Chapter 2: Akane, the Sex Goddess! (Japan is Changing!)

Akane looked into the mirror and surprised herself with a smile. Well – it was more of a smirk. It was pleasant, but there was a smugness to it she wasn't accustomed to seeing. She felt more powerful than she had ever felt in all her endeavors as a martial artist. Sure, she could break concrete blocks with her bare hands –- but she could also make Ranma moan and squirm in pleasure. After a moment on the roof, both she and Ranma had snuck into her room, and she had gotten to second base with her fiance. She had kind of lost track of time – maybe it had only lasted five minutes, maybe it had gone on as long as fifteen minutes. Who knew?

But she'd relished every minute of it. Akane had the feeling that Ranma hadn't truly started to explore his feminine form yet – he'd seemed genuinely surprised at just how sensitive to touch he had become in his aroused state. Perhaps the bar had been set low, but Akane had spent a lifetime in a feminine body, and the knowledge she had acquired in those private hours in her bedroom had blown Ranma's little mind.

At one point, Ranma got up, blurted out an incomprehensible string of words, and then ran off to his own room visibly flustered. Akane knew she shouldn't find it funny, she laughed at the idea of Ranma being unable to find release in his own body. Or, perhaps he had? Perhaps their little one-on-one session had finally prompted him to do some self-exploring?

She put her hands on her hips and gave a seductive smile to the mirror, then graced it with a wink. Akane wasn't some plain girl with an okay body and a pretty face – no, she was Akane, the Sex Goddess. She couldn't wait to tell Sayuri and Yuka about –

Deflated, she down onto her bed. She couldn't tell Sayuri and Yuka about that amazing experience. Girls weren't supposed to be into other girls that way. Maybe they could accept that she was in love with a guy that could turn into a girl, but she doubted that they would accept her having a more visceral interest in Ranma's girl side. Japan wasn't down with homosexuality, and Nerima was especially stuck in the past.

And yet, she couldn't deny how hot it had made her to touch Ranma like that. It was more than just the textile contact of another woman's body, though. Akane had been in control of the entire situation from start to finish. That really wasn't ladylike. Society had taught her that perhaps now and then it was okay for the girl to make a few moves if the guy was shy or didn't get the hint, but a girl that acted in such a lustful manner was a pervert. That was the man's job, to take the initiative after all.

The feelings of sexual power she'd felt just moments ago evaporated, and she felt like more of a tomboy than ever. And not just a tomboy, but a perverted tomboy. And not just a perverted tomboy, but a perverted lesbian tomboy.

Lesbian. Well – she could be bisexual. There was that time she had a thing for Dr. Tofu. But had it really been his body that she had attracted her? He was pretty, sure, but that not what drew her to the older doctor. She had really wanted Dr. Tofu to see her as a woman, and an adult. She had been the baby of the family and had yearned for someone to see her as mature. That, and his personality had been alluring. Dr. Tofu had been so gentle, and caring, and had the softest touch.

Akane blinked. Had she just described Dr. Tofu as "Pretty?" And all those traits she'd just used to describe him were feminine traits.

But then there was Ranma, in his boy form. There were times where she had felt the heat between them in moments of sexual tension. Except…Had it really been his body that turned her on? There had been a few occasions where she had seen his boy from naked. She usually turned away as fast as she could, out of embarrassment. Akane had never felt the need to avert her gaze from Rama's female body, but that was different, of course. They were both girls, so it wasn't as if it were a forbidden sight. Or was it more?

The times that she felt hot around Ranma were all romantic or semi-romantic. Could it be that she was romantically attracted to boy Ranma, but sexually attracted to girl Ranma? They were the same person, after all. And come to think of it, Ranma had been in his girl form when they had first met. Maybe human brains weren't equipped to handle the intricacies of magical curses – maybe her brain had stored Ranma under the "girl" category from the very moment they had met?

As if her emotions weren't attacking her from all fronts, another one landed in her mind with a flying kick – what on earth was she going to do the next time she saw Ranma? What do you say to someone you've just felt up? Especially when you're currently living in the same house.

"Damn that Takara," Akane said to herself.

