Hey, it's been a while since I last updated here, and I had already posted chapter 2 on ao3 on January 8 and didn't have the time or motivation to release it here. I've been busy for the last few days since the start of the year and I've officially become a college entrance exam taker this year! Yay... Lucky me...

Anyhow, I've already started planning on making a RyouRan fic with a dash of Rankane, a Kasumi x Ranma one shot that would possibly be turned into a full fledge story if it got well received another fanfic with an entirely different fandom, As the Gods Will, which I'm a huge fan of.

Chapter 3 is currently being under construction, as well as the RyouRan fic and As The Gods of Will fic, while the one-shot is still on the drawing board of planning. But enough of that, let's get this party started!!

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Wildness dyed in the shade of Red Pt2

Your smile is cute

Lunch had been nothing short of delicious. Ranma could easily tell that Katsumi was an exceptional cook, and she silently appreciated the meal with every bite.

After lunch, Akane led Ranma through the house, guiding her through various rooms and showing her the exterior of the Tendou family home. As they walked, Ranma's gaze moved over the surroundings, clearly impressed by the space and designs of the home. She followed Akane quietly, her steps light.

"Nice house you got," Ranma mumbled, her voice tinged with mild awe. Her azure eyes sparkled with curiosity as she took in the cozy and peaceful living areas. As they moved through the space, she moved her head from side to side and up and down as she scanned the house in curiosity.

"Thanks," Akane replied with a slight nod, his voice carrying a hint of pride as he felt a blush creep onto his cheeks at the sudden compliment.

As they passed by the garden, Akane noticed Ranma's gaze lingering on the vibrant flowers that his mom had planted many years ago and were now carefully tended to by Katsumi. The redhead couldn't help but marvel at the sight of vibrant colors from the sunlight shining upon them; her cheeks tinged with a rosy flush as she observed the blooming petal from each different type of flower.

Akane, on the other hand, couldn't help but stare at the redhead, 'Cute', he thought as he continued watching her from the corner of his eye before realizing he had been staring a little bit too long and quickly looked away, feeling his own cheeks starting to heat up.

Clearing his throat to break the silence, Akane forced a casual tone, "Let's head towards the dojo," and with that, he continued the tour toward the family dojo as he tried to desperately ignore the sound of his beating heart.

Once they were in the hallway leading up to the dojo, Ranma continued their conversation. "You and your brothers are quite lucky to live here, plus having a dojo to train in!" She voices her envy as she continues looking around the place

Akane chuckled softly. "Hahaha, well... I'm the only one who practices there."

Ranma raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Really? What about your brothers? Don't they also practice Anything Goes Martial Arts?"

Akane sighed and shook his head. "Well, they did... at first. But now? Not so much."

"Eh, why's that?"

"They're not really interested in continuing the family school," Akane explained. "When we were kids, our dad tried to train my older brothers, but they quickly lost interest. Unlike me…"

Akane paused for a moment as if lost in thought. "But even though I practice our family's style of Anything Goes Martial Arts, and have trained in many other types of martial arts, there are still some things my brothers are better at than me." he pouted at the last part.

Ranma nodded thoughtfully, then added, "Hmm… now that I think about it, your brothers' movements do seem…"

"Like well-trained martial artists?" Akane finished her thought, surprised he had picked up on that.

"Yes! How did you know?" she asked, her expression shifting to curiosity.

"Well, for one thing, Katsumi is pretty much the strongest out of all of us in terms of raw strength. He once lifted a 50kg boulder with just one hand because he was doing it for a summer project back in elementary school… and he was only 10 at the time…" Akane said, his voice tinged with admiration but also seep of jealousy that he carefully hid.

"That... Impressive," Ranma remarked, her eyes widening in surprise. "He seemed like the most gentle and calm out of all three of you."

"Oh, he is," Akane replied with a soft chuckle. "It's just that big brother prefers to live a simpler, quieter life than follow the path of a martial artist. I think it's silly, but that's how he is."

"I see…" Ranma trailed off, nodding along to his words. "And what about Naoki?"

"Well, Naoki isn't really interested in martial arts or carrying on the family dojo either. But for some strange reason, he's always been great at sneaking around. His footsteps are so light, you can't even hear him coming. It's like he's a ghost. No one notices his presence until it's too late. And when it comes to escaping dangerous situations, he's got incredible intuition too..." he couldn't help but deepen his pout.

The conversation quieted as they reached the door of the training hall. "Well, damn…" The dojo stood at the back of the house, its traditional wooden sliding doors slightly ajar, revealing the familiar space where Akane practiced martial arts. Akane opened the door, gesturing for her to enter as Ranma tried to lighten the sudden, downcast mood. "But I bet you're more skilled in martial arts than they are, right?"

"You're damn right I am!" Akane chuckled, a confident grin on his face as he led Ranma into the dojo.

Ranma's eyes widened the moment they stepped inside. Her sharp blue gaze swept across the polished wooden floors, the neatly arranged training equipment, and the sunlight streaming in through the high windows, casting warm patches of light on the ground. Her expression shifted into one of awe.

"Wow," she breathed, her voice tinged with admiration. "Your dojo is huge! It's so spacious!"

Akane smirked, crossing his arms as he leaned casually against one of the wooden pillars. "I know, right? My dad had this place renovated for me and my brothers. He wanted it to be ready for when we start training future students." His chest puffed out slightly, pride evident in his tone.

