Nekophobia Part 8: Iinazuke no Imouto by David Eddy Last modified: Wednesday, 22 July 1998 A fan fiction based on Takahashi Rumiko's Manga series, Ranma 1/2. The characters of Ranma 1/2 are the property of Takahashi Rumiko and her licensees. The sharp knock echoed briefly in the wooden-floored hallway. "Hey, Akane, you awake?" Ranma stood outside Akane's door, dressed in his usual black pants and red top. He knocked again, then cracked the door. Akane was in bed looking at the doorway blinking sleep out of her eyes. "What?" Smiling, Ranma opened the door fully and stepped inside. He sat on the edge of the bed, thinking to himself that the golden light of early morning made her look particularly beautiful. "Good morning," he said with a smile. She smiled back and blinked to clear her eyes. "Good morning, Ranma-kun." She checked her bedside clock. "Weren't you able to sleep in the dojo?" Ranma smiled. "I slept fine thank you." Akane shook her head. "What do you want, then?" "Thought you'd like to train. It's gonna be real hot today." Akane glanced at her clock. "But Ranma, it's only six o'clock!" she protested in disbelief. "Best time, when it's cool." He stood. "Anyway, I'm gonna go work out. You comin'?" * * * "Ranma-kun! Akane! Breakfast will be soon!" Akane dropped her hands and stepped back, wiping her forehead with the sleeve of her gi. Theatrically she allowed her legs to collapse and her shoulders to slump forward. Concerned, Ranma knelt in front of her. "You okay, Akane?" Akane snorted and raised her head. Sweat plastered her hair to her forehead in disarray, and the heavy, coarsely-woven cotton of her gi hung limply from her shoulders. Her skin glowed through the saturated tee-shirt she wore beneath. "I've never trained so hard in my life," she said. She looked enviously at Ranma, who was sweating lightly but otherwise seemed fresh. A frown grew as she thought about it. "After a workout like that, you're hardly tired," she said angrily. Ranma shrugged and looked away. "It wasn't nothin' special." She saw red. She knew he was a better fighter than her; did he have to rub her nose in it? "Ranma, you jerk!" Akane was amazed to see him jerk his head back to look at her in surprise, then look away again. After a longish pause, she levered herself to her feet. "Let's go in, Ranma. I want to take a bath before it gets too hot." Ranma got up easily, surprise on his face. "Huh, I thought you were gonna hit me." "Grrr. I can't work up the energy." He paced Akane's tired steps back towards the house, hands clasped comfortably behind his back. "Y'know, I never thought I'd miss my old man trying to dump me in that koi pond." He turned with Akane and they headed towards the house. "You're doin' really well, you know." "Really?" she asked with a sarcastic bite to her voice. "Yeah." Akane checked his expression and somehow wasn't surprised to see honest openness there. She smiled weakly as they finished crossing from the dojo to the house and stepped inside. "Good morning, Ranchan!" Ranma and Akane looked up to see Ukyou stepping easily down the stairs, Nodoka behind her. "Ucchan! How are you feeling?" "Not bad, considering." Nodoka said, as they reached the bottom, "According to the hospital, Ukyou-chan's ribs were only badly cracked by that hooligan, not actually broken as we feared." Ukyou glanced at Akane, noting her tiredness. "Say, have you two been sparring?" Ranma nodded. "Training session," he said. "I've decided to take over Akane's training." "Can I join in?" she asked eagerly. "Not until your ribs are healed, daughter," said Nodoka sternly. "Mom's right, Ucchan," added Ranma. "You'd better get well first or you might hurt yourself." "Breakfast in ten minutes, Akane," called out Kasumi as Nabiki came down the stairs. "The bath is hot." "Will I have time for a bath too, Kasumi?" asked Ranma. Kasumi smiled benevolently at Ranma and Akane. "Of course, Ranma-kun. I can hold breakfast for a few minutes if need be." Akane took a step towards the bathroom as Nabiki completed her descent of the stairs. She spared Ukyou a glance, then said, "Do you want to go first in the bath, Ranma?" "Nah, you can go first, Akane... chan." He grinned at her shocked expression, then gave her a gentle shove on the shoulder in the direction of the bathroom. Nabiki grinned sleepily while Ukyou stared at Ranma in shock. 'Akane-*chan*?' she thought to herself. * * * "So when do you think your mother will return, Ranma?" asked Akane. Crowds swirled around Ranma, Akane and Ukyou as they walked slowly through the deliciously-cool air of the shopping mall. Ranma was attracting stares by nonchalantly balancing two shoe boxes and a wrapped package on their corners on one finger while idly looking around at the nearby shops. He shrugged, casually flipping the finely-balanced pile onto his head. "Dunno. She didn't even say where she was goin'." "She said something about taking me shopping tomorrow, so I don't think she expects to be gone for all that long," put in Ukyou. Akane sighed. "Oh, look at that." "Well, I dunno anythin' about it." Ranma bounced the packages down from his head and balanced them on one finger again, this time on his left hand. Concentrating on the boxes as he continued to walk along, he added, "Y'know, Akane, Mom's been acting really strange. I thought she'd be all over me, gettin' me to be a good son, motherin' me like crazy. But she's been totally wrapped up in this business about Ucchan. She was all over me when I was Ranko, but now.... I just don't get it." There was no response, and after a moment Ranma turned back to see Akane and Ukyou standing next to the display window of a nearby shop, pointing at something. He was about to rejoin them when his internal alarms went off. Automatically he jumped, just avoiding the black ribbon that would have ensnared him. "Ohohohohohohoo! Ranma-sama, come away from that low-class strumpet!" "Aw, man, I just can't deal with her," said Ranma under his breath as he bounced down the central mall, Akane's packages still balanced on one fingertip. The leotard-clad girl gave chase. "Ranma-sama! Where are you leading me, Ranma-sama?!" Ranma headed for the large fountain that was the centrepiece of the mall and, ducking around the enormous central statue, dived in. Kodachi came around the statue and stopped dead when she noticed the female Ranma. "You! You vile harridan, what have you done with my Ranma-sama?!" Wordlessly, Ranma-onna pointed down another arm of the shopping mall in the hope that Kodachi would get lost or lose interest. "Thank you," she said. Turning to go, she added, "I will tell my brother I saw you here, osage-no-onna. He misses you greatly, you know." Screeching out a peal of maniacal laughter, Kodachi headed off in the direction Ranma had indicated. With a sigh, Ranma-onna stepped out of the pool and noticed Akane and a pale-faced Ukyou running in her direction. Ranma headed towards them. "You okay, Akane?" she asked as they got close enough to speak to. "I sent her off in the wrong direction." "I'm fine," Akane said shortly. She balled one fist. "Ranma, how can you--" "How 'bout you, Ucchan?" asked Ranma, cutting Akane off. "Man, you don't look too good." Ukyou shook her head but smiled weakly. "I don't feel too good," she admitted. "Perhaps I'd better go home and lie down, like Nodoka-oba-- I mean, okaachan told me to." "That'd be a good idea I think," Ranma said with a smile, putting one hand comfortingly on Ukyou's shoulder. "Your ribs won't heal as quickly if you don't treat 'em right, Ucchan. Sis." Ranma didn't notice Akane glaring in her direction. "Hohohohohoho!!" Kodachi landed next to the group. Her eyes glittered unwholesomely. "Pig-tailed strumpet, my Ranma- sama is nowhere to be found! Where have you hidden him?!" Ranma curled her lip a little. She was getting sick of Kunou Kodachi. "How the hell should I know?!" she burst out. "He knocked me into the fountain as he went past!" She stepped forward challengingly. "And why was he running from you, anyway, ne? If his love for you is so great, why does he run at the sight of you?" She put as much bite into those questions as she could, trying to get under the Kunou girl's skin. Kodachi looked down her nose at Ranma-onna, her lip curling. "You should respect your betters, girl. My darling Ranma-sama is shy and hesitates to declare his love. I will teach you the error of your ways, another time!" With a burst of black rose petals and another peal of