After Ranma went to bed and Shampoo and the others departed, Akane and Cologne walked back into the sitting room to talk some more. Cologne took a small sip from her tea and then cleared her throat.
"Well?" Akane replied, "Everyone else is gone. What are we going to do now? Please tell me."
"Hmm" Cologne said, "Like I said before, it all lies with that incense pot. Somehow we have to sneak into his room and take it without him knowing it."
"What would that accomplish?" Akane frowned slightly.
"We could find out if it really is the source behind everything" Cologne replied but then hushed her voice when they heard footsteps behind them.
"Ranma?" Akane said surprised as she appeared, "What are you still doing up?"
"I just felt like a bath tonight, oh granny you're still here" she replied with a sweet smile.
"Yes I sent Shampoo and Mousse home early. I'll be leaving shortly" Cologne nodded with a smile of her own, "These old bones of mine are acting up a little more than usual."
"Yea right" Akane thought with a roll of her eyes, "As if anything like that could stop her."
"Oh I see" Ranma nodded, "Well do you need any help getting home?" she asked a bit concerned.
"No thank you dear, I can manage. Why don't you go and take your bath now."
"Okay" she agreed with another nod, "Akane I won't be long" she replied turning to the other girl, "If you want to take one."
"No. Take your time Ranma" Akane shook her head so Ranma departed once more to the bathroom.
"Now that Ranma's taking a bath he'll go back to his old self I imagine," Cologne observed.
"I hope so" Akane nodded.
But twenty minutes later Ranma reappeared again but she was still in her girl form.
"Ahh!" she breathed happily, "That was so refreshing."
"Uh Ranma" Akane replied as Cologne eyed the girl suspiciously.
"Yes Akane?"
"You did take a hot bath didn't you?"
"Of course you silly. How many times do I have to tell you? You can't take a bath in cold water. That's impossible," she giggled.
"Right" Akane faked her chuckle as Ranma moved towards the steps after saying goodnight once more while Akane sighed, "This isn't the first time that this has happened" she leaned on the table with a sad look in her eye.
"So you told me earlier" Cologne said, "How very peculiar."
"You were the only person who ever made it impossible for Ranma to change in hot water, but that was only because he didn't get in it. Now he can get in it and he doesn't change. It doesn't make any sense."
"No it doesn't" Cologne agreed with a frown, "But I think I am going to solve this mystery tonight."
"Really?" Akane lifted her head.
"Mhm. I am gonna get the incense pot, and we will see the outcome with Ranma in the morning" she replied determinedly.
(Next Scene)
"Here you go sugar," Ukyo said scooping a helping of Okinomiyaki on the plate, "One more on the house."
"Thanks" Ryoga nodded.
Earlier she had invited him home with her because as she argued it would make it much easier to find his way out of town from her place then from the Tendos. But the truth is she was trying to spare him from suffering any more embarrassment with Ranma.
"I can't believe what an idiot I was tonight," he grumbled.
"Well you were that" she agreed.
"Thanks a lot" he frowned, "You're not supposed to agree with me."
"Well you were Ryoga. You let that other guy intimidate you."
"Who? Mousse?"
"Mhm. You should have just kept your mouth shut and dealt with him later. That's what I would have done."
"Well what do you think of all of this Ukyo? The whole Ranma thing?"
"I'm just as confused as everyone else" she shrugged, "Poor Ranma. And Akane."
"Akane?"
"Yea. Didn't you see the look on her face? She's worried about him. She has been for days," Ukyo added as she cleaned up the top of the stove.
"I suppose you're right" Ryoga nodded lowering his head slightly.
"You still haven't gotten over her," Ukyo said noticing his expression, "Have you Ryoga?"
"Mmm."
"You don't have to tell me. I know you haven't" she sighed, "You're really setting yourself up for disappointment."
"What do you mean?" he retorted lifting his head again.
"Haven't you noticed it yet?" Ukyo replied leaning forward slightly, "Ranma and Akane love each other. There's just no question in my mind about that. Last time it was Akane Ranma was worried about. Now it's the other way around. Whether they like to admit it or not, they care about each other. It's so obvious to me now that I don't know why I didn't notice it before."
"You're really okay with all of this Ukyo?" Ryoga said surprised, "I mean you have loved Ranma for so long."
"Listen Ryoga, it's true that Ranma will always be my first love" she replied with a look of fondness in her eyes, "But in the long run I think it's better this way."
"But why?"
"Why would I want to be in love with somebody who's in love with someone else?"
Ryoga lowered his head again.
"Say what you want to say, but I can't get over Akane that easily" he shook his head.
"Then prepare yourself for a long road of pain and disappointment Ryoga" Ukyo said, "Personally I think you deserve better than that."
"Yea right."
"You do" she insisted.
"You really think so?"
"Mhm" she nodded, "Now finish you dinner."
Ryoga nodded his head back and continued to eat his second helping of okinomiyaki.
(Next Scene)
The next morning at the Tendo dojo Akane walked into the sitting room and found Ranma in girl form sitting at the table finishing breakfast.
