Clothes Make The...

Chapter Twelve:

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

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

He jumped off the sloop onto the pier with an uneasy leap, one made
more by exuberance than any skill.  He knelt down at the spot, feeling
the rough, aged wood in his hands, knowing what it was connected to. 
With a childlike laugh, he turned over and lay on the pier, his eyes
taking in the familiar stars of home.

He never thought he'd be so happy to be back.

"Are you in need of help?"  One of the younger sailors jumped off
after him, a quizzical expression on his face.  

He smiled, a madman's giggles streaming out from within.  "Never
better."  He jumped to his feet, energy still boundless, and looked
back at the ship.  "So.  Do we start unloading it?"

The sailor blinked.  "Whenever you're ready.  You're the one paying
for all this, after all."  He looked carefully.  "The sooner this
stuff's off our ship, the better it is for both of us."

He nodded, and smiled.  The mission, to be honest, hadn't gone as
planned - a fact he should have realized beforehand, but was too blind
to see.  The trip there had been hazardous, as the natives sought to
take advantage of his apparent weakness.  Once he had arrived, he found
more obstacles to his prize, ones he should have counted on.  The nosy
guide had been there, as always; moreover, a few Musk had decided to
pay the place a visit, to experiment as they were known to do.  He'd
hidden in the most effective way possible, and had chosen to keep the
disguise he'd been given - at least, for now.

Now, though, he was home - safe in a small, obscure landing pier, only
two hundred miles from his life.  The hard part was behind him.  He
could get the stuff to Kaori, get back home, and get on with his
studies.  Finances would no longer be a problem - not now, not ever. 
Heck, if he wanted to, the glass ceiling he'd been expecting wouldn't
be there anymore, though he doubted he wanted to go that far.

He had his whole life ahead of him - and, for once, that life was
looking particularly bright. 

***

Ranma poured the batter in the middle of the griddle, her eyes focused
more on the man in front of her, and tossed the shrimp and noodles into
the mess.  She wanted to keep his attention; after all, flirting just
meant more business for them.  She knew almost by instinct when the
pancake was ready to flip; she turned it over deftly, then spread the
sauce over it, her movements almost like a dance.  By the time she
served the dish to him, his mouth was watering - and it wasn't from the
food.  

Needless to say, business at Ucchan's was booming.

She let the customer have his fun while she sat down to rest, her legs
crossed just so.  She had to admit, it was rather fun; men became putty
in her hands with just a wink and a sashay.  Fortunately, she had been
of sterner stuff; it took something major, like tears or a full Amazon
glomp, to get her old self in a bind like that.

"Honestly, Ranma.  Do you have to be such a flirt?"

She looked over to the kitchen; Akane was busy washing dishes, a job
she herself was thankfully barred from.  "Well... the customers seem to
like it."  Her eyes looked back to the young man she had served; his
enthusiastic nod was all she needed.  "See?"

She could see Akane's eyes stare at the dishwater intently.  "You
know, you keep it up, and you might end up in hot water."  The grin on
her face said she was only kidding; her eyes, however, said she wasn't.
 

Ranma took one glance at the dining area.  "Konatsu?"

"Yes, Ranma-sama?"  The kunoichi and waitress bowed before making her
way to the grill.

"Could you watch things for a couple of minutes?  I need to talk to
our dishwashing wench back there."  She kept a manic grin on her face,
to show she wasn't serious.  "Okay?"

"Okay..."  Ranma left Konatsu behind to take care of things.  She had
more important concerns at the moment.  She closed the kitchen door
behind her; this was not for customer's eyes.

Akane continued to stare down into the water, her bangs hiding her
eyes from view.  Her left hand clenched around the dish towel; if she
squeezed it any more, Ranma swore it would be bone dry.  With the door
shut, the smile was off; hiding was useless from people who couldn't
hide from each other.

"Akane...?"

Akane remained motionless.  The trickle of a teardrop carved a river
down her face.  "Why... why do you have to be like that, Ranma?  Why do
you have to... to... flirt with the boys like that?"  She shook her
head.  "Do you want what they're hoping for?"

Ranma sighed.  She'd seen this coming for the past few weeks, ever
since they'd started working.  "Akane... it's all just business. 
You... You don't actually think I *want* those... those guys to...
to... I can't even say it, Akane."

"But you can sure act it," Akane retorted.  "Don't you see the look in
their eyes when you're acting like that?  They want you, Ranma.  They
want to do all those things that they tell girls they aren't supposed
to do until they're married."  She turned away.  "And... and you
encourage it."

Ranma swallowed.  She could hear the clack of her high heels echo
through the room with every step.  "Akane... I just want to help Ucchan
out.  I owe her this.  Pop should be the one helping out, but try
dragging his sorry butt down here to help."  She closed her eyes. 
"Akane, I... I'm sorry if what I did hurt you.  I'll try not to be
so... shameless?"

"Yeah, that's a good word for it," Akane conceded.  Ranma could hear
the chuckle in her voice.  "'Slutty' comes closer, though.  I mean,
have you looked at how high-cut that dress is?"

Ranma looked at her outfit for a second.  Yes, it was cut high, so
high that she'd easily flash patrons if she wasn't careful.  "Well,
that was part of the idea.  The customers get a show, and they buy more
food."

"Ranma, don't you realize that you don't need to put on a show?" 
Akane continued to stare away.  "Sometimes I don't think you realize
just how beautiful you are.  Guys trip all over you just to get a
closer look, you're that gorgeous."  Her head turned imperceptively
back.  "You don't need to do this, Ranma."

Ranma sighed.  She knew she couldn't win, not this fight.  "O... Okay,
Akane. If you have a better idea as to what I should wear, I'll hear
it."

Akane smiled.  "Good.  A girl can get jealous, after all."  She turned
back around.  "Now.  I want you to be on your best behavior out there -
or I may just have to put you in hot water."  She winked.  

"Okay."  Ranma leaned over and kissed her, a peck on the mouth.  "I
love you."

That enigmatic smile came back, soon followed by a full kiss on the
mouth.  Ranma absorbed the impact of the kiss; she nearly lost her
balance in her heels.  She steadied herself on the counter as Akane
disengaged herself.  

"I love you too, Ranma."

Somehow, Ranma knew she wasn't likely to forget that fact anytime soon.

***

Ukyou was free.

Sort of, anyway.  The path she walked was fraught with difficulty, as
perhaps it should be; however, it was by no means insurmountable.  The
cram school she attended was a good one, one of the best she could
afford, and it was worth every minute and every yen.  With that as her
aid, her course was set, the challenge both real, tangible - and
manageable.

This was what her father's yatai had bought her.  Ranma belonged to
another now; all she could hope for was for honor to be satisfied. 
With the time Ranma's employment freed from her, she actually stood a
chance of getting into college.  Her life, for a change, didn't have to
be okonomiyaki; on the other hand, a business degree could make it a
chain of okonomiyaki shops, if she was willing.  She could forge her
own future - a freedom she'd never known before.

She took a sip of her coffee, and let her body relax.  Long days
turned into longer nights as high school melted away; she still had a
year-and-a-half left, but it would still take a supreme effort if she
wanted to get in.  She let the information from the night's class float
through her head as the coffee charged her mind; soon, it would settle
into the right places, and she'd be a little more ready for the
challenge.

"May I have this seat?  All the others seem to be taken."

She opened her eyes.  A man - good-looking man, at that - stood across
the table.  His dark eyes held the look of a hawk appraising a mouse;
his face held a porcelain smile, one meant more for business than any
mirth.  She shrugged; if he was some lunatic, she'd still beat the tar
out of him.  "Sure.  Help yourself."

"Thank you," he said, with a voice decidely odd.  Ukyou frowned;
something about the man was setting off warning signals, but she
couldn't put a finger on it.  He set his brew down on the table, and
took a place opposite from her.

"So, Ukyou."

Her eyes narrowed.  "How do you know my name?"

His smile hinted of secrets within.  "I'll tell you in a minute."  He
folded his hands together.  "How are things going?"

Ukyou reached a hand down into her bookbag, and fingered one of her
spatula.  "Fine."

He smiled, as though she hadn't just brushed him off.  "And Ranma and
Akane?  How is their relationship proceeding?"

"Fine," she growled.  She was starting to piece together what made her
distrust him.  His speech was too perfect; his manners too impeccable. 
It was almost as though he was trying too hard to be...

"Who are you?" she blurted out.  

He looked directly into her eyes, and smiled sadly.  "I see I can't
fool you."  He crossed his arms.  "Tell me, Ukyou: who do I look most
like?"