Why'd she have to show up and screw everything up? It was strange. She had gotten flares of jealousy from other girls before, but Takara scared her. And not just because of the height difference – that was kind of hot. Akane totally understood where Ranma was coming from with that one. But Akane actually felt as if Takara could steal Ranma away from her for good. And that made her feel… Damnit, wasn't she supposed to be a girl? Why was she so bad with emotions? Whatever the feeling was, it registered as a threat, and brought out her fight and flight reflex. And Akane didn't run – Akane fought.

Because if she lost Ranma, she –

Akane punched her pillow in frustration. No, it wouldn't come to that. Takara was just another teenage girl. And if Takara could learn to control her emotions and her anger, and talk, and laugh, and be charming, then by the Heavens, Akane could learn that, too. She clenched her fists as she imagined Takara standing over her with a sly grin on her face.

"Damnit," Akane said, as she realized she was getting a little turned on.

Why did she have to find her romantic rival attractive?

When the next morning came, Akane tried to summon her "Sex Goddess" energy she had felt the night before, but only found nervousness and uncertainty. She combed her hair and got dressed for the day before heading down for breakfast. Kasumi and Nabiki chatted with each other in quiet conversation and ate their breakfast of steamed rice and miso soup. This event was a little odd – Ranma was usually the earliest riser, as he always got up at dawn to practice katas and do exercises.

"Have you guys seen Ranma?" She asked innocently enough.

"He's having a serious discussion with Father and Mr. Saotome," Kasumi said.

"A very loud and angry conversation," Nabiki laughed.

Akane's heart beat faster. Was it possible everyone had found out about what had transpired between the two of them?

"Why?" She choked out.

Kasumi struggled to find a polite explanation. "They are concerned about Ranma's preferences, and how that will affect the future of the dojo."

"They think he's gay," Nabiki said, plainly.

"What? Why?" Akane asked.

"Duh. You saw him kiss Takara in her boy form."

Akane turned and looked down the hallway with concern.

"I wouldn't worry about him, sis," Nabiki said. "I'm sure Ranma can take whatever nonsense they try to throw at him."

"But, would that little kiss really make them so angry?" Akane asked.

"I mean, yeah. It was a little gay," Nabiki said.

"But Ranma is a boy, and Takra is a girl, even if their bodies were the opposite at the moment," she said. "I mean, it would be the same as if Ranma kissed me while she was in girl mode. Still perfectly straight."

"You don't get it. Father and Mr. Saotome are old school. Girls kissing girls are hot. Guys kissing guys is scary, because what if one of the guys tries to kiss them next?" Nabiki held up a hand, pre-empting whatever Akane's response would have been. "Don't try to logic your way out of it. That's just how those old dinosaurs think."

"Huh," Akane said.

"Actually, I'm surprised you're not flipping out like yesterday," Nabiki said. "You feeling a bit more secure this morning?"

Akane slumped her shoulders. "I didn't take it too well yesterday, did I?"

Nabiki eyed her. "So what changed?"

"I don't know," Akane said, and she shrugged. "I guess I'm one day older, and one day more mature."

"Whatever," Nabiki said as she rolled her eyes.

Akane walked down the hallway to the room where her father and Mr. Saotome were badgering her poor Ranma. Silently, she pressed her ear against the door.

Soun and Genma's faces were red with anger and they were both out of breath from the shouting match that had been going on all morning. Wordlessly, they exchanged glances with each other. They knew that they could not verbally beat the boy into submission, so it was time they switched tactics.

"You know, maybe we've been going about this wrong, my boy," his father said in a clearly rehearsed line.

"Yes, perhaps we have let our anger cloud or thinking," Soun said with a false air of cheerfulness. "Why, we are martial artists, after all. It is oftentimes our first instinct to fight. But a truly wise fighter knows when they can achieve their aim through peaceful measures."

"Right. We're not trying to be the bad guys here, boy."

"We are not heartless, and we are not cruel," Mr. Tendo added smoothly.

Genma wasn't good at fake pleasantries. He could tell his old friend wanted him to take another turn in the dialogue department, but he just smiled haplessly and nodded.

So, Soun continued, "That's right, my future son law. We care about you and we want to help you. We're just a little bit concerned about what we saw yesterday. I don't know if this part of some sort of – ah, youthful exploration – or if it's some sort of side effect of the Jusenyko curse."

