A/N: Sorry for the delay. An FYI, since people have asked: I'm slow at updating everything I'm working on. If you're reading this, and the story hasn't been updated in a while, it's very unlikely that it's been abandoned. I'm probably just being slow.
The last part of this story, starting at Ranma knocking on the door, was originally the end of the last chapter; Nabiki, at dinner, was going to ask him to come to her room after he finished eating. But, I decided that I was moving the plot too fast, so I split it off and created a new ending, starting with P-Chan showing up. Ergo, the most explicit thing I've written to date came completely spur-of-the-moment, and thanks to Ryan L. Spradling for pointing out that I was above my content rating. As I hadn't planned out that part of the storyline, it didn't occur to me to check that first. I've changed it to 'M'.
In that vein, this chapter contains limes. You've been warned.
Lastly, there is something very important to this chapter: it features the first extended interaction with the Amazons alone. When they're talking to eachother, they speak Chinese, not Japanese. To make it easier to follow, dialog in Chinese is set apart by double-grave accents (a.k.a. backticks, or that thing on the tilde key). ``Here is an example.`` Remember, too, that Shampoo doesn't speak badly in Chinese; in fact, to give fair warning, I made her swear like a sailor. It just seemed natural to her character.
Mousse sat glumly in front of their tent. He could have been back at the Amazon village. He didn't regret coming to Japan for Shampoo, but after making it to the restaurant, he never expected to lose the place and be on the street. Now, they had one tent in the middle of the woods, halfway up a mountain, looking down on the metropolis. It was perfect; he could always see the happier people with their nice homes. And, of course, the women wouldn't let him sleep in the tent, so he was stuck outside. He'd already spent one rainy night sleeping as a duck.
It wouldn't have been so bad if he and Shampoo were huddling together; nothing could be bad if they had eachother. Except, they didn't. No matter how hard he tried to be good to Shampoo, she brushed him off. Rather than accept their predicament as a sign that they should return to their home in China, Shampoo blamed him for everything, accusing him of interfering; saying she'd have taken Ranma back to China by now if he had kept his distance. He sighed. He tried to do everything right, and just got accused of ruining everything instead.
Shampoo sat at their campfire. Mousse looked up. ``Xian-Pu?`` he asked.
``What do you want, Mu-Tsu?``
``Are you okay?``
Shampoo scowled at him. ``Oh, sure, fucktard. I'm fantastic. Couldn't be better. I just love the fact that my fiancé is being seduced by some bob-haired Japanese prostitute. I'm ecstatic that I got kicked out of the restaurant, and I'm practically orgasmic to be stuck in a tent in the woods with your stupid ass.`` She looked away. ``Moron.``
He frowned. ``I'm so sorry, Xian Pu. That you have to go through all of this. You deserve so much better. I wish I could take you away from it, but… I can't. Is there anything I can do that would make you feel better?``
``Yes. Go kidnap Ranma and bring him to me. Once he's away from that bitch Nabiki Tendo I'll be able to take him back to Nyucheizu.``
``I meant something I could do around the campsite.``
``Oh, you mean something that a useless douchebag like yourself can manage. I didn't understand. Next time, be sure to remind me beforehand that you're an incompetent retard.``
``Uh… sorry… Xian-Pu. So, is there anything I can do?``
Shampoo sighed. She grabbed a bucket and threw it at him, bouncing it off his head. ``Go to the stream and fill the bucket, shit-for-brains. Why the fuck do I even have to tell you that? You knew I was getting ready to make dinner. Dumbass.``
Mousse nodded weakly and rose, heading toward the stream. He stopped next to her. ``Xian-Pu,`` he said, ``you know I love you, right? All I want is for you to be happy and—``
Shampoo have him a hard punch to the gut, doubling him over. ``Move your ass, you dickless turd,`` she barked. ``That bucket isn't going to fill itself. Shit, you're stupid.`` Mousse crawled away.
At the stream, Mouse sat, sobbing softly. It all just didn't seem worth it. This whole time, he'd been trying to bring his love back to China, but that was the problem— she wasn't his love. He loved her, but she didn't feel the same way. He hadn't been rescuing her; he'd been trying to change her mind. For the first time, he realized that, and the bigger issue: it wasn't working. If anything, she'd liked him a little bit less every day since the day he made it to Japan.
He dipped the bucket in the stream, stood, and started heading back to camp. He was fighting for a side that didn't even consider him a person. Why was he doing all of it?
Akane walked into Uuchan's and plopped down at the counter, giving Ukyo a weak wave. Ukyo finished ringing up the customer she was working on and headed Akane's way. "Hey you," she said. "You look like you don't know whether to cry or sleep." Akane shrugged, while Ukyo started digging into her ingredients. "How's octopus sound?" she asked. Akane brightened, and Ukyo went to work.
As Ukyo poured the mix into two piles on the cooktop, she looked at Akane. "So what does have you down, anyway?" she asked.
