--
Chapter Two
"Reasoning sometimes can't stand to reason"
A sharp cry rang throughout the sleeping city, the clonk of a stick smacking into the cement following a brief apology.
She hadn't in fact gone far. Ranma realized merely that she needed to get away from the house, not necessarily throw a fit out in the streets. Rather than waste herself away in making a public spectacle that would ultimately drive her further to insanity as this whole situation was slowly doing, she settled for closer ground. She wasn't so much a believer in destiny or things happening for specific reasons, but accepted a good coincidence when one were to come along. Thus, dressed in the gi she wore is such terrible contrivance, Ranma planted herself in the dojo, the cool air of the spring night creeping in through cracks in the woodwork as she stood like a flamingo, a foot planted on the knee of her left leg, which stood straight as a board. Standing with absolute stillness, she took a deep breath, closing her eyes, not having to see to know that she was in the middle of the dojo; yellow candles flickering in the four corners. She decided that going somewhat traditional might ease her nerves, although knowing that recently, nothing with her was ever traditional.
She let out a held gasp of air and pulled it back in slowly, suddenly dipping down, still on one leg, launching herself up in a jump. It tilted, bringing her back down to her left on her hands. Turning her momentum by swinging her foot off her knee she launched her self forward and again twisted in the air, landing sprightly upon her feet a meter or two on a diagonal from her previous location. She opened her eyes, her brow marred with a reluctant melancholy of her confusion over what was going on. She sat down, putting her legs before her and stretched as she gave a heavy sigh.
Physics. . . It doesn't make any sense! Why is this happening to me?
Ranma shook her head to clear the thoughts and pulled her feet in, touching the soles of them together. She put her head down to rest in the cushion made, holding for little while longer as her recalcitrant mind kept her on a different task. But I do remember something like that. . . She furrowed her brow, putting her arms out above her to touch the floor. I guess I never really tried to give an answer to this. But I guess that at one point or another, everything can be explained.
"I just wish I understood some of it," she murmured as she climbed to her feet. Knocking her head to both sides to send a cacophony of cracks around the dojo, she gave somewhat of a bitter smile. "Then again, I just don't care." Her grin faded to a much more grim façade as she reeled back and punched the wall nearest to her. Luckily, it was a hole Soun had already repaired so not too much wood was damaged. She pulled back, bouncing off her foot to then swing a kick around; landing that foot on the ground she then ripped her other through the air in a straight, kicking jab. Slowly, she brought her foot back, poised on her toes before she let it drop back to the dojo floor.
She groaned, grabbing at her head. Damn you, reality! "Alright! I care! I just still can't believe I'm stuck like this! I mean, the curse never said nothing about this." She balled her fists, stepping forward twice, kicking off to spin around on one foot, sending the other foot around in a 540 circle. Planting the airborne limb, she pushed back in the other direction with two jabs, a block and a stance that left her again balanced on one foot as she brought her other leg up, sending the heel out in a lightning-fast attack. "Damnit," she growled.
Ranma soured further, looking down at herself in disgust where she stood. "I don't want to be this way forever," she mumbled, "but there's not much I can do if I can't change back." Lifting one foot, she brought it down, knocking a clean circle out of the wood below. "This is all Akane's fault." She perked to a whisper of air that flowed into the dojo, turning quickly to grab a fist that came at her from behind. Blinking, she let it go to then catch the leg that came up at her crotch. She carried the foot all the way up, making her assailant land with a very pained wince on her back.
"What do you want?" Ranma spat, looking down as Akane crawled to her feet with more than disdain etched across her features. She didn't reply, merely taking stance only a meter away. Ranma did not take similar action, a heavy contempt engraved in her brow. Akane just nodded, waiting with glowering eyes for Ranma to respond in kind. This was how a few of their matches had been starting lately -- sparring like this worked better than the forced pleasantries. One of them would initiate attack and they'd have one hell of a workout, be Ranma in boy or girl form.
