Note: Thanks to Kimira_K, WizardgirlXYZ, and u/chip_scip for betaing this fanfic. This fic takes its characters and setting from Takahashi's Ranma ½, its structure and style from Takehaya's Invaders of the Rokujouma!?, and its plot and premise from both. In this fic, I aim to apply Invaders' clever foreshadowing and surprisingly deep treatment of its characters and relationships—especially for a harem light novel—to Ranma, whose characters and relationships are thoroughly entertaining yet could be treated more deeply. Both of these elements will take time to bear fruit. (I also aim to properly develop a trans female Ranma and her polycule.) Through all this, I've made sure to maintain the unique elements that make each character enjoyable and interesting.
Corona Convention, Revised (Excerpt)
Article 1
The following rights and regulations apply to the individuals or groups that meet the following criteria:
• Those who ratify the Corona Convention
• Those who occupy or intend to occupy room 106 of Maison Corona
A panda carrying a pigtailed girl, pounding his back with her fists, stopped in front of a wooden two-story apartment building: Maison Corona, owned and managed by his friend, Soun Tendo. If he recalled correctly, Soun and his family would be in room 206.
The girl continued to struggle. "Lemme go, old man! I don't wanna marry no one!" The panda ignored her and her attempts to escape his grip and moved past the surrounding concrete wall.
Inside room 206, a simple six tatami mat room, Soun and his daughters sat around a table. The oldest daughter wore a plain dress, the middle wore a tank top and shorts, and the youngest, like her father, wore a gi.
"Don't we get a say in who we marry?!" Akane, the youngest daughter, yelled. "And I can't believe you're giving away our dojo—our family's legacy!—to some boy we've never even met!" Her sisters nodded in agreement.
Soun chuckled and presented a postcard. "That's easily fixed. Ranma and his father have been on a training trip and should soon arrive from China."
"Wow, China!" Nabiki, the middle daughter, exclaimed. "Is he cute? Rich? All of the above?"
Akane waved dismissively. "Big deal, any schmuck can go to China." Why can't I be Dad's successor? I've trained my entire life for this!
"I do hope he isn't too young," Kasumi, the oldest daughter, said, putting a hand to her cheek. "Younger men bore me."
"What kind of guy is this Ranma?" Nabiki asked.
Soun laughed heartily. "No idea. I've never met him." His daughters looked at each other apprehensively.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Soun got up. "That must be them!" He rushed to the door, followed closely by Nabiki.
As if I didn't have enough trouble with boys, Akane thought. She dreaded the idea that her future, her freedom, and her dojo might be stolen from her by some boy.
Soun opened the door, "Welcome—" Noticing the panda, he and Nabiki quickly backed away.
The panda, still carrying the girl, entered the inner six tatami mat room. "Leggo, you old fool!" the girl yelled, still pounding ineffectually against the panda's back.
Kasumi put a hand to her mouth. "Father… this is your friend?" Soun shook his head vigorously. The panda then placed the girl down in front of Soun.
"You… wouldn't happen to be…" Soun began.
The girl looked away and fiddled with her hair. "Ranma Saotome. Sorry 'bout this."
Soun grabbed Ranma by the shoulders. "At last, you've come!"
"Ooh, he's cute!" Nabiki commented.
Soun pulled Ranma into a rough, tight embrace. "It's so good of you to come! So—" He then felt the presence of two lumps on her chest.
"Hmm?" Nabiki said. She started poking Ranma's breasts.
"Um, could you stop that?" Ranma asked, looking downward.
"'He' is a girl," Nabiki remarked. Soun stumbled and promptly collapsed. "Some fiancé this is," Nabiki muttered. "What a disappointment!"
Akane glared at Nabiki. "Stop it! She's our guest!" She then looked at Ranma and smiled. "Wanna join me in the practice hall? I'm Akane, and I hope we can be friends!" Ranma looked up to Akane with hopeful eyes yet remained quiet, seemingly too shy to speak, and followed Akane out of the room and into the dojo.
"You do kenpo, don't you?" Akane asked.
"A little," Ranma replied, looking around. The dojo was a large wooden hall that gave off a traditional impression, empty except for a few training dummies, cinder blocks, a shrine, and a calligraphic sign underneath the shrine that read "Iroha" ("Fundamentals"). Ranma had never trained in a place as nice as this on her travels.
"Then why don't we have a little match?"
"Huh?"
"Just for fun; don't worry, I won't hurt you."
