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Ranma 1/2 - Redefined

A fanfic by Baka-ken (#Fanfic nickname)

Disclaimer: Yeah, all Ranma 1/2 characters are Rumiko Takahashi's.
Everything new is mine, all mine!

C&C are profusely welcome to gibbering_geoff@hotmail.com

Part 1: Cure?

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~Hmm...~    denotes thoughts

-What?!-    denotes emphasis

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A typical morning at the Tendo Dojo, the sounds of combat rose up,
startling some birds into flight. Ranma Saotome and his father jumped
into the air above the Tendo family's koi pond, punches and kicks
flying between them and being blocked as quickly as they arrived.

"Breakfast's ready, Ranma, Mr. Saotome!" came a call from the house.
Ranma's head turned.

"Thanks Kasumi!" he called back. His father took the opportunity to send
Ranma hurtling towards the koi pond with a kick. A spluttering redheaded
girl emerged from the water, snarling. "What'd you do that for!?" she
demanded, grabbing her father, who had landed next to the pond, by his
gi and throwing him into the water. She walked towards the house as a
panda rose from the pond, -literally- growling.

Kasumi turned towards the door as the girl and panda walked in.

"Kettle's boiling," she said with a smile. The eldest Tendo daughter
always smiled, brightening anyone's day with her perpetual good mood.

"Thanks, Kasumi," Ranma said, nodding her head. Despite the fact that
her gi no longer fit her smaller frame, and her hair was plastered to
her forehead, she was smiling. The prospect of Kasumi's food did that to
anyone, but especially someone with Ranma's appetite. Wringing water
from her pigtail, she sat down at the table as the others arrived.
Akane, Nabiki and Soun Tendo sat down, as did the panda and Nodoka
Saotome.

Nodoka had arrived for a visit a few days before to see her niece
and son, Ranko Tendo and Ranma Saotome. Unfortunately for the two in
question she had arrived just in time to see a bucket of water from
Akane fly at Ranma, accompanied by the words "Ranma no baka!" as usual.
What she didn't expect was for her son to turn into the redhead she had
been told was Akane's cousin.

Taking the news surprisingly well, she hadn't, as they had feared,
ordered the two men to commit seppuku. Genma had had to sit down,
however, and explain to his shocked wife about their training trip to
China, and the curses they had acquired from the springs at the valley
of Jusenkyo. After she had been assured by everyone in the Tendo
household that Ranma resented his curse and was indeed a man, her
bloodlust subsided and she left Ranma alone.

Much to Ranma's delight Nodoka had elected to stay at the Tendo
household with her son for a time. Now that there was no fear of her
discovering his curse and killing him, he was eager to spend time with
her. After berating Genma for several days for his utter stupidity in
taking Ranma to such a place, she had calmed and begun to help Kasumi
with the housework and to get to know her son and his fiancee a bit
better.

Ranma began to wolf down her food, barely looking up when Kasumi brought
the kettle, but muttering her thanks. She got a stare from Nodoka for
this, who dragged her from the table and emptied the kettle on her head.

"Hey! I was eatin'!" objected the again male Ranma, shaking his dripping
head and arms and returning to the table to see Genma, returned to human
form by another kettle from Kasumi, empty Ranma's breakfast into his
mouth. Ranma picked him up by the collar and threw him back into the koi
pond with a shout of "BAKA!" He then dashed upstairs to change into dry
clothes before the panda could to the same to him. Once a morning was
enough of being a girl. Too much, even.

==========

Ranma and Akane were walking to school not talking as usual, Ranma on a
the fence a few paces behind Akane. ~He could walk on a tightrope
without noticing~ thought Akane to herself. Then she cursed herself for
thinking such praise of him. He was her fiance, but that was their
parents' arrangement, not theirs... She was woken by her reverie by a
shout.

"Airen!"

She gritted her teeth. This was all she needed. Ranma had turned as
well, eyes wide. He jumped down from the fence, not wanting to be caught
off balance by the inevitable glomp. Sure enough, Shampoo jumped onto
him, wrapping her arms around his neck. The Chinese Amazon also claimed
to be Ranma's fiancee, but Akane saw no validity in her claim. ~Marrying
him just because he beat her... He never beat me... Won't even fight me
properly...~

"Wo da airen!" Shampoo said happily. Ranma made no reply, eyes wide with
fear. Sure enough, what he had dreaded came.

