Clothes Make The...

Chapter Ten:

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

***************************************************************************

"Is there anything else you wish of me, Ukyou-sama?"  

She stared at him for a moment, trying hard not to let her anxiety show. 
"No, Konatsu.  Nothing more is needed tonight.  Thanks."  She bit the skin
of her index finger as he slinked away, the small pain masking larger ones
inside.  She couldn't let out how she felt - not here, not now, not with 
him around.  Love was a battlefield, and she didn't want to give her 
position away - to anyone.

Truth to tell, she was worried, and she had reason to be.  It didn't take a
ninja to see that the competition for Ranma's hand had entered a new stage.
The situation had reached a stagnation point before Ranma's accident, with
the man in question reluctant to take a position.  However, with the
accident, Ranma's personality had shifted - and, along with it, the playing
field.  For the first time, she was actively seeking out someone to call 
her own - and had pushed Shampoo and Kodachi far out of the picture.  

Problem was, Akane had rushed off to an early start.  Thanks to Konatsu,
she knew everything that had transpired that night.  Akane, likely with 
help from her family, had tried to win Ranma over with posh dinners and
romantic candlelight conversations.  She was hopeful it hadn't succeeded;
after all, Akane had cried at the end of it. 

At any rate, this made the upcoming date both critical and problematic. 
There was no way she could outglitz Akane, not after last night; she simply
didn't have the resources.  However, she did have advantages Akane didn't. 
Unlike Akane, she could actually cook; moreover, her friendship had roots
Akane couldn't see.

Which meant, for this date, she had to remind Ranma just what she had to
gain.  

Smiling, she pulled out the phone book, and began making plans for the day. 
She didn't have to outdo Akane, after all; she just had to outdo herself.

***

"Akane, Nabiki, wake up!  Breakfast is almost ready!"

Tendo Akane groaned at the cheerful call; the last thing she wanted to
get in contact with was a morning person.  She had not slept well, and
it showed; she was tangled up in her covers, and her sleepwear had lost
some of its concealment during the night.  What sleep she'd managed to 
get was hard-earned, and still unsatisfying.  

Bemoaning the lost opportunity of rest, Akane looked up at the ceiling. 
She really didn't feel like facing the world, not at the moment at any
rate.  She imagined she would probably get used to the idea in a few
years or so.  Unfortunately, 'getting used to the idea' terrified her as
much as the rest of it did.  She didn't want to get used to the idea;
she wanted to fight it to the very end.

Unfortunately, she couldn't fight it anymore.  She had to face facts:
she was a lesbian.  No magic spring, no shiatsu point could cure her of
it.  She loved women in that way she wasn't supposed to, and she would
have to face the stigma of that for the rest of her life.  Everything
she knew was thrown into doubt; every dream she had of her future
cracked, ready to shatter.

Rolling over, she pulled the covers over her and held on tight.  If she
stayed in bed, she didn't have to face the world.  There would be no
questions of right and wrong, only a warm blanket and a comfortable
mattress.  They would protect her; they always did.  She closed her
eyes, hoping she could buy just a few more minutes of rest.

"Akane!  Your soup will get cold!"

She opened her eyes.  There was no getting around it; she was going to
have to face the music.  She would have to look her family in the eye as
though nothing was wrong, as though she was still deserving of their
love and respect.  Her body protested as she rose from the bed; her
heart wasn't in the act, so the rest of her body wasn't, either.

She peeled the pajamas off of her body, letting the clothes drop to the
floor.  A shiver coursed through her; she never thought being naked
would make her feel so... helpless.  She opened the closet door, and
found herself with another dilemma.  

What was she going to wear?  She didn't want to appear androgynous - her
sexual preference was the last thing she wanted to announce.  Problem
was, she preferred to be more casual on days like this.  Did she feel
comfortable wearing slacks or even shorts on a day like this?  Did she
even dare?  Sighing, she pulled out a blue sundress, picked out a bra
and panty, and dressed for the day.

The door presented another challenge.  It was another barricade,
something that hid her from the judgments outside.  Once she slid the
door open, she would be subject to a lesbian's life, a lesbian's
place... a lesbian's curse.  That quiet place that hurt inside flared up
as she placed her hand on the door; it screamed for her to duck when it
finally slid open.  Still unsure, she looked from one end of the hall to
the other to make sure it was clear, then moved to go downstairs.  

"Hey, Akane."

She nearly jumped out of her dress in shock.  Nabiki stood behind her,
arms crossed in that 'I know more than you do' posture, her hair and
clothing impeccable for so early in the morning.  Akane tried to come up
with something to say.

"Um... Good morning, sis."  She hoped her voice wasn't too shaky from
fright.  "How are you this morning?"

"Good.  Very good."  Nabiki moved out of her position, taking a more
relaxed stance as she walked to the stairs.  "I was hoping we could get
together and talk after breakfast."  

Akane nearly screamed in terror.  She tried to remain calm.  "Uh... what
about?"

Nabiki's poker face disappeared; the serious, piercing gaze behind it
totally unnerved Akane.  "Oh, I think you know, Akane.  I heard what you
were muttering when you were crying in your room last night.  And I
think what you need right now, more than anything, is someone to talk
to."  Nabiki's eyes shifted down; Akane could feel the gaze bore through
her clothing, like X-rays.  "Besides, I've got some business at the
club, and I think you need to hear what's going on."

Akane blinked; Nabiki's reaction was like watching a lion turn toward
other prey.  "Um... ah... sure, sis.  Whatever you say."

The glare dissipated; the poker smile was back on.  "Good.  Now let's
get going, before they think we're doing something we shouldn't be."  

Akane let out a squeak at the last words.  Something told her that the
discussion wasn't something she'd forget anytime soon.

***

The roses had never looked so dark to Kodachi.

She sat in her room, her asylum, the place where she hid from the world
outside.  After the battle, she had locked herself inside, emerging only
for the daily meals.  There was no reason for her to leave, after all -
not if her Ranma-sama was gone.