maniacal laughter, Kunou Kodachi was gone. "Man, what does it take to get *rid* of that girl?" said Ranma-onna to herself in disgust. "You don't *seem* to want to get rid of her when she's around," said Akane icily. "Aw, man, you know I can't stand her. I haven't wanted to hurt her feelings before now, but I think--" Suddenly she was flying back towards the fountain. Ranma crashed into the central statue and slumped down, hands and fingers spread in the promise pose. Akane stood by her fallen packages, radiating fury. "What about *MY* feelings?!" she shouted and stalked off in a huff as Ukyou smiled a little smile. The red-haired Ranma-onna sat up in the fountain, oblivious to the falling water. She watched Akane's retreating back for a moment. "What'd I say?" Ranma asked of no one in particular. * * * The white-hot sun beat down with an almost physical power. The air was humid and uncomfortable but the worst thing was the sunlight: The day was one of those days where everything looked bleached by the sheer intensity of the light, the stark outlines of the buildings and people distorted, softened by the shimmering of the heavy air above roads. Walking wordlessly behind Akane, packages once more balanced carelessly, Ranma-onna sweated and shook her head. Ukyou had been sent home in a taxi after the incident at the mall an hour ago, and for a moment Ranma envied her new-found sister her brief spell in the car's air-conditioned interior. Of all the places Ranma had been, Tokyo's summers were the worst. This was her second summer here, and she disliked the tail end of the rainy season the most. The heat was magnified by the concrete and brick constructions all around which kept the heat of day well into the night. There was little cooling greenery around. Rain clouds, driven by the humidity and searing heat, could form almost instantaneously and wet her down when it was least convenient. It was at this time of year that it seemed that the kami were at their most playful, and they wanted to include her in their games. At least the rain cooled things down for a little while. Passing a stall selling cheap paper and bamboo parasols, Ranma had a sudden thought and quickly bought one. Rapidly she caught up with Akane and flipped it open, shading both herself and her fiancee. Akane looked up as the shade covered her. Seeing Ranma- onna next to and a little behind her she stopped in surprise, then smiled a little. "Thank you, Ranma," she said softly. Ranma handed her the parasol's handle. "Here, it's for you." The balanced boxes wobbled a moment before steadying on the index finger of her other hand. Akane smiled again and sketched a bow. "Thank you again." Ranma returned the bow, boxes now balanced on his head again. The occasional pedestrian pushed past the slowly-moving pair. "You're welcome. You looked hot." "You look hot too. I've never seen you sweat without exercising before." The red-haired girl shrugged and moved the boxes to the toes of one foot before quickly flipping them back to one hand. "Akane... I've been thinkin'." "What's that?" "Can I ask you about something? You won't hit me or nothin'?" Akane looked at Ranma suspiciously for a moment, then nodded. "What is it?" "I dunno what to do about Kodachi. I've tried to make her understand, but she just won't leave me alone. You got any ideas?" Akane was stunned by Ranma's request. He... she... was looking at her hopefully, and she very much wanted to be able to tell her fiancee how to get rid of the nuisance of Kodachi, but the truth was at the moment she had no idea how to go about it. "I'm sorry, but I can't think of anything," she said at last. At Ranma's crestfallen expression she hurried to add, "But let's discuss it tonight, shall we? Maybe we can come up with a plan together." Ranma nodded and half-smiled, and they walked along in companionable silence. "Say, you wanna got to a movie?" Ranma asked at length. "Are you asking me on a *date*, Ranma?" "No wa..." Ranma caught her mouth before it could run away on her yet again. "Err, um, I guess I am. Well?" Akane smiled brilliantly. "Thank you, I'd love to. But let's drop those packages at home first, eh? And Kasumi- oneechan will have made lunch." * * * The outer gate of the Tendou-ke closed with a slap of wood on wood. Overhead, clouds were forming, boiling, but they had not yet obscured the sun which hung, lambent, halfway to the horizon. Akane and Ranma stepped onto the wooden-floored passageway that ran around the outside of the house and waited a moment for their eyes to adjust to the dim interior before stepping inside. "Tadaima!" called Akane cheerily as she preceded Ranma into the living room. Nabiki was sprawled on the living room floor by the fan, reading something, next to Ukyou who lay on a futon contemplating the garden. Both looked up at the entrance of Ranma and Akane. The rush of air from the oscillating fan briefly rustled Nabiki's hair as she looked up. "Oh, welcome back, you two," said Kasumi, poking her head out of the kitchen. "Dinner will be a little while yet. That's a nice parasol, Akane. Didn't you have that earlier when you came back for lunch?" "Ranma bought it for me, oneechan," said Akane happily. Nabiki watched Akane, a little surprised by her sister's demeanor. Her sister looked happy, as did Ranma. Her feelings were mixed. Ukyou had told her about the incident at the mall, and Nabiki had worried that it might be the beginning of a split. But it seemed that would not be the case. A dark part of her was momentarily saddened to see Ranma's happiness with Akane, but she sternly suppressed the feeling and concentrated on her pleasure that their new happiness seemed to be resistant to their little tiffs. She wondered briefly whether Ranma would notice her attire. Lifting herself up from the floor, she waved from her spot on the floor in front of the fan in the living room. "Hey, you two. Would you like to see this?" "I'll get you some lemonade," Kasumi said as she wandered back into the kitchen. "We've got watermelon for later, too." Ranma walked towards Nabiki, who sat up as he approached. She was wearing short-shorts and a light cotton tank top, and Ranma noted twin points moving beneath the thin material of the top. He sat down next to the futon, facing Nabiki, trying to ignore her no-doubt unintentional display. "Whatcha got, 'neechan'?" Akane padded over and sat down next to Ranma as Nabiki lifted something from the floor in front of her. "It's the mockup of the calendar. Wanna see?" "What, already?" asked Akane as she took it from her sister's grasp. Nabiki smirked. "Hikaru-san was *very* excited by the pictures we took yesterday. He called me first thing this morning, insisting that I come over immediately." She snorted in memory. "He gets a cut of the take from the calendars instead of a fee for yesterday's shoot, you know. I had to do it that way because I couldn't afford his normal fees." She paused a moment, watching Akane turn the pages of the calendar raptly. "It looks like it was a good investment. "Anyway, I went over this morning and he gave me this for us to approve." Her voice was taut and excited, as though she had something more to say. Akane paused at the last page, her eyes wide, then closed the mockup and wordlessly handed it to Ranma. Her eyebrows were reaching for her hairline as she looked at her sister. Nabiki watched nervously as Ranma took the calendar. She would never admit it to anyone, but she was worried that Ranma would not approve the calendar. Hikaru-san had done an amazing job in so short a time. When she had received his call this morning, she had been stunned when he had asked her to visit and view the mockup. He must have worked all night to have got it done, and his wild hair and bloodshot eyes when she had met him this morning had confirmed without words that he had spent the night in something akin to a creative ecstasy. Just as Nabiki had been driven into a financial ecstasy by the events of the day since then. But if Ranma declined to approve the calendar, then all bets were off. The calendar would never be sold. She had been tempted to tell Hikaru-san to go ahead and have it printed regardless, but she had drawn back at the last moment, promising to call him later with a go/no-go decision. Now, looking at her younger sister's reaction, she dreaded how Ranma would react to the calendar. Automatically she began making contingency plans to garner revenue from this exercise even