"RANMA NO BAKA!" screamed Akane, swinging her schoolbag at his head. He
fell to the ground out of Shampoo's grip. That was something, at
least...

"What Violent Girl want?" asked Shampoo. "No hit Shampoo's Ranma!" They
faced off, each taking a combat stance. Despite herself, Akane didn't
make a reply to that. ~HER Ranma?!~

"Just get whatever you want to say over with, Shampoo. We gotta got to
school." That was Ranma, standing up and rubbing his head. Akane winced
slightly. She hadn't really meant to hurt him.

"Great grandmother want see Ranma at Nekohanten. Come after school," she
said simply. "Shampoo go now, Airen," she flashed him a smile and a "Wo
ai ni!" as she ran back towards the cafe.

"What'd you hit me for?" Ranma asked Akane.

"You were all over that Chinese bimbo!" Akane objected.

"Was not! -She- glomped -me-!"

"Hentai!"

"Kawaiikune tomboy!"

"BAKA!"

The last was accompanied by a splashing sound as Ranma, not paying
attention because of the argument, was hit with a ladleful of water from
an old lady. Akane giggled to herself. Served him right.

A dripping Ranma-chan shook herself, running to catch back up with
Akane, who had walked on ahead.

"Every time..." she was muttering.

"What?"

"Every single time. She never misses. It's like Anything-Goes-Martial-
Arts-Turn-Ranma-Into-A-Girl-On-The-Way-To-School. She's a master!" she
babbled. Akane couldn't help but giggle. Ranma stuck out her tongue,
making a noise as she dashed on. Akane broke out into a run too. She'd
seen him as well.

Tatewaki Kuno, the self-professed Blue Thunder of Furinkan high, stood
at the school gates, his arms spread as the two girls approached.

"Akane Tendo! Pig-tailed goddess! Come to my arms, my loves!"

With a glance at each other, both Ranma and Akane launched themselves
into the air. Kuno was confused at first, but it all became clear as two
feet connected with his face, smashing his head hard against the ground.
Then it all went black. Meanwhile Ranma and Akane, panting with
frustration, had ducked into a supply closet. Akane glanced at her watch
and scowled.

"We're gonna be late."

"Go. I'll get it myself." Akane suppressed a snarl at that. Damn him! He
was always so self-confident. Why couldn't he just accept help when it
was offered? That was one of the most annoying things about Ranma,
despite all her attempts to be nice. Why didn't she just give up? It'd
serve daddy and Mr Saotome right for forcing this on her...

"No, I'll help you."

"I don't think you wanna do that, Akane..."

"Why not?!"

"I'm going to the men's room."

Akane turned scarlet. Of course, Ranma's curse was common knowledge now.
It was a little hard to keep it a secret when the hot water had cut out
in the middle of his shower, leaving a dripping, female Ranma to face
the entirety of the men's locker room. But with characteristic cool she
dried herself off, got dressed and went in search of a kettle. The weeks
following that had been full of rumour about both Ranma and Akane, but
Ranma had, thankfully, set the record straight. His choice of words
hadn't been great ("That tomboy's bad enough without a curse"), but at
least people stopped trying to throw cold water at her.

"Fine. See you at class.." she muttered, storming out of the room.

Ranma watched wistfully after her. Kicking herself for being such a jerk
about it.

"Why can't we ever get along?" she asked the empty air. Bending down,
she picked up a bucket. Then she followed Akane out the door, heading to
the men's room. She pushed open the door, glancing around. A few guys
were in there, but it wasn't anything new to them any more. They were a
little upset that they wouldn't have long to stare at the redhead, but
the last person to stand between Ranma and hot water had to be removed
from the wall with a crowbar.

Filling the bucket with hot water, Ranma lifted it over her head and
turned it over. Trying to shake some of the water from his hands and
hair he made his way to his locker, where he kept a pair of spare
clothes. Much as he was loathe to admit it, it had been Akane's idea,
and a good one. Maybe she wasn't that uncute...

With a start, he realised he'd been staring into space, imagining
Akane's smile when he had followed her advice.