This time, however, it did not happen. "Go away," was all she said, walking back to one of the corners of the dojo. Akane, tremendously astonished, relaxed as she watched her go and sit by a small spread of tea and pastries. Ranma bit into one of the cookies and made a face -- they had gone stale. At least the tea was still looking all right; good ol' Kasumi sure meant well.
"Are you a coward, then?"
"Call me what you will," Ranma said simply as she took the pot of hot water off the fire. In a pause, she brought it up, pouring half of the pot's contents over her. Waiting for just a few moments to observe the proof of their cruel joke appear in the form of nice black hair and all that jazz, she sat unmoving, as she watched no change occur. Still remained overly large breasts, still remained somewhat dainty hands and as a peek had demanded, still remained other marks of what she did not want to be. Gently placing the pot back on the fire, Ranma sniffed the air for a moment, locking up and cringing before she lurched forward, banging her head off the floorboards.
"Damnit!" she screamed, voice choked with disbelief and vexation. "It's true," she wailed, lifting herself back to sit in a slump as Akane stalked over with a scowl on her face. "I didn't want to believe it. . ."
"What are you going to do about it?" she asked roughly, not kneeling down to look at her. With no response given, Akane simply stepped back, crossing her arms. "Right. Nothing. Because either you're a genius -- and you realize that there's nothing you can do to combat the laws of the universe -- or you're just a coward like I thought. Face it, Ranma, there's nothing you can do about it now."
"You seem to have a lot of answers to a problem that isn't yours," Ranma whispered darkly, her fist shaking in the air. To quell its mad vibrations she pressed her hand to the floor, feeling tension string up her arm and into her body. From there it sprung into her other hand. She repeated the motion with that one as well, fingers fanned out over the grainy surface, a stale crumb trapped here or there under her digits.
"That's because I'm looking at it objectively. There's nothing else you can examine bar for what's presented. If we can't change you back with the means that have changed you for so long, then something is quite obviously very wrong." Ranma's hands curled as she got on her haunches, still gazing down as a sneer snuck over her features. "Yet, since an objective analysis isn't within your abilities, I figured that you were just giving up. Ironically, your cowardice leads to the right answer." She sighed in disgust, dropping her hands to her sides as she narrowed her eyes. "You make me sick."
Ranma tore her gaze up, launching a leg forward to try to trip the Tendo Girl. Akane hopped up and back, a covert grin appearing on her face. "Shut up!" Ranma bellowed, quickly at her feet and on her advance. "You seem to hate me so much -- if so, then just get the hell away from me!" She kicked high, a hair's width from connecting with Akane's face. Akane tried to grab it, but in doing so, gave Ranma a foothold as she launched herself up and stepped into Akane's hands, kicking the girl to the ground after jumping off her shoulders. Akane bounced off her hands and flipped to her feet, spinning around in an instant to deflect Ranma's charging fists.
"All you do is complain!" Akane yelled. "Why can't you take it like a man!" She knocked a punch to the side and spun, catching Ranma in the side with a kick. Ranma barely flinched, stabbing her foot out to smash into Akane's shin. Seething through her teeth, the Tendo girl hopped back with a pained frown, Saotome relaxing a bit in the calm they created. "Sometimes," Akane wheezed, "I hate you so much. Don't you get anything at all? If you're struck down with something that hurts you, you do not run from it!" She stepped forward, pointing an accusing finger. "Even you know that. What kind of martial artists backs down from their challenge?"
Ranma batted the hand away, giving Akane a cold stare. "You said yourself that this is a fight I couldn't win. I barely even know what's going on."
She spat. "You didn't get that at all. This is not something I'll let you run away from just because you don't understand it. Even I don't understand it all that well. There are other laws of physics that are clashing with what is causing you problems." She paused. "But then again, there are a lot of fallibilities in physics since it's an impure science and thus--"
"Akane. Shut up."
She glared, stepping forward again. "My point is that there are thing we both need to find out. I don't like you as a girl any more than I like you as a boy. And that's not complimenting either side." Ranma swatted another pointing finger away and growled.