"Oh… not so much depressed as just… I dunno. Weary, I guess. I just feel wore out."
"Been working out or something?"
Akane shook her head. "Nah. Not tired like that. Just tired of… everything. All the stupid drama that goes on around here. If there was ever a time that I thought any of it was good, that time has passed."
"Something else happen? Besides all the mess we already have to deal with."
Akane let out a ragged sigh. "Ryoga is P-Chan."
"Your pig? What do you mean he is?" Her eyes widened as the realization hit her. "Wait. Ryoga's cursed?"
"Yes. And he's been cuddling with me every night. Burying his face right in my…" She covered her head.
Ukyo flipped both of the okonomiyaki. "Well, look at the bright side."
Akane didn't look up. "What bright side?"
"You know that guys besides Ranma are attracted to you."
"Ugh."
Ukyo shrugged, poking at the okonomiyaki for a moment before speaking. "How did Ranma react?"
"I don't even know. I was in such a blind rage, I didn't see."
"Do you think he knew?"
She looked up. "No. He wouldn't have let…" Her eyes widened and she buried her face again. "He was trying to get Ryoga away without telling me. That's why it always seemed like he was picking on him! He knew but didn't want me to know, so he tried to keep Ryoga out of my bedroom. I am such an idiot! He was trying to help me and I punished him for it! I'm so stupid!"
Ukyo scooped the okonomiyaki onto a plate and set it in front of Akane, who looked up. Ukyo smiled. "Aw, don't feel bad," she said. "You couldn't have known. Ryoga was just being a creep. Some guys are like that." Akane nodded sadly, and Ukyo put the other on a plate for herself.
She ate a piece, then smiled again. "You know what's been going through my mind?" she asked. Akane shook her head, and she continued. "I feel like a fool," she said. "Getting mixed up in all of this by choice. You got dragged into it, but I chose the drama. Dumb."
She ate another piece of okonomiyaki. "It occurred to me," she said, "that Ranma and his old man are leeching off of your family, contributing nothing of real importance, while I'm pulling in seventy thousand yen a day with this place. It's like showing up to fight someone and finding out they're sick and dying. I already beat them."
Akane grinned, her sour mood lifting a bit. "Yeah," she replied, "and we left all of the drama behind. We don't need Ranma. We're better without him." Ukyo nodded in agreement.
Nabiki reached the street below the train station and headed for home. She loved it when Ranma met her, but he had basketball practice that night and hadn't been sure when he would be finished. Besides, she couldn't expect him around all the time; they'd never get anything done if they didn't take a little time for their own interests. And, he'd be home later anyway, and she'd have plenty of time to squeeze his muscles.
She stopped in her tracks to enjoy the mental image. That was proof that Akane didn't think things through— she should've treated him better for his body alone. Of course, she'd always had a habit of ignoring all the good things he did for her. There were a million reasons she should have kept him around; reasons she never saw.
Suddenly, things didn't feel right. Ranma had been teaching her about ki and sensing things; basically a means of interpreting gut feelings. She hadn't spent much time on it at that point, but it was enough that she knew there was danger nearby. She jumped as a voice screeched behind her.
"Nabiki Tendo! Prepare to die!"
Nabiki jumped back as a ribbon snapped on the sidewalk in front of her, and looked up into the crazed eyes of Kodachi, who stood, weapon in hand. The girl cackled. "You're not even a challenge," she said with a grin. "This will be the fastest I ever ended a battle." With that, a volley of clubs flew Nabiki's way, as she dove to avoid them. Kodachi stood, triumphantly, expecting to see a battered Nabiki lying in the road. To her surprise, she saw only her clubs littering the asphalt. "Where did you go, you sneaky little…" she muttered. She heard a step and spun around, winging a hoop at Nabiki as she tried to ambush from behind.
Nabiki jumped to avoid the weapon, landing unsteadily. While Ranma could hop around effortlessly to avoid things like that, Nabiki was already out of breath from the effort. Two more clubs flew through the air in her direction, spikes popping from their sides. She dove to the ground and they sailed overhead, jamming into a wall nearby.
Nabiki looked around— she needed an edge, and quick. She remembered Ranma's explanation of the School of Indiscriminate Grappling— look for anything that could give you an edge, or exploit an opponents weaknesses, and always look for openings in the other person's defenses. Unfortunately, she wasn't left with many options against a highly-trained opponent on a city street. As she looked around quickly, though, she saw what might help.
As another club flew at her, she jumped up and rolled forward, grasping at whatever her hands could get. She jumped to her feet, a softball-sized chunk of concrete in one hand and a fistful of dirt in the other. Kodachi swung at her with a ribbon, and she jumped and rolled, throwing the handful of dirt in the girl's face. She was hoping to spectacularly blind her like what happens in the movies, but Kodachi merely stepped back, waving an arm to fan the dust away. It didn't stop the girl, but Nabiki's training was good enough that she immediately spotted that she'd created an opening, and she exploited it. Springing to her feet, she threw the piece of concrete as hard as she could. It bounced off of Kodachi's face with a sickening crack! The girl slapped her hands to her face as Nabiki dove for cover behind the nearest wall.