The man she loved was gone, that much was certain.  He was locked away,
held prisoner by that... that... woman, who dared to take his body for
her own.  It mattered not whether he was born in the usual manner or by
some magics; he was still more man than any she'd ever met.  

But did she have the courage to face his jailer again?  She had sworn
vengeance if she tried... a vengeance so terrible, it left her with
nightmares.  Even now, she could picture her flesh growing beneath the
leotard... the muscles hardening, contracting...

"Do you wish to free Ranma for good?"

In an instant, Kodachi flew back, her ribbon in hand.  She scanned the
shadows, searching for the intruder. 

"Your searches are useless, daughter of the house of Kunou.  You will
not find me unless I wish it."  The voice seemed to come from the
walls... ethereal, disembodied.   

"Who are you?" she screamed.  "Why are you here?"

The voice sighed.  "Do you wish to free Ranma for good?"

Kodachi blinked.  "Of course!  I'd do anything to free my Ranma-sama!"

"Good."  The shadows coalesced around a green-cloaked figure.  "This
afternoon, the woman who claims Ranma for her own will be out with the
okonomiyaki chef.  You will attack them as they walk alone."

Kodachi blinked.  "What of the girl?  She has promised a magical
vengeance on anyone who tries to free him."

The figure threw a sack toward Kodachi.  "In the attack, blow this dust
in her face.  It will turn the tables on the two.  Instead of the
pigtailed demon enslaving your Ranma, it will be Ranma who imprisons the
girl.  Make sure that you do not inhale any of the dust in the attack. 
Do you understand?"

Kodachi grabbed the bag, and looked inside.  A fine white powder filled
the sack.  She fought to hold her breath before shutting the bag.  "I
understand.  May I ask who you are?"

The figure stepped out of the shadows, revealing a wrinkled, bright-eyed
face.  "Just a friend."

***

The difference in the club's appearance was, quite literally, like night
and day.  At night, the place had glowed among the backdrop of the city;
now, the morning sunlight glared through the windows, cutting the club
into halves of shimmering light and oppressive shadow.  The distant roar
of a million drones replaced the din of a hundred conversations; chairs
and stools almost cried out in their emptiness.  It wasn't meant for
quiet; silence made the place feel like a church.

Akane rubbed her hands around the warm coffee mug, enjoying the shadow
while she could.  She couldn't believe it had been only twelve hours
since she'd first arrived here; what had happened since was something
she still didn't know how to take.  What had happened to her since
then?  When did she go beyond the point of no return?  

"Seems strange when it's empty, doesn't it?"

Akane jumped.  Kaori's whisper startled her; any noise had seemed a
violation.  Her bartender's outfit was nowhere to be found; rather, she
looked a lot more comfortable in a sky-blue robe, her... wife? husband?
lover? next to her, their hands inseparable.  They both looked so
beautiful, so feminine... Akane would never have suspected the truth.

"Yeah, strange," she whispered.  She took a sip of the coffee, then
blinked.  "This is good stuff."

Nabiki chuckled.  "Akane, it's a club.  You expect them to serve
instant?"  

Akane shrugged.  "Well... I'm not used to a place like this.  I mean,
the most upscale place I usually went to before this was to the local
McDonald's."  A moment of silence followed the smiles, one soon cut
into.  

"Akane, there are a couple of reasons why I brought you here this
morning."  Nabiki sipped her coffee, then stared across the dining room
through the window.  

"First of all... how do you view yourself?"

Akane blinked at the question; for once, she didn't know how to answer. 
"I... I'm not sure.  I mean... last night had some pretty big
revelations."

"Are you a lesbian?"  Nabiki didn't hesitate with the question.

Akane floundered for words.  "I... I dunno.  I think so..."

"Do you think I'm a lesbian?"  Kaori's voice slid into the
interrogation, blocking Nabiki's press.

"Aren't you?" Akane blurted, then turned beet red.  Their looks said no,
but their actions said yes, leaving Akane wondering which was right.

Kaori sighed, and pulled out two magazines.  Akane swallowed; 'Playboy'
and 'Playgirl' weren't exactly her idea of quality reading material. 
Not missing a beat, Nabiki opened them both, almost shoving the
centerfolds into Akane's face.

"So, Akane.  Which do you prefer?"

She took as good a look at them as she dared.  The man seemed remarkably
well-endowed, even more so than Ranma was in his masculine form.  He
seemed to reek sexuality, his dark eyes inviting her into his lair, an
Adonis' body ready to protect her from every harm.  She worried when she
studied his form; it was a naked guy.  Except for the man's obvious
physical endowment, it wasn't that big of a deal.

The woman, on the other hand, had a look that screamed 'violate me'. 
She stuck her chest out to the camera, angling her body in a sultry
pose; Akane felt mildly envious, though she didn't envy whatever back
problems the woman had to be having.  The curves were impossible; the
model had to have been a Barbie doll in a previous life, because she
certainly looked like one now.  She paused in mild interest at the
woman's sex; the blond hair was more sparse than on her own body.  On
the whole, though, it didn't excite her - not in the slightest.

Akane looked up at the trio.  "Um... I don't particularly care for
either of them."

Smiles rewarded Akane's answer.  Nabiki grinned, and grabbed her hand. 
"Akane, you're not a lesbian.  You're not totally hetero, either,
but..."

Akane let out a deep breath.  "So what am I?"

Nabiki started to peek under Akane's dress.  "A girl, last I checked -
though with that sex-changing significant other of yours, it's kinda 
hard to tell."

"Nabiki!"  Akane slapped Nabiki's hand away, then recovered enough to
give a mischievous smile.  "So.  What are you?"

Nabiki shrugged.  "I am attracted to people that I can look in the eye
as equals, people I can talk to without having to dumb down to them. 
Since most of the boys in school are hormone-crazed buffoons, that
leaves mostly women as my company."  She took a dangerous sip of her
coffee, her eyes peering out from the cup.  "But you'd be an idiot if
you called me a lesbian."

Her eyes turned to Kaori and Aoi.  "And you two?"

