Ranma ½ Red, Violet and Black
Author notes: As promised here is chapter two of this fanfiction. I thank everyone who reviewed the first Chapter, especially for the useful criticism. I have made an effort to implement some immediate fixes to the first chapter. As for chapter 2, it is a lot more light-hearted than the first one with a lot less (admittedly) lazy drama.
Chapter 2
Ranma Saotome, currently still in girl-form, shot up from an uneasy sleep with a cry. Memories from earlier that night had been tormenting her in her nightmares. The three jerks, the ice cream, the way she had been rendered completely helpless, the fear and the desperation. She quickly shut down any further thoughts in this direction and tried to think about anything else.
At least she didn't feel groggy or physically drained anymore. Whatever drug they had given the redhead girl must have worn off. Curiously Ranma looked around. She was sitting on a rather large bed in a big, opulently decorated room. The furniture was of high quality, various tasteful paintings decorated the walls and even the sheets of the bed she was occupying were apparently made of the finest silk. Where was she?
The last thing the young martial artist could remember was that Kodachi Kuno of all people had saved her from… bad things. Could that be right? Usually the so called Black Rose was more likely to want to kill, okay to be fair most likely just slightly maim, Ranma whenever she was a girl. But sure enough Ranma was certain that she didn't just imagine Kodachi coming to her rescue.
As if on cue, suddenly the door opened and the Kuno heiress strode into the room, now clad in a beautiful black kimono with floral designs instead of her leotard. "You are finally awake?" Good. The sooner you stop occupying this guest room the better, peasant girl." Kodachi observed in her usual snobby manner: "You are feeling alright now, I hope?" Was that a hint of concern Ranma could hear in the young noblewoman's voice?
Ranma just blinked at Kodachi, unsure what to say, then hesitantly stated: "You actually saved me?"
The other girl looked visibly offended at this and haughtily retorted: "Of course I did. You might be a constant nuisance and you always interfere when I try to make my beloved Ranma mine, but you didn't really think I would just stand by and do nothing when I see some dim-witted commoner-thugs sexually assault a girl who begs them to stop? Because it would be highly dishonorable for a lady of my status to do so. Even if said girl is my rival."
Normally Ranma wasn't someone who showed a lot of emotion in the presence of other people, and she would under normal circumstances never be caught dead crying. But after earlier events she was too emotionally exhausted to care much about that for once. Moreover, she was drastically overflowing with relief and gratitude. Without thinking rationally, the red haired girl flung herself at her unlikely savior and hugged her tightly. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!..." The pig tailed girl babbled, while tears of relief were flowing down her cheeks.
Obviously startled by the sudden physical contact, Kodachi yelped and tried to get out of the hug. With a flushed face she demanded: "Wait. Stop that peasant girl. You are getting my clothes wet. Unhand me right now." Upon hearing that Ranma stopped hugging the other girl and did her best to compose herself again.
"Sorry." She said while drying her tears: "I just… I… Just, Thank you Kodachi. If you hadn't shown up… Well, just thank you so much."
The Black Rose regained her own composure, made a dismissive hand gesture and answered: "As I said, it was a matter of honor to help you out."
Ranma shot her a genuine, grateful smile and said: "Still, thank you. How long have I been out?"
Her momentary hostess made an inviting hand gesture towards a pair of chairs and started to explain, while they both seated themselves: "A few hours. It's about three in the morning now. You were intoxicated with some sort of drug I have never seen before." Kodachi looked thoughtful for a moment and mused: "Which is highly unusual and irks me quite a bit since I am an expert on all sorts of poison. Anyways after you had the gall to just pass out on me in that alley, I had no idea where you actually live. But I figured I couldn't really let you lie on the dirty street, so I brought you here to recover. Don't worry about my brother by the way. He's currently out of town for a kendo competition, so he won't be harassing you. I suppose you'll appreciate that after… current events."
With a partially disdainful, but also partially surprisingly concerned look at Ranma the young martial arts rhythmical gymnast once more wanted to know: "So, to come back to my earlier question: How do you feel now? Trust me, I'm not particularly thrilled to have you staying at my residence, but I don't want to throw you out only for you to collapse on the street again. That would reflect poorly upon the Kuno name." Ranma for once managed to not blurt out what she was thinking immediately. Namely that the Kuno name was already poorly reflected upon thanks to Kodachi and even more so her brother.
The Kuno girl did save her after all, so the redhead decided to be nice to her for now: "I guess I do feel normal again. The drugs probably wore off and thanks to you nothing worse happened to me either. I honestly owe you Kodachi."
The Kuno girl started to state that it was a matter of honor once more, when Ranma interrupted her: "Yes, I get that. You still saved me tonight and for that I am in your debt. As a martial artist myself I too have my honor. So I would like to repay this debt. If you ever need my help with anything, or if you need a favor, just ask. I will do my best to help you, as long as it isn't something that would go against my honor itself. That is the least I can do." While saying that the pig tailed girl stood up and deeply bowed before her baffled hostess.
Kodachi stared at her wide eyed for a few moments before asking: "You are being serious?"
"Of course. I don't lie about things like this." The redhead replied earnestly.
