Ranma of St. Bacchus, Chapter 38
By Chaos Orchid
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"Know your body! Be aware of it to the finest detail!"
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(she), (her), etc. are to indicate that while Ranma physically feels she is in a female body, psychologically (she) doesn't feel convinced she is female. Unparenthesized, it means her gender dysphoria has slipped down on her list of current concerns.
'She', 'her' means Ran's more accepting about being a girl.
She, her means she has fully embraced being a girl.
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The longer 'Ran' walked, the more annoyed the body made (her). The ass, the S-forming spine, the narrow shoulders that didn't allow the arms that to go straight down because of the wide hips that didn't allow the thighs to go straight down, too; but inward. Hips made walking seem odd, strange to (her). Taking the stairs was worse.
A shift, though, in attitude, and 'she' did find all of that familiar. What she should expect from being a girl(!) 'Her' problem probably came from 'her' not yet being used to the changes puberty was causing. Hadn't Yuna said it could take a teen two years to get used to becoming a woman(?) More, if like her – and 'her'! – boobs and other curves were above normal! There was no doubt (she) wasn't normal.
'Ran' glanced over at Yuna, besides her big D cup boobs, she was over 10 cm/4" taller than her. In front of 'her', the American was 12 cm/ nearly 5" taller, blocking her view. Rubbing salt into (her) sore spot was (her) having to hold up the miko pants to keep from tripping on them. Stupid short legs.
Belittling (her) more: It was visitor day at the school and there were men 17 cm/ 7" and taller on all sides of (her)! The boys, too, were larger than (her).
The boy inside (her) had to be taller! Maybe as tall as 72 cm/6 ft! 'He' wouldn't have to look up at everybody not a ninja like Ichi and Sasuke!
And he wouldn't have any softness – but large, hard muscles! Muscles he could flex for her while he spoke in his deeper voice.
Only, she wouldn't be around. He would. He would keep her inside and not let her out if he had his choice. …Like she was thinking of doing to him. Had been doing.
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Toilets. Other things (she) didn't like about being a girl. Abhorred was a better word.
Noa was kohai. Her senpai told her to stand guard outside the ladies' room on the floor where classrooms were. "Ran more kohai," she mumbled. "I senpai her soon."
"The security guards don't use listening devices here," Junko said, pointing toward the ceiling. The anchisukiru were hired to protect the daughters of the rich and powerful, but had to do it from the crawlspaces above. "Stay hidden" ; "Use a minimum of interference," were their standing orders.
Yuna, "Junko and I are your dorm room leaders, Ran. And now that you can safely become male, we need to formulate strategies to protect you and the school."
Junko, "St. Hebereke is already on the brink of becoming St. Bacchus. Then it'll be students versus guards, and the guards know about the maenads."
"The maenads?"
Junko, "Women who worshipped the wine god by getting so hebereke drunk they killed any man who came near them."
'Ran', "MĀRG does use dangerous tools."
Junko nodded, "The guards might overreact and the girls might, too."
'Ran' was…relieved! "Then I won't let the Boy out!" Excuse found!
"It's not that simple."
Yuna, "If Mao were here, she would remind us we could all potentially become hormone monsters. Girl have been attacking girl over a chance to be the special one to have a…date with even the female you."
Junko, "It'll become worse once the news spreads that they can hit you with hot water and might have more than just a date."
"More?" 'Ran' paled, flashing back to her time with Hibiki! Would the Boy, too, feel honorbound to marry the girl?
Yuna, "As our team tosser, I will be aiming arrows and other items at you in order that you learn to be ready for surprise attacks."
Junko, "As coach, you and me will devise defense strategies."
Yuna turned to her, "We should also ask for ideas from the others. There could well be options that do not involve martial arts."
"Martial arts!" 'Ran' cried out. "I was forgettin' I have a battle soon!"
Junko, "Skip it!"
"I never forfeit a fight!" The Boy in 'her' spoke.
It was her that said, "And there's a, uh, promise." The promise Tendō Nabiki wouldn't show the photos she took of her acting like a stripper if 'she' battled her sister.
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Three were walking out of Nerima. One wasn't wearing a dōgi.
"Oh, my, it has been a while since we took a family outing," Tendō Kasimi smiled.
"Yes. Indeed! And it is the perfect outing," her father smiled. "Akane is representing the dōjō. The match will be good advertisement!"