"Ranma?" she said sitting down.
"What's up Akane?" she answered in a curt manner.
"What did you just say?" she replied back astonished.
"I said what's up, why?"
"Nothing" she shook her head still surprised.
"So I see that jerk Ryoga finally left."
" Yea. He left last night. Ranma are you feeling all right?"
"I told you earlier I'm fine. Geez. What is it with everybody this morning? I am gonna get out of this girl form though" she stood up, "So I'm off to take a bath," she replied leaving the room.
Akane watched her stunned as Cologne hopped into the room.
"Ranma is acting like himself today in his girl form" she informed the old woman.
"Is he now?" Cologne nodded with a smile.
"Did you take the incense pot out of his room last night?"
"I certainly did. But to test the theory correctly, I have an idea. I am going to place the pot in the bathroom with Ranma."
"What would that achieve?" Akane asked with a raise of her eyebrows.
"I have a sneaky suspicion, that this pot comes to life" she held it up, "When only Ranma is in the room. That's why only he can smell the scent. If my theory is correct, we'll be seeing that other female Ranma very soon" she hopped towards the bathroom carrying the pot.
She placed it in the laundry room and then departed. Sure enough just as soon as she left, the pot came to life permeating the room with it's flowery scent. Ranma opened the door from the bathroom and stepped into the laundry room, back in his guy form.
"What's that smell?" he thought, "Kasumi must be doing laundry in here" he surmised, "With some kind of new detergent" he pulled on his clothes and left the room.
He walked back into the sitting room and sat down, his father and Soun looking back at him intently from their game board.
"Ranma my boy" Genma began.
"What's up pop?"
"You're uh," he said clearing his throat, "Looking well."
"Okay?" Ranma raised an eyebrow.
Later that evening Akane and her sisters entered the room with the dinner Kasumi had prepared and sat down to eat, Akane eyeing Ranma the entire time. He finished his meal and then stared straight ahead. Then he stood up, turning his body towards the backyard.
"Ranma?" Akane replied confused as the others watched him stunned.
But he didn't say anything. In oneswift motion he ran outside and jumped into the fishpond.
"Ranma!" Genma said surprised as he emerged from the pond back in his girl form.
"Oh my. How did I end up in here?" Ranma replied in her sweet voice, "Father. What are you staring at?"
"Ranma?" he blinked his eyes wide.
"I guess I'd better go take a bath" she said climbing out of the pond dripping wet, "I'll catch a cold otherwise" she walked towards the bathroom for the second time that day.
Akane immediately got to her feet and ran to her room where she was sure Cologne would be waiting for her.
(Next Scene)
Sure enough the old woman was waiting for her, sitting on her bed. Akane closed the door behind her and slowly approached her.
"So did you see? Did you see what happened?" she asked out of breath.
"I most certainly did. That incense pot is the thing that is responsible for all of this."
"But how?"
"I removed that pot from Ranma's room last night and he woke up this morning completely normal, in his girl form no less. But the instant I placed that pot in the bathroom that's when the urge for Ranma to go into the cold water happened."
"Wait a second. Ryoga mentioned that Ranma poured a bucket of cold water over himself the other night. Could that have been the same effect?"
"I don't know. But I do know however that someone wants Ranma to remain in his girl form."
"Happosai no doubt" Akane frowned.
"No I don't think that Happy is the one who is behind this. Although it is something he would normally do. No it's someone else. Someone of even greater power."
"But who could possibly want Ranma to remain a girl forever?"
"I don't know dear. But I am going to do some research. I have to get back to the restaurant. Keep an eye on Ranma until then" she hopped out of the window.
"I will" Akane nodded and then she departed the room once more.
(Next Scene)
After dinner that evening everyone was sitting in the sitting room, when the doorbell rang.
"I'll go get it" Kasumi replied standing up at once.
Soun lowered his paper as Kasumi returned with a small manila envelope with a seal on the back.
"Father" she said as she came over, "A letter has just arrived for you and Mr. Saotome."
"For both of us?" Soun replied as Genma raised an eyebrow questionly.
"It's addressed to both of you. And by the seal it seems pretty important" she said handing it to him, "Here you go."
"Thank you Kasumi" Soun replied a bit nervously as he opened the envelope, and Ranma, Akane, and Nabiki watched intensely.
He read a bit of the contents and his eyes became wide with fear.
"Saotome" he said sweating, "You might want to take a look at this."
"Hmm?" Genma leaned over to glance at the letter, "Tendo" his glasses fell down his nose in shock as Soun nodded.
Then the two of them looked directly at Ranma and Akane with very weird expressions on their faces making Ranma and Akane stare back confused and a little suspicious.
(Till Next Time)
Authors Note: Hey guys! Here's the next chapter for you. I should have another one done by this weekend!
Next Chapter: Father's Suspicious Actions
Genma and Soun suddenly lock Akane and Ranma up in her room for no reason and soon the town of Nerima begins to experience strange circumstances as well. Who is behind it and what secret does the mysterious letter really contain? Find out next time!