if he rejected the calendar, but after a few moments she stopped herself. She would not... betray... Ranma's trust. He had come to her, placed his trust in her. She would abide by his decision, even though a rejection would mean that Hikaru would be owed a contingency fee. She swallowed nervously, even as she wondered at the warm glow inside herself. Ranma took the large-format calendar from Akane. On the cover was a photograph of him in each of his forms, almost mirror-imaged, against a yin-yang background. Energy radiated from the picture, and almost against his will he flipped the cover up to look inside. He was astounded by what he saw. The pictures were not sexual or exploitative as he had feared yesterday, particularly when he had been female and wearing that string bikini of Nabiki's. Instead, from each of the twelve large-format photographs there radiated a restless energy, a power that drew him in and made him look again and again despite the fact that he knew the subject well. Some of the photos were of his male form, some of his female form, and some were composed photos showing the two forms together as if they were different people. But one photo... The last photo showed Ranma in the midst of transformation. It looked like the result of some very imaginative darkroom work, showing both his male and female forms simultaneously, like a double exposure. Only the eyes lacked the double-image effect, and they were filled with burning emotion. All around him/her, falling water had been captured in an instant by the strobe of the flash, black and white highlights harsh contrast against the "normality" of the central part of the image. Against the backdrop of a forest scene, the picture was almost surreal, art photography at its very finest. Looking again, Ranma saw that the photographer had placed subtle yin-yang sigils at strategic places in the background. At last he closed the calendar and let out the breath he had not realised he had been holding. "What do you think?" asked Nabiki quietly. All three girls were looking at him curiously, Nabiki with tense anticipation singing in every line of her body. Ranma shook his head. Nabiki's face fell, but Ranma didn't notice. "It's amazing," he said. Holding the calendar out to Nabiki, he added, "I would never have believed that something like this could have come out of..." Disbelieving hope rose in Nabiki, shoving aside the bitter disappointment that had surged within her at his initial reaction. At her misreading of his initial reaction. "You like it? We can go ahead?" Ranma nodded, surprised at the question. Wasn't it obvious? "Sure." She breathed a sigh of relief. "Yokatta," she sighed, holding the calendar in hands trembling with the release of tension. "What's wrong, oneechan?" asked Akane. "I didn't tell you the whole story. We've already got substantial pre-sales for this little project of ours. We've been hawking this to all our contacts today... mainly Hikaru- san's, actually. We've been pretty busy. We've already got orders for over thirty thousand copies at two thousand yen each... and that's only the beginning." "Already?" asked Akane, surprised. Nabiki nodded. She leaned forward intensely, and Ranma couldn't help but notice the motion of her nipples against the thin tank top as her breasts swayed. "Hikaru-san thinks we can sell at well over a hundred thousand copies of this... maybe even more. And production costs are less than five hundred yen per item." She shifted again. "I told you he was excited. He is *very* motivated." Ranma frowned, confused. Nabiki seemed to be breathing awfully deeply, her face flushed and her nipples more prominent, but he mentally pushed that to one side and looked outside again as he wrestled with the figures she had tossed about so casually. He watched the light suddenly turn an odd, golden purple as the sun was occulted by thunderheads and the yard was lit by light reflected from other clouds. With half his mind he took in the beauty even as he tried to make sense of what Nabiki had said. He was never very good at mental arithmetic... but it didn't really matter. All he knew was that at last, they were certain of having enough to make decent reparations to the Kuonji family so that he had at least some chance of getting out of the engagement to Ukyou, and maybe enough left over to pay for other things like a proper wedding. And then, at last, there would be an end to the uncertainty in his relationship with Akane. Or so he hoped. * * * The dojo echoed to the sounds of exertion: Grunts and feminine groans rose above the chorus of the cicadas from outside. All the doors and windows were thrown wide to catch the gentle breeze that carried the scent of wet soil and concrete. The sudden rainstorm had for once not caught Ranma outside and he was very grateful that he had not had to dump hot water on himself again today. The groans came from Nabiki. She had been in the living room when Ranma had suggested another training session with Akane. Ranma had been surprised to discover that Nabiki had trained in the martial arts when she was younger, but had given it away when Akane had surpassed her and Soun's interest had concentrated on the most likely heir to the school. But now, she had rediscovered a reason for training, she said. And so it was that she was in the dojo, dressed in one of Akane's gis, sweating heavily as she attempted to keep up with Ranma and Akane as they did conditioning exercises. Ukyou, perched on the folded stack of Ranma's bedding against one wall of the dojo, watched silently. Finally Ranma called a halt and turned to Nabiki. "What is it, Ranma?" asked Nabiki, her chest heaving from her exertions. He frowned down at her. "Look, Nabiki, what we're doing at the moment is just conditioning and flexibility exercises. Akane and I've been doing these for a long time and we're used to them. You haven't. You have to take it easy and work up to it slowly. You won't be able to learn anything in the lesson proper if you can't even stand up." Nabiki nodded as she flicked a stream of sweat from her brow. "Okay." "And next time wear a bra and tee-shirt like Akane. I know it's hot, but it's distracting, to say the least, and you could get hurt if you're not properly supported." Akane thumped Ranma on the back of the head, but gently. "Pervert. Keep your eyes off my sister." Nabiki looked up at him with big eyes. "But you don't wear a bra, Ranma." "I'm a guy." "I'd noticed." She grinned rakishly as Ranma looked away, embarrassed. Akane looked at her sister suspiciously. Ukyou snorted from her post by the door. "Let's get back to it," he said at last. "Take it easy, Nabiki; both Akane and I need practice at teaching and you're gonna be our first student. Still wanna do this?" She nodded as Akane looked at him in surprise. Ranma noticed her expression. "What?!" he asked challengingly. Then he smiled. "After we're married, we're gonna end up running the dojo together, Akane. You didn't think I was gonna do *all* the work, did you?" Ranma was transfixed by a dazzling smile from Akane, her eyes suddenly soft and only for him. He felt himself take a step towards her, wanting nothing more to take her into his arms and tell her-- With a broken gasp, Ukyou fled from the dojo. Automatic reactions made Ranma spin into defensive stance, only to see a single crystal droplet still falling towards the floor in Ukyou's wake. The tear hit the floor and Ranma's heart trembled. Ucchan... crying? "U-ucchan!" A gentle hand on his shoulder stopped him from chasing after his childhood friend. "Leave her for now, Ranma," said Nabiki softly. Ranma turned to see that it was her hand on his shoulder, not Akane's. She was looking at him sympathetically, an expression so foreign to her in his recollection that he just stood there, stunned. Akane also stood still and stared, shocked. "W-what?" "She's just seen something she didn't want to see, Ranma- chan." Ranma saw something flicker across Nabiki's expression... loneliness? But then she was again completely the reassuring and supportive elder sister, dispensing advice. "She'll be okay," she continued. "Just let her sort it out for herself." * * * Ukyou lay on her futon in the guest room, eyes squeezed shut to try and escape the image that replayed continuously across the inside of her head. Ranma's bald assumption that he and Akane were going to marry. The look in Akane's face... the step they took towards each other. Ran-chan's