Ranma of St. Bacchus, Chapter 46
By Chaos Orchid
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"Costumes are for shows, not actual combat!"
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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.
He(?), his(?), him(?) means he is mostly comfortable in the male body, but is uncertain about gender identity
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Akane's gown was a navy blue mermaid with a black stripe down her left that continued down past the slit below her knees and around to her calves. It was the bustier that she was having a problem with.
"Gowns are perverted," Akane said, looking down at her squashed breasts overflowing from the décolletage. Her hand felt her exposed back, "I feel practically naked!"
'Ran' felt the opposite; she had rather feel nude. For one, only only her upper chest to her pits were uncovered. (She) didn't know (her) boobs were barely constrained in what was called a bandeau, but (she) definitely knew a latex insert was stuck to them, achingly wedged between the gown's material and when D cup boobs that filled, for now, the bust on their own. Unlike Akanes' restricted thighs, (hers) were free because of the gown's high slits. But their feeling of the environment was within the panthose's nylon-and-Lycra net.
'Handcuffing' (her) were the silver chains, small padlocked around (her) wrists, weighing on their movement as they, right hand and left, had to lift the front panel and back panel of the gown's hem off the floor.
Nabiki, "Akane's wearing a mermaid gown, but Ran looks like a mermaid!"
'Ran', "What?"
Noa, "Dress ends move like tail when hands move."
Yuko smiled, too, "And it has a pattern of mother-of-pearl scales!"
Yuna, "I assure you, I had no intention of suggesting that for our water girl. The scales reinforce the holes my arrow placed in the fabric for the chains and pins."
Junko placed a hand to her forehead, "The fabric would have to be sea green."
Mao, "It's the same saturation as Ran's bright red hair!"
'Ran' glowered, "Like I needed to hear that."
Junko, "There's nothing we can do about that now. It's too close to when you two girls should be leaving for your date."
Mao laughed, " "leaving for your date"! It makes it seem you two are dating!"
"Well, we're not!" Akane shot back; and the redhead agreed. "We're each dating a boy – Just the same boy!"
Nabiki, "For the sake of your reputation, Little Sister, I'm spreading the word that you're not dating Kunō. You're just on a double date with him."
Akane, "A double date? And just who am I supposed to be dating, then?"
"A blind date. Not to embarrass him, he remains nameless because he chickened out at the last minute. Common enough in Japan."
"Honestly! Can you have any honesty?"
Junko, "Akane, remember, this is a battle dress!" And she stepped up and ran her fingers along the black stripe. "Strong, new Velcro molds the dress snug to your shape. But sudden movement or pulling it loose will release the accordion folds behind. Press and the Velcro will catch again."
Yuna, "Your Velcro edge is hidden where the scales begin, Ran."
Yuko, "Yuna, you're our beauty expert; check on how we did with their makeup."
She did. 'Ran' had been scrutinized too often by her, so (she) paid more attention to that Akane was getting. Dye darkened her eyebrows and lashes. Her eyelids were a darker blue than the blue of (her) tattooed ones. They did go well with her brown eyes. Her rouge and lipstick reminded 'Ran' of berries. (She) reflexively licked her lips…and was reminded of the tiny crystalines that made her lips, too, softly glittery. Reminding (her) that (she) was as madeup as Akane, the face (she) would be seeing a lot this night.
Yuna, "We should have paled their skin with foundation dye, but their complexions are good enough." She frowned at, "I wish we had time to style their hair properly."
'Ran' smiled, "No French braid!"
Yuko, "No polish or acrylic, but we did stain their nails."
Junko, "All that remains are the heels."
'Ran' stood on one foot, slipped the green 3 pumps (she) had worn with when first met Nabiki, then balanced on that to slip on the other shoe.
Nabiki, "I forgot how adept you are in them."
"My body can make difficult things seem easy." (Her) mind, though, wasn't confident.
"Good. Stay near little sister."
"Hey, I've worn heels before!" But she then admitted, "Just not often." She sat down to put on Yuko's 4", black platforms. She had to use the back of the couch to help herself stand.
The others, being indoors, were barefoot or slippered…and Akane was now taller than Junko, Yuko and even Yuna. Even with (her) heels, 'Ran' was an inch shorter than Mao. "I want shoes like Akane's!"
Yuna, "We have no platforms needed for that gown of yours. None that are your size. You are lucky you bought green heels on your shopping trip with Kodachi."
Mao, "And they are almost the right green!"
('Ran', "Green?" 'She' remembered 'her' soon invisible shoulder bag while everybody was distracted.)
Junko, "Let's all go to the lobby and wait for your–"
There was a knock on the dormroom door. The everybody but Nabiki went on alert!
"Master Kunō is waiting," the voice of his ninja servant announced.
Mao grinned, "That's the way a date's supposed to start: Making the guy wait!"
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Akane in Junko's black cape shawl and 'Ran' in a blue wrap of Yuna's that was a little too long actually took the elevator beside the dormroom because nobody trusted them down the school's stairs in their heels. Even then, 'Ran' kept an eye on Akane and had to steady the (tall) girl once. Then twice.
'Ran' felt envious when the ninja had leaped out of the third story window; he met them at the main front door to escort them to, "...the parking lot. The guards have not forgotten the incident Master Kunō was involved in this afternoon."
Akane, "But Nabiki says he's the son of the school owner."
'Ran', "Kodachi runs it. And she ordered the girls to treat him like a practice dummy, no holds barred."