Ranma glanced at him, her expression softening into one of curiosity. "Your dad sure is prepared, huh?"

Akane shrugged but couldn't hide the small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah... he always says it's important to think ahead. He's really invested in making sure we're ready to carry on the family legacy."

He then shook his head to brush off the heavy pressure placed upon their father aside to the back of his mind. "Anyway, since we're already here..." Akane glanced at Ranma, a spark of excitement in his eyes. "Wanna spar?" Despite the challenge in his voice, he was hesitant.

Ranma didn't notice the hesitation in his voice as her lips curled into a confident smirk. "Sure. It's been a while since I've sparred with someone my age who also practices Anything Goes Martial Arts."

She puffed out her chest and placed a hand on it with pride, straightening her posture. "Not to brag, but just like your family's style, I'm the heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts!"

Akane's eyes widened slightly, amazement slipping into his expression. "That's amazing!"

"Well," Ranma said with a shrug, brushing a strand of red hair out of her face, "I've been training my whole life to inherit the school. Pretty much started as soon as I could walk." Her voice carried a mix of pride and nonchalance, but her blue eyes gleamed with playful determination.

"Since you're that good," he said, taking a little distance as he slipped into his usual fighting stance, "let's see who's better." Despite the confidence and challenge in his tone, he was a little hesitant.

This wasn't just any sparring match for Akane. It was the first time he'd ever fought someone his age who also practiced Anything Goes Martial Arts. And to make things more complicated, it was a girl.

He wasn't nervous about fighting her—no, Akane was confident in his own skills as a martial artist. But the idea of accidentally hurting her gnawed at the back of his mind. How was he supposed to fight seriously without going too hard? Should he tone down his strength? Was she even ready for this?

Ranma, on the other hand, didn't seem the least bit concerned. She stood there, casually relaxed, her hands tucked behind her back as her sparkling blue eyes studied him. Her stance wasn't defensive or aggressive—it was as if she wasn't even taking him seriously.

Akane found himself faltering under her steady gaze. She wasn't trying to intimidate him; in fact, her expression was almost playful. He could tell she was an experienced fighter with the way she walked and the very light steps, each movement light and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey.

Despite her small stature, Akane couldn't ignore the subtle strength she possessed. Lean muscle was visible beneath the softness of her limbs, and though he'd admit it felt a little creepy to notice such details, he couldn't help but be captivated by her.

As much as he wanted to disagree with Naoki's teasing comment about showing her around the house to "make a move," Akane couldn't entirely dismiss the fact that she had, in a way, charmed him.

They continued staring at each other for a brief moment, and Akane couldn't help but think she looked... cute. Well, in all honesty, he'd always thought she was cute ever since she first showed up with that panda.

"Well," she finally said, her voice light but teasing. "Are you just going to stand there all day, or are we actually going to fight?"

Her words snapped him back to reality, and Akane tightened his fists, narrowing his eyes. "Go ahead," Akane said with a small grin, trying to sound casual. "Ladies first, after all."

For some odd reason, his words caused a noticeable shift in the redhead's expression. Her previously relaxed demeanor cracked as a faint twitch appeared at the corner of her flawless, beautiful face. Irritation flickered in her deep blue eyes, and her lips curved into a tight, forced smile.

"Oh, how polite of you," Ranma replied, her tone sugary sweet but laced with unmistakable sarcasm.

Akane's grin faltered. 'Oh, crap... did I just offend her?' He blinked, panicking internally as he noticed her piercing gaze now locked on him, irritation practically radiating off her.

"Wait! T-that's not what I meant!" Akane stammered, waving his hands defensively as if to diffuse the situation. "I mean... uh..." He scrambled for the right words, his cheeks flushing slightly. "This is actually my first time sparring with a girl. I'm just... Er, I'm used to fighting the guys at school. And, um... I just can't really find it in me to, hit... hit a girl, y'know?"

Ranma raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she tapped her foot lightly against the wooden floor. Her expression remained unimpressed as her gaze bore into him at the half-baked excuse Akane had thrown out that only seemed to add fuel to the fire.

"Well, thank you for your concern," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But you better listen up here, mister. If you don't want your ass handed to you by a girl, you'd better take this seriously."

'Shit, she's really pissed!' he thought, panic flashing across his face. His eyes darted to her clenched fists and the fire blazing in her blue gems.

Ranma hadn't initially planned on going all out against her host and guide. She was more amused than anything when they first walked into the dojo. But now? Akane's casual dismissal of her abilities—just because of her gender—had struck a nerve. The irony of it all, considering she wasn't actually a "she," only fueled her annoyance further. If proving a point meant bruising both his pride and his ego, then so be it. She was more than willing to teach him a lesson to not underestimate her, and she sure as hell would be taking it seriously.

Akane swallowed hard, his heart racing as he adjusted his stance. "Alright, then," he muttered, narrowing his eyes at the unimpressed redhead in front of him. "Don't come crying to me when say I didn't warn you."

Akane launched the first punch, though he wasn't taking the sparring match too seriously, throwing a half-hearted attack and using only half of his strength. It was a straightforward, almost telegraphed move—one that should have been easy for anyone to avoid. To his surprise, however, as soon as he threw the first punch, the redhead didn't just sidestep; she practically flew into the air, effortlessly dodging his fist with ease as she landed behind him.