"Indeed. I know as well as anyone how those curses can play with your mind. Sometimes I find myself craving the sweet taste of bamboo, even in my human form," his father said.

Genma's gaze slowly drifted to the bamboo trees in the window and his eyes glazed over.

Soun spread his arms out wide. "And so we want to open a dialogue session with you. Tell us, Ranma, what exactly is going on?"

Ranma folded his arms and considered how to respond to this.

"Simple, really," Ranma said. "I like Takara, and I wanted to kiss her."

It wasn't that simple, of course. But Ranma calculated that this was the answer that would garner the least amount of push back and he was tired of this never-ending argument.

"But," Soun started, carefully. "Takara was in her boy form when you kissed her. Boys don't kiss boys."

"I was in my girl form at the time," Ranma said. "It had just rained."

"But you wouldn't kiss Takara in his boy form when you were in your boy form, would you?"

Ranma might be terrible at poker, but he'd spent a lifetime repressing his emotions and put up his best-relaxed facade.

"Nah," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Both his father and the Tendo patriarch relaxed a little at this answer.

"Thank the heavens," Genma said. "Now we don't have to pay for a conversion camp or hire an exorcist or – "

Soun punched his friend in the gut.

"We're so relieved," Genma groaned as he clutched his stomach.

"It's not that we're against alternative lifestyles," Soun said. "Japan is changing, after all. It's just that, you know, gay men don't impregnate women, and it is of paramount importance that the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts has an heir…"

Now Ranma was a little pissed but he decided to pretend to be relieved.

"Oh, that's great, Mr. Tendo," he said. "There are some rumors about you and pops being lovers. And I was always a little worried you'd hear them and get offended. But I should've known you guys are way too self-confident for that."

The older men stared at him blankly.

"What?" Genma grunted, at last.

"Well, you know, two men, living together. Both widowers, sure, but neither of you has been on a date in ages, and the town gossip picks up on stuff like that. I mean, you guys spend your days playing Shogi like an old married couple. You never have any other guests over, and pops barely talks to anyone else."

"I had a love that could never be matched. There's no need for me to date," Soun said quickly.

"And frankly, I don't think the whole marriage thing was for me, anyway," Genma said.

The two exchanged another glance and Genma panicked.

"Not the making love to a woman thing," Genma added in a hurry. "I loved that. I miss it. But I got, uh, a solitary nature you know?"

"You mean you're an asshole?" Ranma asked.

Genma smiled and pointed at his son. "Yes, that's it exactly! The boy gets it."

Pleased with the chaos he had just sewn, Ranma got up and started to head for the door.

"Well, I'll just leave you two heterosexual and platonic friends to play your morning game of Shogi. I'll be off," Ranma said.

He smiled as he left the room and he wanted to turn and look behind him and see their awkward expressions.

Ranma slid the door open and narrowly avoided running into Akane.

"Excuse me," she said and took a step back.

Ranma also took a step back – and stood up a little bit taller. Not in the way one does when they want to impress a crush, but in the way one does when they've encountered a threat and are taking stock of the situation. He met her gaze for a moment – but only for a moment, and then eye contact was broken, and he looked down at his feet.

"What was that about?" Akane asked.

"They think I might be gay," Ranma said, making his displeasure obvious. "And they need a real man for a son so that they can have grandchildren. Not some fairy-boy who makes out with other guys."

"Ranma," she said, softly.

"I got the better of them, don't worry," he said with a chuckle. "They weren't going to back down from their attack, so I had to throw them off balance. I told them there was a rumor going around town that they were gay lovers. And you know how they are. I bet they're terrified to even look each other in the eye now."

"That's terrible," Akane said, before breaking into soft laughter. "Okay, that's pretty funny."

It was an ingenious response. It's a shame Ranma didn't take his studies more seriously – he had a very sharp mind.

"Anyway, I'm heading out for a walk," he said, quickly, still not meeting Akane's gaze.

"Ranma, wait," she said. "I think we really ought to talk about what happened last night."

"Who cares? Takara left, and we'll probably never see her again."

"That's not the part of last night I wanted to talk about."

"Umm," Ranma said, as he fidgeted in place.

He started to quickly walk down the hallway.