Ranma fidgeted uncomfortably. "I don't like hitting girls."
That's odd… Akane thought. Regardless, she adopted a fighting stance while Ranma stood still, hands held behind her back. Akane rushed towards her, throwing a punch. "Sei!" At the last second, Ranma leapt into the air, her legs tucked in close to her body, completely dodging the punch. She landed, and Akane delivered a high kick, yet Ranma once again leapt into the air, her legs spread apart.
Akane punched, Ranma dodged left. Akane punched again, and Ranma ducked her head. Akane grew aggravated. "What's wrong? Hit me!" She kept swinging wildly, but Ranma dodged every punch. Finally, Akane had backed Ranma against the wall.
"Let's see how you handle this!" Akane summoned all her strength and threw out one final punch. Yet Ranma dodged once more, leaping into the air, flipping over Akane, and tapping the back of Akane's head as she landed, ending the match.
Ranma nervously looked at Akane, and Akane looked back at her. Their silence was broken when Ranma broke out into a fit of giggles. Akane was amazed. I've never lost to anyone besides Dad, and even he never defeated me this fast. Yet she's just a girl! A girl like me. Ranma's laughter was infectious, and Akane soon let out her own fit of laughter. And gosh, she's really pretty. Akane caught herself and quickly looked away.
"You're pretty good," Akane said. "I'm glad you're a girl."
"Huh?" Ranma asked.
"It's just… I'd hate to lose to a boy!" Akane's face clouded over with distress. "I've been having a little trouble with boys." Akane smiled at Ranma. "Anyways, it's nice to meet another girl who likes martial arts."
Akane quietly led Ranma out of the dojo, her mood much improved since she'd heard of the engagement. Instead of getting married to some perverted boy, I made a new friend! And she's a martial artist too! A really good one. Akane didn't lack friends, but none of them got martial arts like she did. They couldn't understand her devotion to the art, the effort and the practice she dedicated to it. But Ranma was someone who could understand Akane, maybe even help her improve. And it's nice to meet another girl who's as tomboyish as I am. Maybe she wouldn't feel so alone in her constant effort and frequent failure to live up to the standards of femininity.
Meanwhile, as he followed Akane back to Maison Corona, Ranma stared at the ground, worry on his face. How do I tell her the truth? If she knew I was a boy, how would she react? Could we still be friends? Ranma hadn't had a friend in a long while, and having never stuck around in one place, he could never keep the few friends he made. Hopefully, he could keep Akane around; he admired that she took martial arts seriously. He shook his head. Well, there's no use worrying; she'll find out anyway. Sooner or later. For some reason, the idea of being exposed as a boy made him sick to his stomach. All too soon, they had climbed the stairs and reached room 206.
When Ranma and Akane entered the room, they saw a bald, middle-aged man sitting at the table with Soun, Kasumi, and Nabiki. Nabiki turned to face them, smirking. "Hey, Akane. Ranma's dad was just telling us something interesting about your new friend." Ranma felt the pit of his stomach drop.
Soun was weeping tears of joy. "The schools can still be united!"
"What do you mean?" Akane asked. "And who's that old guy?"
"Right, let's try this again," Soun began. "This is my dear old friend…"
The bald man stood up, carrying a kettle. "Genma Saotome. And this is my son, Ranma." He then poured the kettle over Ranma, who suddenly grew taller, flatter, and broader.
Ranma, now male, grabbed his father by the front of his shirt. "What the hell, pops?! It doesn't need to be that hot!"
Akane was taken aback. "Ranma? But… how?" In an instant, her hopes were dashed, her hope that she wasn't alone, that she'd found someone who could finally understand her. She'd lost her friend, and she felt betrayed by the boy who replaced her. "You're a girl… right?" Ranma guiltily looked away, confirming that the girl Akane befriended never existed.
"Two weeks ago, we fell into the cursed springs of Jusenkyo," Genma explained. "I fell into the Spring of Drowned Panda while my son fell into the spring of Drowned Girl." He started weeping profusely. "Oh, I cringe every time I see it: my son, reduced to a weak, sniveling girl!"
Ranma smacked his father over the head. "This wouldna happened if you didn't buy a guide book in a language you don't speak!"
"Now, when doused with cold water, we assume our cursed forms," Genma continued, "and when doused with hot water, we resume our normal forms."
Soun smiled from ear to ear and patted Ranma on the back. "And that means the schools can still be united!" Soun gestured to his daughters. "My daughters: Kasumi, nineteen; Nabiki, seventeen; and Akane, sixteen. Pick one and she'll be your fiancée."