"What are we advertising?" Tendō Akane was not smiling. "When was the last time you accepted a student!?"
"Uh, well. You see, it wouldn't be fair to the student!" Sōun declared. "In the middle of their course, they would have to change their kata habits to ones that wouldn't clumsily interfere with the new, special techniques I will be training them in."
"And where are these new and special techniques coming from, Dad?!"
"Uh: Ha, ha(!) The last I heard they are from China." Again, his eyes shifted as if he were looking for somebody who was late.
"China!" the eldest daughter smile brightened. "Dr. Tōfū wishes to continue his studies in China. We could have stopped by the clinic to visit, but he's hosting a visit by his mother and his cousin. Interestingly, his cousin's name is Kasumi as well."
Akane became sullen, "First cousins can marry here in Japan. Maybe he's trying to get his mother's blessing on it."
"Oh, my, no. The Doctor is a dedicated healer and as celibate as a Buddhist monk." Then she almost chuckled, "It does leave him with a zen sense of humor."
"Tell yourself that, Kasumi."
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'Ran' in 'her' leotard was the first out of the dorm room.
And the only one to go back in, slamming the door shut. "There're girls out there with hot tea! And they're not drinkin' it!"
Junko, "Now is your chance to practice dodging(!)"
"And if they get me(?)! The Boy will take over!"
"Not for long," Mao said, casually flipping a bottle of water. The girl in cat-themed lingerie was in a good mood, having escaped a marriage contract. The respectable father of the boy didn't think she didn't have a serious personality. "The elastic in the leotard won't give that much."
Her cat-like smile broadened, "I'm imagining my daddy in that – Revenge!"
Yuna, "Mao is correct. Your, um, 'manhood' would be painfully compressed."
Junko, "Hebereke's leotards has to be extra elastic. Even with boy-strength you might not be able to break free."
"Aw, man! People expect me to wear somethin'! I got nothin' that'll cover what a guy's gotta cover!
"–No! I got Yuko's hakama! The waistband was tight, but the Boy could wear it!"
(Her) mood swung again, "Only the red pants are too long for me to fight in."
Yuna, "We'll pin the legs up. You did by large safety pins in Harajuku."
Junko, "Yuko's not going to like that. And Tairo and Fumiko will tell her it's made the miko clothing ritually impure."
Mao, with a wicked smile, "Maybe the Miko Club will put a curse on us!"
'Ran', "I've had enough curses! I need another idea!
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When Noa returned with the totebags of Ran's food, she saw Yuna pinning up the outside of the hem of a yukata to its inside while the redhead was wearing it. 'Ran' was also wearing a yellow C-string and one of Kasumi-san's special bras.
(She) kept running (her) fingers under the bra's straps or pulling at the cups or tugging at the band. "You get used to these?"
"No!" But then Mao found 'Ran's' misery amusing.
Junko, "Most women look forward to the end of the day when they can take their bras off."
Noa, "They dig and leave strap mark."
'Ran', "Then–"
Yuna, "Then you are going to leave it on. You have told us often enough why you do not like your breasts on the loose. They will be worse in a free-for-all battle."
"I could tie them down! Boob-wrap them in sarashi."
Mao, "And when your boobs go away but your chest gets bigger?"
Junko, "Kasumi-san's special bras will likely break at the seams. That's a good thing, then."
Noa, "Then have Ran wear panties! C-string too hentai."
Yuna, "Actually, the wire inside the C-string allows it to give in the, uh, expansion."
Mao, "And think what happens to Ran's dick before the panties break."
Despite herself, Noa did. And flushed. Then blushed.
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Tendō Sōun became puzzled, "You say the match is scheduled for four o'clock? We are going to be early."
"That's fine, Father," his eldest smiled. "It will give us the opportunity to see the sights. Kodaira is well-known for its art galleries."
The father now smiled, "And it's foot bath!"
Akane wasn't smiling, "Not only am I going to be early, I'm not going to the kendō club! That's where Nabiki's scheme wants me to be! I'm going straight to Hebereke and challenge this Yamada where the whole school can see her defeat!"
"Oh, my, yes: The Anti-hentai against the Hentai!"
Sōun, "What!?"
Kasumi, "That's what Akane entitled the match."
Akane, "That's not exactly what I called it."
Kasumi, "My paraphrase is more polite."
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Mao, "Commando!"
