Disclaimer; This fanfiction uses existing ideas, characters and or worlds, but is an independent work of art. I own nothing, hence the reason for publishing my writings here instead of in real books where I could make some money.
It was the middle of the night in Japan when Ranma awoke from a pain in the abdomen.
Upon opening her eyes, Ranma discovered that she had changed into female form for some reason. A second throb of the dull pain told her why. It was her time. In all the confusion of the past weeks, she had not kept track of the cycle … Of all the things this body had to do, changing because of a feminine condition was ranking among the top five annoyances, right below the uncomfortable stiffness she would experience in male form when she got too much feminine attention and the uncomfortable wetness when the same happened in female form … she briefly praised her lucky star that she didn't react to male attention.
It also appeared that her female body was angry with her for not spending sufficient time in it over the past few weeks. The pain was normally not so strong … but then, it was the first since the transformation had taken place … and it was said that the first time is always the more painful one. Maybe the same held true when one got a new body …
Regardless, she would just have to do something about it in the morning as she didn't much want to get up yet ... she felt tired and only after accidentally leaving the Tendo home did she appreciate the act of sloth to a modest degree such as lounging in a comfortable and warm spot … maybe it was the cat in her …
She turned over on the couch and faced the back, incidentally blocking out some of the light coming in through the windows from the street.
The reason she was on the couch, and not in any bedroom, was that though Nodoka was obsessed about grandbabies, that kind of act had to take place in the privacy of his room, not her apartment … the neighbours were already complaining about her being too loud on the telephone, actually having sex in the apartment would likely make more noise and thus equally increase the number of complaints.
So, to prevent the complaints that could lead to her eviction, Nodoka assigned Nabiki to her sister's room, and had Ranma's two companions share Nabiki's … they could compete for the bed and the other would take the futon. Ranma had then been assigned to the sofa.
Of course, the apartment didn't really have three bedrooms, but one of the storage spaces in it … some may have called it a big cupboard, had been made into a bedroom … Kasumi had volunteered to taking this room, and replaced the door with a curtain for privacy, as the ventilation was not sufficient if there was a door, which would lead to … odours. But this posed no problem for Kasumi, who was a very tidy and soft-spoken person by nature, and she was satisfied with what she got.
Ranma was just about to drift off again when she heard a sound … a footstep.
Not wanting to tip her hand just yet, Ranma lay silently in wait for the intruder to show themselves, and then determine what level of threat they were.
She was surprised when Beebee tiptoed in with the blanket she had been given, and curled up at Ranma's feet on the couch, using her calves for neck support.
Ranma was about to sit up and ask what she was doing when another set of feet approached in a more stealthy manner.
Lydia suddenly came into view, and she too brought a blanket.
The wererat paused at seeing Ranma's gender, but having been informed of it already, dismissed it and made herself comfortable next to her, incidentally spooning against Ranma's back and adding her calves to Beebee's comfort.
As it was still the middle of the night, Ranma decided this too could wait until morning … after all, they wouldn't be able to do anything to her like this, right?
With this mindset, she soon drifted off … the dull ache in her belly forgotten for the moment.
In the morning, Ranma woke to a strange, and normally exciting to most people with a male thought process, sensation … that of being sandwiched between two well shaped women.
Apparently Beebee had crawled up from her original position during the night.
Ranma had not gotten over her skittish feelings around females that showed emotions towards her, and did the only thing she could think of that did not involve waking them.
-Poof!-
Stuck between the two women was now a very large cushion, which used to be the single back support of the couch in its regular state. Ranma herself was standing besides the couch, letting the mage suit return into existence on her. It was one of the few good things about the suit, its response to will.
The technique she had just used was a ninja trick she had learned from Konatsu and seen in a couple of ninja-based manga … the body replacement technique, which required that she replace herself with something or someone else. It was barely noticeable until it was done even to professionals, and Ranma was nothing if not professional … she had just not yet gotten to apply it to battle … well, there had been Herb, but that was more of a competition for the kettle that would unlock them from their cursed forms … and she had used it with Saffron as a decoy for Akane in her doll state, wrapping her shirt around a stick and throwing it away …
Maybe she should seek the dragon-descendant out and ask for another spar …
Oh, well, she'd get a chance sooner or later.