"We can talk later tonight," he said.

Akane grabbed at his arm as he shot past and dug her heels in an attempt to slow his progress, but instead found herself dragged along with the fleeing martial artist.

"This is important. I don't think it can wait."

"Yeah, well, I don't want to talk about it right now. I want go and think about things."

"I could help you think about things."

Their voices started getting a little louder.

"Tch. Akane, you can't 'help me think' about things. I gotta do that in my own head."

"Yeah, well," Akane said, "Maybe you could say some of your thoughts out loud, and then we could talk about them, and you could think more, and so on."

"Maybe I need to figure out what my thoughts even are? You consider that, genius?"

Akane raised her fists. "Yeah, and I can help you with that."

"Akane, would you help me in the kitchen?"

Akane hesitated – one really didn't ignore a request from Kasumi. Ranma, however, took the moment to disappear out the front door. Sighing, Akane went to speak with her older sister.

"I'm guessing you need help with the dishes?"

"Oh, no. I love doing the dishes in the morning. I was trying to save you," she said.

"Save me?"

"Yes. I see that you're trying to communicate with Ranma, which is admirable of you," Kasumi said with warmth. "but sometimes people just need space, and time, and you have to respect that. This is one of those times."

Akane furrowed her brows and reflexively started rubbing one arm with the other.

"Yeah, well, he could have shared some space and time with me."

"Ranma doesn't know what he's feeling, and he needs to figure it out before he can have a constructive conversation with you."

"But I could help him figure it out!" Akane protested.

"Maybe," Kasumi said. "But maybe he's afraid of how you'll react if he says the wrong thing."

"Why would he be afraid of that?"

Kasumi turned from the sink to give her a wordless but accusatory glance.

Akane sighed – she got the message loud and clear. It was only yesterday that she'd lost her temper at Ranma. Akane grabbed a towel.

"You wash, I'll dry," she said, as she joined her sister's side.

"I know how you see me, Akane, but the truth is, I know a thing or two about boys, and how to handle them. If you ever need advice, I'd be happy to share my wisdom with you. And unlike Nabiki, I won't charge you."

Akane snorted. "Do you know how to handle a boy that changes into a girl?"

Kasumi missed the sarcasm in her younger sister's voice and answered it with sincerity.

"I think in Ranma's case it's best not to focus on the issue of gender and to just view them as a person, then work forward from there."

"Makes sense, I guess."

"I assume your argument was about the Takara incident?"

Akane hesitated.

"Actually, no. Something else happened last night."

"Something more? I don't know how much drama the Tendo household can bear," Kasumi said with a sigh. "What happened?"

"I sorta got to second base with Ranma last night," the younger Tendo sister said without thinking her words through.

Kasumi didn't say anything for a moment, and that terrified Akane. What was going on inside Kasumi's head? Was it possible she was parsing the grammar of the sentence, trying to figure out if her younger sister had fondled Ranma's breasts? Could Kasumi's mind even wander in that direction? Akane was only starting to realize how little she understood how other people's thought processes worked, but Kasumi's brain mystified her on another level.

"I can see why you would be in a hurry to discuss that with him," she said, at last. "But he clearly isn't ready. Give it time, and then proceed with caution. Sex makes relationships more complicated."

Akane wanted to sigh with relief, but wasn't sure if she had dodged the bullet or not.

"And I'm proud of you, little sister, for discovering your sexuality. You're growing up so fast."

Akane blushed.

Was the situation just making her paranoid? Was it possible that Kasumi had meant that she was proud of her for discovering her sexual feelings for other women? Or was it a more generalized statement from an older sister watching her youngest sister finally blossom? Kasumi was at once one of the wisest people she'd ever known and the densest.

Akane studied her sister for any further clues, but Kasumi started humming a merry tune that did not reveal any further insights into her mind.

Takara sat alone on a bench. She was not alone at the park – men and women were walking by, talking, laughing, and flirting. Somehow, they gave her a wide berth, and she managed to find solitude in the crowd. Her hands were on her lap and her eyes hovered over her left ring finger.

"Your ring is gone."

She looked up and saw a woman wearing lavender robes with a sword strapped to her back. There was a look of grave concern on the middle-aged woman's face as her eyes tracked their way up from Takara's bare ring finger to up to her melancholy face.