She frowned as she studied his face for a moment.  The stern gaze and
angular lines reminded her much of Soun Tendo; however, this gent's
face was more rounded.  The eyes, on the other hand, were classic
Tendo, especially...

"Welcome home, Nabiki."

He nodded slowly.  "Good job."  He leaned across the table.  "Tell me,
was my act that bad?"

She shook her head.  "No.  It was very good, actually.  The average
person wouldn't have a clue."  She blushed slightly.  "It's just
that... I know what it's like to try to pass as a boy.  Ranma and Akane
would also probably figure it out, if you tried it with them; beyond
that, I don't think anyone would guess."

He nodded slowly, clearly taking the information at face value. 
"Good.  I'll have to remember that."  He leaned across the table, his
fingers weaved together.  "Now.  What have I missed?"

Ukyou blinked.  "You mean since you left?"  Nabiki nodded.

Ukyou took a deep breath.  "Well... Ranma and Akane *finally* got
together, for one."

"How did you feel about that?"

Ukyou flashed him a dark look.  "Not good - at least, not at first. 
Now... now I'm just trying to get the heck out of Nerima with as much
as I can."

Nabiki blinked.  "Is it that bad here?"

"No," Ukyou whispered.  "It's not that this place is bad.  It's
just... I need to leave.  This is Ranma and Akane's place; I have to
find my own place."  She shrugged.  "But, until then... I'm at least
going to make sure the jackass pays me back."

"Huh?"  

Ukyou smiled; she loved confusing Nabiki.  "Ranma promised me she'd
make up for the dowry somehow.  So... he's working Ucchan's three
nights a week, so I can attend cram school.  Akane's helping her, of
course; between the two of them, they actually make more money in a
night than I do."  The smile turned crooked.  "It may not be what I
wanted, but... considering the circumstances, it's about the best I can
do."

"I... see," Nabiki spoke quietly.  "Is Genma doing anything in this
deal?

Ukyou just stared at him.

"Good point."  He stared out at the crowd for a full minute; Ukyou
studied the lines of his face.  She knew that people changed in
unexpected ways with a Jusenkyo-induced gender change; this was no
different.  This Nabiki seemed more thoughtful than the woman she knew;
she hoped that it was for the better.  

"What about Shampoo and Kodachi?"

Ukyou raised an eyebrow.  "Shampoo was sent back to China.  Cologne's
staying here; it seems she's trying to become Ranma's trainer or
something.  I don't know the details, but I know Ranma and Akane have
been discussing what to do about it for awhile."  She took a sip of her
coffee.  "As for Kodachi... I have no clue.  I haven't seen her since
the fight a few weeks back."

Nabiki raised an eyebrow.  "Fight?"

She shrugged.  "Kodachi tried to interrupt our date, saying she had
some potion that would make Ranma think she was a man again.  Well, we
fought, I won, and someone else - Cologne, I think - gave Ranma the
stuff while my back was turned."

"Is Ranma okay?"

"Yeah."  Ukyou stirred her coffee gently.  "Ranma's still a girl,
Akane and I know why, the men in that household still don't have a
clue, and everyone's more or less okay."  She blinked for a moment as
she realized something.

"Um... Nabiki?"

He took a sip of his coffee.  "Yes?"

"You wouldn't be willing to give me a discount on some of that
Jusenkyo water, would you?"

Nabiki's eyes widened in surprise.  "Jusenkyo water?  You don't want
to..."

Ukyou chuckled.  "No, it's not for me.  It's just... I've never been
able to pay Konatsu much.  He's done so much for the restaurant... and
all I've been able to pay him is peanuts.  I was hoping... well... I
was hoping I could do at least that something for him."

Nabiki nodded thoughtfully.  "Okay.  I... I think I'd be willing to
give you some Nyannichuan water.  The Saotomes aren't the only ones who
messed up your life, unfortunately; we'll let this constitute my
family's settling of honor."  He extended his hand over the table. 
"Deal?"

Ukyou took it; his hand felt unusually soft against hers.  "Deal." 

A bit of silence hung between them, a moment of silence frozen in air.

"Um... Ukyou?"

She blinked as the intrusion of words came.  "Er... yes?"

His panther gaze was back on her.  Her eyes turned down to his hands,
currently rubbing gently against his coffee mug.  "I was wondering...
you wouldn't mind going out on a date, would you?"

"A date?"  She laughed nervously.  "You're kidding, right?"  

Nabiki's eyes darkened; for Ukyou, it was like looking into the eyes
of God.  "Ukyou, there are two things I never joke about - not anymore.
 One is money, and the other is love.  I traded both as though it was
worth nothing, once."  His voice cracked, but only for an instant. 
"I... know better now."

Ukyou drummed her fingers together.  This Nabiki was different - and
not just as a result of Jusenkyo.  "Why me?"

Nabiki shrugged; the business facade had returned.  "I... I happen to
find you attractive.  You have a strength I admire, one most people
around here lack."  He gave her the slightest of smiles.  "So.  Will
you?"

She looked over at him.  This had to be some dream, some crazy fantasy
from studying too hard.  The older sister of her closest rival comes
back after changing gender and asks her out on a date.  If she hadn't
been used to Nerima's craziness, she would have laughed out loud.  As
it was... he was a rather handsome man, and would probably treat a
woman better than any of the guys at Furinkan.  

The answer was simple: "I'll think about it."

And she would.

***

Akane awoke to the familiar wake-up call of her sister's cooking.  She
let the spices waft into her nose for a moment before opening her
eyes; she knew mornings like this were too fast in becoming memories,
and savored the aroma for a few precious seconds.  She took in that
moment to absorb the feelings around her body, that comforting, silky
warmth that wrapped her up in an improvised womb, before opening her
eyes to start the day.

The days were getting longer, now - not in the sense of the sun rising
and departing, but in the length of her own rising and setting.  The
gear-up for entrance exams was just beginning; both she and Ranma had
started attending a cram school three nights a week.  Three other
nights saw Ukyou attending while and she and Ranma worked; with only
those nights of hers taken, she marveled at how Ukyou had been able to
stay competitive in school while running Ucchan's almost every day.  In
the end, Akane studied when she could, rested with Ranma when she
couldn't, and slept whenever she felt she could get away with it.  

The time of testing was coming, and it frightened her.  A blast of
cold hit her as she pulled herself from out of the covers, a sure sign
that the day would contain more than its share of difficulties.  She
padded down the steps while still in her nightgown; she'd get dressed
after breakfast.

For a moment, she could imagine that time still hadn't caught up with
her, that she was still as free as she'd always been.  Her father sat
at the head of the table as always, his nose buried in the morning
"Asahi Shinbun".  Inside the kitchen, Kasumi could be heard humming a
quiet tune, one their mother had taught them from the cradle; she found
her own throat keeping along with the tune.  Outside, cheerful battle
made itself heard, as Ranma and her father sparred for their morning
exercise, their cries clashing with the peace of the kitchen.  The
empty place at the table, however, reminded her that some things did
indeed change.

Nabiki was gone.  Off on her quest, off to that untamed place where
only wild men and wilder women dared to tread.  True, the rewards were
great; she'd received a rather interesting education in how much of a
'curse' some people viewed Jusenkyo's kiss.  But the risks... to expose
herself to everything from homicidal Amazons to Jusenkyo's magic... the
potential cost, Akane felt, was far too high.  

"Hey, Akane."

"Hi, Nabiki," Akane said automatically, then blinked.  "Nabiki?!?"

She turned back around, surprisingly energetic for the morning. 
"Surprised to see me, sis?"

"Yes!" Akane screamed.  "You go off to the middle of nowhere, to some
place where you could have been cursed or killed or worse, and you
don't even tell your sister when you get home?"

Nabiki's smile faded; a look passed in her eyes that Akane couldn't
identify.  "Sorry, sis."  She shrugged softly, a small move that
suggested she'd made larger ones.  "I had some business to take care of
last night, and didn't get in until you were asleep."

Relief replaced frustration; filial love replaced relief.  Akane gave
her sister a bonecrushing hug, her heart needing assurance that this
Nabiki was no apparition.  "Welcome back, Nabiki.  Welcome back."

Nabiki's face turned an interesting shade of purple.  "Nice... to
see.... you too... Akane."  She managed to get in an uneasy breath. 
"Now... mind... easing up?"

Akane blushed.  "Sorry."  She let go of Nabiki; she watched as Nabiki
tasted oxygen once more.  "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," Nabiki answered, an easy tone in her voice.  

"Ah, Nabiki.  You've returned."  Her father's voice positively bubbled
behind her.  "Did you get what I asked for?"