==========

Many unbearable hours later, Ranma walked out of the school gates with
Akane. Akane began to head for the Tendo dojo, as usual, expecting Ranma
to follow on the fence, but he began to head in a completely different
direction.

"Hey!" she called. "Are you turning into Ryoga?" Ranma turned, pulling a
face. Akane felt her blood boil. ~It was just a joke... does he have to
be so rude?~

"Gotta go to the Nekohanten, remember?" he said as she approached him.
He didn't want to get malletted before he got a chance to explain.

"To see Shampoo," was the cold reply.

"Cologne actually. Wanna come? Maybe you can keep Shampoo offa me while
I talk to the old ghoul."

Akane fumed. There he went again, claiming he wasn't all over Shampoo
every time she appeared. She wished he knew how she felt when that
happened. She wished she knew. All the conflicting feelings inside of
her were at war, a hundred voices speaking at once. She couldn't
distinguish how she felt from the chaos inside her, as every time he
showed any sort of kindness, she was torn between joy and suspicion,
every time he showed some affection she was torn between her own
affection for him and her bitterness at previous behaviour. Could they
ever build a marriage? Neither knew what they had in common, or what the
other felt like.

"Fine," she muttered, following him.

"You don't gotta come..." Ranma complained. "If you don't wanna."

"It's alright. I'll come."

Ranma shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets and slowing down a
little to keep with her. He didn't want to make her feel unwelcome,
really... Damn Pop for forcing them into this engagement! Panda no
baka...

He glanced to Akane. She was walking morosely, seemingly lost in thought
as well. Maybe he should try and strike up conversation. That was a lost
cause if ever there was one. They'd end up getting into some
misunderstanding, and she'd send him into orbit. Again. He looked away,
sighing to himself and wondering if things would ever get better between
the two of them.

"Ranma?"

The boy nearly jumped out of his skin. He wasn't expecting any
conversation, and had lost himself in feelings of self-pity.

"Yeah?" he replied, trying to think what she might say. Was she angry?
She didn't really sound it...

"We just passed the Nekohanten."

"Oh." his cheeks burned. He'd gotten so lost in his head he'd missed the
familiar building. Turning back to the building he approached and opened
the door for Akane, causing her to frown at the uncharacteristic
thoughtfulness. Fine. If she didn't want him to be kind to her, he
wouldn't bother!

Following her inside, Ranma looked around, hoping not to see Shampoo.
Unfortunately, she saw him enter and, after giving Akane a cold stare,
run to him. Akane blocked her path, and the poor Chinese girl had to
slam her heels into the ground to avoid glomping the youngest Tendo.

"Uh... we're here to see Cologne," murmured Ranma, scratching the back
of his head nervously. The two girls were staring daggers at each other.
He hoped this didn't break out into a fight. He didn't feel like
avoiding the crossfire today, and didn't think he'd be able to break it
up before one of them got hurt.

"Hai, Airen!" chirped Shampoo happily. "I get great-grandmother." With
that she sped off into the back of the cafe, disappearing from sight.
Ranma glanced around again, looking at the customers this time. It
wasn't very busy, which was probably a good thing when Shampoo and
Akane were in the same building.

A minute later, Cologne wandered out of the kitchen and hopped onto a
chair next to the pair.

"Good afternoon, son-in-law," she said, looking him up and down. Akane's
teeth grated at that. It was all she could do to keep her mouth shut.
She really didn't want to annoy the old woman. She was more powerful
than Ranma, and despite her insistence that it wasn't the case, she
admitted to herself that even on her best day she wouldn't have a chance
of beating Ranma in a fight, apart from the fact that he refused to
fight a girl.

"Hey, Cologne. What'd you want me for?" Ranma asked, pulling up a chair
near the old amazon. He completely ignored the fuming fiancees,
concentrating on what Cologne had to say while hoping like hell they
behaved themselves.

"It's a matter of some importance," began the Amazon elder cryptically.

"Get to the point then," interjected Ranma testily. If this wasn't over
with soon, there'd be injuries. No doubt some of them to himself.

"I think I have found a cure." Ranma felt the tension subside as his and
Akane's mouths fell open, the two of them staring at Cologne, all
thoughts of the inevitable clash wiped from their minds.

