Growing up... again
"speech"
/thoughts/
-sounds-
(Author's notes or translations)
Flashback
Sorry about the really late update but I had a serious case of writers block I dumped the festival idea several times and picked up again, then came the idea with a group of television men visiting the strange village that got stuck in the middle ages etc. Once again I'm really sorry for the very late update.
Chapter 3: A Wet adventure"I see so you're hiding from this Au Byebye." answered the man looking just like Soun Tendo.
"We'd really appreciate if you could give us a place to live for a short time our supplies are starting to dwindle and going into town to re-supply is too dangerous." answered Akane.
"And could you tell us what's up with all the strange things around here the entire village is just like the ones in the history books. I mean hello were in the twenty first century here!" added Ranma.
"We could ask the same from you!" interrupted the Nabiki like girl who just entered the house. "From which province did you come from I've never met so strange people like you before."
"Don't tell me that you think we're strange? Almost every person in the country runs around in stuff like we!" answered Ranma. "Did the guys back at the end of the feudal era forget about this village or what?"
"At the end of which era?" asked the Soun like man. "... Whatever! Considering that you two are in quite a predicament I'll let you live with us for some time. My name is Akimaru. The girl on my left is Asami." he sad gesturing towards the girl who looked just like Kasumi. "The one who just entered is Naoko, she's my middle daughter. And I you already met Kanna."
"She's your youngest!" finished Ranma. "This is creepy your family completely like Akane's. The next ting I'll figure out will be that Asami is the mother figure for you guys and Naoko is a class A merchant and blackmailer."
"Ranma!" snapped Akane and prepared to bash him.
"Well actually he's right!" interrupted the man.
Akane's eyes went wide "I don't believe it!"
"Err... there's one more thing!" interrupted Ranma. "You see my father is quite probably the most sloppiest and by far the most stupidest martial artist in the world."
"And?" asked Akimaru.
"For starters he tried to teach me cat-fu with the pit of cats approach..." the middle-aged man's face went horrid. "...and we also visited Jusenkyo." finished Ranma.
"Jusenkyo?" asked the Nabiki like girl. "What's that place?"
"A valley full of cursed springs." answered Ranma.
"You fell into one of them right?" asked Kotaru who was busy treating his wife.
"Me and my father! So do me a favour to keep cold water away from me. It turns me into a girl till I get into contact with hot water."
"And your father?" asked Asami.
"He turns into a fat panda!" replied both Ranma and Akane at the same time.
The family couldn't believe what they just heard. Kotaru's mouth hung wide open "C...c...could it be..."
"T...that the lucky panda was y...your father!" continued Akimaru.
"What lucky panda?" asked Akane.
"Well about half a year ago a fat panda came down the river, it was always holding up signs with writing on it to talk to us." answered the head of the family.
"Yeah he was the one who actually made us confess and not much after that he disappeared me and Kanna got married." added Kotaru.
"If he was constantly eating and grumbling about being hungry then he was pop all right!" answered Ranma getting worried. "Akane we better get ready to run!" he whispered to the girl sitting next to him.
"They aren't looking like they are preparing to maim us yet so lets hope they are not mad." whispered Akane back.
"If that's the case were more than happy to give you a home!" said Akimaru.
"Yeah without him we'll be still fighting!" agreed Kotaru his wife letting out a moan signalling that she's starting tom come back to consciousness.
"Well then it's settled you are welcome into the village!" declared Akimaru.
"Thank you!" said both teenagers bowing in respect.
A few days have passed since that and the still not confessing pair settled down. It was close to sunset and for once Ranma really felt at peace he also realized what huge mistakes he made when dealing with his father. /I should have ditched the old man years ago the only thing he got me into was trouble and more trouble./ he grumbled while performing his kata. /I could have avoided a LOT of fiancées and problems including a certain killer/ he thought while punching into the air with grace and blocking an imaginary attack from the side.