strangled cry as she fled the dojo. Why hadn't he followed her? Ukyou's thoughts wandered on, dwelling briefly on the time that Ranma and Akane had pretended to be already married, back when she had dug out that ten-year special sauce. They had been so awkward, it was funny to look back on. She smirked and snorted, thinking back to that time. It had been wonderful to stay in the same house as Ranma... even in his room. It had seemed like a return to the halcyon days of their friendship in early childhood. To sleep in Ranma's bed had been both comforting and exciting. Such a pity he hadn't stood up to the Tendou family patriarch and spent the night with her. Instead, he had gone off somewhere else. Idly, a part of her mind wondered where he *had* spent the night. The next day, she had been told that Ranma and Akane were "married". She had been suspicious, and she had spied upon them with Nabiki's aid. They sure hadn't acted like any married couple she had ever seen, and now sure that they were pretending, she had tried to lure Ranma to her side by cooking him dinner and in general acting as though she, too, was his wife. It had turned out, of course, that the wedding had been a sham; they had simply been fooling her. Perhaps they were fooling her again. Ranma would play along, again, even if he didn't want to; his sense of honour would see to that. To be sure, she would have to catch them unawares. Spy on them. Footsteps echoed in the corridor, and Ukyou realised that it was Nabiki going to her room. Tired, heavy footsteps that called to mind bone-aching fatigue and a jelly-kneed gait. Ukyou listened as Nabiki trudged downstairs again, then heard water flow through the pipes. She was taking a bath. That meant that Ranma and Akane must be alone, presumably in the dojo, and Ukyou decided to sieze the chance to try to catch them out... again. With a small grimace of pain she got up and slipped out of her room, stepping lightly on the bare wooden boards and making no noise. The dojo was still lit, and rapid noises issuing from within told of high-level sparring going on. The constant singing of the cicadas covering any incidental noises, Ukyou crept around the back of the dojo to the side that was hard up against the outer wall. It was dark here, and there wasn't very much room, but ahead Ukyou saw a sliver of light painting a section of the stone wall russet and ochre against the darkness. Slowly she stepped along the wall. Arriving at the gap, she peeked inside. Through a fortunate happenstance she could see a large slice of the dojo through the gap, even as the sounds of the dojo came out through the open windows above her head. She could see the polished boards of the floor, the far wall, and Ranma and Akane sparring in the middle of her vision. No, not sparring. They had just finished whatever they were doing, and Ukyou watched them bow to each other formally. Akane wiped her brow while Ranma grinned. He sank to the floor and Akane sat next to him. "You're doin' great, Akane," said Ranma. "Really, Ranma?" Akane smiled up at him, sweat making her face shine in the light. He nodded. Silence fell for a moment. Ranma took Akane's hand, and she leaned against his shoulder comfortably. Ukyou's heart sank as the silence stretched, noting the pair's obvious comfort with each other. Finally, Akane spoke. "Is it nice to have a family again, Ranma?" she asked. He nodded, smiling. "It's wonderful. But it's a bit strange, too." "Strange? How so?" Ranma's brow wrinkled as he thought back. "Well... you know how Mom was when I was Ranko, right? She was all over me. But now...." "She's been sorting out this mess you've been in." "Yeah, but, y'know, it just seems like... I dunno, maybe she'd prefer me as a girl." Akane stared at Ranma in shocked amazement. "Why ever would you think that?" Ranma just shrugged wordlessly, confusion and frustration showing on his face. Akane watched him curiously as he opened his mouth to speak then closed it again as he seemed to change his mind. "You were going to say?" she prompted at last. Ranma clenched one fist then opened it in a throwing-away motion. "It's just... this adoption thing happened awful fast, and Mom seemed awful happy about the whole thing." "Maybe she always wanted a daughter." Ranma smiled weakly, thinking back to all the times he had played Ranko for his mother. "Yeah... well, don't forget you're gonna be one soon too, you know." "I know. The prospect fills me with fear." She grinned at him. Ranma leaned back and stretched, both hands clasped above his head. "Man, I need a bath." Akane held her nose and smiled, then sat back a little. "I'd better go first, I think. Nabiki might be a while. Shall I come and tell you when the bath's free?" Ranma nodded. "Thanks." Akane stood. "Well, I guess I'd better go and join Nabiki- oneechan." Ukyou watched through the gap in the dojo wall as Akane leaned down and kissed Ranma on the forehead with elaborate casualness. Their hands clasped briefly, and then Akane left the dojo. She could not see Ranma's face from her current position, but he sat there unmoving for several long minutes before getting up and moving to the pile of bedding Ukyou knew was there but could not see. As he got up, he glanced briefly in her direction and Ukyou knew he knew she was there. Almost without thought she was moving, stepping quietly around the dojo to the front entrance. "Ran-chan." Ranma didn't look up as he laid out his futon. "Hiya, Ucchan," he said quietly. Finished, he pushed himself into a headstand, balancing on a triangle formed by his elbows and head. Making sure he faced Ukyou, he folded his legs into a tailor seat. "Aren't you going to ask how your 'kawaii iinazuke' is feeling?" she said at last. Ranma forced himself to smile at the upside-down Ukyou. "How are you feeling, imouto no Ucchan?" Ukyou frowned at Ranma's form of address. 'Ucchan my little sister'? She decided to press the issue. "No 'kawaii iinazuke'?" "You're my sister now, Ucchan." "I'm still your fiancee." Ranma closed his eyes and unbidden, voices played in his mind. He had heard them while kneeling outside the room where his mother had confronted his father about Ukyou. 'At least there is no doubt as to who Ranma's true fiancee is. Ukyou- san's claim cannot possibly stand against that of the Tendou family,' his mother had said. 'I know,' his father had replied. What had happened after that.... Opening his eyes again, he saw Ukyou looking at him curiously. He allowed himself to collapse to the ground and knelt upright facing her. "I..." He swallowed. Ukyou's expression grew puzzled. "I'm sorry, Ukyou. Akane is my *only* fiancee." "Your father promised you to me *before* you met Akane!" Ranma just looked away, his expression sad. Looking back, he said, "Please, Ucchan... can't you just be my sister? You've been my best friend for years, and why should that change? I'll still love you the same as I always have." Ukyou's eyes filled with hope. "You love me? Then you're only doing this because of your family!" She scrambled forward and grabbed him into a one-armed hug. Ranma did not resist her, but he kept his arms at his sides. "Ucchan, I...." Ukyou released Ranma and jumped up, smiling. "I'm so happy!" "But Ucchan...!" Heedless, Ukyou spun out of the dojo dancing on air. Ranma watched her go, despair on his face. Finally, when she had gone, he shook his head. "Oh, man, this is gonna be awkward," he muttered to himself. * * * At the Nekohanten, Cologne sat in the now all-but-completed dining room, wondering what she was going to do next. Automatically she filled her pipe and lit it, the actions first learned decades ago helping her clear her mind and think. Shampoo had become utterly despondent. She no longer wanted to chase Ranma. Her own actions in pushing the girl, including the use of Amazonian techniques recently to force the girl to pursue Ranma, were at best quasi-legal by the laws of the tribe. Besides, Ranma had grown so strong over the past year that it was quite possible that it would be irresponsible to bring him into the tribe. By being able to defeat even the very best of the Joketsuzoku, he would be in the position of being a de- facto leader even though he was male... an intolerable position. That he could appear female made it even worse. The very fabric of the tribe could be undermined. Tapping the bowl of the pipe against a nearby table, sending sparks shooting into the darkened room, Cologne frowned in thought. An idea was reaching for her, she could feel it. She decided to explore her thoughts a little more. Ranma. He was the entire problem. He was too strong to allow in to the tribe, but simple genetics that were the basis of much of clan law mandated that his blood be mingled with theirs for the good of the tribe. Cologne's eyes widened, staring into infinity. For over a minute she sat as rigid as a statue, not even blinking. Then her eyes narrowed and in a low, gravelly voice, she began to chuckle. * * * In her room, Nabiki collapsed on her bed. Out of long habit she checked her diary. The notation there surprised her. 