I do not own Ranma or Battle Vixens/Ikkitousen whatever you want to call it. If I did Kanu would be the main character not Hakufu, who is simply fan-service fluff personified without her inner dragon.
A review mentioned the fact that I glossed over what happened to the other Nerimites when Ranma made his bid for freedom. I won't tell a lie, most of my stories do this, though I at least try to mix up what happens to them, simply because I want to get to the meat of the story i.e. Ranma interacting and changing another story. If I ever write a crossover with something like Sailor Moon, which also is set in a ward of Tokyo (I think) that will be different, but in this story I will be dropping bits and pieces as background from time to time and that will be it. Also, was wondering if you all would like to see the story continued from this crossover into others. Like a Ranma/Kanu/whoever else being forced to become governmental trouble shooters to pay for the damages caused…
thanks to Vandenbz for reviewing and looking for typos!
Chapter 2 The word chemistry can mean so many things
The next day Ranma stood in front of the class full of students as he waited for the sensei to bring them to order. It was a mixed class of boys and girls, with the boys in black jackets with a straight collar and the girls in sailor suits consisting of while blouses with blue striped cuffs, medium blue pleated miniskirts, and tan neckerchiefs under the blue with white striped sailor collar. Both genders were looking at him with interest as he stood before them in a black tang, a minimal nod to the dress code that he wouldn't be caught dead following, and his usual black kung-fu pants with the draw string ties at the waist and ankles.
The girls had a decidedly more appreciative and predatory look than the guys did as they sized him up, and as he looked at them he had to force himself not to think of his experiences in Nerima. Hell, maybe I can finally get a real, actual girlfriend out of this gig. Stranger things have been known to happen haven't they? No father beating me every time he catches me with a stiffy saying it weakens my dedication to the art, no Akane etc. to smash me every time I'm nice to someone else, and no damn engagements!
"Class, we have a new student this morning," the sensei said. "Please introduce yourself."
"Yo," Ranma said. "I'm Ranma Saotome. I'm a martial artist and am ranked grandmaster of my own school Anything Goes. I haven't been in school much at all because I was on training trips most of my life, but I passed my senior exams in history, English and Geography. I'm only goin' to be in the math, literature and science courses, but if anyone wants to study another language let me know and I might be able ta help in return for some notes 'n stuff in those three." Wondering what kind of reaction it would get, he started playing with the magatama he had taken from Hanno in one hand as he spoke. The reports he had from the police said this school had a far smaller and much more decent gang than most of the others, but he wanted to make his own evaluation.
"So you're a Fighter then?" one of the guys asked, spotting the magatama.
Ranma caught the magatama in his hand, pocketing it swiftly. "No, I'm a martial artist, I follow The Code. The fighters as you call 'em around here don't and that makes 'em no better than normal thugs and murderers."
Another guy asked angrily. "Then why do you have a sacred bead?"
Ranma grinned. "Spoils of war." There were murmurs of surprise and anger at that.
The teacher interrupted before the war of words could go any further. "Very well, Saotome-san, please take any available seat and that with be yours for the rest of your time here."
Ranma was eternally grateful when the lunch bell rang. While actually getting a full night's sleep (something that happened incredibly rarely during his time in Nerima) was immensely helpful to staying awake in class it was still a struggle to stave off the boredom he felt. Still, he knew he needed to pass the math and science courses if he wanted to get a high school diploma, something his father had apparently never been able to do.
He grabbed his bento and exited from the classroom window the same way he always had at Furinkan. Gasps from behind him told him that however accustomed to violence the students around here were, acts of normal marital art skill still amazed them.
He had barely sat down on a bench in the school yard when a group of about twenty people from around the school yard began to make their way toward him. Ranma noticed they all had magatama on their ears and smirked. The welcoming committee huh? I wonder if they've heard what I did to that little weasel Hanno yet.
"So you're a Fighter, huh?" one of the tougher looking guys said with his arms crossed over his chest, sizing Ranma up with vague disapproval while a few of the ones behind him, the ones from Ranma's own class, were looking at him angrily clenching and unclenching their fists and generally trying to look intimidating. Needless to say it didn't work. When you've faced an enraged demigod nothing less is going to faze you.
"I thought we went over this inside. I'm a martial artist, not a Fighter. I don't go 'round in packs, I don't bully those weaker than me, and I don't think that just 'cause I think I'm operatin' under some kinda 'grim destiny' that I can get away with shit like that." Ranma replied.
This caused even angrier muttering to break out, but the spokesmen continued. "Well, here at Seito Private School, it's tradition that new Fighters have an initiation. You have to beat as many of us as you can so we can see how good you are and that goes double for someone like you who runs his mouth off about stuff that doesn't concern him."
"Is that a challenge?" Ranma inquired, looking over the crowd and snorting in dismissal.
"If you want to put it that way, yeah" the leader said.
"All at once or one at a time?" Ranma asked smirking.
Several of the crowd of spectators and even some Fighters gaped at the audacity of the question. "Up to you," the leader smirked, thinking the other man was overreaching by a wide margin.
"If it's all the same to you, there're a lot of you and it'd take too long to fight you one at a time, and I'm hungry." Ranma shrugged, "I'd just as soon take you all down at once. That way I can get back to my lunch in peace."
Ranma sat his pack of books down on the ground by the door and cracked his knuckles. He then walked over and took a stance about ten feet away from the mob of fighters. "Let's dance," Ranma said calmly.
