Chapter 4: When We Shop (A Kind of Thrill)

Akane saw Takara's hand appear on the hilt of her blade and reflexively put her hands in the air.

"Oh no, no no," Akane said. "I'm not looking for a fight."

Takara let out a long sigh, relaxed her muscles, and placed her hand back on the table.

"Sorry," Takara said.

"I should know better than to sneak up on a fighter," Akane laughed. "I was just excited to see you. I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

The swordswoman wasn't entirely convinced. "Really?"

Akane sat down opposite Takara, unaware she was taking the seat Ranma had just vacated a few moments ago. It was a little bit nerve-wracking to run into her romantic rival again, but this was a wonderful opportunity for her to redeem herself for how she had treated Takara on the night they had met.

"Yeah. I wanted to apologize. I was really awful to you that first night," Akane said, and paused. "I was – you know, jealous. And I was rude, and maybe even downright mean to you. But that's not who I want to be."

Takara studied her face for a few moments and found only sincerity.

"Well, thank you," she said, finally. "I can understand why you'd be so threatened. I was sort of creeping in on your territory, there."

"I wish I could use that as an excuse," Akane sighed. "But I can't. Every day of my life, there's someone chasing after Ranma. Mostly girls, but his girl form has some male admirers, too."

But that had been the wrong thing to say. Suddenly, Takara seemed so far away from her, and it was like a cloud of gloom had descended upon her. It was especially apparent in her eyes, which shone less brightly than before.

"Akane Tendo, you don't have anything to worry about. Ranma's heart only has room for one girl, and it's you."

It was heartbreak, Akane realized. That night when Takara had come into her life she had seen a potential future where Ranma wasn't her lover, and it had terrified her. But it wasn't a hypothetical situation for the young woman sitting in front of her – it was her present and her future. A part of her mind recognized that this should excite her, as it signaled a sort of victory on her part, but she found herself feeling for the swordswoman.

"Ranma really cares about you, too," Akane said. "He was really broken up about you leaving like that."

"Hmm."

Maybe Ranma wasn't the right subject for the moment.

"So are you hanging around Nerima a few days before you head out for more training?"

"Actually…"

Akane listened with a strained smile as Takara explained that she would be staying in Nerima for the next few years. It was one thing to part on good terms with a romantic rival – it was polite, and good sportsmanship. But to actually have Takara in the same town as Ranma, nursing a sullen crush on her fiancée? Her fight and flight instinct tried to kick in, but she did her best to squash it back down. They didn't have to be enemies – this didn't have to be a battle.

"Wow," Akane said, distantly.

She had trouble focusing on what Takara said next. Apparently, the school didn't have any uniforms in the tall and lanky young woman's size, and she couldn't start classes until she had some clothes that fit the dress. Akane was a bit surprised that this nomadic swordswoman suddenly cared so much about grades. When her mind finally stopped spinning, she realized that her rival was spilling her heart out about how self-conscious she was bout her height.

Say something supportive, Akane's brain demanded. She struggled to think of something on the spot.

"I wouldn't be so hard on yourself. Your height is something you should be proud of. It makes you unique."

"Tch," Takara scoffed. "It just makes me weird and stick out in crowds."

Say something else supportive, Akane's brain prompted.

"You're pretty hot," Akane said.

Her hands flew to her mouth in a delayed response, but it was too late – she had already blurted that thought out loud. Normally her inner monologue would berate her for this, but her brain was mortified into a deep silence. Luckily, this seemed to jolt Takara out of the dark thought pattern she had been drifting down. A subtle smile spread across Takara's face.

"So where have you looked? For clothes?" Akane said quickly and in a slightly higher pitch.

Takara rattled off some of the stores in the area.

"I think I see the problem," Akane said, and smiled. "Those are all stores that sell trendy clothing to teenagers. You're looking for a store that focuses on a more formal, or maybe even old-fashioned style."

Takara blinked. "Yeah, that makes sense."

"I know a few places you could try," Akane said, feeling excited.

Takara smiled. "Ok. Let's go."

It just so happened that one of the clothing stores that Akane had in mind was just a ten-minute bus ride away from the mall they were in. They didn't really say much as they left the outlet mall, got on the bus, paid their fares, and sat next to each other. The silence had gone on for far too long so Takara decided to say something.