"Wear C-string again." said the red-faced Noa.
'Ran' conceded, "Kickin' in this yukata is hard enough without me also havin' to think if I'm flashin'." The new hem came down to the middle of 'her' shins. Until 'she' pulled it higher. "Pin it up higher, Yuna! I'll be able to kick better!"
Yuna, "So it will be easier for you to 'flash'(?)"
Noa, "And you wear miniskirt when Boy! You already crossdress."
'Ran', "Both girls and guys wear yukata!"
Mao, "Except guys don't wear red, flowery print yukata!"
Noa, "See? Boy be crossdresser."
'Ran', "Yuna?"
"No(!) But there is a way to fix your fighting handicap." The tall girl had to squat down in front of the small girl, but she was able to bring the back of the yukata up and tuck it behind the simple obi and the end around to the front where she pinned it in place. Twice.
Noa, "Now look like wear baby onesie."
Junko, "Don't listen to her, Ran. You look like a rice paddy girl when they wear a kimono."
Mao, "Let's change her name to Saotome!" 'Ran' had stopped listening to her.
"Man! I gotta get some baggy clothes the Boy can also wear.
The Boy! If it wasn't for him, she would be able to wear the same kind of clothes the girls wear: Nice clothes ; Fashionable clothes ; maybe even Racy clothes!
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With her match's two Witnesses, Akane announced herself to the gatekeeper, "I am Tendō Akane and I have been challenged by Yamada Ran! I challenge her to face me here and now!"
Inside the gatehouse, the security guard leaned back in his spring chair, "You need a pass to come onto school grounds."
"Then give me a pass! Or just tell Yamada I'm here!"
"Us guards have to allow fights, but we don't have to encourage them. Find another messenger service."
"I'll do it myself!"
"Oh, my, Akane. Now is not the time to be as violent a storm."
"Think of the advertisement!"
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Worried about the Reservoir, 'Ran' was eating quantities of food when the sirens went off. "What?" 'she' asked with 'her' mouth full.
Yuna, "The guards will take care of the problem."
Mao, "No kidnapper or assassin has ever reached us."
Noa, "You joke, right?"
Junko, "No, she isn't. We're daughters of important people."
'Ran' actually dropped her fruit sandwich and jumped to 'her' feet. "I gotta see this action!" 'She' raced out the dorm room and jumped out of a third-story window.
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NOTES:
Ranma's male identity is mainly in his memories. Though magic of the Jūsenkyo training ground has transferred his martial arts skills. While the girl, he has to use her brain and while she has no memories, her body retains what it learned while she was growing up and alive. In other words, when a 'she', Ran is being influenced by the former life of the cursed girl. The more 'he' surfaces, the more there is a contrast highlights 'her' to 'them'
Missing the would-be groom in the arranged marriage, of course Genma didn't go to Sōun. It would be a humiliation - and not encourage the man who knew him best to invite him to stay and mooch
ADDED Clarification:
A curse is more of a curse if the afflicted resembles their original bodies more than that of a stranger's thousands of years dead. Not only do Ranma's and Herb's cursed bodies resemble their born-bodies, but so do Shampoo's cat and Mousse's duck. Even Ryōga's pig is cursed to wear a bandana he cannot be rid of. Even, it can be argued, the panda body looks more like Genma than it does to the typical white-and-black.
And it is a curse to have to deal with the alien skills those 'drowned' - actually, in Japanese, "immersed" - had to learn from birth on how to operate their bodies. Otherwise, those cursed would basically be like babies, having to learn how to do things in ways their original bodies were totally unfamiliar with doing. But the cursed come out of the water know how to expertly use a tail, trot on four hooves, fly with wings, etc. ...And how to control a girl's plumbing, which is different from a guy's. ...How to control a girl's soft parts enough that they do not become too much of a distraction. Et cetera. A girl has had to have such matters become habits, but there is always a part of her attention that has to be on the look out or she will, for example, accidentally piss from just laughing to hard, or accidentally forgetting where her breasts are and knock them into something. Their hips even require them to walk and run differently from the guy's born-body. And those are just the most obvious differences the girl-brain retains. There is no male brain in the pigtailed girl, only memories he has of being male
An added note: Males have XY chromosomes, so where does the extra X that Ranma needs to be female? Again, it would be more of a curse if it wasn't a duplication of Ranma's X, but the X of the redhead