Why yes, Hell has frozen over. Why do you ask? Clothes Make The... Chapter Nine: A fan fiction based on Takahashi Rumiko's Manga series, Ranma 1/2 Saotome Ranma, Saotome Genma, Saotome Nodoka, Tendo Akane, Tendo Soun, Tendo Kasumi, Tendo Nabiki, Kuonji Ukyou, Hibiki Ryouga, P-chan, Shampoo, Mousse, Cologne, Kunou Tatewaki, Kunou Kodachi, Tofu Ono Sensei, and Hinako Ninomiya Sensei are copyright 1987, 1998 by Takahashi Rumiko. Publishing rights: Japan: Sogakukan Inc. Tokyo Hong Kong: Jademan (Holdings) Ltd. North America: Viz Inc. By Nicholas Leifker, Katrina Halbred, and Ichinohei Hitomi *** Ryouga's life was looking about like it always did. Adrift. This time, though, he was *really* lost. It had been weeks since he'd seen a familiar place - or, for that matter, a familiar face. He'd seen too many miles lately, too many unfriendly roads and rainstorms, and the emptiness left him tired. He wanted home, whether it be the peace of Akari's farm or the comfort of Akane's dojo. Heck, by this point he'd even welcome Ranma's ugly mug. "Ranma..." The growl was almost instinctive by now. Blaming it on Ranma just felt good; in a way, it felt natural. In some strange way, everything came back to him, and he wasn't always able to answer. Besides, who knew what Ranma was doing to Akane by this time? He nodded his head, steeling his resolve. He had to get to the dojo - immediately. "Could you please tell me how to get to Tokyo?" The scrawny gentleman he asked merely blinked. "Um... you're IN Tokyo, young man." Ryouga blinked. This wasn't Hokkaido? Even better! "Can you tell me how to get to the Tendo Dojo?" The man blanched at the words. "What do you want to go there for? They're crazy, they are!" Ryouga fought down more choice words. Defending Akane's honor was one thing; defending Akane another. "Please, sir... just tell me the way." The man shrugged. "Just go down to the end of that street, then make a right. You can't miss it." Ryouga positively glowed with joy. She was in sight! "Thank you, kind sir! Thank you!" The end of the street. That's all he needed to get to. The end of the street... *** "Close your eyes, Ranma. I want this to be a surprise." "OK, Akane." Silencing the questions inside of her, Ranma closed her eyes and held out her hand. This was a part of her new identity; just a week previous, such obedience or trust would never have crossed her mind. Now, though, it felt natural. She still didn't know how to feel about it; as she was finding out, every curse had a blessing, and every blessing a curse. The taxi ride here was such a blessing; she had enjoyed the feel of Akane's shoulder as they rode through the city, and the conversation that flowed like wine between them. It had been remarkably comfortable, with no fights or insults occurring, and for the first time she was actually getting to know her fiancee without the barriers normally set between them. Akane giggled, a noise Ranma heard all too rarely. "Don't worry, Ranma. It's... just a little place Nabiki recommended. I think you'll like it." Ranma stopped. "Nabiki recommended it? How much did you have to pay her?" "Whatever it was, don't you think it was worth it?" Akane said, a grin to her voice. "Don't tell me the confident martial artist is worried over a few yen." Ranma sighed softly. This was one of the curses of her new life: being treated as though she shouldn't think about things. All her life, she'd been forced to be self-reliant, as it was the only way to survive on the road with her father. At the moment, though, she had ceded the masculine role - and the power that went with it - to Akane, and that meant losing touch with some of the things that affected them. Her opinion didn't matter, not unless she was displeased by something. Ranma stopped; all of a sudden, she clued in to why Akane had been so angry all of the time. "Ranma?" She felt Akane's hot breath against her ear. "Are you all right?" Ranma shook slightly, to clear her thoughts. "Sorry, Akane. I'll tell you later." "Okay." Ranma felt Akane pull on her hand, leading her along through perilous high-heeled steps "You can open your eyes now, love." Ranma's eyes were assaulted with the glow of golden light. To her left, a large, brightly lit dining room expanded out from them; to her right, a bar that looked far more classy than the dives she'd dragged her father out of. The place had a welcoming atmosphere; brass rails shone with polish, and fine hardwoods composed the majority of the furnishings. She noted absently a hallway behind her, with several other rooms branching out from there. "Where are we, Akane?" Her date smiled, and shrugged toward the bar. "It's a private club. Once Nabiki told me about it, I felt it would be the best place for us to spend the evening. Here, we don't have to be concerned what everyone else thinks." Ranma's eyes darted around the room; women were the sole occupants, though a few were dressed similarly to Akane. "They already know about your curse; they know all about us." Akane's words slowed down toward the end, enough of a clue for Ranma to guess what was next. The quick kiss that came was different; it felt strange to have Akane's arms around her waist, rather than the other way around, though she quickly got used to it. It was a small taste of things to come; she buzzed with the ache for more. "That was... nice, Akane." She caught her breath, forcing down more potent emotions. "Can we do that again? Akane arched an eyebrow; Ranma blinked at the mischief and desire in her eyes. "Um... perhaps later - when we wouldn't make a scene." Her date turned to the