Kodachi pulled her hands away, staring in shock at the blood on her palms. She quickly grabbed her compact and opened it, scowling at her reflection, where the makeshift weapon had managed to split both of her lips. She slammed the compact down, shattering it on the street. "You drew blood, you harlot!" she shrieked. "No one gets a hit like that on Kodachi Kuno and survives!" She spun around, looking for her opponent, but Nabiki was nowhere to be seen.
"Yaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Nabiki suddenly appeared from behind a wall, leaping over it and jumping onto Kodachi's back, wrapping an arm around her throat to choke her. Kodachi spun around, trying and failing to get a hit on the girl. She growled as Nabiki squeezed tighter. With a shove, she slammed Nabiki back-first against the wall she'd come from. Nabiki gasped as the air was forced out of her lungs.
Kodachi stepped forward and tried to slam her against the wall again, but Nabiki put a foot up, pushing back just hard enough to avoid a hard blow. By then, however, her grip on Kodachi was starting to take its toll, and stars started to fill the girl's vision. She switched from trying to throw Nabiki off to desperately clawing at the girl's arm, doing anything she could to get enough air to avoid passing out. Already, Nabiki could feel her faltering, and she tightened her grip even more, squeezing with everything she had. Kodachi took a step, and everything went black. She tumbled forward and landed face-down, with Nabiki landing roughly on top of her.
Nabiki kept her grip for a moment, making sure that Kodachi wasn't getting up right away. Finally, she stood, gasping for air. Her sides ached from being crushed against the wall; she was certain it would hurt less to be hit by a bus. She looked down at Kodachi, who lay prone on the street. She drew her foot back and gave the girl a swift kick to the chin. "Bitch," she mumbled, before turning and hurrying away. She didn't want to be around when Kodachi woke up.
A few minutes later, Nabiki stepped through the door of the house. She slid it shut and leaned against it, catching her breath. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, her whole body was really starting to throb. It was probably from being slammed against the wall, though the rolling and diving certainly took their own toll.
Despite the pain, though, she felt incredibly accomplished. She'd won her first real fight. Granted, it was mostly due to luck and her opponent underestimating her, but a win was a win. She kicked her shoes off and donned a pair of slippers.
Kasumi came around the corner. "Welcome home Na— Nabiki! What happened to you?"
She heard footsteps as someone came running down the hallway full-tilt. It was Ranma. He stopped dead as he saw her— her clothes ruffled, a seam split on her shirt, her hair tousled, and smudges of dirt covered her face and arms. His expression darkened. "Who did this to you?" he asked, his voice a growl.
Nabiki waved a hand dismissively, then squeaked in pain as it made her side ache. "Relax, Ranma," she said with a cough. "It was Kodachi Kuno. I beat her. In fact, she hardly even got a hit on me."
Ranma's expression changed to one of surprise. "You beat her? What happened?"
Nabiki shrugged. "Oh, she came at me with her gymnastics weapons. I dodged a bunch of them. Then, I thought I should fight back. I remembered what you taught me about looking for opportunities and anything that can help. There was plenty of dirt and rocks around, so I tried to throw dirt in her eyes to blind her. It didn't work, but it distracted her." She looked accomplished. "I saw an opening. Just like you taught me. I looked for an opening, saw one, and took it."
"What did you do?" Kasumi asked.
"Hit her in the face with a brick."
Ranma blinked. "Wow. Really?"
Nabiki smiled broadly. "Yep. Right smack in the mouth. Split both of her lips. And while she was reeling, I ran around behind her. As soon as she turned her back, I jumped on her and grabbed her around the neck. Held on until I made her pass out. That's what most of this is from." She motioned to her body. "She was trying to throw me off. The only real hit she got on me was she managed to slam me back-first against a wall." She held her fists up in triumph. "It didn't work."
Ranma deflated, relief evident on his face. "You should've ran away. You haven't had enough training to beat someone like her. She's been training for years."
Nabiki cocked an eyebrow. "I thought martial artists never ran from a fight."
"I thought you weren't a martial artist. I thought I was teaching you a few moves to protect yourself."
Nabiki shrugged. "The more I learn, the better I can do against attackers. Maybe all this exercise is getting my testosterone flowing." She turned to Kasumi. "Is anyone in the furo? I could really use a soak."
Kasumi shook her head. "It's free."
Nabiki nodded. "Time for a hot soak to get rid of the aches. And we're taking a day off from exercise tomorrow."
Ranma nodded. "Fine, but I'm keeping an eye on you while you're in the bath. Kodachi's going to show up again for sure."