'Cologne - part 3,' it said. Suddenly, all her rage at the old woman came crashing back. How had she managed to forget the casual coldness with which Cologne had dismissed Akane? Her stomach burned acid as she remembered the confrontation with the old gnome that day when she had said that she had casually cursed Akane in a futile attempt to force Ranma into her precious tribe. And then, to add insult to injury, she had -- must have -- drugged Shampoo and had sent her in to attempt to capture Ranma. In response she had sent in the inspectors -- the building inspector and the health inspector, the two most feared bureaucrats in the city council. Nothing major had occurred, regrettably, so now it was time to wheel in the big guns. Forcing herself up from her bed, Nabiki trotted unsteadily downstairs to the telephone. * * * Akane went out to the dojo dressed in her light yellow nightgown, revelling in the cooler air that had come with late evening. Entering, she looked around and saw only Ranma's futon, empty. For a moment she lingered, recalling the night she had spent curled up against his side in his bed. She hoped that someday soon they could repeat that. For now, though, she wanted to talk with him, and incidentally tell him that the bath was available. He was not in the dojo, so she trotted outside again and quickly surveyed the yard. He wasn't by the koi pond, nor was he perched on the stone lantern. He must be on the dojo roof. She found a ladder and climbed up. As she got to the top, she saw him, hugging his knees to his chest and staring at the northern sky. She got up onto the roof and walked gently over to him. "Hi," he said. Akane stopped, surprised. Normally he didn't acknowledge her presence until she talked. "Er... hi," she said, suddenly awkward. To cover her lapse, she sat down next to him. "The bath is free." Ranma grunted but didn't move. Akane looked to his face, and in the moonlight and backwash from the city lights it looked... neutral. Nothing showed, and that worried her. "What's up, Ranma?" she asked gently. "I've made a big mistake, Akane," he replied at last. Looking directly to her. "Ucchan thinks I want to marry her but won't because of giri." "Ah," she said. She felt jealous anger begin, just a little bit, and perhaps she felt a little nervous as well. She gritted her teeth, keeping herself calm. "And... is it..." "True?" he finished. He shook his head vigorously, barking a short laugh. "No, of course not, you know that. I love you, Akane, and it's you I want to marry." Akane leaned against Ranma in relief and pleasure at his renewed affirmation of love. He put an arm about her shoulders and rested his head against hers, inhaling the scent of her hair. "So how did she get the idea that...?" "I told her I'd always love her the way I always had." Akane's fists clenched themselves, but there was no other outward sign of her disturbance. "So?" "You know Ucchan. She took that to mean that I did in fact want to marry her but wouldn't say so. She left without giving me a chance to explain." Akane shook her head within Ranma's embrace. "That *was* silly." "The thing is it's true. Ever since we were kids, she's been like a brother, or sister, to me. It's just that she's taking it the wrong way." Akane let out her breath in a soft sigh as she relaxed again. "Just so long as I don't catch her in bed with you, baka." Ranma snorted. "If she ends up in my bed, I won't be there, you can count on that." "What about that time I caught you with Shampoo in your bed?" "Hey! That wasn't my fault! I didn't know! She snuck..." His voice trailed off as he realised Akane was giggling. He sighed in resignation. She surprised herself by suddenly turning her head and briefly kissing him on the lips. "Baka," she said with a smile. Ranma smiled a little uncertainly, but tightened his embrace a little. Akane kissed him again, a little peck. She pulled back to a comfortable distance. "I had a thought about Kunou Kodachi," she said. "Really? What?" "Write her a letter. Make your rejection of her explicit and couch it in terms of honour. She won't be able to twist that." Ranma stared at her in amazement. "Why didn't *I* think of that?" Akane stuck her tongue out at him. "Because you can't write to save yourself, baka." Ranma frowned at that but what felt like the perfect revenge came to him. "So, will you help me draft the letter?" Hardly able to believe that Ranma was at last pulling her into his affairs, into his life, Akane wrapper her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. "Of course I will... Ranma- sama." Ranma shivered at her use of Kodachi's name for him. "Brrr... you even do it with her voice." Akane grinned, then thatrically wrinkled her nose. "Phew, you stink. Off to the bath with you!" Gathering Akane up into his arms, Ranma jumped easily down to the ground. Standing outside the dojo, she watched him gather his bath things and returned his confident smile as he walked past her on his way to the main house. * * * The sound of cars pulling up outside the Nekohanten and doors slamming drew Cologne's attention. She peeked out the window and saw that the cars were offical... Immigration people. Knowing that any request to see their papers would cause their immediate ejection from the country, and that fighting the officers now gathering outside the restaurant would be even worse than allowing herself to be captured, she rushed upstairs to Shampoo's room. "" she said urgently through the open door. The girl just lifted her head listlessly. "What?" Cologne shook her head. They had been in this barbarian land too long; Shampoo had spoken Japanese. "" Shampoo got up, but without the instant enthusiasm that she had had when they had first come to Japan. Still, she was obeying, and that was enough. Quickly, Cologne led the girl downstairs again. Officer Morita knocked firmly on the door, but got no response. Knocking again, he noted the lack of lights and turned to his superior. "There is no response, sir." "Open the door." In moments the front door was open. Glass crunched briefly as Morita and his fellow officers entered and quickly searched the restaurant and living quarters. Finding nothing, they returned to where their superior waited in the dining room. Morita braced to attention. "Nothing, sir! Just a caged duck." Inspector Hikaru jerked at that. "A caged duck? Well then..." Briefly he mulled over the situation. Cologne listened intently to the conversation of the immigration police, trying to determine what had caused them to swoop. Or rather, who. She watched as the senior man paced in and out of view, his chin cupped thoughtfully in one hand. Finally he straightened. He began to rap out orders. "Morita, go and get that duck; we'll take it with us. Yagami, Suzuki, you two stay here and wait for the others to return!" As he turned to go, Cologne heard the words she had been waiting for. 