"Oh, he wants Akane," Kasumi said.
"Definitely," Nabiki agreed.
"What? I don't want to marry some boy!" Akane exclaimed. "They're all the same: absolute perverts!" She could feel her future and her freedom slipping away.
"I'm not a pervert!" Ranma spoke up.
"Oh please, with that curse? I'm sure you're planning all sorts of perverted stuff: sneaking into locker rooms, tricking girls. It's what any boy would do. You've already tricked me! I thought you were a girl, but you're just another boy, one who probably wants to perv on me!"
Just another boy. It's what any boy would do. That stung. So much for wanting to be friends. And how dare this girl accuse him of being a pervert, like he hadn't suffered plenty dealing with his curse. Ranma clenched his fists. "You're wrong! Like I'd wanna perv on such an uncute tomboy!"
"Uncute…?" Akane's face twitched.
"Please, you think I'd bother perving on some macho jock? Give me a break!" Ranma laughed. "Especially when, as a girl, I've got the better figure!"
Akane's face had visibly reddened. As Ranma laughed, Akane picked up the table and slammed it over his body. She turned to her father. "I'm never going to marry a boy, and I'm especially never going to marry him!" Akane stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
"You had that coming," Genma said.
Ranma groaned from under the table. "I know."
"I do hope you're OK," Kasumi said, gently patting Ranma's head. "Akane is a sweet girl—but she's also a violent maniac."
"Oh, that really helps her case," Nabiki replied.
Soun cleared his throat. "Now, we should discuss your living arrangements. You may pick any room you'd like."
Nabiki interjected. "Dad, we can't afford that. Though…" Her face brightened. "We could give them room 106. It's not like we can rent it out."
"Room 106?!" Soun lowered his voice to a whisper. "But what if… he returns?"
Nabiki whispered back. "He should be gone for good. And don't forget that I manage the finances."
Soun quickly backed off. "Very well, I suppose." He turned to Genma and Ranma. "You may have room 106."
"Thanks, dear old friend!" Genma exclaimed, laughing jovially and picking up his backpack.
"Hey, what's wrong with room 106?" Ranma asked.
"Supposedly, it's haunted by a ghost," Nabiki explained.
"A ghost?"
Nabiki assumed a serious expression. "Yes—a ghost who reportedly stole women's underwear! Drove away every tenant from that room. We took care of him, but the rumors scare people away from renting room 106." She smirked. "You aren't scared, are you?"
"No way! I ain't scared a no ghost!"
"That's great! Here's the key to your room." Grinning, Nabiki handed a key to Ranma and Genma, quickly shoving them outside. "Freeloaders," she muttered, closing the door. As if we didn't have enough to worry about financially.
Ranma and Genma walked down the stairs to room 106. As Genma fumbled with the lock, Ranma could hear someone, almost certainly Akane, yelling and smashing cinder blocks in the dojo nearby. Great, the first friend I've made in a long while, and I lose her the same day. If it weren't for my big mouth… He grit his teeth. Forget it, I don't wanna be friends with a girl who calls me a pervert! She can kick rocks for all I care.It's not like he wasn't used to losing friends.
The two of them entered room 106. It was a fairly comfortable six tatami mat room with a kitchen, bathroom, and toilet. After they unpacked what little they had and set out two futons, they quickly went to bed, Ranma bitterly thinking back on the day he'd had. Getting engaged to a girl who hated him sucked, but it had been a long time since he could enjoy sleeping inside. Definitely beat sleeping in a tent in the middle of the wilderness. Better not get used to it, he reminded himself. As soon as I find an honorable way out of this engagement, I'm heading back to China to cure this curse. Then no one can call me a pervert or a "weak, sniveling girl." He had no time for an uncute fiancée who didn't bother trying to understand him. Girls like Akane couldn't ever understand what it was like to be a man: they could just be themselves, but Ranma had to constantly live up to the suffocating expectations of manhood.
Ranma yawned. May as well enjoy this room while I'm stuck here.Despite his father's obnoxious snoring and the thoughts that filled his head, Ranma soon fell asleep.
Note: Thank you for having read this chapter. I plan to release future chapters in a week to ten days. Regarding my progress, I have several chapters mostly done, the rest of this volume thoroughly outlined, and future volumes vaguely outlined. Future chapters will be less derivative. If you have the time, I would appreciate constructive criticism (please be gentle, this is my first fanfic).