Nabiki brightened. "Ooh, I'd love for some company in the bath. C'mon, get those clothes off."
Ranma blushed. "Maybe I should wait in the outer bath."
Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Oh, quit being so shy. Besides, you have to be in the inner bath to stand guard; Kodachi could come in through the window."
Ranma nodded and followed her down the hall.
Kodachi stormed through the entry hall of the Kuno mansion. "That harlot!" she screeched. "That miserable streetwalker! She'll pay for this!" Tatewaki, still home from Korea, rounded the corner, attracted by the yelling. He stopped and stared. "What happened to you?" he asked.
Kodachi held a hand up and rushed for the furoba attached to her bedroom, where her sink and cosmetics were. She went to work cleaning the cuts on her lips. Tatewaki watched from the doorway. "Who did this, sister?" he asked.
Kodachi dabbed at her bottom lip. "Nabiki Tendo. She's more of a fighter than I thought."
Tatewaki shrugged. "Saotome fights in a very unconventional and unsophisticated style. He's surely teaching it to her. It's no surprise that you were unable to best her."
Kodachi slammed her fist on the table. "As if you've ever beaten Ranma!" She went back to her face. "She's insane if she thinks this is over. She'll pay dearly for this!"
"Kodachi, do you want my advice?"
"No."
"Let this go. I know that you never stop when you've yet to reach a goal, but Nabiki Tendo takes sliminess to a whole new level. She extorts people. She has connections. She can take action against you in ways you can't imagine."
"What could that hussy possibly do to me? We're the richest family in Nerima."
"That's part of it. Barely any of our assets are liquid; the rest is in stocks, bonds, trusts, and a million other things only an accountant can decipher. She can work the system better than anyone. I've no doubt that she could freeze every cent we have in an hour's time if she felt it necessary."
Kodachi, satisfied with her face-patching job, turned to face him. "Then I'll just have to make sure she doesn't survive." She headed for the door. "I shall return late. Don't wait up."
Nabiki lay in the warm water with her eyes closed. Saying that the furo's effect on her aches had given her a new appreciation for it was the understatement of the century. She opened her eyes and glanced at Ranma's back, where he sat a few feet away, staring at the wall. She turned toward him.
"Ranma-baby?"
"Hm?"
"Haven't I showed you my body already?"
"Well… yeah."
"And you've had your hands on me plenty."
"I guess."
"So, why are you looking away?"
"I dunno. I just… I dunno."
"So turn around and face me. And sit a little closer while you're at it."
Ranma turned slowly, as Nabiki leaned back to make sure the view of her breasts was unobstructed. Ranma held his nose, fearing a nosebleed, as he sat on the floor next to the furo. She reached a hand out and ran a finger along his cheek. "You sure you don't want to get in here with me?" she asked quietly. Ranma blushed. "Well," he stammered, "I mean… we shouldn't… y'know…"
Nabiki grinned. "You're wasting your time stalling," she said. "We're going to sleep together if I have to ambush you and tie you up." She leaned out of the furo to give him a seductive kiss. "Now how about you get in here with me? Hm?"
Ranma shook his head. "Can't be distracted. Seriously. Kodachi might show up at any moment."
"We'll be ready. Now come on."
"This really isn't a good time to do something like that."
Nabiki pouted. Then, her smile turned mischievous. "Oh," she said playfully. "I guess I'll have to pull you in with your clothes on, huh?" She leaned out as if to grab hold of him, and he scooted back, chuckling. "C'mon," he said. "Quit!" They both shared a laugh, and Nabiki leaned her elbows on the side of the furo. "If not today, then—"
Suddenly, the window flew open. Ranma and Nabiki jumped to their feet as Kodachi flew in. She launched a hoop at Nabiki, who leaped from the furo to avoid it. The hoop bounced off of the wall as Nabiki rolled on the floor and grabbed a bath stool. She jumped to her feet, holding the stool in front of her.
Ranma jumped to grab hold of Kodachi. Misinterpreting his move as one of affection, she threw her arms out and latched onto him, only to have her arms knocked away. She looked at him with a pout; she was met with an angry glare. "Get out of here, Kodachi!" he growled. The girl seemed oblivious to his tone. "Ranma, darling!" she shouted, jumping at him. This time, he gave her a hard enough shove to bounce her off of the nearest wall. She stared at him, looking hurt. "Ranma," she whispered. "Why do you push me away?"
Ranma pointed at Nabiki. "She is my fiancée!" he barked. "Not you!I don't want you!" Kodachi's expression changed. Angry tears sprang from her eyes. "You hate me!" she screamed. Ranma immediately went into stuttering mode, while Nabiki rolled her eyes. "You're too kind for your own good," she muttered. She looked past him to Kodachi.
"How's the lips, Kodachi?" she asked, grinning wickedly. "It's a good look for you. Gives you character. People will think you're Yakuza." Kodachi reddened in anger, as Nabiki continued. "Now," she said, "all you need to do is grow a pair of breasts, and the guys might look at you once in a while."