Kaori's eyes sparkled.  "My favorite color is blue."  She kissed Aoi on
the cheek, in case Akane didn't get the pun.

Aoi smiled.  "I have two callings.  One is to live my life as a woman,
even if I am truly  neither woman nor man."  She kissed Kaori's hand. 
"The other... is to live life with my wife and daughter, no matter who I
am."  She took a sip of her coffee.  "Now it's your turn.  Who are you?"

Akane bit her lip.  Part of her was afraid to answer; to answer would
fix her course for all time.  There could be no turning back.

"I... I love Ranma."  The words flowed out with surprising ease; it was
absolute truth, in a way that she couldn't deny any more.  She loved
Ranma - and accepted all that came with that.

Kaori raised an eyebrow at Nabiki.  "Do you think she's figured it out?"

Nabiki looked appraisingly at Akane.  "Yeah, I think she has.  Now onto
the other recent development."  She took a sip of her coffee, then
turned to Kaori, her eyes briefly turning to Aoi in the process. 
"Kaori, do you remember that operation I was talking about?"

Kaori blinked for a moment, not quite comprehending.  "Not really,
unless... you don't mean..."  She gazed on Nabiki appraisingly.  "Are 
you really going to do it?"

Nabiki nodded.  "I got some funding from my family last night; Daddy
agreed to pay for some of my expenses."  She raised an eyebrow.  "If
you're willing to help with the rest, though, I should be able to get
far more."

"How much?" Aoi piped up.  She walked over, and pulled out a ledger
book.  "From what I've been able to tell, we could probably sell that
stuff for..."

"A half-million yen a liter, assuming two liters is enough to drench a
person.  I already did the figures."  Nabiki sighed.  "And, considering
how I've got to ship the stuff, I should be able to get somewhere
between 100 to 150 liters."  

Akane boggled.  She always knew Nabiki did some things under the table
to keep the family afloat.  But this... this was beyond anything she'd
ever dreamed.  "Um... Nabiki?  Are you sure?  I mean, this sounds pretty
risky..."

Nabiki ignored her.  "So.  Funding for the rest of it, in exchange for a
50-50 split?"

Kaori nodded.  "How much do you need?  Are you going to want advance
orders?"

Nabiki shook her head.  "Five million yen is all I need.  That'll be 
enough to pay to ship it here.  My father will be paying for my
transportation."  She almost snarled.  "And no advance orders.  I want
to know how much we have before we sell any.  And keep it VERY discreet
once we do; mention it only to people you trust."

"Um... Nabiki?"  Akane's whisper interjected again.  

For once, Nabiki listened.  Her eyes frightened Akane; she'd never known
Nabiki so driven.  "Yes?"

"Why are you doing this?  Isn't this dangerous?"

The question deflated her older sister; her intense, businesslike gaze
softened.  "Akane... there are two reasons why I'm doing this.  One is
that Daddy really wants the water right now.  I have a feeling he's
going to try to use it on Ranma; I made him promise that he had to get
Ranma's permission, but I suspect he's going to try anyway.  He won't
succeed if he does; I guarantee it.  The other... is you, me, and
Kasumi.  You know Kasumi wants to go to nursing school.  I plan on being
in UTokyo in a year, and I know you want to go to college, too.  This is
going to send us there."  She shook her head.  "Akane, this is the only
way.  I can't think of anything else."

Akane nodded.  Some things she couldn't keep secret; her dream of going
to college was one of them.  "So when do you plan on being back?"

Nabiki picked up her coffee mug, and drained the last of it.  "I'm
expecting it'll take me three weeks to get back."  She smiled over at
Kaori and Aoi.  "So.  Do we have a deal?"

Kaori looked up at her significant other; Akane couldn't tell what
communication passed between them, except note that it was a lot.  She
had a feeling that the water was something she desperately wanted. 
"Deal.  We'll be expecting you back within a month."  Kaori looked down
for the moment.  "Good luck, Nabiki."

Akane couldn't help but hear the death knell in the voice.  "Anytime,
Kaori."

***

Ranma Saotome had thought she'd faced everything.  Her father had
trained her to endure any challenge; so far in her life, he'd
accomplished that goal.  She had breezed through fights that would have
left lesser people as corpses; she'd endured trials that had driven
others mad.  She was the consummate survivor, and bore some of the scars
to prove it.

All of this paled in comparison to the 5'-3" woman casually sitting at
her table.  Always clad in a proper kimono, she bore the radiance and
grace the rest of her family lacked.  Ranma knew those features as well
as she knew her own; indeed, in some ways, they were her own.  So many
words came to Ranma's mind to describe her, some among the deities,
others less flattering; all, though, came to be summed up with a blurt
of the tongue.

"Mom?"

Nodoka looked up from her flowers; Ranma read the roadmap of emotions in
her eyes.  "Yes?"

"Mom... we need to talk."  Ranma sat down next to her; her mouth hung
open, wishing for words to come out.  "Mom, you see..."  She couldn't 
say it.  She'd faced down monsters, madmen, and perverts, and she 
couldn't face her own mother.  "Mom... I..."

Nodoka smiled; she seemed almost amused at the reaction.  "Don't worry,
Ranma.  I'm your mother.  It's not like I'll force you to commit
seppuku..."

Ranma rubbed her stomach.  "You... you won't?"

"Of course not!"  Nodoka dropped her pruning shears.  "What do you take
me for?"

Ranma blushed.  "Well... you might not like what I have to say."

Nodoka grabbed Ranma's hands; her warmth soothed Ranma's fears.  "Ranma,
there are very few things that you could do that would make me stop
loving you.  Look at all your father's done; do you honestly think you
could do worse than him?"  

The comment, at least, had the desired effect; Ranma couldn't help a
chuckle.  "That would be difficult."  Words started to come together in
her mind.  "Mom... I... I've lied to you."

Ranma couldn't decipher the look in her mother's eyes.  She could read a
touch of disappointment and sadness; however, to her own surprise, no
surprise registered.  "What about, dear?"