Akane reacted quickly, spinning into a roundhouse kick aimed at her midsection, but once again, she effortlessly dodged. The short redhead simply jumped into the air, and gracely landed behind him again with that same maddening ease.

Akane gritted his teeth and pressed on, throwing a barrage of punches and kicks in quick succession, each one meant to close the distance and corner her. Yet, Ranma evaded every single attack, weaving through his strikes, almost looking effortless, like she was playing some sort of game.

'Why isn't she attacking? She's only been dodging!' Akane thought, a sense of growing frustration bubbling up. But then, it hit him like a bolt of lightning striking him down.

She's playing with me.

The realization hit him like a splash of cold water. He could see it now—the way she moved with effortless grace, always one step ahead, effortlessly avoiding his punches without breaking a sweat. She wasn't defending herself; she was simply toying with him, easily dodging his attacks. Though he had made them somewhat predictable, he at least expected to land a hit, or for her to make a mistake or for her to attacked herself.

"Oi, is this a spar or a game of tag?" She teased her voice dripping with mockery. "Because if it's the latter, I could run circles around you all day."

Akane clenched his fists, her taunting striking a nerve. Okay, now she was really pushing his buttons, and she was definitely enjoying every second of it.

If that's how she was going to play, then fine. He would gladly give her what she wanted. Besides, it had been a while since someone other than Kuno had managed to make him break a sweat.

Without warning, Akane launched into a relentless barrage of punches and kicks, each strike coming faster than the last. The redhead danced around him with graceful agility, flying through the air or leaping behind him. But it almost seems as though he anticipated her movement she had to quickly dodge or block his kick's or punch that he throw at her until it's to late which kinda put her on the defense multiple times even when she's about to put her own attacked it just seems he didn't give her a chance to do it which frustrated her.

But Ranma didn't notice that Akane change strategy and used her moment of distraction from his relentless attack on her upper body as he quickly swipe her legs making her trip but she quickly twisted her body in midair to land in a crouch position, just low enough to avoid his kick aimed at her abdomen.

Akane's attacked increasingly became faster and faster. Every time Ranma dodged one of his strikes, she could tell that her opponent was starting to run low on stamina quick. But with the way he keeps closing in on her so fast with his relentless strikes, it kinda made it a little hard to put her own moves. He was forcing her into a tight spot, restricting her movements and leaving her to struggle—if only for a moment which she tries to think of ways to counter and created some distance.

'This kid is good, actually... He's not haft bad-' Her train of thought was abruptly interrupted when he finally managed to land a hit. It wasn't a clean hit, the strike barely connected, just grazing her shoulder, but the sting of it was enough to make her wince. She wasn't going to lie—it hurt. But pain like this? She dealt with far worse when she was being trained for her whole life.

Akane smirked, his confidence swelling at the small victory. "Finally giving up, princess?" he taunted, his tone laced with smugness.

Ranma's eyes narrowed, her teeth clenching at the sudden nickname. "Oh, I'm just getting started, punk," she hissed, her voice sharp and her posture shifting slightly.

Without waiting for Akane to react, Ranma lunged forward, closing the gap in a blink of an eye. Now she's the one on the offensive as Akane block her punch with his arms before it quickly turn into rapid punches. Despite her fist being small actually tiny looking the force behind her punch sting quite a bit and the rapid strikes weren't helping.

Akane gritted his teeth as he blocked her ongoing attacks, trying to maintain his footing against the onslaught. His arms trembling slightly from the repeated strikes as Ranma's rapid punches seemed to come from all angles, each one stinging more than the last. Her compact fists packed a surprising amount of power, and the relentless rhythm left him struggling to find a chance to counter.

She was using the same tactic he had used on her just moments ago, but her movements were a blur of speed, far beyond anything he could dodge which somehow pissed him off. Akane knew he was fast, not to brag but he's always pride himself being the most fastest person out of the entire student body of his school. Yet, the redhead in front of him seemed to exist on an entirely different level, her speed almost otherworldly in comparison.

Why hadn't she used this incredible speed earlier to dodge his punches?

Unbeknownst to Akane, Ranma herself was just as astonished by her newfound swiftness. As she delivered a flurry of punches and kicks at blazing speed, she couldn't help but marvel at what her body was capable of. This was the first time she'd truly realized the full extent of her agility—an ability she hadn't even been aware of before now.

Unbeknownst to Akane, Ranma herself was just as astonished by her newfound swiftness. As she delivered a flurry of punches and kicks at blazing speed, she couldn't help but marvel at what her body was capable of. This was the first time she'd truly realized the full extent of her agility—an ability she hadn't even been aware of before now.

Just like Akane, Ranma knew she was a fast runner with incredibly sharp reflexes—faster than even an average Olympic athlete, something she had always been proud of. However, ever since she had fallen into the curse spring that change her gender, her body felt lighter and faster than her male counterpart. Still, it didn't possess half the raw strength she had as a guy. Yet, as she continued delivering sharped kicks and punches to the boy, not once giving him a chance to counterattack, it finally dawn on her at how fast her female body is.

Akane didn't even see it coming—the way her leg swung toward his side with such quick precision. It forced him to drop his guard, and that was all Ranma needed. She seized the opportunity, driving her left leg straight into his abdomen, staggering him just for a moment. She followed up with a rapid barrage of kicks, each one relentless then the last. Akane tried to dodge, but her strikes were so fast he could only narrowly avoid them.