bar. "Um... ma'am?" The bartender walked over to them. Ranma frowned at the eyes; they smiled freely, but with a slow pace that talked of things past. "May I help you?" Akane smiled, another expression Ranma enjoyed watching. "Could we have some sake while we wait for our table?" "Of course." The bartender reached under the bar, producing two warm bottles, and winked at Ranma. "Are you two new here? I'm sure I would have noticed you or your lovely companion before." Ranma blushed. Akane laughed lightly, with a slightly nervous flutter. "Yes, it's our first time here. My name is Tendo Akane and this is Saotome Ranma." The bartender blinked for a moment as she eyed Ranma carefully, then smiled. "My name's Kaori. The dinner table will be ready in a little while, but we do happen to have a table reserved for you here as well." She placed the bottles on a tray. "If you would care to follow me?" Kaori led them to a small table by the window, and offered their seats to them. She gave an enigmatic smile to Akane as she whispered, "I hope you enjoy yourselves." All Ranma could do was stare at the romantic table setting. White and pink flowers surrounded the table from ledges above, giving off a delicate perfume; in the centre of the table was a glass water bowl with heart-shaped candles floating inside. The window offered an excellent view of the city outside, with the moon and a small number of stars visible. Akane helped her into one of the plush velvet seats; instinctively, she smoothed out her skirt before sitting. Her date then sat opposite of her, her smile quieting. "Do you like it?" Ranma's gape melted into a broad smile. "It's lovely! It's like a dream come true." There was almost a sadness to Akane's gaze. "Good. I... had hoped that you would like it." Akane reached an arm out to touch Ranma's; the grasp sent goosebumps down her spine. "You mean a lot to me, and this was meant to show you how much. I know it's not much, and I doubt that we can go out like this very often, but I hope that we can at least have tonight." Ranma's heart filled with a sort of warmth it had never known before. So many times, she'd gotten close to this; each time, something held her back, some part of her sheltered away from everyone, even herself. Now, though, there was nothing being held back. For the first time that she could remember, Ranma just felt the love of the person sitting across from her. It was something she couldn't describe, something that affected her in ways undreamed. She explored Akane's grip on her hand, letting her fingers feel the creases in Akane's palm. "Akane, everything is perfect. I'm here with you." The two of them didn't say a word for awhile after that, drinking in the comfort of each other's company. *** He'd lost her. Again. Ryouga sat down on the curb, venting his sorrows into a map of Canada. He'd gotten close, so close... there was no telling where he was, now. All he knew was that he was here, and his friends were elsewhere, out of his life. "Close your eyes, Ranma. I want this to be a surprise." His ears perked up. Akane! That had to be her voice! He jumped up, ready to tear the neighborhood apart. "Okay, Akane," the response came, allowing him to find the source. Akane was there, dressed smartly in a tuxedo. But... the person next to her couldn't be Ranma. No woman that beautiful could be his rival. Moreover, Ranma would never talk or act or dress or BE so... so... feminine. He held a nose as he got a good look at her: shapely legs, firm body, healthy (ahem) endowments... beautiful, perfectly-made face... face... Ranma? He blinked, just to make sure. That... that woman.... was Ranma. It was too close to Ranma to be anyone else. He strained his neck as they entered the building; perhaps if he got closer, he could find out just *what* Ranma was up to. A peek into the club itself provided more answers than he wanted. Ranma was definitely up to something - her mouth was engaged in a brief duel with Akane's, a touch reserved for the intimate. After the kiss came the looks - that moment in between dream and real life, when the person is wondering just what happened. In this case, Ranma wasn't alone in such musings; Ryouga quite simply couldn't believe his eyes. He looked around; all he could see were women. Some shapely, some tough, some cute, some just ordinary... but all had a look in their eyes. A look he'd seen all too often - the look of the hungry. An image of female Ranma and Akane together crossed his mind; darkness took him shortly thereafter. *** Tendo Nabiki was a patient woman. It was a learned trait; all too often in her rebellious youth, she had lost out on opportunities because of her haste. Loss had tempered her, as it does any soul; she learned from her mistakes, and went on. Whatever she desired would come eventually, if she knew to wait for the opportunity. Sighing, she looked up from her studies, and glanced at the clock. Eight o'clock; Akane and Ranma had been gone at least an hour, her father and Mr. Saotome were likely to be drunk, and Kasumi was in her room, reading and closing the day. It was time, she knew, to strike. She put the book down; the downward open-faced turn of the book would suggest to visitors that she wouldn't be gone long, thus encouraging them to wait. She opened the door and padded out of her room, careful to avoid prying eyes. She knew which spots on the floor to avoid; like any older house, it had its weak points, and she didn't want a loud creak to announce her prowlings. A long moment later, she slid the door to Ranma's room open, and looked around. Something was wrong with Ranma. She didn't know what the girl was playing at; all she knew was that what everyone was saying didn't add up. All else aside, people just didn't have their pasts rewritten like that. Not even Shampoo's little shampoo could achieve what happened to Ranma; nothing could. That meant that Ranma was up to something. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the books; Ranma had never been the scholarly type. In fact, she'd almost never seen a book in Ranma's room, not unless she was trying to learn some new martial arts technique. There was the possibility that they were from Nodoka; somehow, though, she doubted that. She picked up the first book; she remembered the title from Kaori's library. That in itself raised her suspicions; Kaori's library was eccentric, to say the least. The following titles were equally eccentric; gender studies and medical journals were mixed with Buddhist writings and inspirational works. The last work, though, was the kicker. She knew a journal when she saw one; journals were good if someone didn't want to keep secrets. All it would take is one turn of the page, and all of Ranma's secrets would be laid bare. She opened the book. She read the words on the first page, then closed the book. She didn't need to read any more. Nabiki steadied herself against the bedpost, in an effort to take in the surprise. Her instincts had suggested Ranma was up to some sort of scam; what she didn't know until then was that the scam had ended with Ranma's change, rather than begun. Part of her wanted to laugh; part of her wanted to cry for her little sister - both her little sisters. She barely had the presence of mind to put the books in order before leaving the room. *** "What do you dream of, Ranma?" Ranma blinked. After the fairly light conversation so far, she hadn't expected something so powerful. "Excuse me?" "Sorry." Akane looked away, and took a sip of water. "It's just... I've come to realise a lot tonight - a lot that I don't know." She reached across, and traced Ranma's chin with her fingers. "There's so much inside of you that nobody knows, so much that you keep hidden... I just wanted to know what's inside of you. What you want. What you desire the most." She smiled. "What you dream of." Ranma swallowed. Such a simple question, it was; so simple, in fact, that it hit with the force of a sledgehammer. There was so much that she wanted, so many little frustrations with her life. She wanted to live as she desired, she wanted someone likely Akane to spend it with, she wanted an end to the endless duels... The word came to her like a thunderbolt, out of her mouth as she thought it. "Peace." Akane blinked. Her fingers drummed against her knee. "Peace?" Ranma rested her head in her hands, contemplating in a not-quite-seductive pose. "I'm tired, Akane, a lot more than I let on. Until I came to the dojo, I never had a home; ever since I arrived, I've been too busy to enjoy it. I can't relax; I have too many enemies to relax. On top of that, I don't even know who I am anymore sometimes, thanks to this stupid curse. Do you know what it's like to doubt who you are like that?" Her blue eyes flashed with frustration. "I want enough room to live as I am, without lies." She reached across the table, and pushed Akane's bangs from her eyes. "And... I want room to love as I am, without lies." Ranma bit her lip; she wanted to tell her so badly, let her know who she was, why she was... "Akane?" "Yes?" Akane was blushing; no doubt, she was expecting something different. "There's so much about me that I'm ashamed of. For so long I... denied who I was, not even capable of admitting how I felt inside. Then, when I finally did, I felt just as guilty, because someone somewhere down the line told me it was wrong." "Then let go, Ranma. Let it go." "Huh?" Ranma blinked; this wasn't something she'd ever imagined. "Ranma, do you know how much courage it took to arrange to come here, once Nabiki told me about it?" She rubbed her fingernails along the table. "Ranma, you're ashamed of how you feel. I... I'm frightened by it. I shouldn't be feeling this, I shouldn't be wanting this. And yet... I try. Because, if I give this up, without ever exploring how I feel... I may lose out on something good." The words were on Ranma's tongue; one sentence, and their relationship would take a new dimension. "Akane, I..." She couldn't say it. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't say it. "Akane, I... have to go to the bathroom." Akane nearly facefaulted into her soup. "Okay, Ranma. Just don't take too long." "I won't." Ranma smiled her best smile, and headed to the bathroom. She had a decision to make, and that place seemed the best location. *** Tendo Soun normally considered himself a patient man. It was a necessary part of the craziness his life had absorbed, a quality in existence ever since his wife departed. Raising three girls by himself was no easy task, especially considering the well of emotions they bottled inside. When Ranma arrived, that insanity increased tenfold; the boy, while both sincere and talented in the Art, seemed to attract trouble with a penchant only observed from the Master. That patience, though, was waning. There was only one goal left in the shambles his life had become: ensure that his family and, by extension, his Art, would continue. Ranma's arrival had seemed to handle that; even if he didn't wish to admit it, the boy did hold feelings for his baby, and Akane seemed to give them back. All it would require was a little encouragement and they would be a couple locked in each other's love. They would