Kanu Unchou stepped out of the student government's suite and made her way out of the building, still smiling slightly at the news her leader had shared with them. Ryuubi Gentoku had told Kanu, Chou'un and Chouhi that a low ranked fighter known for making assaults on female fighters had been effectively neutered yesterday during an altercation. Needless to say she and her fellows, all women themselves, had been quite happy about the news. She went outside to see how the newcomer's initiation was going only to stop astonished at the sight before her.
Ranma stood on a small pile of unconscious fighters, eyes flashing with what she thought was humor at the situation. His pig tail moved gently in the breeze as he looked around at his downed opponents. Even as she approached he turned to her blue eyes still flashing with humor as he spotted her. "Ah, the main event arrives. Sorry I started the party without ya." He bowed quickly and came up a lopsided smile still on his face. "Name's Ranma Saotome, ya want ta spar too?"
Kanu smiled at him in turn. "An impressive feat, regardless" she said, approaching the fighter to introduce herself. "I am Kanu Unchou, Seito Private School's top Fighter, and yes, I would like to have a match with you."
As she moved closer, Kanu studied Ranma closely. His clothing, which only made the barest nod at the dress code, did little to hide the well-toned and refined muscles underneath. His blue eyes sparkled in a handsome yet strangely mature face. There was nothing in his face to indicate condescension or lust, things she almost always saw in any male fighter she fought, something which impressed her. Although he stood with his hands in his pockets she could find few openings to exploit all of which were well guarded and likely traps. While her ki sight was limited, what she could tell was he had a lot of control over his aura, so much so that she could not tell how large his ki reservoir was. The cocky grin he gave her may have been irritating to most but she saw beneath it and realized how much the young man before her truly enjoyed the challenge of combat, something that appealed to her as she saw in it a mirror of her own attitude. The total package was impressive and rather appealing.
Ranma himself was also analyzing his opponent. To his irritation the girl was slightly taller than he was standing there in a school girl uniform stretched to the max to cover her assets up top and red fighting gloves on her hands. He could tell from her movements that she was well-versed in the Art. The muscles on her legs, arms, and torso were honed to near perfection. Her ki aura was large, but well controlled, much more than he had seen in most fighters his age. In terms of size her reservoir was somewhere between Ryoga's and Genma's, but with more control than either.
Other than her obvious skill however her features were also striking. She had very long dark purple hair that nearly brushed the ground and was gathered by a silver hair ornament about a third of the way up its length. She had long bangs which covered the left side of her face and obscured her left eye from view and her skin was a vibrant tan color. Her uniform was at least a size too small, showing off a taut midriff below large, perfectly formed d-cup breasts. Within a few seconds of observation Ranma knew he had never seen a girl more beautiful or dangerous and he felt his blood quicken in anticipation.
Furthermore the naginata she carried was putting him slightly on edge. He could tell from where he was standing it was at least on level with the Genjikata he had taken from Saffron the year before.
Ranma was about to agree to fight her when a thought occurred to him. Hot female; check. Hot female fighter; check. Hot female fighter with a large weapon; check. Oh shit.
Kanu blinked in shock as the self-assured young man before her lost his confident air. Looking almost panicky for a moment, his eyes locked on hers as he slowly crouched in preparation for flight. "Um, one thing though, ya wouldn't happen to be an Amazon or anything like that would ya?"
Kanu blinked again in surprise before an amused smirk spread across her face. "Was that a compliment or a question? No, I'm not an Amazon, why, would that be a problem?"
Ranma relaxed and grinned and began to walk towards her moving away from the still comatose bodies of his former welcoming committee. "Yeah, see the Chinese Amazons have this weird ass law that makes them married in their eyes to the first man who beats them. A load of dung if ya ask me but no one ever did, so whatever."
Kanu's smirk widened. "You sound like you've had personal experience with that law."
"More experience than I'd like ta think about," Ranma growled, muttering something about Chinese Amazons, heat seeking bicycles and crazy Shampoo's.
Kanu decided to have a bit of fun with him. "Well, normally, I don't follow any laws like that, but... in your case I could make an exception," she giggled, eyeing him with a familiar predatory look.
Ranma gulped, both unnerved and strangely excited by the reply. He had only been away from his fiancée troubles for a few months, but still this girl...there was something about her. His cheeks warmed with a blush as he tried to come up with a reply that didn't sound totally lame, not wanting to shoot the idea down but not wanting to move quickly either. "T-that's really n-not necessary, I mean, not to say you ain't worth it or anythin' you're gorgeous! It's just that...um...I-I hardly know you, and um" Ranma stammered. Inwardly he groaned. Gods that sounded so lame! Why can't talkin' to people make as much sense as a fight?
Kanu's grin widened as she blushed slightly at the inadvertent compliment which had come out genuine despite the stuttering. "True, time enough to get to know one another better and see about something along those lines later, but for now, I believe we were about to have a match?"
"Oh, right. Umm, you gonna fight with that?" Ranma asked pointing to the naginata resting on her shoulder, even more wary of it now that he was closer. Yep, definitely as powerful as the Genjikata, I wonder if it can do elemental attacks as well.
"Not at all, a friendly bout like ours would only be hindered by a weapon." Kanu replied, going over and leaning the naginata against a nearby tree. She came back over and took up a stance, her right leg forward and her right hand held out in front of her palm open while her left hand was clenched into a fist close to her body ready to strike.
"Whenever you're ready," Ranma said, adopting his loose, deceptive stance, grinning broadly. I was right, she's way better than that Taishiji guy. This could be a fun fight.