He was so caught up he didn't notice when Ranma seamlessly pivoted into a low sweep aimed at his legs which he barely managed to leap over it in time. But, before he could even land, she twisted her body mid-spin and launched another kick toward his ribs. Akane was forced to contort midair in an almost unnatural way to evade the blow, his breath coming faster now as he tried to keep up with her.

Ranma didn't let up, she didn't even look like she's breaking in a sweat! She was about to deliver another sharp blow to his abdomen when Akane saw an opportunity to catch a break. His hands shot out instinctively, grabbing her leg just in time as he twisted it, in an attempted to throw her off balance, aiming to gain the upper hand just enough time to get his bearings.

But it just wasn't his day as Ranma used the momentum of his twist to leap off her grounded leg, spinning in midair and delivering a swift counter-kick to his chest. The impact sent Akane stumbling backward, landing on his ass with a dull thud, a pained grunt escaping his lips. The redhead then perform a flawless summersault, landing gracefully on the balls of her feet just a step away from him.

While Akane was still reeling from the lingering ache, Ranma extended her right arm and flicked her finger lightly against his forehead. "Got you," she declare with a cheeky grin.

Akane blinked, momentarily stunned by her childish move. Then, noticing the mischievous snicker tugging at her lips, his confused expression shifted into a reluctant smile. The two stared at each other for a brief moment before bursting into laughter dissolving the tension of their sparring session.

As the laughter died down, Akane rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, still seated on the ground. "For a girl… you're not half bad," he admitted sheepishly, "Sorry for underestimating you."

Ranma couldn't help but smirk at his admission, as she straightened up from her crouching position, crossing her arms with a triumphant smirk. "Hmph! As long as you understand, I guess I can forgive you," she replied, her tone filled with mixture of teasing and playful.

Akane raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by her smug attitude. "You're quite the cocky one, aren't you?" he retorted dryly, though his lips quirked upward in amusement.

Ranma's smirk only widened. "Heh, tell me something I don't know, sweetheart," she shot back, sticking her tongue out at him playfully.

Akane rolled his eyes but couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him. "You're unbelievable," he muttered, pushing himself to his feet and dusting off the pants of his gi. "You know, I'm glad that you're a girl," Akane suddenly said causing the redhead to quirk her eyebrow.

Ranma tilted her head, curiosity written on her face. "Why? Because it's the first time someone shorter than you handed your ass to you?" she teased with a sly grin.

Akane rolled his eyes at her teasing, as he shaked his head. "Well, no… not exactly," he replied, his smile faltering slightly as his expression grew thoughtful. "I just… I really can't stand losing to those cocky, overconfident guys. They strut around like they own the place, acting all tough, and it just… it drives me nuts," he confessed, his voice carrying a faint edge of irritation. "In short, I guess I'm a sore loser."

He paused, frowning as he continued, his tone shifting into something darker. "But damn, would I love to put those assholes in their place." His words carried an unexpected anger, and his fists clenched momentarily at his sides. "I guess that's probably why I don't have many guy friends. They call me a Casanova just because I have more girl friends and that I don't put up with their crap, especially when they act like perverts." he said the last part with venom traced upon the last of his words.

Ranma blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the sudden change in Akane's tone. The venom in his words was so stark that it made her twitch slightly. The dark-haired boy in front of her seemed almost like a different person for even if it was just a moment.

"… I… see…" Ranma murmured, unsure of how to respond. She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly as she tries to come up ways to lift the heavy tension in the air. "So, um, anyway, do you—"

Before she could finish, Akane cut her off, his expression softening as he raised his hands in a loose fighting stance. "Hey, do you want to go another round?" he asked, his voice more even now before failing his arms and adding, "If… if you want to?"

Ranma blinked again before a grin broke across her face. "Pfft—are you kidding me? That's exactly what I was going to say!" she replied, slipping back into a now serious stance, her eyes lighting up with the familiar thrill of competition.

Akane found himself staring at Ranma's face, her laughter ringing out like a melody. Her scarlet hair shimmered lightly underneath the light, catching his attention as it framed her face perfectly, almost glowing. Her baby-blue eyes sparkled with innocent joy and excitement from just another sparring match. In that moment, she looked utterly radiant so mesmerizing. She was… cute... no. She was beautiful.

Then, as if the words slipped out without much thought, he said softly, "You know… you're kinda cute when you smile."

The statement hung in the air for a second, almost surreal, as Akane casually turned his back to create some distance in preparation for their next sparring round. Completely oblivious to the effect his words had, he stretched his arms, bouncing lightly on his feet in anticipation.

Meanwhile, the redhead froze, her eyes widening in disbelief as a sudden warmth spread across her cheeks. Her face flushed a bright, unmistakable shade of crimson, her heart skipping a beat in betrayal of her confusion. For a moment, she was utterly rooted to the spot, her mind racing to process the unexpected compliment.

'Did he really just say that?' The thought echoed in her head, louder than the pounding of her heart. Her fists, once clenched in readiness, slackened as the weight of his words lingered. "Cute." Sure, Ranma knew she was cute, she would sometimes caught herself staring at herself in the mirror whenever she's in her female form and had a few guys tell her behind her back or straight up to her face that she was attractive. But this... The word itself now felt foreign—strange and almost unwelcome in the context of their usual banter, yet it sent an unbidden flutter through her chest.

