I Really really wanted to right Ryuga into a really shitty person, but it wouldn't make any sense story wise so I scrapped it. I will show you the line I had written to give you an idea of how twisted he was going to become.

Ryuga glanced at Ranma in disgust, how dare he act like his world was falling apart just because his curse was locked, didn't he know just how much Ryuga had suffered? When this is all over, maybe Ryuga will use Ranma's locked form for some good. Curse him with the drowned piglet water and throw him into a pigpen filled with males, then watch with satisfaction as-

yeah, I absolutely cringe in disgust at it too

This chapter is about a third longer than the previous one, you can expect about 2-5k length of chapters but 2-4k will be the most common


A car accident, medical emergency and a house fire, what do these have in common? All tragic occurrences, painful even, but what else? All of these events are life changing, a single moment, sometimes as short as a millisecond, other times as long as a decade, that can change someone's life. Radical changes, loss of a loved one, financial insecurity, crippled health, homelessness. People often say that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, but many don't realize the same goes for tragedies. Anything that shatters ones worldview can be called a catastrophe, it could be a natural disaster or an argument, it need not matter for it hurts just the same.

Ranma, a man amongst men, was now cursed to be a woman. Now, Ranma had been cursed to turn into a girl some months ago, but not like this. Ranma knew that he could freely change back and forth with a simple splash of water before, but not anymore.

It wasn't hard to figure out what had happened, Shampoo mentioned locking ladle and open kettle. With some deduction and inferences, Ranma had figured out that the ladle could lock a curse, and the kettle would unlock or reverse it. This didn't help Ranma a whole lot though, he was still cursed, and if Shampoo was to be believed then there is no longer a cure, even spring of drowned man would be unlikely to help him. Makes sense though, if Ranma could simply get splashed by Xayah whenever he felt like he would lose to Shampoo then of course Shampoo would find a way to lock him and complete her revenge.

While Ranma's rational brain understood this, his emotional brain did not. What if there was a way to go back, what if Xayah or Tofu knew some secret technique, what if the water wasn't hot enough? That last one was the reason Ranma's skin was red and starting to blister, he had started to panic when the change didn't happen, holding in his scream until the burning and terror would no longer be contained. Ranma heard from Xayah once that for some people Ranma's situation was like a dream, a way to escape from hell. Was this hell? For Ranma it certainly burned like it, both inside and out.

His mind told him to dry off, the water was starting to cool and would soon be cold enough to activate his curse. Ranma knew it didn't matter, he was too tired to care, or maybe too stressed to care, either way Ranma didn't have the mental strength to move.

Ranma could hear the blurred sounds of two girls frantically screaming at him, but he paid them no mind. Doing so would mean he would have to move, he didn't want to move, it hurt too much.


"Oi Ranma!"

Xayah was shaking Ranma by the shoulders, but the shock was too much for him to respond. Kasumi had left to run an errand and had yet to come back, Genma and Soun had left for city council business and Nabiki had already gotten to school. No one would be home for a while, but Xayah for sure did not want everyone seeing Ranma like this.

Xayah looked over and could see Akane pacing the room biting her thumb, contemplating just how Ranma had gotten himself stuck as a girl. It wasn't hard to figure out, Shampoo had done something to the water that locked Ranma's curse. Still, Akane's confusion at the absurdity of the situation is understandable, even if unhelpful. She turns back to face Ranma, still staring into the ether that had once been the floor. Xayah wanted to rush out and fix Ranma's locked curse right away, to comfort and calm Ranma down, to help him.

How though? Even if there was more than one 'open kettle' as Shampoo called it, how would Xayah find it? Xayah had spent weeks doing research about the jusenkyo curse in the Nerima library but ultimately found nothing, data about curses was simply never recorded or let into public view. Instead, Xayah decides to focus on what she can do, sitting around would do nothing for the situation.

Alright, Ranma clearly can't go to school right now, Genma and the Tendo's will find out about the curse lock and assuming it's even possible, Shampoo most likely doesn't know of any way to fix Ranma. So not much to go off of and not much to be done, Ranma is still far to distressed to do anything either.

First things first, Xayah needs Ranma to calm down before she can start planning anything, Akane knew too little about the situation to offer any help either.

-LINE-

"hahh, I'm hopelessly lost." It's been days since he had entered the labyrinth, but even though he had walked for what felt like hours he was no closer to finding the exit than he was a few hours after entering. Walking the wooden halls was a lone boy. The boy was built like a truck, toned muscles showing off his incredible physique and dark brown hair held up by a yellow bandana. He wore a yellow shirt and black slacks held together by yellow strings, both dirtied and torn from time spent outside and in scuffles. On the boy's back back sat a hefty backpack, atop of which he had an umbrella.