She took a deep breath; the words were on her like a flood.  "Well...
I... the whole thing with losing my memory was just an act.  Kasumi
caught me dressing up like a girl one night, and we talked and dressed
up and we talked some more... and we came up with this idea."

Nodoka bowed her head.  "I know, Ranma."

Ranma blinked.  "You know?"

"I'm your mother.  I know these things."  Nodoka leaned back, appraising
Ranma carefully.  "So.  Why did you want to be a woman?"

Ranma threw her hands up in the air.  "I... I dunno.  I... I'm not the
man I used to be, Mom.  There's a part of me that *likes* being a girl. 
I wish I could explain it; it's just a part of me."  She shook her
head.  "I know this sounds crazy, but..."

"Ranma."  Her mother's stern gaze cut short her explanations.  "Do you
consider yourself a man or a woman?"

"I don't know!"  Ranma ran her hands through her hair in frustration. 
"Probably neither.  I... I like being a girl more, but..."

"But you love Akane, don't you?"  

Nodoka's whisper cut through to Ranma's heart - and to the heart of the
problem.  She bowed her head down to her chest.  "Yeah, Mom.  Yeah, I
do."  She raised her eyes; the mist of tears clouded her vision.  "What
am I going to do, Mom?"

Strong arms took her in, protecting her; for a moment, she was a child
again.  "I... I don't know, Ranma.  This is something between you and
Akane; you both have to decide how you want to live your lives." 
Fingers brushed her hair back; a casual touch of the thumb wiped her
tears away.  "Ranma, you know my feelings concerning the engagement;
despite what your fathers have done, you both love each other, and
that's what should matter.  Don't let your fear ruin something great,
Ranma."  She smiled wryly.  "Of course, if Akane did use that Drowned
Man water I heard about..."

"Mom!"  She shot up from her position - to come face-to-face into a
laughing smile.  The scandalous tone vanished in an instant.  "Mom...
thanks."

Nodoka nodded.  "Ranma, follow your heart.  If it tells you to live as a
woman, then tell me so I can enjoy time with my daughter.  If it tells
you to be both, then let me know when I can be with my son.  If it tells
you to be a man, well... that's okay, too, though I'll miss our shopping
trips."  Her face twisted; tears touched the corners of her smile. 
"Okay?"

Ranma wrapped her arms around her mother once more.  "Okay, Mom."  She
swallowed; her throat hurt.  "I... I will."  She looked away for a
moment.  "Now.  What do you know about 'casual attire' for a date?"

***

Ryouga awoke to a most unusual sight - pink.

What struck him in particular about the sight was how inoffensive the
color was.  It wasn't the obnoxious neon pink that occasionally graced 
more garish fabrics, nor the commercially-dyed garbage that passes for 
pink on most clothing and bedspreads.  The rose hue in the sparkling 
satin was barely noticeable; if anything, it made more of a statement 
with its lack of statement.

Groaning, blocking the sunlight from his eyes, he stared out at the rest
of the room.  If anything, it proved to be just as tasteful as the rest;
sparse wooden furniture offered just enough to keep the room from
looking empty, while artwork extolling the praises of love decorated
white stucco walls.  A large window looked out over the city, with
vertical shades to pull if the occupants desired more privacy.

He rose from the bed to the window, to see just how good the view really
was.  Whatever this place was, it had to be pretty tony; to afford a
place with a view like this had to cost a pretty penny.  The view, to
put it simply, was breathtaking; the houses stretched for miles beneath
him, as the people of Tokyo went on their daily business.  Was this what
the truly wealthy sold their souls for?

"Ah, you're awake."  A tall, shapely woman stood at the entrance; Ryouga
frowned at her strange eyes.  "Enjoying the view?"

"Um... yeah."  He scratched his head nervously.  "If you don't mind me
asking... where am I?"

Her smile, if anything, made him even more nervous; there was something
about her that he couldn't figure out.  "We call this place, quite
simply, "Home"; it's the only place a lot of us can really call home. 
We provide a place for ourselves and our friends to feel comfortable,
and occasionally provide them with a little more, should they desire
it."  She walked over to the window, and put her hand on the glass. 
"This room, for instance.  Sometimes our friends want a view; also,
sometimes, their libidos get too much for them, and they feel the need
to become one in private."

He stopped, his eyes glancing toward the bed.  With an uneasy breath,
events of the previous night replayed in his mind.  "You're...
lesbians."

She nodded.  "Some of us, yes.  Others are women who simply seek the
company of other women, or housewives who want to escape from their
everyday lives for a little while."  Her green eyes flashed with ice. 
"Do you have a problem with that?"

He blinked.  This was not a woman he wanted to mess with; he could see
the musculature in her hands and arms.  "Er... no.  I do have one
question, though."

"Yes?"  She smiled, and crossed her arms.  

"I saw a couple of friends of mine in here last night.  Ranma Saotome
and Akane Tendo.  Were they...?"

"It confuses you to see them like that, doesn't it?"  She sat down on
the bed.  "Come, sit.  I won't bite; no offense, but you're not my
flavor of choice."

Ryouga blinked at the comment, then sat down.  "Okay... but why were
they here?  Ranma's a guy... isn't he?"

His host smiled in a disconcerting way.  "Ranma... is discovering what
it's like to be a woman, now - for better or worse.  She has... come to
see the fact that she is more than simply a man.  As for Akane... she is
in love with Ranma, and Ranma with her.  Is it unnatural for them to be
together?"  

Ryouga blinked.  "Waitasec.  Ranma - being a girl?  Was this a natural
thing, or..."

She pursed her lips.  "I... I don't know.  The official story is that
she hit her head on some rocks, causing some personality changes. 
However, some rumors circulating around here suggest that Ranma may
actually want to explore what it's like to be a woman."

Ryouga stood up.  "Which do you think?"

She chuckled softly; Ryouga blinked at how husky her voice was.  "I am
not unbiased in this situation; I've seen too many people explore this
area - myself included."  She wrung her hands together.  "It's not an
easy feeling to believe that a part of yourself is... different
somehow."