Ranma immediately shook her head, her scarlet hair flailing around in the air as she tried to regain control of the heat creeping up her neck and face. The quickening beat of her heart was hard to ignore, and she couldn't seem to focus on anything other than the flustered mess she'd become. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to clear her mind, and then forced herself to look up at Akane, who was already slipping into his fighting stance, ready for their next round.

'Focus.' Ranma told herself, taking a deep breath. 'I'll think about this later. Right now, I've got a match to win.'

Her muscles tensed, adrenaline rushing to her limbs as she pushed aside the storm of confusion swirling in her chest. No time for distractions. She could feel Akane's unwavering gaze, the quiet challenge in his posture, and Ranma knew this wasn't the moment to let her guard down.

With a final shake of her head to banish the lingering thoughts, she squared her shoulders and nodded starting the start of another spar between the her and the teen.


The wind chimed the bells of the wind chimes softly, the gentle rustling of the breeze sweeping through the garden outside. In the washitsu, the sliding paper doors let in streams of golden sunlight, illuminating the solemn scene. Sitting in front of one another were Genma and Soun, both men silently weeping as tears streamed down their faces.

Naoki, who was minding his own business, passed by on his way to the kitchen to grab another popsicle, and stopped in his tracks when he noticed the strange scene unfolding before him. "Hey," he called over his shoulder, "who's the old man sitting with Dad?"

Katsumi, busy washing up the dishes from their lunch in the sink, barely glanced up. "Beats me… probably Ranma's father?" he replied nonchalantly, scrubbing a plate.

Naoki frowned and leaned against the doorway, popping his popsicle out of its wrapper. "I see… And the panda?"

Katsumi paused mid-scrub, blinking as he looked up in thought. "Actually… I have no idea," he admitted, furrowing his brow.

Naoki raised an eyebrow, sucking on his popsicle as he mulled over Katsumi's response. "Hmmm… That's interesting," he muttered, more so to himself than to his brother.

Naoki glanced past his older brother toward the kitchen window, where the sun was dipping lower into the horizon, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink. The day was winding down, yet the faint sounds of activity coming from the dojo suggested that Akane and their newest guest were still sparring. "Akane sure is taking his sweet time sparring with her, huh?"

Katsumi chuckled, wiping his hands on a dish towel as he placed another plate on the drying rack. "The two would certainly make a great match for each other."

Naoki just smirked at that. "Sure do. Who would've thought our little brother had the balls to make the first move?"

"Right?" Katsumi laughed, shaking his head in amusement. "Guess spring really did come to our Akane."

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a loud bang echoing from the direction of the dojo, startling them both. The sound reverberated through the house, followed by the muffled thuds of continued commotion. The brothers exchanged a glance, and without missing a beat, they both burst out laughing, filling the kitchen with their laughter. Soon, their laughter died down, though the faint noises from the dojo persisted in the background, hinting at the chaos unfolding between Akane and Ranma.

Naoki shook his head, a sly grin tugging at his lips. "He just had to fall in love with a tomboy, huh?" he said with a dramatic sigh, though his tone was far from disapproving.

Katsumi smiled knowingly as he continued rinsing the dishes. "He always had a unique sense of taste."

"That's for sure," Naoki agreed, leaning back against the kitchen doorframe and crossing his arms over his chest. "If we're talking about who's going to inherit the dojo, it's definitely going to be Akane."

Katsumi nodded as he set the last plate on the drying rack. "Yeah, no doubt about it. Knowing how serious he is about practicing the art, he's the obvious choice. And it sounds like Ranma-san is just as serious about the art as Akane is."

As if on cue, another loud thud echoed from the direction of the dojo, followed by muffled shouts that neither brother could quite make out. Naoki tilted his head toward the noise, a smirk playing on his lips. "Sounds like Akane might be biting off more than he can chew."

"But it's not a bad thing, is it?" Katsumi asked, glancing at Naoki with the same gentle air he carried.

Naoki leaned against the doorframe, his arms still crossed as he gazed out the window. The warm glow of the setting sun bathed the room in a golden hue, reflecting off the polished surfaces of the kitchen. He hummed thoughtfully before answering, "No, it isn't… In fact, I think it's a great thing for those two."


Back in the dojo, the two teens had finally finished their final match, concluding their spar as the sun slowly set.

"Oof, that sure was a workout."

The two martial artists immediately collapsed onto the floor, trying to catch their breath after hours of intense sparring with one another.

Ranma sat in a lotus flower position on the floor of the dojo, with beads of sweat running down her face. It had been a while since anyone other than her father, her old friend from junior high, or the female Chinese assassins she'd accidentally picked up in China had given her a hard time in a match. In fact, it had been a long time since she'd even sweated from a simple sparring match. But she could tell that the dark-haired teen across from her was a talented fighter—not quite on her level, but with some polish, he could be a challenge.

After a few moments of resting on the dojo floor, Akane abruptly stood up from his spot, brushing off the dirt his gi had accumulated, and began ushering her to move. "Alright, get up and move along, princess."

"Stop calling me that," she grumbled, sitting up but stubbornly refusing to budge from her spot on the floor, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Oh? And why's that, princess?" Akane asked, feigning innocence, though the smirk tugging at his lips gave him away knowing how the nickname ticked her off.

"Because I don't like it!" she hissed, her sparkling blue eyes narrowing into an icy glare as they locked onto his dark chocolatey ones. "And stop pushing me around! Is this how you treat your guests?!"

