Full Ranma Panic
By Lisa Grey
Chapter 2: Training the Heart
"So what do you think, Lt. Commander.?" Tessa asked the older man.
"I think, if things work out, we have the makings of a fine new unit," Kalinin assessed. "It's very experimental, but it should prove interesting. With Miss Chidori's ability to use the Lambda Driver to mesh with the equipment and the Ranma boy's ability to project and use ki, they should prove to be a powerful force for us. If the boy is as good an AS pilot as he is a martial artist then he could very well eclipse Mr. Sagara as our top AS pilot."
"How are the designs for the ARX-8 model coming?" the young captain asked.
"They are almost complete," the light commander said. "We should have a prototype in a couple of months. Of course the Seraph, as the ARX-8 has been named, will be useless if our theories about the boy are wrong. The unit is heavily dependant on the pilot's ability to use the Lambda Driver. We know from the data we collected on the Behemoth and Miss Chidori's control of the Tuatha De Danaan that the whispered will be able to use the unit."
The captain looked at the dossiers in front of her, seeing a cute boy with his black hair braid and a confident smirk and a girl with teal hair and a bright smile. She smiled a bit, thinking that the two looked cute together. The part of her mind that was the seventeen year old girl began plotting.
"So if they meet our expectations, how do you think we should deploy them?" the captain asked her subordinate.
"I think we should deploy them as a two unit team," Kalinin suggested. "Should they prove our theories, even Arbalest will have trouble keeping up with them. The rest of the Urz team would likely just be in the way. However, I wouldn't rely on them too heavily. We should be careful how we deploy them so as not to tip our hand. It would be to our advantage to keep this new AS and Pilot combination under wraps as long as possible. Our M-9's and Arbalest will be sufficient for most situations we deal with." The captain nodded.
"I agree," she said. After a pause, she continued, "What about Mr. Ranma's...condition?"
"Yes, that is interesting, isn't it?" Kalinin remarked. "We don't really understand it. It's clearly magic, which challenges our world view a great deal. We don't know how, if at all, it will effect the Lambda Driver. From a personnel stand point, Ranma will require special handling to keep incidents from occurring. Ranma is an incomparable hand to hand fighter and I would hate to have half our compliment in sickbay because they decided to get a free show in the shower. Also, he's bound to take some ribbing about it, but everyone will be briefed that they aren't too get carried away, or they will face censure."
"Very well, Lt. Cmdr," Tessa said. "Oooo, I can't wait to see how they do. Do you think Miss Kaname will get along with him?"
Kalinin grinned inwardly, knowing that the kind young captain was hoping to ease her guilt at having won the battle for Sgt. Sagara's attentions by replacing him with the Ranma boy as Miss Chidori's object d'amore. He rather hoped the captain's plan for them worked out as well.
OOOOOOO
Ranma stepped off the helicopter with eleven other apparent recruits. They were led to the small terminal building where they boarded a bus that would take them to their new home for the next few months. Ranma looked around at his fellow recruits, as he'd being too distracted by looking out the window of the helicopter to assess them at that time.
In addition to himself, there was six men and five women. All of them, save one, seemed to be significantly older than himself. Again, all of them but the young woman who appeared around his age, seemed to have a military bearing that spoke of combat experience in another unit somewhere. He turned his attention to the other odd person out. She was a very cute girl with waist length teal hair. She seemed entirely too young to be here. Though she looked to be quite athletic, she didn't appear to be a trained fighter. If she practiced the art, it was likely a low impact style like Tai Chi. As for the others, they were fairly non-descript in that military cookie-cutter sort of way. None of them showed much sign of being trained in the art beyond the rudimentary training the military provided.