"What do you care?" Akane did not answer, rather, launched herself up and kicked off Ranma's arm when she quickly brought it up to block. Ranma was pushed down a bit but slipped her feet forward when Akane landed, a kick sailing high over Ranma's head as Saotome's ankles knocked on both sides of Akane's leg, sending her toppling. She cart wheeled to the side as Ranma hopped to her feet with a scowl. "This is about more than this stupid curse, idn't it? Why are you really here?" Growling, she crossed her arms as Akane stepped forward. She shoved her fist forward, slapping Ranma square in the chest. Pulling her hand back, Akane watched as Ranma took the torn piece of paper into her hand after rubbing where she was hit.
"'Akane-chan. . . '"
Akane snorted, saying nothing more. "You really are a coward." Ranma crumpled the note in her hand, looking away as Akane turned and wandered to the exit. She didn't glance back as Ranma sighed, peering back down at the paper she held. "Stay here, for all I care. If you don't care about trying to fix the problem, that's fine with me."
Answer?
". . . No." Ranma said firmly, walking after her. "That's not what I want. If it were then I wouldn't even be here, at the Dojo. I'd probably be dead under some bridge." She looked down at her other hand as Akane turned with a softening face. "It was hard to deal with changing into a girl; period. But being stuck as one ain't something I really like to entertain the thought of." She sighed, relaxing as she rubbed her sore shoulder. "For now I'll wait. Maybe. . . I dunno, I'll think of something." There was a silence as another breeze swept by, making the candle light flicker against the rich browns of the dojo's interior.
"Ranma," Akane breathed, placing a gentle hand on the redhead's shoulder. "I guess I'm sorry. I've been a bear these last few days." Ranma shook her head, placing her hand on the one upon her shoulder in the attempt to gently remove it. It wasn't a go as Saotome simply let it rest there.
"Don't worry, you're right." Akane sat, Ranma following suit as they looked at each other from just decimeters apart. Ranma glanced down to what she held still; even through the crumples could he see her fiancée's name sprawled there in his sloppy handwriting that had often given him trouble in school. Not like school mattered or anything.
Silence.
". . . Did you really mean it, Ranma?"
She looked up, tilting her head to the side a bit. "What do you mean?"
"The letter. . ."
"Oh," Saotome responded flatly, not deviating his gaze from the black haired girl's. She shuffled her other hand around, unconsciously rubbing circles on the one resting upon her shoulder. Akane sucked in a furtive breath, shuddering a little at the pleasant touch -- perhaps more at the anxiety that was sprinkled in the air.
"Akane," Ranma suddenly said with a new resolve, "I--"
"KIYYYAAAHHH!!"
"Oh, crap."
A thundering slam sounded in the room as Ranma and Akane pushed off each other, rolling away as two wet feet smashed into the area which they occupied only seconds before, sending their owner to her side when she slipped, pitifully whining as the other two in the Dojo got to their feet. Shampoo writhed, her shoulder throbbing under her as she growled, climbing slowly to her feet.
"This had better be good," Akane murmured, a murderous tone in her voice as Saotome cautiously circled the wet and steaming girl -- whether by hot water application or by general anger -- to stand by Tendo's side.
"Shampoo see what going on!" She snarled, pointing with accusation more to Akane than the other girl. "Ranma still mine, be him girl or boy!" Blinking, the shortest of the three scratched her red head, tightening her gi a little.
"How'd you find out?"
Shampoo nodded, merely turning to exit the Dojo. "We called by father, he say we needed here urgently!" She raced out quickly, leaving Ranma and Akane to exchange brief glances before they followed out, a rather ominous feel lingering in the air outside, marred with the scent of a coming rain.
--
Patiently waiting as his daughter slammed her fist down before him, Tendo sipped patiently at the tea Kasumi obediently served to him. Akane growled, joined by Ranma as they gave a deathly glare to Soun. He did not meet their gaze, merely nodding to the two figures at the other end of the table, to whom Kasumi also played server. Cologne and Shampoo returned the gesture, staring back at the two girls on the other-other side of the table. Nabiki yawned as she inspected her nails, Genma, too, yawning as he fell asleep on the floor. Soun cleared his throat for just a moment as Akane put her hand on Ranma's shoulder to steady her from rising to her feet.