"Aw," she heard behind her. Startled, Ranma turned around to find her mother with a video camera. "You didn't let them wake up first … I would have loved to see their reactions when they realised I caught them in the act of trying to seduce you …"
"They were what?" asked Ranma in shock. "But I'm in my female body!"
"Son- … daughter," said Nodoka lovingly. "If you truly love someone, their looks do not really matter … apparently, these two are willing to be with you even in this form … speaking of which, why are you in this form?"
"That time of the month …" grunted Ranma. "Changed without noticing, and can't change back." Pausing for a moment, Ranma looked at the video camera then she looked her mother in the eyes. "What did you …" her eyes widened in realisation and she whipped her head to the two forms on the sofa. "You didn't!"
Nodoka held up the video camera with a satisfied grin.
"Of course I did," she chirped. "I had to capture the first time my child shares her bed with someone willingly!"
"But-!"
"It is a parent's duty to embarrass their offspring with stunts like this," declared Nodoka solemnly. "I haven't been around much, but that just means I have to catch up for it now that I am! Now, do you think ten picture cards are too many to have developed at once?" she added and held up a small box that made noise when it was shaken. The digital camera resting on the table next to her and the video camera told Ranma that her mother had been busy … and disturbingly silent at that … she hadn't noticed her at all, nor had she heard the beep that those digital things give off when they start up, snap pictures or shut down.
Not wanting to get into an argument that was likely to wake the two on the sofa, though why Beebee hadn't noticed yet was curious, Ranma waved off the issue and informed her mother that she was going to the roof to train a bit.
Halfway to the door, she remembered a certain aspect of menstruation … the bleeding. It would not do to start bleeding when there was nothing to prevent it from leaking … with this firmly in mind, she did the most embarrassing thing she had ever done … she asked her mother if she could borrow a tampon.
After a rigorous workout, which was relatively private due to the height of the roof, Ranma returned to her mother's apartment for a quick shower before joining her mother, Nabiki, Beebee and Lydia for breakfast.
The women had to divert Nodoka's attention from Beebee's apparently strict diet, which was the assumption Nodoka made when the woman declined any food and had not visibly eaten the night before, by means of conversation.
"So, how should we go about with pops?" asked Ranma, knowing this was one of the few subjects that would get her mother off the subject of keeping possible daughter-in-laws healthy enough to pop out a couple of babies for her child.
"I say we lock him in his cursed form and sell him to the zoo," suggested Nabiki. If there was some way of making up for Genma's damage by getting money from him … well, she would take it in a heartbeat.
"Not good enough," interrupted Ranma. "He could more easily escape from the zoo than a prison, even in panda form."
"I say we emasculate him in public," growled Nodoka, and somehow managed to pull out live steel in the form of a fluid four foot long katana, with the designs of dragons on the blade, a roaring dragon's head for a pommel and with a rapier's quillon and knuckle bow … Ranma's gift to her from Jade. But what puzzled Ranma was the kunai her mother had pulled out with her other hand.
"That may be to-"
"I say that's not far enough!" growled Lydia, obviously still upset about the things she heard Genma had done to his child in the name of training … this was starting to seem slightly territorial to Ranma. "I say we emasculate him, beat the crap out of him and shove his f#&ing d#& up his poop-chute!" being limited in her use of language for so long had caused her to get more imaginative in other areas … though she did have the decency to blush as she realised that she had said the last part aloud … so much for keeping a clean language.
"That would be too far," interrupted Ranma before anyone else could think to extend the punishment. "We need him alive, or we'd get arrested for murder no matter how justified our actions may be… and if I'm right, necrophilia for the last part as he is viable to die from Exsanguination if that part is cut off …"
"We could try and cut off access to his strengths and hand him to the police again," suggested Beebee. "You could use that Ultimate Weakness Muxibustion point you told us about on him, and he wouldn't be able to resist …"
"A good plan …" admitted Ranma. "If I knew how to do it …" she may be able to recall the situation where she lost her strength, but it was before she could record anything in her energy flow, so she had not been able to notice how it had changed. In fact, it was following this situation she started trying to find out how to register those kinds of things.
"You're good with technology … couldn't you make something that did the same?" tried Beebee.
Ranma thought about this for a moment.
"I already have something that does something similar …" she confessed. "It was supposed to be a way to build strength naturally instead of augmented by ki, but it isn't quite as strong as our needs would require … I suppose I can juice it up some for the desired effect …"
Ranma frowned in concentration.