Kanu decided to make the first move. Trying to gauge her opponent's speed and reaction time she darted forward starting off with a six punch combo. Ranma knew what she was up to though and decided to match her speed and see what she did next. He dodged around the blows easily, his own hands darting forward to be blocked in turn.
Kanu ended the combo with a spinning sweep kick but Ranma jumped into the air soaring over it and landing a bruising kick to her chest as he did. Her return shot even while off balance tagged his retreating leg with a punch and the two separated.
Ranma took a hand from his pocket to rub the spot on his hip where Kanu's attack struck. It hurt a little, something that surprised him since given his fights against Ryoga and his constant beatings from his fiancés his ability to take a hit was quite high. She's fast as hell and stronger than she looks, this is fun! "Not bad," he grinned across at Kanu, eye alight with the joy of a good fight. "Now that we've sounded each other out, why don't we start for real?"
Kanu quirked an eyebrow and smiled, her own light blue eyes flashing with joy to match his own. "I don't see why not," she agreed.
Kanu lunged forward again a swift kick spearing toward Ranma's torso, but Ranma dropped under the kick only to meet the other foot as it came up in an arc, Kanu's body performing a spin in midair a foot off the ground, her hair scraping the ground as her kick connected.
Ranma felt his teeth smash together as the surprise blow landed but his hands glided along the back of her legs, touching two points on them before going for hard chops aimed at her stomach.
Kanu dodged this first salvo but failed to dodge the following two fist combo as she regained her footing, answering with a hard knee to the stomach. The two continued to exchange blows and punches, grinning all the while. He's strong. Kanu thought. My speed seems to be better than his but I can't tell, he may still be holding back. He's skilled, even better than I am, and is far stronger than his frame suggests, those punches hurt even if he isn't putting everything he has into them. What a Man! But let's see if he can handle this!
What Kanu didn't know was that Ranma had already hit her with a devastating attack. The pressure points he had hit her with wouldn't take effect quickly, but when they did…
Ranma's eyes widened as he saw the flow of ki in Kanu's body change, the ki in her hands beginning to pulse oddly. Unlike in a speed technique it seemed to form in her palms rather than her entire arm and the pulsing effect was even stranger, each pulse seemed to add to the ki stored in her hands.
Realizing she was trying some kind of strange power blow he began to bring his own ki up to reinforce his skin in a shield technique he had come up with a month ago but had yet to truly test out, something he called Steel Body.
It filled him slowly as the two continued to exchange blows, neither able to land a decent hit for another thirty minutes of intense combat, neither gaining the upper hand.
Kanu ended the stalemate by tripping Ranma up via a sneaky toe stomp just long enough to land what she hoped would be the finishing blow. "Explosive Palm!" The open palm strike hammered into Ranma's midriff and an explosion of ki ignited on impact throwing him backwards and through a tree behind him with a startled cry.
As the blow landed Kanu felt her legs give out from under her. For a moment she panicked wondering what had happened before she recalled the two light touches she had felt on her legs when she had landed her spinning high kick. She had ignored them in favor of dodging his chops at her stomach at the time, but now it was obvious those chops had been a cover. Some kind of paralyzing technique, but it took too long to work. She held her body up by her arms, looking over at where Ranma had landed. I was able to continue and I think win this fight.
No sooner did she think that than the tree which had collapsed on top of Ranma moved. After a few more seconds the man himself emerged. His shirt was in tatters, and he ripped it away almost absentmindedly, his chest from what she could see seemed to be bruised, but that was all, and he threw the remnants of the tree off him with one hand as the other went to his stomach.
Ranma shook his head groggily. I think my Steel Body technique needs a bit more work. Geez I feel as if I've gone three rounds with Ryoga and Lime at the same time! No broken bones or anything, but thank Buddha for my accelerated healing! Wow, not only could she almost match my speed and strength but she has a move like that, fantastic!
He walked over to Kanu hands up in sign of peace and she watched almost mesmerized by the smooth movement of his skin over his amazing abs. He stopped and crouched down in front of her. Reaching out a slow hand he gently poked her forehead smiling softly, blushing as the thought entered his head that her skin under his finger was very soft and smooth to the touch. "That was an amazing strike, but if yer opponent can see your ki building up they can prepare for it. I can teach ya ways to make your ki flow faster if ya want. For now though, I think it's my victory. Sorry."
Kanu's lips twitched as she tore her eyes away from his chest and looked into those wonderful deep blue eyes with her own. "I suppose it is; a bit of a cheap shot though, using a paralyzing move. How long does it last by the way?" She tried to shift herself to a more comfortable position and Ranma turned away when she inadvertently flashed him a bit of panty while manually moving her legs, something that made her smile when she saw it. Oh he is going to be so much fun to tease!
"The effect should wear off in about three hours or so give or take." Ranma said. "And it wasn't a paralyzing strike, just two pressure points. I didn't want to use my ki attacks on ya 'cause I couldn't tell how durable ya were. Though by the amount of punishment you took, I probably should have, sorry" He added ruefully, rubbing his bruised chest.
Kanu nodded but her eyes narrowed in speculation. "Are you the warrior who neutered Hanno of Yoshuu the other day?" Ranma stiffened but nodded affirmatively and Kanu smiled. "Good. He was a pig, one of many around here unfortunately. But what did you mean by saying, what was it, something about 'sheriffs'?"
Ranma shrugged uncomfortably, having forgotten the job he was here to do in the enjoyment of fighting someone as close to his level as Kanu was. "I should probably tell that to you and the leader of the school at the same time. I promise it ain't bad, not for fighters like you who have honor and live by the code."