Anger flashed on Kodachi's face. With a shout, she lashed out with her ribbon, grabbing hold of the stool in Nabiki's hands. Nabiki held on tight, as Kodachi started to drag her across the floor. Ranma instantly snapped out of his stupor, bringing an arm down hard across Kodachi's arms, knocking her ribbon loose and sending it flying.
Kodachi spun around, then stepped toward him, putting her hands on his arms with a pleading look on her face, as though she were preparing to profess her love. He wasn't flustered this time, and he certainly wasn't happy, after watching her attack Nabiki. He grabbed her arms and, with a toss, he flipped her into the air, sending her flying into the furo. She landed on her back with a splash, sending half of the water out all over the floor, but still smacking hard against the bottom. After a moment, she jumped up, coughing up water.
Neither Ranma nor Kodachi expected what happened next: Nabiki's bath stool bounced off of the pale gymnast's head, courtesy of Nabiki, who threw it as soon as she saw an opening. Kodachi reeled for a moment, then, regaining her composure, leaped out of the furo and stood to face Nabiki, furious and dripping.
"I'm about tired of your attempts to take Ranma for your own!" she shouted, brandishing two of her spiked clubs. Nabiki seemed honestly ready to take her on, bare-handed and naked. However, Ranma leaped to intervene, grabbing Kodachi's arm and spinning her around. In the process, the club in her hand was knocked loose, flying a few feet to hit the shower handle.
"Ah!"
Ranma was hit square in the back by the cold blast. Kodachi had turned just in time to see the transition take place in its entirety. Ranma, now a girl, reached back in irritation to turn the water off. She looked at the stricken Kodachi. "So now you know," she said. She unbuttoned her shirt and took it off, wringing the water out of it.
Kodachi pointed shakily. "What… what did you do with my Ranma?"
Ranma stopped, her irritation peaking. She threw the shirt aside, yanking off her undershirt to bare her breasts. Reaching back, she grabbed the shower and turned on the hot tap. With a douse, Ranma was back to being a man. He gave Kodachi a split-second angry glare, before flipping the water to cold and splashing himself one more time. Kodachi stared in shock at the breasts that rose on the now-female Ranma's chest.
"What… what are you?!"
Ranma hung the shower up. "A freak. A mutant. A monster. Whatever is bad enough for you not to want to date me! Got it?!"
Kodachi spun to look at Nabiki, who put her hands on her hips. "Don't look at me," she said. "Don't want you getting jealous of what you see." Kodachi looked back and forth, surveying both of them. "Who are you people?" she said, her voice strained. After another glance, she turned and leaped out the open window, running away into the night.
Ranma and Nabiki both slumped to the floor. They looked at eachother, both relieved. After a moment, Nabiki crawled to the half-empty furo, grabbing a handful of water and tossing it on Ranma. With a splash, he was a man again. She slid across the floor, climbing into his lap.
"Now, you're half naked," she purred. Ranma held his hands up, accidentally grabbing her breasts before pulling his hands back. "She might still come back," he said. Nabiki pouted and shifted to straddle him, but then recoiled in pain and jumped off. She looked at him sheepishly. "Maybe I'd better heal before I do that," she said meekly. Ranma chuckled. "If you fight enough," he said, "you get used to the aches."
Kodachi jumped in through her window. Inside, her brother lay asleep on the floor. The sound of her landing roused him from his sleep, and he jumped to his feet. "Kodachi!" he shouted, "what happened?" Kodachi held a hand up, and Tatewaki was startled by her drained expression. "Not a word until I get out of this wet leotard, brother dear," she said softly. "And once I do, we need to have a long talk. I have some very interesting news about your pigtailed goddess…"
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A week passed in relative calm. Nabiki had gone back to training after a day off, and was mostly back in fighting form, albeit still soon enough in her training that there was little expectation of her beating anybody. Still, Nabiki remained proud of herself for beating her last opponent (and scoring another hit on her later), and Ranma was rather impressed with her resilience. She was quickly displaying the very quality that Akane had always lacked— the ability to take her time. Rather than stomping into everything with zeal ahead of ability, she analyzed what was in front of her, learning and practicing what was taught to her. It made perfect sense that she was always good at business.
This particular day, they were headed to the market to get supplies for dinner. They'd reached the point in their relationship where they enjoyed any opportunity to do something together, no matter how menial the task. A form of practicing for adult life. Besides, there hadn't any more excitement, and there hadn't been any more arguments with Akane, so they were finally getting a chance to be a normal couple, without the distractions that seemed to follow Ranma everywhere he went.
They walked down the road by the canal, holding hands. Nabiki gave his a squeeze. "I didn't really think Kodachi would stay away," she said. "That family is so nuts, I thought neither of them would believe your curse, even if they saw it with their own eyes."
