Ranma of St. Bacchus, Chapter 34
By Chaos Orchid
Published:2023-12-12 Updated:2025-01-25 Words:71,044 Chapters:34/? Comments:7 Kudos:17 Bookmarks:4 Hits:3,181
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"Wear dō-gi! Let everybody know you're a martial artist! Clothes advertise!"
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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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'Ran' tried to get up before dawn; but without any sparring partner, (she) felt unmotivated. (She) fell back asleep.
A tug near a nipple and (she) was up and trying to do more than just spar! Only (her) not being fully awake yet saved Mao. "What'ya do that for?!"
"You have pasties!" The mischief-maker, now meters away, barely kept her grin.
'Ran' looked down and remembered, "They're shields!"
"Ran's right," Junko said, pushing the girl in cat-themed lingerie towards the angry redhead.
Yuna, "That was very rude, Mao. Even for you."
Yuko was still in bed. "Take it outside. This is Sunday; we can sleep in today."
Noa tried to be the peacemaker, "Hai! No uniform: Ran can wear shop clothes!"
Mao, "With no ugly school-code undies!" And she held up the C-string she had picked up from where 'Ran' had left them on the floor last night.
Yuna, "Uh, I think it would be more advisable for her to wear the lingerie Kasumi-san specially tailored for her."
Noa, "Hai, very advisable. They be feminine."
Junko saw the reaction on Ran's face. "Um, Kasumi-san said she was going to visit her cousin and his mother in Nerima today. And Kodachi must have had a reason to get her those, uh, under things."
Yuna, "There were nothing like them among the garments her servant delivered here yesterday."
'Ran', "They're in my purs–shoulder bag." But (she) could only feel (her) nude body as (she) went for it.
Looking around, (she) saw the blue-green leather bag where (she) had dropped it beside (her) bed. Take it off and it becomes visible, huh(?) Good thing! Satisfied, (she) stretched, saying, "Well, I don't need to wear nothin' now. You think Kodachi'll be seein' us today?"
"On a Sunday?" Yuko said. But 'Ran' hoped she would be. The stuff from "Mentionables" was part of (her) power game.
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"Put that oversized shirt on(!)" Junko practically ordered. She herself was in one of her men's size sweatshirts, black this time, and black with 'confetti streamers' leggings.
"But I got these jeans cuz the rips left a lot of my legs nude." One on the left would have exposed a part of (her) panties…if (she) were wearing panties. The (green) C-string didn't show at all.
And that was the problem. For the others. "Remember, we are the daughters of very important families and we are not to be thought of as slovenly." Yuna was wearing an elegant (sage and grass) jumper with loose legs.
Yuko was wearing one of her miko uniforms. "This is Sunday and there'll be visitors we're supposed to impress."
Noa, "Really? I wonder if my step-father will show up." She was in a black turtleneck with denim vest and mini skirt (and pantyhose). Stereotypically American, 'Ran' assumed.
Junko grinned, "My dad is on a business trip."
"Lucky you." Mao was dressed (to 'Ran') out-of-character: A (pearl) blouse, a black and pleated knee skirt, and dark hose. She even had on simple gold earrings, necklace and bracelet. At least she got to wear her indoor shoes and not heels. "My old man is trying to set up a marriage contract between me and a son of a stockmarket broker he knows. I may end up having to wear a formal gown."
"We all may," Yuko frowned.
"And you, too, Ran," Yuna told her. "Kodachi did buy you a gown." 'Ran' cringed at the memory of it.
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The black shirt with shiny red strokes came down and covered most of the jean rips like a loose mini skirt. (Her) dormmates were able to get (her) to leave with them promising that no formal event was planned at the school. If (she) were going to have to wear the gown, (she) would have to be invited to an occasion. And (she) was certainly not going to accept a date from a guy!
"We'll guard you from hot water as best we can," Junko told her.
"I'm not too worried," (she) 'assured' them, patting what (she) could feel of her invisible shoulder bag.
Mao, "If it weren't for my old man's matchmaking, I'd rig up something and pretend to be wearing an outre-designer fashion covered in water bottles."
Noa was the unhappiest of them, "You stay in room, Ran, I stay, too."
"I thought about it, but it'd be too borin'. I need to be doin' something."
Yuna, "Remember to speak your best female Japanese around adults."
Junko, "At least passable female."
Yuko, "Matsushida-sensei has ears everywhere."
Noa further glummed, "Probably is grading even when not in class."
'Ran' now thought what the "Mistress of Psychological Warfare" could do as punishment to her: She would make her speak in the formal manner a woman in a formal gown was expected to talk."
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Groups of dormmates passed each other, some breaking away to talk with somebody they recognized, attracting others to a new grouping. Even Mao, Junko, Yuko or Yuna would pause for a while to add their voices. When they slowed, (she) had to, too.
Of (her) dormmates, (her) clothes received the most compliments. They were so stylish, in a chic, chūko, retro, vintage clothing sort of way. Of course, (she) knew they were (mainly) saying those things so their friendliness would be passed on through (her) to Boy Ran. (She) wondered if (she) should tell them the two of them had the same kind of sibling rivalry as the Kunōs.
After comparing outfits, the ins and outs of what was fashionable, the who's who of designers and which accessories were must-haves, girl talk moved onto other topics 'Ran' found equally boring. This was the school that specialized in MĀRG and (she) was a beginner at the martial art; why couldn't the others* show the 24/7 dedication (she) felt required to try for!? (She) looked around for anybody at least having one of the recognized tools.