Kanu frowned and was about to reply when Ranma's stomach let out a loud roar, startling them both. She took one look at his blushing face and lost it, laughing so hard her stomach hurt as her arms gave out, her upper body landing on the ground. Ranma muttered, "Er, I don't suppose I could go and eat now could I? Only, I didn't get to have breakfast."
Kanu nodded gaily still chortling and he picked her up gently. She blushed a little finding herself pressed into his hard though admittedly battered chest as he carried her over to the bench where he had set his bento. He opened his lunchbox and her eyes widened in surprise. "Did you make that yourself? I don't know many martial artists who can also cook." Including myself, Kanu thought ruefully. Ryuubi and Chouhi's attempts at cooking are terrible and Chou'un's cooking is far too bland for the rest of us.
Ranma nodded, and with a playful grin flipped a small piece of hamburger up and into her mouth. Kanu blinked in shock as one hand came up to cover her now closed mouth as she chewed. "Yeah, I've lived by myself for nearly a year, and I learned cooking before that from someone who worked kata into her cooking movements. What do you think, good huh?"
Kanu swallowed and decided to get back at him for surprising her. She leaned into his side, pressing her breasts into his left arm. "I think your meat is very tasty Ranma, I can't wait to have another taste." She said as seductively as she could manage, nearly purring the words.
Ranma's face turned an intense shade of red as he got her innuendo. She pulled back laughing as he stammered and floundered. Her own stomach rumbling quietly however interrupted her, and she flushed slightly, a light pink to Ranma's dark maroon. Ranma got control of himself and offered her his chopsticks. "We can share if yer hungry."
Kanu nodded looking around. Apparently their fight had gone on far longer than she had thought. The schoolyard was empty, and she could see silhouettes inside some of the classrooms from where she sat. Hmm, so I am missing either chemistry or history about now, too bad, I like history. Still I can't exactly go to class with my legs still not working can I? Besides the 'subject' I'm studying now is much more interesting. Turning back to her new acquaintance she took a bite from his bento before asking "So, what style do you use? I thought I recognized some of your moves from karate and judo, even a bit of capoeira, but the total was too chaotic to follow."
Ranma nodded. "That's sort of the point. I'm grandmaster of Anything Goes martial arts, 'cause I beat the old master for the title, it's a style that emphasizes speed, adaptation and ki control." He took a bite, and went on, somewhat fearfully "Er, the previous master and his students weren't the most honorable sort. I don't suppose you've heard of a Happosai or a Genma Saotome?"
Kanu's lips pursed as she thought. "I don't think so, why?"
Ranma visibly relaxed. "The two of them were more thieves than anythin' else, I've been tryin' to hunt down all the people they ripped off and repay 'em, but I still have a lot of scrolls and stuff from schools I can't find or that have died out." He gulped as he went on, looking at her sideways. "And, er, Genma was my old man, and he had his own way of stealing shit, using um, certain promises involving me."
Kanu took the second to last bite and looked at him thoughtfully as she chewed. "I try to take people solely on their own merits, and I won't hold your father's actions against you. Is that what you're doing here in Kanto?"
Ranma shook his head as he took back the chopsticks. "Thanks, and no. Like I said, I'll tell ya why I'm here at the same time I tell this Ryuubi lady." A thought occurred to him, and he handed back one of the chopsticks to Kanu, grinning impishly. "How about a little match? My old man trained my speed by fighting me for food. Want ta see how well you do?"
Kanu smirked in answer and without any warning her chopstick flashed toward the last bit of hamburger only to be stopped by Ranma's own. She kept up the conversation as their chopsticks met and smacked together over and over, hands flashing near amiguriken speed as they fought, the hamburger piece seeming to hover in the air between them. "Interesting idea, though obviously something you would only do with an advanced student. When did you start?"
Their chopsticks locked together and they strained against one another, the piece of hamburger caught in the cleft between them as Ranma thought about the answer. "Um, hell I can't remember, it went on every meal as far back as I can remember so when I was five or so? I remember going hungry a lot when I was younger."
Kanu gaped at him in shock, but looked back down as his chopstick snapped. He pouted outrageously as she smiled victoriously lifting the last piece of food to her mouth. A thought occurred to her and her smile turned wicked. "Don't worry, we can share." She popped the piece of hamburger halfway into her mouth and held it there, leaning towards him invitingly.
Ranma gulped, again reminded of his fiancé's before he moved forward swiftly, taking a bite out of the hamburger piece, making certain their lips didn't touch. He pulled back, chewing and blushing hotly.
Kanu finished chewing first, looking at him thoughtfully. "Can I ask you a question? You seem a little nervous around me, is there a reason for that other than that Amazon law you mentioned? You don't have a jealous girlfriend or anything, do you?" The question came out jokingly, but for some reason she was very hurt that he hadn't taken her invitation. His reactions to her flirting thus far had been very defensive and almost scared at times.
Ranma winced but decided to answer her truthfully. "Um not so much a present day jealous girlfriend as I used to have a couple of jealous, extremely violent fiancées." Her expression of shock and disbelief invited more of an explanation and he went on to describe the problems his father had caused him, as well as giving a brief overview of his life in Nerima.
Kanu listened in shock and growing fury to the crap that Ranma had gone through in his life. So what he needs is some positive reinforcement to overcome those bitches programming. Well, I can do that. Her thoughts turned rather perverted at that idea, involving silk sheets, chocolate, sweat, lots of moaning and for some reason an image of herself wearing an apron and nothing else sitting on a kitchen table. Yes, I can do that happily!
