Cute As A Pig
By: JaquiK

Chapter 1: Am I...Ugly?

"No way! I ain't doing it!"

"I'm sorry, but you do not really have any options at this point."

"Still not doing it!"

"Look, Saotome, you can't just be running around the house naked like this."

"Hey, I ain't naked," Ranma protested. It was true after all. He was wearing boxers, and the towel around his neck did manage to cover the chest of his currently female form.

"Ranma," Kasumi said, a slight hint of exasperation in her voice. "You need to put something on, and unfortunately all of your clothes are in the wash at the moment."

"No way. All of them at the same time?"

"Well…" Kasumi started to count off on her fingers. "There's your gi, your red short sleeve shirt, your yellow short sleeve shirt, your long sleeve shirt, your two pairs of pants…yes that's everything."

"Oh. Um, I could just borrow some of your dad's stuff then."

"Couple of problems with that," Nabiki said. "First off, I doubt your fashion sense would let you be caught dead in the kind of outfits Daddy wears."

"What? I don't have…that's not…what's the other reason?"

"Oh, that's simple," Nabiki responded with a smirk. "Even if you didn't use up all the hot water in the house, you'd still be nowhere near the right size."

"Hey, it's not like I could fit into either of your stuff though," Ranma said, flashing a smile at finally getting a good retort in.

"That's true. However, you seem to have forgotten there is one more person in the house you can borrow from."

The smile quickly dropped from Ranma's face. "Oh, right."

"Yeah fine, I get it," Akane grumbled out, "but I'm still not happy about him borrowing my clothes."

"Just to be clear," Ranma declared while sitting on the floor of Akane's bedroom, "no way am I wearing a skirt. I'm supposed to be a guy, remember?"

"Yes, yes, you've been sure to tell us this only about a hundred times since you came here," Nabiki casually called out with a dismissive wave of one hand as she sorted through Akane's closet. "And if it wasn't you, it'd be your dad."

"Yeah, if Pops found out about this, he'd flip his lid."

"Well, neither of our dads are here right now," Nabiki quickly pointed out. "So sit back and be grateful that I just happen to have a little sister who's your size."

"And Akane, you should be happy to help out Ranma," Kasumi said. "He is our guest in this house."

"Not to mention your fiancé," Nabiki added.

"Only because you two decided that for me," Akane retorted back. "Even after I told you about…um…" She paused and quickly glanced over to Ranma. "You know…"

"Ah yes," Nabiki said, "That super secret guy you're into, who probably lives in Australia or something, right?"

"It's not a…I mean…it's none of your business who it is." Akane then pointed to Ranma. "And it's definitely none of your business, you hear me?"

"I guess?" Ranma looked around, confused. There's a guy that Akane likes? This was the first he heard of it. Why didn't she bother mentioning it that first day when that whole arranged engagement thing was thrust upon them? Or maybe she did. He was pissed off enough back then that he wasn't really paying much attention. Still though, who the heck could it even be? Definitely not any of those jerks at school. She had nothing but disdain for them, Kuno especially, which Ranma was more than happy to share. The only other guy he'd really seen Akane interact with was that doctor, and she never showed even the slightest hint of a crush around him.

His ponderings were interrupted by a couple of items of clothing landing on his head. "Okay," he heard Nabiki declare, "I think this will do nicely."

"Good," Akane said, "Now the jerk can get out of my room."

Before Ranma was able to do just that, Kasumi intervened. "Wait, we need to make sure it fits him correctly before he can go."

Ranma wanted to object, but the earnest expression on Kasumi's face stopped him before he could open his mouth. Instead, he pulled the towel off his neck and began to get dressed.

"Wait, you're going to just change in here?" Akane practically shrieked out.

Ranma gave a half lidded glare to his designated fiancée. "What, you've never seen a pair of tits before?" The barb did feel good even if he'd prefer not to have that reminder again.

Akane gave a huff and looked away. "Fine, whatever."

Very shortly, Ranma was dressed in the clothes that were provided: a long sleeve black shirt and a pair of overalls. Pink overalls in a quite feminine cut. The word 'China' was displayed across the chest with a heart over the 'i'. Of course there was a heart over the 'i'. Naturally, Nabiki managed to find the girliest thing that wasn't a skirt. He looked down at the very pink article of clothing and once again felt that tightening in his chest. That familiar tightening whenever he had to really think about the body he was currently in.