Nabiki's smile vanished; burning contempt blazed in her eyes.  "Of
course, Father.  You'll find your package in my room, sitting on the
desk."  The mask shifted; the smile on Nabiki's face was positively
comic.  "Come on, Akane.  Breakfast should be ready in a bit, if
Kasumi's timing hasn't changed."  She started to edge Akane toward the
table; Akane noticed that her father went upstairs rather than sit with
them.

Akane sat down; outside, the battle between father and daughter slowly
wound down.  "So.  How was your trip?"

Nabiki looked down into the wood table.  She seemed older than her
eighteen years at that moment.  "I... I learned a lot.  It was
something I needed to do... but something I don't plan on doing twice."

Akane nodded slowly, for the first time understanding what she was
seeing: scars - fresh scars - cut deep in Nabiki's mirror-brown eyes. 
"What was it like there?"

Nabiki took a deep breath.  "Earthy.  I know that may sound like a
strange way to put it, but... all the technology we have simply wasn't
there.  I had to use a horse-drawn cart to take the water to the
nearest major city.  Wherever I went, I had to make sure I could defend
myself; there were more than a couple of guys willing to take advantage
of the first girl that came along.  It was... not for the faint of
heart."

Akane's heart rose to her throat.  "Did... were you..."

Nabiki chuckled.  "No.  I figured a way around all of it, a way that I
wouldn't have to worry about the guys."  She chuckled softly.  "After
all, what's the use of magic if you can't use it for yourself?"

Akane blinked.  She looked around for some cold water.  "You mean...
you... you change?"

Nabiki put a finger to her lips.  "Not so loud.  Some secrets are
better kept for a couple of days."  Her smile turned crooked, as
mischief played across her mind.  "But yes, I... I change."

Akane took a close look at Nabiki's face, trying to imagine it with
harder, more masculine lines.  Perhaps a bit longer, the chin jutting
out slightly like their father... the skin radically different, with a
couple of years of razor rub giving it an unnatural hardness.  The
hair, now that she thought about it, would actually work; it would look
just a tad long on a man, but brutally short on a woman.

The purr that came from her mouth surprised even her:  "Hmmm... I'll
definitely have to see this."  

"See what?"  Ranma walked into the room, sweat glistening from her
workout.  "Oh.  Hey, Nabiki."

"Hi, Ranma."  Nabiki's eyes twinkled with delight.  "Nice to see you. 
I've heard such... interesting things about the two of you since I
left."

Akane put a hand to her face, to hide the blush she knew was coming. 
She glanced over to Ranma, similarly hued; yes, they most
definitely had some 'interesting things' happen between them - and
their faces had just told Nabiki everything. 

She startled when Nabiki grasped her hand.  "Good.  It's about time
the two of you admitted how you felt." 

What happened in the following seconds would leave Akane racking her
brains for hours afterwards - that is, once she had time to think
things over.  Nabiki droned on about the two of them, and how they'd
hidden what they'd felt for so long.  Mr. Saotome stood off in a
corner, pretending not to hear the 'girl talk'.  Only Ranma seemed
to see what was going to happen - fortunate, as she was the target.  

A stream of water flew from behind Akane, missing her by about a foot.
 Had Ranma not leapt out of harm's way, she would have been drenched by
the stream.  Having dodged the initial fire, Ranma leapt outside,
preparing to make a break for it.  The dull thumps of footsteps echoed
behind Akane; a second later, a foot landed on the still-empty table.  

Her father stood like some gun-wielding soldier, except the guns
soldiers wielded usually weren't neon-yellow in color.  She knew the
device her father held; the water rifle was an impressive machine, able
to hit a target at ten meters.  And, if it was filled up with what she
thought it was...

"Daddy, no!"  Akane grasped her father's leg, making sure he couldn't
move from the spot.  "Run, Ranma!"

Her father tried to shake off her hold.  "Akane, let go of me!  Ranma
needs to be cured!"

"No, she doesn't, Daddy!"  A particularly violent shake caused her to
lose her grip; Soun took that moment to escape.  Within seconds, he was
gone, off to try to find Ranma.

"Well.  I do hope Daddy likes what breaking his deal cost him..."

Akane blinked.  "What do you mean?"

Nabiki smiled, that mercantilist grin on her face once more.  "You'll
find out later.  Now go."

Akane didn't need to be told twice.  She had a good idea where Ranma
would go, and made her way to follow.

***

She was hunted.  

It had been awhile since she'd felt like this.  Damn domesticity; it
had blunted all of her instincts from the road.  Before her term at the
Tendos, she would have blended into the woods outside the city, letting
the villagers not see her natural home.  Now, though, leaving was not
an option - not with Akane still here.  Leaving her was like leaving
her soul behind - and she couldn't do that.

So... for the moment, she called this room home.  She could hide here
for a few hours, wait for Mr. Tendo to grow tired, then... then grab
Akane and go.  At least, that sounded about right.  The Tendo place was
persona no grata for her - at least, until she was sure Mr. Tendo
didn't have any Jusenkyo water.

This shouldn't be happening, she told herself.  Nabiki had said she'd
make sure nothing happened.  Yet here she was, hiding from a man with
water that had once seemed a boon, but now was her damnation.  She could
at least hope that the water Nabiki had given him was harmless;
unfortunately, she couldn't take that risk.

"Ranch- er... Ranma?  You okay?"  A whispered voice came from behind
the door: Ukyou.  She took a moment to regain her composure.

"Yeah, I guess.  Um... if you can, could you send a message to Akane?"

She could hear the blink from behind the door.  "Like what?"

She stopped for a moment, considering her words.  "Tell Akane... to
come here.  I'm going to be leaving for a few days, and I want her to
come with me."

A heartbeat's pause came from the other end.  "Um... okay.  I'll get
Konatsu to deliver it, considering it might not be wise to call."

She backed away from the door, trying to will her heartbeat down.  She
hadn't felt like this since... well... in a long time, anyway.  If she
wanted to get out of this, she needed to calm down and think; to this
end, she sat down on Ukyou's futon, quietly willing the panic inside of
her away.

This was simply one more fight.  She could take this; she always did. 
All she needed to do was be ready.   She could feel the air around her;
one wrong disturbance, and she would know to be on guard.  Until then,
she could let her heart relax.

Akane was out there.  If she let herself be still, she could hear the
strings going to the other side, out to where she was.  She knew that
Akane was, at the moment, her mirror; both found themselves frightened
by recent events, as though looking at each other in the bowels of a
hurricane.

Was this what love meant?  Facing down what you feared most?  Risking
becoming a whole man physically, to stay with the one you love? 
She didn't know how she'd be able to live if she became a man full-time
again; being a woman had simply become a part of her.  With Akane, she
could probably deal with it... but she'd rather not, if given a choice.

Perhaps this was fate.  Jusenkyo hands her a curse to challenge her
masculinity; Soun threatens her with another to challenge her
femininity.  It had a sort of symmetry she could appreciate; however,
it wasn't something she'd face if she had a choice.  

Of course, she never had a choice.  

"I don't have a choice - do I, Mr. Tendo?"

The man in question entered the room through the window, and leveled
his soaker at her.  "No, you don't, Ranma.  You've been allowed to live
this delusion for too long, and if this is the only way to bring you to
normal..."

"This won't bring me to normal, Mr. Tendo."  She stood up, and opened
her eyes.  "It's not something I can control, how I feel... how I see
myself.  I am a woman, Mr. Tendo.  And your little squirt gun isn't
going to change that."

He patted the weapon lovingly.  "I think otherwise, Ranma.  I think
you'll find this little squirt gun holds more answers for you than you
realize."  He raised the weapon to his shoulder.  "Trust me, son; this
is all for the best."  

A wild idea came to mind as Ranma saw the ominous end of that soaker. 
Water guns had limited supplies - especially if the water came from a
remote place in China.  All she needed to do was dodge enough, and...

She saw his trigger finger twitch, and she moved accordingly.  For a
moment, her world became a blur; a few drops of the dangerous water
reflected onto her, burning against her soft skin like acid.  She
straightened up... and found herself in a corner, without any place to
run.

"No place to dodge now, Ranma."  His gun moved to within a couple feet
of her; he had her dead to rights.  "Trust me; you'll thank me for this
later.

She managed a weak smile, and closed her eyes.  Maybe it wouldn't be
so bad being a guy full-time again... at least she wouldn't have to
worry about cold rain showers and hot baths.  Sure, she wouldn't be
able to wear pretty clothes again, but... well... no buts.

"Nooooo!"  Akane burst into the room, a valkyrie's cry on her lips as
she rushed in.  Hearing the sound, Mr. Tendo's finger twitched
instinctively, sending a jet of water her way... only to be blocked by
a steadily-growing mass. 

