Sadly, I do not own the story of Ranma ½ and have no affiliation with the creator Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter 2: Immersion
April 1986, village of ?
Ranma woke up and looked around, beginning to take in his surroundings. "Where am I? This isn't that old crones home" Getting up, Ranma began to explore the room. 'That's strange, this is DEFINITELY not the village,' he thought as he looked out the window.
Outside was a rural neighborhood. At the same time, it looked familiar. Looking down into the yard below, he saw something he knew. But from where or when he can't recall. It was the woman from the photo Pops keeps in his pack.
Stunned Ranma, ran down the stairs and out the back door. Somehow, he knew his way around the house, but that didn't matter now. Standing on the porch he watched in shocked silence as the woman was putting laundry on a clothesline.
Noticing him, the woman called out to him. "Ranko dearest, could you help me?"
'Who's Ranko?' Ranma thought pointing at himself. The woman nodded and smiled at him saying "Can you put these clothes up? They're yours after all."
'Man, this is the weirdest meditation I've ever done' Ranma thought as he walked over and absentmindedly grabbed something from the indicated basket to put up. Looking at it, Ranma blanched. It was a bra. A silky lace push-up bra. "Wha-wha-wha!?" Ranma squealed out before he saw the sky in front of himself and lost consciousness.
The woman looked on in abject terror as her child passed out from looking at her own article of clothing. Unsure of what else to do, she picked up her child and carried her as fast as she could to Dr. Tofu's clinic.
After running for what seemed forever, she arrived at the doctor's clinic where upon seeing the state of her child, Dr. Tofu rushed them into a room where the woman put her on the examination table. Turning to Dr. Tofu, the woman began to explain what happened. It was then that Ranma woke up.
Waking up, Ranma saw himself in a doctor's office with the woman fretting over him. While still on the fringes of consciousness, Ranma heard her saying "What's wrong with her? Ranko just collapsed for no reason. It was like she'd never seen a bra before!"
"Calm down Nodoka, something happened and it's over. We'll talk to her when she wakes up. Until then calm down. It's not good for Ranko." A male voice could be heard consoling and calming the woman beside her.
'Nodoka? Wait, Mom!? Why are they calling me Ranko? Do they think I'm a girl or something?' Ranma thought finally opening his eyes
"Doctor, She's awake!" Nodoka cried. A middle-aged man came over and began to ask Ranma questions while making sure she was indeed, okay.
"Ranko, can you hear me?" he said. "You can listen to me Ranko. It's just old Dr. Tofu."
Ranma was petrified. Here he was in a clinic and even the doctor thought he was a girl. 'Something is definitely going on here,' he realized. 'Wait a minute…' Reaching to his chest Ranma was stunned to find that not only was he a girl, but his own mother didn't want to kill him.
Ranma knew about the seppuku pact despite the old man dodging the question all these years. One night while snooping through his Pops pack, he had found a copy of the contract. Even though Ranma had no recollection of putting his handprint on it, a thought went through his head. 'What mother would make their own child sign something like this?' He remembered thinking.
Now that he was a girl in front of his mother, he couldn't believe she wasn't trying to kill him. 'What parallel world have I stumbled onto? He thought.
"Ranko, how many fingers am I holding up?" Dr. Tofu asked. "Three," Ranma responded.
The doctor made a note in a journal and then asked, "What happened Ranko?" Panicking, Ranma looked at his mother and the doctor. Dr. Tofu didn't miss it either. "Miss Saotome, can we speak in private?" he asked Nodoka.
Nodoka looked on the verge of tears with this request and it tore at Ranma's heart. He didn't want to hurt her. He just couldn't tell her what was happening without scaring her or worse.
"I understand Doctor. Ranko, I'll be outside." And with that she walked out of the room.
"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Ranko?" the doctor asked in a tone that warranted a truthful answer.
Put on the spot, Ranma could only look at him with a look of terror. 'How does he know?' he thought. Gathering his courage, he began to explain everything starting at the meditation.
"…and here I am now." He finished. Dr. Tofu however, was not amused. "If you're serious, tell me the markings on this circle." He said. Describing them to the best of his ability, Ranma watched him go from reproachful to horrified to intrigued.