"Explain," Ranma grumbled.
"This was not my idea," Soun mumbled as Cologne moved closer, Shampoo maintaining a struggling distance. More then a few times had she whispered curses to the black haired one next to her beloved. "This was all Saotome's doing." Ranma instantly looked back as Genma put on a few more snores, Nabiki chuckling as she went back to looking at her nails. Returning her gaze to Soun, she growled once more before Cologne's voice filled the static-filled void.
"There is good cause for our being here. . ." she began, he coarse voice itching like a rash in their ears. Quick as a flash, Ranma was a blinking, perplexed and soaking mess as steam escaped from all points along her person. She couldn't even question anything before she gave up her indignation entirely, pulling the gi loose as to mollify a bit of the icky wet feeling.
"I thought so," Cologne muttered.
"Funny," Ranma growled as Akane wiped at bits of splash back, "what stopped us from telling you that this is what happened?" She was earned a bop on the head as Cologne set the walking stick back on the floor.
"I needed to see it, son-in-law, for if it is the clause of the curse that I believe it to be, our solution is a far way away." Genma quickly stirred as a crack of lightning sounded above, the rains dropping in sheets upon the prefecture, coming not in stages but in a very foreboding torrent. All cast looks to the ceiling in response to the rumble that shook the skies; all now having brought their attentions back to Cologne. Shampoo still sat back, sneering slightly at how close Akane had suddenly edged to her fiancé.
"It is indeed as I thought," Cologne drew slowly, hobbling around to Ranma's other side. "You have entered a realm of the Jusenkyou curse that is not often perturbed. This could, in fact, be very grave indeed." Her tone held enough apprehension, not truly powerful until it was followed with a decent crack of the storm.
"Clause?" was all Akane could muster as a question before the old mummy cleared her crackly throat, drawing all near with the words of the ages.
"Committed in the name of the other, the other remains as the name for the ages upon the call of the first." There was an according pause before Ranma flat went:
"Whhhaa?"
"Simply," Cologne continued, "it translates to something very easy to understand. What it means, is that when one who has succumbed to the curse commits an act that can exclusively and clearly be done by that one's transformation, that transformation remains. However, before you all try to make your own conclusions. . . " She sat back with a sigh and observed the flailing hands of Akane, a frantic look on her face. "Yes?"
"What about estrogen? As a girl, Ranma would produce estrogen. Wouldn't that apply?"
"Boys produce estrogen, too," Nabiki muttered. "They wouldn't grow after puberty if they didn't. That's why little boys are such testosterone-snotfaces. If, however, Ranma were a girl long enough to produce an egg and have her period; I would think that splashing her then would do it."
Cologne grinned. "That it would. That leads to the next part of the curse. If the subject remains in their other form for too long, nuances of their other form begin to take permanent effect. Such as the establishment of a menstrual cycle which, in Ranma's case can be very dangerous."
"Not fatal, right?" Kasumi suddenly asked.
Cologne shook her head. "No, as long as the egg were allowed to be expunged. But don't worry, this isn't the case, anyhow."
Ranma blinked, scratching her head. "Duh?"
". . . " Akane blushed, shaking her head at the thoughts of what might have been Ranma's downfall. "No, it couldn't have been that, then."
Nabiki chuckled, getting up to pat poor Ran-chan on the head. "I guess I was wrong -- this just happened because you were a horny little girl, not because you were acting on being a horny little girl--"
"No, wait!" Akane cried. "There's definitely something we're missing."
"What do you mean?" Nabiki asked, tipping her head to the side a bit. "It's as simple as the production of lubrication, isn't it?"
"Are you dense?" Akane chastised, "girls have a continuous supply of that. . . stuff."
"Maybe Ranma doesn't. Perhaps that's why he doesn't like being a girl – too dry."
Akane made a face. "Ew."
