Hi there! Here we are, three years later. Not much has changed. I'm still the same crazy redhead at university (taking the hardest semester of my life right now). This chapter has been sitting on my hard drive for a while. I've wanted to post it, but I've been pretty self-conscious. However, I'm tipsy at the moment, and I think I have just enough courage to share. I hope it doesn't offend anyone.

Middle

« « ʚ ɞ » »

The redhead looked just like any other school girl in her uniform dress. Ryoga might not have recognized her if it weren't for that fateful day on the mountain that was painfully etched into his memory. No. This wasn't just any girl. This was Ranma Saotome— once an insufferable nuisance, now a timid young woman. Ryoga nervously scratched at the back of his neck, mulling over the right words to use. Of course, he had imagined meeting Ranma many times in the months that followed the incident in the mountains. He had rehearsed his apology time and time again. And yet, now that the moment had arrived, the words were every bit as lost as he was on the average day.

"Y-you look good, Ranma." He fumbled.

"H-healthy, I mean."

For a moment, Ranma looked like she might explode into her usual name calling, insults on the tip of her tongue. But then her eyes softened.

Akane smiled approvingly. "Well… I have to head back. Hiroshi is picking me up." She announced as she turned to leave.

"Oh…" Ryoga looked away, noticeably upset at the mention of Akane's boyfriend. "Bye, Akane." He muttered awkwardly.

"Later!" Ranma called after her.

Akane continued along the grassy bank of the canal with a lightness in her step. Ranma's reaction had all but confirmed her hope. The redhead was healing. And who knew? Once she was comfortable around Ryoga, she might really be on the way to a brighter future.

Akane hummed to herself as she descended the small hill and approached the dusty alley that led to her neighborhood. As she entered, a dark shadow fell across her path. She looked up just in time to catch sight of an enraged Kuonji Ukyo plunging towards her, giant spatula in hand. Blindsided, Akane winced in pain as the okonomiyaki chef slammed into her, pinning her against a wall of cinder blocks.

"Ukyo, stop! We can... we can talk about this!" She struggled.

"Then talk! What have you done to Ranchan!?"

"Please… listen!" Akane strained. "She's healing now. We just need to give it time."

"Listen to yourself!" Ukyo scowled. "Do you actually believe a word you're saying!? Do you actually think that you've convinced a fighter like Ranma to start acting like a shy little flower? No… You know what you did! You put him under some kind of spell!"

Akane looked hurt for a second. She turned away. "Maybe… Maybe I did…" She admitted sorrowfully. "B-but he would have died, Ukyo."

Ukyo looked confused. "What? What are you talking about?" She questioned, loosening up.

"Cologne had a potion to help him change inside, but he wouldn't take it on his own. And when he came back from China, he was so depressed that he tried to kill himself." Akane explained. "I was almost too late to stop him. I didn't really have a choice… I had to slip him the potion. I didn't know if it would work at first… But she's really turning into a girl now… and she isn't depressed anymore! I saw her smile today for the first time in months!"

"He… He tried to… K-kill himself?" Ukyo's arms went limp. Her spatula fell.

Akane nodded gravely. She was telling the truth.

Tears came to Ukyo's eyes. "Oh, Ranchan."

Akane reached out, attempting to steady the taller girl.

"Ukyo, listen to me. It isn't our fault. She was going to spend the rest of her life in the wrong body... And you know how she would have struggled. She would have been angry over every feminine thing..." Akane paused. "But now it will come naturally... And she won't have to be alone. Father and Kasumi want to adopt her. We'll be sisters! Me, Nabiki, Kasumi, and Ranma. She'll be happy again, I promise. I'll make every day special."

Ukyo didn't know how to respond. Her entire life had been spent chasing after an illusion. A mirage. There was no one to blame. No revenge. No closure. Her Ranma, as she knew him, was leaving this world— forever— and there wasn't a single thing she could do to stop it. Tears streamed from her eyes to her chin. When she spoke her voice was weak.

"When are you going to tell him?"

"T-tell him?"

"You have to tell him eventually." Ukyo stated quietly.