Rage started to build within Ranma at the sight in front of her.  Akane
was changing.  Biceps ripped out of the coat; the back started to tear
down the middle as she... as he expanded.  He was growing in height,
easily reaching several inches above Mr. Tendo.  Ranma watched all this
and clenched her fist; somehow, some way, Mr. Tendo was going to pay.

Akane, still not thinking, took steps forward; he grasped his father's
weapon and wrenched it from his nerveless hands.  "Daddy, you should be
ashamed of... of..."  The gun fell from nerveless fingers; his mouth
began to open slowly.

Ranma grabbed Akane before he could scream.  Her eyes darted around;
she needed some way to control the situation.  "Ukyou!"

She poked her head in the door.  "Yeah?"

She flashed a deadly look at Mr. Tendo as she eased Akane to the
floor.  "Get him out of here.  Now."

"But... but..." Soun only had a second to react to Ukyou's spatula;
unfortunately for him, his reaction time was off.  Ukyou dragged him
out by the heels.  

"Um... Ukyou... do you mind if we have some privacy?"

Ukyou took one look at the new Akane, and nodded.  "Quite all right,
sugar.  Looks like you need it."  A second later, the door closed,
leaving Ranma with the challenge of her life.  

Akane was big - really big.  His clothes had been shredded by the
change; the nightgown he had on under his coat lay in tatters.  Bulging
muscles twitched as he discovered his new body; hands felt every new
curve.  His eyes didn't really look anywhere; the last place he wanted
to look was, after all, himself.  Shallow breaths came rapid into his
new lungs; she knew he was seconds away from hyperventilating.

The first thing Ranma did was get into Akane's face.  "Akane, look at
me.  LOOK AT ME."  

Akane stared, wide-eyed.  "I... I..." His hands went to his throat at
the rich baritone sound.  

Ranma took a deep breath.  "Akane.  I want you to take a deep breath. 
Can you do that?"

Slowly, after a few agonizing seconds, Akane nodded.  Ranma watched as
Akane shakingly kept the air flowing in, then let it exhale.

"Okay."  Shock was over; realization was about to set in.  "Now,
Akane... you..."

"I'm a guy..." he whispered.  Tears started to fall from his eyes. 
"I... I'm cursed.  I'm a fr-... I'm..."

"Akane."  Ranma needed to hold her attention; the more she kept him
from dwelling on it, the better chance he had of coming out of it. 
"Yes, you're male.  The water your father was spraying was Jusenkyo
water, and it changed you into a guy."  She swallowed; her throat was
suddenly dry.

Akane's voice squeaked out once more.  "I'm a freak, Ranma... I'm a -"

"No, you're not," Ranma growled.  "Listen to me, Akane: You are not a
freak.  There is nothing wrong with you.  You just change outwardly;
nothing changes you inside unless you want it deep inside."

"Deep inside?" he questioned, his eyes not understanding.  He couldn't
see - not yet.  And Ranma had to show him.

"Yes, deep inside.  Even when I'm a girl, I'm still the same Ranma. 
That doesn't change; that person deep down inside doesn't change."  She
shook her head.  "Akane... I wanted this - deep inside.  Part of me
needed to be a woman."  She ran her fingers through his hair.  "If...
if you want to be a guy, I'll stick by you."  There.  She'd said it. 
Akane knew how far she was willing to go.

"But... but..."

"Akane..."  The situation was deteriorating; she had to act fast and
decisively - and there was only one thing she knew that would convince
him.  She bit her lip nervously; she had to remind herself that this...
this man... was really Akane, really the wo... the person she loved. 
She cupped her hands around Akane's chin; she blushed as she felt the
fine stubble that young men had.  There was only one way to convince
Akane - and, identically, to convince herself.  

"Ranma... wha..."  

"Akane?  No more words.  Not now."  She touched Akane on the lips to
silence them, then steeled herself.  This was all-or-nothing;
everything was on the line in this moment.  Her face approached his
slowly; for a second, time seemed to crawl.

A crawl that became a stop once they touched.  His mouth was stronger
than hers; his tongue warmer.  He tasted slightly different than he
usually did; however, how he felt overall didn't change at all.  

This *was* Akane.  Once her heart knew that, all hesitation ceased. 
She found herself melting into his arms, even as he found himself
easing into the kiss.  She found herself warming up all over, even
though she knew the temperature hadn't changed.  

A moment later, they parted, almost painfully.  Akane's eyes were wide
like before; a moment later, he looked down, embarassed.  In a glance,
Ranma knew why, and smiled.

"Don't worry, Akane.  Guys have that happen to them all the time."

Akane stammered.  "But... but..."

"You think too much, Akane."  She kissed him again; in an instant,
Ranma erased Akane's worries - along with her own.

She just hoped Ukyou didn't mind them using her room for awhile...

***

He was a man.

Strange that the thought didn't scare him so much, now.

He felt every inch of the woman in his arms, a strange, content smile
on his lips.  Her breath reflected against his exposed chest; her ample
talents pressed against his stomach.  Their legs tried to tangle
together naturally; painfully thin white sheets stayed in the way.  He
could see the peace, the love in her eyes; somehow, being together like
this made all their problems go away - even his.

She had a way of doing that, he knew.  Even before their changes, she
always knew how to make him smile.  He moved to touch her face, feeling
the soft curves beneath his fingertips.  

"You know they're going to make us marry now." he whispered.  It was
true; the only thing that had held his father back was a feeling that,
somehow, two women marrying was wrong. 

She cocked an eyebrow; he reached up to draw his hand along her brow. 
"So.  Do I get to wear the dress?"

He paused.  To be honest, it didn't matter as much as it used to, now
that they both changed.   He remembered the feeling of that first
dress, how it had looked on his old body... and smiled.

"I dunno... I guess it would depend on the weather."  He looked away. 
"But... do we really want to get married so soon?  I mean..."

"... you're afraid of doing it while we're still in high school,
aren't you?"

Akane nodded.  "Not to mention I just got this body... I'm still not
sure about it.  I mean, everything works all right... but I still don't
know what it's like to live with this."

Ranma smiled up at him.  "Akane, do you know what the key to living
with Jusenkyo is?"

Akane frowned.  "No..."

Ranma's grin widened.  "Never, EVER let yourself be defined by your
form.  Sometimes you will think of yourself as a man; sometimes you'll
think of yourself as a woman.  Accept that, and let how you feel for the
moment take care of that moment."  She smiled mischievously.  "So,
Akane Tendo.  Are you a man right now, or a woman."

He shrugged uncertainly.  "A man, I guess.  I certainly don't feel very
feminine right now."

"Really?"  Ranma arched an eyebrow.  "Well, at the moment, I happen to
feel *very* feminine.  Maybe it's just me being in the presence of such
a hunky guy..." She reached up, and kissed him playfully on the cheek. 
"Shall we see what this combination brings?"

Akane grinned.  "You're incorrigible, you know that?  I mean, no girl
I know would just offer herself to some guy like that..."

Ranma frowned.  "You haven't been around Shampoo or Kodachi much, have
you?"

Akane blinked, then nodded.  "Good point."  The chuckles echoed deep
within his throat.  "If this is what they did to you, no wonder you had
so much difficulty resisting."  He bent down to reach her lips, wishing
for that taste once more, when a knock echoed on the door.

"Um... guys?  Are you about done in there?"  Ukyou's voice echoed from
behind the door.  "I mean, it's been three hours!"

Akane blinked; it certainly hadn't felt like three hours.  "Really? 
Um... just a minute more, okay?"  Ranma's eyes danced at that
suggestion; Akane hoped he could use the time to maximum effect.

"Okay..." Ukyou's sigh made it through the walls.  "By the way, you do
realize the stuff was the instant nannichuan, right?"

Akane and Ranma stared at each other.  "Instant?"

"Yeah.  Nabiki came by and told me to tell you guys once you were
done."

Akane slumped.  Instant.  One bath, and what he'd been through would
be gone forever; one bath, and he'd go back to being just an ordinary
girl.  

As he looked in Ranma's eyes, he realized he didn't want to go back to
being just one.  He grasped for Ranma's lips like they were about to go
away, then turned to the door.  

"Okay, Ukyou.  We'll be out in just a sec."  He gently moved to
extract Ranma from himself, and stood to his full height.  He had a lot
to say to Nabiki before the day was through.

***

Nabiki enjoyed her bed.