Ranma also made a face, looking down at her lap. ". . . No, not dry."
Akane made another face. "Ew!"
Nabiki murmured, looking to the eldest among them. "You know what we're overlooking, don't you?" The old woman nodded.
"I'll wait."
"Okay," Akane started, "It can't be anything internal. Besides, girls and boys have different forms of go. . . go. . ."
"Gonadotrophins. Didn't you just take bio, Akane?" Nabiki grinned.
"Lay off."
"Don't forget the mammary glands."
"Right," Akane finished, "if it were the case of internal changes like that, Ranma would have stayed a girl, period."
Ranma grimaced. "Don't say that word. . ."
Nabiki chuckled. "Oh, the poor kid. . ."
Frowning, Akane looked over to Cologne with a desperate shimmer in her eyes. "What are we missing?"
Ranma buckled under herself, fainting to the floor once more that night.
"Alright, you give up?" They all nodded as Cologne carried on. "Nabiki's theory stands up pretty well. Were I not so educated, I'd believe it, too. But let's face it," she chuckled, "this is a curse that eliminates physics all together. Be serious, I don't think that all that mass goes into her chest." Nabiki nodded.
"Good point."
"What about her hips?" Kasumi asked.
Cologne shook her head. "No. Physics certainly wouldn't explain Mousse."
"Doesn't Mousse have, like, little black holes in his sleeves?"
"We're getting off track."
Dumbstruck, Akane looked up at Cologne as Shampoo took her opportunity to try to revive Ranma from her coma. "You know about that stuff?"
"My dear, you don't spend years as an authority on mysticism without being confronted by all sorts of silly explanations. I've heard them all, really." Cologne couldn't help but grin as Ranma crawled back to her feet, Soun comforting Genma out of his own daze.
"Saotome-kun, snap out of it. Your bo-- girl will still be a great martial artist."
Cologne smiled. "This is a mental part of the curse."
There was a brief silence before Nabiki's brain clicked.
"Oooh yeah."
"What?" Akane turned to her. "What is it, onee-chan?"
Laughing, Nabiki turned away. "Sorry, this is too good for me to spoil."
"Onneeee-chan!!" Akane whined, flustered at her sister's too-playful nature.
"Is it hopeless?!" The black-haired Tendo screeched as the redhead held her ears, subconsciously leaning back into the backrub she was suddenly receiving. (Was that "Shampoo make it all better" that she just heard?) She shrugged, letting the caress go on as Kasumi poured replacements for much of the tea that had been spilt in Akane slamming her fist down.
"That sure is lofty," she said softly and sweetly, not really taking too much of an interest in the goings on. After all, Ran-chan was an adorable little girl compared to Ranma-kun. Not that it was her place to lay judgments or anything.
"No," Cologne finally confirmed, sipping the tea she had just poured, "all is not lost." Ranma pushed forward a bit, staring the aged one down as she slowly rose to her knees.
"I'll do anything."
The elder grinned. "I'm sure you will."
". . . Even that." Ranma sighed as Shampoo yipped for joy, hugging her tightly from behind. "Erk. . ."
"He said he love Shampoo!"
"He didn't say that!" Akane barked.
Cologne chuckled, passing a scroll across the tabletop. "I won't demand that of you, son-in-law; it wouldn't exactly be fair, now would it?" Shampoo pouted as Saotome pried herself out of the tight grasp and settled for a mind lock with a very upset Tendo girl. Ranma picked up the scroll while the rest of the family, barring the two quarreling girls, crowded around her.
"Why did you bring Shampoo, then? For that matter, why not Mousse? I'm sure he'd like to ridicule me." She pulled the scroll open, glancing over the map with a bit of surprise. Looking back up, she caught a glimmer in the ancient's eyes.
"You shut up, Tendo-girl! Aiya, crazy crazy!"
"You're asking for a belt in the face! Leave Ranma alone!"
Looking back, she felt a sudden slice through the air, the disenfranchisement from Akane fading for just a few moments. Her saying that seemed to really ease Ranma's atmosphere. She was called back to Cologne's gaze, feeling the hot flush leave her cheeks as the clamor continued in the background.