Akane was stunned. "I-I…"

Ukyo rolled her eyes. "Right. The greatest martial artist of his generation up and abandons it all just to become Akane Tendo's little sister… Did you really think he was going to live happily ever after and never question it? He's not dumb, you know. He'll figure it out. Maybe he won't want to resist… hell, maybe he'll even keep you around. But no matter what you do now… he will find out what happened… And he's going to hate you for it."

"She loves me." Akane murmured, distraught. "I know she does. She just doesn't know how to say it yet."

Ukyo shook her head, tears still wet on her face. "You're playing with fire, Tendo."

« « ʚ ɞ » »

Ryoga cleared his throat.

"So what's the matter?" Ranma asked. "Ain't this the part where you try and kill me?" She lowered herself into her usual stance.

"Ranma… You're not..." Ryoga looked for the right words as he met her eyes with a tired sort of compassion. "It wouldn't be a fair fight…"

"Oh, please." Ranma retorted, offense showing on her face. Of course she knew that she was no longer a match for him. He didn't have to rub it in. "I bet you're just scared of getting beat!" She added.

"Look," Ryoga backpedaled, "We're even now. I don't want to fight you. I've been meaning to thank you, actually. After what you gave up to save me... I… I owe you, Ranma."

She studied the lost boy intently. There was something about the way he was acting— The way he had just pledged his loyalty. It sent butterflies fluttering through her stomach and caused her to forget that she was even angry with him. She recalled this feeling from a dream, or a dream of a dream.

"So… That's it? You're just giving up on your revenge?" She asked.

Ryoga nodded. "It's over. I won't hurt you again."

"R-really?" Ranma said, taken aback by his sincerity. She straightened up.

"Since we're here though… Can you… can you do me a little favor?" Ryoga asked, pushing his index fingers together.

Ranma sighed heavily. "Let me guess… ya need help finding your house, huh?"

Ryoga blushed. "It's that obvious?"

"Uh-huh." Ranma rolled her eyes. "You're forgetting that I know you, Ryoga." She extended a hand.

Ranma couldn't help but notice the ruggedness of Ryoga's grip as she took his hand. His fingers were much larger than her own and his skin was warm and tough. A sense of safety settled over her as she led him down the path by the canal. She was quite small for a woman, and the longer she spent in this form, the more aware she became. She would never admit it, but she was a little afraid to be by herself lately. Yet somehow, with the eternally lost boy in tow, she felt protected.

"Any plans tonight?" She asked nonchalantly.

"Eh, Not really…" Ryoga replied. "Maybe get some food and watch TV... Haven't watched TV in months."

"Oooh… What kind of food?" Ranma asked curiously.

"Oh, probably Cup Noodles." Ryoga said, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"Cup noodles!? You're kidding me, right?"

"What? It's all I have right now!"

What was this feeling? Sympathy? Was she feeling sorry for him? She supposed he had been kind to her, and she was actually feeling pretty hungry herself. "Well I guess we're taking a detour…" She veered sharply off of the path, pulling Ryoga along.

"W-where are we going?"

"To get some real food."

« « ʚ ɞ » »

Konatsu looked up as the bell rang, announcing the arrival of Ranma-chan and her tall friend in yellow.

"Hey, Konatsu-san!" Ranma said cheerfully, holding up two fingers. "We'll take two 'yaki's."

"Coming right up!" Konatsu said, smiling kindly.

Ranma led Ryoga over to a vacant table on the other side of the room where they both took a seat. Ryoga unshouldered his pack and let it fall to the floor.

"Hey, Ryoga, have you ever thought about gettin' a smartphone?" Ranma asked.

"A smart... phone?" He responded dully.

"It's like a cell phone that has a map in it. They call it like a Gts… or gcs… or something."

Ryoga stared blankly.

"What? I'm serious!" Ranma chuckled. "You're always getting lost… But if you could see where you're going, then problem-solved, right? Akane has one… I'll ask her about it. I think it would really help you."

Ryoga blinked. Was this Ranma? His old rival would never go out of his way to try to help someone else. This girl was different. She was acting with empathy. He could see the honesty and kindness in her eyes. "S-sure." He said. "So... how is Nerima treating you?" He changed the subject. "How's school?"