"What?" asked Ranma, understandably.

"I have foun-"

"No, what is it?" he butted in, irritably.

Cologne was carefully silent for a few seconds. She did not want to give
this too easily. She must give Ranma time to decide what he was willing
to give of himself in exchange for a cure. Despite the young man's
insistence that he would do anything, she was sure he would refuse the
cure if she demanded he marry Shampoo.

"The specifics are unnecessary. This is the deal. Tomorrow night I will
meet you in the Tendo Dojo. I will attempt the cure. On one condition."
she said.

"I will cure you. But you must agree to spend time with Shampoo. To get
to know her better before rejecting her claim of marriage. Maybe help
her learn Japanese a little better."

"Fine." Ranma was actually relieved. He'd thought Cologne would demand
he marry Shampoo on the spot. For that price, he would be forced to
decline the offer of a cure. He didn't want to hurt any of the
prospective fiancees. There were too many conflicting promises for him
to sort anything out without a rift forming between them all.

"But why tomorrow night? Can't we do it tonight?"

"I need time to prepare, son-in-law. This is no small task."

He had to admit that. So far his curse had resisted all attempts to cure
him, leaving him bitter every time a cure presented itself, suspecting
that this one, too, would end in defeat. This seemed different though.
Cologne seemed to truly believe that the cure would work. How could she
know, unless...

"Cologne, have you tried this on someone else?"

A smile crept across the withered Elder's face. She had known the boy
wasn't that stupid.

"Of course."

Ranma looked at Shampoo. She nodded, slowly.

Disbelieving still, Ranma filled a glass with water, and threw it at the
Chinese girl. He stared, expecting to see a terror-inducing cat. He saw
a dripping Amazon. Stunned, he dropped back onto a chair, eyes wide,
mouth gaping.

"It's really true..."

It was all he could say. Since the day he fell into the Nyannichuan he'd
wished for a cure, and here it was. Shampoo was living proof of it.

"Ranma no believe Shampoo?" she pouted, snapping him out of his reverie.
He looked up at the drenched, angry girl.

"Uh... It's not like.. I didn't mean..." he stammered, standing up and
raising his hands in defence.

"It ok. Shampoo no mind."

"That's 'It's okay, I don't mind.'" said Akane.

The two of them turned to her, having almost forgotten she was there.
She looked down, muttering something about wanting Ranma cured as much
as Shampoo did.

==========

Akane and Ranma wandered into the Tendo home, neither talking much, but
neither insulting one another either.

"We're back!" called Akane. The various Tendos and Saotomes looked,
acknowledged them, then stopped. They were smiling. Suspicions formed in
their minds.

"What's up with you two? Where've you been?" asked Nabiki, looking at
the smiles on their faces, how close together they were standing, and
the general aura of happiness Ranma seemed to be exuding.

"Nothing. Nowhere," said Ranma, a little too quickly for Nabiki's taste.

"There's a cure!" butted in Akane, going to sit with her sister. Ranma
scowled, sitting down nearby.

"Kawaiikune tomboy," he muttered to himself. "Way to let everyone know.
I was gonna surprise Pop in our morning spar!"

Akane stuck her tongue out, trying to let the insult pass. Despite
knowing he didn't really mean it, it still hurt. Now wasn't the time to
fight, anyway...

"Ranma no baka!" she heard herself yell, her hand curling into a fist.
Before she could give herself any more advice she wouldn't follow, she
swung, sending Ranma flying out of the door into the koi pond.

The redhead rose from the water, surprisingly not showing too much
anger. She shook her arms and legs before returning inside, dripping
onto the floor. She shrugged amiably.

"I had to kiss this body goodbye anyway," was the cocky remark they'd
been waiting for.

"A CURE!?"

Genma knocked over the shogi table he and Soun constantly occupied in
his mad dash to Ranma. His eyes almost glowed with hope as he looked
into his son's eyes. She looked away in mock bashfulness. Grabbing her
roughly by the shoulders he glared, demanding she tell him. The redhead
easily grabbed her father by the gi and hurled him in the direction of
the pond.

Carefully readjusting her shirt, she turned to the enraged panda.

