Devils Child

by chikane-chan

The devil is sick of Ranma evading him, and he creates a clone of Ranma's girl side to frame him. But things don't go as he planned as the girl breaks away from his control. Ranma gains a sister from the after math, that sticks by his side and there for him and his mother. As well as the usual cast here and there and some other oc's and appearances from some lesser characters.

23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Bitten

School came and went for the day as the siblings made their way to Doctor Tofu's as usual so Ranma could change back into a girl with cold water and change back into the school uniform as Ranko, so his mother was none the wiser. Ranma-chan came out from the clinic after doing so and the siblings were ready to start walking back to the house, until they were interrupted.

Kodachi strode over acting her part as she had been instructed, as well as knowing where to find the evil vile girl Ranka. Of course she still hated Ranko, aka "the pigtailed girl" as her idiot, love sick brother called her. Right now though her target was Ranka the one who called her out and took her precious hunkie pictures of her crush Ranma from her. She smiled at the vile girl before her. " Oh my, if it isn't the twins." Both of them gave her an irritated look. Ranma-chan crossed her arms. " What do you want, Kodachi? Haven't you done enough already?" She was referring to when they had to visit the Kuno's mansion and Kodachi had dropped Ranka down into her alligator pitt.

Kodachi laughed softly. " Well I have seen the errors of my way and I would like to make amends and start over." She fibbed on. Ranka gave her a distrustful look. "Have you, now?" Kodachi bowed her head some. " I have, I am sorry I had a little outburst and would like to show that I would like to be friends." Ranka gave her an odd look as did Ranma-chan. Kodachi showed her the fancy gold metal bracelet with a pretty light blue gem adorned on it, that she was wearing. "To show my amends, I would like for you Ranka to wear this friendship bracelet." Ranka still looked weirded out, but also knew it'd make her mother happy to make amends, since she was close friends with a Kuno herself. It did seem like Kodachi was trying to make amends. "Alright, I guess I could do that.." Kodachi smiled and clasped her hands together, for a second she focused her attention on the other girl Ranko. " I'd like to do the same with the pigtailed girl, for my brothers sake as course, but alas the set only came with two, but I will be sure to get another one, just for you." Ranma-chan gave her a dull look in response. She was fine with not getting one and shuddered from hearing about Kuno.

Kodachi smiled and took out the other metal braclet. " Here, let me put it on for you." Ranka tensed up some being so close to her as she tried to be polite and offered her arm. Kodachi's smile widened more as she started to slip it around her hand and closer to her wrist. Getting a bad feeling of sorts as the bracelet got closer, she tried to pull away, but the spider like legs, like claws, jutted out from the bracelet as they stabbed into her wrist, making her yell. The enchanted spider like bracelet tried to dig in more to her wrist and would've except her gem lit up making a defense barrier, as she ripped it off her. It fell to the ground with a clatter, and it seemed still for a moment, until it started crawling around on the legs towards it's target again. Ranma-chan's eyes went wide as she grabbed Ranka by her other hand and pulled her off towards her, away from Kodachi, and the spider like bracleet thing, then she glared daggers at the insane gymnastic. " What the hell did you do?!" She demanded to her.

Kodachi threw back her head and laughed her hideous high pitched laugh. " Just taking some "mutual" revenge. " She was annoyed however that the wicked, evil, vile girl Ranka hadn't put on the bracelet completely, but she did her part well enough. She laughed some more as she took off in a blur.

Ranma-chan glared after her before turning her attention back to her sister with a worried look. " Hey, you okay?" She had let go of her wrist after Kodachi had fled. Ranka rubbed at her other wrist that had stab holes in it and was bleeding some, as her mind started to feel foggy. "I.. think so.." The wound and around it started to blacken and spread, until the gem's powers pushed it back and started the healing process. Ranma-chan looked concerned. " Maybe you should have Doctor Tofu look at ya." Ranka shook her head as she steeled herself. " No it's fine, I'm already healing it.. Let's just get back, so.. mom's not worried.." Ranma-chan could tell she wasn't doing well, but didn't want to argue. " Okay.. but you gotta tell mom what happened." Ranka nodded slightly. Ranma-chan took her by her other hand and walked at a steady pace to get them back faster as she could sense Ranka's chi was not looking good and had a bad feeling that Kodachi had poisoned her.

After everyone had left the scene, a shadowy figure dropped a brick down on top of the enchanted spider critter bracelet, killing the source of it's life thru the gem as it shattered and stopped it from going after Ranka. Then taking her leave quickly.

Nodoka looked out from the kitchen where she was finishing up as she heard the front door open and the girls come back from school. She wiped her hands off as she went over and greeted them, only to her displeasure to see Ranka not looking very well, then she noticed her wrist was bleeding. Ranma-chan had let go of her sisters hand after they got back inside and had gone off to change outfits really fast, as she came back downstairs. Nodoka then took her by her other hand that wasn't bleeding and pulled her off upstairs to the bathroom to tend to the wound, as she started questioning her about what had happened. The effects from the attack were starting to worsen as Ranka seemed more out of it, her gem on her necklace gave off a glow as it kept up the healing process, as she had just managed to take her school uniform top off, wearing just a tank top as she started to feel hot. Nodoka had disinfected and bandaged up her arm, while trying to talk to her and not getting an answer, turned her attention to her. "Ranka, I'm talking to you. I hope you're not ignoring me." She kept going on. " Are you alright dear?" Ranka couldn't fight the detox process as she lost her balance and started to black out, as she felt herself becoming feverishly hot. Nodoka gasped as she caught her before she fell into her arms, and felt how hot her skin was.

She managed to get Ranka set up on her futon and changed the rest of the way, so she was more comfortable. She was extremely worried about her daughter but didn't overly panic as she could see she was still breathing. She left the room and came back with a wet, cold wash cloth as she put it on her daughters fore head. She gasped as she could see some steam emit from it. It definitely worried her as she went downstairs with another wet wash cloth, which she put in the freezer to get colder.

Ranma-chan at seeing her mom come back downstairs, followed after her. " Is Ranka okay?" Nodoka shook her head. "She's burning up and lost consciousness. Ranko, what happened? Did.. she get attacked again?" She said with a concerned tone in her voice. Ranma-chan tensed up looking angry as she nodded, she would't say it was Kodachi unless she had to, as it would upset her mother further.

After Kodachi had fled, she had met back up with Ivory to tell her she had delivered the revenge. Ivory after they had parted ways was twirling about as she met up with Satan. "Kodachi delivered, master." Satan stroked his goatee. "Excellent, the enchanted critter bracelet once attached with a new gem, while painful will allow me complete control. It won't be long now." Ivory chuckled in glee. "It's the painful part that I'm enjoying."

Unknown to the devil still, was that Ranka had made her own gem, and it was fighting back against the threat that had tried to invade. Like how a virus tries to infect a person and the white blood cells, fight back and heal the person.

Back at the Saotome's house, Ranma was sitting on the couch watching tv or trying to, but was also very seriously thinking of going to confront Kodachi for what she pulled, but in the end made up her mind not to act on anger and put herself into a bad position. Her mind was also made up that she was done trying to be nice to Kodachi at all, just how like with Shampoo, she had told her after she tried to hurt her sister, and if she went back on her promise, that she would be done with her. Of course Shampoo totally did a 160, so she wasn't angry with her like she was before. Kodachi on the other hand, was even less like able and crazy as all hell.

Nodoka was too busy going back and forth as she kept tabs on Ranka and kept trying to help her with her intensive fever. She had left the window open, hoping the air would help as she went back downstairs to put in another wash cloth to the freezer. Realizing she was too preoccupied, she decided to order out for dinner. Taking a break she took a seat on the couch, looking pretty tired. She snapped Ranma-chan out of her thoughts as she started talking with her about how they would order out for dinner tonight and what she'd like.

Shampoo in her cat form, jumped in thru the open window, as she had decided to come visit without having to worry about the angry mother in her cursed form. She padded her paws over to Ranka futon and was going to rub up against her, till she caught sight of her. Instead she padded around and put a paw to her head, almost getting burned as she pulled it back and yelped. Her eyes widened at seeing the distress Ranka was in and that she wasn't waking up, even when she gave her a few small meows. Scampering off and back out the window in a flurry as she ran off back towards the cafe.