Although this time, the feeling probably had more to do with…

"It doesn't fit."

"Huh? You sure?" Nabiki asked. "It looks fine to me."

"The chest is too tight," Ranma said. A growling noise could be heard in the corner where Akane currently was.

Before Ranma could make any further comments, Kasumi quickly stepped up to him. "I believe I know what the problem is," she said, adjusting the straps on the overalls. "It's been some time since Akane has worn this and she's grown a bit since then so obviously it wouldn't have fit you immediately. Isn't that right, Akane?"

The girl in question slowly lowered the shinai she was carrying. "Yeah, right."

"There we go," Kasumi said as she finished the adjustments and backed up slightly. "Doesn't that feel much nicer now?"

Ranma looked down again, then gave the tiniest of nods. At least he could confirm that only a little of the tightness had to do with the overalls not fitting quite right.

"Oh Ranma, it looks so nice on you," Kasumi gushed.

Nabiki flashed a wide grin. "Oh yeah, that outfit is definitely you."

Even Akane felt the need to contribute. "It…it's perfect," she said with genuine surprise in her voice."

"Yeah, I guess," Ranma mumbled out. Of course it was perfect. Of course he would look good in this outfit, with the pink and the cute heart over the 'i'. As if the curse would give him anything less.

As if it would actually show him any mercy.

Nabiki grabbed his shoulders from behind and directed him to Akane's full length mirror. She leaned forward, peeking beside his head. "Now, I know it's you so it's not all that likely, but I don't want you to think too hard about this. Just let us know what you think about that little redhead looking right back at you."

Ranma hesitated as long as he could before finally giving in. Still, the only thing he was able to get out in barely above a whisper was one word. "Beautiful."

Even staring closely at this girl in the mirror, he was able to catch out of the corner of his eye Nabiki giving a thumbs up to Kasumi.

"Oh my!" Kasumi suddenly exclaimed. "I nearly forgot I still need to work on the laundry. It may be a while before it is finished."

"Yeah, and I probably have some stuff I need to be doing right now," Nabiki said before playfully patted Ranma on the head. "Have fun with the new outfit, kiddo." With that, the two sisters exited the room, leaving him to continue to look into the mirror, and the red-haired girl staring back from the other side of the glass.

He hated this.

He hated her. The curse.

Ever since that day. At Jusenkyo. When he was knocked into that accursed pool. Surfacing. Feeling that something was different. Looking down at himself. Looking in the water and seeing the face looking back up at him. That stupid curse. He should have stayed in China. Sore loser girl wanting to kill him be damned. He should have stayed, to do whatever it took to find a cure. So he would never have to worry about seeing that face again.

But here he was now. In Japan. Wearing pink overalls with a heart over the 'i'. Standing in front of a mirror, looking at that face. That cute face that couldn't be mistaken as anything other than feminine. Looking right back at him. Mocking him.

Taunting him with the illusion of something he could never have.

Because he was a boy. He had to be a boy. Even if he hated that most of all.

"What are you thinking about?" he could hear a voice asking.

"The curse giving me this cute super sexy body," he admitted. It was so unfair. Out of all the pools he could have landed in at Jusenkyo, why did it have to be-

The return of the growling sound interrupted his thoughts. Turning around, he saw Akane glaring at him holding up the bamboo training sword. "What?" he asked, confused.

The youngest Tendo stared him down for a bit before dropping her sword and turning around with a huff. "You know what, go and preen in front of the mirror for all I care. I have somewhere I'm supposed to be right now."

"Seriously, what is your problem, tomboy?" Ranma asked with a frown.

Akane stopped in front of the door and looked down. "Dammit, I promised her I'd be nicer to him," she mumbled under her breath. After a few seconds she raised her head, turned back around…

…and smiled.

"You want to know what I think?" she asked, her voice light and sweet.

Ranma froze, eyes wide. That smile. It was something he had directed his way only a few times and he yearned for it more, even if he liked to tease her about it. That voice though. Only one time since he'd known her had she talked to him like that. On the day he first came here, before it all went to hell, when she smiled down at him and asked if they could be friends. And now, after all the bickering and arguing and insults between them, here she was with that same smile and that same friendly, sweet voice.

It terrified him.

Akane stepped right up to him, their current height difference causing her to loom over him slightly. "Do you want to know what I really think about you?"