"We'll be going on a trip, son-in-law."
--
It had been a few days since the ominous visit, the rains beginning to ease up after a drowning three-day downpour. School wasn't an option anymore, and even though she was a she, Ranma took to the caution of not getting wet when she ventured out into the gray splattering. Neither Shampoo nor Cologne had again stopped by in that time space, merely telling them to be ready for a long journey. It was more unsettling to the Tendos than it was to the Saotomes, both being experienced m-- well, an experienced girl and an experienced man-panda. Ranma was already geared up to go that very night, jamming the essentials into a backpack within minutes. What was more of a shock was that it was not a solo venture, or even a small party. Aside from Ranma, Cologne and Shampoo, Akane, Ukyou and Genma would also be in attendance. Naturally, both Shampoo and Akane were a good bit irritated as the addition of Ukyou was not really a healthy mix to their angered amalgam. Ranma wasn't given the time to inquire before Cologne took her leave, beckoning Shampoo to follow her out into the rain. When she tried to follow, Akane just held her back, telling Ranma that there was a definite cause in the old woman's voice. It would be best to wait.
And so they did.
Now, the third day from their coming, as the skies darkened to a point signifying a rainy dusk, Ranma was once more in the dojo. She pulled at the gi she had yet to change out of, getting a whiff of the building funk. "Man, I'm rank." She shrugged and walked around the dojo, listening to the patter of the water outside. She considered going for a jog, but the concepts of adhesive clothing weren't too appealing. Instead, she broke into a bit of a run around the wood floor, not turning to a creak at the door as she made another lap.
"I'm not surprised to see you here," Nabiki said plainly. "What do you think you're preparing for?"
Ranma stopped, walking over from midway past the half of the dojo on the far side. She cut to Nabiki, breathing a little labored as she wiped at her brow. "I don't know. Something. Big, maybe." She scratched her side for a moment, averting her eyes to the floor. "Hey, Nabiki. . ."
"What is it?"
"What do you know? About me being a girl and all?"
Nabiki played down the stench and held up her umbrella. She reached out and grabbed Ranma's gi, a mysteriously clandestine grin on her face. "Dinnertime. Let's go, Ran-chan."
--
It was a small lie, seeing as dinner was actually an hour away, but Nabiki had designs on eating with pleasant surroundings. It was a subtle hint for Ranma to hop into the shower. Ranma was slightly confused when she entered to see Kasumi still on the job, the rest of the family trying to relax with reading and / or board games. Akane looked to her but did not say anything as Nabiki winked at her and took a seat on the couch. Somehow, Ranma caught the message and was now washing up.
The bathroom was a welcome change from the cold, early spring rains that chilled her bones outside. Steaming water slid down Ranma's body in a most appreciative manner, her icy hands quickly warming in the hot shower. She still sighed, made better aware of what she'd been for the last few days. It wasn't the longest stretch that she had gone as a girl -- there were times when her mother would stop by, forcing her into reclusion for nearly a week, sometimes. Now, however, presented with the fact that she wasn't changing back to a he even now, she felt a whole lot more permanently placed in her girlhood. With that came a sudden and dreadful attack of exactly what a girl was.
She shifted and squirmed a little as she rubbed her chest, trying to bring down the slightly sore ring throughout her skin. After the first day, she'd taken to wearing a wrap rather than a bra, a lot more comfortable when the things didn't move at all. The tightness, though, was beginning to take its toll as she now tried to massage the ill vibes out of them. Dire effect came in not only making them a little sorer, but also the entrance of stiffer parts of her body.
"Oh, what the hell is this?" she mumbled, flinching as the touched them. "I didn't even think of sex!" She sighed bitterly, grabbing her head. "Well, now I am. . ." She swallowed, trying to shake off the thoughts as she felt a scintillating throb rock through her. With a bit of a flush, Ranma inched her hand down a little before pulling back, instead grabbing at her sides. She gasped, opening her eyes at what thoughts filled her head. Some of them were not to her (or more importantly, his) preference. Ranma sucked in a breath and buckled forward a little, hissing as a sudden pain struck her within. "Ng! What is wrong with this body?!"