Not much later Cologne greeted Shampoo as she came into the room, having changed back, looking angry. Cologne puffed on her pipe in the living room as they were on break. " What's wrong Shampoo, I thought you'd be happy, didn't you go to see son in law and Ranka?" Shampoo took a seat at the ground floor table. " I did great grandmother.. but "someone" hurt Ranka.. and Shampoo will make them pay." Colonge laughed at her. " That's funny since you tried to before. I'm sure son in law is furious at whoever was responsible. You see dear you should've listened to me in the first place about the girl." Shampoo looked flustered for a moment before her anger returned. " Now Shampoo get it.. you no need to rub it in great grandmother.." Colonge cackled. " Of course I do. You can't do anything right now though as you don't know who attacked her, so settle down." Shampoo huffed as she tried to do what she was told to, though she wanted to find the predator who had put her other Ranma in such a state. She jumped up from where she was sitting as the thought hit her suddenly. " Is that devil girl!" Colonge gave her a gentle whack to her head with her staff. " I said calm down."

Back at the Saotome's house they had finished having a solemn dinner. Nodoka had tried to see if she could wake up Ranka and even went so far as to try to feel her head, but had been repelled by a barrier. While she was still very worried about Ranka, that showed her that she had responded in some way. She went off into the kitchen to make something light for her other daughter in hopes she might wake up. She had some of the take out saved but had a feeling from the last time that she wasn't feeling well she wasn't up for eating too much. After she had finished her task, she went about to making up some shaved ice, and putting away some, before taking the rest to the table and calling Ranko over.

Once finished she looked over at Ranko with concern. "Ranko.. did you get targeted as well?" She felt some relief when Ranko shook her head, before going back to the couch to watch some more tv and go back to her thoughts. Ranma-chan was worried about her twin, as she had tried to link up and got nothing. Nodoka was cleaning up in the kitchen as she thought on things as well. Once again things were not adding up as she recalled Ranko telling her how Ranka was cloned from her and how she was hidden away. But the attacks were focused on Ranka. The demon woman the other day for example who had claimed to be Ranka's real mother, didn't seem to have any interest in Ranko. It really didn't add up. She finished up in the kitchen as she took a cold wash cloth with her, as she went upstairs to check on her other daughter. She was upset by the state she was in, but it wasn't as bad as how she had been before.

Nodoka sighed as she entered the room and knelt beside where Ranka was laying on her futon, as she went and exchanged the current wash cloth for a new and colder one, which was allowed. It had been a few hours now that she had been periodically checking on her daughter.

The gem stopped glowing as it had finished it's task. Nodoka took notice of this and the fact that her daughter seemed to be in less distress and looked calmer. She teared up as she saw Ranka slowly open her eyes and went to try to embrace her, only to get blocked as the gem lit up brightly, putting up the barrier again, stopping her from acting. Ranka shut her eyes for a minute. " Sorry it's.. too dangerous." Nodoka wiped at her tears with her cloth. She was just so glad her daughter was finally conscious, as she asked if she needed anything, to which she said some water. She had, had brought some in during one of her many check ins just case, as she handed her the glass after she had managed to sit up.

Ranma-chan downstairs felt more relaxed as she could sense Ranka was awake. She wasn't quite sure what to do, so felt it was best to leave it to her mother and not to interfere unless she had needed to.

Back upstairs after finishing the glass of water, Ranka let her mother know she was going to take a quick shower. After doing so and changing into a similar outfit, she laid back down for a few minutes with the cold wash cloth. Nodoka started to tear up again, and this time it was Ranka who embraced her lightly. " It's okay mom, i'm okay now.." Nodoka embraced her back, not wanting to let go afraid she might disappear. She ushered her downstairs to put her worries to ease and to eat something, to which she agreed. Once downstairs Nodoka embraced both her girls, then had Ranka sit down at the table to eat something. As she had thought right on going with a lighter and smaller meal, as she watched her daughter enjoy it.

After she was done, she wanted answers. " Ranka, Ranko told me someone attacked you, so I want you to tell me.." She starred intently into her daughters eyes. Ranka tensed up some. Not that she didn't want to get Kodachi in trouble, it was more so how the whole Kuno family fiasco was going and the biggest fact that her mother was friends with one of them. "I, don't remember.." Nodoka grew angry, as she could clearly tell like the other time with the girl at school, Ranka didn't want to put the guilty in trouble, but she would be stern as she wanted to know. She slapped her hand down on the table. " Just, tell me, now young lady!"

Nodoka's anger made Ranma-chan jump a bit. Ranka looked upset and slightly startled for a second before putting her head down. " Kodachi did.." Nodoka bit her lip in anger, as she got her answer, the same girl who had tried to hurt Ranka before. It was obvious that she would be having a long talk with her friend Kalu, about her niece's un acceptable behavior but right now she was busy interrogating Ranka. "You went and visited the Kuno's then?" Ranka shook her head. " No.. she approached us walking back from school and said she wanted to be friends.." Nodoka furrowed her brow some. " Why on earth would you try talking with her after what she did to you before, Ranka?" Ranka tensed up again. " I was trying to be polite.." Nodoka's eyes widen as she realized her wishes had put her daughter in danger. She felt like she was stabbed in the heart with a knife. She quickly changed the subject by bringing out the shaved ice. She wanted to know how exactly Kodachi had attacked her daughter but didn't want to press her any further. From what she was able to piece together from things, it seemed like Ranka had been poisoned.

She still felt the sting from finding out, her desire had put her daughter in a high risk, dangerous situation. As soon as she was done with the shaved ice, she sent the twins upstairs to go get ready for bed, as well as bid them a good night.

Once she knew they had gotten ready for bed after a while, she went upstairs to get ready as well and to take a nice bath.

In the room, they finished up doing their homework, then getting their futons out and set up. They were both laying down and this time Ranma-chan wasn't reading a manga, she just wasn't in the mood. She looked over at her sister. " Hey, you sure you're okay?" Ranka smiled a tad and very quickly. " Yeah, sorry I worried you and mom.." She looked off the other way some. Ranma-chan shook her head. " I'm just glad you're okay and uh.. I'm sorry I didn't take you serious before about.. "him." She then got a stern look on her face. " But you still better not try to go back." Ranka was still looking off some. " I told you I wouldn't, so I won't."

Ranma-chan still remained some what serious. "It's obvious Kodachi didn't act alone.."

Ranka was still looking off some. " Yeah.. I'm sorry too, I should've listened about dealing with Kodachi before. She's way too crazy to deal with." Hearing that made Ranma-chan laugh some. "You, think?" She said mockingly. Ranka looked a little flustered. "Okay already, I get it." Ranma-chan gave her a some what stern look. " And don't you forget it either." Ranka rubbed at her wrist. "After today, I definitely won't.. "

Ranma-chan gave her a concerned look. " I don't know why you did that." Ranka tensed up some. " I was trying to be polite.. " Ranma-chan gave her a look. " Uhuh and that worked out soo well." She said in a sarcastic tone. Ranka splatted her face down in her pillow as she murred. They both said good night as they got settled and the light turned off.

Down in the depths of hell, Satan drummed his fingers on his throne impatiently. "Any.. minute now.." He said in an angry tone. Alley sweat dropped from the other side of the throne at her seat. " It's been hours now though master, I don't think that Ivory's plan worked." She said with a sneer directed at the girl. Satan growled as he dug his claws into the arm of his chair.

Nodoka greeted one of her daughters as they sat down at the table for breakfast. After she finished she shifted in her chair nervously as she was in her thoughts. Nodoka interrupted them as she gave Ranka a concerned look, mixed with a smile. "Are you sure you're feeling well enough for going to school today?" Ranka fidgeted with her fingers some. " I am, like I've told you before, I heal fast." She shuffled her feet about some and tightened her fist some. " But I'd feel even better if.. maybe I could wear my boots to school today. Or well.. if I can wear them every other day." Nodoka let out a sigh, before smiling some. "Alright dear, that seems fair enough." She couldn't deny her request, partially as she felt guilty for her expectations, putting Ranka in danger. Also because she was willing to also dress more accordingly every other day at least and seeing her smile so brightly over boots. She giggled some about it, as she watched her put her dirty dishes in the sink, before dashing back upstairs.

Ranma-chan had gotten up and ready and come downstairs, taking her seat at the table and having some breakfast. After finishing she noticed her mother looked really happy and figured it was some girly thing between her and Ranka. Nodoka smiled at Ranko, thinking she might get the same reaction from her " Would you like to wear boots too Ranko dear?" Ranma-chan shrugged her shoulders. " Nah, I'm good thanks." Nodoka seemed a little confused but then had to remind herself, even though they were twins that she could see that Ranka was more into girl ish things, while Ranko was not. Both the girls were on the tom boy side, but Ranko was far more than Ranka was. After Ranka came back down and they had all their school things, Nodoka sent them off on their way to school.

They walked off a ways, before walking off in the direction of the clinic. Ranma-chan noticed how happy her sister was, in a much better mood than the previous day or so. " So, you got mom to let you have your boots back huh." Ranka smiled some. " I compromised." Ranma-chan nodded her head in agreement as they went off into Doctor Tofu's. " I'll be right back." She went off to go change.