He was rattled out of his thoughts by an AS moving past the bus as it turned in to pull up in front of a three story building. He had seen Arm Slaves before on occasion but he was never overly impressed. They had their place, but as a martial artist, he never had much use for them. Now, if what he'd been told was true, he would soon be piloting one. They wanted to find out what a high end martial artist could do with them in some sort of experimental program. They thought his abilities would make him into some sort of super AS pilot or something. Truth be told, he was a little curious as to what he could do with one.
The bus stopped at the front of the building where a man in a crisp military uniform stood. As everyone got out, the man addressed them saying to follow him to where they would be processed in and issued their uniforms and kit. Processing entailed filling out several forms and a full medical exam, which Ranma had to go through twice, once for each form. Ranma almost balked right there when they insisted on a full gynecological exam, but knowing what she had given up to get here, she suppressed her revulsion and submitted to the exam. She did draw the line when the doctors started to discuss studying her further. She let them know in no uncertain terms that she wasn't going to be their lab rat and if that was what they intended then she was walking right now. They backed off, knowing that the brass had other plans for her.
Back in male form, Ranma once again had second thoughts about being here when they issued uniforms. Ranma's issue included a compliment of sports bras and women's briefs among the t-shirts and men's briefs. No boxers at all. Taken aside, he was informed that he had to wear the sports bras at all times when in uniform as it would potentially cause problems should his rather well endowed female form appear braless in the midst of the male soldiers. His kit held yet more embarrassments for him, containing several items pertaining to female hygiene. So it an embarrassed and disgusted red faced Ranma made his way to his quarters.
Ranma found his assigned room and entered, dropping his stuff. It was larger than he expected, containing one bunk, a small desk and a wardrobe. There was a window on the wall opposite the entry door that provided a nice view of the mountainous tropical landscape. The only other feature in the room was another door beside the desk. Opening it, Ranma discovered it was a bathroom. Closing the door, Ranma began to get settled in, unpacking and putting away his uniforms and other issued items. As for his pack that contained everything else he owned in the world, he sat that in the bottom of the wardrobe without bothering to unpack it. Deciding to freshen up a bit before changing into his uniform and heading to the mess hall, he stripped off his red silk shirt followed by his pants. Clad in only his boxers, he grabbed his kit and headed into the bathroom to wash up.
Making sure the water was warm, Ranma used a rag to clean his face. While he was scrubbing vigorously he heard a door open followed by a startled 'EEP!'
OOOOOOO
Kaname entered her room and looked around. One bed, a wardrobe, desk, and a window. She put her stuff down on the bunk and looked out the window for a moment. Sighing, she turned and continued her investigation of her new home. Opening the other door in the room revealed a bathroom complete with a tub/shower, toilet, vanity sink and a delicious looking young man clad only in his boxers, muscles and other...things...shaking as the young man scrubbed his face vigorously. It finally occurred to Kaname that gorgeously sculpted young men were not a standard bathroom fixture and she blushed deeply, emitting a startled 'EEP!'
The young man, the other recruit that was her age, looked up at her. His eyes widened seeing her standing there and he blushed...all over. He looked down at himself and his state of dress and 'eep'ed'. Kaname realized she was staring and blushed even more before fleeing back into her room and slamming the door shut. She went out and double checked her room number and verified it in the assignment sheet. She was in the right room. Reentering her room she sat down on the bed to get a hold of herself. A couple of minutes later, she heard a knock on the bathroom door followed by a male voice calling out that he was dressed.
Kaname opened the door to reveal the now clothed and still cute guy.
"Look, I'm sorry about that," the guy said. "I didn't realize I was sharing a bathroom with anyone. Especially not a girl. I promise, I'll make sure the door is locked next time."
"Oh, it's okay," Kaname said smiling sweetly. "It was my fault for walking in on you. I'm a little surprised that I have to share a bathroom with a boy as well. My name's Kaname Chidori, by the way."
"I'm Ranma," the boy bowed politely.
"Just 'Ranma'?" Kaname asked.
"Yeah, just Ranma," the boy replied. "I had to give up my family name and now I'm ronin. It's a long story and one I'd like to forget."