Such was the nature of her excursion that she found she missed her
bed.  Most nights, she'd camped out under a tent or - just as often -
under the stars, with only a sleeping bag and the hard earth to comfort
her.  The earth didn't bounce under her weight like the mattress did;
the sleeping bag's cover paled in comparison to the sheets and
comforter of her home bed.  True, she'd learned a lot about herself and
about the world in her little trip; however, to be honest, she didn't
want to spend her life there.  There be dragons - and a host of other
nasties she'd rather not tempt again.

Enjoying the feel of the box springs beneath her, she let a broad grin
cross her features.  The core aspect of her life was control - control
of herself and control over her environment.  She knew her father would
attempt to force the water on Ranma; by giving him the instant version,
he allowed the play to reach its natural conclusion - one with
unexpected bonuses - without any great damage to any innocents.  At the
same time, it gave her another form of power - that of vengeance.  She
smiled as the image played again in her mind...

"Nabiki?"

She brought her mind away from the comic scene, and to the present. 
Pushing herself up to a sitting position, she ran a hand through her
hair.  "Come in, Akane."

The woman who walked in seemed far from the girl she knew only a few
weeks ago, before Ranma's gambit.  She stood tall, facing Nabiki's
eyes; however, the clouds hanging in those brown orbs let Nabiki know
the storms brewing within.  No smile adorned her face, nor the worried
pout or childish snarl that normally came with adversity; she clearly
faced a crossroads, but this time faced it head-on.

Nabiki let a small smile cross her lips.  Little sister had grown up. 
She raised an eyebrow at the sweatpants Akane wore, and wondered if the
day's events had done too much.

"Sis... I... can I have some of the real Nannichaun water?"

Nabiki took a deep breath, a second to shield her emotions.  "Why do
you want it?  Have you decided that you need to be the husband?"

"No!" Akane shouted.  "I... I can't explain it."

"Yes, you can," Nabiki insisted.  She hated doing this; however, for
Akane's sake, she had to.  "If you want the water badly enough, you
can."

Akane crunched her lips together, as though about to break a cinder
block.  "Okay... but you'd better not say I'm a pervert or anything
like that."

Nabiki gave Akane a dead stare.  "Akane, I'm cursed.  Moreover, I plan
to keep my curse.  Trust me, I won't call you a pervert."

Akane licked her lips nervously.  "Well... okay."  She crossed her
arms over her chest, trying to shield herself as much as she could.  

"When... when Daddy hit me with that water... the first thing I felt
was this... growing.  Instead of Daddy towering over me like he usually
did, I was taller than him.  I... I didn't really think about it at the
time; at the moment, all I wanted to do was stop him from spraying
Ranma.  When the realization hit... I didn't know what to do."

"What did you think of yourself at that point?"  Nabiki never let up;
she couldn't.  

Akane swallowed.  "I... I thought I was a freak.  I... I mean, I'm a
girl - or, at least, I was."  She shook her head, clearing the darkness
away.  "And then... all of a sudden I change into this guy.  I
couldn't... I thought I couldn't be a woman if I changed into a man, so
I started... I dunno, freaking out, I guess.  I think I was about to
faint when Ranma started talking to me."

"What did she say to you?"

"She..." Akane took a deep, ragged breath.  "She forced me to look at
who I'd become.  I mean, I was a guy - and she wasn't shying away from
that.  She... she still wanted me, even after... after I changed.  That
got my attention."  She licked her lips again; her hands warred with
each other in front of her.  "That... I guess it gave me a chance to
see what it was like to be a guy, if only for a little bit."

Nabiki let the smile come back.  "And how was it?"

The fidgeting stopped.  "It was a rush!  I mean, I'm pretty strong
when I'm myself, but when I changed... I was a monster!  Part of me
wanted to go rush off and fight Ryouga, just to see how strong I was." 
She shook her head; her eyes glittered with amazement.  "I... it was
like a part of me that had been held back was let free.  I didn't have
to be demure, I didn't have to be polite... I could be me - the real
me."  She looked down.  "And... I want to be free again like that -
whenever I want to be."

"And Ranma doesn't mind?"

The blush that crept up Akane's features told more than the words. 
"Um... Ranma was... different in that room.  It was like we really
*had* decided to play husband and wife.  She was so caring, so
supporting... and so insatiable... that... that..."

Nabiki giggled, then closed her mouth.  "Um... how far did you two go?"

Akane glared at her, even though her eyes laughed.  "Pervert."  She
let the smile come back to her face.  "We kissed... and held each other
awhile... she seemed so tiny in my arms... and yet, so... so alive.  I
don't think I've ever seen Ranma quite like that..."

"In other words, you got to first, maybe second base, but no further."
 Nabiki crossed her arms; to be honest, a part of her had hoped for
more.  "Well, Akane, you've certainly told me a lot.  And... I've
decided to give you the water, on my conditions."

Akane's eyes switched from ecstatic to skeptical.  "What conditions?"

Nabiki smiled.  "That Ranma be there, and that I get to pour it on you."

Akane blinked at Nabiki's demands, then nodded.  "Um... okay.  Any
reason why?"

Nabiki nodded.  "I want Ranma to know what you're doing before we do
it.  Also... I want this water for *you*, Akane - not anyone else." 
She sat back; almost all the cards were on the table, so she could
allow herself to grin.  "There's someone who will want the water - and
I don't want him to have it under any circumstances."

Akane frowned.  "Really?  Who?"

A high-pitched, blood-curdling scream tore through the house, causing
Akane to jump.  A moment later, the same voice cried out - for Nabiki. 
Nabiki herself just smiled, and made a shooing motion with her hand.  

"Um... you might want to go to your room for awhile.  This might not
be pretty."  Nabiki crossed her arms and legs, and put her poker face
back on.  After all, control was everything - and, for all that she
wouldn't show, she could laugh about for days afterward.  

***

Kasumi watched the mists escape from the simmering pot, the spicy brew
she'd learned from Mother coming to fruition under her careful watch. 
Nearby, the starch smell of cooked rice mingled with the miso, a
portent of a meal to come.  She took a step back from the stove, and
smiled; as usual, the morning meal would be her best.

People needed their gathering places, their congregations where they
could be in the company of friends and family.  Without some place,
some gathering where they could feel at home, people quickly grew
disconsolate.  They needed the gathering places to remind them of who
they were, and where they were going.  For the seven souls who
more-or-less called the Tendo hall home, that consisted of one daily
event: morning meal.  Morning meal was where the family was reminded
that it *was* a family, that, for better or worse, they had to stick
together in this world.  She poured the miso and rice into their
respective containers, and set it out onto the table.  

"Ah, Kasumi."  Her father sat at the head of the table, next to Auntie
Nodoka; he folded his newspaper down to see her.  His eyes lit up at
the smells in front of him; she knew that, for him, the meal held the
promise of forgetting the previous night.  She wasn't sure if
she wanted him to yet; however, the meal would decide that
for certain.  "Excellent, as always."  His voice spoke more quietly than
usual that morning, a fact not lost to her.

"Yes.  It does appear to be a most excellent soup."  Nodoka smiled
knowingly at the broth, a master admiring a young artisan's work.
"Worthy of your mother."

Kasumi smiled; inside, she soared.  "Thank you."  

"Mornin', everyone."  Nabiki appeared at the doorway, in her usual
morning disarray.  Kasumi frowned; breakfast - warts and all - was
about to begin.  

Father's reaction was expected, if disappointing: without a word, only
a burning, dark-eyed gaze.  Such animosity was expected on occasion;
however, Kasumi had a feeling this morning's gathering would be
particularly difficult.  She smiled, and offered a hand toward
Nabiki's place.  "Good morning, Nabiki.  Would you care to sit down?"

"Sure," Nabiki responded, a smirk on her face.  She sat at a position
away from her father.  "So, Daddy.  Did you like what I left for you
last night?"

Again, the glare came.  Kasumi knew of only one way to solve this
amicably, and that was to talk it out.

"Nabiki, it wasn't nice what you did to Father."  

To Kasumi's surprise, Nabiki didn't glare back a response; she only
shrugged lightly.  "Kasumi, Daddy made a deal.  He promised that he
would ask Ranma's permission before using the Nannichuan water I
delivered.  He reneged on that promise.  So... that's his punishment." 
Her eyes twinkled, as though expecting a challenge.  "If SHE has a
problem with that, then she should have thought of that before
attacking Ranma."

Father closed his eyes.  "Nabiki, what I did I did for the good of
this family and for the school.  The relationship between Ranma and
Akane, while blossomed, could not last as it was.  We needed an heir
for the school, and Ranma could not provide that while living under his
delusion." 

Nodoka coughed once.  "Um... Soun..."