"Ranm-"
"Shhh!" interrupted Beebee. "Not while she's working!"
Nodoka took the warning to heart and watched as small things and gadgets started appearing around Ranma, who had a set of white metallic bracers on the table before her. She was very surprised to see these things taking place around her daughter, but refrained from saying anything about it.
Nabiki was nearly as surprised. When Ranma had told her of the technique she had learned, she had thought it was somewhat exaggerated, which was the reason she had made the suggestion for her to make a lightsaber, as it seemed like she had gotten ideas in her head from watching a certain movie series. Now that she was witnessing the validity of Ranma's claims, she was nearly speechless.
Lydia was not as surprised, having known that Ranma was special before this, and having seen magic at work for herself in more than transformations. She was, however, surprised when Ranma started soldering without an iron, using only a tiny ball of energy at the tip of her finger.
Beebee was the least surprised of the lot, having seen Ranma do this kind of thing before, both on the car and in it. She was mostly restraining herself from cheering her love on, knowing it would more likely disturb than encourage her.
"Well," said Nodoka finally after a few moments of staring at her offspring. She finally knew that the word about her daughter being a genius were true. "I'll need to go buy some tea … the crowds will be out soon, and the grannies in the neighbourhood seem to be quick in emptying the supplies of all the good brands … and with my child back, I'll need more food …"
"I'll come with you, Auntie," chirped Lydia. This was the perfect chance to get some bonus points in the race for Ranma. If she got on Nodoka's good side, she was likely to end up on Ranma's as well. "With your husband on the loose, it wouldn't be smart for you to be out alone."
"If you're going out," chirped Ranma, not taking her eyes off her work, "could you bring me back an airgun that looks as close to a real handgun as possible, a crate of round toothpicks, and … er … feminine products …"
Nodoka shook her head in resignation and muttered about how irresponsible her daughter was not to be prepared for her period as she and Lydia departed.
Nabiki watched as Ranma worked. She was unable to find her camera, and she was not able to write down anything as fast as Ranma was doing things … there was no way she would be able to copy down this and trying to get it patented before her, and after hearing Gina personally give Ranma the advice of patenting everything immediately after the plans were made, she knew that she couldn't get it done. The plans and patent would be in the application process before evening.
Not really having anything better to do, Nabiki sat down at the phone. Maybe she could sell the information of Ranma's return to President Iwo … or maybe arrange a meeting face-to-face to ensure she'd get paid what she demanded, not that anyone dared to stand up to her … well, Ranma had done so lately … hopefully it wasn't the start of a trend …
In Atlanta, Georgia, Lord Talon was contemplating what to do with the sample he had obtained.
"I suppose I could use the sample as a template for enhancements …" he mused, looking at his computer monitor, which was displaying a super-deformed image of Gina Diggers bawling on the ground, and with him standing triumphant over her. It was his vision and general plan to make her life miserable.
While this could be useful, it wasn't very profitable or original.
"Maybe I can make an army of clones …" he continued. "Nah, too expensive in maintenance …"
This was true, many had this idea when they started dabbling with genetics at this level … must be the megalomaniac buried deep within every scientist … but none of them considered how much it would cost to feed and clothe those clones, not to mention medical attention a great deal of them would need from training accidents … and where to lodge them …
"That leaves publishing a paper on the existence of a hidden race of humanoid beings … I'll be world famous as the one that uncovered the magical world to the rest! I'll be rich, richer than mother and father! I can buy my own country! Talonia will finally become a reality, and from there, I can stage my plans for world conquest!"
A slight flicker of motion at the edge of his vision caused him to look towards the container for his sample.
However, there was nothing there.
"Wait a minute!"
There was nothing there!
The sample and all data collected from it had vanished!
"Daishi!" bellowed the boy in unrivalled fury. If this was a joke, someone would pay dearly.
"Lord Talon," greeted the ninja from a bow.
"Did you take it?" demanded the boy, his glasses flashing dangerously in the light.
"Take what, Lord Talon?" asked the ninja, genuinely puzzled, and somewhat frightened of his employer's temper.
"The samples! The data! They're gone!"
"No, Lord Talon, I have not taken anything," replied Daishi. "But I will search the premises thoroughly for it."