He was hungry, so hungry. It had been days, almost a week since his last meal. As expected, the boy was hopelessly lost. Maybe this was the end? Maybe this is when his terrible sense of direction will finally catch up to him, letting him die in a cold dark ditch? Why did he even come here? What could possible be worth all this suffering, the boy just wanted out.

The boy shook himself out of his thoughts. There was no place for doubt, he had to get his revenge. He would not die before the one who fled on the duel between men was at his feet, he had suffered far more from that ordeal than from hunger.

"Ranma Saotome, on my name Ryuga Hibiki, I will not rest until you are dead." The name that fueled his wrath. Just a few days ago, he had finally found him, finally found what he had spent so long searching for. Ryuga had found Furenkun high, the hiding place that the coward had fled too. The fight was going smoothly, with Ryuga's victory so close it burned until Ranma had managed to flee him again. That bastard, he used his cursed form to run away again!

With renewed vigor, Ryuga presses on. However, no matter how much passion burns inside him, the hunger would not rest. Ryuga would have to put his revenge on hold until he found some food, but where would he find food in a dungeon? At best Ryuga could continue wandering around until he found something to eat, at worst he will starve before completing his revenge, letting Ranma outlive him. Out of the corner of Ryuga's eye, he spots something that allowed him to put his mind at ease, something that will surely ease the hunger that has been plaguing him.

A fridge. Ryuga stood in front of a fridge full of food. Finally, He could put his hunger to rest, and Revenge soon after! Ryuga rips open the thick door and stuffs his mouth with whatever he could find, not even bothering to check what it is before swallowing.

Still, Ryuga wondered why there was a fridge here. This was a labyrinth, a dungeon built to trap unwary travelers until their eventual demise. To Ryuga's knowledge, only one kind of place has fridges out in the open: a home.

Ryuga turns around and finds his answer. behind him are three young girls all staring at him with different gazes. The orange haired girl looked at the intruder cautiously, muscles taught with preparation to strike should the need arise. Ryuga recognized the girl, she was the kind girl that walked with Ranma whenever he was helping Ryuga get home. A few paces away stood another girl, short dark hair framed her face. The dark haired girl wore a look of surprise, not expecting the man who had cut the years of effort to wind up in front of her again.

It was the last girl who caught Ryuga's attention though. With red hair tied into a pig tail, the girl stared at him with a gaze of both utter despair and blankness. This was the same girl who fled the fight a few days ago, and this was the same person who kicked Ryuga into that cursed spring. This was the girl that Ryuga had sought revenge on.

"Ranma." Ryuga smiles, this was the face he wanted to see. Finally that arrogant bastard will get what he deserves! All this time, all this suffering, it was all to see this face on Ranma!

It didn't work, Ryuga still felt like shit. This was what he wanted, so why didn't it feel good? Why did it hurt to look at Ranma's face? What had he done wrong? No, he knew what he had done wrong, Ryuga was not the one who made Ranma despair. He knew what he had to do though, it would be quick, and it would be easy. Ryuga shifts into a fighting stance, he knew how to get his prey back along with his honor.


Ranma feels a distinct chill, a sign that he was about to be attacked. No matter how much shock he was in, he had no desire to be killed either, so his attention snaps back from the void and to his surroundings. Just a few inches from his face, a red umbrella barely misses him as he jerks his head ot the side to dodge.

Ryuga, Ranma's classmate from junior high. Just a few days ago Ranma was ambushed by the revenge crazed maniac, hoping to never see him again after beating him. yet here he was, the blaze of revenge just as hot and look of disgust penetrating deeper.

"Ranma! You ruined my happiness, so I shall ruin yours!" Ryuga lied, he meant murder. The thing is, to ruin someone's happiness they need to be not dead, and Ryuga was not planning on letting Ranma live past today. Why couldn't the bugger just leave him alone? Ranma understood that he was partially responsible for Ryuga's curse, but he was cursed just as well, permanently even!

The sudden ambush and threat of death gets Ranma's blood pumping, clearing his mind some. He still feels awful, but maybe he can use one disaster to stop another? Ryuga wants revenge, so as long as he feels that he got it then he should stop bothering Ranma right?

Before Ranma's thoughts can continue further, they are cut through by a kick aimed at Ranma's head. The hit was hard, it left Ranma's ears ringing and eyes blurry, but not enough that he wouldn't recover in a few seconds. For Ryuga though, even a tenth of a second is enough as he swings a finisher.