"Not so bad." Ranma shrugged. "Turns out, girls aren't so mean when you're one of them."

"Oh." Ryoga smiled hopefully. "Are you?"

"Am I what?" Ranma puzzled.

"One of them." He pressed.

Ranma blushed. "I… I mean… they think so… but I'm not actually… I don't want to be..." She looked away in embarrassment, a bead of sweat forming on her forehead.

"Sorry… I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Ryoga apologized. "It's more than alright." He added. "If you want to be."

"Look," Ranma sighed and met his eyes bravely. "Why don't you come to Furinkan and see for yourself. You could go there, you know."

Woah. Hold on. Where did that come from? She wondered. Did she want to keep him around? She felt a lightness in her chest— A pleasant sensation.

"I don't know, Ranma… I haven't tried to study anything since we were in… Well... middle school." Ryoga answered. "I guess I'll think about it..."

Ranma smiled in response. Ryoga couldn't help but notice how beautiful her smile was. She looked genuinely happy. Maybe it was the lighting, but it almost appeared that her skin was glowing. For a moment, he completely forgot who he was looking at. It seemed impossible. This girl— His former rival— was pretty. She was probably the prettiest girl he had ever seen, and she wasn't even trying!

Just then, Konatsu arrived with two steaming plates in hand, setting them gingerly on the table between the two friends.

Ranma mumbled her thanks through the food that she had already shoveled into her mouth.

"Enjoy..." Konatsu said, watching the redhead with a peculiar expression. She bowed slightly and turned to walk away.

Ryoga felt his guilt melting. Ranma was happy. She wasn't trapped or in pain like he had imagined. Her curse was beautiful, after all. She had been so lucky in that regard. Everyone else had been cursed to become some kind of an animal. But, at the end of the day, Ranma was still a person, and she was much humbler— and often kinder— in this form.

Chewing on a mouthful of food, Ranma looked up in time to catch Ryoga staring at her wistfully. "Eat up, P-Chan." She said, gesturing at his untouched okonomiyaki. "We still gotta find your house."

"Oh. Right." Ryoga picked up his fork, took a bite, and chewed. "Woah. This is… What's in this?" He took another bite. And another.

"Baka." Ranma laughed, shaking her head and grinning.

« « ʚ ɞ » »

The sun was setting below a blood-red sky as the two unlikely friends entered Ryoga's neighborhood. Ryoga read his address off of a crumpled sheet of paper and Ranma peeled her eyes for the house number. The houses were all similar in shape and color— painted in drab greens and greys. Eventually, Ranma spotted Ryoga's home — A blue-grey two-story with a rounded window above the entryway. Ranma let go of Ryoga's hand and turned to see the look of wonder on his face. She giggled and took a few steps back, unaware of the short step that led up to the doorway. She tripped and fell backwards, letting out a squeak. Ryoga reacted in an instant, reaching out to grab her hands, pulling her back towards him. Her face stopped just inches from his own.

"Careful, Ranma." He said softly, slowly becoming aware of just how close she was.

Ranma suddenly found herself lost in Ryoga's eyes. There it was again— that fluttery feeling. Heart racing. Chest swelling. He was just so strong, and she was just so weak. And she wanted to stay in his arms, even if it meant letting go of her pride. "You… caught me again." She said, almost in a trance. Then her eyes widened and darted away in embarrassment. She remembered Akane's suggestion that deep down she possessed some kind of feelings for the lost boy. She shuddered. She had fed and cared for him. She had invited him to attend school with her. What was she doing? This was Ryoga of all people! She should be disgusted. Why wasn't she disgusted!? She snapped out of her daze and pulled away.

"I… uh… I'm fine… I gotta go."

"Wait!" Ryoga called out as she made her escape. A few seconds later he found himself standing on the sidewalk alone. He rubbed his eyes and looked around.

What am I doing in Kyoto?

« « ʚ ɞ » »

"I'm home!" Ranma called out as she entered the Tendo residence. She jumped as she found Akane sitting in the chair beside the door. "Aah!" Ranma shrieked. "Geeze, Akane, were ya trying to scare me to death!?"