The talk continued touching on many subjects over the next few hours as school first continued than let out. Many students looked over at them wondering why they were still sitting there but did not interrupt the conversation, though many girls were tempted to do so seeing Ranma sitting there shirtless, his ripped muscles on display to their appreciative eyes, but one look at Kanu discouraged them.
During this discussion, Ranma learned that Rakuyo High School was the top school because it had won a fighting tournament last year, and it was under its control that lawlessness had truly begun to grow, influenced by its leader Totaku. Moreover, assassination orders were being sent out by him at a far more profligate rate than any leader before him. He led not only his own school but five of the other seven schools and was too powerful for the remaining independent schools, Seito and Kyosho Academy to go against openly. With this confirmation, Ranma knew he'd have to look into Totaku as soon as he could.
He was also becoming disturbed by how casually these fighters talked about killing; even the honorable ones like Taishiji and Kanu were relaxed about it. On the other hand, he was going to have to probably kill someone to get everything back under control, and he was resigned to that. He also had no problem making the punishment fit the crime like he had with Hanno.
Other than that disturbing topic their conversation was easily the longest and most pleasant discussion he'd ever had with a girl his entire life. No fiancées popping up to bash him for being a pervert or ignoring them, no old man popping up and attacking him for not concentrating on the art. It was easy to talk to Kanu, she had some of the same interest he had (The Art, food, training, school/hating school, travel, history, even the few movies he had seen she had seen and enjoyed) was serious about The Art, not clingy, self-confident but not arrogant or blind to her own weaknesses, and did not jump to conclusions as she listened to him talking about his past.
For her part Kanu was enjoying herself just as much. Ranma was easy to talk to: he listened, had a good sense of humor and did not disparage her skills or talk down to her like many male fighters tried to do (before she kicked their asses anyway). He listened to her problems with the way the competition between the schools was going and her concerns with her own skills and did not give her empty platitudes but actual suggestions on how she could become better. He was also respectful and did not ogle her. Not once did his eyes leave her face to travel downwards as they talked, something the eyes of every other man she talked to did, sooner or later. Even when they fought he hadn't tried to get in a quick feel or anything, and this impressed her.
In short, these two formidable individuals were finding that the more time they spent together the more they were attracted to one another, above and beyond their physical attraction.
At a break in the conversation Ranma looked around the schoolyard and looked up at the school. He was surprised to see no one in any of the classrooms he could see. "Hey we've been talking for quite a bit, maybe we should start heading home ourselves."
Kanu nodded and attempted to lift a leg but neither one would budge. "It seems your pressure point attacks are still working, though I can at least feel my legs now. I thought you said it would only be a few hours."
Ranma scratched his head in embarrassment. "Sorry, I started incorporating pressure points into my style recently but I ain't exactly mastered it yet, so the time it takes 'em to wear off is kinda up in the air. It won't take longer than six hours though, I didn't hit 'em nearly hard enough for longer." As he talked he reached into his weapons pace pocket and pulled out a spare shirt, then pulled it on.
"I see…" Kanu said a sly smile crossing her face, even as she pouted inwardly at the loss of her muscely view, "In that case since I'm unable to get home on my own how about a lift?" Once again the look on Ranma's face was priceless.
As he carried the exotically attractive Kanu Unchou out of the schoolyard on his back with her naginata strapped to her back, Ranma couldn't help but eye every corner, bush and shadow defensively. His instincts from his days in Nerima were still too ingrained into his thoughts to ignore.
This instinctive reaction was heightened further because for the first time ever he was carrying someone he knew, not thought or was obligated to think he was, but knew he was attracted to. Far too often in his life happiness was immediately followed by pain. With every guilty thought he had about how good she felt against his back, how her breasts felt amazing pressed into his shoulders or how smooth the skin on her legs was under his hands he became more and more convinced his karma was going to come up and kick him in the ass hard, perhaps repeatedly, and most certainly with steel toed boots.
Kanu noticed Ranma's nervousness but ignored it as she relished in the feeling of her body molding to Ranma's. Thinking this a good time to start her positive reinforcement, she made a point to move and grind her body into his back, smiling wickedly with every groan and twitch she felt through his splendid muscles. As the trip went on and they continued their conversation her own body started to react to the twitches of Ranma's back muscles under her breasts and between her legs. Even as she continued to tease him by shifting against him and talking into his ear she began to look forward to some private time at the end of the trip.
Other than the rising sexual tension the trip was going smoothly until their route took them through a park. Two young boys were running around shooting water pistols at one another and one of them accidentally nailed Ranma right in the face, with unfortunate results.
"W-What?" Kanu said in confusion as she experienced something that few before her ever had, feeling the change as it took place. The well toned and very male back she was riding became narrower and softer, and the height she was carried at shrunk dramatically.
"I can explain this." Ranma said and barely held back a surprised moan when Kanu's hands, which had been wrapped around her chest, give an experimental squeeze to her breasts. That felt good, what the hell, other people have done that a time or two but it never felt good before! "C-could you please stop doing that?"
"Ah! Gomen." Kanu very reluctantly took her hands off Ranko's breasts. Whatever else is going on those breasts certainly feel real! Ranko found a bench nearby and helped Kanu to sit on it before facing her.
Kanu took this opportunity to give him (her?) a once over. Ranma had been a five foot eleven black haired male with a build somewhere between a swimmers and a gymnasts with the most alluring sea blue eyes she had ever seen. Now he was a she, with only her eyes the same as before. She had shrunk to a petite five feet, her build still showed the same level of fitness but for a girl, and her hair had changed from black to red. Her breasts, which like magnets had immediately attracted Kanu's hands, were probably the same size as Ryuubi–san's, a very firm D-cup equal to Kanu's own. The overall package was a girl that was just as attractive as Ranma the man had been. My god, she's sooo cute! Oh, I can't wait to hear the explanation for this!