"Yeah, well, with any luck she told her nutjob brother, and he believed her, and he's not going to paw at me every time I'm a girl."
Nabiki chuckled. "It's a good thing he stopped coming around for pictures after we graduated. I might lose some money. Which reminds me…" She leaned on him. "Given any thought to doing some posing for the camera? I still have my connections. We could make a mint. You wouldn't have to see the guys looking."
"Still thinking about it."
"All right. All right. I'll just keep my fingers crossed."
Ranma smirked. "They'd pay more for girl-on-girl, wouldn't they?"
Nabiki laughed. "You hentai! Actually, for the money that would make, I'd seriously consider it."
They were startled by a splash of cold water, which came out of nowhere to hit Ranma directly in the face. He stopped dead, sputtering as he changed forms. Now a girl, she looked for the source of the water, immediately spying the Kuno siblings, a garden hose in Tatewaki's hand. Without any other warning, he pulled out a steaming tea kettle, yanking the top off and tossing its contents on Ranma.
"Ow! Hot!"
Ranma's voice changed mid-word, as he became a boy again. It only lasted for a moment, before another cold blast turned him back to a girl. Tatewaki dropped the garden hose. "Saotome," he said, his voice a growl. "You sick fiend. You sorcerer. You gave yourself this form to trick me, didn't you? You were trying to tear me away from Akane Tendo, weren't you? This was all a plan to get her for yourself!"
Ranma slapped a palm to her face. "Nah, Einstein," she replied. "I didn't care about Akane. I did it all just to make you look like a moron. I'm a sadist like that." Nabiki burst into laughter, but Tatewaki was far from amused. He pulled his bokken and leaped for Ranma, swinging for her neck. "I'll cut your red head off and put it on a pole in my yard!" he screamed. While Kuno was easy enough to beat on any normal day, his fury was enough that he was making mistakes left and right, and a single kick from Ranma sent him flying, slamming into his sister and sending them both flying to the ground.
Ranma smirked, while Kuno pulled himself to his feet. "I won't be beaten by you, you cross-dressing freak!" he cried out, running for Ranma again. He sliced down with his bokken, and Ranma grabbed it, holding him off. "Are you stupid?" she asked. "I broke up with Akane! You can have her!" With that, she pulled hard on the weapon, sending Kuno flying over her head and landing headfirst in the street.
Kuno struggled to his feet and attacked a third time, noticeably slowed. With another swift kick, he flew face-first into the canal. Ranma laughed as he dragged himself to shore, flopping over on the ground. She smiled at Nabiki. "To the market, then?" she asked. Nabiki nodded. They started walking again, passing Kodachi as she was picking herself up. Nabiki nuzzled Ranma's neck, her status as a girl notwithstanding, earning a look of disgust from Kodachi.
"Oh, by the way," Nabiki said, "did you have anything planned for after dinner?"
"I'll probably get a bath right away to change back. Why?"
"That'll work out fine. I wanted to talk about something. After your bath, come straight to my room, okay?"
"Talk about what?"
"Oh, nothing serious. Just come on up."
"All right, I will." They headed off for the market.
Ranma knocked on the door to Nabiki's room. "Nabiki?" he said. He heard a sound from behind the door. "Come in," she replied. He opened the door and stepped in, immediately confused when she was nowhere to be found. "Nabiki?" he said. "Where are you?" Suddenly, the door shut. Ranma jumped, turning to see Nabiki standing by it.
Completely naked.
Ranma's jaw dropped. "Oh, uh… wow," he said, his mind unable to come up with anything else. She walked up to him, running her hands long his arms as she leaned in to kiss him seductively on the neck. "Ranma?" she whispered.
He closed his eyes. "Hm?"
"I want you."
She gave him a shove, pushing him onto her bed, and climbed on top of him. Her eyes have-closed from her extreme arousal, she reached down and slowly started undoing the buttons on his shirt, taking her time with each one. Reaching the last one, she laid the shirt open, kissing the part of his chest that was left exposed from his undershirt. She looked up at him. "What do you say we stop settling for a feel?" she said, her voice soft. "It's been a couple of months, and it's about time you got over being shy around me." Ranma gulped, beads of sweat breaking out across his forehead.
"Take your shirt off."
He nodded and sat up, shrugging his shirt off. His arms were barely free before she had his undershirt up. He instinctively raised his arms, and she yanked it off, tossing it on the floor. She pushed him down again, laying on top of him and making a point to push her chest against his. The sensation of her bare breasts on his chest was probably the best thing he'd ever felt. He let out an involuntary groan.
She leaned close, gave him a kiss, then stared into his eyes. "You ready for this?" she whispered. Taking a breath, he nodded. She put her lips to his again, reaching a hand down to tug the drawstring on his pants.