'There, that should do it,' thought Hikaru to himself. Still, he was worried. Turning to go, he said to himself under his breath, "I hope you're right, Tendou Nabiki." * * * It had rained again this evening. It had rained again, but Ranma didn't mind. In the space of a few minutes of heavy downpour, the threatening thunderheads had dissipated, shredding like old cloth to reveal the stars and the dark curtain of night. A cool breeze had blown in from the sea, humid but much cooler than before. Through the wide-open window in the bathroom, Ranma stared up at the now-dark sky. No stars were visible at the moment because of the lights in the bathroom and from the surrounding city, but he knew they were there. They comforted him, old friends from his childhood. Like Ukyou. Lying seraphically in the hot water of the furo, the gentle, cool breeze from outside caressing his head, Ranma listened to the cicadas singing their harsh, discordant song and the gentle sounds of the house about him. Kasumi in the kitchen. The random noises from the TV show that Nabiki was watching. Ukyou laughing at something. What was he going to do about Ukyou? With a sigh, Ranma lifted the folded towel off his forehead and dipped it in cold water before re-folding it and replacing it on his brow. No matter what he said, she was going to believe that it was really her he loved, not Akane. Mentally he kicked himself for making such a mistake. She had already been hurt by this whole affair, and now the only way he could see of convincing her would be to hurt her all over again. Maybe he could convince her to find somebody else to love. To replace him in her heart. Get her to drop him. He snorted. Like that was going to happen anytime soon. Ucchan's tenacity was both laudable and annoying. Ranma decided to discuss the matter with Akane. He had been amazed at how she'd turned around after he'd actually *asked her* about Kodachi. *And* she'd had a good idea, too. Not that he seriously thought that it'd stop Kodachi's antics, but it'd still be worth trying. The heat of the water soaked into his muscles, relaxing him. Thoughts of Akane rose in his head. The way she had smiled at him when he had given her the parasol. Her pleased surprise when he had consulted with her. The guilty pleasure in her face after she had kissed him. The smell of her hair. The pleasant way she filled out that light yellow nightgown she had worn earlier; gee she had filled out during the past year! Ranma wondered if he still had larger breasts in his female form than his fiancee. His lips twisted briefly in a grimace. He probably did, if the kami had anything to say about it. Another point of friction with Akane. Idly he wondered if Nabiki's breasts were larger than his. That string bikini she'd given him at the photographer's studio had certainly fit well enough, for all its brevity. Nabiki. Now there was an odd girl. She certainly seemed less shy than Akane. His mind replayed scenes of Nabiki from the last few days: Her hand on his back as he sat up in bed; on the train, when he had seen the white curve of her panties up the leg of her shorts; the swaying of her hips as she walked up the stairs ahead of him; the twin points of her nipples moving freely inside her tank top. The day he had first come to the dojo, an unwilling passenger on his father's furry shoulder. 'He's cute!' she had exclaimed, her eyes raking him interestedly. Her hand on his breast, confirming that he was indeed female. She had been enthusiastic, then scared, then interested, then angry, then... distant. Sometimes manipulative... being officially engaged to her had been 'interesting'... sometimes sad... that time after family had visited their dead mother at the Tendou family shrine, just before he had met his own mother for the first time... and often direct, but always distant. Until now. Why? Nabiki had hugged him after his confession of despair in the dojo, and he had returned the hug as though she were a safe harbour in a tossing sea. It pained him to think back to that moment, his weakness, but.... perhaps it had been a turning point, for both of them. She hadn't been distant since then. Uncomfortable, perhaps, but not distant. And she seemed to have gone to quite a bit of trouble to set up this calendar thing, too. She had called him 'little brother'. Cutely. Ranma suddenly began to feel overheated, and grimaced, knowing he had stayed too long in the bath. With a sigh he stood up, water sheeting off him back into the furo. Quickly he used his fingers to scrape the excess water off his arms and body and stepped out onto the cool tiles of the bathroom floor. Shaking his head, he began to dry himself. Time enough to think about Nabiki some other time. For now he'd rather think about Akane. He dried himself and dressed, and padded back out to the dojo. In passing he noted that the living room was now empty; presumably the others were either in bed or otherwise occupied. Outside, walking across to the dojo and in the dojo itself, it was pleasantly cool. Ranma dumped his bathing things by his pack in the dojo and, dressed in the shorts and light tank-top that were his normal summer sleeping attire he went outside again to cool off from his too-long soak in the hot water of the furo. He settled on his favourite rock by the koi pond and turned his thoughts once again to Akane. The sound of running feet pricked Ranma's attention, ruining his attempt to enjoy the cool evening air in peace. With his ears he tracked the sound, and sure enough there burst through the gate... Kunou. "Yo, Kuno-*sempai*," drawled Ranma insultingly. "Whatcha want?" Kunou's stared on Ranma and his eyes bulged. "Sa-o-to-me!! Spawn of evil kami, how *dare* you defile the..." Kunou's voice stuck in his throat and he was reduced to gurgling sounds as he stepped forward, bokken held ready. Now within attack range, Kuno regained his voice. "How *dare* you defile the osage-no- onna in that way, posing with her, defiling her ethereal beauty and wholesomeness with your vile presence! I challenge you! Attack!!" A little surprised by the ferocity of Kunou's beserk attack, Ranma tripped and stumbled into the koi pond. Kunou crowed in delight. "Aaah, at last I have defeated--" He broke off as Ranma, now female, stood up in the middle of the pond. "Oooh! Osage- no-Onna!!" He whipped out a bunch of red roses. "Accept this small token of my esteem for you! Come to me and bask in the warmth of my love. Come away from this place, and I will do you the favour of *dating* you!!" Kunou's voice was shrill, and his eyes glittered. Ranma's stomach turned, but she kept her mouth shut. Inspiration came to her, and she decided to try Akane's approach... kind of. She schooled her features into neutral acceptance and stepped slightly towards Kunou. Reaching out, she gently took the roses. "Senpai," she said gently, "please listen to what I have to say, for it concerns a matter of honour." "A matter of honour is of the greatest possible import," said Kunou gravely, standing as close to Ranma as he could manage without getting wet. His suddenly-calm voice chilled Ranma. "Pray tell me." "Senpai, I have been pledged in marriage to another. It is a matter of giri, and cannot be avoided. Please do me the favour of not attempting to dishonour me by constantly pursuing me." Kunou's eyes widened in shock. "To whom are you pledged?" he asked, a small challenge in his voice. "Please, senpai, that is no concern of thine," said Ranma sweetly. "Again I ask you to do me the favour of not attempting to dishonour me or my fiancee. I beg you." She handed the flowers back to him. "I cannot even accept this small token of your appreciation. I humbly ask you to take them back." Kunou Tatewaki numbly took the flowers from Ranma, his eyes and mouth forming three round O's. Ranma was hard-pressed not to laugh, but she managed to keep a properly-simpering expression on her face, even as her stomach churned at the humble, fawning language she was using with Kunou. "Osage-no-onna... you... I..." Ranma was stunned to see Kunou's amazed expression dissolve into tears. "Such a tragedy! That such a flower of womanhood should be constrained into a marriage she *cannot* want! Ooooh!" Kunou again turned his gaze onto Ranma, who still stood in the pond, hands meekly clasped in front of her chest. "Osage-no-onna, I pledge that I will seek a way to somehow extract you from this heinous arrangement so that we can date! This I promise!" With a bow he said, "I shall take my leave and begin immediately! We *shall* be together!" Silently, Ranma-onna watched him gently close the garden gate behind him. Finally satisfied that Kunou was gone, she turned back to contemplate the pond. "Well whadda ya know," she said to the ghostly koi in a low, awed voice. "It actually worked." * * * Nabiki was reading a manga while lying on her bed when she heard the television go on again. At the sound of the fast- paced music and typically-cheezy sound effects she knew that it must be Ranma, watching a martial arts movie. She smiled to herself. She had seen his eyes when he had first come in this afternoon with Akane, felt him track the movement of her nipples across the inside of the top she had been wearing then. He found her attractive, she knew, even if the fact made him acutely uncomfortable. Putting the manga to one side, Nabiki reached into her bedside drawer and took