Ryouga looked her over carefully, his eyes studying every inch.  The jaw
was perhaps a little too blocky; the hands and feet, too large and
strong.  To be honest, he was only mildly surprised; after all, with the
traveling he'd done, he'd seen her kind before.  

However, that wasn't important.  Ranma and Akane were.

"How's Akane taking it?"

She sighed.  "With some difficulty; however, with less than what usually
happens.  She's got a soul of iron; she'll be able to take anything." 
She smiled wistfully.  "She's a lot like Kaori in that way.  How she's
able to do what she does I'll never know."

Ryouga found himself strangely quiet.  He knew of no more questions that
could be answered here, even though he had so many that needed
answering.  The low feeling that settled in his stomach he didn't like
very much; somehow, it felt wrong for that - whatever that was - to
happen to Ranma.

"Um... could you please direct me to the Tendo place?  I... I need to
talk to them.  This is... this is... too much for me."

She nodded.  "We can call a taxi wherever you're ready."  Her emerald
eyes scanned him carefully; her gaze sent a shiver down Ryouga's spine. 
"You can also stay here for a few hours if you want, provided you don't
overstay your welcome."  She rose from her seat, and smoothed out her
dress.  "After all, you never know what you might learn.  Excuse me." 
She bowed and left the room, leaving Ryouga with only questions to keep
him occupied.

***

The hamburger tasted like any other piece of meat the fast-food place
served: dry, tasteless, and somewhat edible.  The fries, drenched in oil
and salt, made her reach for the drink at every opportunity.  
Unfortunately, said drink wasn't much better; liquid sugar coursed down 
her throat, assaulting her taste buds and leaving an ugly phlegmlike 
feeling in the back of her throat.  

And, for some reason, Americans (and, increasingly, young Japanese such
as herself) found themselves addicted to such fare.  She looked out the
window, and watched as the planes taxied out of the terminal.

"So, sis.  You know what you're going to do with Ranma?"

"huh?"  Nabiki's question shook her from her study.  "Um... not really."

Nabiki smiled enigmatically, the grin reminding Akane of business deals
gone by.  "Good.  Just as long as you think before you act, you'll be
fine."  Nabiki chomped on her hamburger, and quickly swallowed. 
Finally, she spoke with a tired sigh.

"Akane, I... I wish I could stay."

Akane blinked.  Perhaps her sister was getting some sense after all. 
"Why, is it that dangerous?"

Nabiki chuckled in reply.  "Naah.  Getting the water and getting it out
will be easy.  What you're going to go through, on the other hand..."

"What I'm going to go through?"  Akane bit on another french fry. 
"You're about to smuggle Jusenkyo water out of China, and *you're*
worried about *me*?"

Nabiki raised an eyebrow.  "Akane, there are ways to get through or
around customs without any problem.  One is bribery; I may need to do
that anyway.  The other is misinformation.  All I'll be shipping back is
mineral water.  They're welcome to drink it; drinking it, after all,
doesn't do anything."  She coughed.  "You, on the other hand, have to
work out what you're going to do with Ranma - and you'd better start
before I get back.  After all, if I know Daddy, he's going to do
something stupid once I get back."

Akane wrung her hands together.  Ranma... now *there* was a problem she
didn't know how to handle.  "But... how, sis?  I mean, Ranma... isn't
Ranma anymore."

The smile that came from Nabiki's lips was downright frightening. 
"Sis... did it ever occur to you that this Ranma may be MORE Ranma than
the old one?"

"More Ranma?"  She took another sip of her cola.  "How?"

"Well... think about this.  Ranma no longer has any real fiancee
problem.  She's ATTACKED Shampoo and Kodachi, for crying out loud.  She
doesn't have her father ragging on her all the time; she doesn't have
you attacking her for even the slightest offense.  For maybe the first
time in her life, she has FRIENDS, Akane, and a real life she can feel
good about."  Nabiki leaned back in her chair.  "In a way, I envy her; 
she has everything she wants."

"Except her manhood," Akane countered.

"Do you want manhood?"

Akane blinked.  That was not a question she expected.  "Of course not! 
I'm a girl!"

That smile continued; Akane wondered what Nabiki playing poker would be
like.  "So's she, Akane."

Akane closed her eyes.  Nabiki was right; Ranma - this Ranma, anyway -
was a girl.  And... and Ranma had no reason to come back from that. 
"So... so it's hopeless.  Ranma's always going to be a girl."

"I didn't say that."  Nabiki checked her watch, then frowned.  "Damn.  I
need to get checked in and boarded.  Akane, good luck.  And, no matter
what Ranma says to you, be patient with her, okay?"

"Okay."  Akane barely got the word out before Nabiki started to run to
her gate; unfortunately, she didn't have the energy to follow.

***

The sun shone down on Tai Park, its soft touch, tempered by the wind,
providing a heavenly warmth to the residents below.  Trees provided
a touch of shade - or privacy - if a person so chose; their branches
swayed in the breeze, almost beckoning the more retiring to come and
rest under its shelter.  Impossibly green fields contrasted with the
pale-blue above; a dark forest-green line separated them, marking the
boundary between earth and sky.

Ukyou looked at the place she'd chosen for battle, and nodded to 
herself.  The weather was right, the food was right, the timing was 
right... she would never get a better chance.  She had to make her case
that afternoon, with only the trees as impartial witness to her plea.  
She sat down at a particularly comfortable spot, at the line between 
shade and sun.  

"Where'd you find this place?" Ranma asked, her eyes bedazzled.  

She smiled; she was winning already.  She spread a blanket down along
the ground.  "Oh... just searched around one day, and found it."  A hand
went down to her box; she opened it, revealing her best creations.  
"Shall we eat?"

The way to a Saotome's heart was through the stomach; Ranma was no
exception.  "Sure!"  She salivated in a most unladylike manner as Ukyou
handed out the okonomiyaki, a dish that Ranma quickly accepted.

Nothing made Ukyou happier than seeing Ranma happy, and few things made
Ranma happy faster than good food.  She simply looked on as Ranma
slurped her meal up with gusto; in this woman's simple, contented face, 
she could still see that six-year-old, that boy she fell in love with so
long ago.