Akane sat at her desk, reaching for one of her romance novels. The guys in her life may have been idiots, but in the world of fiction, all was well. Besides, reading about these fictional guys helped her avoid an ill-thought-out crush on someone that could drive her to act in a way she'd regret. The last thing she needed to do was to come one to Kuno, or forgive Ryoga.
She moved to sit on the floor, flipping the book open to where it was bookmarked. Only a few words into it, she was startled by a thump form the wall. She looked up, staring at the wall that her room shared with Nabiki's. There was another sound, one that she couldn't quite describe. It sounded like a bed creaking.
She stood, kneeling next to the wall and putting her ear to it. Her jaw dropped at what she heard.
"Mmm… Ranma… oh, Kami…" A grunt in a male voice that was all too familiar. "Oh, Kami, Ranma… oh, just like that… is it good for you, Ranma?" "Yeah… " "Mmm… Ranma… baby… oh, don't stop. That's perfect. Kami…"
Akane scurried away from the wall, not stopping until she smacked back-first against her bed. They were… sleeping together? He'd called her uncute for the better part of two years, and now he was in bed with Nabiki after a month and a half? She squeezed her hands into fists, tears starting to come to her eyes. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, too mad to even smash something like she normally would.
She stood, hurrying out the door and down the hallway as the tears started to flow. She needed to be somewhere else. Anywhere.
Hurrying through the front door, she broke into a run, making a beeline toward Uuchan's. At that moment, Ukyo was the only friend that would truly understand. It was only a minute before she arrived. Seeing that the dining room was dark, she raced around the back, pounding on the door.
After a moment, the door opened, revealing Ukyo. She looked at Akane, concern in her eyes. "Akane," she said, "what's the matter?"
"I heard them… in bed!" She broke down into sobs. Ukyo was shaken by Akane's words, but being the calmer of the two, she took Akane's arm. "C'mon, Akane," she said. "Come sit down." She led Akane upstairs to her apartment.
The apartment was a single room, there being no need for a kitchen. Ukyo's futon was put away, leaving a western style couch and a television. Ukyo led Akane to sit, while she went over to the TV. "Let's watch a movie," she said. "I've got the perfect one to make you feel better. It's about two women who shake off the men in their lives. And one of them shoots a guy. It's a dubbed American movie." Locating her copy of Thelma & Louise, she put the tape in, rushing back to sit by Akane, who was starting to calm down.
"So," she said. "The two of them are… real, huh? Not holding back."
Akane nodded, tears still streaming down her face. "You know what the worst part is? He called me uncute, unsexy, all of these insults about my looks. Never once acted the slightest bit attracted to be. You know how many times he complimented my appearance? Three. Once, right after he got here and I was upset, and the time my hair got cut, and when he saw me in my…" A sob escaped her throat. "…wedding dress." She covered her face as more tears flowed.
Ukyo nodded sadly. "He didn't talk too much about those kinds of things, but still… he never made any kind of move with me, and he got with Nabiki so quick, you know? I guess… it really makes you feel rejected, huh?"
Akane sat back. "At least you got to hear him call you cute. Remember? When you first got here?"
"Yeah, well… I really think he was trying to make me feel better. I don't think he meant it like that. I mean, he never made a move, right? If he thought I was cute, he would've tried something. I threw myself at him and didn't get so much as a second look."
"Yeah, maybe."
"Besides… you know you're good looking. I've heard the stories of how you used to get mobbed. Did you ever see the guys coming after me like that?"
Akane shrugged. "I always figured it was because the guys at Furinkan linked you to Ranma from the start. Didn't you ever get guys after you at your old school?"
"I was in disguise at an all-boys school, remember? The only person who ever figured out I was a girl was Tsubasa, and he was way too crazy."
Akane chuckled, her mood starting to lighten. "Did you like it, going to an all-boys school? You sure had plenty to pick from, huh?"
Ukyo frowned. "Nope. I was afraid of giving away that I was a girl. If word got back to a teacher…"
"Yeah, I guess that would've ruined everything. So, the guys just never got to fawn after women, then? Must have been weird not having a bunch of guys chasing the girls."
"Oh, no. There was plenty of that. There was an all-girls school on the other side of town. People would have makeout parties, getting word between the schools so that boys and girls showed up. There was more going on than at Furinkn where we're all mixed. I think everybody felt repressed."
Akane laughed. "I used to wish I'd been sent to an all-girls school so that I wouldn't have guys chasing me. Turns out there's no difference!"
Ukyo shrugged. "Yeah, well… you didn't have to go to the parties, if you didn't want to. But you'd sure get questions if you didn't, especially if you were a guy. People started to wonder."
Akane nodded. "Must have made things tough for you, having to deal with that."
"Well… I got tired of the questions real quick. I started going to the parties after a few months."
Akane blinked, confused. "Wait… if they didn't know you were a girl… what, did you go and not get recognized? That wouldn't keep them from asking questions…"
Ukyo shook her head. "No, I had guys' clothes besides my school uniform. They still thought Ukyo the boy was there."