Doctor Tofu poked his head out from his room at seeing Ranka as he greeted her and noticed her boots, the last time she had on the regulation school shoes. He couldn't help but poke fun at her. " You're a rebel Ranka, aren't you." Ranka laughed a little. " I like my boots." She liked her skull earrings too but was happy enough that she had her boots. He smiled at her knowingly. " I had a lot of new patients the other day." Ranka eered as she shuffled her foot about some, knowing that Doctor Tofu knew it was her and Ranma's handy work, since he was able to tell that kind of stuff.

After Ranma came back having changed back into a guy and in his usual chinese outfit, they said good bye and took their leave only to run into Shampoo. She glomped onto Ranma tightly. " Airen, so happy to see you!" Ranma fussed some. " Cmon Shampoo I have to get to school." She let go of him and glomped on Ranka. " "Aiya you all better, Shampoo so happy." She blurted out, before glomping back onto Ranma . Both siblings looked very annoyed. Ranma keeps trying to pull her off him. " What do you mean by "that?" Ranka gave her a look as well. " Yeah.." Shampoo gets off from around him. "Aiya, look at time, I going to be late." She rushed off inside the clinic. They both sighed as they knew she had let herself in again, obviously.

Getting off to school and getting in with no interference from Kuno was a blessing. If he had showed up, Ranma was about to go off on him about his twisted sister Kodachi and what she had pulled. So he was lucky he hadn't been around. After getting into the classroom and taking their seats they greeted all their friends. Hiroshi greeted back and while it wasn't that he didn't like the boots Ranka was wearing, he much rather would've preferred the pantyhose again. " Aww no panty hose?" He earned a sharp kick to his leg from an angry Ranma. Daisuke shook his head at him at his foolish friend. Ranka ignored him and was busy talking with Ukyou.

Ukyou having noticed she was wearing boots, joked with her. " You do know those are against school rules, right?" Ranka smirked some. "they aren't hurting anyone." Ukyou smirked back and nodded her head. " Believe me I get it." She was wearing the boys uniform today, wanting to take a break from wearing the girl one.

Thristha was too busy admiring Ranka, she thought about if she should wear boots too but it just wasn't her thing.

Before they knew it and class had gone by and it was already time for gym class. This time they were inside and playing volley ball on the girls side and on the boys side they were playing basketball. Of course Ranka had wanted to skip, she wasn't a fan of gym class, but knew she'd get an earful if she did.

Ranka was on one side of the volleyball net with the team she was and Akane was on the other side with the team she was as they were getting ready to start. She noticed a girl and Akane bickering back and forth and could tell it was pretty heated, more so as it was a bit of bullying as well. Once it was Ranka's turn to serve up the ball, she smacked it really hard and off so it hit the bullying girl in the head, just enough to knock her over. The gym teacher gave her a look. Ranka acted like it was an accident. " Whoops."

Akane couldn't help but smile a bit and blushed some, seeing that Ranka had protected her from the angry girl that had been bothering her at times. Where Ranma wouldn't hurt girls, his sister on the other hand would hold no mercy. Though she could've hit the ball a lot harder, she hit it hard enough that it knocked the other girl over, but not too hard that it would injure her.

The rest of the class went by without incident as the angry girl had been sent off to the nurses office. After class ended and the girls were changing out of their gym clothes and back into school outfits, after finishing and pulling her boots back on, Akane was standing there looking flustered. She cleared her throat. "Thanks.. Ranka." Ranka looked over at her. "For what?" Akane fussed back. " For um.. well you know." Ranka kept acting like she didn't know, but Akane knew by her actions, she was able to pick up on the angry girl that was picking a fight with her. Pretty soon it was just them in the locker room. Akane stood her ground. "You didn't have to.." Ranka gave her a look. "Maybe not but I felt like it, besides.. it's Ranma's job to call you names, not some bent out of shape, jealous bully." Akane fussed some more. " I thought you hated me.." Ranka played with her pony tail. " Did I ever say that? There's things that I don't like that you do, sure yeah but if you want me to hate you, I can do that too."

Akane felt tense as she became more flustered, as it was like Ranma was talking to her and actually telling her how he felt. She couldn't help but feel that way. "I uh guess not.." She noticed Ranka's boots and couldn't help but smile some, her and Ranma were both rebels, not following the school dress codes. "No! I.. don't want that."

Ranka blinked at her. " You sure? I never know with you.." Akane got flustered. " And what is "that" supposed to mean?!" Ranka put her hands on her hips. " Gee I dunno you tell me, Akane." Akane clenched her fist as turned on her heel and left the locker room frustrated and before she got too angry with Ranka, but also because she found herself thinking once again at how it was like she was talking to Ranma in girl form. It wasn't far fetched since Ranka was essentially Ranma's girl side.

Ranka grumbled about Akane and went off thru the back door of the locker room outside to calm down, going over to where the faucet was to get a drink of water and splashed some water on her face. Shampoo jumped down from a tree, seeing her chance as she had been stalking about. She glomped herself onto Ranka. " Aiya other airen, Shampoo so happy to see you." Ranka was really red in the face. " Haven't you ever heard of personal space?" Shampoo smiled and shook her head. Ranka tried to pull her off her. " Cmon I gotta get back to class." Shampoo unlatched herself from her and had a stern look on her face. "Only if you tell Shampoo who hurt you?" Ranka looked off some. "That's none of your business." Shampoo read her like a book. " Is that girl that attacked you in the park. Shampoo will give her "kiss of death." She said in a dead serious tone. Ranka waved her hands about nervously. " Ah no, you don't need to do that! " It was too late as Shampoo disappeared as she took off in a blur.

She sighed as she went back off inside and went off to the nurses office to lay down for a bit, as she could get away with being a little late to her next class with a note. Laying down in the bed she sighed more, as part of her felt bad for Ivory. The other part didn't feel bad. It wasn't as if she had put the hit out on her, herself. She had a feeling that Ivory was behind the whole thing with Kodachi, but hadn't said a word. Unfortunately the amazon had seen her and Ivory fighting and figured things out on her own.

Back at the classroom, Ranma had noticed that Akane had came in looking annoyed and how when her friend Sayuri was going on about where Ranka was, at how she had tensed up. Oh man, they must've had a fight, he found himself thinking and remembered how his sister skipped or went to the nurse's when she wanted to calm down and figured that must be where she was. Not much later he saw her come into the classroom, after giving the teacher a note from the nurse, before taking her seat.

The school day went by and came to an end as they left for the day and stopped off at Doctor Tofu's before heading back to their mother. Nodoka greeted her daughters as she welcomed them back from school and they had snack time together, after the girls had changed into casual outfits. Not much later she sent them off after they had packed their bags for the weekend to stay at the Tendo's.

Off at Asadaiba, Ivory was walking back to meet back up with her master, but suddenly her path was blocked off by a purple haired girl who sneered at her, before taking her face into her hands and planting a kiss on the side of her cheek. Ivory found herself blushing as she pulled away from her. Shampoo smirked evilly at her before disappearing off into a blur, leaving a confused Ivory.

Kasumi greeted Ranma and Ranka as they came in thru the front door. Soun greeted them as well. Genma huffed and ignored both of them, going back to his game with Soun. Ranma-chan went off to go take a bath. Akane finally came downstairs and tried to keep her cool as she exchanged greetings with Ranka. Kasumi looked back and forth between them, noting they both seemed grumpy with each other.

Elsewhere Ryouga happened to make it to the Tendo's and at hearing Ranka was there and was intent on trying to see her. His luck lately had been extra horrible with water, it seemed like it kept keeping him from being able to see her. He had wanted to thank her for the other cake but also apologize for how things had gone.

Shampoo had been following his every move as she was perched up on top of the roof with a bucket of water in hand, which she emptied down on top of the lost boy as he tried to approach further. She was intent on making sure he stayed away from her claim as much as possible and that he stayed with Akane where he belonged. Akane stepped out onto the back porch to take a breather as she sat down, looking off. Shampoo moved super fast so she made it look like P-chan jumped up, as she tossed him off at her chest. Akane at spotting her beloved pet pig grabbed him and giggled as she hugged him to her chest. " Oh P-chan, where have you been?"

Shampoo disappeared since she had accomplished her task and got herself back to the cafe as fast as possible.

Akane smiled as she went back inside with the little black piglet as she sat back down at the table, hugging him to her chest more. P-chan's eyes widened as he saw Ranka giving him a cold glare, before turning her head off the other way. The look said it all, she was telling him he was a pervert. Ranma came back from his bath and at spotting P-chan being hugged up on by Akane, also gave the pig a cold glare. P-chan tried to pull away from Akane but her grip was too tight.