"So, what were you doing at the mall?"

"Huh?"Akane asked.

"Well, you're a long way away from the dojo," Takara said.

"Ah," Akane said, a nervous grin creeping into her face "Well, I was looking for something, and I wanted to be discrete about it."

For such a simple question, Takara noted that her rival was awfully flustered. She knew she probably shouldn't push any of Akane's buttons, but she had a playful spirit, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Ooo, we're talking something naughty, then," Takara paused and continued in a whisper, "Is it a vibrator?"

"No!" Akane said far too loud, which caused an old man to look up from his transit slumber and glower at her.

"No," she continued in a quieter voice. "I just wanted to get some lingerie. Something really sexy."

"Well, do you have anything particular in mind?" Takara asked.

"No," Akane sighed. "I have no idea what I'm doing there. The sexiest thing I ever bought was a sports bra with a bow on it. I'm out of my element, here."

"I could help you," Takara said.

"Really?"

"Sure. There's nothing cute in my size, but I have an eye for fashion," she said. "And besides that, I'm an admirer of the female form. So I'll be able to tell you if it's actually sexy, too."

"I don't know…"

Takara could see some reluctance on the shorter girl's part, so she put a reassuring hand on top of Akane's hand. She was almost distracted by the feeling of the other girl's delicate hand in hers, but she brushed those thoughts aside.

"C'mon. It'll be fun. And it'll be my way of paying you back for helping me look for my school clothes."

"Alright," Akane said shyly, and she turned to look out the window.

How odd, to see Akane shy, Takara thought to herself. She'd seemed so headstrong the night they first met. But then again, people were complicated. Akane would probably be equally surprised to have witnessed her conversation with Aunt Ruby, having never seen her own vulnerable side before. Another silence fell. This time, though, Takara felt at ease – but she could tell that the girl beside didn't. Akane's hand trembled and slipped out from beneath Takara's larger hand.

"So, are you and your Aunt Ruby going to get an apartment here in Nerima? Or do your folks live in this ward?" Akane asked.

Sighing, and then taking a deep breath, Takara centered herself. Enough time had gone by that she wasn't likely to be overwhelmed by her feelings, but she always mentally raised her guard when the subject came up.

"They've passed on," Takara said.

"Oh. I'm so sorry," Akane said putting a hand on the other's girl's arm to comfort her. "I've lost my mother, too."

Come to think of it, Takara hadn't seen any adult women at the Tendo household other than the eldest of the daughters. She must have been too preoccupied with other things – and people – to really stop and consider what this absence signified.

In a voice barely above a whisper, Takara asked, "How did she go?"

"Cancer."

"I'm sorry. And I know those words don't really do anything."

"And your folks?"

Takara scowled. "They were part of an elite Iaido dueling club. Well, they were the co-champions of it, for a time. But the duels were to the death. Challengers came at them every so often, and eventually, someone came around and defeated them."

"Uh," Akane said, unable to process it. "That's awful."

"It's stupid, is what it is," Takara said. "Why battle to the death? You can prove the superiority of your swordsmanship and both parties can walk away alive. And then nobody loses their parents."

Takara had made a fatal error. It's true that she generally had a good lid on these feelings, but it was also true that she rarely spoke about it out loud. In opening herself up to the martial artist beside her, she had also given the anger inside her an opening to burst up to the surface. Her whole body tensed, and her hands balled into fists. She could feel the anger spreading into her veins, and out through her body –

But the anger froze when Akane's put a delicate hand on top of her fist. The tension melted away, and she laid her hand flat against the armrest.

"This is our stop," Akane said, simply.

Akane walked into the changing stall to find Takara standing in her bra and a long navy blue skirt. Her arms were to the side and she was clearly measuring the length of her skirt against her fingertips – her eyes were narrow and she was in deep thought. It took a good deal of willpower for Akane to keep her eyes focused on the skirt her tall friend was wearing. Those baggy T-shirts Takara insisted on wearing were covering up a key asset of hers and the world was all the worse for it.

Wordlessly, she hung up some white blouses on the side of the stall and turned to pick up some skirts from the reject pile.