"People still do that?" Kaname asked amazed. He nodded. "Well, at any rate, we'll have to work out a schedule, and you better not leave a mess in there or we're not going to get along, okay?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Ranma said, issuing a sloppy salute and a grin that made Kaname's heart clinch. "Well, I'll be going. I'm starving and I don't want to miss out at the mess hall. Sheesh, I never figured on being in the military," Ranma shook his head as he walked off.
Kaname giggled as his words were echoed in her own thoughts.
OOOOOOO
Mornings for Kaname and Ranma's training unit were free. At least they were free for the experienced AS pilots. The training staff had allowed the experienced pilots to demonstrate their basic AS skills and allowed those who passed to forgo their basic AS pilot training. The afternoons alternated between physical training, including firearms training, one day, and classroom training, where they were taught Mithril procedures and doctrine, the next.
Ranma shuddered as he thought back on the 'get to know your teammates' session they had had that first day. In his opinion, the folks in charge had totally botched it. They had everyone stand up and give some background on themselves and why they wanted to be a soldier of Mithril. They saved Ranma until last, and before he got up, they gave a bit of a preface, including telling them about the curse, followed, of course, by a demonstration. They warned everyone about giving Ranma a hard time, telling them that he was the best hand to hand fighter on the island if not in all of Mithril and if anything inappropriate should happen, then, after Ranma got through with the offending party, the brass would then take disciplinary measures.
This of course virtually invited these people who thought of themselves as warriors to challenge Ranma to fights. And of course, Ranma, being Ranma, he made them all look like inept amateurs. However, it didn't take more than a few smack downs before guys became more careful with their water. In the end, Ranma was alienated from all but a couple of the guys. The women ranged from those like Kaname, who thought it was weird, but otherwise didn't care, to those that though Ranma was a pervert. Almost all of them had been disappointed when they found out that such a cute guy changed into a girl that in most cases, made them look plain by comparison. Ranma took this all in stride, having expected this sort of treatment by people not used to the weirdness found in places like Nerima.
Entering the mess hall, he collected a tray heaped with food and began to look for a table to sit at. What caught his eye was Kaname sitting at a table by herself, looking sad and lonely as she picked at her food while looking out the window. He made his way over to her table and sat down.
"Hey," he said gently. "You look sad. Wanna talk about it?"
She had been thinking about the fact that she had been here a month already and neither Sousuke nor any of her friends had come to visit her yet. Kaname looked at the boy that shared her bathroom and suddenly she got angry at the pigtailed boy who had intruded on her thoughts and had presumptuously sat at her table.
"Look, Ranma," she said icily, "I'm not looking to be picked up and certainly not by you."
Ranma blinked at her for a moment before the hurt flooded his features.
"Forgive me, Chidori-san," he said tightly. "I didn't mean to presume. I just thought you looked like you could use a friend. It was foolish of me to think that someone would want to be friends with a freak like me." He stood and collected his tray. "I'm sorry."
Kaname instantly felt guilty as the boy turned away to leave. "Ranma...Ranma, please wait," she said feeling like a complete heel. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I...I could use a friend. Please sit." Ranma paused without turning, deliberating whether or not to accept this. "Please, Ranma?" The boy nodded and turned, sitting back down.
The pair ate in silence for a while, before Kaname began to speak.
"There was a boy," she said softly. "He was a Mithril agent assigned to protect me form certain groups that wanted to capture me and experiment on my...abilities. At first, I thought he was some military fanactic stalker because he followed me everywhere and everything he did had some military flavor to it. But then I found out who he really was. I started to fall for him, but he was so clueless. Nothing I did seemed to make him notice me as anything but a mission objective. It was so frustrating. Then there was another girl. She was his commanding officer. She fell for him too, but she was braver than me. Or maybe she understood him better than I did. She actively pursued him, while I waited for him to notice me. She won. I guess her active pursuit forced him to confront his feelings. I guess that's why I'm here, so I can understand him better, so I can know why I lost. How about you? Did you have someone back home?"