marry, have a child, and unite the schools into one, all-powerful Art. What he didn't expect was for his plan to backfire. When he had learned the truth of Ranma's nature, he had not considered it a problem. After all, the boy thought of himself as a man, and considered his curse to be an abomination to be rid of as soon as possible. As a man, Ranma had all of the desires and urges that young men normally have, and those would ultimately lead to grandchildren. But, as a woman, that picture changed dramatically. He had always known that Akane's temper would lead to their downfall; he was more right than he wanted to be, as it had been her blow that had caused Ranma's... shift in perception. Ranma now thought of herself as one-hundred-percent female, with body to match. Tofu had said that the old Ranma would likely come back in time; unfortunately, the time frame was likely years - too long to risk. Ranma was a lesbian now - and quickly dragging his baby girl down with her. They were acting with a comfort uncomfortable to him. He hadn't thought much concerning Akane's exhortations concerning her dislike of men; now, though, every frustration-tinged cry was coming back to him, mocking him, showing him the truth he'd fought to hide. Akane loved Ranma - just not the Ranma he wanted her to love. There was only one way out of this travesty. He had been hesitant to use it before; to do so would stretch the dojo's resources to the limit. He would likely have to start some new classes to make up for the lost capital. Genma, of course, would have to help; it wasn't like he was doing much anyway. His smile like a Cheshire cat, Soun began to plan. With luck, the dojo would gain some positive press by the time Ranma and Akane were ready to take it over. And, once that occurred, he would make sure that the two of them were ready to create the next generation of martial artists. *** Kaori came by the table, "So, want to talk about it?" Akane looked up, startled at being asked such a question. "What do you mean?" The bartender shook her head slowly. "You're nervous. I don't think your date's noticed, she has her head in the clouds and stars in her eyes, but the way you're pushing yourself to make this 'a perfect night' tells me one of four things. First, that you pissed her off in some way and now you're trying to apologise, second, you trying to seduce and then dump her, third, you're planning on asking her to become your wife, or fourth, you're still unsure of yourself. From what Na-chan told me, I doubt it's the first three." Akane looked down at the table and gulped a bit. "Is it that obvious?" Kaori shrugged lightly and sat down, looking towards the washroom where Ranma had gone a little while ago. "Yeah. Look, I kinda understand your situation. Hell, half of Tokyo must know who Ranma is, and he...she's been the talk of the whole homosexual community for almost a year now. Do you know how many trans are trying to find a way to have whatever that water was that 'cursed' her transported here? Although we know about it, the Chinese government won't acknowledge the existence of magic. I know Na-chan has tried getting it a few times, just for the profit, but it would take a hell of a smuggling operation. Getting back on topic though, she's still the same person inside, no matter what she looks like on the outside." Akane looked up and blinked. "Do you know how differently she's acting? It's like the person I fell in love with died, and by my hands. I couldn't even...I wasn't...She was attacked and I wasn't there to defend or help her. Do you know how much that hurts?" Kaori sighed. Despite everything that Akane had gone through, she was still just a teenager, with the same insecurities that all teenagers had, only made worse by an accident and the situation surrounding her. "Akane-chan. You loved her before this, and it's obvious you still love her. Damned if she isn't in love with you the way she looks at you. The question is, do you love her enough to be with her, no matter the cost? That's what loves about, taking the bad with the good, surviving, and overcoming small problems." Akane's guilty expression became somewhat annoyed. "You think that having the man you love become a woman is a small problem? It's...It's a nightmare! She's the same, but different, and it's not something that's temporary. In a less than a week, she's become a complete woman, a brand new person, so how the hell am I supposed to adjust to that?" The bartender shrugged, "The same way I did when the man I loved became the woman I love." For a few seconds, the eyes of the young woman in the tuxedo goggled. "What? You mean you have a boyfriend who went to Jusenkyo too?" Kaori grinned. "Nope. Happened the old fashioned way. Tell ya what, come by tomorrow and I'll tell you about it. Now get that look off your face and treat your date to the time of her life, because she's coming back now. I'll get a couple of sake for you on the house and pretend you ordered another round." Akane nodded lightly and composed herself before Ranma came back to the table. That's when something that Kaori said broke into her mind. *Na-chan?!? How well does she know my sister?!