Happosai came out from his room at hearing commotion and at spotting Ranka, leapt up into the air and latched himself on her chest making happy noises, till she whacked him off her with her balled fist. Then Ranma beat the crap out of him for touching his sister. Getting back up from his beating he growled with an angry look. " Ranma, how dare you treat your master this way!" He then leapt up, tossing P-chan aside as he latched onto Akane's chest chuckling making her yell. Ranka whacked him harder than before to smack him off from her, where Ranma jumped in to kick his ass. Happosai jumped up from the fight cloud as he grabbed up a bucket of cold water and flung it onto Ranma, triggering the curse with cold water, changing him into a girl and then latching himself onto her chest chuckling.

Kasumi sat shaking her head with her hand to her face as she watched Ranma-chan run around yelling and trying to get the old pervert off her chest. "Oh dear oh my.."

Akane watched on as well, as she saw Ranma-chan stop and try to get him off with a whack, only for him to get a double whack from Ranka, which finally got him to let go. When he tried to leap up and grab her, he smacked into her barrier face first, which she had activated with the gem, knocking him out as he fell to the floor. Ranma-chan then went off to the bath again, where Ranka opened up Happosai's room door, and pushed him off into the room with her foot, before shutting it behind him. Kasumi was impressed by this, as she got up and went off into the kitchen to figure out dinner. Akane at noticing that P-chan was gone, went off looking for him.

Genma didn't like how close the two had gotten, especially since in his eyes the girl was a bad influence on Ranma and decided to try to sway her, since he hadn't been able to sway the boy, maybe he could sway her. He moved himself over to the table where she was sitting and showed her some money. " How about you go back with Nodoka and just leave Ranma here." Ranka gave him a cold glare. " Wow.. now it's bribery huh. She glared right into his eyes. " Your wife is looking for you old man, and she's not going to stop, so you should just own up for your crimes." Genma shuddered at her words, he hated how smart and devious the girl was. It was exactly what he didn't want Ranma around, he was rebellious enough. She stood up and hmpfed as she went off outside to the back porch to sit away from him.

Soun who had been thinking about his next move on the game board, looked over at Genma. " Saotome.." He just shook his head at him. " Do refrain from fighting with Ranka, she's a guest just as you are in my house. Also, your wife has entrusted me to watch over her and Ranma." Genma grumbled as he went back over to the game board.

Ryouga had managed to change back after hopping into the already hot and filled tub, then wandered around where he happened to be outside by the porch. His heart was racing as he spotted Ranka sitting not too far off. "Hey uh Ranka." Ranka looked over at him out of the corner of her eyes un amused. " Oh hello Mr. P. Did you not get enough of Akane's boobs yet hmm?" Ryouga got really red in the face and if it hadn't been how Ranka wore her hair up in the pony tail and she had a skirt on, he would've thought it was Ranma, except he wasn't so direct. Ranka was in a bad mood already thanks to Genma. " You say you don't like her.. but.." Ryouga tried not to let her intimidate him. " I uh wanted to thank you for the other cake, and sorry about how it went down. I've been trying to but uh water keeps finding me.." Ranka barely looked at him. "Uhuh." She shrugged her shoulders at him. " My mom made me so you should be thanking her instead. Oh and Akane's looking for her cute widdle piggy." Ryouga twiddled his fingers about nervously. "I uh.. should go." He ran off really fast in a random direction.

Ranka got up and went back inside and off to the kitchen to help Kasumi. "Hey Kasumi, what can I help you with?" Kasumi smiled some as she wrung her hands some to her apron. " Oh that's so sweet of you Ranka, but um well I need to go to the store for one of the ingredients for dinner." Akane having given up her hunt for her pet came into the kitchen. "What's wrong Kasumi?" Ranka looked over at her and then back to Kasumi. " I could go pick up what you need at the store." Akane nodded. " Yeah we'll go get what you need." Kasumi smiled. " Alright then I'll start on other things while I'm waiting." She wrote down what she needed on a piece of paper and gave them some money. She was happy to see that they weren't being as grumpy with each other as before.

Ranma came back from his bath to see them about to leave. " Hey, where are you guys going?" Akane: " To go get something from the store for Kasumi." Ranma put his hands in his pocket. " I'll come too then." They all left the house together as they headed to the store.

After leaving the store with the spice they were after, started heading back. Only to be met with a new gang standing in there way. With the leader who announced himself and how this was revenge for hurting his friend, as he launched an attack on Ranka, only to get it back twice as much. Akane watched in bewilderment as both the siblings took out the group of gang members within a few minutes. She held the shopping bag as she clutched it annoyed. " Honestly.. you two are unbelievable!" Ranka frowned some. " They" started it." Ranma cracked his knuckles. " Yeah we're just finishing it." Ranka rubbed at the back of her head. " Or trying to anyways.. but they keep starting back up." Akane's anger dropped some. " Oh, well we better get this back to Kasumi."

Kasumi smiled gratefully after getting the spice she needed and soon after she was able to get dinner done and served up with Ranka and Akane helping her out as well. After dinner they were watching tv together after having helped with clean up, while Soun and Genma played their game. The evening went by and after making a call to Nodoka, Ranka went off up to bed with Kasumi, followed by Akane. Nabiki was thankfully not around and was out with friends if she wasn't at home. Ranma went off to bed a head of his dad, knowing he wouldn't be in for awhile yet.

As usual he laid back on his futon in his and his fathers room as he read a manga. While he liked being able to not be in his girl form when he was at the Tendo's, he also didn't get to talk to Ranka as much alone. At least at his mothers that wasn't the case. He was interrupted after awhile as his father finally came into the room and set up his own futon. Genma decided to keep trying to sway Ranma in any way he could think of. He cleared his throat. " Ranma, my boy I hate to be the one to tell you this, but.." He motioned for him to come over to him so he whispered the rest, which promptly earned him a whack to the head after.

Ranma already went back over to his futon, looking pissed off at what his father tried to pull with Ranka. "Yeah right, your full of crap." He put his manga away and went to bed after, before he started a fight with his dad.

Getting up in the morning shortly after she had heard Kasumi get up, she yawned and stretched before flopping back down on the futon. She groaned knowing it was the weekend and her and Ranma both had to go work at the Nekohanten with Shampoo. After a few minutes she started to get up and get herself ready for the day. Shortly after getting up and dressed she went off downstairs to go help Kasumi with setting up the table for breakfast. Before they had left their mothers they had planned how they'd leave separately to go to restaurant to avoid suspicion and rage from Akane. She sat and had breakfast with Kasumi, before telling her she was going out for the day and would be back later on, as she departed shortly after.

Shampoo looked up as Ranka came in thru the front door of the restaurant. " Aiya, other airen, Shampoo so happy to see you. Is Ranma coming too?" Ranka nodded. " A little later." Shampoo took her by the hand and led her off upstairs to get her an outfit to change into for work. After she finished changing into the light blue two piece chinese outfit that had pink flower design on it, Shampoo had her sit down at the table in the living room with her and Cologne as they had some tea, relaxing as the restaurant wasn't open to the public just yet.

Shortly after Ranma-chan came in and was immediately glomped onto to by Shampoo. " Aiya, Ranma, Shampoo so so happy to see you!" Ranma-chan grumbled. " I'm sure you are.. " Shampoo giggled as she took Ranma-chan off upstairs to get her and outfit for work, the pink one with bell's that she had worn before, then having her sit and have some tea as well, with Shampoo clinging onto her arm. Mousse glowered in anger in the kitchen, where he was already working.

Not much later Colonge had sent Shampoo and Ranka off outside with free samples and it didn't take long before the customers came rolling in. More came after seeing the cute red head twins that were working there. Of course more of the guys were flirting more with Ranka. Cologne made sure that she kept Ranma-chan busy so she couldn't stay mad, being preoccupied with having to catch and juggle what was thrown at her by the old ghoul. Ranka ignored all the flirting and kept at doing the job. Ranma-chan groaned at how busy she was kept and all the attention that she and her sister were getting.

Ranma-chan went over to another table to take an order and tensed up at hearing a voice from behind her. Nabiki was the voice from behind at another table. " Well well, I didn't expect to see you here today Ranma." Ranma went about dealing with the current customer, then turning around as she heard a click sound coming from Nabiki's table, making her go over to her table. " Did you just.." Nabiki waved her hand. " Don't mind me." Ranma-chan had an annoyed look on her face. " I would but you are a customer.. so what do ya want?" Nabiki was looking at the menu. " I haven't decided yet, I'll need a few more minutes." Ranma-chan grumbled and went off to go put the other order in. While she wasn't paying attention, Nabiki went back to taking pictures. Ranka noticed in between tables as she came over with a hand on her hip. " Hello Nabiki, up to no good are you?" Nabiki smiled at her. " Well hello to you too Ranka." Ranka gave her an un amused look. " You owe me and Ranma a percentage, especially since you're taking them without permission.." Nabiki gave her a smirk. " I can't help that the camera loves you both." Ranka mumbled under her breath " Uhuh.." Before going off to another table.