"Cologne claims there's a cure. It worked on Shampoo," she said plainly.
"She's coming tomorrow night to get rid of my curse once and for all."
There was no small hint of triumph in Ranma's voice. Finally the demon
that had ridden her back ever since Jusenkyo would be banished. Maybe
she could even use the cure to calm Ryoga for once.

~P-chan'd probably be glad of a chance to get rid of his curse. Wonder
if he'd give up chasing me if he got cured.~

"I'm takin' a bath," declared Ranma, walking back inside and heading to
the bathroom. She filled the tub and stripped, slipping into the hot
water with a sigh. It felt good to relax and return to his normal self.
He began to wash.

==========

The figure sat back onto the roof of the Tendo dojo, thoughtful. A cure
was not something the figure wanted. Not for Ranma in any case. It
couldn't care less about the others. But that redhead was too...
enjoyable to lose. What to do? An idea presented itself, and a smile
spread across the wizened, shadowed face. That would definitely be
interesting, and possible.

Speeding away across the rooftops, Happosai went to prepare for the
greatest achievement of his long life.

==========

The following morning went without event, besides Ranma's usual
transformations. He was smiling however, changing back and every time
reminding himself that soon he could soon leave behind his hatred of
cold water. As usual he didn't concentrate at all on school, spending
most of his time lost in daydreams of walking in the rain, or going
swimming as a guy.

Despite an encounter with Kuno after school, just as it began to rain,
Ranma headed to the Tendo dojo in good spirits, side by side with Akane.
The offending kendoist, meanwhile, was in low earth orbit.

"I'm shocked," said Ranma suddenly.

"What?"

"I'm shocked," she repeated.

"I -heard- you, baka. Why?" growled Akane.

"So far nothing's got in the way of me and this cure. No-one come to
kidnap you... Cologne didn't ask me to marry Shampoo... no-one's
attacked me..."

"Kuno-"

"Doesn't count," finished Ranma. Akane was forced to agree with her on
that point. Before Ranma had arrived, Akane had regularly beaten off his
advances, not losing even once. And little as she wished to admit it,
she was worlds away from Ranma in skill. If ever they fought for some
reason... Akane shuddered to think.

"Anyway, you get what I mean. The old pervert's been quiet, Ryoga hasn't
shown up with some new way of beating me, and better yet, I don't have
another fiancee I've never met... I hope."

That last statement was followed by a furtive glance around. Fuming,
Akane looked away from the girl next to her. ~You'd just love that,
wouldn't you?! Another woman chasing after you like all the others...
Damn you!~ Why did he have to hurt her so badly? It wasn't like he meant
anything to her... their parents had forced them into it... and Kasumi
and Nabiki had chosen her. She'd had no say in it. But then again, he
was -her- fiance. That realisation bit deep. He belonged to her, not
Shampoo, not Ukyo, not some random girl to appear one day and disappear
the next.

Walking in silence, she tried not to think of all the times Ranma had
saved her from various fates. But that left her thinking of all the
times she'd refused to listen to him and sent him away with a kick, or a
punch, or a blow from her mallet. Why couldn't they get along?

For Ranma's part, she was oblivious to the pit of depression beside her.
Her mind was full of the possibilities of the cure. It worked. Shampoo
was proof of that. Unless, of course, the cure involved water from the
Nyannichuan. But surely Cologne wouldn't be stupid enough to offer her a
cure that only worked for girls... would she?

As they approached the dojo's front entrance, heading in through the
wooden gates, they expected -something- to be there, barring Ranma's
way. There was nothing. Not a trace of obstruction. The path to the
house was swept, and the familiar signs of normal life emanated from the
building.

Ranma was starting to get worried. Did this mean that for once a cure
was going to go right? Surely not. The universe just didn't work that
way. It was never easy for Ranma Saotome. He half expected the world to
end, just so that he wouldn't get his cure without a fight.

Wandering inside, the pair called out to the families Saotome and Tendo,
announcing their return. Everyone turned to face them, the silly grins
on their faces leaving Ranma bemused until Kasumi explained.

"Cologne called. She'll be over around eight."

Ranma nodded slowly.

"Then I'm gonna go take a bath. Wanna be ready for her when she gets
here."

He left the room, bounding up the stairs. Then Soun Tendo bore down on
Akane, wrapping his arms around her and bursting into tears.