"I-I guess I've got some explaining to do, don't I?" Ranko asked sadly, already resigned to losing his new friend thanks to his freakishness.
"Ranma, you suddenly changed into a girl, a very pretty girl I might add. Yes I think I would like an explanation please." Kanu said sarcastically.
"You remember me saying how my old man was an utter idiot?" Kanu nodded, oh yes this is going to be interesting. I really must see if I can find this Genma worm and do… permanent things to him. "See, he and I were on a thirteen year training trip and he decided to go to China to use a training ground called Jusenkyo. Only one problem, neither of us knew a word of Chinese when we started. By the time we actually reached the place I was able to speak a few sentences, but he hadn't bothered learning any, saying it was a waste of time."
Kanu groaned, running a hand through her dark purple hair. "I'm not going to like this am I?"
Ranko's lips twitched. "He was going by this old ratty scroll that he couldn't even read and when we got there we found it was full of cursed springs which make the person who falls into them take on the form of something that drowned there." Ranko said.
"So you fell into the spring of a girl?" Kanu said.
"Close, but not quite, I got myself hit into it by my old man. We were fightin', jumping around these bamboo poles set into the springs, and I got the drop on him and he fell into the spring of drowned panda." Kanu laughed aloud but Ranma went on sadly. "I was so shocked when this giant panda burst out of the water that I didn't even try to dodge and he smacked me a good one sending me into another pool."
Kanu shook her head. "And he didn't notice his body had changed?"
Ranma smiled weakly. "Well, my old man has always been fat and lazy he really didn't change much with his new form."
"Well that's quite an interesting condition you have Ranma."
"Yeah well, I'll leave ya here, yer legs should be fine soon, I know ya don't want to be around a freak like me," Ranko said sadly, close to tears at the thought of losing yet another friend because of his curse.
Kanu blinked in surprise. "Now why would you say that?"
Now it was Ranko's turn to be surprised. "Well, it's 'cause I change into a girl, don't ya think I'm a freak and a pervert?"
"Why, have you used your form to spy on girls changing or something like that?" Ranko shook her head wildly, pigtail flying around and Kanu smiled as she continued. "Also it's not like I am unfamiliar with magic myself." Kanu gestured to Seiryutou on her back. "We who labor under the fate of the sacred beads are not exactly what others would call normal."
Ranko blinked. She could count on the fingers of one hand the amount of people who took her curse calmly without calling him names or screaming. Hell, most people that did react calmly either had their own curses or wanted to take advantage of him/her. Kanu's calm understanding and acceptance of the curse was beyond surprising, and really, really nice. "Y-You really don't think it's weird and well, disgusting?"
"Why would I, it isn't your fault after all, and it does give you insight no other man can have" Kanu stated, a coy smile on her face. Kanu had become more and more worried lately that her tastes, which she had known since puberty were bisexual, had swung completely to the fairer sex. While she still enjoyed looking at a nice looking man she had been growing closer and closer to her leader Ryuubi Gentoku.
That changed today upon meeting Ranma. From her first look at him there was something that attracted her to him like a lodestone. That appeal increased significantly when they sparred. His movements, graceful and strong yet so precise, and the look on his face filled with excitement as they clashed, eyes alight in happiness positively entranced her. When he won their fight and walked away from one of her best –unarmed anyway- blows she was absolutely convinced her attraction to Ranma was something she wanted to pursue. This thought became even more certain when they talked while eating his bento and she realized they had quite a bit in common, making her initial physical attraction to him change into something else altogether.
Ranma's gender curse was a pleasant bonus rather than an obstacle for her. He was a powerful fighter, handsome as a male, cute as a female, and possessed a rough but caring and strangely sweet personality that made he who was currently a she appealing in the extreme.
"Well uh, thanks Kanu-san. That, um that means a lot to me." Ranko said blushing and twiddling her fingers together.
"It isn't a problem Ranma in fact you might say you were made for me." Ranma looked at her blankly, and she coughed delicately giving the red head a long smoldering look. "I am attracted to both genders Ranma."
Ranma blushed hotly, but didn't run away or panic, something that would have undoubtedly happened in Nerima if someone had said something like that to him/her there regardless of who it was. Here however he was attracted to the girl saying it, and that made all the difference, even if he still didn't quite understand his own feelings. "Um, well, I'm used to it, y'know, turning into a girl, but I still don't like it much. The, ah, monthly visitor is a bitch and a half."
Kanu goggled at the redhead for a moment then laughed. "I doubt you will find any woman who would argue with you about that one. Now tell me more about your curse. Is it just physical or is it mental as well? Do you like girls or guys or both?" Either of those last two would be a problem for her. Kanu patted the place beside her on the bench, indicating Ranma should sit back down. After all, Ryuubi was with both Chouhi and Chou'un, so she was in no rush to get home.
Ranma answered her easily. "It's just physical, though like I said it's a complete change. I don't like guys, I mean I've had guys hit on me and try to feel me up and the idea makes me want to throw up, afterward I normally stayed in the bath fer a few hours just scrubbing my skin to get the feeling off. The only mental change is in the sense of taste; my sense of taste is way different. I like the same things, but they affect me way more as a girl. Ice cream and chocolate tastes sooo much better as a girl," Ranma blushed remembering the taste induced coma chocolate ice cream could put her into.