Ranma-chan comes back over when she can. " So, do you know what you want now, Nabiki?" Nabiki hmmed a she put the menu down and hiding her camera as she did. "I do." She rattled off a few items. Ranma-chan gave her a look. " We're you taking pictures?" Nabiki smiled smugly. " The bigger question here is does Akane know you're over here working at Shampoo's?" Ranma-chan froze up at hearing that. "Uh…" Nabiki smiled back widely. " So if you don't want me to squeal.." Ranma-chan looked frustrated as she dropped the matter, and went off to the order in.

Cologne having spotted the Tendo girl came over and smiled at her. " No picture's are allowed, unless we take them, normally.." Nabiki sighed. " But for a fee I can, right?" Colonge laughed some. " You're a smart girl." She decided on a price and had her pay up, before hopping back off into the kitchen. Nabiki didn't like that she had to pay this one or that one, but with the pictures she had, it would definitely pay off. Even if she had to cough up a percentage to the un willing models.

Not much later, Akane found herself wondering why both Ranma and Ranka had gone out for the day. Kasumi had told her that but suddenly she was wondering where they had both gone. She decided to go out herself and first went over to Ukyou's, in case one of them went over there. Not finding anyone there she tightened her fist as she tightened her fist thinking how she really hoped she didn't find Ranma at Shampoo's or he was going to get it. She grew annoyed as she saw the long line to get into the Nekohanten, pushing her way thru it as she peeked her head inside and at spotting both of them grew infuriated. She stormed over to where she saw her fiancee. " Ranma! Why are YOU at Shampoo's!" She demanded. Ranma-chan shuddered at hearing Akane. " Ah Akane! I can explain.." Shampoo smirked at Akane. " You is no customer than you have to leave, we busy." Ranka came over at seeing Akane and tried to diffuse her. " Oh hey Akane, sorry but we are working." Akane bristled as her anger brewed. " Working?! Why are you doing that and at Shampoo's!" Ranka sighed. "For breaking sacred amazon treasure.. that's priceless, that's why." Shampoo put her hands on her hips. " We busy so you go now, or go wait in line." She said pointing to the door. Akane hmpfed and turned on her heel about to leave, until she spotted Nabiki hiding her face behind a menu. "I'm with "her." Nabiki sighed as she went and bailed her sister out, allowing her to sit at her table with her. " You do know this isn't come to for free Akane." Akane puffed her cheeks in reply, knowing full well she would have to pay Nabiki for her help.

Nabiki finished up with her task as she tallied up things. Ranma-chan came over and at spotting Akane tensed up. Akane demanded answers as she and Ranma bickered back and forth. Nabiki ducked out while they were, leaving Akane with her bill. Cologne finally went over and tried to break it out, she hadn't acted immediately as it was getting close to closing time and there weren't many customers left. She coughed loudly to interrupt them. " Are you ordering anything or not?" She then noticed the bill on the table. " Or perhaps you'd like to settle up your bill." Akane eyes widened as she spotted the bill and realized Nabiki had left her to pay up her bill. She grumbled as she took out her wallet. " I guess I'll be settling the bill." She took a sip of her water as she actually looked at the amount on it and ended up spitting out some of it. Colonge coughed again. " Well I'm waiting girl." Akane tensed up. "I.. don't have enough." Ranma-chan sweat dropped. Colonge coughed again. " I see, well then I guess you'll have to work it off then by doing all the dishes." Ranma-chan sighed. " I'll help, come on Akane." Cologne led them off into the back of the kitchen to get started, telling Mousse to close up the restaurant.

In the mean time Shampoo went upstairs with Ranka and after she changed out of the work outfit, she insisted they have some tea and snacks. Shampoo glomped onto her arm all snuggled up. Ranka sipped some of the tea before setting the cup back down on the table, looking annoyed. Shampoo noted this. "Is you upset with Shampoo?" Ranka let out a long breath with her eyes closed before opening them again. " I told you not to give Ivory "the kiss of death." and you still went and did anyways, didn't you.." Shampoo nodded with a smile on her face. "Why do you care, that girl keeps hurting you, so Shampoo eliminate her" Ranka gave her a a bit of a glare. " Oh, like you tried to do to me! Now you suddenly want to marry me." She laughs some tensely. " You hate Ranma's girl side, just admit it!" Shampoo stayed snuggled up to her. "Shampoo realize she was wrong and she sorry. That was then and this is now." She then got a stern look on her face. " Answer question, Ranka, why you care about devil girl." Ranka looked really upset and just clenched her fist. Shampoo looked into her eyes with big and bright eyes and looking as cute as possible. " You hate Shampoo?"

Ranka blushed as she tried looking off the other way. " I uh.. no.." Shampoo giggled as she pressed into Ranka's arm with her chest. " You think Shampoo ugly?" Ranka shook her head about furiously, even if she wanted to lie, there was no denying how beautiful the amazon girl was and like Ranma wasn't able to fight that fact.

Shampoo smirked knowingly as she removed her arms from around her arms, only to wrap her arms around her neck smiling as she pressed her chest into hers. " Aiya airen, Shampoo so happy, you like Shampoo." She took the chance to steal another sneaky kiss, making them both fall over, with her on top kissing a few seconds, before being pushed off by an extremely flustered Ranka, who was ten shades of red. Shampoo smirked seductively at her. " You like." Ranka wiped her mouth with her hand, keeping her hand to her mouth. " No, I don't like! You.. perverted amazon! How many times do I.. have to tell you.." She got up shakily as she shook her head to snap herself out of dazed state before leaving the room in a rush. Shampoo giggled as she watched how flustered her other airen had gotten, she could deny all she wanted but it was clear that she liked her.

Ranka had run off to the bathroom after her hasty retreat, as she splashed her face with cold water and grumbled still red in the face. Ugh, now this was the second time that sneaky amazon had blind sided her and kissed her. Bad enough she had stolen her first kiss before. Damn it, why did Shampoo have to be so beautiful and sneaky. She sighed as she splashed her face a few more times, trying to calm herself down.

After a while she went off downstairs looking for her sibling, until she could hear sniffling from the kitchen. Just by seeing the situation she could tell what had probably gone on and went over and started helping them with the dishes. Akane clenched her fist in anger. " How could she do that to her own sister!" Ranma-chan just kept at her task, un sure of what to say or how to go about it without fueling the fire further. Ranka kept at her task as well, but also put it simply to her. " Because it's Nabiki and that's what she does." Ranma-chan nodded in agreement. After they finally finished Cologne was nice enough to have some ramen ready for them, though it was more for the siblings. Shampoo was busy putting away all the clean dishes and in a good mood, she would give Ranma plenty of love tomorrow, so she behaved herself for the time being.

As they started walking back after Ranma had turned back into a guy with some hot water after changing out of the work outfit, him and Akane were trailing behind a bit from Ranka who was a little a head of them. She came around the corner of the street wall, to bump into Kodachi. Kodachi scoffed as she spotted her and the fact that she was okay, that the mutual revenge plan had failed, but tried to lay the blame on her instead. " You there, yes "you", how dare you reject my olive branch." Ranka scrunched up her nose in disdain at her. " That's because I knew you were full of it, and you wanted me gone." Kodachi laughed her hideous laugh in response. "Ohohoho!" Ranka curled her lip in response as the hideous noise hurt her ears some. At hearing and seeing Kodachi, Ranma dashed over glaring daggers at Kodachi as he blocked her off from his sister. "Kodachi.." Akane grumbled at seeing Kuno's twisted sister and from the looks of things, she must've targeted Ranka to piss Ranma off this badly, as he looked like he was ready to kill her.

Kodachi lost her anger about the girl. " Ah Ranma darling." Ranma still had his arms crossed. " I ain't your darling, especially after what you've pulled with my sister." Kodachi staggered back at the stab to her ego. " But Ranma darling." Ranma kept his glare on her. " But nothing.. everything my sisters told you, is true." Kodachi bit her lip as she ran off upset.

Akane growled as she realized she had not been told what happened and whacked Ranma on the head. " WHAT aren't you telling me, Ranma?!" His anger disappeared as he rubbed at his head annoyed. " Hey, what was that for Akane?!" Akane looked like a bull ready to charge. " What happened with Ranka and Kodachi!?"

Ranka sighed. "It's really not your business Akane, but since you feel like it is, Kodachi did attack me with poison, or tried to. She's angry I called her "crazy." Now lay off my brother, okay." She had her arms crossed now. Akane looked flustered as her anger subsided and the rest of the walk back was relatively quiet.