"At last, my daughter's getting married!" he wailed, rivers running down
his cheeks.

"WHAT?! Who said anything about a wedding?" yelped the youngest Tendo,
pushing her father away from her.

"Well... of course, when Ranma's a full man, there's no reason not to
marry him... the family honour is at stake here..."

"NO! I'm not marrying Ranma!" ~Yet...~ she added to herself silently.
"Don't make decisions for me all the time!"

"But... but..." Soun burst into a fresh fit of crying, prostrating
himself on the ground and beating the floor with his fists. "WAAAH!! My
daughter's never going to get married and carry on the dojo!"

Akane sighed.

==========

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The clocked droned on as time inevitably wound on towards eight o'clock.
Inevitably unless something happened to put the very fabric of space-
time through a spin cycle and hang it on the line, that is. Which wasn't
totally out of the question in Nerima.

"She'll be here any minute." Akane couldn't think of anything else to
fill the gaping silence between the assembled families. Ranma,
meanwhile, was pacing up and down the dojo floor. The others surrounded
him, sitting by the walls.

"She'd better be." was the gruff reply from Ranma. He'd been on edge all
evening, and even Kasumi's food hadn't been attacked with his usual
gusto.

"I'm here, son-in-law," called Cologne, bouncing into the dojo on her
stick, with which she made a sweeping gesture at the specatators. "Out.
Now. All of you."

"But-" began various people, but they were cut off by the Amazon
matriarch's barked command.

"Out!"

Muttering discontentedly, the Tendos and Saotomes filed out, except for
Ranma and Akane. Ranma's fiancee stood her ground, glaring at Cologne.

"Akane, please leave. This is between Ranma and myself. Don't make me
force you out."

"Hey! Touch Akane and you'll regret it, ghoul!"

"You're a hundred years away from being any sort of challenge, son-in-
law... As Shampoo's suitor, I'll allow you to deal with this, but no-one
but you and I may be involved in this." She turned away, and Ranma
confronted Akane.

"Akane, do as she says. Please," he glanced down at the end of this, not
looking at her face. But the quick flash at the pain in his eyes shocked
Akane to the core. He was really worried about this. Reaching out to
touch his arm softly, she stopped before she made contact, and pulled
back.

"Alright," she said stiffly. "But you'd better come get me when she's
done." A touch of ire entered her voice at that point, but Ranma was too
anxious about the potential of a cure to notice. Not that he never
noticed anyway.

Ranma looked up and smiled at her, that shy little smile that was so
familiar to her. Then, turning back to Cologne as Akane turned and
walked morosely from the room, he addressed her, getting directly to the
point.

"So, ghoul, where's this cure you've promised me?"

"I have it." She snapped her fingers, and Shampoo appeared from outside,
her arms full of bottles, books and mysterious jars of herbs.

"Hey!" shouted Ranma. "Akane's not allowed here, but Shampoo is? That
ain't fair!" Shampoo obviously didn't appreciate the mention of Akane,
but she sat, silently glaring at Cologne, sorting the collection of
spell components in her arms into some incomprehensible organisation.
Cologne, meanwhile, walked to Ranma, tapping the centre of his chest
with her stick, like she had when she used the Full-Body Cat's Tongue
pressure point.

"Listen to me, son-in-law. Shampoo is here as my assistant. She'll be
leaving when the ceremony begins. Don't presume to lecture me."

Ranma fumed, never liking to be told what to do. The possibility of a
cure, however, stopped the biting remark before it reached his throat.

"What do I have to do?" he asked, running a hand absent-mindedly through
his hair.

"Sit," replied that amazon matriarch, nodding to Shampoo, who left, with
a glance of support towards her fiance.

==========

Happosai giggled happily as he bounded across the rooftops towards the
Tendo dojo. Soon he'd have Ranma all for himself, all the time. Visions
of a gorgeous redhead in various skimpy feminine outfits swam before his
eyes, surely his reward for pulling this off. He had no equipment, not
needing it for this task. No. All the old man needed was himself.

And Ranma's cure. He giggled evilly to himself, crouching on the roof of
the Dojo to wait for the inevitable chance to do the deed. When he was
done, no amount of hot water would save Ranma from the lecher's
attention...