The Kuno heiress suspiciously eyed her current guest and then replied: "If you are being genuine, would you actually stop to chase after my Ranma darling if I asked you to do me that favor? Or would that be something that would be against your honor?"
Ranma, having feared a demand along those lines sighed heavily and stated: "I'm sorry Kodachi but this isn't really a favor I can grant you."
The black Rose's facial expression looked slightly disappointed, but not very surprised: "I figured as much. I didn't really expect any meaningful favor out of a peasant like y…."
"Hey, just wait a second. No need to get insulting. I think you misunderstood." Protested Ranma exasperatedly: "It's not that I wouldn't be willing to do that for you. I totally would. It's just that it's literally impossible for me to grant you that favor because I'm not even chasing after Ranma in the first place. I can't stop chasing after him since I have never done so at any time."
Sniffing pridefully Kodachi voiced her disbelief: "Do you seriously expect me to believe that?"
Her pigtailed guest slapped her forehead in annoyance and tried again: "Look Kodachi: Seriously, I swear on my life and everything that I hold dear that I am not romantically pursuing Ranma Saotome and have no intention of ever doing so. Not that that would even be possible in the first place."
"What do you mean that it wouldn't be possible in the first place." Came the confused question from the Kuno girl as she looked at Ranma with a raised eyebrow. Suddenly it was as if a lightbulb went on over her head: "Wait, you do look quite a bit like my Ranma darling. From the hairstyle, over some facial similarities, to the slightly questionable clothing choices. Are you trying to tell me that you and my beloved Ranma are related? I know from Nabiki's ridiculously high prized information that he doesn't have any siblings. Are you a cousin of his perhaps?"
The redheaded martial artist was quite surprised that Kodachi had actually come to a reasonable conclusion of sorts but retorted anyways: "Well, that's not exactly right, but goes into the right direction I guess. Also what's wrong with my clothes?"
Her counterpart replied: "Oh, for once they are a few sizes too big for you. Secondly Chinese outfits are not very fashionable in Japan, even though I have to admit that Ranma at least does look somewhat good in them but still he and you should get some other outfits. Thirdly what I have seen of your underwear was dreadful. Boxer shorts? On a girl? Seriously? And it weren't even very aesthetically pleasing boxer shorts to begin with. Anyways, the point of this conversation wasn't your, and by extension Ranma darling's lack of fashion sense but I wanted to know why it would be impossible for you to romantically pursue my Ranma. So if you aren't related to him, what else could be the reason?"
The pig tailed martial artist swallowed down her aggravation at Kodachi verbally tearing her fashion sense to shreds and decided that she at least owed the black haired girl as much as telling her the truth. Not that she expected any favorable results from this, since it had never worked out with her brother, Tatewaki Kuno, either. Sighing Ranma said: "All right, I'll just tell you the truth then, though you'll probably not believe me. I can't possibly date Ranma Saotome, because I am Ranma Saotome."
Kodachi just blinked and asked incredulously: "What?" Bracing for various bad reactions from the black haired girl Ranma repeated in complete seriousness: "I am Ranma Saotome. There is no pig-tailed girl. Well, there is but that's just me as well. I am Ranma and I just tend turn into a girl sometimes."
Kodachi stared at her blankly for a few seconds then she suddenly broke out into laughter: "All right, you nearly fooled me with how earnestly you managed to get that out. A nice story. I'll give you some credit for your creativity peasant girl. Seriously though, my Ranma darling might look a bit effeminate in a pretty boy kind of way but I doubt he could pull off crossdressing so well that he would look like you. I mean, I have to admit that you look very good for a peasant girl. Not as good as me naturally but still very beautiful. More beautiful than Akane Tendo and this Ukyo girl anyways, maybe even better than that Chinese amazon floozy. In no way could my beloved Ranma convincingly look as good while crossdressing. Also you are a bit shorter than him and even though I don't really want to remind you, I did see you without pants today and you definitely are a full girl alright. So I recommend you stop the disingenuous assertions already and tell me the actual truth now."
"What are you talking about? I don't look effeminate at all!" Ranma blurted out focusing on what she deemed the most important. Before the Black Rose could respond the redhead calmed down, rubbed the bridge of her nose and then continued talking in a completely serious tone: "Whatever, look. I am telling you the truth. I really am Ranma. And no I am not crossdressing. I do however completely turn into a girl whenever I am splashed with cold water thanks to a magic curse that I caught in China thanks to my pops. Hot water turns me back into a guy." Kodachi was visibly about to protest that admittedly not very believable story but her guest interrupted her with a hand gesture: "If you don't believe me get some hot water. But I swear that I'm telling the truth. You should have seen enough weird magic stuff by now to now that magic is real. I'm really Ranma. Have you never noticed that you never saw Ranma and "the pigtailed girl" at the same time? That's because we are the same person. Or why else do you think we have the exact same fighting style? Or how can I possibly know all the things Ranma knows unless we are one and the same. For example, I do know that you first met Ranma, my male form at least, when he, no I, saved you from falling down at night after you were hit against the head by a tea kettle. And just for the record my male form is not looking effeminate in the slightest."