"Well, it's a little complicated, but I guess in a way I did," Ranma said.
"So what happened?" Kaname asked.
"To much history, I guess," Ranma sighed. "It was an arranged marriage. We met right after I got the curse and she didn't react well to being engaged to someone who turned into a girl. We were both pretty stubborn and the harder our fathers pushed us together the more hurtful we were to each other. It's funny though, because eventually we did grow to care for each other, in spite of everything. It was never easy though. While neither of us could admit our feelings for each other, she was very jealous and abusive if another girl talked to me. It didn't help that we both had several other suitors who kept trying to break us apart either. I didn't realize how sick of the crap that went on around us I had gotten until I got the offer from Mithril. That's why I'm ronin. I had to turn my back on my family to get out of the obligations my former father had saddled me with. I just got tired of being fought over like some prize. In the end, she asked me not to go, but by then I knew we couldn't be happy with each other. Sometimes just caring for someone isn't enough."
"Oh," Kaname said softly. "I guess that makes us both on the rebound, huh?"
"I guess so," Ranma smiled sadly. "I guess I've had enough girl troubles to last me a life time. So believe me when I tell you that there is no hidden agenda when I offered you my friendship."
"Okay, I can live with that," Kaname nodded. "You never want to have a girlfriend though? I mean with your...other form, you're not into guys are you?"
"No! No! No!" Ranma waved his hands in warding gestures. "I ain't like that." Kaname giggled at him. "It's just that, well, I guess I don't really know who I am yet. I don't think I'm ready for a relationship at this point in my life."
"I understand, Ranma, and actually, that's how I feel too," Kaname agreed. "I used to think I knew who I was and where I was going, until Sousuke entered my life. Now I'm trying to figure it out again."
"Well, if you need to talk about anything," Ranma said, "and I do mean anything, even girl stuff, cause you'd be surprised at how much of that I can relate to, I'll always be there to listen to a friend. I haven't had many friends in my life, because I moved from place to place learning martial arts and never hung around long enough to make friends. So I treasure the friends I make."
"Okay, Ranma, I'd be proud for you to think of me as a friend," Kaname smiled brightly, causing Ranma's heart to clinch. She offered him her hand.
'Beautiful,' he thought as he shook her hand and smiled back, not knowing that his smile provoked a similar reaction and thought on her part.
"Thanks, Ranma," Kaname said. "You really did help me feel better."
"Anytime, Kaname," Ranma smiled.
OOOOOOO
Over the next several weeks, Ranma and Kaname became inseparable. Indeed, it would have shocked them to know that they had been deliberately manipulated together, but they didn't know. Ranma turned out to be quite talented at piloting an AS. His movements were economical and precise and his gunnery skills were among the best. In fact, Kaname had to admit that the martial artist might even be Sousuke's equal. Kaname herself was a little better then average for the rest of their training unit. Like Ranma, who could almost make his AS do martial arts kata, Kaname's athletic ability translated over into her piloting.
The two helped each other as well, Ranma, teaching Kaname martial arts, that could be used to improve her piloting while Kaname would help Ranma with the technical things. By the end of the training, they had become great team, as the brass had intended.
"Hey, Kaname, where did you get assigned?" Ranma asked looking over his orders.
"I got assigned to the Mithril R&D facility to assist on a top secret project," Kaname said. "How about you?"
"Would you believe, the same?" Ranma grinned.
"Yatta!" Kaname yelled happily and high-fived Ranma.
"It's good to see you so happy, Kaname, congratulations," someone said. Kaname stiffened and looked over her shoulder. It was the whole gang. Tessa, Sousuke, Melissa, and Kurz.
"Hey guys," Kaname smiled. Strangely, it didn't hurt as much as she thought it would, seeing Tessa and Sousuke together. She quickly introduced everyone to Ranma.