Akane merely raised both of his hands in mock surrender. "Sorry, but I need to clean this place up a bit," he said, gesturing toward the dojo from the mess they've created. "You know, since we managed to turn it into a disaster zone after just a few sparring sessions."

She followed his gesture, her gaze landing on the various signs of destruction scattered across the dojo. The tatami mats were disheveled and out of place, one of the floorboards had a visible crack running through it, and there were at least three noticeable dents in the walls where they had been thrown or collided during their match. A pile of punching bags was ripped or destroyed over in the corner, and even the wooden dummies at the far end of the room had a splintered arm hanging at an awkward angle.

Ranma blinked, her earlier frustration momentarily replaced with a twinge of guilt as she took in the damage.

"Ah..." Said the redhead flatly as she took in the damage of the dojo.

"Yeah."

"Sorry about that," Ranma mumbled sheepishly, scratching the back of her head as she avoided Akane's gaze. An imaginary lightbulb seemed to go off above her head, and she perked up. "I can help if you want," she offered enthusiastically.

Akane waved her offer off, though the idea of spending a bit more time with her was admittedly tempting. "Nah, it's okay. You can hang out at the washitsu for a bit if you want," he said casually. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he added, "I'm sure my dad would love to bombard you with endless questions, though."

Ranma groaned, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Ugh... You sure I can't help with anything? I really don't want to deal with your dad right now—not like this." She gestured to her now rumpled clothes, which were disheveled and slightly dusty from their sparring session.

Akane simply returns a reassuring smile. "It's really okay. I've got this. You, on the other hand, could take a bath if you want. You're our guest, after all."

Ranma hesitated for a moment before shrugging. "Alright, I'll take you up on that offer later, but for now..." She paused, glancing out toward the setting sun visible through the dojo window. "I think I'm just going to hang around outside for a bit. I need some fresh air."

Ranma walked out of the dojo and back into the house, guiding herself through the house, memorizing the room and pathways Akane had guided her. She then arrived at the washitsu engawa, where she sat down as she looked up towards the sky it was painted a beautiful mix of orange and yellow, replacing the fading blue. Ranma silently enjoyed the breeze, listening to the gentle ringing of the wind chimes. The quiet serenity of the moment settled over her, allowing her to finally let her thoughts drift away from the whirlwind of emotions and confusion she'd been carrying all day.

"You two already finished with your workout?"

Ranma turned her head to find the source of the voice, spotting Katsumi walking towards her, a towel in his hand and a calm expression on his face.

"Yup," Ranma said with a smirk, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Akane wasn't half bad as a sparring partner, I'll tell you that. But he's got some work to do if he ever wants to beat me."

Katsumi simply smiled at her. "I'm glad you two are getting along better. But after all that fighting, I think it's time for a bath. You're practically dripping." He held out the towel he was carrying, offering it to her.

Ranma waved a dismissive hand. "Eh, I don't really mind staying like this. A little sweat never killed anyone."

Katsumi furrows his brow worriedly, his tone turning slightly more serious with a mixture of worry. "That won't do. Even if you and Akane are martial artists, you should take better care of yourself, and that includes your hygiene."

Ranma blinked at him, momentarily caught off guard by his stern but gentle scolding. She opened her mouth to retort but thought better of it when she saw the worried look on Katsumi's face. Letting out a small sigh, she finally relented. "...Okay," she muttered, grabbing the towel from his hand.

"Good. Now go clean up because dinner will be served soon." Katsumi said with a satisfied nod, turning to head toward the kitchen.

With a grumble under her breath, Ranma dragged her sweaty, sore body toward the bathroom of the Tendou dojo. She stripped down, carelessly tossing her clothes into the laundry basket in the dry area of the bathroom. She slid open the door to the wet area, the coldness of the tiles sending a shiver up her spine, even though steam began to rise from the heated water.

Sitting on a small wooden stool, Ranma began diligently scrubbing away the sweat and grime from the long hours she had spent sparring with Akane. Each scrub felt almost meditative, a way to work out the tension in her muscles. She then poured a bucket of water over her head, not realizing the coldness of the water; she gasped as the chill of the water shocked her.

'That's icy!' she thought, shivering as the water cascaded down her back.

Ranma paused for a moment, her eyes gazing at the steam rising from the furo, and she let out another deep sigh. The warmth of the bath was inviting, but her mind was elsewhere.

"What am I going to do?" she muttered to herself, rubbing her forehead.


Akane came walking back inside their home with a towel wrapped around his neck. After such a workout with the redhead and the aftermath of cleaning up the place after their fight, he thought he might as well have a well-deserved bath before dinner. He was so caught up in the idea of a nice relaxing warm bath that he didn't notice he barely knocked into Naoki.

"Whoa, watch where are you going, Akane," Naoki said, raising an eyebrow as he sidestepped to avoid the collision.

Akane blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. "Ah, sorry, Naoki."

"So, how was your workout with our new guest?" Naoki teased, raising an eyebrow as he watched Akane's slightly flushed face. "You two seemed awfully sweaty."

"We just sparred, that's all. Don't go getting any weird ideas in your head, now..." Akane shot back, though a faint blush tinged his cheeks, which only made Naoki's smirk widen.

"Yeah, yeah," Naoki said dismissively, still chuckling. "Just checking, man."

Little did either of them know, they were about to get a huge surprise from their female guest, one that neither could have predicted.


