Chapter Six: Ranma's P-Chan Plan

Instead of following Akane home, Ranma trudged once more to the park to contemplate what to do next. He sat down with another heavy sigh and frowned.

"Now what am I supposed to do?" he growled out loud, "No matter how many girls I flirted with today it made no effect."

"So the rumors I heard were true then?" a voice spoke from behind him.

"Huh?" Ranma looked up and behind him.

"You were acting like a pervert," Ryoga Hibiki said clenching his fist, "Ranma. Prepare to die!" he charged forward.

"Ryoga" Ranma held up his hands as Ryoga tried to punch him, "Wait man! Let me explain!"

"I don't want your explanation! How dare you treat Akane this way. I'll kill you!" Ryoga stated.

"Ryoga" Ranma blocked his punches as best as he could, all the while being backed up further towards the water, "Wait you idiot!"

"Shut up!" Ryoga yelled aiming for Ranma's face, but ending up in his chest from tripping, knocking Ranma into the water, and catching his balance just in time.

She came out sputtering water from her mouth and very angry.

"What did you do that for?" she shouted kicking some water up and hitting him directly, "Stupid little pig" she added as P-can emerged from the wetness and squealed angrily at her as she climbed out of the water, "Yea. Yea. Whatever. Wait" Ranma suddenly realized, "P-Chan. I know" she stated happily grabbing him, "You'll help me won't you Ryoga?"

Ryoga looked at her like she was crazy as she grinned like mad and another plan entered her mind.

"It's perfect" Ranma thought on the walk home clutching on the pig tightly, "Akane will get mad this time for sure."

(Next Scene)

Ranma arrived home only to once more find Nabiki waiting for her in the hallway as she snuck in.

"Hello Ranma" she replied coyly.

"Ah!" Ranma shouted, "Nabiki? What are you doing here?"

"Oh come now Ranma. I can hardly contain myself much longer. I know you are up to something."

"Up to something?" Ranma's eyes became wide as she chuckled nervously, "What makes you think that I am up to something?"

"Oh come on" Nabiki said with a roll of her eyes, "Last night's performance with Shampoo was too perfect but even more so was your act today at school. Flirting with all those girls, trying to make Akane jealous. I know what you are up to" she looked her straight in the eye.

Ranma continued to laugh nervously as Ryoga squealed angrily in her grasp.

"Don't be ridiculous Nabiki. I'm not up to anything."

"Oh really? Then why the sudden interest in all the other girls?" she placed her face close to hers.

"Well I?"

"You know" Nabiki said with a grin and holding up her right hand, "I really don't care what you are scheming Ranma, but I am sure that Daddy and Mr. Saotome wouldn't be too delighted to hear what kind of activities you did at school today" she grinned menacingly crossing her arms.

"Oh no" Ranma thought, "Not another stupid lecture. All right" Ranma replied seething, "What do you want Nabiki?"

"Moi?" she said innocently.

"It's obvious you want something. What do I have to do to make you keep your mouth shut about what you saw today?"

"Why Ranma I am surprised at you? After all we've been through. I mean we're practically family."

"Spill it" Ranma said angrily.

"Oh all right. If you insist. It's not much" Nabiki responded, "Just give me twelve thousand yen and then we'll call it even."

"Twelve thousand yen?" Ranma's jaw dropped, "That's like my whole allowance. I've been saving it up forever."

"Hey that's a lot less than I was going to ask for. But if you don't want to" she turned her head.

"Okay. Okay" Ranma nodded angrily reaching into her pocket and pulling out the money, "Here. Now you keep your promise. I hope you're happy."

"Nice doing business with you Ranma" Nabiki grinned sticking the cash down her shirt.

"Yea. Yea" Ranma muttered carrying Ryoga upstairs, "I can't believe I just had to do that again. Note to self. Must be more aware of her presence, especially when I am doing something behind someone's back. Oh well, now on to my plan" she walked over to Akane's room and knocked on the door.

Akane came to answer it and was surprised to see Ranma in his girl form. Before she could ask any questions, she handed the pig over to her and then walked back downstairs to take a bath.