Having finished that rant Ranma indignantly crossed her arms and blew a loose strand of her red hair out of her face. Kodachi meanwhile was completely and utterly overwhelmed by the news. Her desperate tries to process what Ranma had just told her were clearly visible on her face. Nervously Ranma was waiting for some sort of angry outburst, further denial or some straight up craziness as she by now expected from everyone with the name Kuno.
To the red haired girls great surprise, after what seemed like an eternity Kodachi just hoarsely whispered: "I… As stupid as it sounds at first, it does make a lot of sense. You are really my Ranma darling?"
Pleasantly surprised about that relatively normal outcome the young martial artist just nodded: "Yes I am. And I'll have you know that this curse is really annoying by the way. I can't even count anymore how often I've been turned into a girl just because it suddenly started to rain. Honestly why are there so many sudden downpours often in this town?"
The Kuno girl seemed to mull something over in her head for a few seconds then she spoke: "Well, this is unexpected. I had no idea. On the other hand, now that you told me, I have to admit that in hindsight there were certain clues that I maybe should have picked up earlier." Suddenly she visibly paled and fearfully looked at Ranma: "Oh, no. Ranma darling it just dawned on me that some of my behavior towards you, while you were a girl, wasn't very… appropriate." The young heiress seemed genuinely distressed and was on the verge of tears. She shot up and started to constantly bow in front of her guest: "I sorry my dear Ranma. Really. Sorry for attacking you so often. Also sorry for calling you a peasant girl. I didn't mean to insult you, I swear. Oh please darling can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"
Bewildered the pig tailed girl stared at the teary eyed face of the Black Rose. She sighed again.
She just couldn't stand girls crying, so she swiftly made a dismissive hand gesture and retorted: "Sure, no lasting harm done, I guess. Honestly I get worse from my own family at regular basis. Well, you could tone down the maiming attempts on me while I'm a girl though. That would be nice."
Kodachi's expression immediately brightened: "Thank you Ranma darling and of course I will stop attacking you from now on. Despite everything this is marvelous news. Now I only have to worry about three peasant girls that stand in the way of our love."
"Wait what?", gasped Ranma: "Aren't you even slightly bothered about this?" While saying that she made hand gestures to indicate her currently very female body.
Kodachi just loftily huffed and answered: "Hardly. You did say it was easily reversible with hot water didn't you? Sure this is kind of unusual but I suppose this is nothing my love for you can't manage Ranma darling. Though once we are married we should probably avoid trips to the beach. Those could be awkward in light of your… condition."
The pigtailed girl looked dejected and a sweat drop was forming on her forehead. So much for the chance of Kodachi losing interest in her. She really shouldn't have expected something like that. When did problems actually sort themselves out for her before?
"However," her black haired hostess continued while shooting Ranma a somewhat angry look: "I do have to confess that I am somewhat miffed about the fact that you actually used that curse of yours in order cheat your way into that martial arts rhythmic gymnastics competition. That was supposed for girls only. You ruined my perfect unbeaten status."
The boy turned girl loudly protested: "What? I didn't cheat at all. I was a girl at the time and I won fair and square. You were the one that cheated in that competition."
"That's nothing but slander my darling. But let us not dwell on the past. I forgive you. That favor you promised me, do you still intend to keep your word my dear." A predatory glint was shimmering in the gymnast's eyes.
Gulping heavily Ranma steadied herself and confirmed: "Yes. As long as it's nothing that my honor forbids me from doing."
With a satisfied smirk Kodachi said: "Excellent. I want you to go on a date with me the coming weekend Ranma darling. Would you do that for me? Surely that is not too big a favor to ask of you." The redhead sighed and shortly thought about it. She did owe the other girl a lot for tonight. On the other hand, Akane would definitely fly into the usual violent rage again, not to mention what her other fiancées or her father would do if they found out.
Finally, she gave in and responded: "Alright Kodachi, I agree. I'll go on a date with you. But let's make a few rules first. One: No paralysis powder, sleeping potions or other drugs. I've had enough of that already, thanks. Two: No explosives, blackmail or poison either. Three: You don't go bragging about this to any of my fiancées or basically any of my acquaintances. Better not talk to anyone about it. If any word of this gets out I can already assure that this will end in a complete disaster. Knowing my luck, it probably will anyways but I'd like to minimize the chances."
"Deal!", the other girl agreed immediately and then squealed in uncharacteristic joy: "So do you want some hot water now darling. I have to admit that I'm quite intrigued to see the change with my very own eyes. Plus, I naturally prefer you in male form anyways."
"Yes please, I'd like some hot water." Came the young Saotome's exhausted reply. This had been a long night already. Just what had she gotten herself into again?
Her hostess gracefully strode out of the room and a little while later returned with a glass of steaming hot water: "Here you go Ranma darling." The redhead took the glass gratefully and unceremoniously poured it over her head. To her aggravation, aside from it being slightly painful and her hair getting wet absolutely nothing happened.
Further author notes: So with this Chapter two is done as well. Once again I hope I didn't write the characters too out of character. So once more, if you have read this until here, thank you and I hope you enjoyed it. If you didn't I apologize.