"What do you think of that one?"

"It's not ankle length, but it's way past my fingers. I could probably get away with it," she said in a measured tone.

"It looks good on you," Akane said.

She turned to leave when she noticed that Takara's Iaido blade was leaning against the wall. Intrigued, but embarrassed, she inspected the sheath. It was made from lacquered dark wood and had some spiral decorations carved into it. Curiosity just about overwhelmed her, and she held it up and inspected it.

"I told you, no buttons!" Takara said from behind her. "Shirts have trouble containing my mighty boobs, and I get these gaps between the buttons – "

She turned to see Akane transfixed by her sword.

"Oh, go ahead. Take a look," Takara said.

"E-e-excuse me?" Akane stammered, glancing up to meet her gaze.

"At the sword, dummy."

So Akane carefully unsheathed the sword. As she held the blade to the light, she couldn't help but be a bit disappointed in it. It looked like a generic sword, all things considered, and no hint of embellishments like the wooden sheath it was contained in.

"Swords ain't meant to be pretty," Takara said, reading the shorter girl's thoughts. "They're a tool, and they have a purpose. While my blade isn't much to look at it, it is a honed piece of metal, and it gets the job done."

"It's just, that with the sheath – "

"I was like thirteen when I picked it out. I wanted something pretty," Takara said as she attempted to slip into a white blouse. "Aunt Ruby thought it was pretty frivolous. And I'm sure my parents would have disapproved. But I wanted at least one stylish accessory. And I always had my sword on me, so…"

Akane carefully put the blade back into its resting place and gently propped it back against the wall. When she looked back up Takara was in a white blouse and was turning from side to side.

"It's a miracle," Takara breathed. "A perfect fit!"

She turned and hugged Akane and let out a joyful squeal. Due to the height difference, though, the simple friendly gesture became slightly more intimate than intended. Akane pretended not to notice and kept up an awkward smile.

"Thank you, Akane. This whole clothes thing was really stressing me out."

Takara gave Akane a short bow.

"Oh, no problem."

"Now it's time to repay my debt to you. We'll get you something so sexy even Ranma will lose his inhibitions."

"How did you know it was for - ? "

Takara rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to change back and buy this stuff. You can wait outside. Or not," she said. "Your choice."

Akane hesitated a moment longer than she probably should have before leaving the changing stall.

And then Akane found herself in the scariest place she had ever visited in her life. Scarier than a thousand haunted houses, scarier than one hundred Kuno mansions, scarier than anything she could imagine. Sexuality assaulted her from every direction. There were posters of sexy young women staring down at her with inviting smiles, and the most alluring underthings hanging all around her. Her head was swimming from the perfume that permeated the room –- was it being pumped in through the vents? She turned and looked over her shoulder.

She had backed herself into a corner and was hugging her arms tightly against her stomach. Where was Takara? She had promised that she wouldn't go far, but no matter where she looked, Akane only saw sex. When Takara appeared from around the corner with an armful of unmentionables, Akane sighed a deep breath of relief and ran to greet her.

"You left me alone!?"

Takara shrugged. "What? There's basically no one here but us. Relax."

"Maybe this whole thing was a bad idea. Maybe I don't really want to be a sex Goddess. Or have sex. Maybe I'll go home and read a book. Or become a nun."

Takara shifted the clothing to one arm and put the other around Akane's shoulder.

"Look at me. Breathe. Your senses are overstimulated. Remember what you came here for – remember the goal you're working towards. Focus on your goal and filter out all the distractions. Move towards your goal in one swift movement."

"I want to look sexy for Ranma," Akane said. "And I want to feel sexy, for myself."

"Right. Now focus, and ignore all of the things distracting you. Here are some clothes, and there's the changing room. There won't be anything in there but yourself and the mirror. Forward march!"

Akane kept her gaze downwards and accepted the underwear that her rival – or perhaps new friend? – had gathered for her. The first thing was a pink bustier. A vein in her temple throbbed, and she threw it over her shoulder without comment.

"Hey, try it on first, at least."

"That's way too girly for me," Akane growled. "No pink."

"What, you want me to find something that makes you look boyish?"

"Do they make something like that?"