"In order for my plan to work" Ranma thought, "I've got to be a guy first."

(Next Scene)

Later that evening after another delicious dinner Ranma and Akane sat in her room, studying for the test that was to be later in the week. Ryoga still in P-Chan form watched angrily on Akane's lap, staring at Ranma with a look that could kill. Ranma meanwhile baited his breath hoping sooner or later that P-Chan would be angry enough to attack him.

"Maybe I've got to get the ball rolling" Ranma thought, "Ryoga is never going to react otherwise. He's too calm for that sort of thing. But if he does react, he'll give me the key to Akane's anger for sure. She hates it when I pick on him and always beats me to a pulp. It's just gotta work."

"Ranma" Akane looked at his pensive face, "What's wrong? You look like you're thinking about something."

"Huh? Oh well I was just thinking. Akane is it necessary to have that little runt here when we study?" he indicated to P-Chan.

Ryoga's ears perked up and he growled at Ranma angrily.

"Ranma" she smiled, "P-Chan's not doing anything."

"He's annoying me sitting there with those goofy eyes and that little piggy face" Ranma replied with his eyes shut, his eyebrows furrowed, "I can't stand it."

Ryoga had heard enough, but before he could do anything Akane lifted him off her lap much to his surprise, and placed him on the floor.

"Well then, I'll just put him on the floor for now" Akane said, "You go play P-Chan while we finish our studying" she patted his head and then turned back to Ranma.

"Huh?" Ranma thought confused.

"Huh?" Ryoga squeaked.

"What?" Akane looked at Ranma quizzically again.

"Uh. Nothing" Ranma said with a shake of his head, "Damn. That should have worked," he thought.

Fortunately for him at that particular moment Ryoga seethed inside with anger and glowed bright red. With one flying leap he landed on Ranma's face, clawing and scratching him.

"Ow! Ow!" Ranma cried out surprised, "What are you doing ya little runt!" he threw him down to the ground and started chasing him, "Come back here!"

"Ranma!" Akane exclaimed sternly stopping both him and P-Chan in their tracks, Ryoga in his outstretched hands.

"Huh?" they both said together.

"Ranma" she looked at him seriously.

"Is she going to pound me into the ground now?" he thought somewhat relieved, "Did it actually work?"

"Are you all right?" she asked worriedly.

"What?" Ranma practically fell over.

"He didn't hurt you did he?" she took Ryoga from Ranma's hands.

"Is she talking to the pig or me?" Ranma thought as she stared angrily at P-Chan.

"Bad P-Chan. Bad boy. I don't know what's gotten into you" she scolded the confused pig as opened the bedroom door, "Now out you go until we are done studying" she closed the door after she had set him down on the floor. Akane turned back to Ranma as he gawked at her in shock.

"A, Akane?" he stuttered.

"Are you okay? It looks like he scratched you good" she moved forward to touch his face.

"I'm all right," he said moving away a bit scared, "Let's just get back to studying" he replied sitting down.

"All right" she nodded following suit.

As they studied Ranma could hear the slight scratching of P-Chans hooves on the bedroom door.

"Poor Ryoga" he thought miserably, "I didn't think it would turn out like this. I have to apologize to him" Ranma said to himself uncharacteristically and sighing in his head, "I'm about ready to give up Akane" he said out loud without realizing it, "I think I've done everything I can."

"What?" Akane looked up.

"Huh?" Ranma jerked his head up in surprise.

"Did you just say something?"

"Did I just say that part out loud?" he screamed in his head, "Uh yea" he nodded nervously, "I'm about ready to give up on this studying. We should call it a night."

"You're right" Akane agreed, "It's late."

"And I wanted to go take a bath before I go to bed" Ranma said standing up and completely forgetting he had a bath only hours before.

"Okay" Akane nodded, "I'll see you in the morning Ranma."

"Yea" he said sadly as he departed from the room and headed downstairs.