"And your heart is broken."

The woman was momentarily surprised as Takara glomped onto her.

"Aunt Ruby!" Takara squealed. "It's so good to see you again."

"Likewise," the older woman grumbled. "But you're trying to evade my questions, and failing."

Takara sighed and sat back down and resumed looking at her hand.

"It was a little silly to keep holding onto it, after all of this time," Takara said. "I'm very nearly a grown woman. I shouldn't be running around with a toy ring."

Aunt Ruby turned to face her. "My niece, you are a terrible liar."

"You hated it, anyway," Takara said.

"It's true. It was tacky and gauche," Aunt Ruby said. "But I know you treasured it. So what happened?"

"I gave it back to Ranma."

And with that, Takara told her aunt about everything that had transpired the day prior. Her aunt listened without saying a word, only occasionally nodding, or making a sympathetic noise. Surprising both her aunt and herself, she burst into tears near the end of the story and sobbed into the older woman's embrace. Aunt Ruby, for her part, held her tight and patted her on the back.

"I'm sorry that you had to go through all of that," she said, at last.

"I'm not over him, Aunt Ruby," Takara said. "What do I do?"

Aunt Ruby folded her hands and looked down. "Well, a battle for the heart is the same as any other battle. You can see it through to the end or you can withdraw from the fight. However, be aware that by fighting to the finish, you risk losing Ranma, if he truly is in love with this Akane girl."

"So what do I do?" Takara asked tears in her eyes.

"I don't know," Aunt Ruby said. "You'll have to form a plan, and then execute it."

Takara took the moment to dry her eyes.

"So, it's true, then," Aunt Ruby said with a sigh. "You're attracted to both guys and girls?"

Takara blushed profusely. She thought hard about the story she had just told her aunt. She had rather purposefully avoided outright mentioning her sexual attraction to Ranma's female form and she had skimped on the details of her late-night talk with Ranma. The night-long cuddle session had been redacted completely.

"Err, I don't think I said anything like that," Takara said.

"Please. The words you described to use Ranma's cursed form were a dead give-away. Your breathing changed when you spoke of him, and I could feel your body heat rising from the outside."

"Umm," Takara said, as she wracked her brain with a way of explaining herself out of this situation.

"And I've caught you using your height to look down women's blouses before."

Takara sunk back into the bench.

"Yeah, I like girls and guys," Takara said with a defeated sigh.

"Hmm," Aunt Ruby said.

Takara's heart stood still and her body grew cold.

"Is that alright, Aunt Ruby?"

Aunt Ruby shrugged. "I suppose so. I don't get it, mind you. Japan is changing, I suppose."

Takara smiled weakly and wiped a tear away. "It's the 90's, Aunt Ruby. Things are different."

Rising to her full height, she bowed to her.

"Let's get out of here, Aunt Ruby," Takara said. "I want to put a great deal of distance between myself and Ranma."

But Aunt Ruby did not stand up to join her niece. Instead, she looked down at her folded hands.

"C'mon, Aunt Ruby," Takara said in an encouraging tone. "Let's get the hell out of Nerima. Let's hit the trail and get back to training."

"Actually," Aunt Ruby said slowly, "We will be staying in Nerima, indefinitely."

Takara scowled and said nothing.

"What?"

"It's true, my niece. I will, of course, always be there to guide you as you grow as a swordswoman. But when it comes to technique and strategy, I have nothing left to teach you. You still have much to learn in the ways of Iaido but it will only come from experience, self-reflection, and synthesis."

"So, what, then? We're just going to enter a bunch of tournaments from now on?" Takara asked, uncertain.

"No, my dear," her aunt said soothingly. "You're going to continue training, but it will be in a radically different form than what you've grown accustomed to."

"And what form is that?"

"High school."

Takara glared at her aunt as she felt her fury well up inside her.

"You want me to give up Iaido and just read a bunch of textbooks?"

"You won't be giving up the art. But the truth is, I'm a hermit by nature. And as I've trained you, I've kept you away from society at large. To truly grow as a person, you must learn things. Facts, mathematics, and basic social interactions with your peers.'