"Sorry." Akane muttered quietly. The most peculiar look was written on her face. She seemed sad and guilty and optimistic, all at the same time.

"What are you still doing here, crazy? Aren't you supposed to be on a date?" Ranma wondered.

"I… wasn't feeling up to it…" Akane said as she rose from the chair and placed her hands gently on Ranma's shoulders. She peered into Ranma's eyes for a few seconds before pulling her into an unexpected hug. She squeezed tightly, her cheek pressing against Ranma's puffy red hair.

"A-Akane?" Ranma strained. "A-Are you okay?"

"Mhmm." Akane said softly. "It's just that… I love you, Ranma-chan."

"Oh." Ranma said awkwardly. There it was. Akane could feel the tension in Ranma's shoulders. She continued resolutely.

"From now on… I'm going to be around for you." She moved her hand to stroke Ranma's head gently with her fingers. "I want to see you happy again, and I want to see you to become the very best Ranma-chan that you can possibly be." Akane paused to take a breath, relaxing her arms a bit. "Sorry if that's a lot."

"No, it's okay, Akane." Ranma said in a voice a little louder than a whisper. "I… I l-love you too." She was surprised at how easy the words came— words that she had never once used in her entire life.

Akane pulled away to look at Ranma, her eyes wet with tears. She seemed sincerely shocked, but then a grin surfaced on her face. "You said it!"

Ranma looked away, blushing. "Yeah… I mean… what's new?" She laughed anxiously.

Akane pulled Ranma back into her arms. She swayed side to side gently.

"I'm so, so proud of you."

« « ʚ ɞ » »

The mid-day sun shined brightly on Nerima Ward Mall as traffic zipped by on the nearby freeway. It was a hot day for such an early month, and there wasn't any sign of a breeze.

"Do I gotta?" Ranma protested half-heartedly as she followed behind Nodoka in the expansive parking lot.

"Ranma, dear… your wardrobe is insufficient for your day-to-day needs and I simply can not allow you to run around under-dressed any longer. It will only take a few hours… and who knows… you might just enjoy it!"

"Yeah. Lighten up, Ranma. Most girls live for this kind of stuff." Nabiki cut in as she took out her phone camera and began to play with the settings.

"Put it away, Nabiki." Akane scowled.

"Oh, don't give me that look, sis... How else will we remember Ranma-baby's first shopping trip?"

Ranma gulped as the party of four reached the towering glass doors of the mall entrance. What was she so afraid of? She had dressed up a hundred times before in order to distract her enemies and get free food. What was so different now? All she had to do was try on some clothes for her mother and leave. She wasn't even obligated to wear any of it afterwards.

I can do this. She thought.

Making a determined face, she stepped towards the doorway that her mother held open.

« « ʚ ɞ » »

Ranma ran her fingers over the soft material as she turned towards the mirror. The sundress was light-blue with floral-print, tightened at the waist with a thin tie. It flowed nicely around her curves. She turned and looked at her backside over her shoulder. She had to admit the dress felt light and comfortable. She wondered for a second if she was attractive. What would a guy think?

Wait... I'm a guy! She blushed hard. How had she forgotten? And why couldn't she remember what she found attractive about girls? Was it a cute face? Was it body-shape? She turned back and extended her slender hand towards the mirror, matching palms with her reflection. Am I… pretty?

"Did you try it on yet?" Nodoka called from the other side of the dressing room door. "When are you going to show us?"

Ranma opened the door and walked out bashfully. Nodoka gasped. "You look beautiful, Ranma-Chan! Just beautiful!"

"It looks great on you, Ranma!" Akane agreed. "I bet everything does."

Nabiki snapped a quick photo as Akane sent a death glare in her direction. A genuine smile spread across Ranma's face. A wave of emotion washed over her. Was this happiness? Was she actually happy right now?

I *am* pretty. She thought. And with that thought came a pervasive and ethereal bliss — a sense of belonging. But… but I don't want to be… Do I?

Her musing was cut short by her mother who presented her with an extraordinarily tall stack of feminine clothes. "Here! Try this next!"