"Um... aren't you going to have any?"

Ukyou blinked; she'd been so absorbed in her thoughts that she hadn't
noticed Ranma's question.  "Oh, sorry.  Just thinking..."

"'Bout what?"  Ranma's eyes stared back at her; she hadn't changed in
ten years, she thought.

Well, maybe she had - a little bit.  "Oh... about when we were younger. 
When we used to go around and play with each other and get into my pop's
cart... and fought the Gambling King..."  She smiled wistfully.  "Those
were good times."

Ranma nodded.  "Yeah, they were."  She looked down at her half-eaten
okonomiyaki, her brow furrowed.  

"Ucchan, I-"
"Ranchan, I-"

They both stopped.  Ukyou studied Ranma's face carefully; something was
hidden beneath there.  "Ranchan, are you all right?"

Ranma shook her head.  "No.  There's so much you need to know, Ucchan,
but don't... too much."  

Her heart caught in her throat.  She knew that look in Ranma's eyes -
and, in any case, it didn't bode well for her.  "What... what is it?"

Ranma looked down at her hands.  "All my life, I've been trying to be
better than my old man.  I hated what he did to people - his lies, his
stealing... I hated all of it.  I wanted to be better than him.  I
*needed* to be better than him."  She pulled her legs in closer.  "But
when it came my turn to prove it... to show everyone what sort of person
I could be... I failed."

"What do you mean, Ranchan?  How did you fail?"  She had a bad feeling
about this.  There was one matter of honor that Ranma could fail at...

"Ucchan... there's a lot that I don't understand about myself.  There
are... feelings inside of me... desires... things I barely understand." 
She pulled her legs in closer.  "I... I... I am Saotome Ranma.  I was
born a man, but now..."

"You were... you mean..." Ukyou could barely control her surprise. 
"You're you?  No head injury or anything?"

Ranma smiled weakly.  "The head injury was Kasumi's idea, after we
talked."

Ukyou's eyes bulged out of their sockets.  "Ka... Kasumi?  Sweet and
innocent Kasumi?"

Ranma blushed.  "She... caught me playing dress-up one night.  She
helped me with my make-up, we got to talking... and we came up with this
idea, to let everyone think I thought I'd always been a girl."  She
shrugged.  "It seemed like a good idea at the time..."

"Everything does," Ukyou whispered.  She still couldn't imagine Ranchan
- HER Ranchan - pulling something like this.  "Besides, it's not like I
can say anything about being a boy or a girl..."

Ranma chuckled, and stretched her legs out.  "True."  She swallowed
nervously.  "So... how was it for you the first time you lived as a
guy?"

Ukyou couldn't help but laugh.  "Weird.  Really weird.  I had to learn
to act like a boy, talk like a boy... it was like I was someone else."  

"Yeah."  Ranma smiled.  "It was the same way with me.  All of a sudden,
it was like I could do everything I wasn't allowed to do before.  Sure,
I got treated as some fragile little doll on occasion, but it was good,
Ucchan.  Really good."

There was a wary tone in Ranma's voice, one Ukyou didn't miss.  "Are
you... are you saying you've decided to stay this way?"

Ranma closed her eyes; her taut features belied her worry.  "I... I
dunno, Ucchan.  You see, there's something else I need to tell you."

"Tell me?"  Ukyou stood in her tracks; was this the moment she'd dreamed
of?  "Tell me what?"

Ranma's face drooped, her chin meeting her chest.  "Ucchan... I'm
sorry.  I... I love Akane."

She closed her eyes, and sucked in a ragged breath.  She'd lost.  After
ten years of training, of hoping, of wishing... she'd lost him forever.
The rage started building within her; her hands tightened around her
spatula.

"Ucchan, I -"

"Go."  It was all she could say.  Despite what had just happened, she
still didn't want to hurt Ranma; unfortunately, she was no longer in
total control of her actions.

"Ucchan?"

"I said, go," she hissed through clenched teeth.  "Right now, I can't
even bear to look at you."

Ranma put a hand on her shoulder.  "But Ucchan, I -"

"Just go!"  She swung her spatula around in a dangerous arc for her
head, a blow Ranma barely dodged.  "I'm sick and tired of you taking
everything I care about!"  Her anger began to deflate as the sadness
crushed in.  "Please.  Go, before I end up doing something I regret."

Fire began to show in Ranma's eyes.  "Do you think I like what my
father's done?  He's used everyone around him - myself included - just
so he can keep his stomach full.  Because of him, I *have* to hurt
people - have to hurt myself - so that I can somehow clean up the mess
he's made."  She looked downward.  "Ucchan, I promise I'll make up for
the yatai.  I dunno how, but I will find a way to pay you back for it."

She was crying full-force now; she could barely get the words past her
sobs.  "Ran... Ranchan.  The only thing I ever wanted from you is your
heart - and you can't give me that."  She wiped her eyes, her face
turned away.  "Ranchan, we'll talk later.  It's just... I can't think
straight right now.  Okay?"

"Okay," Ranma whispered; Ukyou heard her begin to shuffle away.  "I... I
never meant to -"

The laughter cut through the quiet grove like a buzzsaw; in an instant,
Ranma and Ukyou were on their feet.  "Who's there?"

Kodachi sauntered out into the forest, clad in battle black, skintight
and shadow.  Ukyou swallowed at the look in Kodachi's eyes; rarely had
she ever seen such madness.  "Ranma... it took me a long time to track
you down.  The peasant there hid the two of you quite well. 
Fortunately, I am not without my resources."  She pulled a sack from her
pouch.  "This... is a special potion a colleague of mine brewed up.  All
it takes is one whiff, and you will be all man, Ranma - and all mine."

Ranma slowly backed away.  "Wh... what do you mean?"

Kodachi smiled.  "This special powder will forever destroy those
feminine thoughts inside of you.  No matter what body you have, you'll
be man enough for me."  She sprinkled some on her hand.  "Now.  Let's
have some fun."