After getting back and having dinner with everyone, both siblings went off to bed. Akane fussed to Kasumi about how it was supposed to be her turn tonight with Ranka. Kasumi sipped her tea at the table. " I know Akane, but it just doesn't seem like it's the best idea and her and Ranma looked pretty tired. You look a little tired yourself." Akane tried to protest but found herself yawning and the smile on her sisters face said it all. " Okay.. maybe I am." She said good night as she went upstairs for the night.

Happosai peeked out from his room and made his move stealthily upstairs in a blur. He had been stopped too many times and wasn't going to let a chance go by, knowing the girl was sleeping already. Ohoho he wondered to himself, what she would be wearing as he opened the door quietly and just enough to slip into the dark room. His eyes adjusting to the darkness in the room he could see Ranka curled up in the futon. He tip toed over and started to peel back the covers just enough to peek at what she was wearing, which to his disappointment was a t-shirt and shorts. Well he was still going to get a good feel in, as he reached his hand out to her chest chuckling and drooling. He blinked as he felt himself get grabbed up and thrown off into the wall with a loud splat as he groaned. Ranka's reflexes to danger were on high alert even when she was fast asleep, as she had intercepted the old pervert. Not sensing a threat anymore, she flopped back down and rolled over still asleep.

Kasumi finally came upstairs and to the room, turning the light on and spotting a splatted figure on the wall, which she peeled off and dropped outside her door, before closing it shut and turning the light off again shortly after.

The next day came and like the other day, the siblings left separately. Also true to her word Shampoo was giving most of her attention to Ranma today, but of course she still gave some to Ranka too. The day went by pretty quickly, also since there was school the next day, Colonge wasn't making them stay as long as the other day.

After Akane had gotten up and seeing they were both gone again, she went went off to the cafe, since that's where they had been before. She arrived as the crowd had started to thin out and they were done with work. Akane had her hands on her hips as she came in, spotting them, more importantly that she saw Shampoo hanging all over Ranma-chan, making her clench her fist. " Ranma! I see, so you just came here to flirt with Shampoo!" Ranma-chan tried to pull Shampoo off her. " That's is NOT why!" Shampoo giggled in response. Ranka had been in an annoyed mood since the other day. " So judgmental, as usual.." She muttered under her breath. " No, we both broke really old and really expensive amazon vases okay, and working them off. Oh but you want to know why you weren't told? Because you jump to conclusions.."

Akane bristled back at her " I do NOT!" Ranka held her ground looking annoyed. " Um, yes you do, your doing it right now." Akane growled, this was a big difference between Ranma and his sister, with him he called her names usually, not point out all her faults so precise, or deep and it angered her more because she was being called out. Cologne coughed. " You are very judgmental." Shampoo nodded in agreement. Akane was red in the face at being ganged up on, and was ready to start back in until she spotted a fancy looking vase on the front counter, causing her to blink as she pointed at it. " Is this the old, expensive vase you were talking about?" Ranka blinked as well as she spotted it. " Huh.." Ranma-chan pointed at it as well. " It is! Hey.. old ghoul what are you trying to pull?" Akane had gone around behind the counter, where she pulled out another one. " There's a bunch of them back here." It was Ranka's turn to get annoyed with the amazon matriarch. " Hey, what gives.." Mousse smirked as he stepped forward and pointed at Colonge. " It was all a trap by the dried up old monkey!" That earned him a smack down from Cologne with her staff as she knocked him out and down to the ground.

Akane smirked feeling triumphant. " So no one actually broke any sacred amazon vases, now did they?" Ranka growled at the older amazon. " Liar! Well.. as far as I'm concerned "we" don't have to work for you anymore. Even if we had actually broken the supposed amazon vases, all the customers you got over the weekend, more than make up for it." Cologne laughed. " So I've been found out, well played." She put her hands up in defeat. Shampoo pouted. " But Shampoo had so much fun with both of you." Ranka looked flustered and irked. " That's because you're a pervert!" She went off upstairs to go get changed and get her things. Ranma-chan did the same shortly after. Cologne gave them some actual pay for their work, before she let them go.

After they had left, Ranma-chan and Ranka had their things to just go back on their own to their mothers. Akane felt bad as she sent them off, as much as she didn't want to admit it that Ranka had been correct. She had accused Ranma and not known how he and Ranka had gotten roped in by Cologne's trick.

Nodoka smiled brightly at seeing her daughters come back from their weekend stay, embracing both of them as she welcomed them back. After she put her hands together looking excited. " I have a surprise for you two." She led them upstairs to their room, to show them. "Since I'm adding on, I thought it'd be more proper that you two have beds, but if you prefer the futons you can still use them." Ranka lit up at seeing the bed and the pink themed bedding. "Thanks mom I love it." Ranma-chan was just taken a back by it, but was thankful her bedding had a light blue theme and not pink. She thanked her mother as well.

The evening went by in a flash after dinner as they went upstairs to bed. Ranka went off to go get ready for bed, before coming back in and flopping down on her new bed, while the futon wasn't awful she was used to a bed, which is what she had when she was living elsewhere. Ranma-chan on the other hand wasn't sure about the bed, as she always had futons. Ranka looked over at her starring at the bed. " You lay on it." Ranma-chan wrinkled up her nose. " I know that." Ranka sat up in her bed. " You'll like it." Ranma-chan sat on the side of it, testing it out and eventually laying down on it, feeling pretty darn comfortable. "Yeah you're right I do, it's just weird." Ranka looked over at her sister. " Because you've never had a bed, aside from a futon." Ranma-chan looked flustered for a second. " Ah yeah.."

After receiving a call with a job offer and hanging up, Nodoka decided to bring her student along. It wasn't too late and they didn't have school tomorrow with it being a longer weekend. She went upstairs and knocked on the door, before letting herself in, she smiled seeing both her daughters liked the beds. Ranma-chan put her manga down that she had been reading. " What's up, mom?" Nodoka smiled back. " Well I have a job, and I just wanted to see if anyone wanted to come with me. You're welcome to come along Ranko if you'd like." Ranma-chan shook her head back and forth quickly. Ranka got up out of bed and went off with Nodoka out of the room to go get ready. Nodoka stuck her head back in for a minute to the room. " We'll be back in a bit then Ranko dear." Ranma-chan nodded in reply as she went back to reading her manga.

Down in the depths of hell Satan had briefed Ivory on her mission for tonight. Ivory bowed her head in acknowledgement of the plan after wards, before taking her leave and going up above with the knowledge of where to go and what to do.

Elsewhere after putting on her hooded robe to hide her identity and having Ranka do the same as well as getting their holy katana's, made their way thru the night sky to the destination. Once there they teamed up and made quick work of the four targets swiftly. Nodoka praised her daughter for a job well done. Ranka smiled back for a few seconds until she saw her gem flash a few times and a really bad feeling hit her in her gut. She suddenly realized how she had felt this same feeling before and it had been when she had sensed Ivory. Looking around at where a bouts they were, seeing that they weren't too far from where Ukyou's restaurant was. She acted out of impulse at that thought as she left the scene in a flash, leaving her mother behind and having dropped her sheathed katana.

Nodoka who had started to clean off her sword and was talking to Ranka, or she thought she was at least, until she realized she wasn't there suddenly, but had no time to try to pursue her as a bunch of angry demons appeared from the darkness, ready to avenge the fallen.

At Ukyou's she was fast asleep and Ivory had carried out the first part, having let herself in un detected with some magic, and prepped the stage as she had poured gasoline on the counter and some chairs before going back outside and just for fun she splashed some on the outside sign.

Ranka had run off and made her way to Ukyou's to make sure her gut feeling wasn't right and to her horror she saw Ivory splashing gasoline on the sign. "Ivory, what are you doing?!" Ivory set the can down on the ground and smirked at her. " Oh good you're here, right on time." Ranka gave her a questioning look.

Ivory went on about the plan. "I'm just doing what I was told to. "This" is "his" message to you. Your ultimatum, come back to him or watch your friend burn." She crossed her arms. " And here's my ultimatum, if you come back like a good she-devil and give up on this silly farce your playing, then "we" can start over."

Ranka had her head down and her fists clenched. " I.. can't do that.." She tried to plead with Ivory, hoping she was still in there at all. " Please Ivory, you don't want to do this.. I'm sorry you met me, I really am.. "

Ivory glared into her eyes as she clenched her own fists. " You're sorry, huh. IF you mean that, then come back where you belong."

Ranka had her head down again as she shook her head. " I do.. but I..promised I would't go back.."

Ivory kept glaring. "Oh so this person you promised is more important than me! You're best friend that you dragged down, you're first person that you met! Whose more important than me, huh!?" She could see Ranka flinch some from her words. "I see, so you've made your choice then." She pulled out a match, that she lit and threw on the little sign that wasn't far off from the building. Ranka quickly kicked the sign down onto the ground and stomped the flames with her foot till they went out. Ivory advanced towards the door about to open it, but felt herself be yanked back by her necklace for a second.