* *** Ranma stared at her reflection in the toilet's waters, wondering where it had all gone wrong. It all seemed so innocent, then; it was just a little experiment to see what kind of person she was. She thought she could back out at any time; she thought she could go back without any regrets. That was before tonight. What happened tonight was special; she and Akane were living what they should have had a long time ago. Without her masculinity in the way, they were able to express how they felt to each other. Her old gender was an impediment, now. How could she go back on such a beautiful lie? A knock echoed on the door to her stall. "Ano... are you all right in there?" She noted the voice: it was undeniably feminine, but a little... off. Ranma shook herself together. Appearances were important for a woman, after all. "Yes, I am. Do you need to use the toilet?" "No. I just thought... you seemed so distraught when you entered, that I thought you might need someone to talk to." Again, that voice raised warning bells. Ranma opened the stall door. The woman waiting on the other end was remarkably beautiful; for a moment, Ranma wondered her secret. Long, dark, wavy hair cascaded down her shoulders; unusual green eyes stared at her, staring *through* her. She wore a waitress outfit, a striking blue skirt-and-blouse combination modest enough for taste, but alluring enough to get attention from the guests. "Well... I don't know. I don't really want to trouble you..." Another lie; Ranma just didn't want to trouble herself. The woman smiled; for a moment, Ranma was reminded of Kasumi. "Oh, it's no trouble. My partner and I are quite good with people's problems." She knelt against the counter top, and offered a place next to her. Ranma looked at the place for a moment. Perhaps the truth really could set her free. She leaned next to her, and stared at her shoes for a moment. "Did you ever love someone - really love someone?" The mystery woman nodded. "Love is something we rarely understand. I never knew what it was until I found it tested." Ranma nodded. That was *definitely* something she understood. "I... I love Akane. I would die for her. That's why this hurts so much." The woman nodded without speaking. Ranma took the cue. "I... I've been lying to her. If she knew my secret... she'd think I was some sort of pervert." "Is it a lie? Truly?" Ranma started at the question. "It's... less than it was when I started, but yes." She shuffled her shoes along the tile floor. "And if she ever found out, that would end it." The woman smiled faintly. "Are you sure?" Ranma closed her eyes. "Absolutely sure." Her mind forced her to remember other moments, times (like now) when Akane was more understanding. "Well... pretty sure. At any rate, she's not going to be happy when she hears about it." The woman looked up at the lights, a strange chuckle stuck in her throat. "Saotome Ranma, I know you have some serious problems, ones you may feel that you can't tell right now." She turned to Ranma, and flashed a smile once more. "But love means having faith in your partner. Your love is stronger than you think, after all." She rose from her leaning position, and headed for the door. "If you need any special help, ask Kaori for me. Until then... good luck." She left the ladies' room, leaving Ranma alone with her thoughts. *** The glare of the chandelier shone in Ranma's eyes as she walked out to her table. The talk did make her feel better, enough to go on; after all, she wasn't likely to have another night like this. Precious hours waited until dawn, and she wanted to make the most of them. She almost felt like crying when her eyes met Akane's; it was like staring in the face of God. Akane was so forward with her feelings, so expressive; Ranma truly didn't deserve a woman like her. She could see a wealth of emotion in her dark eyes: fear, relief, happiness, hope, worry... the whirlwind of the soul in love. At the same time, she felt that every emotion, every sin she was disguising, was within the plain sight of those eyes. She faltered for a moment; any words she could say would pale in comparison to her. "Um... did you wait long?" Akane's gaze turned away; she changed from deity to blushing bride. "No." She looked at their plates - not quite empty, but close enough. "I hope you don't consider this too forward, but are you finished?" Ranma nodded. She'd eaten enough tonight; what she needed was a different sort of nourishment. Akane smiled. "Good. I... there's something I'd like for us to share before we go back." She licked her lips seductively. "Something... intimate." Ranma's eyes widened. Akane being seductive... the mind boggled at the possibility. "Uh... okay." "Are you two done?" Both of them turned at the sound; for a moment, all they'd heard was each other. Ranma blinked; Kaori stood a quiet distance away. Even more surprising, the waitress she'd talked to stood next to her, a slender arm wrapped around the bartender. "Yes, we are." She bit her lip. "Um... are you two..." The waitress twisted her slender neck, and latched herself onto Kaori's lips. "Yes, we are," she whispered breathlessly. Ranma noticed Akane's face; for once, her expression was unreadable. "Did you enjoy your time here?" "Yes." Ranma blinked at Akane; their voices had been synchronous. "Um... pardon me, but I don't even know your name." The waitress looked almost amused for a moment. "Newcomers call me Madame Blue; it helps with the mystique around here. You two, however, can call me Aoi." Ranma blinked. "Aoi. Nice name." She started; Akane drew her into a grasp not unlike Aoi's. "Um... how much do we owe you?" Kaori shook her head, a smile plastered on her face. "One of Na-chan's favours. She's done so much for us over the past year that I have to wonder if we'll ever be able to repay her." Akane nodded knowingly, a strange wonder on her face. "She has a way of doing that. You'd never know it, though..." Ranma simply showed confusion. "Um... Akane? Who's Na-chan?" Akane positively cackled. "I'll