Kanu nodded, that made sense. "So how did your so-called fiancé's take the curse?"
"One hated it," Ranma sighed. "She was jealous of the way my female form looked, and was always accusing me of being a pervert because I had it. Never mind that the idea never occurred to me, she saw the world one way and never allowed anything to contradict her view. One ignored it after the novelty of changing me back and forth wore off. Of course she also ignored my thoughts and feelings if they weren't convenient for her." Ranma spat out bitterly. Of all his fiancés in Nerima the way Ukyo and Akane had acted had hurt the most. Neither one of them had as good an excuse for how they acted as Shampoo, who had been brought up in an isolated village dominated by women, or even Kodachi, who was just insane. "As fer Shampoo, she had her own curse. She changed into a cat. Plus, I don't think the Amazons were too hung up on same sex encounters. But it'd never've worked 'cause of the way her people treat men in their village. I was already way stronger than they were comfortable with when we first met, and only got stronger. They'd never've let me keep trainin'."
They talked for another thirty minutes with Ranko describing the differences in his body in terms of combat and Kanu making suggestions on different types of exercises a female fighter could do to emphasize endurance and flexibility. He in turn described some of his own school's exercises and katas that worked just as well for either form, and promised to show a few to her, something that would have sent his father screaming at him for debasing the art by showing it to a woman and Akane wanting to pound him into the dirt because he never offered to do the same to her. Kanu however had the one major factor Akane never had: control, and that made all the difference. She was also highly skilled already, whereas from Ranma's perspective, Akane had never amounted to anything more than a blue belt on her best day.
After telling her about the fight with Cologne over the phoenix pill, Ranko looked around to see that the streetlights were coming on and that dusk was fading quickly into night. "We better go, it's getting darker out and I still ain't used to finding my new apartment in the day time, let alone at night." She crouched in front of Kanu with her back facing the taller girl.
A second later the pigtailed martial artist let out a muffled gasp and jerked her head around to look at Kanu who looked back at her with a wicked grin on her face as she pulled herself onto the smaller girl's back. Ranma turned her head forward again a deep red rising to her cheeks as once again she felt Kanu's hands caress her rear for a moment before encircling her shoulders. But she didn't bolt or run away, instead simply walking on as the taller girl spoke up.
"Your experience with this Akane of yours reminds me of how my fellow students reacted when I received our clan's magatama." Ranma nodded encouragement and Kanu went on, placing her chin on the top of the shorter girl's head. "I was actually the youngest girl in our family, but I was by far the most skilled at arms and the most… developed as well. The older students thought I had slept with the clan elder to convince him to give the magatama to me, and kept on spreading rumors to that effect until I confronted all three and beat them down all at the same time. But for a while I hated the fact that I was the first to grow."
Ranma nodded, filing away that bit about getting a magatama based on skill for later. He didn't want to bring that topic up just yet, not until he examined the bead he had taken from Hanno and knew what the hell they were. "Yep, Akane could never understand that I saw my girl form as a problem, and always hated the fact that I was better built and better at martial arts. She never saw how much I had to sacrifice to get as good as I was. She never wanted to put in the time she just wanted everything handed to her!"
Kanu nodded emphatically, pressing her breasts even harder into the blushing redhead's back as she did so. "That's it exactly! None of my rivals in the clan realized how much more I practiced than them, how I used my free time to train, how I never went out on weekends, all the little things I had to give up to be the best."
"Yep." Ranma agreed, understanding exactly what she went through. "And then you run into the problem of being the best: to be the best. You have to stay ahead of everyone else, keep practicing, keep getting better 'cause there's always assholes waitin' to challenge you for your place at the top." Again Kanu nodded agreement, having gone through the same thing her whole life and especially since the curse of the sacred bead had started up again.
The two continued on in the same vein, comparing their respective encounters with challengers, until they arrived in front of her house, an old temple complex she shared with Chouhi, Chou'un and Ryuubi. "This is it." To her surprise when she went to get off Ranma's back, her legs worked, a bit stiffly but they were able to take her weight. "My, what perfect timing. That technique is definitely one you will have to teach me."
Ranma grinned at her. "Sure, though the first technique I want to show you is something a little more practical fer a weapon user like yerself." He reached into his pocket pulling out a bottle of water that should never have fit in there and Kanu blinked in surprise. Ranma asked her unanswered question as he began to heat the water via ki in his hand. "It's a martial arts technique called hidden weapon space. Ya can basically make a small space huge if you pump your ki into it in a certain way. I can start showin' ya how ta do it tomorrow after school if you want."
Kanu nodded; there was a technique that would definitely come in handy if she could learn it. A way to carry Seiryutou around without people knowing I have it, oh yes I'll take that any day!
Ranma paused just as she was about to pour the hot water over her head. "I understand yer point about the whole insight thing ya mentioned in the park y'know. Like I said my female form is fully functional so I can completely understand a woman's fears about rape and that kinda stuff. That's part of why I neutered that asshole yesterday, to send a message that that kind of crap won't be tolerated anymore."
Kanu's eyes widened. That right there was one of her worst fears, not just for herself, but for her friends and especially her leader, and here was a boy who could truly understand that fear and had already taken steps to see it never happened. Impulsively she leaned forward, kissing Ranma on the lips. She once more felt the change occur as Ranma's form changed from feminine to masculine, his lips changing from soft and feminine to hard and masculine under her own.