out the picture of Ranma she had taken the other day, while he was training. She looked at it briefly,then pulled out the calendar proof she had shown the others earlier. For a time she lay back on the bed, her legs moving idly, slowly turning the pages. Ranma was alone downstairs... why not? Quickly Nabiki changed into her nightclothes. Looking at herself in the mirror, she briefly considered dressing like one of the characters in the manga she had been reading... an old story called "Maison Ikkoku", it had a barmaid who always dressed in a transparent negligee. No, that would be too radical. Ranma was shy prey, and if she made one mistake he would run a mile and be all the more difficult to catch. Not to mention the risk of someone else catching her in such atypical dress. She would go down as she was. On second thoughts, why not put on a little pressure and see how he reacted? Ranma wasn't going anywhere; why not see how the prey ran? Nabiki made one small adjustment to her clothing and went downstairs. The gentle creak of a stair tread diverted Ranma's attention away from the silly Hong Kong martial arts movie she was watching. Having seen Kunou off, she had come inside to dry herself off and had stayed because she didn't want to go to bed just yet. "Oh, it's you, Ranma," said Nabiki from behind him. "What's on?" Ranma turned her head to look at Nabiki. She was in her sleeping clothes, obviously ready for bed. The light, short cotton top she wore brushed the tops of her thighs like a tee- shirt two sizes too large. "Nothin' much," Ranma said as she turned her attention back to the TV. Behind Ranma, Nabiki frowned. Still, she mused to herself, she shouldn't be too surprised; Ranma saw her like this quite often. Maybe she should up the stakes a little. But first.... Warm water splashed over Ranma who suddenly became male. Spluttering, he spun to face Nabiki who stood behind him holding an empty glass. "Oh good," she said with a smile, "it was still warm enough." "What'd you do that for?!" Nabiki set down the glass on the living room table and stepped around to Ranma's front. "I prefer you as a guy," she said as she sank down next to him. She leaned back against him, facing the TV. "Younger brothers make useful cushions," she added with a smile in her voice. Ranma kept silent, preferring to settle down and watch the movie instead of making an issue of it. He didn't really mind Nabiki leaning against him that much, and in the cooler air of late evening it wasn't too warm for comfort, either. He just wished it was Akane who was leaning against him that way, stroking his thigh. Ack! Stroking his thigh?! Without thinking, Ranma levitated backwards. Nabiki caught herself before she hit the floor and turned to face him. "Hey, why'd you do that?" she asked, looking a little annoyed. "You were... were..." "What?" "Stroking my leg," Ranma finished awkwardly. Nabiki had the grace to look abashed, Ranma noted. "Oh? I'm sorry, I didn't realise I was doing it." A quick retort ran through Ranma's mind, but he managed to keep his mouth clamped. Instead he just nodded and settled down to watch TV again. Nabiki, though, had other ideas. She sat on top of the table, facing the TV, her legs in front of her. "Ne, Ranma?" "What?" "Do you think I'll do okay at Kenpo? It's been a really long time since I've done any." Ranma sighed and looked away from the movie to see that Nabiki had lifted one leg up and had her forehead against her knee. She looked over at him, and he saw that she was looking at him seriously rather than wearing her 'cute' expression again. He frowned and attempted to give her a serious answer. "I dunno," he said as he watched her lower and raise her leg. "You did okay tonight, but you've got a way to go just in conditioning. I don't see why not, though. Akane's pretty good, and she's your sister. Same blood and all. At least you're nice and flexible." Nabiki lowered her leg again, then flipped so she was lying on her side, facing Ranma. She smiled at him, a predatory smile, and Ranma began to get nervous. "You have no idea how flexible, brother dear." She put a finger to her lips and smiled. Ranma began to sweat at the odd look on her face. Then, without further preamble, Nabiki lifted one leg up and through the vertical. The bottom of her sleeping shirt rode up to rest at her waist, revealing to the stunned Ranma her brief white panties. He could not help but notice that they had been pulled up so that they were stretched tight, showing every curve of Nabiki's... "N-n-n-Nabiki! Wha-what are you doing?!" stuttered Ranma, who sat, unable to move, frozen like a rabbit caught at night in a spotlight. "Moi? I'm just showing you how flexible I am, Ranma-kun," said Nabiki innocently, grasping her leg with one hand. "Isn't this good?" "Bu-bubbu-but..." With almost physical effort Ranma managed to concentrate on Nabiki's face. "Don't!" Pouting, Nabiki lowered her leg. "Why not?" she asked. Then a smile crossed her face, and she added, "Flexibility's good for more than just martial arts, Ra-n-ma-ku-n. Watch." Flipping onto her back again, Ranma watched fascinated as Nabiki half-sat and spread her legs a little. She was beginning to curl over more tightly than Ranma would have believed possible when something snapped in him and he ran outside to safety followed by Nabiki's laughter. Breathing rapidly, sweating, Ranma hunched himself on a rock by the side of the koi pond. He fixed his gaze on the fish, ghostly white in the dark water of the pond. He couldn't *believe* what Nabiki had done. He raged at the way his body was betraying his thoughts even now. Nudity was nothing new to him, and thanks to the curse and the wonders of back-woods onsens, neither was the female body, but this was the first time anything so... sexual had happened to him. Even though Nabiki hadn't actually showed him anything. Part of him raged at himself for running away like a coward. Part of him raged at Nabiki for doing what she had, forcing him to react in the way she had. Could it have been deliberate, seeking to have him betray Akane, her own sister? No! Never! It must just be the way Nabiki was. He had so little experience with the new, closer Nabiki that maybe this was just her true nature. For that matter, perhaps Nabiki was discovering new things about herself, learning how to interact with people in a closer mode. He cursed himself for interpreting her actions in a sexual way. She was just trying to be friendly. He couldn't think of anyone else she was close to. Could it be... For the second time that night, Ranma's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of running feet. 'Feh,' thought Ranma. 'I bet it's that jerk Kunou again.' The gate burst open, and sure enough, it was Kunou. Ranma dived into the koi pond. He seemed to have a greater power over Kunou in his female form than as a male, hated rival. Standing up again, Ranma-onna saw Kunou standing by the gate, jittering about with his bokken in a guard position, obviously seeking something. She decided to call out. "Kunou-senpai," she called in what she hoped was a discouraging voice. "What do you want?" Kunou suddenly stopped, frozen, then he dashed over to the koi pond. Ranma reflected that their positions were almost identical to when they had talked earlier, though this time Kunou's eyes bulged unwholesomely. She wondered what was going through his diseased mind now. "Osage-no-onna! I will do you the favour of dating with you! Come with me now!" He held out a hand to her to help her from the pond. Ranma looked at Kunou's hand like it was a snake. What had happened to him? It was almost as though they hadn't talked before. She decided to repeat her previous position. Putting on a 'kawaii' expression, Ranma said in a sweet voice, "Senpai, please, I say again, I have been pledged in marriage to another. It is a matter of honour, and my feelings are of no moment in this. I beg you, please leave me... us... alone." Kunou dropped his hand and again took up his bokken, though his expression was pleasant enough if you ignored his eyes and the sweat on his brow. The bokken gleamed coldly in the moonlight, and Ranma noted with an unpleasant thrill that what she had thought was his bokken was in fact a live sword! She would have to be careful. "And to whom have you been betrothed, sweet one? For I would judge his worthiness myself." "As I said to you earlier, Kunou-senpai, that is no concern of thine. Please leave us