Back in the bathroom, Ranma sat in the furo, the warm water enveloping her—his body. His scarlet hair, clung to his skin, dripping with water as it darkened to a deep black like her—his body became more bulkier and muscular the moment his body made contact with the hot water of the furo. The steam from the hot water swirled around him, but he couldn't shake the chill of anxiety that settled deep in his chest.

His thoughts spiraled as he contemplated how he was going to explain his... condition towards his host's. The weight of the situation was heavy, but he couldn't help letting his mind wander to the sparring session with Akane earlier. Even though he was in his female form, he had to admit, he had enjoyed their sparring session. It had been exhilarating to face off against someone of his own age and skill level—well just barely on his level but it wasn't a half bad spar.

Now that he thought about it, when was the last time he had spent any meaningful time with someone his age? It had been years, probably since middle school. Before his life turned into an endless cycle of training and travel. Actually, his earliest memories were nothing but traveling to their newest destination for the sake of their training trip. His mind wandered back to one particular memory—standing in an empty lot for three days straight, waiting for his self-declared rival and friend to show up. They had promised they'd settle things between the two of them in a man-to-man fight, but the boy never came or showed any signs of showing up.

Ranma knew that his friend never once broken his promise or left him hanging only that his sense of direction had cause him trouble on getting where he's heading more times that the black hair pigtail could count. Yet still, Ranma had stubbornly refused to leave until his father dragged him away for their next training trip.

There was wasn't a chance to say goodbye to his classmates or the friends he'd made during his years in middle school. The only person he managed to bid farewell to was his mother, but even that goodbye was brief and bittersweet. Even after swimming all the way to Japan to China, Ranma couldn't help but silently regret on not staying in that empty lot just a little longer. Maybe if he'd waited a few hours more, or swallowed his pride and gone to look for him instead of expecting him to come, things might have been different. But nooooo—the idiot just had to declare he could find his way on his own. 'Yeah, right, idiot.' Ranma thought bitterly. 'Like I didn't guide you to school and back home every single day.'

His memories spiraled further back, to the patchwork childhood he had as a child. Starting school only to be absent or just leave in a few weeks or months later. The friends he made was quickly abandoned as he and his father drifted from town to town, prefecture to prefecture, endlessly chasing the next training ground. It became such a routine that Ranma wondered what was even the point of making friends when every goodbye left a sour taste to his immature self.

At least for a brief moment in time, the one constant childhood friend Ranma had when he was six managed to fill the void of loneliness he hadn't even realized he carried as a child. Even if it was just for a short moment of time, her presence had made an indelible mark on him before his father uprooted him yet again for another leg of their never-ending training journey.

Ranma remembered how their relationship began with daily sparring matches which he won every last one. She'd challenge him relentlessly every time he came over to snack on them, and every time he won, she'd give him a fresh, steaming okonomiyaki for his victory. For the longest time, Ranma had assumed she was simply being generous, handing out food out of the goodness of her heart. That illusion shattered one day when she bluntly told him the okonomiyaki was just a prize for his victories—a revelation that left him shocked and speechless.

Back then, Ranma and his father had been staying in the area where the brunette family small okonomiyaki cart was set up. It didn't take long for Ranma and the little brunette girl to become fast friends. Even when the Saotomes were preparing to leave for another training expedition, Ranma was surprised when she had unexpectedly joined them on their journey even if it was only for a year.

During that year, Genma subjected the girl to the same grueling and brutal training regimen that Ranma had endured for years. Ranma watched and support her behind the scenes as she continuesly struggled to keep up, often complaining about the intensity of the exercises and the absurdity of his father methods. Yet, no matter how tough the training became, she always see the end of it with pushing herself to her limit.

Not to mention, she had quickly taken on the responsibility of cooking their meals, a task neither Ranma nor Genma were particularly skilled at back then. The food she prepared was delicious and satisfied the father and son, filling their stomachs after long days of arduous training.

However, everything changed shortly after they celebrated her seventh birthday with Genma without warning or explanation, abruptly decided to take her back to her hometown without even informing Ranma beforehand, much less given him the opportunity to say goodbye. When Ranma demanded more answers, his father remained silent, only stating that he planned to enroll Ranma in school and that they were travelling to the south which was opposite to the brunette's home.

After returning home from their long training trip, he entered middle school and was finally able to enjoy a few leisure years of a normal life and was able to be reunited with his mother, whom he hadn't seen in years. During this time, he also made a close friend at least close to it, who consistently declared himself Ranma's rival for the remaining of his stay there. Despite their constant bickering, arguing, and fighting, there was never any doubt about the strong bond they had developed.

His sigh echoed softly in the bathroom as he submerged himself under the hot water, letting it wash over his tired muscles. The warmth helped clear his head, even if only for a few minutes. As he resurfaced, he wiped his face and leaned back against the edge, exhaling deeply. A bath could only do so much and sooner than later, he'd have to face another, much bigger problem.

Ranma's eyes drifted downward, landing on his chest—flat, muscular, and distinctly obviously male. The two soft mounds of flesh that had been there mere hours ago were gone, replaced by hardened pecs. He frowned at his reflection in the water, his mind spinning with dread.

'Seriously, what am I going to do? How the hell am I going to explain this?' he thought inwardly, his bangs falling over his eyes as he sank into deep contemplation.

'It'll come to light eventually. I just have to face it.'