tell you later. We really should be on our way." She started to edge Ranma toward the exit. "Um... Kaori?" "Yes?" She smiled secretively. "Can I come by tomorrow afternoon? There's some things I'd like to talk about." Ranma looked at Akane for a moment; her smile twisted in mischief. Kaori smiled, and nodded. "I'd like that." For a moment, her face matched Akane's. "You two have fun, okay?" "Oh, we will..." She started to turn Ranma toward the exit. "Shall we, Ranma?" Ranma noticed the force behind Akane's ministrations, and wondered what her fiancee had planned. Whatever it was, it had to be something special. "Lead the way, Akane..." *** "Stop here." Ranma blinked in surprise as she stepped out of the cab. Considering their route, she had thought that they were heading home - a place which had surprises of its own. She hadn't expected Akane to stop the trip early, though her choice of locales was nothing to complain about. After all, at this time of night, nobody was likely to bother them... "Akane?" Akane turned from paying the cab driver, and smiled. "Be patient, Ranma. I'll be there in a minute." She stepped out of the cab carefully, and wrapped her arms around Ranma's waist. A shiver went up Ranma's spine as Akane guided her toward their second destination - the local park. She had a suspicion as to what Akane wanted to do here - a thought that both elated and terrified her. "Um... Akane? Why here?" She figured she already knew the answer; however, that didn't make the question any less valuable. She felt Akane's fingers drum along her waist. "Well, this place was always special to me. I... I want you to be a part of it, too." Ranma swallowed. "Okay." Her steps felt wobbly on the soft ground; heels were clearly made for a concrete jungle. She took them off; what was planned here wouldn't require physical elegance. The playground wasn't all that different from a thousand others in Japan. Swings hung suspended from chains of foot-long links; a merry-go-round stood nearby, stationary colours ready to become a swirling rainbow at a child's push. A quiet park bench stood out in Ranma's view; somehow, the lonely wooden structure called to her. Akane's hands, rather, guided her to the swing set. "When we were young, Mom would take us here to play. We would spend hours here playing, until Mom would make us go home." She sat in a swing; her feet gently rocked the swing back and forth. "After Mom died, I came here whenever I was lonely. It just... seemed like something to do." Ranma sat down next to her; it took her a moment to get her skirt in order. "It's nice that you have a place like this." She drew a line in the dirt with her toe. "I... I wish I did." Akane stared at her shoes, then at Ranma's stocking feet. "Was it really that bad, on the road?" "I didn't think so at the time. I mean, I really didn't know what I was missing then. Back then, it was just me and Pop. I studied the Art; whenever I could fit it in or Pop got caught, I went to school. I never knew what I was missing until I settled down here." She smiled, and looked over at Akane. "It felt... good to have you ask to be my friend, Akane." Akane swallowed; their swings were edging closer together. "It... felt good to have a friend, then. Most of the guys were trying to 'conquer' me through combat; most of the girls were... well... hostile to me, due to some misunderstandings." "Are these... those kind of misunderstandings?" Ranma didn't say the L-word; such a designation seemed limiting here. Limits needed to be broken here, not made; she found herself dangerously close to Akane's face. She could see the indecision in Akane's eyes. "Yeah. I mean, just because a girl doesn't like guys doesn't mean she's a..." Ranma touched Akane's lips. "No words like that, Akane. Not like that." Excitement overriding her fears, she moved her lips inches away, an open invitation. "Not like that." Akane's eyes closed; Ranma closed her own. She followed Akane's heavy breath, closer, closer... "Yaah!" The connection of two souls broke suddenly; Ranma found her support slipping. In a second, she was sprawled in the dirt, the swing swaying its mocking tone - and Akane, trying to suppress a fit of giggles. Ranma looked at her dust-encrusted outfit, and sighed. "Something tells me this might be difficult to explain." Akane blinked, and offered a hand to help her up. "Why?" The redhead grabbed the offered hand. "Because, if both our clothes are dusty, they'll think we were doing something." "Both our clo... what are you... don't you daAARE!" With a yank, Akane found herself pulled down to Ranma's level - easily within tickling range. In seconds, the two were rolling in the dirt, their only goal to keep the other laughing uncontrollably - a war Ranma won easily. Ranma tickled her mercilessly, stopping only after she had Akane pinned to the ground. "Concede?" Akane looked at her position carefully, then smiled. "I guess. After all, with you flashing your panties in my face, it's kind of hard for me to concentrate on fighting back. "Huh?" Ranma looked down at her position, then blushed. "Oh." She got up, her leg stance unusually narrow for her. Akane shook her head "Honestly, Ranma. You think you would have learned by now." She pulled herself up from the ground, and dusted off her tuxedo. Ranma shrugged. "Well, it wasn't like it was one of the things Pop taught me while we were on the road..." Dusting off her skirt and putting her outfit in order, she reached around and grabbed Akane by the waist. The position felt strange at first; after all, she was an inch or two shorter than her date. "Shall