Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½.

Ranma: Thank Kami-sama she doesn't!

Yami Motou: Akane!

Akane (with her mallet): Yes?

Yami Motou: Can I borrow your mallet?

Akane: Sure.

(Ranma runs around the room with me chasing him, mallet posed over my head)

Akane: Enjoy the story.

Akane's Curse-Part 1

Akane checked the date of the airplane ticket in her hand. Today's date was on the ticket as well as the note that it was a round-trip ticket. She would fly out to China today & come back three days later. Sighing, Akane picked up her carry-on bag & suitcase, & carried them downstairs.

Her father, Mr. Tendo; her two sisters, Nabiki & Kasumi; Mr. Saotome, & his son Ranma Saotome accompanied her to the airport. Her family & friends made her feelings about the trip calmer &, at the same time, more jittery. The reason why, was while everyone else thought she was just taking a little trip to China, she was actually on a mission. She planned to go to Jusenkyo to get some water from the "pool of drowned man" & cure Ranma, his father, & any other males who were cursed. She knew that they would be grateful to her. Maybe she could use Ranma's gratitude next time he makes cracks about her cooking. It was an interesting thought.

The number of her fight was announced over the intercom & Mr. Tendo began to cry, saying how his little Akane was all grown up. Nabiki paid no attention to their father's antics & turned to her youngest sister.

"Take care Akane," Nabiki said.

"I will."

"Be careful. It is China, after all," Kasumi added.

"All right."

"Have a good trip," Genma said.

"Thank you Mr. Saotome." Akane turned to her fiancée, Ranma.

"Goodbye Ranma. See you in three days."

"Same here Akane. Watch out for yourself, huh?"

"Of course Ranma," she snapped. "I know how to take care of myself!"

"All right, all right. I see your point."

"Good." Akane walked towards to door, then turned & waved once more. Everyone else waved back except Mr. Tendo. Akane stepped inside the walkway & onto the plane.

Four hours later, the plane touched down in China. It might have seemed like it was almost 1:00pm to Akane, but it was only 11:45 am to everyone else. After claiming her suitcase & going through Customs, she rented a bike & began to look for a place to stay. She traveled for about three miles before she found a suitable hotel. After booking a room for three nights starting tonight, she stashed her belongings in her room, locked the door & left the hotel to head for Jusenkyo.

Akane stood on the cliff that overlooked the grounds of the cursed Jusenkyo springs. There were so many lakes that it almost made her dizzy to look. Blinking, so her eyes refocused, she looked down at the gourd tied around her waist. That was what she would use to hold the water she would take back to Japan with her. Taking a deep breath, then exhaling it, she decided to begin making her way down & finding the "pool of drowned man."

Before she could take a step, the rock beneath her feet began to crumble. Panic seized Akane. More crumbling. Akane tried to move, but she was frozen with fear. She was going to fall into one of the many cursed springs. She just knew it. The rocks under her feet finally gave away & Akane fell off the cliff. As she descended toward one of the lakes, she prayed that the lake was curseless, thus saving her from being cursed. Akane landed with a splash.

Akane came up coughing & sputtering. She climbed out of the lake & laid down on the ground beside it, breathing the sweet, precious air. Finally, she sat up, feeling less breathless.

"Was," she started, then stopped. Her voice sounded deep for some strange reason. Clearing her throat, she tried again. "Was there a curse in the lake?" Again her voice sounded deep. What was going on? Raising a hand, she looked at it.

It was different! Instead a feminine hand, it was masculine. Looking down, she noticed that her chest was flat. A cold feeling settled in her (his?) stomach. A cold realization feeling. Akane had fallen into the "pool of drowned man"! The water that was meant to cure Akane's male friends with.

Standing up, Akane contemplated what to do next. The most logical choice was to become female again. But first thing was first. Akane plunged the gourd into the lake he fell in, brought it back out & corked it. The water was probably curseless now, but there was a chance that it wasn't. Now, to get some hot water.

Akane pushed open the door of a restaurant & sat at one of the stools at the bar. A waiter came up to him. "What can I get you, son?"

"I'll take a cup of hot water. To go, if possible."

"Hot water? To go?"

"Yes."

"Okay. One hot water to go."

Ten minutes later, the waiter brought the cup of hot water & give it to Akane, who paid him. Then, Akane went out the door, over to the side where no one could see him & dumped the water on himself, becoming female again. She sighed. "That's better." She didn't understand how Ranma could stand changing genders like that. Being a boy was very uncomfortable to her. Getting on her bike, she pedaled to the hotel, went to her room, collapsed on the bed, & fell asleep.

Akane stood before her family & friends. They were swimming in the lake. She refused to jump in, determined to keep her secret. She didn't notice that Ranma had climbed out & snuck up behind her. She pushed Akane, who fell in with a big splash. When she resurfaced, she was a he & everyone was staring in shock.

"Akane, how could you do this? I can not have a half-girl, half-boy for a child. You are to never live in our house again," Mr. Tendo scolded.

Akane sat up, wide-eyed & breathing hard. She blinked & shook her head. It was a dream. Her family & friends didn't shun & cast her out of her home. Not yet, at least. Her dream did cause her to wonder what she looked like as a boy. She also came to the conclusion that she better get used to it. She couldn't keep away from cold water forever.