Soun continued, unheeding.  "Nabiki, we needed Ranma back, as he was,
without these beliefs that he was a girl.  The more time he and Akane
spent in a... in a relationship like that -"

"A lesbian relationship, Daddy." Nabiki spoke evenly.  "Call it what
it is."

"- the worse off they would be."  Father took a sip of his tea. 
"Besides, Ranma - the old Ranma - would have wanted it that way."

Nabiki smiled; Kasumi knew who had won the argument then.  "Well,
then, Daddy - or should we start calling you Mother now?  You decided
to blatantly break the rules of a contract, willfully doing so with the
knowledge that you could be punished for it, and with the belief that
it was for the best of the school."  She crossed her arms.  "You should
be very happy to be cursed, then.  After all, it's for the good of the
family and the school."

The only thing Father could do in reply was grumble.  Kasumi sighed;
while Nabiki really shouldn't have done what she did, Father looked so
cute as a woman... she wondered for a brief moment if she could get
away with a slipped glass of water, then quickly squelched the idea.  

"'Mornin, everybody."

Everyone's heads shot around at the greeting.  Ranma stood at the
doorway, Akane wrapped around his arms.  His long, almost sinful hair
was pulled back into a ponytail, flowing behind him like a waterfall. 
His countenance spoke of the previous month's lessons; Kasumi had never
seen the woman's peace on the man's face.  His eyes occasionally
wandered to the woman next to him; only the desperate or insane could
deny that the two felt deeply for each other.  Kasumi put forth her
best smile; the morning's share of discussions was, no doubt, to take a
pleasant turn.  "Good morning!"

Nabiki, of course, wasn't surprised by it; the adults, however,
struggled to find the words.  The couple took the moment to sit down
between Father and Nabiki; Ranma looked around, a disappointed look in
his eyes.

"Where's Pop?"

Nodoka grimaced.  "Sleeping off a hangover."  She looked at them, a
curious smile coming to her face.  "Is there any reason why you want
him here?"

Ranma shrugged.  "Well... yeah."  He smiled weakly, his head tilting
toward Akane.  "See... Akane and I talked a lot about what we've been
through... and we've decided that we... well... we want to get married."

Kasumi beamed with joy.  She leaned back against the door frame, her
heart tingling.  "I did it, Mother," she whispered, the tears starting
to roll down her cheeks.  

The reactions from the others were predictable.  Nabiki offered her
usual sly congratulations, while Nodoka's and Father's exclamations
were more enthusiastic.  

Ranma silenced them with a word and a hand.  "However.  There are to
be certain things to be understood about this marriage."

The words got everyone's attention.  Nabiki sat back; Kasumi could
only guess at what she knew.  

"First of all, while we are getting married, we are not going to have
kids for awhile.  We've still got high school and college to worry
about, and we're going to have our hands full without having some kid
to worry about then."

"But..." Father started to protest; Ranma silenced him with a glare.  

"Secondly, Akane isn't going to be a traditional Japanese wife, nor am
I going to be a traditional Japanese husband."  He blushed slightly. 
"In fact, there may be times when I'll be the wife and she'll the
husband."  

The moment Kasumi heard the words, she walked back into the kitchen
and filled a pitcher with water.  She set it down just in time for
Ranma to start looking for it, then settled back to watch the change.

The man who sat where her sister had been was remarkably large in
size, easily a few inches taller than Father.  He looked strange with
the schoolgirl haircut; no doubt her services as family barber would
soon be needed.  His face reminded Kasumi of pictures she'd seen of
their maternal grandfather, a striking man with a round face and soft,
caring eyes - eyes that, then and now, could love without reservation. 
His hand found its way to his beloved's waist, a perfect couple if ever
she'd seen one.

The other half of that couple sat, a crimson blush on her cheeks.  The
ponytail still looked attractive on the woman's body, even though
Kasumi knew how much better those waves would look unleashed down
Ranma's back.  Ranma leaned her head into Akane's chest as Akane
wrapped his arms around her; she looked, for all intents and purposes,
like any other woman in the arms of her man.  

"Oh, my..." Nodoka whispered, interrupting her thoughts.  "So manly..."

Ranma smiled.  "Oh, yes..."  She reached up to her fiance, her slender
hands cupping Akane's broad chin.  The kiss that came was electric;
even Kasumi could feel the energy from it.  

As Nodoka and Father deepened in amazement, Kasumi smiled.  Things had
gone much better than planned - much better.  Mother would be proud.

Now, if only she could make an arrangement for Nabiki... 

***

"So."

Ranma raised an eyebrow.  "So?"

His mother smiled.  "So.  You've decided."  

He shrugged.  "Yeah.  I... when Akane changed like that... I realized
what was important - and that I needed to protect that."  He looked
over to his father.  "I... I know what I did wasn't exactly honest,
but... it was the only way I knew to deal with it."

Genma let out a long sigh.  "I raise my son to be a man among men, and
I fail.  Instead... I make him into something different."  He adjusted
the fit of his bandanna.  "I'm... still not sure how to feel about all
this.  I mean... Akane's cursed too, now.   And you still want to go
through with it?"

Ranma smiled, memories floating to the surface.  "Pop?  I happen to
like Akane cursed, thank you very much."  He shrugged.  "Pop, I... have
you ever had someone who could be your best friend one day, and a
passionate lover the next?"

Genma scratched his chin.  "Um... not really."  Upon seeing a dark
look from Nodoka, he started to scramble for words.  "Um... you see,
your mother and I didn't really understand each other before we were
married..."

"Which might have solved a whole lot of problems if we had," Nodoka
interjected.  She reached up to the collar of her kimono.  "Ranma, if
you really wish to marry Akane, both your father and I approve of such
a bond."  Her eyes - more dangerous than swords - trained on Genma. 
"Isn't that right, husband?"

Genma coughed.  "Um... quite right, Nodoka."

"Good."  Ranma watched as Nodoka beamed a smile at her husband; he
wondered if Akane could fall prey to such manipulations.  "Now, if
you'll excuse us, Ranma and I need to have a long talk."  Her eyes
indicated that the talk was meant to be a private one.

Again, Genma scratched his chin.  "Um... I think Kasumi said she was
about to bake some brownies..."  He ran off into the house, leaving
mother and child by the pond.

"Ranma?"

"Yes?"  Almost unconsciously, his voice had gained a lilt since his
father had left.

Nodoka walked up and hugged him fiercely.  "It is good to have you
back, my son."  A mischievous glint formed in her eyes.  "Now, may I
talk to my daughter for a moment?"

Ranma smiled.  "How do you know you aren't speaking to her now?" 
Again, her voice floated, as though a woman's soul and man's vocal
cords had combined.

Nodoka chuckled softly.  "It does appear that way, doesn't it? 
Perhaps I got too close to you during your deception."  She grabbed
Ranma by the arm.  "However, for this moment, please humor your mother
and change."

"Okay..."  He stepped into the pond, and knelt down into it.  A moment
later, she rose back up, and faced her mother.  "Is this better?"

Nodoka frowned.  "Well, I would wish you would wear something more
appropriate, however, that can't be helped right now."  She gave Ranma
an even glare.  "Now, Ranma, there are times when it is not a wise idea
to lie to your mother, no matter how much you may wish to.  After all,
there are some things that young men and women think their parents
would not understand or approve of, when in truth they understand
perhaps better than the child realizes."

Ranma looked sideways at her.  "What are you trying to say, Mom?"

Nodoka nodded in the direction of the house.  "That man you're
marrying - Akane.  You find him... attractive, don't you?"

Ranma blushed.  "I... I don't know what you're talking about."

"Ranma."  Nodoka's eyes held her in place.  "I said the same thing to
my mother when she asked about Genma.  Now, truthfully.  What do you
think of him - in that way?"

Ranma swallowed.  "Mom... please don't think me a pervert..."

"Now why would I think you a pervert?"  Nodoka looked at Ranma
sideways.  "You're a normal woman, after all, and this is the man
you're going to marry.  Who knows, one day you might decide to give him
children."

"Mom..." Ranma found herself shaking.  "Mom, I..."

Nodoka stopped, then raised her eyebrow.  "Face it, Ranma.  You think
he's a hunk-and-a-half, don't you?"

Ranma twiddled her fingers together.  "Well... yeah."  She hoped that
was enough; she didn't want to tell about the dreams she'd had last
night.

"And... you find yourself liking the idea of being the bride.  Don't
you?"

"Yeah..."  Ranma found herself wishing the rocks could hide her.  This
was... embarassing.  And yet... it was her.  "Yeah."