At first Ranma was too shocked to react to the kiss, but as the hot water hit the top of his head it knocked some sense into him and he began to return the kiss eagerly, his arms going around her waist and holding her body gently against his. Within seconds the spur of the moment kiss had become a full on make out session, and Ranma began to use his ki senses to watch for sparks of pleasure in her ki, adjusting his kiss to match. He soon had Kanu moaning into the kiss but eventually they had to come up for air.
Kanu pulled back, eyes glazed with passion. My god is he a fast learner, from no response to master kisser in a few minutes! Oh yes, this man is definitely a keeper! She looked at him through hooded eyes, body still trembling. "T-thank you for that Ranma. I'll see you tomorrow at school all right?"
Ranma nodded one hand reaching up to touch his lips almost reverently. My first kiss, my first real kiss, wow did that feel great! "Y-yeah sure Kanu-san, I'll see ya tomorrow." He watched as she walked through the temple archway, the sway of her hips mesmerizing before he shook his head and jumped up to a nearby rooftop. He had a date with a sacred bead to keep.
As Ranma jumped away, Kanu sped through the outer temple area toward the bathhouse. Ryuubi, who was at the kitchen table reading a book glanced up and called out to her. "Hey, Kanu-san, you're back pretty late, anything wrong?"
"Tadaima Ryuubi-san please excuse me I need to take a bath." With that very brief greeting Kanu sped on leaving a startled Ryuubi behind. She ignored Chouhi as the younger girl came out of her room and swiftly reached the door to the bathhouse.
Locking it behind her she immediately plunged both her hands down the front of her skirt and underneath her panties, furiously fingering herself. Not a minute later her back arched and she bit her lip to keep from screaming as the strongest orgasm she'd ever felt rolled through her.
Kanu fell onto her side on the furo's floor gasping, her wobbly legs unable to support her any longer. Being around Ranma had affected her a lot, feeling his hard muscles under her breasts and rubbing against them, then the softness of his female form under her. Then came the kiss, by far the best kiss she'd ever had (from a small pool of three boyfriends over the years but that didn't matter) which pushed her over the edge. She needed some relief desperately after that.
As she recovered she pulled off her now ruined panties, gaping at the amount of liquid she had let loose. She shook her head, bemused by how much this new fighter affected her. "Ranma" the name came out part groan part moan as she slowly removed her clothing in preparation for a bath.
Outside the bath, a silver-haired swordswoman stood, having heard all that went on inside. This Ranma certainly must be an interesting fellow to affect the great Kanu Unchou so. I think I must meet him somehow tomorrow. As the nearly overpowering smell of female arousal hit her through the door she nodded decisively. Oh yes, I definitely must meet him if he can do that to the self-contained and aloof Kanu-san.
By the time Ranma got home, the sun had finished setting and he decided to put off his analysis of the sacred bead he had taken from Hanno until after he had something to eat. However, after a simple meal of rice and fish he could no longer put it off.
This was something he had never done before, but he had read the technique and mastered it enough that he thought he would be able to do it. What he was contemplating doing was sending a probe into the sacred bead, much like he could send out a pulse of his own ki to analyze the environment around him in a certain radius, which gave him a watered down view of what he could see using aura sight. Ancient masters like Cologne and Happosai did this so much it had become second nature to them, giving them a kind of sixth sense at all times, while he only did it when he thought of it. The probe was different however, in that it was much more invasive and much more accurate than either aura sight or a ki pulse. It was used by healers like Dr. Tofu to figure out what was wrong with someone who had internal injuries before x-rays and other technologies had been discovered and some like Dr. Tofu still used it instead.
He had never heard of it being tried on an object before but thought it was worth a try considering that the object in question may be demonically possessed. The three possessed things he had seen in the past, the shadow incense burner, the oni's box, and the cursed doll had all had auras, so a probe would hopefully tell him something about the damn things other than they were possessed.
After a moment's concentration to bring his aura out of his body he reached out a single finger and touched the sacred bead gently and with a thought pushed his ki out through his finger and into the bead.
He was a simple foot soldier, a thug in a uniform. He'd been press-ganged off the streets from a street gang wanted for murder and rape of an elderly couple and given the opportunity to join the Imperial Army or die. When the central authority collapsed he was quick to sign up along with many others to serve under the usurper's banner. He was never happier than when he was helping to sack a city. He became a specialist, a scout and saboteur, allowing him far more leeway away from those who would have objected to his practices. Over and over, the times changed, but this thing's desires and monstrous appetites never changed, only the venue; Violence, anarchy, fire, causing pain to others. A sudden memory, stronger and with far greater clarity than the others, something that the soul in the bead made certain to do in every life… A little girl no more than ten or eleven held down by a knife to her throat as he pulled down his pants and...
With the enraged snarl of a wounded animal Ranma brought a ki enhanced fist slamming down onto the sacred bead. For a second it tried to resist him, but only for a second. Then it gave way, shattering into a million pieces as a soul cried out in agony, the damned soul within finally facing the long dark it had brought on so many others over the centuries.
A slight reverberation of power rippled over Ranma, but he didn't even notice as he fell to his knees, breath coming in shallow gulps as he fought not to retch, nauseated from the images he'd seen. Gods that was awful. I'm sorry I didn't just kill the sick son of a bitch that went along with that thing. He recovered enough to sit up and shake his head groggily. Still at least I know they can be destroyed now. All I need to figure out now is what the hell that weird ki in that girl was and if it has anything to do with these things. At that point he noticed that in hitting the bead he had also wrecked the table underneath the bead, the whole thing had disintegrated from his punch. He had also put a dent in the floor and he could already hear the people from downstairs on their way up to complain. "Well, fuck."
end chapter.