Getting up she wondered over to the bathroom sink & turned the cold tap on. She quickly ran her hands under the faucet. She felt a tingle & saw her hands were male now. Satisfied, he wiped his hands with a hand towel, & then looked in the mirror in front of him. His hair, which had been a bluish-black, was now a yellow blonde color. His once black eyes were now a jade green. Not to mention that he was well-built, kind of like Ranma (boy).

Having seen enough, Akane turned to hot water on & wet his hands. The tingle was felt again & she wiped her hands again. Her curiosity quenched, Akane returned to bed.

Three days later, Akane was boarding the plane that would take her back to Japan. During the flight, Akane wrung her hand together (she was alone). How long would she be able to keep her secret? Considering how long Ranma kept his (it wasn't very long), it wouldn't be long for her. How would everyone react? Well, her father might go into hysterics, she might get sympathy from her sisters & Mr. Saotome, but Ranma? Well, with Ranma, it's hard to say how he would react. There could be two situations that are the same & he would react two different ways.

"Attention, passengers. This is your captain speaking," the pilot's voice spoke over the speaker. "We are beginning our descent. Please fasten your seat belts & remain seated until the plane has come to a full & complete stop."

Akane's stomach turned & flopped as the plane started to descend. It was more due to nerves than the descent. The time of seeing her family & friends was drawing closer.

"On behalf of my crew, I thank you for choosing our airline. You may now leave the plane," the pilot spoke.

Akane stood up, grabbed her carry-on bag, & followed the crowd off the plane & into the airport. The noise of the airport was deafening to Akane's ears, but her hearing soon became accustomed to the noise. It was then that she heard someone call her name.

"Akane!" It sounded like her father. Turning in the direction of the voice, she saw the very people she had worried about seeing. She pushed her fears aside as she rushed to them & hugged her father. The others surrounded them & talked animatedly with her as they went down to the luggage claim.

As Akane picked up her suitcase, Ranma teased, "Didn't go clothes shopping, Akane?"

"I did, but it was only one outfit. See?" She spun around to show the clothes. She found garments that suited her female & male forms.

"Very nice," Kasumi commented. "It's not your usual style, though."

"I liked it when I got it. I still do."

The group went back home, thinking Akane would like to take a nap. No chance. She put her clothes & suitcase away then grabbed the gourd & went downstairs.

She found everyone outside & went up to Mr. Saotome & his son with a big smile of achievement. "Mr. Saotome, I've got something for you & Ranma."

"Oh? What is it?"

"The water from the pool of drowned man."

"You went to Jusenkyo?" Ranma asked.

"Yes. Here." She held out the gourd. She hoped it still worked after she took the curse.

Ranma took the container, uncorked it & poured some of the water on himself & passed it to Genma. The father didn't pour, however, because his son became female. When Ranma saw this, she got very upset.

"What happened? You said you got the cure!" Ranma grabbed the gourd & threw it toward Akane, too mad to care that it wasn't polite to do so. Akane cried, "No!" & covered her face with her arms as the water splashed onto her.

The gourd, now empty, landed on the ground. But, no one paid attention to it. They were staring at Akane who had become a blonde-haired boy. They couldn't see the eyes because they were covered. When they did see the eyes, they sparked with anger. And also with fear.

"A-Akane." Ranma was the first one to speak. And she did so with confusion & shock."

'This is it,' Akane thought. 'They're going to shun me & cast me out.'

But it didn't happen. Instead, Kasumi disappeared into the house, then reappeared with a tea kettle. She poured the hot water on Ranma & Akane & set the kettle down.

"What kind of joke are you playing, Akane?" Ranma demanded.

"It's not a joke."

"How come I changed?"

"I don't know." The words were out of Akane's mouth before she could think.

"Wait a minute. You changed. You fell in, didn't you?"

Akane buried her face in her hands. "It was an accident. I didn't mean to fall in."

"Of course you didn't," Kasumi consoled. "Nobody means to fall into a curse spring." Kasumi's arms went around her youngest sister. Akane hugged her back.

"Akane!" Mr. Tendo cried hysterically. "My dear Akane!"

"She's fine, Tendo," Genma told him.

"Boy, I wonder what Ryoga's going to say when he finds out," Ranma commented.

"He won't act any differently," Akane said.

"Why don't we all go inside & discuss this over dinner," Kasumi suggested as she picked up the tea kettle. Genma & Ranma agreed hungrily.

As everyone headed inside, Nabiki stopped Akane. "You know Akane, now you & Ranma are a matched set. You both have the same type of curse."

"I never thought about it like that. Maybe you should point that out at dinner Nabiki."

"No, you should."

"All right. But after dinner. And to Ranma only."

'And maybe Ranma & I will go back to Jusenkyo together & cure ourselves. It's worth a try.' Akane thought as she & Nabiki went inside to eat one of Kasumi's delicious meals.

TBC

I finally succeed in hitting Ranma upside the head.

Ranma: XX

Akane: Good hit.

Me: Thanks.

Akane: So, what did everyone think for part one? Read and review so she'll get part two up.