/But then again I wouldn't have met Akane she may be a tomboyish klutz with the temper of a trained war-dog, but she can be real cute at times./ Ranma though while he continued with his performance listening the work-song that came from the fields, about half of the village was there plating this years rice. With Akane once again trying to prove how strong she is. She didn't listen to all the warnings that she got, that she should be resting with the others so her muscles can relax from the hard work that she did in the morning. /She's the one who didn't listen I bet that she won't be able to sleep from pain all night. Well it's her problem/ he thought while reaching the end of his exercise.
Ranma calmly breathed out to relax his lungs and walked into the house of his host he only found Asami in there who was busy with making dinner Ranma couldn't keep from shuddering the girl was just to similar to Kasumi. "You must be very good in martial arts Kotaru is the only one who I saw trying difficult kata's like the one you did."
"Really thanks! Umm... do you know where I could find lake or stream? I really need to wash!"
"That way!" answered Asami pointing in the direction of the nearby lake.
"Thanks see ya!" with that said Ranma grabbed some of his clothes and moved out.
An entire hour passed Akane returned to the hut after the villagers finally convinced her to rest. Her muscles were hurting and she could barely wait to lie down. But that didn't help her at all it wasn't because of the hard futon she had no problem with sleeping on the ground or any other hard surface, it was that her body wasn't able to stop after the much work she did.
"It's even worse when I'm sitting!" she declared jumping back onto her feet.
"Don't tell me the others didn't warn you! Take a walk in the forest and I'll warm up some water for you the soak should help!" answered Asami.
"Is there some place you would suggest?" asked Akane.
"Try the lake it's not too far and the scenery is beautiful!" answered the older girl, Akane immediately left after saying goodbye it was then that Asami remembered something.
"Oh my isn't Ranma taking a bath at the lake?" she ran out to stop the other girl but it was too late. "Oh well it isn't that bad they are engaged so there won't be a problem if she would see him."
Akane was walking across the forest in a slow pace enjoying the beauties of nature she always like to get out of the cities' concrete jungle, and see nothing except for forests, fields and mountains without a single house on them.
Unknown to her not much distance from her Ranma got into the lake after washing his dirty clothes. He felt as the cold, wet substance triggered his curse and once again he became a she. /I'll never get used to this/ he grumbled silently while trying to find a good spot to sit down. After he was done with that he proceeded to wash herself not knowing that she was being watched.
/What rare wondrous beauty/ thought the neighbourhood Kuno double watching him from behind the bushes.
"No! I have to stay true to my beloved Kanna! But still watching never hurt anyone!" there was only one little problem the kid forgot the number one rule of all peeping toms! Don't get caught! The boy accidentally stepped on a branch which broke into several pieces with a loud snap.
Ranma-chan immediately jumped out of the water and charged at the direction from which the noise came from the Kuno copy tried to retreat but he was just too slow and Ranma got him before that could make a getaway. "You are supposed to be an honourable samurai while you are peeping on others while they are taking a bath?" yelled Ranma aiming a punch for the soon to be dead guy's head but that managed to move to the side in time.
"I've never seen you before wondrous beauty! May I inquire your name?" asked the man, now Ranma was fuming she lifted her fist and fired. The guy flew trough the air from the power of the punch and slammed against a tree. He barely had time to dodge Ranma's kick that broke the trunk of the tree in question in two.
"Try to spy on me once again and you're dead!" she yelled.
"How dare you threaten the mighty Hieto!" Ranma had enough of her admirer and kicked him off into the sky.
It was now that Ranma finally realized the she's naked. But she didn't really care in her eyes even her female body was the body of a male despite the differences.
/So much for having a nice long soak/ she thought while stepping next to the small fireplace that she built before getting into the water there was a small bowl of water hanging over it that by now became warm thanks to the fire that was burning happily under it she grabbed it and poured over her head and once more she became a he. After he was done with this important procedure Ranma moved off to the side of the forest towards the bush that he used to hide his clothes.
At the same time Akane moved into the clearing seeing the beautiful clear water she couldn't help it she had to take a dip and the water. To her joy the lake was so shallow that her head would be most probably over the water so her not being able to swim wasn't a problem. She moved into another bush to take off her clothes completely missing the small fireplace with the fire still going and the wet clothes that were drying on one of the lower branches.