we?" Akane smiled. Ranma had a guess as to why; for the first time that night, she wasn't the one in charge. "Of course." Ranma led her from the park to Nerima's streets, her steps uneven along the ground. The streets had a surreal feel to them; dimly lit by the fluorescent lamps, the surfaces alternated between light and shadow. Without the bustle of other human beings to populate it, the more quiet residents of the city made themselves known. Occasionally, a neglected scrap of paper would blow by, bringing memories of spectres of childhood's past. For the most part, it was like visiting a haunted house. In other words, precisely the conditions to bring two people closer. Ranma tightened her grip on Akane's waist; for her part, Akane didn't fight it. She nearly bolted when the unmistakable yowl of a cat pierced her ears; to her credit, she merely stiffened, then quickened her pace. "Ranma?" The girl in question swallowed. Her nerves were sent to the edge by the yowl; the situation at present would not allow her to calm down. "Yes?" "What does this mean for us?" Ranma paused for a second. "What do you mean?" This was no conversation she'd foreseen. She had expected the relationship to stay as it was - no commitments, no wondering if there should be an *us*. Akane put her hand on Ranma's; the touch was like fire. "Where do we go from here, Ranma? I mean... this is nothing I've ever experienced before. I mean, I nearly kissed - really kissed - another woman tonight. I nearly proved all of them right, that I am some le... le... girl lover." She bit her lip. "And... I wanted it." Ranma looked around; they were only a few blocks from the house. Whatever needed to happen had to happen before then. "Do you... still want it?" Her heart stopped at Akane's nod. She stopped her walk, and turned Akane to face her. "Akane, I won't kiss you unless you absolutely, positively want it. I... I know what it's like to doubt your sexuality; it's something I would never force on anyone." She closed her eyes. "If you want to kiss me... you're welcome to." For interminable seconds, all Ranma felt was the caress of wind, its chill cooling any flush on her cheeks. The thought passed her mind that perhaps Akane had turned away; after all, how many times had she turned away from her own womanhood? This was where the dragons lived, after all, the traps where a person could do the unforgivable, and actually discover herself. Her heart stopped when she felt the hand on her chin; for a moment, it felt like Akane was examining her date's face, as she felt her head move about slightly. "Ranma..." The word signalled the approach; Ranma could feel her getting closer. Hot breath, a slight raising of the tiptoes, a second hand reaching out to grab her forearm... Contact. The kiss was everything and nothing she expected; instead of electricity, she received fire - warm, burning emotion between two people, coalescing into one sharing spot between then. Her hands reached out to hold her, to feel more, to become more... time lost meaning, as they both melted into it. The separation came at great reluctance; both of them wanted to go on, but knew instinctively that it was time. She opened her eyes. She had to know, had to make sure she was there. The last thing she wanted was a bad reaction from Akane. "Akane... are you all right?" Ranma couldn't see Akane's eyes; they hid beneath a mop of black. The mouth quivered, the thunder warning of coming tears. "Ranma?" The voice was almost husky with emotion. "Yes?" Akane relaxed into her arms, and lay her head down on Ranma's shoulder. "Ranma... just hold me." Ranma wrapped her arms around her fiancee. There was no turning back, now; no matter what happened, even if Akane were to find out the truth, there was a part of Akane that wanted *her*. She now owned a part of Akane's heart - just as Akane owned a part of hers. She only hoped that she'd get to keep it when it was all over. She'd been debating words to say to her in response; all that could come was a bit of English Hinako-sensei had forced her to read. "As you wish, Akane-chan... as you wish." *** "Is there anything else you wish of me, Ukyou-sama?" Ukyou looked at the kunoichi with sad eyes. "No, Konatsu. You're free to go." "Thank you, Ukyou-sama." Konatsu looked up; his smile almost cheered her up a bit. "And try not to be so depressed. Hope is not yet lost, after all." He vanished into the shadows, far from sight but not far from mind. "I know," she whispered, hoping she could make herself believe it. If Konatsu's report had been accurate, she had already lost. The very idea of losing in this most important struggle left her near tears; her throat hurt from holding them back. "I shall just have to find a way." Finding a way, however, would not be easy. Akane had her out-glitzed; there was no way she could provide the glamorous show Ranma had enjoyed last night. Worse, Ranma had enjoyed the night; in an impossibly-romantic setting, she had been encouraged to initiate romantic contact - something that came dangerously close to fruition. How could she snatch victory from that? Her thoughts turned back to the beginning, to free days and sunny skies. She remembered frolicking with a six-year-old boy, fighting imaginary monsters and searching for natural treasure. Times were good then - there was no Akane, no betrayals, nothing to get between her and him. She was happy, he was happy. Somehow, she needed to revive that feeling. She needed to remind him... er, her... of those good feelings they'd shared, and that they could share again. Somehow, some way, she would do