Ranma goes flying backwards, but with no pain accompanying it. Xayah stood in between the fight, back facing Ranma and arm pierced by Ryuga's belt blade. Stunned, Ryuga stands motionless. He had just hit a woman, he had just sullied his honor. Even still, despite the clear and undeniable fault Ryuga shifts a glare at Ranma who had recovered enough to stand up.

"Damn you honor-less bastard, Wasn't Xayah like a sister to you?! Now she's hurt because of you!" Yells Ryuga, unable to take the blame for what was clearly his own fault.

"Stop blaming me for all of your problems you idiot!" Yells Ranma back.

Ignoring Ranma's words, Ryuga continues. "I've seen hello because of you! I'll make you pay for what you did!"

"Pay?! I'm stuck in this body and can't turn back, at least you can still be a man half the time!" Returns Ranma.

Ryuga stops. He had assumed that Ranma was in his girl form because he was just naturally not suited for a man's world, but stuck as a girl forever? Ryuga shuddered, just thinking of living his life as a pig for the rest of his days gave him goosebumps, and he now knew it was a possibility. Damn him, if only Ranma hadn't ran away and if only Ranma hadn't pushed him into the cursed spring, then he wouldn't have to worry about the possibility.

"So you are in that cute body forever now, what do you have to complain about?" Ryuga was genuinely curious as to why Ranma was so upset, it wasn't like he was cursed to turn into a pig or anything.

Upon hearing this, Ranma explodes. "And what about later huh!? I have no ID, no legal documentation, no legal education, I don't exist! And what about marriage huh?! How would I get married now?! And children? I would have to... to... do THAT with another guy damn it!"

"But other girls are happy to get pregnant from a man?"

"You fucker, I'm a guy! I'm a guy that can't do anything as a guy anymore! Nothing!" Ranma yells back.

Having had enough, Ranma takes hold of Ryuga and throws him out of the house through the front doors, a feet that leaves Ranma breathless from excretion.

"Ranma are you-"

"I'm fine." Ranma cuts Akane off, trying and failing to hide the tears in his eyes as he rushes out the front door he had just thrown Ryuga out of. Akane rushes to follow him but is held back by Xayah, giving Akane a gentle shake of her head.


Several hours had passed until Ranma had finally returned. His gaze was cold and eyes dry, he had spent the last few hours contemplating what he would do with his life now.

Ranma would live. He had the martial arts skills his father had so he could earn a living, so Ranma wasn't all too worried about finances. Scanning the room he notices that the shoes of his father and Kasumi were there, meaning everyone is back now.

Ranma walks into the living room to sit with everyone else, understanding that although they would find out eventually Ranma did not want to talk to anyone about what had happened. No one asks any questions, no one even bats an eye, no one was aware of what had happened. Ranma lets out an internal sigh of relief, Akane hadn't told anyone.

The table is dead quite. Ranma tries to pretend that everything was fine, that his curse wasn't locked and that nothing was wrong, but his lack of attitude tips several people off that all was not what it seemed. Ranma's father stares at his son, trying to see what was so wrong that the air was so unnaturally still. Ranma was still a girl, Genma realized. Ranma always turns back into a boy as soon as possible, but that had not happened here. Genma opens his mouth to speak

"Boy, why have you not turned back yet? Have I taught you nothing about being a man? did you start enjoying being a girl huh? Should I get you a br-" Genma gets caught off by Ranma's palm slamming the table.

Ranma turns around and starts heading towards the stairs, not willing to deal with his Fathers obsession with his son's manliness. What was so important about manliness anyway, the way Genma acts you'd think his wife would kill him if Ranma didn't end up manly enough. What even is manliness anyway, how do you measure it? Not with grams, not with meters, so what else? What could be so important that it feels like Ranma's life had ended when he found out about the lock?

Ignoring his father's protests, Ranma continues forward. How uncharacteristic, how peculiar. Kasumi, Nabiki and even Soun all had an inkling that something was very wrong, yet Genma was still far to dense to understand the situation, not knowing that he should be giving Ranma space. Instead, Genma lets his anger take over, and throws his cup of still steaming hot tea at Ranma.

an audible gasp escapes Kasumi and Soun while Genma and Nabiki just stand there in shock. The cup hit Ranma square on the head, splashing its boiling contents onto Ranma and drenching him in hot water. He should have turned back, he always does. Instead of thick there was dainty, instead of hard there was soft, where there should be black there was red and in place of a snarky confidence was a depressing gloom.

Ranma was still standing in front of them, but not as a man, as a woman