"It wouldn't work on you, anyway. You may be a tomboy in spirit, but you got a feminine body."

"Hey!"

"It's a compliment," Takara said in surprise. "Anyway, get in there, and try this stuff out. I picked out the absolute sexiest stuff I saw."

Reluctantly, Akane entered the changing room and came face to face with her own terrified reflection. She hung up some of the lingerie on the hooks by the door and she was already mentally rejecting some of it. She didn't want anything too sparkly of glittery – she was meant to be a sexy beacon, but not a disco ball.

"Alright," Akane said, and took a deep breath. "Let's do this."

The shop assistant stood with folded arms. The two high schoolers had been there for forty minutes. It's lucky this was a slow spell, otherwise she might have just asked the giant girl to leave, as she probably would've spooked off any customers. One of the youngsters had taken up residence in the changing room and the other was taking the copious pile of rejects and exchanging them for more items. And was that a sword on the tall lady's hip?

"Does your friend need assistance?" The shopkeeper asked in an icy tone as she stepped towards the taller customer.

"Oh yeah," she said softly. "But more in the confidence area. Your products are the sexiest stuff around."

Flattery could take you places, the thirty-something clerk thought to herself.

"Hmm. Well, if you do need assistance, or perhaps some advice, I won't be far away."

Something was kind of weird about the situation, but at least the sword-wearing girl was hanging stuff back up where she found it.

Was it legal to walk around with a sheathed sword?

Would it be wise to ask?

The shop assistant decided to leave the two to their devices for a little while longer before redemanding they buy something or leave.

Takara was inspecting a super push-up bralette and wondering if she could pair it with a see-through skirt when she heard sounds coming from the changing booth. She hurried over, knocked, and then went in, to find Akane in her underwear on the floor curled up and crying.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"I hate my body. I can't look sexy no matter what I try," she whimpered.

Takara wrinkled her nose and contemplated how best to approach this. Everything in life was a battle, and every battle required an individual strategy. The gears in her head turned slowly, and a plan was formulated. She squatted down next to her rival and offered a hand, which Akane accepted, once she noticed it had been offered. The two of them stood up slowly and the taller woman turned her to face the mirror.

"Look in the mirror," Takara said.

Akane turned her head slowly.

"You won't let me see you in anything I bring you, so I can't comment on the exact fit of any particular item," Takara. "But I get to see you in your bra and panties, and it takes all of my conviction to keep my eyes locked onto your eyes, and not the rest of the body."

"Pervert," Akane said quietly and without emotion.

"It's not perversion. It's just how my body naturally reacts to seeing a sexy girl," Takara said.

"I'm not sexy."

"Look at your reflection. I look at you, and I see a beautiful young woman in full bloom. Maybe you're not a model, but a woman's body doesn't need to be. You've got everything you need in all the right places. Those boys that you say you fight every morning? Their souls would leave their body right now if they could see you like this."

Akane tilted her head and concentrated on the image of her own body.

"You're trying to fight it, Akane, but you are attractive. Take a deep breath, and accept it."

Akane took a deep breath and held it for four seconds before breathing out.

"Now tell me, when do you feel sexiest?" Takara asked.

Akane thought back to when she looked in the mirror and briefly saw herself a sex goddess. It hadn't really been about what she had been wearing. It had been her frame of mind, hadn't it? She had been thinking about how exciting it was to have the power to give Ranma sexual pleasure…

"When I feel powerful," Akane said.

"Okay," Takara said, drawing out the word. She hadn't anticipated that answer. "Imagine yourself when you feel your most powerful. What are you wearing?"

"My training gi," Akane said. "I like how it covers all of my body."

"That's it!" Takara exclaimed and rushed out of the booth.

She disappeared for a few seconds, and when she returned she was holding a long black robe. A good percent of it was sheer and see-through.

"It's wise to pivot when a tactic isn't working," Takara said as he held up the robe. "Showing skin wasn't working. So instead, we have this."

"Is that sexy?" Akane asked, turning to look at the taller girl.

"Yup. It lets you see enough to get excited, but it leaves enough to the imagination that your eyes hunger for more."