"How about we go celebrate your getting out of Basic Training!" Kurz suggested enthusiastically.
"Only if I can bring Ranma," Kaname replied.
"Sure," Melissa said. "It's going to be a barbecue and overnight on the beach, so you two may want to go change."
The pair ran up stairs and changed. When they returned, both wore shorts and a t-shirt while Ranma carried two small bags. The group piled into a pair of Hummers and headed out to the beach.
OOOOOOO
"So Kaaaanaameee," Melissa sang as she operated the large 4 wheel drive vehicle off the base at a break neck rate of speed, "what do you think of Ranma? Isn't he just a total hunk?" Kaname blushed cutely.
"Melissa!" she protested. "He's my friend, my best friend." Melissa looked at her with half lidded eyes, obviously calling Kaname on her evasion. Kaname grinned a little. "And yeah, he is a total hunk, when he's not a babe that is. His girl form is so adorably cute it's disgusting." Tessa giggled at that.
"And does that matter to you?" Melissa grinned.
"Not in the least," Kaname replied. "After all we are just friends." The teal haired girl stuck her tongue out at the older woman.
"Oh so then you won't mind if I make a pass at him then?" Melissa teased.
"As long as you don't mind getting shot down," Kaname retorted. She knew Melissa was teasing her, but she couldn't help the slight note of jealousy from creeping into her voice.
"Got him wrapped around that little finger of yours pretty tight, huh, Kiddo?" Melissa grinned.
"Not at all," Kaname said with a sniff. "With his experience with women, it's a wonder the poor guy didn't go join a monastery and take a vow of celibacy." The three women laughed.
"Still, he is a total hottie," Tessa commented.
"And you, Madam Captain, can just stay away from him," Kaname meant it to sound teasing but didn't quite pull it off. The possessive tone in her voice sent Tessa and Melissa into a bout of laugher.
"Yes Ma'am, Miss Kaname," Tessa said, saluting her. "He's all yours, Ma'am!" The captain and Melissa dissolved into giggles again while Kaname crossed her arms under her breasts and pouted cutely.
In the chasing vehicle, a similar conversation was taking place.
"So Ranma, it seems our little Kaname has taken a shine to you," Kurz teased the younger man.
"We're just friends," Ranma said firmly.
"Uh huh, riiiiight," Kurz laughed. "And I guess it completely escaped your notice that she's a total hottie?"
"Well, she is very pretty, but looks aren't everything," Ranma commented.
"Affirmative, Ranma, but are you trying to say Miss Chidori has some other flaw?" Sousuke demanded. "I have spent a lot of time with Miss Chidori and I failed to detect any."
"I didn't say that," Ranma snapped. "It's just that, well, she's my best friend, okay?"
"Yeah, sure, okay. But what if she wants to be MORE than your best friend?" Kurz grinned leeringly at the pigtailed martial artist.
"Why would she want that?" Ranma asked confused. "What girl would want me with my curse and all?"
"Intelligence says that before you left Nerima, you had several beautiful women mounting campaigns to win you," Sousuke observed. "The conclusion would seem to dictate that there are girls that are willing to overlook, or even revel in, such a complication to the mission objective."
"Huh?" Ranma said trying to decipher why the soldier boy just said. Kurz laughed.
"He said, there are obviously some women out there that won't mind your curse, Ranma," Kurz translated. "Obviously you had several beautiful women after you in Nerima that didn't seem to mind."
"Oh that," Ranma dismissed. "People are weird in Nerima anyway. But none of those women were actually after me. They were after a prize, some status symbol to be competed over to prove they were better then the others. Not one of them was really interested in me as a person."
"Jeez, man," Kurz rolled his eyes, "are you sure that curse of your doesn't effect your mind, cause that sure sounded like something a chick would say." Ranma glared at him.