« « ʚ ɞ » »

"I've never really worn makeup before…"

"Never?" Nodoka asked, her voice somehow managing to carry over the bustle of the food court where the four shoppers sat at a table, surrounded by shopping bags.

Ranma shook her head.

"I see. Well there's a first time for everything I suppose." Nodoka stated, her face lighting up suddenly. "We could visit a cosmetics shop while we're here! You don't need to know anything. They'll apply it for you!"

Ranma looked away and gulped. "Uh… M-maybe…"

Since becoming cursed, she had developed something of a curiosity regarding beauty products. She had experimented once or twice when putting on disguises— a little lipstick here, a little eyeshadow there— but never going as far as to put on a full face. Truthfully, she had never even allowed herself to look in the mirror for very long.

"I think you should try it, Ranma!" Akane encouraged. "Just once… And If you don't like it, then we don't have to get anything."

Ranma looked up at Akane. Part of her wanted to see what it was like. But a smaller part of her was afraid. What if she enjoyed it? What would happen then? Nevertheless, she had to make a choice, and she found it impossible to say no to the kind, brown eyes of the girl that she had once planned to marry.

« « ʚ ɞ » »

Ranma sat in a cushioned rotating chair in the small, open shop. Her eyes were shut as she patiently endured the final touches to her eyeliner.

"There!" The cosmetologist finally announced, taking a step back from her work.

Ranma opened her eyes to see Nodoka and Akane looking at her with anticipation. Nodoka was positively radiant. Nabiki sat in the next chair— phone ready— entertained, as evinced by her expression.

"Ready?" The cosmetologist asked.

Ranma nodded yes.

"Wait!" Nodoka cut in. She stepped towards the redhead, reaching behind her and untying the dragon whisker that held her hair in a pigtail. Ranma felt her hair fall gently around the sides of her face. "Now." Nodoka said confidently.

The cosmetologist pushed against the chair, turning it slowly. Ranma's mouth fell open as her eyes met the girl in the mirror. She barely even recognized herself behind the glittery blue eyeshadow and short eyeliner wings. Her cheeks were lightly blushed and her skin was somehow even softer. Her hair flowed around her face, framing it perfectly with a row of bangs above her brow.

"I… I really look like a girl…" She muttered out loud, raising a hand to her face as if to stuff the words back into her mouth. The cosmetologist quirked an eyebrow. Nodoka nodded happily.

All at once Ranma found herself smiling again, and although she bit her lip, she couldn't seem to stop. Embarrassed, she hid her face behind both hands until she felt a gentle grip on her wrists, pulling them apart. Akane was waiting on the other side.

"Hey, it's okay!" Akane reassured her, smiling pleasantly. "You deserve this!" Her eyes lit up suddenly. "Let's get your ears pierced too!" She suggested.

"I can do that!" The cosmetologist added.

"I… S-sure… I guess so..." Ranma conceded.

The stout woman opened a drawer and pulled out a laminated menu with images of earrings. She handed it to Ranma. "So what are we thinking?" She asked.

Ranma studied the menu with Akane looking over her shoulder. "Oooh how about these ones?" Akane asked, pointing at a pair of pearls.

Ranma nodded in agreement.

The cosmetologist walked over to a glass showcase and used the key on her wristband to unlock and open it. She returned a moment later with the earrings and a piercing gun.

"Is… Is this gonna hurt?" Ranma asked, concerned by the size and shape of the device.

"Only if you think about it." The lady replied. "Here…" she turned to grab a small stuffed panda from her desk, placing it in Ranma's lap. "Just hold on to this for me, okay?"

Ranma set down the menu and held the animal's paws in her hands. She glanced at the mirror and it occurred to her that — after all those years of toughness— she looked a little silly, sitting there, holding the black and white stuffy. It reminded her of Genma. Her irises widened a bit. Where on earth was that panda? And what would he say if he saw her right now?

« « ʚ ɞ » »

The small coffee shop was quiet, yet crowded with strangers. The cozy scent of hazelnut and chocolate wafted about the tables where people sat, attention kept by phones and laptops beneath the warm glow of fairy lights.