Ranma gulped and nodded his head. Normally, he would just feel awkward about his normal form being taller than Akane. However, right now, having to look up at that smiling face made him nervous.

"Okay then," Akane responded, that smile never changing and her sweet voice never faltering. "The complete and honest truth is that I think you are as cute…as a pig." With that, she turned around and casually walked out of her room, that smile never leaving her face the whole time.

Ranma just stood stunned, any retort dying before having the chance to even reach his lips. That wasn't a quick verbal jab during a spar or an off the cuff remark during an argument. No, that smile and that sweet, friendly voice. What she just said was done with complete and honest sincerity.

He slowly collapsed onto the floor of his fiancée's room, clad in her pink overalls with the word 'China' emblazoned on the chest with a heart over the 'i', one thought swirling through his mind.

Akane thinks I'm ugly?

For several minutes he sat there, alone in the room, until a new feeling started to well up inside him, causing him to rise back to his feet. Looking up, a mask of pure determination and fury was painted on his face.

Like HELL am I gonna let her!

Exiting the room and marching down the stairs, he looked around for the stupid tomboy, but could find no sign of her. He only saw Nabiki, who was currently lounging in front of the TV watching some anime Ranma hadn't seen before. He thought about asking her, but quickly thought better of it.

Looking outside, he found Kasumi who was currently hanging up some laundry to dry. As he walked up to her, she looked over and gave a smile, causing his angry expression to quickly drop, the determination still remaining. "Oh Ranma, do you need something?" she asked.

Ranma hesitated for a moment before asking, "Do you think I'm ugly?"

Kasumi blinked a couple of times before flashing another smile. "Oh, of course not. I think you're quite beautiful."

Ha! I knew the tomboy was wrong! Ranma gave a smile at that. He still needed to rub it in her face, though. "Hey, do you know where the tom…where Akane is?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Akane has gone out. She'll be back later tonight, though."

Ranma fought the urge to let out a growl. "I can't wait that long. There's something important I need to tell her now!"

The shirt Kasumi was hanging up fell to the ground as she looked over at Ranma with a shocked face. "Oh my," she quietly said before going over and enveloping him in a hug. "Oh, Ranma. I'm so proud of you."

Ranma's confused expression couldn't be seen as his face was currently buried in Kasumi's shoulder. "You are?" he muffled out.

Kasumi let go and smiled down at him. "Of course. Now, you need to promise not to tell Father or Nabiki about this."

"Um, okay sure."

"Thank you. Now, Akane is currently headed to a farm outside of the city…"

Information about where to go received, Ranma quickly headed through the family room, ready to go out and confront the tomboy.

"What are you in such a rush for?"

He stopped in his tracks and looked over at Nabiki, who was watching him with an appraising expression. It then occurred to him that if he could get confirmation from both of the tomboy's sisters, that would really stick it to her.

"Hey, do you think I'm ugly?" he asked.

Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "Now where did you go and get an idea like that?"

"Akane," Ranma growled out.

"Ah, makes sense. Don't worry about it," Nabiki said with a dismissive wave. "She's just upset about the whole engagement thing."

"I still gotta get her to admit she's wrong though," Ranma countered. He paused and looked down at himself as he realized a small hole in his plan. Right, even if I go up to the tomboy with all the evidence, she'll still just deny all of it because it's me. Wait, unless…

"I need a disguise."

"Oh? What for?" Nabiki asked.

Ranma grinned as he looked off into the distance. "If Akane doesn't know it's me, I can go up to her and ask how I look. Then, when she says I'm not ugly, I'll reveal it's me and throw it right in her face! It's perfect!"

"Okay, I'll help."

"Huh?" Ranma looked over, confused. "With what?"

"The disguise of course. If you want to make sure you don't get recognized by my sister, you are going to need my help."

"I'm not paying you for nothing."

"Oh, perish the thought," Nabiki said with a grin that probably would have set off alarm bells for Ranma if he wasn't still so focused on his revenge. "For an opportunity like this, I'm more than willing to offer my services free of charge."

Ranma blinked at this. First Kasumi, now Nabiki wanted to help him get back at the tomboy. Was it a sister thing or something? "Oh, thanks."

"Oh, don't thank me yet," Nabiki said, placing a hand on Ranma's shoulder. "Just wait until you see the results."