"And the last one looked like a sickle with three stars, one at each point," Ranma finished. To say Ranma had never seen a doctor look stupefied, could never be true again.
"Your name is Ranma correct?" Dr. Tofu asked. When Ranma nodded yes, Dr. Tofu said, "hang on a minute" and went over to a bookshelf and began looking for a certain book. Once he found it, he began flipping to multiple pages for what seemed forever. Suddenly, he slapped the book closed and came back over to Ranma.
He continued the conversation with, "From what I can tell you ARE Ranko Saotome, just from another timeline. What's more your chi matches her typical chi. Normally, this meditation technique wouldn't do anything for someone who was born in their true gender, but what makes your situation so unique, is how drastic the reaction was. Normally, you would only be able to observe Ranko's actions through her eyes. If it was a standard case of transgenderism that is. In your case, you're in control over her body! She must still be within you, just watching what you do through her eyes. Do nothing she wouldn't do, I doubt she'd appreciate it."
Looking at Ranma, Dr. Tofu smirked saying, "As for how I know so much about this stuff, yes, I see you're skeptical as to my knowledge in mystical arts. I studied martial arts for decades before becoming a doctor and have a vast collection of chi manipulation books. Why, you ask? It's a hobby still, and I use the knowledge in my work more than you could ever realize. There's more, the fact that we know about this puts us in another unique situation. You should be able to talk with her."
To say Ranma was frazzled would put it lightly. "So, you're saying I'm supposed to be a girl, and I'm in another me's body. Normally, this wouldn't be the case, but something is causing this to happen. What is that something? Can I do something about it or should I leave it alone? Lastly, how do I go back?" Ranma had forgotten yet again about being a girl. In both body and chi and mind.
"I'm surprised you're being so calm about this; most people go through many stages of discovery before they come to terms with being in the wrong body." Dr. Tofu stated.
"Wait, discovery?" Ranma replied feeling unsure how this topic was going. Something was nagging at the back of his mind and when he focused on it for once he heard a voice. A feminine voice. "Ranma, can you hear me? Ranma?"
"Wait, what was that?" Ranma said a little panicked. "I just heard somebody saying my name"
"Really? It could be Ranko." Dr. Tofu said. "Try listening to her for a minute, I'll be right back." With that, Dr. Tofu left the room.
"Well, that's unusual." Ranma said. "Ranma? Can you hear me? Please hear me." begged the voice.
Turning inward, Ranma concentrated on the voice. 'I can hear you Ranko. Can you hear me?' he thought.
"Oh kami! What's happening? Ranma, I know now who you are. When you first took over, I was panicking. I thought I was being possessed by a demon or something!' Ranko responded with relief. 'Listen to me Ranma, I'm in your head and therefore I can sense all your inner thoughts and emotions. Tell me, if you're comfortable telling me, what do you see yourself as? I know what you are, but in the end, you'll have to find out on your own. However, I can point you in the right direction. Please let me help you. I know you'll think that it's weak to accept help, but it's not. It makes you human."
'Well to start, I see myself as a boy. No, I'm not a demon. My problem is I don't know what I am anymore. I'm scared. I've been traveling for over ten years and I haven't seen home in all that time or mother for that fact. I miss her and yet I don't even remember her." Ranma replied feeling depressed. 'I just want to go home.'
I know Ranma, nobody should be separated from their mother, especially us girls. Ranma was cut off from reproaching that with: Before you comment on that remember I can sense when you're lying even to yourself. You're in MY body after all. Now listen, I sense you're going to be here awhile. So, I want you to live as me for that time. Get used to this. Then when you go back, you'll have perspective." Ranko said kindly. 'I'll be here if you need me, but I bet before long you'll fit right in."
Ranma could feel her smirk with that last line and then go silent. Just in time too as Dr. Tofu came back in.
"Ranma, how'd it go?" Dr. Tofu asked knowingly. Not wanting to lie to the one physical person who could destroy his and Ranko's life, he said "We talked. She wants me to live her life until I go back."
