Consequences: Ranma ½

"Awright, awright already!" Ranma Saotome, master martial artist and all round bad-ass complained as he rolled out of his warm futon to answer the door. He gripped his head as the last of the previous nights partying caught up to him. A quick exercise of will sufficed to push the incipient hangover back into its box. He didn't drink much or often but last night had been special. Stroking his slumbering bedmates hair tenderly he grabbed a robe and headed for the door.

Unchaining and unlocking the door Ranma pulled it open.

"What's so important that you …." Ranma's jaw dropped as he got a good look at his visitor. It'd been a couple years since he'd seen her last but time hadn't lessened her looks any. In fact if he'd been pushed up against a wall with all his old fiancées, rivals and enemies ready to kill him he'd be forced to admit that Tendo Akane even looked a little better than she used to. Not that he'd tell her that even then. His eyes narrowed. That's right it wasn't Tendo Akane anymore now was it? It was Hibiki Akane. He started to shut the door.

"Ranma wait!" Akane yelled as she tried to block the door.

Ranma knew that he could force the door closed on her if he didn't mind breaking it in the process. Apartment doors weren't really meant to handle the kind of pressure that two martial artists could place on them. He debated quickly whether it was worth losing his deposit to get rid of the girl. Probably not as closing the door wasn't really likely to send her on her way anyway.

Almost tiredly he opened the door and faced the young woman. "What do you want Akane? Which part of don't come looking for me didn't you understand?"

Akane looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "You have to come back Ranma, Ryouga's gone missing."

Ranma shrugged. "So what else is new? The porker always gets lost."

"But, he's been gone for three months!"

He started to shut the door again. "Not my problem."

"Please Ranma! Happosai took daddy out on a training trip and when they came back Daddy started arranging to have Ryouga removed from the clan roster. He's caved to Happosais pressure and arranged a marriage. I don't think I can get out of this one. If Ryouga isn't found soon I'm going to have a choice between getting kicked out of the clan and marrying Happosai!"

Ranma shuddered for a second and then almost smirked. "Couldn't happen to a nicer couple!" One of the best parts of getting kicked out of the clan and school was not having to deal with Happosai.

"Ranma! You don't know what he's like! Ever since you left he's just gotten worse. Nabkiki left when I got married to Ryouga and we haven't heard from her since. Kasumi stopped talking to us and left within a week to move in with Tofuu and Auntie Nodoka won't go anywhere without the Saotome family sword."

Ranma just stared at her.

"She keeps it DRAWN Ranma. The cops started to hassle her about it until they found out why."

"I don't see where I come into all of this. I told you when I left that you'd regret it. If you'd wanted to part on good terms you would have told me you wanted to break off the engagement before you slept with Ryouga."

Akane crumpled to the floor. "I never meant to hurt you Ranma," she whispered.

Not moved at all Ranma didn't budge a millimeter. "Sure you did. But, that's not the point. You stood side by side with that porker when he forced me out of the clan so that pops could get his cure. You watched as everything I had was taken away and you didn't lift a finger. Hell, you were the one that wanted the pig to be installed as the heir of Anything Goes even though he doesn't practice the style. What you had to bribe the old letch with to make that happen I don't want to know."

Akane looked up with anger in her eyes. "You made that bed yourself Ranma. Happosai jumped at the chance to get you off the rolls. All I had to do was ask nicely."

Ranma smirked. "I bet. What were you dressed in at the time?"

Akane blushed.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Surprised pork butt let you do it. But, we're getting off topic. It's Ryouga's responsibility to meet challenges now and failing that it's yours. So what are you going to do miss 'I'm a martial artist too!'?"

"Damn you." She whispered. "I can't. I'm pregnant."

Ranma's eyes widened and he focused on her Ki. Sure enough there was a growing patch of dissimilar power growing in her abdomen. "The way you two were going at it I guess it was just a matter of time. Explains why Happosai want's you too I suppose. He wants to raise the next heir of the schools himself." He shrugged. "I suggest you getting looking for the lost boy then."

Akane started to cry, "Why can't you just leave that alone Ranma? You don't know what it's like getting lost all the time!"

Ranma paused and noticed the well-worn backpack for the first time. "You know I always wondered why both of his parents got lost all the time. Guess the curse carries over to the spouse huh? At least you won't have to worry about Happosai joining you in bed."

She nodded weakly, "It started just after we ... did it for the first time." She wiped absently at the tears that trickled down here cheeks. "At first I just got lost more often. But, I still managed to find my way if I kept my eyes on what I was doing. Then, after I got pregnant, even keeping my eyes on things didn't help. If I get distracted, even for a second, I lose my way and I have to figure out where I am all over again. I keep winding up at your parents house. Where that bastard of a panda chases me out. Writing signs about welching on a deal."

"Panda? I thought he got cured?"

"About three months ago the curse came back and locked. He's been stuck ever since."

Ranma thought about it for a second. "Alright. I'll give you a chance to prove your family isn't completely honorless. Before I left I swore to Ryouga that unless he told you something your entire family was dead to me. At the time he laughed and said he couldn't imagine needing my help for anything. All you have to do to get me to help you is tell me Ryougas secret."

Akane looked perplexed. "What secret? Ryouga's always been truthful with me."

Ranma looked disappointed. "You know I almost felt sorry for you two there for minute. But, it looks like the poker did it to himself this time."

"So you're not going to help?"

"You know I always keep my word."

Akane just looked down, angry and dejected as Ranma closed the door.

Tears still streaming down her face she gathered up her backpack and rustled around in it for a minute until she found what she was looking for. With a weary 'bwee' P-chan was lifted out of the bag. "C'mon P-chan. We have to go find Ryouga."

Turning away from the closed door Ranma made his way to the shower. Standing on tip-toe and stretching towards the ceiling Ranma felt his spine realign in a satisfying series of cracks as he waited for the water to heat up. Sticking his hand into the water he felt a tingle run through his, now her body. A surprised yell from the bedroom signaled that her bedmate had noticed the change. She smirked as she basked in the hot water and waited. Sure enough a couple seconds later a male Ranma pulling off the torn remains of some skimpy lingerie stomped into the bathroom and glared at her. "You want to give me some warning next time?" He asked testily.

Female Ranma shrugged. "Just getting you back for the switch at dinner. I thought that poor waiters head would explode when we changed bodies in front of him." She chuckled. "Besides I wanted to see if anything happened last night."

Male Ranma finished stripping and stepped into the shower behind his currently female counterpart. Both experienced a brief shudder and then switched genders. Ignoring the change both began soaping up.