"Okay, you try being chased by four violent chicks that are constantly trying to drug you, poison you, or beat the crap out of you, then you tell me if I sound like a chick," Ranma snapped. Kurz held up his hands in surrender before returning them to the wheel.
"Be that as it may," Sousuke said, "I have not seen Miss Chidori as happy as she was earlier in quite some time. I would recommend against a preemptive strike, but I would advise that you be vigilant for any subtle advances she may make. Miss Chidori is very subtle and cautious, perhaps even tentative, in her campaigns. I failed to recognize this before I was already committed elsewhere. The result was painful for all involved. Should she make such advances, you should respond with a similar level of commitment and allow her to escalate as she deems appropriate. Should you show honor and courage and not retreat in the face of an advance, I estimate you will secure a precious objective." Ranma blinked a few times while Kurz sweat dropped.
"Man, Sousuke, you are one weird guy," Ranma said shaking his head.
"Affirmative," Sousuke said with a straight face. "So Miss Chidori and many of my colleagues have told me."
OOOOOOO
The guys came back from their wood collecting expedition to find the girls had set up the volleyball net and unpacked the gear from the Hummers. Currently the women were relaxing in the folding lounges they had brought.
"Jeez, Ranma, remind me never to piss you off," Kurz was teasing Ranma, who was casually carrying a large log over his shoulder as if it were nothing more than a baseball bat. "But I still don't know how you expect us to use that thing. It'd take hours to chop through it with that hatchet we brought."
"Watch and dream, my friend, watch and dream," Ranma chuckled, dropping the log with a heavy thud into the sand. He proceeded to use his knife hand technique to chop and section the log in to firewood.
"Wow, that was impressive," Kaname said stepping up to Ranma. "Here you go," she said offering him a beer. Ranma looked at her...and looked at her...and looked.
"Kaname," his voice broke into a squeak. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Kaname, wow, you look..." gulp "amazing." He took the beer and popped it open, taking a big swig to moisten his mouth which had suddenly gone dry.
"You like it?" she asked cutely striking a pose and flashing a victory sign. "I just got it before I joined up."
"Uh huh," Ranma nodded rapidly while blushing. The aqua blue bikini she was wearing showcased, well, everything, leaving only the appropriate bits to the imagination. "It's very flattering on you."
"Why thank you, Ranma," Kaname blushed.
At this point Tessa and Melissa walked up, Tessa handing Sousuke a beer while standing there looking demure in her tie dye bikini. A brief look of irritation crossed her face, causing Kurz to elbow Sousuke.
"Oh, ah, Miss Tessa, you look great as well," Sousuke said.
"Oh Sousuke, you really think so?" the platinum silver haired girl gushed.
"Absolutely, without a doubt," Sousuke said in the same tone of voice one would use to assess enemy positions on the battle field.
"Oh thank you, Sousuke," the girl replied happily, eating it up.
"What? No beer for me, Babe?" Kurz asked Melissa.
"Dream on, Pal," Melissa laughed. "Get your own beer."
"See? And I was about make those two look like uneducated savages when I waxed poetic about how good your ass...ITEEE!" Kurz was interrupted by Melissa's fist in his face. "Uncute tomboy," he mumbled not quietly enough. Ranma took cover as a ten minute chase ensued which ended with Kurz pinned face down in the sand, with Melissa holding his arm in a hammer lock with her knee in the small of his back.
"What was that, Webber? I didn't hear you with your face pushed in the sand like that," Melissa was saying conversationally.
Kurz turned his head and spat out some sand. "I said you are the most beautiful Sergeant Major I've ever seen, ma'am," Kurz pleaded. "I would never refer to you as uncute."
"That's what I thought," Melissa said, smiling as she got up and brushed the sand off her hands.
"I'm just glad it's not me for once," Ranma mentioned and everyone laughed.