"How do you feel about that?" Dr. Tofu asked.
"Unsure, I guess. I have no experience as a girl. What if I mess up?" Ranma asked knowing all the while Ranko would not let him do that.
"Good answer." Dr. Tofu said. "On a different subject I found something that could explain why this is happening. Apparently, you were born the wrong gender due to artificial reasons. In other words, somebody did this to you on purpose. Who, I haven't the foggiest idea. But somebody wanted a boy bad enough in your timeline that they made you one through magic means."
Ranma looked like he was going to see red. He knew exactly who would want him to be a boy that bad. "Pops! He always wanted me to be a 'man amongst men'. I wouldn't put it past him at all. This sounds like it has him written all over it. Damn that bastard!"
Ranma was radiating a powerful chi that forced Dr. Tofu to back away from him. "My god…" Dr Tofu whispered in horror. Never had he sensed such vengeful chi as this. It radiated bloodlust. It seemed Ranma also possessed a hybrid chi. Something was mixed in it. But what, he couldn't discern even if he wanted to. The child was a blast furnace.
'Ranma, Calm down! You're scaring the doctor!' Ranko shouted. 'I know you're angry and feel betrayed. However, don't let him win!'
Calming down, Ranma collapsed in a broken heap on the floor of the doctor's clinic. Sobbing beyond any amount of imaginable pain, he wailed to kami and anyone else who would hear.
Dr. Tofu approached the youth and carefully embraced him. Ranma cried years of pent up anger and abuse out on the good doctor's shoulder. After several minutes, he got himself under control. "Better?" Dr. Tofu asked.
Sniffling the last of the tears away Ranma replied with fire in his voice, "yes, I'm under control again."
Concerned, Dr. Tofu asked, "would it be okay if Nodoka came back in and we explained everything to her?"
Ranma thought about it and realized he would have to tell her anyway. Nodding yes, he said "It is something that should be done in a controlled setting such as this. Yes, please get mother." With that Dr. Tofu went to the door and called her back in.
Nodoka came in and took note of the mess her daughter had made of her make-up. She protectively wrapped an arm around Ranma and asked, "Dr. Tofu, what is going on?"
Nodding to Dr. Tofu Ranma said "Let him say it all before you do anything."
Nodoka could only listen as Dr. Tofu told her all that had happened since the meditation. To say Nodoka wasn't scared or angry, would be a lie. She seemed livid, though directed at Ranma it seemed that was minimal. She was scared for Ranko and made that clear. "Is Ranko going to be alright?" She asked after it was over.
"As far as I can tell she'll be fine. It's Ranma here we need to worry about. What is going to happen if he stays?" Dr. Tofu said calmly.
"Ranma, That's your name, right?" Nodoka asked. Nodding she continued, "As long as you listen to Ranko's wishes you'll be welcome in my home. After all, I'm your mother too."
Ranma was taken quite aback. Tearing up, he said in as much control as he could muster, "Thank you mom."
"Of course, dear. You two are sisters in my eyes." Nodoka then winked at Ranma causing him to be unable to respond. Looking down, Ranma felt so ashamed of himself. How could he call himself a man when his own mother thought of him as a daughter?
"Yes, mother" he replied. "Ranko? What should I do now?" he asked the girl inside him.
'Do what you think you should do. Feel it out.' She replied.
"Well, I have other patients to attend to today. If you need me for anything Ranma, don't hesitate to call." Dr. Tofu said.
Standing up, Nodoka and Ranma headed for the door. "Thank you, Dr. Tofu." Ranma said as he left. "Your more than welcome Ranma" with that they began to head home.
"Say Ranma, I'm going to be calling you Ranko while you're here so people who know you aren't confused okay?" Nodoka said firmly.
"Yes, mother." Ranma replied with a strange sense of relief. He didn't know why but the thought of him being called Ranko was calming. Like a weight was being lifted from him. For once he felt…happy.
Thank you for being so patient while waiting for my next chapter, had to do a serious rewrite of this chapter and split it in two. Please leave feedback! Any advice is welcome.
Published 12/09/18