Seconds later Ranma moved back into the clearing and got the wet clothes from the branch to take them back to the hut, he was about to put out the fireplace when he heard the sound of another branch snapping from the forest. /The lunatic is back again/ he though while moving out to investigate.
Just as he left Akane moved out of the bushes once again missing a obvious signs that someone is in close. She eased herself into the water completely forgetting that cold water is the last thing that her tired muscles need. Inside of the forest Ranma was looking out for the guy who just spied on him while bathing but instead of him he found a deer.
"Damn I'm staring to get paranoid from all the people after me!" he grumbled and turned around to make his way back to the clearing. He just took a couple of steps when he heard Akane's scream coming from the direction of the lake.
/Not again/ the thought taking off with full speed while trying to figure it out what she got into again /She found someone peeping on her? Naw would be too common! A wolf attacked her? I don't think so she would have malleted the poor thing without thinking! Au byebye found her? No he would wait till he can kill us at once. Another crazed lord decided to marry her? That's an option/
When Ranma reached the lake he saw Akane's clothes on the shore and groaned. /How stupid can she get/ he mentally screamed jumping into the water. He soon found her under the water clutching to one of her legs that was obviously cramped while trying to stand on or move towards with the help of the other one, and panicking at the same time.
Ranma swam over to her and tried to pick her up but he received a fist into his face from the still panicking girl. He tried again and this time he managed to avoid Akane's punch. The girl immediately stiffened when she felt someone grabbing her and lifting her up. When her vision finally cleared and she came out of her berserked state she noticed that she was in Ranma's hands this wasn't a big problem but the clothing she wore equalled zero now this WAS a problem.
"What do you think you're doing you pervert! I'm NAKED!" she hollered.
"So you would have preferred if I left you to drown?" countered Ranma. At this the girl immediately became silent. Ranma used his chance and started to move towards the shore of the lake "Geez tomboy how on earth can you be so stupid to take a cold bath with your muscles completely exhausted?" he grumbled.
"Don't call me tomboy you stupid pervert!" yelled the girl, the other one simply groaned partly because her fiancée's thanks partly because it was now that she noticed that her curse once again worked perfectly.
"Hey who's stupid you were the one who went for a dip in your state! If I wouldn't have been around you would have drowned!" snapped Ranma.
Akane didn't answer to this knowing too well that Ranma was right, but her head still was beat red from embarrassment and after the dip in the cold water her body was barely able to follow her orders even the ones that were commanding her arms to cover herself as good she can were refused by her limbs.
Then she saw Ranma as moved his eyes towards her thighs "What are you doing you pervert!" she snapped.
"What do you think I'm doing? You almost drowned because your thigh got cramped!" answered Ranma.
"I know that but why are you looking at it!" yelled Akane when she saw her reaching forward she almost panicked. "Don't even think about it! I'm not one of those crazy fiancée's who would let you..."
When Akane saw the way Ranma looked back at her she didn't dare to continue "Will you cut it out already you stupid tomboy! I'm only planning to give you a massage so you can at least get dressed before I take you back! Or would you prefer if I did it for you? Or would you prefer it even more to be taken back like this?" she yelled at her his tone carried a warning that made her scared she didn't wanted to admit it but for the first time she was a little afraid of Ranma. "BEsides! If I wanted a girl who would act as a sub-servant I could have simply gone to Ukyo or Shampoo and let one of the guys who kidnapped you keep you!"
Akane completely froze she didn't know what could have made her react the way she did but silently she had to agree that the part time girl was right in this case. "I'm sorry!" she whispered barely loud enough for Ranma to hear.
"It's all right!" answered Ranma the warning tone that he used before completely missing from her speech.
"Ranma could you do one thing for me?"
"What?" asked Ranma once again getting impatient.
"Don't call me stupid tomboy!"
"I'll try but it's hard to give up old habits." he answered in a much softer tone. "Now relax I won't do anything improper." Akane nodded timidly and laid her head on the ground.
"But I swear If you try anything!"
"I would prefer to be a boy when I do that!" countered Ranma with the usual arrogant smile on her face.