(Next Scene)

As he left Ryoga noticed him and followed at a slow pace till they arrived at the bathroom. Ranma walked in, removed his clothes and turned on the water. Then he climbed into the tub and leaned his head back with another sigh.

"I don't understand it. Is the real Akane gone for good or what? I think the thing is I don't understand the most though is why do I care so much?" he placed his head on top of his arms as he leaned against the side of the tub, "This Akane is nicer to me and she doesn't beat me up. We never have an arguments and she doesn't blame me for every little thing. She's cute this way and she can cook. I mean the more I think about it this Akane is the way I always wanted herto be, or thought I did. So why can't I be content?" Ranma closed his eyes as the door slid open and P-Chan came waddling in. Ranma opened his eyes immediately as the pig jumped into the bathtub. Ranma climbed out of the water, as Ryoga's human head emerged once again.

"Ryoga" he said slowly.

"Ranma" Ryoga replied clenching his fists, "I am so pissed at you for everything you put me through tonight. For turning Akane against me" he stopped when he saw the other boy's somber expression, "Ranma?"

"I'm sorry Ryoga" Ranma said apologizing sincerely.

"What's wrong? You don't look so good."

"Forget it" Ranma replied standing up, "It's not important. At least someone's getting mad at me," he said departing the room.

"Huh? Hey wait a minute Ranma! Come back!" Ryoga called out confused.

(Next Scene)

Ryoga fully dressed dashed throughout the household searching for his rival. He finally found him out of breath from a workout in the dojo. Ranma was sitting down with his back to the door. Ryoga walked over slowly and peered down at him.

"Ranma?"

"Go ahead and say it Ryoga."

"Say what?"

"I'm a failure. I did everything I can to get her back."

"Back?" Ryoga replied sitting down next to him, "What do you mean, back?"

"I mean Akane."

"But Ranma isn't she right here? In this house?"

"You don't get what I mean. That's Akane but it's not Akane. She's changed. I mean really changed. You saw the way she treated you tonight. That wasn't me it was her. In fact I was hoping she would pound me into the ground for picking on you."

"What?" Ryoga's eyes became wide.

"And all that stuff that occurred with Shampoo, the flirting at school, even," Ranma shuddered as he thought, "Kodachi was just another plan to get her angry at me."

"Why?"

"She's not herself."

"Ranma what are you talking about?" Ryoga said exasperated, "Of course she is."

"Oh yea?" Ranma eyed him angrily picking up a small plate that was sitting on the other side of him, "Try these then."

"What is it?"

"Rice-balls. Just try them."

"Okay" Ryoga replied eyeing them warily before taking a bite, "Mmm. They're good."

" Akane made them," Ranma said almost making Ryoga choke, "Relax you can eat them. They're perfectly safe. They're not toxic."

"But how? Does this mean that Akane has become a good cook?" Ryoga swallowed the last bit of rice ball happily as his eyes glazed over.

"Yea" Ranma nodded, "I guess it does" he stood up slowly.

"Ranma" Ryoga looked up at him, "Why do I get the feeling that this upsets you."

"It does. And I don't know why. It's just she even stopped her martial arts training. All she talks about now is marriage and bridal training" Ranma frowned.

"Huh?" Ryoga said feeling faint.

"She's not her anymore. She's not the Akane Tendo I knew anymore and that makes me sad for some reason. If I could find, just a little bit of a glimmer of the old Akane in her, I'd be happy. But so far I've had no luck. None whatsoever. I'm about to give up."

"About to?"

"Ryoga. I'm gonna have to do something drastic. Something I never thought that I'd do."

"What's that?"

"Ranma clenched his fist tightly and determined." I'm gonna bring back the old Akane, one way or another" he thought, "Even if it kills me. Even if I have to sacrifice all my pride. I will get her back. I swear it."

(Till Next Time)

Authors Note: See you all later for the next chapter!

Next Chapter: Ranma's Final Plan

Ranma has one last plan in store to revert Akane back to her normal self. But will he go the distance and sacrifice his pride as far as the point of giving up his manhood? Keep reading to find out!