OOOOOOO
Sousuke sat in the sand beside Tessa's lounge as they watched a game of volleyball being waged...er...played. In spite of Ranma's efforts to limit himself to normal human feats, Kurz and Melissa were finding themselves totally over matched. Things became slightly more even when they agreed to handicap Ranma by limiting him to the back quarter of the court, but things for team Urz didn't look good.
"If you want to go help your teammates out, you don't have to sit here with me, Sousuke," Tessa said with a smile.
"I am quite satisfied with my current position, Miss Tessa," Sousuke replied.
"You're so sweet," Tessa said ruffling his hair causing the military minded boy to blush.
Ranma set Kaname up for the match point and the four agreed to a cessation of battle. Kaname trotted over and collapsed in her lounge while watching a shirtless and glistening Ranma head for the cooler. Tessa smiled as she noticed the hungry look in the teal haired girl's eyes as her gaze tracked the martial artist. Ranma returned with two beers, one of which he gave to Kaname, who rewarded him with a 500 watt smile.
"Wanna go for a swim, Ranma?" Kaname asked him.
"I don't think that would be a good idea, Kaname," Ranma demurred.
"Ah, why not, Ranma?" Kaname pouted cutely.
"Um, well, you know, Kaname," Ranma evaded. "Cold water and all..."
At this point Tessa had gotten up and got her foot entangled around the leg of her chair. She 'accidentally' stumbled and her drink, by some 'chance', ended up on Ranma, who was now sputtering, wet and female. She looked up and saw the guys staring at her chest, Kurz with a small trickle of blood coming out of his nose. She 'eep'ed' and quickly covered her breasts with her arms as Tessa apologized profusely, berating herself for being so clumsy.
"Well, I suppose you'll have to go swimming with me now, huh, Ranma?" Kaname grinned.
"I guess so," Ranma sighed before going to the truck and climbing in. A minute later, she reappeared wearing a white one piece girl's bathing suit.
"Aw, come on, Ranma," Kaname said cheerfully. "It's not that bad, is it?" She smiled brightly at the redheaded girl.
"I guess not, Kaname," the girl smiled hesitantly.
"Good, now let's go," Kaname grabbed the smaller girl's hand and took off down the beach into the surf.
"Good one, Tessa," Melissa smirked as they watched the two girls frolic in the waves.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Melissa," the platinum silver haired girl said innocently. "Are you suggesting I did that on purpose?" She spoiled it, however, when she grinned wickedly.
OOOOOOO
After dinner, Kaname and Ranma sat next to each other in the sand by the fire. Ranma watched Kaname as she watched Sousuke and Tessa walking hand in hand down near the water.
"You want I should go pound on him just a little?" Ranma asked her gently. Kaname giggled and leaned against him with her head on his shoulder.
"No, that's alright, Ranma," Kaname smiled. "I'm happy for them. Tessa is a really sweet girl and she has a lot of responsibility. She deserves that comfort she gets from him."
"Kaname?" Ranma asked nervously.
"Hmm?" Kaname asked.
"What are we doing?" the pigtailed martial artist asked softly. Kaname leaned away and looked up at him.
"Do you not want to, Ranma?" Kaname asked, looking deeply into his ocean blue eyes. Ranma gulped.
"Yeah, I think I do," Ranma said slowly. "But do you want this? For us to be a couple?"
"I have for a while now," Kaname said, gazing into his searching eyes. "You're a really great guy, Ranma. A little rough around the edges, but I can live with that. Is there some reason why I shouldn't want to be with you?"
"The curse..." he started but Kaname interrupted him.
"Means nothing, Ranma," she told him sharply. Taking his hand in hers, she continued, "It doesn't change who you are. I'm attracted to you, the total package, not just the exterior. I admit, it was a bit weird at first, but now I think it's kinda cool. It's like having my best girlfriend and a fantastic guy all in one package. Since I've gotten to know you, I understand why all those girls in Nerima were fighting over you. I'm falling for you, Ranma. Is that okay with you?"