Just as Ranma was halfway out of the furo, Akane walked into the bathroom, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

Akane's chocolate-brown eyes locked with Ranma's blue steel ones, the tension in the bathroom palpable. They stared at each other in stunned silence for a few moments, the awkwardness of the situation settling in and without a word, he turned and quickly backed out of the bathroom just as Ranma's sweated nervously with his face turning red from embarrassment.

Akane placed down his towel onto the floor the dry area of the bathroom before swiftly putting back his gi. His hands moved mechanically as he dressed, his thoughts still reeling from what he had witnessed. Once he was dressed, he walked slowly toward the door leading to the hallway before closing it and had his back pressed against the bathroom door.

There was nothing but absolute silence before Akane screamed in panic and fear. His first instinct was to either run away or charge right into the danger to counter and defend himself from the intruder in his family bathroom, but with so little time, the urge to run outweighed the impulse to fight.

"Thief!! Pervert!! Weirdo!!"

Akane's shout echoed through the Tendou household, loud enough to alert everyone inside. He bolted through the hallway, his bare feet slapping against the wooden floor as he ignored the questioning stares of his brothers as he passed them by and the two old men lounging in the washitsu. His heart thumping loudly in his chest as he made a beeline for their garden as Akane skidded to a halt and zeroed in on the stone lantern, and without a second thought, Akane grabbed it, his muscles straining as he lifted the head with both hands.

"I'll kill that pervert with this..." he muttered through gritted teeth, his voice trembling with a combination of anger and fear.

Almost immediately, Akane's brothers appeared in his line of sight, both staring at their younger brother. Katsumi's expression was a mix of confusion and concern as he carried a tray of food. "Akane, calm down. What happened?"

"There's someone in our bathroom! That's what happened! I need to beat them up!"

"And why can't you just go charging in like you usually do?" Naoki quipped, watching as Akane struggled to haul the head of the ishi-doro inside.

"Because, I'm afraid, dammit!" Akane snapped. "I can't just go charging in like I usually do when I have nothing to protect me!"

"Don't you just use your fists to protect yourself?" Naoki raised an eyebrow at that. "I mean, you're the only martial artist besides Dad who practices the art."

Now Katsumi the one who surprised as he look in confusion "And that makes no sense. Ranma is in the bath right now though."

Akane froze, his grip on the ishi-doro slackening slightly as his mind raced. "Eh? She was...? B-but there was a guy in there!" he stammered, his voice tinged with confusion.

Before the situation could escalate further, the sound of footsteps approached. The three brothers turned as a figure stepped into view—a black-haired teen with his hair tied up in a pigtail. He wore the same red Chinese-style sleeveless shirt and black pants as the redhead, but his outfit fit more snugly on him, contrasting with the ill-fitting, oversized clothes on the redhead.

Katsumi blinked, his expression a mix of curiosity and slight confusion. "Who...?"

"The... Pervert..." Akane whispered, his voice low and shocked, eyes wide as he recognized the person standing before him.

The boy lowered his gaze, his face gradually turning a deep shade of red as he fidgeted awkwardly. "I-I'm Saotome Ranma..." he muttered shyly, barely above a whisper. He scratched the back of his head with his shoulders hunched slightly as if trying to make himself smaller. "S-Sorry about this..."

Silence filled the room like a heavy blanket as the three Tendou brothers stared at the boy standing before them—the same boy who had just introduced himself as Saotome Ranma. The same Ranma they had met earlier… as a girl. The weight of confusion hung thick in the air, so palpable that you could almost hear a pin drop amidst the tension.

All three brothers exchanged puzzled glances, their brows furrowing in unison as if silently questioning their collective grasp on reality. The seconds stretched uncomfortably, the sound of the wind chimes outside the only noise breaking the stillness.

Finally, it was Naoki who shattered the silence. He tilted his head slightly, his arms crossed, and gave the boy an incredulous look. "...What?" he asked flatly, his voice laced with both disbelief and the exact thoughts his brothers were struggling to articulate.


Thank you so much for reaching the end I hope you like the second chapter! Here's a little disclaimer about some of the details for this chapter.

Firstly, I wanted to write a fight scene of Ranma(girl) vs Akane sparring when they first meet. I'm not really good at writing fight scenes, and this is honestly my first time writing it, so it'll be nice if you like it.

Secondly, if you notice anything different or weird about the Tendou brother's relationship, it is that I honestly have what guys are thinking, but I want them to have a good brotherly relationship with them. I also have a teenage mindset, with Katsumi being the most mature out of the 3 since he is the eldest. I want Katsumi and Naoki to have at least a little experience in martial arts since the two are the children of a father who trains in the art of Anything Goes Martial. So I thought of Katsumi, Naoki, and Akane training together as children before the two eldest siblings stopped, but even though Akane is the only person with more experience and training in the Anything Goes Martial Arts, Katsumi, and Naoki have a few abilities of their own that are way better than Akane. So I want Akane to realize he has a lot of growing to do if he ever wants to inherit the Tendou dojo.

And thirdly, about Akane meeting Ranma in the bathroom scene I honestly had initially planned for Akane to charge right into the danger, but I decided to have him run away in fear instead, as I wanted to include the line, "I'm Saotome Ranma… Sorry about this." I actually asked for opinions on Discord about this part, and some people suggested that I should write what I'm most comfortable with. In the end, I went with Akane running away since when you are faced with an intruder, your first instinct is usually either to run or confront the danger head-on. Though I can't help but regret it just a little. Oh well...