alone." Suddenly Kunou's face hardened. "I will know the identity of your betrothed," he said peremptorily. "Tell me your name too, Osage-no-onna," he added in what Ranma imagined was meant to be a gentle, persuasive voice. The effect was spoiled by the way the sweat stood out on his brow, though, and the way he trembled. "Your true name?" Ranma's face hardened and she stepped out of the pond to one side of Kunou. "If you insist, *senpai*," she said, no longer attempting to keep the sneer from her voice. Taking stance, Ranma said, "My name -- my true name -- is Saotome Ranma, and the name of my betrothed is Tendou Akane. We have been pledged to each other by our families. I ask you *again* to cease your attempts to --" "You lie!" shrieked Kunou, now almost frothing at the mouth. "You are not -- cannot be -- Saotome Ranma! I challenge you, O demon!! I will dispel your evil glamour by defeating you in combat!" And with that he lunged forward, his katana flashing out. Ranma watched him come, and then seemed to simply step through Kunou. Then Kunou was lying on his face, pinned in a submission hold, whining in pain as Ranma held his arms at seemingly-impossible angles. Kunou gasped to regain the breath knocked out of him by his sudden impact with the ground. "What... how..." he gasped eventually. Ranma's eyes blazed. "Are you listening?" she grated. "Do you accept your defeat?" Kuno lay there, staring at Ranma as well as he could given his position. "Do you accept your defeat?" she grated. Like a snake striking, she flicked a light blow at Kunou's exposed throat to emphasise his position. The older boy went into paroxysms of coughing. Eventually he stopped and, eyes burning, he glared at Ranma in confusion. "Listen carefully. I am Saotome Ranma. This I swear. I am cursed to become female when I get wet. This I also swear, on my honour. Do you understand?" Kunou's eyes were wild. Squeaking sounds of denial escaped his throat. "You will leave myself and Tendou Akane alone," Ranma continued in a low, savage voice. "You will cease your attacks on us, whether in person or by proxy. If you attack either of us again, I will not kill you, but I promise that I will hurt you very badly indeed." Ranma gritted her teeth against the need to finish the fight rather than simply talking, and instead simply touched in succession those of Kunou's vulnerable points that she could reach: His arm, shoulder, chest, throat, and finally a feather touch on each of Kunou's lower eyelids. "Do. You. Understand?!" His sudden pallor and stetorous breathing told Ranma that Kunou had got the message, and Ranma stepped back. "I see you do. Now go, you stupid bastard, and never darken our door again." His eyes blazing, Kunou got up and grabbed his katana in shaking hands. "Saotome Ranma...," he said in a voice shaking with rage. "Saotome Ranma, you are no man!!" he shrieked as he leapt into the attack, his sword swinging with a wicked hiss. Ranma sighed in regret. It was over in a moment. Kunou lay on the ground, groaning in pain, while Ranma stood over him, fists clenched, breathing hard through his nose. The sword lay bent to one side. "Ara! Ranma-kun, what's happening?" Ranma spun at the sound of Kasumi's voice, her normally- sweet tones overlaid with concern. She was standing at the edge of the house's perimeter passageway, looking out into the garden. As Ranma watched, Soun came up behind her. "I just had a visit from Kunou," she said in disgust. "Kasumi-san, you'd better call the doctor. Ojisan, I'm sorry to say that Kunou could not be dissuaded from his challenge, and he hurried me." Kasumi raced inside, while Soun came outside. For a long moment he looked wordlessly at Kunou and then at the bent katana nearby, then he closed his eyes and bowed his head. "I see that young Kunou decided to up the stakes tonight," he rumbled in a quiet voice barely audible above Kunou's groans. "Regrettable. It seems he will live." Kasumi ran from inside the house with her first-aid pack. Soun put out an arm to stop her. "Is the doctor coming, Kasumi?" "Yes, otousan. He said he would come immediately." "Then I would prefer that you not waste your efforts on this one. There is little you can do, anyway. He is not cut, nor does he bleed, and it will require a doctor to cure his hurts." The three of them stood in silent tableau waiting for the doctor. Kunou slipped into unconsciousness after a short time, quieting his groans, and for that Ranma was glad. She regretted doing what he had to the elder boy. It had not been necessary; she could have simply knocked him out if she had wanted, but... she had made a promise. She always kept her promises. After perhaps five minutes a car pulled up outside and the doctor bustled in to the yard. He knelt to examine Kunou, noting his broken bones and asking Kasumi to call for an ambulance almost immediately. Then, re-examining the boy, he drew back in shock. "This boy is under the influence of drugs," he said regretfully. "It is the scourge of modern times," he added with a shake of his head. Ranma-onna suddenly noticed that neither of the younger Tendous were present. Nabiki's absence in particular was odd. And Kunou... drugged? Ranma's danger senses were clamouring. She looked around hurriedly. "Where's Akane!?" she asked Soun, who simply looked briefly confused. Now almost frantic, she dashed inside. A moment later, a scream of rage erupted from inside the house. Shortly thereafter, a now-male Ranma came sprinting out of the house, his eyes burning, a lambent yellow aura glowing about him. "Kusooo babaaa!" he screeched as he ran. A piece of paper fluttered to the ground in his wake, and Soun stooped to pick it up. The letters were formal, neatly formed, and chilling. "I have Akane and Nabiki. You must come to the Nekohanten alone." Author's Notes: Several points in this episode allude to points in the manga that have almost certainly not yet been translated by Viz. These are the "bust battle" story arc, the "fishing rod of love" stories, and the "10-year special sauce" story. Of these, at least the latter is available at the Ranma 1/2 Project webpage. See my webpage for a link. Note for readers of the Viz translated manga: Ukyou's repeated use of the term 'kawaii iinazuke' refers to the time that she first was introduced to Akane formally by Ranma. He introduces her to Akane as his 'kawaii iinazuke'; he then introduces Akane to Ukyou as his 'kawaikunai iinazuke', although Ranma's loose pronunciation and/or street dialect makes the word come out as 'kawaikunee'. I'd like to thank my pre-readers, especially Chris Jones, whose comments were invaluable in bringing this part to completion. There is only one more part to go. Coming soon, hopefully: "Nekophobia Part 9: The Rescue of Akane!" Glossary: Baba: Old woman Bokken: A wooden sword used in place of a katana in practice. Despite being made from wood, it can nonetheless be quite deadly. Furo: A Japanese bath. Note that these are usually designed to allow the occupant to soak up to his or her neck, and are often designed for multiple occupancy since it is not uncommon for members of the same sex to share the furo. The water is usually not drained (as with a spa), which is why Japanese wash *before* getting into the bath. The cold water used for actual washing also helps soften the impact of getting into the hot water of the furo. Gi: The uniforms worn by martial artists are called "gi". Koi: Goldfish, of a sort. Carp. (NB: The word also means "romantic love", which is the source of many bad jokes... including in the Ranma 1/2 manga.) Kami: God or spirit. In Shinto, there is a very large number of kami, including those of one's ancestors. Kawaii: Cute. It is something of a passion amoungst many Japanese females to be "kawaii", including perhaps most teenagers. Calling such a girl "kawaikunai" (not cute) is a far more hurtful insult than it is in English. Kuso: Shit. Iinazuke: Fiancee. Imouto: One's own younger sister. (It's considered rather impolite to use this word when referring to someone else's younger sister.) Obasan: Aunt. Okaasan: Mother. (Okaachan is a more familiar version of this.) Ojisan: Uncle. Onsen: Hot spring. Oneesan: Elder sister; using "-chan" and dropping the "o" ('neechan') is a very familiar version which could probably sorta-kinda be translated as "sis". Onna: Female. Otousan: Father. Senpai: Social superior. In regard of the relationship between Kunou and Ranma, "senpai" means upperclassman.