Ukyou looked around.  Ranma was moving to fight; a bad idea, as she was
the target.  Kodachi stalked around them, like a cat eyeing prey. 
"Ranma, let me fight her."

Ranma's eyes flashed for a moment.  "But..."

"But nothing.  Who knows what that powder will do to you?  I want answers
from you, Saotome, and I'm not going to get them if she succeeds."  She 
kept her eyes on Kodachi.  "Just sit tight, and I'll take care of her."

"Okay..." Ranma didn't sound pleased; however, she was acquiescing, and
that was all that mattered.  Ukyou hefted her battle spatula, and burned
a glare through Kodachi.  "Come on."

Kodachi laughed.  "Oh, this is going to be fun!"  With that, she threw a
gymnastics ball toward her target, starting the fight.

Ukyou didn't hesitate.  She blocked the ball from reaching Ranma; it
exploded on impact with her spatula, spraying the air with a fine dust. 
She held her breath; the last thing she wanted was to breathe it in
herself.

Kodachi pulled out her ribbon, and leapt to one side.  She whipped it in
the air toward Ranma; it flew past Ukyou, though Ranma dodged it easily
enough.  

Ukyou snarled; this fight was going nowhere.  She pulled out a handful
of spatulas.  "Ranma, run!"  Hoping to cover Ranma's escape, she threw
them straight for her target, hoping she'd move away, then launched into
a fullbore charge.

The results were pleasing, to say the least.  None of the spatula hit
flesh; however, in ducking, one of them hit hair.  What was left of
Kodachi's hair tumbled to her shoulders; she grabbed a lock
experimentally, confirming what she'd suspected.

"You... you... MONSTER!"  Ukyou gulped nervously, just before parrying a
vicious ribbon strike.  Kodachi didn't care about Ranma anymore; she was
the target, now.  She smiled grimly at the thought of a short-haired
Kodachi making her way to school; regardless of how bloodied she ended
up from this one, she still won.

Kodachi was relentless.  Ribbon followed club followed powder ball
followed iron jump rope; Ukyou felt hard-pressed just to stay up.  She
had to finish the fight soon, before someone (specifically, herself) got
hurt.  She looked up for a second - just long enough for an idea to
form.  It was a desperate idea, but the really good ones usually were.

"Hey, Kodachi."

"What?" The growl in her voice would have made Ukyou smile, had she been
able to.

"Nice hairstyle."  She threw a shuriken right at Kodachi's face - one
she barely dodged.  "In fact, it looks a lot like Akane's 'do."

Ukyou would have paid dearly to have a camera with her.  Kodachi;s face
turned a remarkable shade of purple as she absorbed the comment. 
"Like... like AKANE?!?!  DIE!"  Foregoing the usual weapons, Kodachi
charged straight for her.

Fortunately, she'd been expecting this, and had started retreating as a
result.  Within seconds, she found herself in the woods.  And, like any
handy lumberjack, she gave a hefty swing against one tree in passing,
then continued running.

She stopped when she heard the cry.  Kodachi hadn't been hit directly by
the trunk; however, the branches had done enough.  Ukyou walked over to
her dazed form, and carefully removed her remaining weapons.  She took a
moment to study her adversary's face; it disturbed her that such a
peaceful face could be twisted so.  Was she always like this, or... or
was she normal, once?  

Like her, normal once...

She shook her head away from that train of thought, and made her way
back to the picnic.  Ranma was nearby, after all; chances are...

Chances were that she was unconscious, face down, a few yards from the
picnic site. 

"Ranchan!"  She looked Ranma over; she showed no sign of injury... but
the powder film all over her told any story Ukyou needed to hear.  She
cursed to herself; she was sure she'd protected Ranchan... but
apparently she hadn't.  

Sighing, leaving the picnic basket there, she hefted Ranma into a
fireman's carry and started to walk away.  She needed help... and she
wasn't likely to get it in the middle of a park.

***

She looked down at the woman sleeping on the bed, and brushed the bangs
from her eyes.  There was just something about the peace in her face at
that moment that made her want to remember; all too often, it had been
etched with worry, frustration, or simple anger.  

Her makeup had been washed off to remove the powder; even so, her beauty
needed no enhancement.  Her hair lay in a tangled mess around the bed -
one disadvantage of her recent hairstyle change.  Her clothing now
consisted of a hospital gown; the shirt and shorts she'd worn now
swirled away in a washing machine.  Ranma lay more exposed than Ukyou'd
ever known her to be - and she still didn't know how Ranma could be so
radiant in sleep.

The beauty was so great that she could almost forget what Ranma had told
her.

"She should be fine," Tofu's voice interrupted.  "I have a pretty good
idea as to what Kodachi used on her; it's a mental stimulant designed to
reawaken memory.  Problem is... well, we have a couple of problems,
actually."

Ukyou closed her eyes.  "Doctor, I know Ranma's secret.  There's no
reason to pretend for my sake."

"Oh."  Tofu blushed, and adjusted his glasses.  "In that case... the
only thing Ranma will have to worry about is a headache when she comes
to."  He took a position on Ranma's opposite side.  

"What's wrong?"

Ukyou started; after a split second, she wiped her tears away.  "I... I
don't know."  She ran a hand through her hair.  "I..."

"She told you something else, didn't she?"

Ukyou blinked in surprise, then sank back down.  "She... she told me she
loves Akane."  She looked up at him, questions in her eyes.  "Was... was
I the last to know?"

Tofu shook his head.  "Shampoo hasn't figured it out yet.  Neither has
Kodachi.  Heck, sometimes I wonder if Akane's figured it out."  He
reached across Ranma, to grab hold of one of Ukyou's hands.  "Offhand,
I'd say you're doing better than average."

"Thanks, Doc," she muttered.  Her tone wasn't quite sarcasm, mainly
because she didn't know if she wanted it to be.  "Just... what do I do
now?  I can't go back home, I can't marry him... and... and I don't know
if I want to stay."

"Why don't you?"  Tofu offered her a handkerchief, one she accepted. 
"What's wrong with staying here?"