"I can do math. I know plenty of facts. And I can interact with people just fine, Aunt Ruby."

"If they're kind and understanding, maybe. But to everyone else, Takara, we come across as a little odd."

"Well," Takara huffed. "If you've done training me, then perhaps I should just go my own way."

"You would walk away from your only living blood relative?"

"As I see it, you're walking away from me."

Aunt Ruby folded her arms and looked down.

"Fine. I was afraid you might be resistant to this idea. So I had a backup idea."

"I'm listening."

"I'm issuing you a challenge: I'll get you into a high school, and if you graduate with a B average or higher, then I will gift you a cask of Nyannīchuan."

The last word – something of Chinese origin – rang a bell in Takara's mind, but she couldn't quite place its significance. Obviously, it wasn't some kind of alcohol, as a part of her training included abstinence from any sort of inebriating substance. A sober mind held a sober blade, after all. So, it had to be something else. Something important, if her aunt was using it as part of a bargain.

"A cask of what?"

"Nyannīchuan," Aunt Ruby said as she smiled. "Otherwise known as the Spring of Drowned Girl."

Takara's eyes widened.

"You can get that?"

"I believe so, yes," Aunt Ruby said. "It won't be easy. The Chinese government is wary about letting cursed and magical items out of their homeland, so there are massive tariffs on exports of enchanted goods. It would blow your inheritance. But, if someone were to go there, collect the water, and find a less than legal way back to Japan…Well, that would be doable."

Her aunt had already had her beat before she had revealed the prize, as Takara never backed down from a reasonable challenge. But to think – all she had to do was survive high school for a few years, and she could be free of her curse. Turning into a guy now and then had its perks, and was sometimes amusing, but not being able to control it could throw a series of large wrenches into a person's social life.

"I'll do it," Takara said. "But I have an additional demand."

"You are twice as stubborn as your mother and nearly as stubborn as I am" her aunt sighed. "What are your demands?"

"You bring back a cask from the Spring of Drowned Man, too."

Aunt Ruby narrowed her eyes. "Hmm. Well, that won't require much additional work. But why? It's of no benefit for you."

"Not for me, no," Takara said. "For Ranma. Just in case he wants it."

"Just in case? You mean he might not want it?"

"I think he might," Takara started, before abandoning the line of thought. "Well, I want to be able to offer it to him, anyway."

"Fine. But if you ask more of me, then it's only fair I ask more of you. To pass the challenge, you will have to get an A average."

Now Takara was hesitant. "Okay, but I'm not taking any advanced classes."

"Nor will you take any remedial classes."

"Agreed."

The two women bowed to each other.

"Having agreed to the terms, the challenge has been set."

"I've rented an apartment. You can stay until I've finished arrangements for you to attend school."

Takara nodded. "Fine. But I didn't think that Furikan high has any dormitories on campus, so you'd better get a good futon for me at your place."

"Oh, Furikan doesn't have dorms, no," Aunt Ruby said. "But you'll be going to St. Herebeke's as a legacy admission."

"You're sending me to an all-girls school? But -"

Takara paused, as she realized she wouldn't mind being around a bunch of pretty girls her age.

"But St. Herebeke's is all stuck up. And what will I do about the locker rooms?"

"You will be discrete about your attractions."

"Of course! I honor my fellow women!" Takara shouted, before regaining her composure. "But I was referring to my cursed form. If I get hit by cold water, then I'll be the rooster in the henhouse."

Her aunt sighed and hung her head in shame. "I'm sorry. I had pledged to train you in the ways of the blade, and above all else, to keep you safe –"

Takara rolled her eyes. "Not this again. I know! And I already forgave you."

"If I Had for a moment believed that there was a possibility that all that rubbish about curses in the guidebook had been true –"

"I wouldn't turn into a boy, and you wouldn't turn into a giant sheepdog. I know, I know," Takara sighed. "Focus on the present. What do I do about the showers?"

Aunt Ruby shrugged. "Pray every day that the boiler keeps itself together."

Takara smirked.

But inside her skull, wheels were turning. School was the last thing she wanted out of this life – but staying in Nerima meant that she could still be close to Ranma. Perhaps she wasn't out of the game just yet. All she had to do was figure out a way to win Ranma's heart without pushing him away in the process...