"Didn't anyone get suspicious when you weren't messing around with your fair share of girls?"
Ukyo was silent. Akane's eyes widened.
"Wait… You're not saying you made out with girls? How far did you go?"
"Never took any clothes off. They'd have found out I was a girl if I had. I was thirteen, fourteen… I had breasts to tape up by then."
"Well, it's all right, though… it's not like you would've wanted to, right? You're just that good at acting."
Ukyo was silent again. Her face started to turn crimson.
"Right?"
"No, I… I enjoyed it. All of it."
Akane's jaw dropped. "You're a lesbian?!"
Ukyo rolled her eyes. "Akane… do you think I was faking it that good with Ranchan? No. I'm…" She looked down. "I'm bisexual. I like boys and girls. I don't know if I was born that way or if it was from being treated like a boy when I was little, but… well, as long as I've been attracted to boys, I've been attracted to other girls, too."
Akane sat, motionless, trying to process what she'd just learned. Ukyo looked at her uncertainly. "Does it bother you?" she asked. After a second, Akane shook her head. "No, no" she replied. "I'm just surprised. I never had any idea." She thought for a moment. "I guess I should've seen it. I mean, the only time you've ever acted really girly was when you thought it would help you get Ranma."
Ukyo chuckled. "Silly me," she said. "Thinking that it would help to be more girly. All that time he just wasn't interested at all." Her face fell. "We didn't deserve this, you know. We were both unsuspecting pawns in other people's schemes. It's our fathers and Ranma's father that are at fault."
"Especially Ranma's. He's the idiot that engaged him to more than one girl."
Ukyo laughed. She gave Akane a lighthearted smile. "So… having never experienced being totally straight… I'm curious. Does a straight girl ever fantasize about being with other girls?"
Akane's eyes widened. "Me?! No, never! I mean… when Ranma was a girl, there were some feelings, but it wasn't sexual or anything. It was the emotional feelings. They carried over."
Ukyo nodded. "Yeah. There's something about him… when he's a girl, you can still really tell that it's him, you know?"
"I think it's his eyes."
Ukyo nodded.
Akane looked at her uncertainly. "So, if you're attracted to girls… do you think Ranma was right about me?"
"What do you mean?"
"My looks. Do you think I'm… y'know… pretty? Sexy?"
Ukyo grinned shyly. "I hope it doesn't creep you out to hear this, but I thought about you a lot after I met you."
"Really?"
"Well, yeah, I mean… you're plenty cute, and feminine, but you also have a powerful streak that most girls don't have. Not really manly, but… I dunno. Something about how much muscle you have and how well you fight. Very attractive qualities."
"I'm glad somebody liked it."
Ukyo chuckled. "In fact… can I tell you a huge secret?"
"After all that? Not much point in hiding anything, is there?"
She nodded. "I guess not. When I would chase Ranma around trying to get him, I wasn't really picturing a future with Ranma. Just Ranma. I used to imagine what it would be like… with all three of us, you know? I used to imagine you and I could team up to beat the other girls, and the three of us could live happily ever after. I knew we'd look crazy to society. I guess I never really expected it to happen for real, just imagining."
Akane's eyes were like saucers. "Oh, wow… wow…"
"Does that freak you out?"
"No, I'm… kinda flattered, actually."
Ukyo stared at the TV for a second. Her skin started to tingle. "Akane?"
"Hm?"
"You still feel lonely? I mean, after everything that happened?"
Akane thought for a moment. "Yeah, sometimes."
"Me, too." She took a breath. Turning, she took Akane's chin in her hand. Akane stared, shocked, as she leaned forward, putting her lips to the other girl's and giving her a slow kiss. Akane was surprised, but she still managed to return the kiss. Even though it was another girl, it was still nice to feel lips on hers. Ukyo pulled back, red as a beet, while Akane sat, still in shock.
"Ukyo?" she said softly. She stood. "I… I should go!" She went to take a step, but Ukyo jumped up, putting a hand on her arm. "Wait," she said. "Please, Akane. Don't go. I won't do it again. Just, please, stay." After a moment, Akane nodded, sitting back down. Ukyo sat, mortified. "I," she said, "I'm sorry, Akane."
Akane turned to look at her. "Don't be sorry," she replied. "Really. You just surprised me is all." She looked to the TV. "This is a pretty good movie, huh?" Ukyo smiled, glad to have a change of subject. "Yeah," she replied. "It's perfect."
Akane didn't say anything else. She sat, trying to think of a way to express what she was feeling, why she wanted to run away. It wasn't that she was angry, or upset, or disgusted. It was that she was embarrassed.
Embarrassed to admit she liked it.
A/N: Griffenvamp, you read my mind about Ukyo and Akane. I'd planned that from the start. And I was just kidding about that last part. Thelma & Louise isn't remotely a good movie. (^_^)