==========

Cologne worked slowly and methodically while Ranma sat sweating, opening
bottle after jar after bottle, glancing back and forth between the tome
in front of her and the bowl in which she was mixing the cure. Ranma
tried to calm himself, but visions of the millions of possible ways this
opportunity could turn sour crossed before his eyes, taunting him with
their bleak outcomes. There was no sound save the rustling of the wind
in the trees outside, the gentle creaking of the dojo's wood, the
general myriad of sounds that all ignored until the rest of life wound
to a standstill.

Suddenly the wizened old woman stopped, standing up and bringing Ranma
from his tortured reverie with a cough. There was no turning back now.

"It is ready, son-in-law."

Ranma stood, hands in the pockets of his habitual black pants. He pulled
them out and bowed to Cologne before walking forwards.

"What now?"

Cologne picked up the bowl and hurled the contents at Ranma, beginning
to chant in Chinese. The world went white just as Ranma heard the
familiar voice of a dreaded enemy, and felt cold water soak him to the
skin.

Happosai was here.

~So far, so good.~

Happosai flew at his target, surprising her and knocking her to the
floor. Ranma was already changing, the cloud created by the cure
surrounding him. As the redhead took shape, the lecher began to focus
his mind on the power Cologne had brought forth, shaping it, melding it
with his own. It was tangible, a bitter, metallic taste in the air.
Sparks flew from the storm that was Ranma, as the cloud slowly raised
into the air. Happosai cackled in glee, his hands a blur, the colours
flashing in the palms making strange and wonderful patterns in the air.

Ranma's eyes burned, seeing nothing but pure white. She tried to close
them, but couldn't, tried to cover them with her hands, but she was
paralysed. ~Soul of ice, soul of ice...~ she scolded herself, but panic
was growing within her. What was the old freak doing? She thought she
heard sounds, but lost in the confusion of the cloud it could be
anything.

Meanwhile, Cologne was getting up. Her work had been taken, twisted, and
hurled at Ranma. Everything that had been ready to cure Ranma was
working on something quite different. Her eyes widened in horror, and
she launched herself at Happosai. Her son-in-law would not suffer that
fate. For his sake, and for Shampoo's, she began to fight with all her
might.

Happosai sensed the attack before Cologne hit, dashing to the side,
keeping his focus on Ranma. He had to finish the deed before the amazon
could recover control of the situation. Cologne realised what he was
doing, and swung her staff at the old man, beginning to utter arcane
syllables. She -would- return the spell to it's original construction!

So engrossed were they in this battle of wills that they didn't notice
that the cloud around Ranma was dispersing. The pure white in front of
her eyes dissolved into the Tendo dojo, and the battle between Happosai
and Cologne. Both were surrounded by battle auras, their gazes locked.
She tried to open her mouth to call out, but she still couldn't.

Suddenly, the glow around the combatants intensified, and could have
caused Ranma to flinch if she could move. Suddenly, the two auras flowed
into the hands of their owners, flying together in a massive explosion
of ki.

The world went black. As it appeared again, the two old martial artists
turned to the one area of blackness that remained. Out of it dropped
Ranma, once again male.

Just as Cologne turned to Happosai in triumph, Ranma fell on top of him,
her long red pigtail frayed and charred. She blinked her eyes open
slowly, pushing herself up, and looked down into the face of the person
that had cushioned her fall.

She screamed.

=========

Author's notes:

So ends my first stab at anime fanfiction. I hope it doesn't cause me to
get flamed -too- much >.<

As I said above, C&C are welcome, as long as you're not just writing to
tell me I suck and that I should stop writing before I get laughed out
of the fanfiction scene. Writing to tell me I rock is fine though, since
I'll just point you in the direction of some people who -actually- rock.

I plan to carry this series on until I come to a decent place to stop or
I die of old age. Since I'm still at school, the former is more likely.

This took me quite a while to write, being as I can almost always find
something better to do, like chatting to people, playing games, or just
listening to music. But the first part is finally written, so maybe
it'll give me the motivation to actually write in future ^_^

SPECIAL THANKS TO: Figment, for being a great pre-reader.

Everyone in #fanfic and #soulriders, for not shunning me ;)

All my friends, for being there for me.

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