"Good."  Nodoka put her arms on Ranma's shoulders.  "Don't forget that
feeling, Ranma.  Always try to be that bride if you can; there's no
feeling - and no calling - that comes close."  She nodded toward the
house.  "Why do you think I stayed with your father for so long?"

Ranma scratched her head.  "I had wondered..."

Nodoka nodded sagely.  "Come on.  Such a night calls for a celebration
- and I want to teach my daughter a few tricks."

Ranma could only blush as her mother led her into the house.  She'd
graduated from girlhood; the lessons for the woman were about to begin.

***

"Akane?"

Akane turned at the sound of her name.  "Come in."  She turned around
in her chair, to face her guests.

One of the remarkable things about family, Akane mused, was how much
people looked alike.  Time and again she'd been compared to her mother
in terms of looks; such comments made her feel better, like a small
part of her mother lived on.  The two at the door were a perfect
example of how her father would live on - even if the family patriarch
wasn't pleased to find out.  

Her father looked distinctively uncomfortable - of course, given what
she was wearing, she had a right to be.  Kasumi, it seemed, had the
only clothes that would fit her new form; unfortunately, Kasumi didn't
believe in wearing slacks.  Soun fidgeted with the skirt and blouse,
her face expressing the revulsion she felt.  Next to her, Kasumi walked
in, her hand on Soun's arm.

Kasumi was the first to speak.  "Father, don't you have something
you'd like to tell Akane?"

Soun blushed furiously.  "Akane, I'm sorry I tried to douse your
fiance with Nannichuan water.  It was an unthinking act, one that
caused you a lot of pain.  I'm sorry that you got cursed."  She looked
up at Kasumi.  "Can I go now?"

Kasumi gave her a serious stare.  "We still need to talk to Akane
about some things."  She looked around the room.  "Do you mind if we
sit down?"  The look of horror on her father's face told Akane exactly
what was going on: Kasumi was meting out her own punishment.

Good, Akane thought.  "Oh, no.  I don't mind at all."  She indicated
over to her bed, and tried to keep a straight face as Soun tried to sit
down in a skirt.

Kasumi, once situated, gave her cheery smile.  "Akane, I know this may
sound strange, but... we know that Nabiki would give you a cure if you
asked for one.  Why do you want to remain cursed?"

Akane smiled confidently.  "Who said this is a curse?"

Soun was about to open her mouth; however, Kasumi caught her.  "Are
you saying that you want to be cursed?"

Akane shrugged.  "I... I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Soun blurted, before a glare from
Kasumi silenced her.  Kasumi turned back around, her smile back in
place as though nothing had happened.  

"Akane, dear, if you don't know if you want to be cursed or not, then
why do you want to stay that way?"

Akane shook her head.  "That's the point, Kasumi."

Kasumi blinked, but made no sound.  Soun, of course, wasn't so
cultured.  "Huh?"

She turned away for the moment.  "Dad... Kasumi... when I changed
yesterday, I felt something.  I... well... it was like a part of me
came alive when I became a guy.  I... I don't know that much about it
yet, except... except I need to find out what this part of me is like."

"Do you really, Akane?"  Kasumi's eyes showed a world of concern.  "I
mean, living with a curse can't be easy... just look at all the
problems Ranma had to deal with."

"Yes - but look at what Ranma's gained as a result.  He... she's so
much more now..."  She folded her hands together.  "Dad, Kasumi,
Jusenkyo was the beginning of his journey.  It's... now time for me to
begin mine."

Kasumi sighed.  "Are you sure you want to take this journey?"  

Akane paused for a moment.  She really could call it off, if she
wanted; she could go back to being plain ol' Akane Tendo.  No curses,
no problems... heck, with what had recently happened, she wouldn't even
have the fiancee fight anymore.  She could be herself again.

Then again, she couldn't.  Once she'd tasted this freedom, she
couldn't go back.  She knew what secrets lay inside of her, and it was
her duty to make sure they came out into the open.

One simple word sealed it: "Yes."

"Okay."  Kasumi stood up, and helped Soun to her feet.  "If you think
you need to be this way, then I won't try to stop you."  She guided
Soun out the door.  "Now come on, Father.  I still have some outfits I
need you to try on..."  Soun whimpered as Kasumi led her out; Akane
watched as they left the room, leaving her alone.

After a moment of silence, she stood up from her position.  Yes, it
was a journey, one she needed to make; without it, she would remain
only half a person.  Fortunately, she could be whole now, just as the
person she loved was whole.  That was the beauty of Jusenkyo; if she
learned her lessons well, she could be more than a woman or a man.  She
could be a full human being, wise to both sides.

Smiling, she walked toward the door and opened it.  Her lessons for
the night needed to begin; she needed some water to get started.

***

Epilogue

Ranma Saotome was used to thinking of herself as the best.  It came
part and parcel with all she'd been through; she knew what she was
capable of, and knew what her opponents were capable of.  She knew how
to make sure victories stayed that way, and how to make sure a defeat
didn't last forever.  Often, she'd proven herself in front of others,
and had enjoyed the applause at the end.

Strange, now, that she couldn't handle the applause in front of her,
now that no fight remained.  She shrank into her fiance's protective
arms, not sure what to make of this motley crowd.  

Kaori walked up to them, a broad smile on her face.  "Congratuations,
you two!"  She gave a playful wink.  "So... has Nabiki told you our
plans yet?"

Ranma turned to Nabiki; Akane, she saw, followed suit.  The man in
question waved his arms defensively.  "I wanted it to be a surprise,
okay?"  

Ranma sighed.  "Okay.  What is all this for?"  She looked out at the
crowd; none of them seemed familiar...

Kaori giggled, a sound with just a touch of manic pleasure.  "Well,
considering that your wedding tomorrow has Ranma as the groom and Akane
as the bride... we decided to give you a second ceremony."

"Second ceremony?" Ranma and Akane spoke together.  

Nabiki took them both by the shoulder.  "Yeah.  You know, Akane gets
in the tux, Ranma gets in the white lace, and everyone has a good time."

Akane gestured to the crowd.  "But all these people..."

Kaori shrugged.  "They... well, just about all of them recently bought
some Jusenkyo water.  And... considering that Ranma was the one who
introduced us to the stuff... they wanted to say thanks."  

Ranma stammered.  While she'd joked on occasion about being the bride,
she never imagined she actually *would* be the bride.  "But... but..."

"Ranma-chan?"  Kasumi put her hand on her shoulder.  "Don't worry,
I'll be here.  Just think: it'll be just like that time we played dress
up!  Wouldn't that be fun?"

Numbly, Ranma nodded.  She didn't utter a word as they led her into a
side room in the club; she still didn't know what to make of all this.

The dress she saw hung up in her room snapped her out of her slumber. 
If anything, it proved the old adage of 'less is more'.  A field
composed entirely of shimmering white silk, joined with modest lace
embroidery at the cuffs, waist, and collar, made for a simple beauty
she could appreciate.  The sleeves were puffed out, completing the
princess appearance, along with a sheer-and-lace veil that spoke of too
many hours of craftsmanship.  Ranma walked over to it reverently and
stroked the dress, her eyes not quite believing.  

"This is... Where did Kaori get this?"  She shook her head.  "Forget
it.  I don't want to know.  Is this..."

One of her self-appointed handmaidens put her hand on Ranma's
shoulder.  "Like a dream come true, isn't it?"

Ranma nodded, unsure of what to say.  "Yeah... is this what girls
dream of while they're growing up?"

The handmaiden chuckled.  "And even some who aren't girls - at least,
not while they're growing up."  She gave a playful wink.  "Come on,
girlfriend.  We need to get you ready."

Ranma didn't feel self-conscious about stripping; a month's use of the
women's lockers cured her of any problems with that.  In a second, she
was left bare; a small shiver went through her as the cold air passed
across her skin.  

"Okay.  How do we do this?"  She crossed her arms over her breasts;
she didn't want them to see her nipples budding out from the cold.

"Well..."  Kasumi handed Ranma a lacy bundle; Ranma swallowed.  Maybe
she really had gone full circle, from the shadow of her beginning to
this - pure, snow-white.  She held the lingerie at arm's length, her
eyes judging how it would look on her.  

"Um... Ranma-chan?"

She turned around.  "Yes, Kasumi?"

Her smile turned mischievous.  "You may find it more useful to turn
Akane on if you're *wearing* them."

Ranma blushed - but only for a moment.  "Says you, Kasumi.  Somehow, I
think not putting them on would get more attention."  She let the
blushes and chuckles emanate around the room; in that moment, she
slipped a leg through the panties, beginning the transformation.  