(She) saw a girl but quickly lost sight of her.
Until she ran by with a stick pushing along a razor hoop. The elementary school aged girl was again lost among girls much taller than her.
'Ran' moved to go after her. But (her) stomach warned (her) (she) had better eat breakfast or risk taking on emotions (she) didn't want–Again! And as long as (she) was separated from Junko and the rest, (she) might as well skip the socializing and head straight to the cafeteria.
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All(?) eyes went to (her). Her fingers went to the invisible latch of the magic bag, "These are my good clothes; they better not get wet!" (She) had picked up at least that understanding for a tactic from the "fashionistas".
"We were just admiring them," Koko smiled.
Ikko was more reserved in her praise, "They don't seem like Kodachi's taste."
"They're certainly not Mami's taste," Mami critiqued. She wore a (burgundy) skirt suit (with padded shoulders) over a (forest) green blouse.
Ikko for some reason had on an buttondown, jacket-open outfit inspired by the traditional navy-blue fuku uniform. More stylish and certainly better looking than Hebereke's uniform.
Koko was in long, loose (Bishop) sleeves and a low neckline. It was (bubblegum) red and almost matched her thighhigh hose, while her (board) shorts were a darker (puce) red.
'Ran' closed (her) eyes and tried to control the flow from the Reservoir! (She) did not want to be interested in clothes! It was too much detail to distract (her) from what was really important!
Meanwhile, Koko had led (her) to the table she shared with the other three…and the "Love's Triangle" S_ki girls. ('Ran' was grateful (she) didn't have to pay attention to what they had on.) "We made sure to you could sit with your back to the wall," Ikko said.
'Ran' stood right back up when her dormmates entered. But the 'traitors' decided not to cause a scene and sat where they could keep an eye on those around her.
All except Noa, "All in same classroom!" Except Saki, Suki and Soki. So (she) had them get their meals for them. So much for (her) being the lowest of the kohai.
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"...I said I don't want to talk about shoppin' with Kodachi." Just the thought of it had (her) think about seconds. (Steamed rice, miso soup, grilled salmon, pickled vegetables, a rolled omelet and green tea: Now that was the kind of details the real Ran appreciated.)
Saki, "That's okay!" ; Soki, "We know her ninja was with you." ; Suki, "We'll torture the gossip out of him!" Were they serious(?)
Noa smiled, "Wish I not sleeping when Ran wear white dress and green apron. Has cherries, sakura!" ('Ran' had carelessly left that on the floor, too.)
"Maybe we will see her wear it," Yuna said from nearby. It sounded like a punishment threat.
'Ran', "I also got camo!" Only it was on a shirt with short sleeves and shorts as short as Koko's, hardly useful as camouflage. (She) wondered if there were camo tights like the kind Junko was wearing.
"And a little, black dress!" Mao wickedly smiled. She was in a little-black skirt version and wasn't happy about it.
"Enough about clothes! I'm a martial artist! We all are supposed to be! I saw a school kid before breakfast and she was usin' a razor hoop in an interestin' way."
"That was Ikko's little cousin," Koko said. "Kaminarimon Temari."
"It's an embarrassment that she came," Ikko mumbled.
"Why? Because she's more interesting than you?"
"Her side of the family is a lower class. They're small business owners in downtown Tokyo. My family is not small business." She frowned when she said, "The story goes Termari's grandfather defeated the owner of this school and he had to give her a scholarship.
"Only she's too young for it! She's brought here on visiting days to get used to the idea of living here when she is old enough."
'Ran' could relate. (She) was totally unprepared for living in a boarding school. "How was the owner defeated? He's a Kunō, right? Maybe his kids can be beat the same way."
"You wouldn't be interested," Ikko dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "Their Good-Old Days martial arts just uses old-time toys."
"Toys? Toy toys?(!) Like they use out in the country valleys where they hafta make their own entertainment…." Memories wanted to resurface. Memories of stolen moments of just plain fun, a time with other kids and just being a kid and of traveling daidougei, buskers, who entertained with…. "Tools! Toys are tools!" The memories were now gone, replaced with a fire to learn new techniques! "I'm gonna find that girl!"
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"Everybody don't gotta go with me! You'll all scare the kid away!"
"Temari is my cousin, so I have the right to be here!" Ikko insisted to the others.
"And where Ikko goes, Koko goes!" the most flashy of the pair laughed.
"I be assign your most low boss!" And Noa was still not happy about that.
"We'll keep others away," Junko the volunteered the dormmates to "spar" those in the cafeteria. The practice time didn't last long. Nobody else was ready to risk harming their good clothes.
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By the time they reached the school lobby, they still hadn't found the Temari. (For all 'Ran' knew, she may be playing a game of hide-and-seek or seek while hiding.) And (she) was so focused on finding the little girl, (she) could have missed somebody else.
That somebody wouldn't let her, "Yamada Ran," Nabiki said into her hand-fitting voice amplifier.
"That girl wants your attention," Koko said.
Noa, "Loudly."
Ikko, "That tool is against the school rules. I shall have to take it away!"
"Never mind," 'Ran' said, internally conceding to Nabiki. "I don't think she'll use it again." (She) did wait and make her walk to (her).
She was dressed as for a job interview in a coatless, tailored women's business suit complete with tie. She was comfortable in them and made them seem casual. She also had a handbag that could have been mistaken for a briefcase.
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NOTES:
Kaminarimon Temari is Ranma's opponent in the anime-only S05E07: "And the Challenger is... A Girl?!"