"Yeah," Ranma said softly. "I think it's very okay with me." His breath caught when he notice how close their faces were to each other.
"Good," she whispered and leaned in the last few millimeters.
Their lips met, tentively at first, then more firmly as they began to taste of each other in earnest. Lips parted and tongues began to explore as hands began their own journey of discovery with gentle caresses and strokes. Unnoticed by the involved couple, Kurz and Melissa returned from their own walk in the woods and grinned at the sight before them. They wordlessly moved off down the beach to give the couple their privacy and share the good news with Tessa and Sousuke.
OOOOOOO
Ranma woke up to the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen. A pair of luminous sienna eyes under sleep mussed teal hair looked deeply into his own eyes from where her head lay pillowed on his chest. Kaname lay cuddled up beside him, wrapping him in her warmth.
"Good morning, beautiful," Ranma whispered softly. "Any regrets?"
"Not even a second thought," she replied. "You?"
"Are you kidding? This is the greatest thing to ever happen to me," Ranma said in awe. "How I feel about you, about us, it's too much, too intense, for me to even begin to describe it. It scares me shitless but I don't ever want this feeling to go away."
Kaname's smile was like the sun dawning into the darkness that had been his life. Suddenly, he knew. He knew the answer to why he had been given life. He was filled with an incredible sense of purpose. That purpose was to make the girl that lay beside him as happy as possible, protect her from all harm, and to dedicate his life to her. It left him feeling giddy, drunk on the power of that which was her. He felt as if his heart was going to burst.
"Me too," the beauty in his arms said, her eyes gleaming with intensity, identical images of his own feelings shining back at him. "You say the sweetest things sometimes."
"Oh Kami, that was beautiful," a voice sobbed, intruding in the moment, but not shattering it.
Looking up the pair saw their friends watching them from a few feet away. Tessa had her face buried in Melissa's cleavage crying at the beauty of what she'd just seen. Melissa's shimmered as well, proving that she too was moved as she held the emotional young captain. Even Sousuke had a small smile on his face. Kurz was rolling his eyes.
"Man, that was sappy," the blonde haired man smiled, then had to duck as beer cans, chunks of wood, or whatever was handy was launched at him.
"Now that you love birds are up," Melissa said, "we can get started on breakfast."
Ranma, feeling natures call, got up apologetically and kissed Kaname on the forehead before walking off into the trees. The other two girls wasted no time in pumping the teal haired girl for details.
"So Kanameee," Tessa said with wicked grin, "is he a good kisser?"
"He certainly looked it last night," Melissa chimed in as Kaname blushed crimson. "Well? Spill it, we need the info!"
"He's the best," Kaname gushed. She looked around to see if any of the guys were in earshot then beckoned the pair closer. "I think I, well, you know, just from him kissing me." Kaname blushed brightly. "I can't believe I just told you guys that."
"He deserves you, Miss Kaname," Tessa said sincerely. "You're the sweetest person I know and you should know this. That boy has had the most horrible life. We have quite an extensive and detailed intelligence file on him and almost nothing that's happened to him was good. He was abused in some way, shape, or form almost to the day he agreed to join us, yet one thing stayed the same though out the story of his life. He's always tried to help others when they were in trouble and he's always tried to act with honor and do the right thing. Treat him well, Miss Kaname, and he'll stop the world from rotating if you ask him to."
The group frolicked on the beach until after lunch and it was clear things had changed between Ranma and Kaname. They were always near each other and always touching, unable to get enough of each other. Ranma did have another small crisis when Kaname wanted to go swimming again. Still not quite believing the she could accept his curse, he went all somber again, depressed, believing that she wouldn't want to share their affection when he was in girl form. Kaname disabused him of this notion in a direct manner. She dumped a cup of water over his head and planted a kiss on her lips so passionate that the little redhead's knees collapsed. After eating lunch, they packed up their gear and headed back to the base.
OOOOOOO