Ukyou flashed him a glare between sniffles.  "I... I don't know if I
could take seeing them together every day, Doc.  I mean... you dream all
these little dreams with your first love - you dream of the wedding, you
dream of the kids you'll have... you dream every little detail of how
it's going to be."  

She let out another sniffle.  "But that's not going to happen, now. 
Ranma and Akane are going to get married; they're going to have little
kids together; they're going to... going to..."  She cut off her words;
something caught in her throat.   "She's going to live what I only got
to dream about, and I don't want to see that.  Not every day."

Tofu nodded quietly.  His eyes weren't on her; rather, they were on the
object of her affections.  "I... I understand."  He turned back to her. 
"Any thoughts as to what you're going to do, then?"

She nodded.  "I... have a few.  Ranchan promised me she'd find a way to
make up for the yatai; I'm weighing a few ideas she might be able to do
that with."

"Like?"

"That's... a secret."  For the first time in too long, she managed a
smile; perhaps things would be okay after all...

***

She leaned against the wall of the clinic, conserving what energy
remained in her old bones.  Nobody came around to interrupt her
surveillance; if they did, well... she had ways around that.  The
conversation between Tofu and Ukyou drifted into her ears, the words not
too much of a surprise, but more of an annoyance.

She should have known.  She really should have known.

Her tribe, above all else, was committed to the betterment of women 
everywhere.  With Jusenkyo, however, such lines blurred.  Occasionally,
one defected in mind and body from one side to the other.  Such people, 
former men now aligned with womanhood, usually became rocks of the 
tribe, and the staunchest defenders of their way of life.  

Ranma possessed all the signs.  A difficult masculine life, with no real
place to fit in.  An incredible mind, one that absorbed new ideas like a
sponge, and had that rare creativity to come up with something new. 
Finally, there was that nice little change in her life thanks to
Jusenkyo, one that gave her a body as fit as her masculine one, only in
different ways.  In short, she had everything to lose by not embracing
her womanhood - and nothing to gain.

Oh, this definitely made for a change in plans.  She only hoped that
Ranma would be more receptive to being wooed, rather than bullied.

Ironic that a cure designed to restore her manhood only proved her to be
more woman.  She'd given the potion to Kodachi in the hopes she'd
attack; after all, to directly involve herself risked her entire tribe. 
When Ukyou left her alone for a moment, she used the opportunity to slip
Ranma the drug.

A perfect execution - except it wasn't needed.

Now, she needed to think.  She *needed* that woman; there simply was no
better warrior in her generation.  Whether she came as man or woman was
irrelevant; either way, she was prime breeding stock.  Only true
warriors such as her could ever hope to counterbalance the fat, lazy
politicians and man-bashers that currently called themselves a
'warrior's council'.  

Unfortunately, she'd been going about her recruitment the wrong way.  
She hoped it wasn't too late.  Perhaps if Shampoo were no longer a 
factor in the negotiations, Ranma would accede to at least an alliance. 
Shampoo had a habit of being... enthusiastic in her pursuit of Ranma;
if the marriage question ceased to be, Ranma just might welcome such an
agreement - if it allowed her training, as well as a lack of
interference in her love life.

Yes; it was time to stop threatening.  Besides, threatening Ranma was
like threatening a storm; it would go its own way regardless.  Yes, if 
she played her influence right...

***

She was alone.

The other subway passengers surrounded her, each going on about their
daily business.  Outside the train, a city of people held the world's
largest party, ten million souls all working, talking, eating, praying,
making love, and doing the myriad other things that ordinary people do. 
Beyond the confines of the city, events were more peaceful, but only to
a point; the world went on its merry way, as though she wasn't facing
the toughest decision of her life.

She'd seen the plane take her sister away.  That didn't help matters
any; with the changes in her life, she needed a mentor, and somehow she
didn't feel like Kasumi would understand.  Father would never be able to
accept how she felt; Nodoka was too biased on Ranma's side.  She briefly
entertained the idea of talking to her friends, then thought better; the
last thing she needed was another enemy where a friend was.

She had to face it alone - to decide if she didn't want to be alone.

There would be no easy recovery if she rejected Ranma.  It was too
perfect - if she had the courage to go through it.  They'd been through
heaven and hell together; they'd faced battles that lesser men and women
would have run from screaming.  The scarlet rope was tied around her
pinky finger; the other end led to a certain redhead.  She knew she would
never find another if she cut the link.

But to... to become a lesbian?  To endure the scorn she'd had burned in
her during her younger days, to feel their staring eyes and turned-up
noses and cold shoulders over and over again... could she deal with
that?

Damn them.  Damn them for making this stupid rule, damn them for their
holier-than-thou attitudes, damn them for forgetting what love was all
about, and damn them ALL for making this so difficult for her.  

Why was love so difficult for people to understand?  Did too many people
see only man and woman that they would naturally assume that that's the 
only 'true' love?  Did they have to bombard the world with their sick
simplistic images of what love is, inundating the world with stupidity,
justifying the idiocy of heterosexual imbeciles out for a fuck and
leaving people who want to know love, true love, in chains?

Carefully taught, she was.  They taught their gospel of poison with
every commercial and every romance novel.  Even now, their voices
screamed at how wrong it was to love a woman, and how right it was to
love a man.  To love another woman was dishonorable; it took proper
breeding stock out of the society.  To love another woman meant turning
back on her family and her obligations to them - at least, that's what
the world told her.

"Screw the world."

The people around her blinked; they noticed the corona around her, and
started to back away.  She didn't care.  They didn't care about her, so
why should she care about them?  She hadn't meant to say what she had;
it just came out.  But she was glad she did.

She was declaring war on the world, this society that had chained her. 
She would love Ranma; she had to.  Her heart gave her no other choice. 
She would find out how to love another woman, understand what it was to
be in such a relationship, and become, without qualification or
reservation, a lover of another woman.

A woman named Ranma.

***************************************************************************

Katrina Lee Halbred
Ichinohei Hitomi
Nicholas Leifker
http://www.thekeep.org/~nightelf/fanfic
April 9, 2000