Seemingly fading away, Daishi left the lab in search of the missing items.
In Nerima, Tokyo, Tendo Soun was waking up, slowly.
He was in an abysmal mood, as he had been since his friend was carted off to jail, until he remembered sweet Hinako-chan … she had been the only one to care, the only one that helped him.
She had given him a stern talking to about his behaviour of late, and pulled him by the ear to Furinkan, where she arranged with the deputy headmaster for him to teach the Karate Club for a small salary.
She had convinced him that he would continue teaching until he had enough saved up to rebuild and reopen his dojo.
The first couple of lessons he taught were rough on him, because he was very rusty and hadn't taught or practiced for a very long time, but with the help of his new students, he started getting the hang of it again … and unlike his own Master, he did not use perverted acts as teaching methods.
Little Hinako had opened his eyes to how he had been acting … like a sulking brat. Soun realised what kind of horrors he had set his two eldest daughters through in not doing anything.
Nabiki had to make the money through questionable means, which when Genma arrived with Ranma was mostly spent on unnecessary things such as sake, beer and other things, which in turn made Nabiki responsible for making more money to keep them in a house, shirts on their backs and with food on the table.
Kasumi had given up her dream of becoming a doctor to play the part of housewife … cleaning up everything, washing clothes and dishes, keeping the property tidy and the envy of the neighbourhood on a small income, and making heavenly meals with what ingredients she could get for the housekeeping money Nabiki gave her. She had missed her chance at her own life because he had simply done nothing, and the arrival of Genma and Ranma increased her workload by five, because of the troubles that followed them.
Akane had grown up as the spoiled brat … encouraged to practice Martial Arts, but never trained after the death of her mother. Despite this, she was told she was great at what she did, to the point where she believed it to be self evident, and that she was the best there was. The arrival of two Martial Artists so far out of her league that she'd have to train for decades to catch up to the point they were at when they arrived did not sit well with her, nor did she like being engaged to a boy that turned into a girl with the application of cold water. Following the two Martial Artists was a whole heap of trouble, including foes as strong as or stronger than the two, meaning Akane was forced to see that there were better fighters in the world than her. She compensated for this feeling of inadequacy by trying other fields of specialities, such as cooking and housekeeping, but those were complete disasters, so instead she got angry and took it out on her fiancée who was now dead.
Happosai had arrived and taken up residency, but instead of doing the right thing and turn him in to the authorities, he cowered and let the old man boss him around, hiding him in his home from everyone while claiming to the city council that he was actively trying to locate the mysterious underwear thief.
Well, no more, he was on the right path … maybe after a while, his daughters could forgive him for his neglect, but he wouldn't forgive himself.
Getting up, Soun went through the motions of morning hygiene before making himself a bowl of instant ramen with a couple of pieces of beef, some vegetable cubes, mushrooms and a hardboiled egg thrown in. It was not even close to the miso soup his daughter used to make, but it was edible.
He was eating in the living room when a shadow blocked the sun.
Looking up, Soun saw his old friend, Genma, looking worse for wear, but happy … deliriously so for an escaped convict with half the country looking for him.
"Oh, happy day, old friend!" sang the felon. "The schools will be joined, Tendo, the schools will be joined!"
Utterly confused, Soun did not respond to the joyful singing even if he knew the words by heart.
"He's alive! Tendo, my boy is alive! The schools will be joined!"
A few days ago, Soun would have joined in on this celebration, regardless of what crimes his friend had committed, and tried his hardest to force one of his daughters to marry Genma's boy … now, he didn't know how to react.
After watching the joyful criminal dance about his living room, Soun came to a decision after thinking what Hinako-chan would say, proving once and for all that behind every man stands a woman … with a firm grip on his manhood.
"Saotome," he said formally, causing the somewhat fat man to halt in his antics. "We are old friends, and suffered together under the Master … but I can not join you in your insane scheme. I will give you a day's head start before contacting the authorities, but that is all I can and intend to do."
Genma stared at his friend for nearly a full minute before comprehension set in.
"What?" he exclaimed. "What are you saying? We are this close-" he stressed, illustrating by holding up his hand where his index finger and thumb were nearly touching, "-to early retirement!"
"I'm sorry, old friend, but that is all I have to say about the matter … be safe," finished Soun, and turned his back on his friend, more as a gesture of dismissal than a sign of trust.