She shakily reached out to shut off the water, climbing out of the shower basin to towel off. A dull ache still circled through her body, making her groan as she tried to walk. She shivered, almost, worried that a few of the things she conjured were not of the female form. She dismissed it, knowing she was tired, and concentrated more on what was ailing her. It was quickly becoming an even darker evening as she shuffled off to get dressed; once more in her Chinese digs.
The dinner atmosphere was equally as sullen, Ranma merely picking at her food. When asked if anything was wrong, she gave a heave of her shoulders and filled her mouth with minuscule bits of food to sate her hostess' urgings. Conversation was not as lacking as it was the first two days, Nabiki and Akane trying to get into a bit of chat as they became increasingly aware that Ranma was staring at them. Soun and Genma, for the ninth time, excused themselves early for a game of Shougi; Genma was becoming tired of trying to change his girl back into his boy. For that matter, so was Ranma.
She sat in a slump, poking at the table with her chopsticks as she, bored and easily amused, tried to play down the dull pain inside. Her attempt to take her mind off it and put it on other things only led to how much she wanted to either kill her dad or kill Akane. It was one of their faults. Well, Nabiki too -- oh, hell, she'd kill them all!
No, she rationalized, that's probably a bad idea. But what the hell is happening to me? It's not faaaiirr! She frowned, wincing furtively as she rubbed her stomach. She squirmed a bit, feeling a flash go over her body. Being a girl sucks. How do they deal with it? She looked up to the two at the other end of the table, marveling at them, as would a perplexed boy trapped in a woman's world. Akane noticed her stare and for a very transient moment, another, though pleasant, flash came back over her body. She caught her breath, seeing a similar blush come to Akane's face. Ranma averted her gaze to her plate, surprised to see more shrimp appear before her. She looked back up to see Kasumi smile at her, reaching over to pat her on the head.
"Eat up, Ran-chan," she said softly. "It'll take your mind off the pain."
Her eyes widened a moment before realizing that her attempts to soothe the pains were not exactly as clandestine as she could have hoped. Ranma smiled grimly, shaking her head. "It feels like my insides are boxing. . ." She sighed and pushed the plate away a little, seeing the disappointment mirrored in her hostess' face. "Sorry. . ."
"It'll go away soon. Maybe you should lie down." She turned to the other two who still had not taken note of Ranma's condition. "Akane-chan, Nabiki-chan, how could you?" she demanded in her own little reprimand. The two looked up as Ranma sank back, nearly falling from her seat. She sucked in a breath, gritting her teeth a bit as he felt the stares of the two other sisters fall upon him.
I can't take this much longer. . . Why does it--
cramp
make me wan--
cramp
--t to d--
craaaammmp
"Oh God, STOP!" she shrieked, jumping to her feet. It was ill fated as she quickly fell upon turning, landing face-first on the floor. Kasumi covered her mouth before Ranma quickly made her way out, half running and half crawling to an escape.
"Ranma!" Akane suddenly called, also jumping to her feet. She stood, locked in place as she watched Ranma scurry out, a frown set deep into her face. She tried to move, but couldn't get herself to go. Nabiki coughed and tapped her leg.
"What are you waiting for? Go after her."
"Er, right."
Ranma lay face down on her futon, mumbling incoherently into her pillow. Being a girl -- a real girl -- wasn't shaping up to suit her too well. Her chest was beginning to hurt a little, she had Krunk and Major Glory doing battle in her stomach and lower, and worse yet, she wanted to cry! What's up with that? She lifted her head, rubbing her nose a bit.
"What is up with'hat?"
Ranma jumped a little at a steady rap on her door. She lifted her head to look back over her shoulder to see it tentatively slide to the side. Akane peeked in, displaying an overly relieved look on her face. "Good, you aren't trying to get off on a broom, or something."
"Go away. Now."