Sasuke, "My Master and Mistress do have a rather atypical sibling rivalry."
There were a few guards about with flashlights and dogs. 'Ran' figured the patrols weren't completely coordinated or (she) had just been lucky getting back into school yesterday. The ninja worked for Kodachi, too.
It was fairly long walk in the cool, evening Spring air. Then they had to check-out at the gate; where the guard checked to see if Yamada-san had, indeed, been issued a curfew waiver.
'Ran' didn't see the limo from yesterday. Sasuke, "My driving skills have been called into question after the, uh, accident with the police. Master Kunō rented a limousine with a professional chauffeur for the date. He really is out to impress you young ladies."
Akane, "I already have my impression of him."
'Ran', "Me, too."
The man in what had to be a chauffeur's uniform opened the rear door on seeing them approach. Kunō was beside him, "Ah, a fairly godmother could not have arraigned my two Cinderellas better and more fashionably for this, your maiden ball!"
His tailored, Western-cut pants and jacket managed to remind the girls of the kendō-gi in their colors. At least his upper chest wasn't bare, as he wore a white shirt and a black bow tie. He even had cufflinks, a white pocket square in the jacket's breast pocket and Oxford shoes. He also carried his bokutō.
He offered to gentlemanly assist them into his vehicle. 'Ran' caught Akane as she stumbled to hurriedly get in. (She) helped her in, leaving (her)self open to his 'steadying' her back. Akane helped (her) by brushing the back of (her) thigh, reminding (her) (she) had to be careful sitting down as the gown's back panel was attached to her left wrist. 'Ran' definitely wanted (her) hands to have the full use of (her body's) martial arts abilities. (She) didn't trust any Kunō. (She) sat much closer to Akane.
They were soon off for the expressway to the Imperial Hotel.
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The lord played host, offering the ladies bento boxes of hors d'oeuvres, and vintage, non-alcoholic beverages. 'Ran' emptied a box and guzzled half a bottle of sparkling cider. While Akane watched. The redhead really did take in too much from the Reservoir. All the ki from others had to make her emotionally unstable. What was she getting herself involved with!
Kunō, "Knowing one another since our childhood days, Akane is well acquainted with my renown. However, you Ran–"
"Yamada. Yamada-san!"
The long-haired girl, "If I have to be "Akane", you have to be "Ran". If the date's going to continue, we are going to equally committed to it." 'Ran' ground (her) teeth, but didn't argue.
Kunō, "And to continue. Ran, you, no doubt, have questions as to the kind of man to which you are entrusting your virtue and reputation. I shall assure you by recounting my pedigree and exploits…."
'Ran', "If I got questions about you, I'll ask Akane. She'll make it shorter than you."
Akane, "Thank you, Ran! I've heard Kunō talk about himself for too long! How about telling us about you, instead!"
"Me?... There's, uh, not much to say about me." Literally! (Her) memories only went back four days! As for what really made (her) different, (she) still wanted to keep it a secret – (She) hadn't dealt with it (her)self! (She) needed time! Whether (she)'d get the space is another matter.
Kunō, "My curiosity has been kindled, too. Since you attend St. Hebereke, you must, of course, come from a lineage within the upper echelons of society. I hesitate to ask that you inform me as to which Yamada family from which you spring out of the shame that would incur if I do not recognize them on first hearing. If my manservant were not in the front compartment with the chauffeur, I could have him remind me…."
"Good! Let your ninja tell you about me!
"I wanna –Oof!"
Akane had elbowed (her). "Your friends told me to see…or, rather, to hear that you speak proper female Japanese." She then lowered her voice, "If I have to be formal, you do as well." It almost sounded like a threat.
"Then I will not talk!" (Her) frown then almost became a smile, "Tell us about yourself, Akane-san." (She) then muttered to her, less formal, ("If you don't talk, he will.").
'Ran' didn't learned many things about Akane and the Tendō family. Because Kunō soon interrupted, challenging a boy who was not there! Who had never been there. Akane reached across 'Ran' and grabbed his wooden sword, reminding him that she wasn't the only Tendō girl under a marriage agreement! "...And – again! – he didn't show up, anyway!"
"So Nabiki informed me! And it is unforgivable that he jilted you – and mere hour after you were made cognizant of his existence! He broke a sacred oath between families and retribution is mandated!"
"Kunō, make up your mind! You're so frustrating! He may not ever come! I can't even remember his name! Dad cries every time he tries to say it, now."
Marriage agreement! 'Ran' remembered Mao and all of the other girls at St. Hebereke (she) was told had marriage agreements. Some were prenuptial agreements that would take effect as soon as the husband-to-be turned eighteen. Though some were already older than that legal age that males had to be to be married in Japan. They were all arranged to advance the interests of the families or clans. It really didn't matter what the girl or guy thought of each other. Stories around the world told that love could happen to anybody, any where, any time; but love as the main reason for marriage was a strictly Western idea.
'Ran' shivered. Was there a marriage agreement on her? When (she) remembered who (she) was…
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NOTES:
"...I hesitate to ask that you inform me as to which Yamada family from which you spring out of the shame that would incur if I do not recognize them on first hearing." Then, Kunō logic: "If my manservant were not in the front compartment with the chauffeur, I could have him remind me…."
And again with his logic in wanting to punish Ranma for NOT becoming engaged and, so, "insulting" the girl HE wishes to be engaged to instead