Takara handed the intrigued Akane the robe and then slipped out for a minute. She saw the shop assistant leaning against a wall and she flashed her a thumb's up sign. The worker rolled her eyes and left for some other part of the store. A violent gasp from the changing room caused Takara to grasp her blade and rush in. But there was only Akane, wearing the robe, posing in front of the mirror with a hand on her hip. She turned to face the other girl with a grin on her face.

"I feel it. I feel sexy," Akane said.

"You are," Takara choked as her eyes drank in Akane's figure.

"This is it. Ranma won't be able to resist me in this."

"No one could," Takara said in a hushed voice.

Perhaps Takara could have resisted Akane, in the end. But neither of them would ever know for sure, as Akane grabbed her and pulled her in for a kiss, and they both let go of their inhibitions, giving full reign to their teenage hormones.

The shop assistant narrowed her eyes. The taller girl had gone into the changing booth, and she hadn't come out in almost ten minutes. The robe she had offered to her friend had plenty of ties to adjust but it wasn't that complicated of a garment. Her suspicions were on full alert now. She'd had a bad feeling about these girls since the moment they walked in.

Slowly, she walked towards the dressing room door and put her ear against it. The sound was familiar to her – this wasn't the first time some dumb teenagers had snuck into a changing room for a make-out session. But this was certainly the most deviant make-out session that had ever transpired under her watch. The girl with the sword was taller than most adult men, but she was unmistakably a young woman. The other was a tomboy, but certainly not a boy.

These were lesbians, using her store as a place to express their unholy lust.

She took out a key and unlocked the door, and then pushed her way in angrily. The two young girls broke away from a kiss, their hands all over each other's bodies, and they looked up at her in fear.

"You two deviants get the hell out of my store!"

"Uh, ok, but I want to buy this robe – "

"You put your clothes on and get out of this store within five minutes or I'm calling security on you. Maybe even the cops."

"We're going. Don't – you don't have to do that," Takara said, as she raised her hands in surrender.

"Don't tell my dad," Akane pleaded.

"Five minutes. And I want you out."

The shopkeeper slammed the door shut and stormed away.

"Fucking Lesbians."

The two girls ran out of the mall at full speed. They weren't even paying attention to where they were going and they didn't stop until they found themselves in the middle of an alleyway and against a brick wall. Takara attempted to steady her breathing, and Akane flopped onto the ground and leaned against the wall. Her partner in crime took a seat next to her soon after.

"Were we followed?" Akane asked.

"I don't think so," a lower voice than expected replied.

Akane turned to look up at the other girl only to find that she had transformed. Her baggy magical girl T-shirt was even baggier when draped over her shorter masculine body. For the first time, Akane realized that her friend had been wearing a bra before and was more than likely still wearing one.

"You're in your boy form again," Akane said.

Takara examined herself quickly. "I didn't even see what splashed me."

Distracted from the events that had just happened, Akane scrutinized her rival's body. She didn't feel the heat she had felt inside of the changing booth just minutes ago. Or, perhaps the scare that the shopkeeper gave them ruined the mood? She looked up at the other girl with pleading eyes.

"Please," she said. "I have to know something."

Though Takara didn't fully understand the request, she nodded her consent.

The martial artist closed the distance between them and nuzzled her head onto Takara's shoulder. She took a deep breath through her nose and exhaled. The taller girl's scent had changed from something alluring and inviting to something musky and a little bit off-putting. Looking up, their eyes met, and Akane slowly went in for a kiss, giving Takara plenty of time to close her eyes and purse her lips. Their lips met only briefly, and they could feel each other's breath on their faces.

Dejected, Akane crumpled into the brick wall behind her with a long sigh.

"Well, It was good for me," Takara said, wistfully.

"I'm sorry," Akane said. "I guess it's true. I'm really not into guys."

The swordswoman instinctively reached to place a hand on the other girl, but she stopped when Akane scooted away.

"It's weird, though. I'm attracted to Ranma, even in his boy form."

"Do you have a preference between his forms?"

"Girl form, easy."

"Hmm," Takara said, and tried her best to think it through. "Maybe you're just not attracted to my boy form? Or maybe you're not attracted to Ranma's body, but who he is. Y'know – inside."