Kuno Tatewaki was in a foul state. His head was light as a feather, and his senses were clouded. Kuno Kodachi, his sister, insisted he take his herbal tea every day to speed his recovery. His twisted sister had managed to convince him that he had caught a "bug" from his training in the simulated rain, though how this insect had gotten inside him without his knowledge was to him a mystery. And now she had him quit the Kendo Club so this deviation from health would not be repeated.
This was the reason he was now drunkenly staggering down the hallway of the apartment complex his sensei was registered to live in, according to Furinkan's files.
He was going to resign in person.
Sure, he hadn't been happy about giving up on his greatest skill, but his sister had made some pretty sound points when she talked with him … he couldn't recall what they were, but they were good points.
He wobbled to a stop in front of the apartment number the teachers' records had said was her home, and knocked.
The wait of a few seconds was agonising, as he was tired from leaving his room, leaving the house, leaving the limo and climbing the stairs … his condition made it very difficult to expend much more energy than needed to survive.
This was the reason he nearly fell over in surprise when a young redhead part-gaijin answered instead of his sensei. Was this her daughter?
Tatewaki was about to address this wonder when he caught glimpse of someone over the woman's shoulder … his Pigtailed Goddess! She still lived!
Feeling all tiredness blowing away, the Blue Thunder stormed past the lovely gaijin woman to embrace his love, whom he had not seen in ages, and most likely missed him horribly.
Not three steps inside the apartment, the elder Kuno sibling tripped over something as mundane as an umbrella stand that had been nowhere near where he tripped over it, and found himself flying through the air … quite an invigorating experience, as he was headed for his love who would certainly catch him with open arms. This scenario was not far off … he flew towards her, but this was where it changed … he flew over her and through an open window, down a couple of storeys before ending up stuck halfway in the sunroof of his family limo, sunny side down.
What foul magics were at work to repel him so? Were the curses of the fiend sorcerer Saotome still at work? Did they cause his love to act this way, ignoring his magnificence even in her presence, and repel him to keep him from breaking the spell?
"I shall free my Pigtailed Goddess from the foul spells of the evil sorcerer Saotome, this I vow!" declared Kuno. It would have been more impressive had he not had his bottom half sticking out of the sunroof of his limo.
Ordering his driver to return him to the Kuno estate, Tatewaki was now on a quest, he was to find a way to free his love from the magics that repelled him from her, and allow her to shower him with her undying affection in a manner befitting their situation … perhaps in his bed chamber …
Back at the apartment, Beebee and Nabiki looked out the window as the limo drove away, carrying its delirious young man.
Ranma had sent him packing, and without even showing any effort or showing signs of being distracted from her work.
Just how good was she becoming?
The only thing that was for certain was that Ranma was getting stronger, however little or much, every day.
Author's Notes; Yet another chapter reread and touched up. I must say I bore myself with repeating these messages, but at least I'm deleting several Author's Notes of old to do it, which cuts down an average of three pages to each hundred.
PS; No, Ranma had nothing to do with Kuno's recovery … it was what I believe, and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, a Placebo Effect. He believed he was getting better, getting rid of the toxins just by watching the woman, and his body started responding to the mental commands as though he had been given drugs to counter the ones already in his system … goes to show you the power of positive thinking …
Credits; The line "Shhh! Not while she's working!" was borrowed from "Family Matters", it was Steve Urkel's (played by Jaleel White) line and mostly used for himself when working on his cloning machine … "Shhh! Not while I'm pouring!". The idea for the restrictive devices that would cut off surplus ki flow was based on the suggestion of Gelionlegends … it has not been completely explained, or the devices have not been completed, a more detailed explanation will be given when the finished product is taken in use. As rudely as it was put, I'd like to thank AmyLee for pointing out that I had not made the living arrangements clear enough, and I don't think I was harping about the period, I think it was more making people aware of and reminding them of it so they don't forget and ask me why this and that happens. I'd also like to thank Xtor49, Necrovore, Zolar, Matthew Talbain and iiradned who provided me with and confirmed the medial term for death by loss of blood; Exsanguination, though for some reason, my computer insists on adding an "s" to the end. And finally, thanks to the DragonBard for reminding me of the incident with Herb where Ranma used the body replacement technique … not having read through the manga series for a long while is my only excuse.