Ranka was only to keep her hold on it for a few seconds before it starting to burn her hands, making her let go as she winched from the pain it had caused.

Ivory gave her a sneer. " That's what happens when you stick around goodies too long, you've gone soft.." She turned her attention back to the task at hand, only to feel the yank back again. Ranka cursed quietly as she felt the burning, keeping her hold on it. Ivory gave her a cold glare before showing her devil tail and having it smack her away, sending her rolling off to the ground a ways, before she got close to enough to breaking the necklace. Her gem sensing the danger had put up the barrier just in time and started healing her hands.

Ivory turned her head back for a moment as she figured it out, the restaurant was for that Ukyou girl, who was close to Ranma. "I see, so Ranma's suddenly more important than I am, huh." She moved forward inside where she lit another match and tossed it off on top of the counter top, which started to ignite. She smirked as she was about to toss another one off, only to yanked back again by Ranka who had gotten back up quickly and went back to holding her back, with an upset and pained look. "I was different then, I didn't know who I was.." Ivory bristled in anger as she used her devil tail again, to smack Ranka off her, making her loose her hold and send her flying off into the nearby closet door, her gem reacting and protecting her with the defense barrier. Ivory growled in anger as she lit off another match and tossed it, making the flames grow. " So you've chosen to keep playing house! That your other side is more important than me! Know the master won't stop and you WILL be greatly punished for refusing to come back."

Ranka jumped out from the closet launching a kick that hit into Ivory, which sent her flying off thru the door way and off to the ground. She then grabbed the near by fire

extinguisher to put out the flames.

Ukyou had woken up as she smelled smoke that started to fill the air, rushing down the stairs in panic.

Meanwhile Nodoka had finished off her attackers and went off in search of Ranka, which led her to Ukyou's and at spotting a girl getting up from the ground and seeing a devil tail, she un sheathed her katana and brought it down, slicing half of it off, sending the black haired girl running off yelling in pain as she disappeared.

Ukyou looked to be in shock at seeing Ranka using the fire extinguisher and the room full of smoke. Nodoka rushed in and surveyed the room, she could tell why Ranka had run off, and that she and that devil girl had been fighting. Likely that the devil girl had started the fire and Ranka had managed to put it out. She grabbed Ranka by one of her hands as well as Ukyou and pulled both of them out with her as she left the building. Ukyou coughed some from the smoke, looking very upset as she starred at her restaurant in shock. Nodoka sighed as she was upset with Ranka for running off without a word, but seeing the reason behind it, she couldn't fault her. Ukyou tried to go back inside, only to be held back by Nodoka. " No dear it's not safe to go in there right now." Ukyou teared up. " But that's my restaurant.. and my home." Her eyes widened as she spotted the gasoline can on the ground and her eyes looked over to Ranka, who had her head down. She couldn't help but think for a minute that she wasn't the one who was responsible again. Then she thought though, would she really have done that? She had heard what sounded like hushed arguing or thought she had.

Nodoka rubbed the girl on her back soothingly. " I'm sorry dear but you shouldn't go inside until things get cleaned up. The damage could've been a lot worse, but it looks like Ranka put the fire out in time from the devil girl." Ukyou started sobbing. " But I.." Nodoka patted her head. " You can come stay with us, until it's safe for you to come back, you are Ranko and Ranka's friend after all." Ukyou nodded in between sobs as she went and locked up the door, before leaving with them.

Ranma-chan had started to get a bad feeling when it was taking a lot longer for them to return. She was about to leave the house, and go against her mother about staying put, until she heard the front door. Nodoka came into the room with an upset looking Ukyou. " Ranko dear, you're friend is staying for awhile as she had a fire at her place." Ranka glanced over at Ukyou still with her head down. " You can stay in my bed if you want." Ranma-chan was wide eyed and had her mouth wide open. Nodoka let Ranko know that Ranka was staying with her for tonight as she left the room after saying good night.

Ranma-chan looked all flustered as she gulped at the fact that her and Ukyou were all alone, but wasn't as nervous as the beds were pretty far apart. She was also concerned as she could tell Ranka's chi was off and she also seemed really upset, as did Ukyou and that was evident seeing she had tears in her eyes and looked really out of it. She sighed as she looked over at Ukyou with a concerned look. " You okay Uchan? What happened?"

Ukyou wiped away at her tears from where she laying on the bed. "I.. don't really know, I woke up to smoke and then saw Ranka.. and your mother.."

Ranma-chan rubbed at the back of head not sure what to say. "I hope you don't think Ranka did it."

Ukyou flinched some at hearing that, as she had thought about it for a second. " I don't know.. your mom said it was a devil girl.."

Ranma-chan just from hearing that, had a feeling what had happened and could tell Ranka was really upset and wanted to talk to her but wasn't going to interfere with her mother. She had to focus on Ukyou right now. " Hey, do you need anything?"

Ukyou shook her head as she rolled over with her back facing Ranma. "I'm just.. going to try to go to sleep.."

In Nodoka's room she had Ranka in bed with her and was trying to comfort her as best as she could and also get her to tell her what had happened. She didn't get much out of her though and just concentrated on comforting her as she was shuddering and she could tell her state of mind wasn't doing very well. She eventually drifted off to sleep. Nodoka noticed one of the palms of her hands looked burnt some and thought about waking her up to tend to it, but then also noticed it was healing. Likely due to magic she thought, as she had figured out that Ranka could use it, though it seemed like she only did if she really needed to. Though how much magic she could use she didn't know.

A few times thru the night Nodoka had to wake up Ranka from bad nightmares that she seemed to be having and then having to calm her down, before she drifted back to sleep. Watching the distress her daughter was in upset her and also made her think how she didn't feel sorry for bringing her blade down on the devil girl, likely the same one that continued to harass her daughter.

Morning finally came and Nodoka had gotten up and gone off to prepare breakfast, once she was finished the only one who had come down was Ranko. Ranma-chan looked around taking note that she was the only one at the table, aside from her mother. After they had finished their meal, Nodoka could see how concerned Ranko was looking. Ranma-chan rubbed at her arm some. " Is Ranka, okay?" Nodoka gave a small smile. " Don't worry dear, I'll go get her up in a bit." Ranma-chan shook her head. " That's not what I meant. Do you know what happened, mom?" Nodoka sighed as she sipped some of her tea before replying. "It seemed that you and Ranka's friend Ukyou was in danger, as I had said last night she had a fire at her place but your sister got it put it out before it went too far. A devil girl was there, I wasn't much paying attention as my attention was on her devil tail. But I believe she was the same girl that has been harassing Ranka.."

Ranma-chan clenched one of her fists knowing it was that damned Ivory girl. That she was constantly harassing her sister but now she had tried to go after Ukyou as well it seemed. Usually there was the code to worry about, with not hurting girls, but Ranma was so angry he was thinking about using a loop hole to get around it. Like the fact could she really be classified as a girl, she was a devil after all.

Nodoka snapped Ranma out of her thoughts as she put her hand on her shoulder, giving a concerned yet stern look. " Now Ranko dear I hope you aren't thinking about trying to fight with that devil girl."

Ranma-chan's eyes widened and she looked really nervous at how on to her, her mother was. She shook her head back and forth really fast, hoping it'd throw her mother off some. Nodoka patted her on the head with a smile, before she went off upstairs.

Once in her room, she nudged Ranka some. " Ranka dear it's time to get up now." Ranka rubbed at her eyes some and rolled over, trying to ignore being woken up. To her discontentment, her mother pulled up the blinds on the window, letting the sun shine in. Nodoka was determined to remain stern against her daughter's mental state. " Ranka, it's time to get up, there will be no isolating yourself." She then pulled the blanket off her to show she was dead serious. "Come on now, get up and eat some breakfast." Ranka groaned at how persistent Nodoka was being. " I'm not hungry.." Nodoka shook her head at her " You're still getting up and coming downstairs and eating, understood young lady?" Ranka sighed, looking upset. " But I'm really not.."

Ranma-chan sweat dropped at hearing arguing, coming from upstairs as she sipped some of her tea nervously. Nodoka was not to be taken lightly when she was angry. She saw her mother come back downstairs looking annoyed as she took her seat at the table. Her eyes widened at seeing her mother set Ranka's gem necklace down on the table firmly. A few minutes later Ranka came down looking upset as she took a seat at the table. Nodoka sipped some more of her tea. " You'll get your necklace back after you've had some breakfast Ranka."