A minute later, she began to admire herself in the mirror.  The white
lace reminded her a bit uncomfortably of her time at the Chardins'
however, she couldn't deny its sex appeal.  It, like the outer clothes,
were a remarkably simple affair; the bustier held up silk stockings
while holding her chest high, and the lace panties covered up whatever
important remained.  

Simplicity... the most important aspect of seduction.  

Another handmaiden, this one with suspiciously short hair, gave her a
once-over.  "You know, it's times like this I almost wish I had some
hot water."  She took a look over at the other girls, a wicked gleam in
her eyes.  "Makeup?"

The response was unanimous.  Ranma found herself sat in front of a
mirror; within seconds, the discussion of what color scheme would work
best began.  Ranma paid attention in a distant sort of way; the yanking
of a brush against her hair got most of her attention.  She closed her
eyes, letting touches gentle and not-so-gentle lure her into a stupor.  

"Okay.  We're done."

She opened her eyes.  The creature on the other side of the mirror
blinked in amazement.  Her hair had simply been brushed out, leaving
the silky mane falling all around her face - a face now painted by the
greatest experts in makeup, those who'd been forced to hide their
gender.  They'd matched her skin tone perfectly, covering up any
blemishes real life had given her; the shades of rose they'd painted
around the eyes and lips left her gaping at the result.  The only words
that could come out of her lips happened to be quite familiar to one
other in the room.

"Oh, my..."

The other girls lifted her up from the chair.  "Come on.  We're
running out of time.  Dress!"

The first thing they handed her was some sort of underskirt - a
crinoline, they called it, something to keep the dress full.  Another
couple of petticoats - or, at least, something that looked like
petticoats - came over it, adding to its fullness.  Finally, they
slipped the dress over her.

Ranma just stood there, in a mild state of shock.  She'd been in nice
dresses before, even wedding dresses; somehow, this time, it meant so
much more.  Maybe it was the fact that she was actually *marrying*
someone in this dress...

To put it simply, it was perfect.

"Okay.  A couple more things."  One woman eased her into the seat. 
"Leg."

Ranma eased a leg out.  She gulped as they slid a blue garter up to
her thigh; she'd forgotten about *that* tradition.  

"Shoes."

Ranma found white pearlescent heels at her feet; hesitatingly, she
stepped into them.  The shoes reminded her it wasn't dress-up anymore;
putting herself in these shoes marked her path as frighteningly real. 
She took an uncertain step with them, getting the feel of them before
making her march.  She felt the veil being placed on her head; whether
she was ready or not inside, outwardly she was ready to go.  She closed
her eyes; she didn't want to see anything until she absolutely had to.

Somehow, she should have expected this.  From the moment she'd lifted
herself out of the Jusenkyo spring, she should have expected this.  It
was all part of the nature of things; being given the body of a woman,
she would have to assume some parts of a woman's life.  

"It's time."

She fought to hold her supper in at the words.  All of the struggles
of the past year, ending with a quiet, inverted ceremony.  She walked
out to the main dining room, to where they had enjoyed their date only
a few months previous.

The room was, for the most part, crowded with strangers; however,
even the sea of unfamiliarity had friends within it.  She recognized
Kaori and Aoi in the front row, as well as Nabiki and Kasumi.  Her
own mother and father sat on the opposite side, one proud, the other
confused.  Interspersed among thr crowd were familiar faces:
Cologne, Ryouga and Akari, Ukyou.  None of the others in the crowd were
familiar to her, though she'd seen a few once or twice in the
club.  While she appreciated their presense, none of them truly
mattered to her.  In the end, she only cared about one person, and that
person stood at the end of the aisle.

Akane was thunderstruck.  Shock registered on his face; his mouth hung
agape as she began her march.  She smiled; it gave her a pleasant
feeling to know she could do that to him.  He did look handsome with
his tuxedo on, his muscles seeming to want to bulge out of its
confinement; he still needed to do something about his hair, though.  

However, none of that mattered.  She loved him, and he loved her. 
Gender didn't matter, nor upbringing, nor any of the other silly things
society had constructed.  Love was more important than that.  She made
her way to the end of the aisle; she couldn't feel her feet anymore. 
She may have been floating, for all she knew.  One moment, she found
him fifty feet away, the next, five, then one.  

He really was so handsome...

The priest smiled in a grandfatherly way; his eyes sparkled with the
delight of watching something pure - something beyond age.  "Dearly
beloved, we are gathered here to join this man and this woman... they
are man and woman, right, Kaori?"

Both Ranma and Akane blushed; their quiet shades of crimson contrasted
with the chuckles around the room.

"For now," Nabiki replied.  

The priest waited for the laughter to die down.  "O... kay.  I'll
trust that 'close enough' about fits this pair."  He stared at the two
of them, his eyes serious.  "Now.  Marriage is a sacred vow.  It is not
something that can be thrown away without thought; the bonds created in
this room will last for life.  Betray them, and you betray the two
greatest forces of earth: honor and love.  Now, are the two of you
willing to go through these vows, knowing full well the
responsibilities they will entail?"

"Yes, sir," Ranma squeaked out.  Akane echoed her - with the same anxiety.

"Very well, then."  His eyes turned to Akane.  "Do you, Akane, take
this woman to be your lawfully-wedded wife?  Do you promise to love,
honor, and cherish her, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Akane said quietly.  Ranma swallowed; her part was coming up.  

The priest's imposing gaze turned her direction.  "And do you, Ranma,
take this man to be your lawfully-wedded husband?  Do you promise to
love, honor, and cherish him, as long as you both shall live?"

Ranma looked up in Akane's face.  She took a long look at the lines in
his face, the mysteries in his dark eyes, and knew what her answer
needed to be.  

"I do."

The priest smiled, as though some joke had been told.  "Then by the
power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife."  He raised an
eyebrow.  "I trust you two know the rest of it..."

"Oh, yes," Akane proclaimed.  Ranma found the veil lifted from her
eyes; her breath caught as Akane bent down to kiss her.  She didn't
hesitate; she didn't resist.  

The path was forged.  Jusenkyo had made her - made them both - and they
had become something greater for it.  In division they had become
something more; in union, they had gone beyond anything dreamed of.

And, as Akane's kiss sealed that bond, she knew she could want for
nothing more.

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

FIN

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

Kat's comments:

Its been fun working on this project with Nightelf and Hitomi. It was 
never meant to take this long to complete. But, it is finally finished. 
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as we enjoyed bringing it to 
you.

Nick's comments:

It's difficult to figure out where to begin when talking about this
work.  There's so much that needs to be said right now - too much,
perhaps.  Four hours in a school computer lab writing a 10k spamfic
turned into a 380k, three-year, three-author project.  Even now, I'm not
sure what to think of all this.  Should I have just dismissed Hitomi's
offer to continue it and just let it die - or, perhaps, let her write it
alone, without me?  Would I have made the self-discoveries I had without
this work; would I have been happier not ever touching it?  Would it
have been a better work without all the delays and distractions that
came along with writing this - or were the delays necessary to making it
a good work?  

In the end, I cannot know.  About all I can do is give thanks to my
co-authors, to those who've read this and made comments on it, and to
those who've simply read and enjoyed it.  Without all of you, this would
never have gone as far as it did (for better or worse).  Also, for those
who helped me through the rough times, thank you.  

Concerning this last part... I have come to the conclusion that I can't
please everyone.  And, personally, in this case I wouldn't want to.
With a final chapter such as this, expectations will always be high; for
some, I passed with flying colors, while others found this wanting.
Most of the comments have been favorable; as I write this, though, I'm
still weighing whether or not to change a couple of things.  It's always
a tightrope walk with such corrections; while it would be nice to add
shades here and there, I have to make sure that I can add them without
removing something just as critical.  As for what humor we put in the
end... life is not simply angst.  There must also be laughter at times.
Once Ranma and Akane have passed beyond their trial, the angst subsides,
and it is time for at least a bit of laughter.  As for the
characterization, we have endeavored to keep the characters themselves
as much in tune with what has gone before as possible.  Some may
disagree with the interpretations; however, the evidence is in the
canon.  The only differences lie in interpretation.

Finally, in closing, I would like to say goodbye - in a sense.  It's
time for me to move on to other things besides fanfic; I've had story
ideas itching away for a couple of years now, untouched due to my
obligations here.  I dunno if I'll do any fanfic again; there's a
couple of projects currently half-finished that I may finish, and
there's one work already released on another page that I'd like to do
some revising to.  At any rate, I thought I should at least say
goodbye, just in case I decide to slip out of the party.

Thank you, and God bless.


Katrina Lee Halbred
Ichinohei Hitomi
Nicholas Leifker
May 8, 2000







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