"I have a caramel frappuccino with extra creme for Saotome!" An orange-haired, green-eyed barista called out. A grinning redheaded girl in a sundress made her way towards the counter.

"That's me!" She said, making eye contact.

"Ranma-san?" The barista asked with surprise in her voice.

Ranma's smile faded quickly. "W-who's askin'?" Now that she thought about it, the barista did look very familiar. They had definitely met before, and the name was on the tip of her tongue. "Tsu… Tsubasa-kun?"

Tsubasa nodded, flinching a little at the honorific. She nervously played with the bow that held up her green apron.

"So…" Ranma said awkwardly. "keeping up the disguise, huh?"

"Actually…" Tsubasa blushed. "This is just how I dress now." She glanced down at her flowy blouse.

"R-really?" Ranma asked, genuinely surprised. She lowered her voice. "Did ya fall in at Jusenkyo?"

"Jusenk-what?"

"The cursed springs… in China… One of them makes you look like a girl."

"Oh… I wish." Tsubasa giggled.

"Hey! It isn't a joke! It's a real place!" Ranma stopped as she realized she was yelling. "I mean…" She lowered her voice again and resumed her line of questioning. "Look… Are you still trying to get with Ukyo?"

"Nah. I gave that up months ago."

"Then what gives?"

"I guess I realized that I feel better like this. At first I thought it was a habit that I had to break... But trying not to be a girl was miserable. I don't know if it's my fault or not. It all started out as a way to get Ukyo to notice me... But now... it's just me."

"Y-you are a boy though, right?"

"No. Not anymore." Tsubasa said firmly. She shrugged and put on her brightest smile. "So how about you, Ranma-san? What's your gender these days?" Ranma squirmed at the question. "I love your makeup and outfit by the way!" Tsubasa tacked on, trying to make her question seem less threatening.

"Uh… Thanks." Ranma said, blushing. Memories from earlier that day flashed through her mind. It was embarrassing to think about, and yet, she had enjoyed it. In fact, she was wearing her favorite dress right now. What was wrong with her? Did she want what Tsubasa did? "I, uh…" she stumbled. "I… guess... I don't know." She finally admitted. "How… How do you know?"

"Ranma, dear!" Nodoka called out from the open double-door entrance to the shop. "We're leaving! Come along."

Ranma was thankful for the excuse to bail. "That's my cue! See ya around, Tsubasa-san!" She blurted as she backed away and walked out into the mall with her coffee in hand.

« « ʚ ɞ » »

Ranma-chan sat obediently on the living-room floor in her school uniform dress. Akane sat behind her, working through her wild, wavy hair with a brush.

"Sit still, you." Akane chided.

"Sorry, Akane." Ranma said. "I don't know why I'm so nervous…"

Nabiki sat up in the chair across from them. She chuckled, placing a stick of pocky in her mouth and standing. She walked over to pat Ranma-chan on the head.

"You're going to be the cutest girl in the whole school today! Who wouldn't be nervous?" She joked with uncharacteristic kindness.

Ranma looked up, wide-eyed. "Y-you really think so?" She asked, euphoria rushing into her veins.

Nabiki chuckled, enjoying Ranma's reaction immensely. "You bet, kiddo."

Akane finished brushing Ranma's hair and tied a bow in the back with a blue ribbon. "There." She said, hugging Ranma from behind.

Just then, a knock came from the front door. Nabiki went to open it.

"Ohayo, Akane-chan! Nabiki-chan!" Sayuri greeted her friends. "Ranma-chan? Is that you?" She asked Ranma, who was still sitting on her knees with crimson cheeks.

"H-hey." Ranma said.

Sayuri looked surprised for a moment. "You… You really were caught in the middle after all, weren't you, Ranma-chan?"

Ranma looked confused. "What… What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, dear…" Sayuri smiled kindly. "I think you know."

« « ʚ ɞ » »

Soundtracks:

Bright Whites - Kishi Bashi

Someday - The Strokes

Walk Above the City - The Paper Kites

Sinking Friendships - Jonsi

Push Pull - Purity Ring