After eating enough breakfast that satisfied her mother, she got her necklace back as promised. Nodoka after she had finished putting dirty dishes into the kitchen, came back taking a seat at the table. " Since it's a day off, I thought we should relax a bit before we go and help Ukyou. I think it'll be good for us girls to go to the spa for awhile." Ranma-chan almost fell out of her chair. Ranka just had her head down at the table. Ranma-chan protested out right. " I uh don't feel too well, I'll be right back." She took her leave upstairs to the bathroom. Nodoka sighed as she had hoped that she could get Ranko to go along but her main concern was Ranka and Ukyou right now. Getting up from the table she gave Ranka's shoulder a pat. "Hurry up and get ready Ranka dear, you're going with me to the spa." While she had a gentle smile on her face, her tone was stern. Ranka pouted as she got up and went upstairs to go get ready, knowing full well if she tried to protest, her mother would take her necklace away again.

Nodoka followed her upstairs as she set her sights on getting Ukyou up and telling her they were going to go relax at the spa. Ranka sat on the couch looking frustrated, as Ukyou was eating some breakfast at Nodoka's insistence. She then went back upstairs to check on Ranko, who was still in the bathroom and sounded awful. Nodoka sighed at the door. "Alright Ranko dear, we'll be back in a bit."

After hearing that they had left, Ranma-chan decided to have a nice relaxing hot bath, while her mother wasn't there.

At arriving at the spa, Nodoka got them all into massages. Ukyou tried to protest some but still ended up having to do it and liked it once she got used to it. Ranka was flustered the whole time, not liking being touched and not fond of the session, even if it was soothing. After that seeing that both of the younger girls were still not in good spirits as well as keeping to themselves, Nodoka first ushered her daughter Ranka off into a hydro treatment room. She had her stand where indicated and went on about how relaxing it is, before taking her leave as the timer started counting down. She went and stood next to Ukyou smiling.

Ukyou sweat dropped as she heard yelling from the room as the timer hit zero. She started to back away, but was grabbed by the back of her robe by Nodoka who was smiling at her. " You'll love it dear, it'll just melt your stress away." She ushered her inside the room, once Ranka came out looking pretty frazzled from it, Nodoka shut the door behind Ukyou. " Enjoy dear." It was Ranka's turn to sweat drop and made a face after the timer counted down and she heard Ukyou yell as she got blasted about by the hot water cannon. Nodoka smiled at a frazzled looking Ukyou and at Ranka. " You two are glowing, well now it's my turn." She left them as she went into the room for her turn.

After she had her turn, she ushered them over to the mud bath treatment, where you laid back with a cucumber mask facial. After that she ushered them off to the jacuzzi, where they all relaxed, wearing towels. Ranka liked this way better than that evil water cannon thing. Nodoka enjoyed the hot water for a few minutes before she cleared her throat. "Now Ukyou dear, I hope you don't think that Ranka was at fault for what happened last night." She noted the girl looked flustered and she had put it out there, now it was up to them as she made her leave. " I'm going to go get another hydro treatment, would anyone else like to join me?" Both of them almost shouted NO. Nodoka smiled and went off by herself.

Ranka sighed and shuddered at the thought of that evil room. Though she hadn't liked the surprise attack, it had "relaxed" her and Ukyou like Nodoka had said. It had definitely snapped both of them out of their funks. Ranka sighed as she laid back some where she was sitting. " I'm.. really sorry about what happened the other night.." Ukyou sighed as well. " I'm sorry for a split second I thought.. you had, but it was that Ivory girl, wasn't it?" Ranka looked off some. " Yeah.." Nodoka came back in, looking refreshed. " Are you sure you two don't want to try it again, it's so relaxing." Ranka tensed up as she shuddered. " No.." Ukyou smiled nervously " Oh no it was plenty relaxing.." Nodoka smiled at seeing how they were weren't so upset anymore and talking.

Not much later they went back to the house after they had finished with the spa. Nodoka went off to the kitchen after she let Ranko know they were back and to start getting ready. She went about to setting up the box lunches she had made up for them and Ukyou the night before. Shortly after getting them and herself all together they left the house and went off to Ukyou's to help her clean up the place, which included airing out the area, and some cleaning. In between doing so, they also had a break where they ate their boxed lunches. After finishing up, Nodoka let Ukyou she was welcome to stay another night or more if she needed to, but Ukyou insisted that she'd be alright at her place, but gratefully thanked the older woman.

Ranma's mother was so kind and generous to treat her so well. Part of it she was sure that she was also friends with Ranka and a school mate. She could see why her fiancee treasured her so much, but also after today how aggressive she could also be.

Shortly after goodbye's they took their leave and returned back to the house. Nodoka had Ranka go upstairs to take a bath, while she relaxed on the couch with Ranko. "Ranko dear, I'm sorry you weren't feeling well before, you would've had a lot of fun at the spa with us I'm sure." Ranma-chan sweat dropped and smiled back. " Ah yeah um maybe." Nodoka kept prattling on about the spa, making Ranma-chan uncomfortable. Ranka finally came back downstairs. Nodoka smiled at her. " Right Ranka, wasn't the spa nice, especially the hydro room." Ranka shuddered as had shivers up her back. " Soo.. much fun.. ah no.." Ranma-chan looked more nervous at hearing about it and seeing Ranka's reaction. Nodoka then had Ranko go upstairs to take a bath. Once she was done, she went off to take a bath.

Ranma-chan was relaxing on the couch watching tv. " So, you seem like you're in a better mood." Ranka grumbled at that. " Kinda hard to be when you get blasted by a water cannon." Ranma-chan sweat dropped. " Yeah I'm definitely glad I didn't have to go."

Shortly after Nodoka came downstairs and went off to the kitchen to fix up dinner. Ranka went off to help her. After prep it was time to wait for part of the meal to be done in the oven. While they waiting, they all watched some tv together. Nodoka took note that during the usual violent parts, where both of her girls would be into it, Ranka was quiet. " We should go back to the spa soon and go in the lovely hydro room to relax again." Ranka shuddered at hearing about that evil room again. Nodoka took note of how mention of the topic, snapped her out of her zoning, and it would come in handy.

After dinner and cleaning up, Nodoka had sent her girls upstairs to go get ready for bed as she bid them goodnight. Ranka came back from the bathroom after having finished getting ready for bed. Ranma-chan let her know she wanted to have a talk with her, which led to them going off outside thru the window and onto the roof to sit and talk some.

Ranma-chan had her arms crossed. "So are you going to tell me what the hell happened or do you I have to look for myself? I know the jest of it, that, that damed girl Ivory is responsible."

Ranka flinched a little at that, looking down some as she sighed. "She is, but it was also.. "him". She explained how she was given an ultimatum to go back , or watch Ukyou be burned a live, if she didn't comply.

Ranma-chan tightened her fist on and off at what she had heard. She knew the game that was being played by the devil, to target Ranka mentally and also going after Ukyou. " Well you know I would've been pissed as hell at ya, if you had gone."

Ranka had her head down on her knee's. "I know and I didn't.. but if I had gone, he'd had left Ukyou alone.."

Ranma-chan gave her a stern look. " I highly doubt "he" would've done that." She could tell that wasn't the whole story though and pressed her on it. "So what crap did that Ivory say this time? Because it's obvious she did."

Ranka hadn't moved from having her head down on her knee's, but tensed up at hearing that. There really wasn't any hiding things from Ranma though and the pestering wouldn't stop, until she spit it out. " She said she'd forgive me if I went back.. Obviously, I didn't, because I choose you.. and that really pissed her off.. and "him." The attacks aren't going to stop.. "

Ranma-chan cut her off before she could say more, having a good idea of where she was trying to go with it. " That's fine by me, they can bring it on." She then gave her sister a hug and a pat on back. "Don't get too upset or mom will get serious again. Speaking of we'd better get back in." Ranka shuddered and nodded as they both snuck back inside thru the window and went off to their own beds after saying goodnight to each other.

Ranma-chan laid back on hers, still unsure of how she felt about having a bed, she wasn't complaining but also not yet used to it either. Ranka was all curled up in her blankets over on her bed, with her back to Ranma's view. Ranma-chan could tell her sister was still in a funk, but much better than previous funks. She could easily tell she was depressed and not acting like she normally would, but also knew their mother wouldn't allow her to fall so far again, after she had heard the arguing earlier in the day between the two and the sterner actions that had been taken, against her sister. Which Ranma made notes of mentally, knowing she didn't want to be in the line of her mothers aggressive side either. She had gone so far as to take her sisters necklace forcefully. She could see to a point why her dad was so scared of her, but then he had a lot of reasons to be scared. She also found herself angry at how the devil and that damned Ivory had put Ukyou and Ranka's friendship in jeopardy. She did also find it funny how the devil's plot had blown up in his face, that would teach him, for thinking he could control Ranka.