Akane turned to face her, uncertainly coloring her face. "Is that a thing?"

"I dunno. Jusenkyo curses are a thing. Is this any less crazy a concept?"

The blue-haired martial artist found herself lost in her thoughts. She knew that Ranma had cuddled with the masculine version of Takara for an entire night without giving into his hormonal impulses – so why had she given in? And did this count as cheating? It's true that they weren't technically in a relationship, but at the same time, there was something there.

"I think we screwed up," Takara said, her mind going down a similar trajectory.

"I think I just cheated on Ranma," Akane said.

Looking at the swordswoman – now very much a swordsman – Akane felt a flash of intense emotion. It was a lot like anger, but the flavor was off. It was the sort of thing that would lead her to wrathful actions but it wasn't anger. This was – jealousy? Yes, jealousy, she realized. She was jealous of the fact that Takara had fallen into the Spring of Drowned Man.

"Is it weird," she asked in a quiet voice. "That I kind of wish I had your curse?"

"Yeah. Unless you want to be a boy or something."

"No! Nothing like that," Akane said, the irritation in her voice plain. "I wish I had your curse because I know Ranma is curious about boys. He cuddled with you all night in your boy form. And he's always had this weird sexual tension with Ryoga. And he was pretty fond of Ukyo when he thought she was a boy."

Takara squirmed uncomfortably. She was surprised and a little bit displeased that Ranma had spoken of what had transpired between them that night. The fact that Akane had mentioned this so casually threw her off guard – should she expect another wave of anger from the hot-tempered girl?

"If I had your curse, I could help him figure himself out. And then maybe he'd finally touch me, and actually have sex with me."

"That's – that's, uh," Takara started, but stopped herself.

Takara definitely thought that was a weird train of thought, but she knew admitting that right now probably wouldn't make the situation any less awkward. Looking at Akane's face, she could see that the blue haired girl was falling into despair. Her instinct, naturally, was to try to cheer her up – to make her laugh.

"Very well then, Akane Tendo," Takara said as she stood up. "Rise."

Hesitant, Akane slowly stood up, balancing against the wall as she did so. Takara took a deep breath and then slowly – ceremoniously - withdrew her blade from its sheath. She got down on one knee and presented the sword to the befuddled girl standing before her.

"By the sacred powers of my blade," Takara intoned in a solemn voice, "I hereby transfer my curse unto you. You will now turn into a boy when splashed with cold water."

Her hands wavering, Akane accepted the blade and looked down at it, before looking back at Takara.

"Really?"

Takara nodded slowly. "It is done."

Tears welled in Akane's eyes.

"Thank you, Takara. I'll never forget you,"

That was not the reaction the would-be comedienne had been expecting.

"Wait – tears? Why are you crying?" Takara asked

"I'm so happy," Akane managed to sob out.

"Uh-oh."

"Uh-oh?"

A terrible miscalculation had been made, Takara realized. She had thought that the inherent absurdity of the idea of transferring curses to another person would make Akane laugh, and the gesture itself would curry favor. A scowl crept across Akane's face and her tears dried up, as she realized that something else was going on.

"It was a joke, Akane," Takara said.

"A joke? A joke!"

Akane threw the sword on the ground and stepped closer to Takara, getting into her face.

"Stupid! Why would you toy with me like that!?"

"It was a joke. Jusenyko curses don't work like that, Akane," Takara reeled, desperate to mend the situation. "I just wanted to make you smile again."

Growing silent, Akane said nothing. Using all of her control and all of her might, she closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. She couldn't stop clenching her fists, and as anger poured into her hands, it felt as though she might be able to shoot fire from them. But the anger passed, and she let out an exhale.

"You're as funny as a funeral, Takara," Akane said in a tone devoid of emotion. "Good-bye for now"

She turned to leave and Takara tried to put a hand on Akane's shoulder, but she batted the hand away.

"Wait! This isn't – we should talk about this, Akane!"

"I need some space, and some time."

And so Takara watched the other girl walk away. Alone in the alleyway with just her sword and a shopping bag full of clothes, she felt like she had far more space and far more time than any individual should have.

"Yup. We definitely screwed up," she said to herself.

She reconsidered her choice of words.

"I screwed up."