Ranma pushed her face back down as Akane threw out an irritated sigh, moving over to sit next to the rather dull redhead. "Don't be so moody. I was just kidding. You'll never make it as a girl if you can't take a few things in stride."
"I don't want to be a girl, " she muffled, "and I don't want to take things in stride. Want me to kick you in the crotch? Then we'll be even."
Akane stewed a bit, letting out a big breath. Fight it. . . "What are you mad at me for? I don't control your body, how am I supposed to influence how you have a p--"
"YES!" Ranma roared, wrenching back up on her knees. "This is your fault!"
cramp
"OW!!" She buckled forward, dropping to her side as she curled into a ball. "Akane. . ."
Instinctively, Akane reached out and put her hand on Ranma's head. She stroked the redhead's hair, taking big deep breaths to get rid of her own anger. Ranma mewled -- much to Akane's surprise -- burying her face into the futon. "Does it really hurt that bad?"
"Yes. . ." She lifted her head slightly, looking up at the Tendo girl. "What's wrong with me?"
Akane actually laughed, still petting Ranma's head. "Nothing. You've just got about four or five years of periods catching up with you--"
"P. . . periods?" Ranma said, dumbstruck. "This is a period?"
Akane shrugged. "Well, yeah. Shaping up to be a heavy one, too. I'll have to get you some tampons." Akane grinned inside –- what other girly things could she get Ranma to do. . . ?
Ranma managed to get up, sitting back on her elbows as she stared off into the ceiling. ". . . And I made fun of you for these?" Akane grinned as she let her hand unconsciously trail down her arm.
"They suck, don't they?"
Ranma nodded, jumping slightly when Akane's hand came to rest on her own. "Akane. . . I don't like being a girl. This is really starting to freak me out."
"You're just not used to it. Sometimes I don't like it, either. I doubt that being a boy is one huge picnic."
Ranma shook her head. "I. . . " She hissed, dropping to her back. "I can't even remember." Akane looked around, unsure of how to respond as Ranma's hand tightened around hers. Akane looked to it, a little disappointed when Ranma pulled it away. The redhead looked off to the side, a bit of anger still marking her face. "Thanks a lot, Akane."
There was a tap at the window.
". . . You IDIOT!" Akane roared, jumping up to her feet. She seethed, looking around for the nearest dresser to drop on Ranma's head. Instead, she knelt back down, straddling the redhead's waist. Ranma wasn't given time to react before the Tendo girl pulled her up by her collar, shaking her back and forth. "I'm here by my own will! I came up here to help you get through this! And all you can do is throw a girly, sissy little pissy fit! You're more of a girl than I am!"
Ranma winced, but otherwise, remained unresponsive. She looked up at the other femme, her head slightly tilted to the side. They were silent now as the wind clinked again the window a few more times. Ranma closed her eyes, taking in a big sigh as the pain began to subside a bit.
She mumbled something.
"What did you say?"
"I said 'sorry', okay?" Ranma turned her head away, putting her elbows back to support her. There was a drop of silence before Akane's grasp slackened.
"So. . . you meant it, didn't you?" Her left eye popped open, startling her a bit as Akane was now only a few centimeters away.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing. . ."
"Yes you are."
"Am not. . ." She paused. "I'm sorry, Ranma. I guess I don't know what you're going through at all." She removed one of her hands from the collar, placing it back down. She jerked a bit when it landed on Ranma's. She however, could not win the fight to move it away.
Shutting her eyes once more, Ranma tipped her head up a bit, feeling Akane's breath roll over her face. It was nicely cool, actually, a sweet scent flowing around her. The hand upon her own tightened as Akane leaned in a bit more, the faint indication of pheromones swimming around the dimmed room. Somehow, Saotome's apology and sincerity were lingering in her silence.
Fffssshhhhh! went the door.
"It's time to go, son-in-law."
Damnit.
--
Oi! I apologize! This should not have been so late, but school's an ass. My bad ^^ I'm getting back into original work so the next part might be even later. I'll try to keep it up there, I promise.
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