it. Ideas began forming in her head. Glitz was the last thing on her mind; Ranma was never one for such posh accommodations anyway. Ranma was a child of nature - and it would be nature that would lead the child back to her. *** She'd gone too far. Her body was as coddled and protected as she had ever been. A silk nightgown covered her body; sheets and a comforter made sure the cold wind would never touch her. The mattress where her body lay was the softest thing she'd ever rested on, with the possible exception of the pillow beneath her head. The quiet in the room was almost deafening to her; the room was, now and seemingly forever, hers and hers alone. And it was all based on a lie. It was time to start coming back. Just a simple 'miracle recovery' wasn't going to work, now; too much was invested in her new self for her to simply disappear. No; this had to be done the hard way. She had to tell the truth - the simple, cold, hard, damning truth. What she didn't know was how to go about it. She knew that just out-and-out admitting it to everyone would be a bad thing. She could soothe the hurt feelings of one person at a time; anything beyond that was out of her control. Unfortunately, each person she told was a gamble. If one person could not be soothed... everything she'd worked for could be ruined. "Ranma? Are you awake?" Her eyes shot open. She'd been expecting, almost hoping, for a late-night visit; however, the person paying a call was the last person she'd expected. "Um... sure, Nabiki. Come on in." The door slid open, sending bright light burning into the room. The silhouette reached over to the wall, and turned on the lights. "Ranma... after tonight, I think we need to talk." Ranma sat up in her bed, and nodded. After what happened to Akane, she should have expected this. "Okay." Nabiki sat down at the edge of the bed. "Ranma, why do you think Akane was crying when you got home tonight?" Ranma sighed. This wasn't a question she could really answer. "To be honest, I don't know for certain. I have an idea as to why, though..." "Will you tell me that idea?" Nabiki had the eyes of a predator. Ranma could see the flame in them, the desire to get to the truth. "Well... I... maybe this is wishful thinking, but... I think Akane realized she... she loved me." Her face turned downward. "I could be wrong, though." The reaction was not what Ranma had expected from Nabiki. For some reason, Nabiki always seemed to exude confidence of one type or another. Here, in the shadows of the night, that confidence was gone; her bangs hid her piercing stare, like a veil. "You're not wrong, Ranma. I know my sister. I've known for a long time how she felt about certain things - and about certain people, too." She looked upward. "What I want to know is what you plan on doing about that - especially considering your own problems." "My problems? What problems do I have?" Nabiki ended Ranma's charade with four words: "No more lies, Saotome." Ranma hid her surprise. Truth to tell, she wondered if Nabiki had known all along. "You know, huh?" Nabiki nodded slowly; her eyes were closed from the light. "Yes, Ranma, I know. I... I took a look at the books you were reading; no natural-born woman would read them unless they were doing a psychology paper." She moved over to the desk, and picked up a copy of 'Conundrum'. "To be honest, I've seen a number of these titles before, in Kaori's library; that's how I knew about them." Ranma gasped at the mention of Kaori's name; words spoken here and there began to fit together. "So... you're Na-chan?" Nabiki nodded. "I... I approached them two years ago, when I first began to suspect my sister was... not a traditional woman. I needed information, then, information to protect my sister from a society ready to condemn her and a father who would likely ostracize her. To be honest, I ended up with more knowledge than I ever expected." A feline smile crossed her lips; Ranma started as she felt Nabiki's hand on her thigh, through the covers. "A lot more, Ranma." Ranma swallowed. "You mean..." A low, playful chuckle emanated from Nabiki's throat. "I'm no traditional girl either, Ranma. I'm not a flaming lesbian, but I know better than to limit myself to men. Besides... women just understand each other, in ways a man never could." She raised an eyebrow, half-questioning, half-inviting. "Wouldn't you agree, Saotome?" "Um... yeah." Nabiki patted her beneath the covers, clearly smiling at Ranma's nervousness. "Ranma, I have to leave tomorrow on a business trip. Daddy wants me to take care of some things elsewhere; at the same time, I plan on doing some work for a few friends of mine." Her smile vanished. "Ranma, a bit of advice. Your position is more dangerous than you realize. My father is getting paranoid; don't be surprised if he does something stupid to try to get you to be a man. Also watch out for attacks from outside; it wouldn't surprise me if Cologne came up with something to try to further her aims over your feelings." She bit her lip. "One other thing, Saotome: Tell the others, as soon as possible. Because... the longer you wait, the more they'll be hurt." "Okay. I will." Ranma pursed her lips. "Where are you headed?" "China," Nabiki said flatly. "That should give you something to think about." She got up from the bed, and made her way to the door. "Good night, Miss Saotome - and good luck." Ranma tucked herself into bed at the words. "You too, Nabiki. And... thanks." Sleep came very soon after that; her mind was on other things by that point. *** Ichinohei Hitomi Katrina Lee Halbred Nicholas Leifker August 28, 1999