be late.
NABIKI: I'll hurry.
KASUMI: I can put that away for you.
NABIKI: Really, I'll be fine.
KASUMI: (wide smile) I insist.
NABIKI: (suddenly looks nervous) Here you go.
Nabiki hands the uniform to Kasumi.
KASUMI: You three had better get going.
AKANE: Right!
She grabs hold of Ranma's hand. Ranma looks startled, but allows himself to be dragged out of the house. Nabiki follows, mildly disgruntled.
[So, the parents are out of the way for now, but expecting an unhappy reception at the end of their quest. The girls are headed for school - and how will everyone react to this version of Ranma? Especially with what Nabiki's been up to? What about Ryoga, Shampoo, and Ukyo? We'll see....]
Scene: Morning. Akane's room. Akane is sitting up in bed, wearing pajamas. Ranko is on the floor with a single pillow, wearing yesterday's clothes. Her hair is loose and tangled.
AKANE: What are you doing down there?
RANKO: I... wasn't comfortable in the bed.
AKANE: You spent the whole night on the floor?
RANKO: I'm used to it. Really. Dad and I always slept on rocks.
AKANE: But you don't have to do that anymore. You deserve better.
Ranko scratches her head and shrugs.
RANKO: Doesn't matter anyway. It's morning now.
AKANE: Right. Just let me get dressed and we can go downstairs for breakfast.
RANKO: *blushes* Uh, I'll go ahead.
She dashes out into the hallway.
Scene shift. Round the table for a breakfast of miso and rice. Ranko and Genma are both frantically gobbling their food while Kasumi smiles. No sooner does Genma's hand stray towards his daughter's bowl, though, than Kasumi's fingers fly forwards and wrap themselves around the wrist of the elder Saotome.
KASUMI: *dog-scolding* No!
Genma's hand is turning red. He nods, and she releases him. He shakes the feeling back into his fingers, eyeing her warily.
RANKO: Wow, that was great. Thanks, Kasumi. (stands up, brushing off hands) Guess we should be going now, huh Pops?
TENDO: Please sit down, Ranko.
RANKO: (sits) Huh?
TENDO: Your father and I have agreed that there is only one honorable course of action for us now.
RANKO: You can't *both* kill yourselves.
GENMA: Quiet, boy.
TENDO: We have decided to seek out Nodoka and beg her forgiveness.
RANKO: Who's Nodoka?
TENDO: Your mother.
RANKO: My... (glares at Genma) I thought she was dead!
Genma is silent.
TENDO: And I will accompany him, to be sure that he carries out this mission with honor and does not try to run away. Again.
Genma grumbles.
RANKO: So... when do we leave?
TENDO: It may take us some time to locate Nodoka, and even more to calm her down when we do find her. I would not want your long-awaited reunion with your mother to be in such - violent circumstances.
RANKO: You're going to beat up my mother?
AKANE: No, silly, they're going to *get* beaten up. ANY woman would pound a man who ran out on her! And for ten years? That's going to be a *long* pounding.
GENMA: The boy should be able to come if h-... she wants to.
TENDO: You will not hide behind the child. You *will* face your punishment like a man.
KASUMI: Oh, Father, you're so noble!
TENDO: If my wife were here to punish me, I would be so happy... (starts to tear up)
RANKO: So what am I supposed to do, then?
TENDO: (quickly recovering) Until we return, you will stay here and attend school with my daughters. As a fully-trained martial artist, you will be able to protect them in my absence...
AKANE: Hey! I don't need protecting!
TENDO: ... and they will help you fit in with teenagers your own age. I understand you have been out of regular schooling for a long time.
AKANE: Ranko's going to school with us?
Nabiki stands up, eyes gleaming.
NABIKI: Pardon me, I need to check on something...
KASUMI: Please bring in one of your old uniforms when you're off the phone!
Nabiki exits.
RANKO: Uniform?
AKANE: (nods, stands to show off her dress) Like this. They're kind of ugly, but everyone has to wear one.
RANKO: I can't wear that.
KASUMI: Why not?
RANKO: I can't go to school as a girl.
KASUMI: Of course you can. You'll be a proper young lady now.
RANKO: You don't understand. With this curse, I'm like a water magnet. I always get splashed. If I go out in a skirt I'll turn into a boy in no time.
KASUMI: Oh dear. That would be improper!
AKANE: So you're going to tell everyone you're a boy?
RANKO: I'm used to it.
TENDO: (clears throat and glares at Genma) We should be on our way. Kasumi, I trust you to keep the house as wonderfully as you always do. I'll call you every night to keep you updated.
KASUMI: Yes, father!
Tendo and Genma exit. Ranko fetches some hot water and splashes her/himself, then begins to put his hair into a pigtail behind his head.
RANMA: So, no uniform for me, then.
KASUMI: Oh, no. You'll just have to ask the principal to order you a boy's version.
Nabiki returns, carrying a spare uniform.
NABIKI: Here you go.
AKANE: Oh, Rank- I mean, Ranma's decided to go to school as a boy.
NABIKI: (frowns) Let me go put this away, then...
KASUMI: You'd better be on your way. You'll be late.
NABIKI: I'll hurry.
KASUMI: I can put that away for you.
NABIKI: Really, I'll be fine.
KASUMI: (wide smile) I insist.
NABIKI: (suddenly looks nervous) Here you go.
Nabiki hands the uniform to Kasumi.
KASUMI: You three had better get going.
AKANE: Right!
She grabs hold of Ranma's hand. Ranma looks startled, but allows himself to be dragged out of the house. Nabiki follows, mildly disgruntled.
[So, the parents are out of the way for now, but expecting an unhappy reception at the end of their quest. The girls are headed for school - and how will everyone react to this version of Ranma? Especially with what Nabiki's been up to? What about Ryoga, Shampoo, and Ukyo? We'll see....]